The Broken Gate- First Two Chapters
Feb 17, 2011 16:33:52 GMT -8
Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2011 16:33:52 GMT -8
Um, hey all! A few months ago I finished the first draft of my novel, and I am still in the editing process. (If still editing means don't post it here, let me know and I'll move it) I wanted to get some good feedback about characters/plot/descriptions. Grammar is not a top priority until I've gone through this first edit, although if you see something glaring please let me know. 
A few things I'm aware of and am in the process of fixing:
My overuse of dashes. You may not see that so much in this chapter, but later in the first half I overuse it a lot, and am still going though them all. Hopefully by the time I post the other parts, the overuse will be no more.
I switch between loose and lose a lot, and that is also something I'm currently fixing.
Over use of descriptions. I do it a lot, and please do point this one out to me, but just so you all know I *am* fixing that as well. When I get going I tend to type out more than I need, and going back over it later I end up cutting out a lot.
Oh, and a warning: There is excessive cursing and violence in this novel. Do not read if such things bother you. It also deals somewhat with rape, and briefly talks about suicide.
Word count for chapter one: 1680
Chapter Two: 4123
Chapter One:
Aaaaand chapter two:
More chapters to come! Should I just keep posting them in this thread and re-name the thread, or should I make new ones each time?
A few things I'm aware of and am in the process of fixing:
My overuse of dashes. You may not see that so much in this chapter, but later in the first half I overuse it a lot, and am still going though them all. Hopefully by the time I post the other parts, the overuse will be no more.
I switch between loose and lose a lot, and that is also something I'm currently fixing.
Over use of descriptions. I do it a lot, and please do point this one out to me, but just so you all know I *am* fixing that as well. When I get going I tend to type out more than I need, and going back over it later I end up cutting out a lot.
Oh, and a warning: There is excessive cursing and violence in this novel. Do not read if such things bother you. It also deals somewhat with rape, and briefly talks about suicide.
Word count for chapter one: 1680
Chapter Two: 4123
Chapter One:
Chapter One
The Following
“Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.”
-William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night- Act II, Scene V
The sun shone brightly on her face, and she squinted, holding up her hand, turning slightly to the side.
“Mom, can we-” Something hit her, then, and she stopped, the smile sliding off of her face, shuddering. All the sounds of the world faded, like she was sinking. A presence washed back over her like a heavy tide, turning her around and pulling her away from her family.
She ran, the thickening crowd hiding her from her family’s view, her shoulders shaking. She had to keep moving. Again something pushed at her and she stumbled, ignoring startled and concerned looks, shoving past those getting in her way.
“Cal!” She could hear her brother calling for her, practically feel his footsteps as he ran after her, their parents not far behind.
It took more willpower than she had imagined to turn, catching sight of his face, dark eyes wide as he took her in, reaching out almost hesitantly. How she must have looked, standing hunched over, face twisting at actual pain in her chest. “Ian,” she gasped, words tumbling out of her lips, for she knew, somehow, that her family could not follow her, no matter what.
“Bathroom- sick,” she blurted, relief flooding her body as she turned and was propelled forward again, Ian calling after her still, her parents’ voices joining his. She ran faster, more and more people separating them, as she knew had to be done.
Keep going, something told her, something that filled her with equal parts dread and eagerness; she had to keep going, wanted to keep going, and no questions filled her mind as to why.
Something red flashed through the crowd. Her eyes scanned for it desperately, her pounding heart seeming to fill up her throat, threatening to actually make her sick.
There! A man walked through the crowd, not pausing to look at shops, or to even glance at the other people, as sure in his purpose as Cal was in hers at that moment. She slowed to a walk, the hand bidding her to follow more carefully. The man’s trench coat flapped around his ankles, his head turning left and right- seeming to be looking for something.
Minutes passed, and the crowd thinned. The boy did not look back at her, and people’s gazes seemed to slide right past her as well, but she did not care. She had to do this. She didn’t stop to wonder why.
He abruptly turned a corner, and Cal hung back, like something was holding her there, not wanting her to be seen.
The rock and gem shop (The Trove) had its curtains pulled over the windows, and a ‘closed’ sign hung in the door. The boy glanced sideways, silently opened the door, and went inside.
Again, her feet stumbled forward, struggling to move fast enough. There was no space in her head to question, only to know that she had to run. The door was slightly open. It was like something guided her hand and arm so that the hinges wouldn’t creak, and she, too, slid inside.
The rock and gem shop was quite, and broken. Shining glass littered the floor and the counters, stones lying on the tiles or across the room, as if thrown in fury. Bins holding polished gems had been shoved over, the rocks glittering like many eyes watching from the dark.
A pungent smell reached her, and she gagged, even as something willed her to keep moving, made her feet sure and soft, keeping her from stepping on broken glass or slippery stones. Faintly, she heard voices, and she walked faster.
I have to keep going. Can’t stop moving, not yet.
The smell grew stronger, and still she was pushed forward, now getting onto her knees, crawling. The shop was even messier farther in, and a door leading to the back room was open. Inside was a room stacked high with boxes; many broken or slashed as if a burglar had been through, others thrown carelessly to the ground, glass and gems scattered, but the glass did not seem to cut her somehow. Many of the boxes, though ripped and pushed over, were still stood like pillars or walls in a maze.
“Get out.”
Cal froze, but then another voice answered, this one younger.
“You’re not in a position to make demands.”
Cal peeked through a space between boxes, seeing the boy standing in front of a shorter man with slick black hair. In the boy’s hand was a gun; pointed right at the man’s head.
For a moment, it was as if the something trailed softly down her hair, and she could have sworn someone whispered ‘thank you’ in her ear, and then it was gone.
“You know what I’m here for.”
Her breath caught in her throat- heart thumping madly as she clutched her knees. All of her sureness vanished as the imagined whisper had. She had to get out. She should not have been there, and she was half sure that at any moment they would hear her breathing-
“Its not here. Can’t you tell? I’ve been searching for weeks.” The man’s voice was fast, raspy, and desperate. “Cobra, Master has told me much about you. Including your real name.”
Cal dared to look around the corner again, the boy’s voice putting her in mind of a feral smile.
“Has he, now?” The boy said with disinterest. “A recruit we haven’t heard of. Not very high up on the food chain, so I guess all you’ve ever gotten is scraps. And, if that is the case…” The boy shimmered, and all over him colors moved, rearranged, until a boy with longer blond hair stood there, wearing a dark red hooded jacket, black pants, and brown boots. Cal could see a knife and a gun clipped to one boot. Clipped at his back was a scythe, and she could spy two other guns at his waist. He was also covered by tiny dime like circles, which he peeled off, revealing that they were connected, like a web. Faster than she could blink, he folded them together with one hand until they were around the size of a cell phone. He slid it into his pocket, taking a step closer to the man, who was trembling now. The boy continued. “Then there is no need for disguises. However, you must know too, then, that if you say my name- I will kill you.” He straightened his gun arm for emphasis.
“Y- you’re going to kill me anyway!” The man tried to sneer, but seemed nothing more than terrified.
“True.” The boy took a step closer, and the man backed up against a wall of boxes, almost falling over. “Now,” the boy continued, “Either you assist me with information, or you produce what I want. I can only promise that I would be kinder than Cronos would be.”
The man laughed, but it was wild, nervous, and Cal tried again to move with no success.
“There’s nothing to tell- I’ve been searching for weeks, and Master will protect me!” He added with more desperation.
“Is that so? Hiding behind a box, is he?” The boy pressed forward, the gun touching the man’s forehead lightly.
The man stammered, sweat dripping down his face. “M-master-”
“-Isn’t here right now. But I am very much here, right in front of you, waiting to pull the trigger. If I you help me and I kill you, it will be quick, faster than your mind can register…but with Cronos it will be the opposite. You will suffer beyond anything you have ever felt before.”
The seconds passed, Cal holding her breath. The man begged and shook, and the boy’s finger inched toward the trigger.
“It is not here!” The man burst out. “Nowhere! I killed the two who owned this shop to search everywhere, but its not here!” The man went on even faster. “Master doesn’t have to know that you were here. I can just tell him I never found it-”
“Won’t work, sorry,” the boy said without regret.
“Please!” The man begged. “Please, Tro-”
There was a clattering of boxes, loud scuffling and struggling gasps- daring to look, Cal saw the man pinned to a wall, the boy’s hand on his throat. Her eyes widened, breath halted at the scene before her.
“Whoops,” the boy breathed as the squirming man beneath his fingers began to turn blue, spluttering incoherently. “You almost said it. You have no right to say my name. So you die now.”
Cal reacted instinctively as horror washed through her- drawing backward rapidly, her elbow smashed into a pile of boxes, all of which clattered to the ground. The scuffling immediately ceased, a loud thump echoing around the room as the man fell to the floor, barely conscious. Not daring to look up, Cal tried to move again toward the door, crawling backward in a crabwalk, freezing as the boy called out to her: “Don’t move.”
The man spoke, out of breath, choking slightly, on his feet again. “Someone is watching us, C-Cobra. I’ll take care of her, I promise, and then I’ll help you out, yes, you can take that gun off me, I swear I won’t run and-”
The boy snorted. “Good luck getting rid of her. Find anything, Cass?”
Cal heard the man’s feet moving backward. “Hydra?” The fear in his voice had increased.
“Yes.” The boy’s voice was conversational. “Want to see what happens when you try to cut off her head?” There was another scuffling sound, footsteps came toward her, and Cal felt a strong hand close around her upper arm. Still keeping her head down, Cal stifled a gasp as a low, smooth voice reached her ear- too quiet for all but her to hear.
“Say nothing. Stand, follow my lead and you don’t have to be involved.”
The Following
“Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.”
-William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night- Act II, Scene V
The sun shone brightly on her face, and she squinted, holding up her hand, turning slightly to the side.
“Mom, can we-” Something hit her, then, and she stopped, the smile sliding off of her face, shuddering. All the sounds of the world faded, like she was sinking. A presence washed back over her like a heavy tide, turning her around and pulling her away from her family.
She ran, the thickening crowd hiding her from her family’s view, her shoulders shaking. She had to keep moving. Again something pushed at her and she stumbled, ignoring startled and concerned looks, shoving past those getting in her way.
“Cal!” She could hear her brother calling for her, practically feel his footsteps as he ran after her, their parents not far behind.
It took more willpower than she had imagined to turn, catching sight of his face, dark eyes wide as he took her in, reaching out almost hesitantly. How she must have looked, standing hunched over, face twisting at actual pain in her chest. “Ian,” she gasped, words tumbling out of her lips, for she knew, somehow, that her family could not follow her, no matter what.
“Bathroom- sick,” she blurted, relief flooding her body as she turned and was propelled forward again, Ian calling after her still, her parents’ voices joining his. She ran faster, more and more people separating them, as she knew had to be done.
Keep going, something told her, something that filled her with equal parts dread and eagerness; she had to keep going, wanted to keep going, and no questions filled her mind as to why.
Something red flashed through the crowd. Her eyes scanned for it desperately, her pounding heart seeming to fill up her throat, threatening to actually make her sick.
There! A man walked through the crowd, not pausing to look at shops, or to even glance at the other people, as sure in his purpose as Cal was in hers at that moment. She slowed to a walk, the hand bidding her to follow more carefully. The man’s trench coat flapped around his ankles, his head turning left and right- seeming to be looking for something.
Minutes passed, and the crowd thinned. The boy did not look back at her, and people’s gazes seemed to slide right past her as well, but she did not care. She had to do this. She didn’t stop to wonder why.
He abruptly turned a corner, and Cal hung back, like something was holding her there, not wanting her to be seen.
The rock and gem shop (The Trove) had its curtains pulled over the windows, and a ‘closed’ sign hung in the door. The boy glanced sideways, silently opened the door, and went inside.
Again, her feet stumbled forward, struggling to move fast enough. There was no space in her head to question, only to know that she had to run. The door was slightly open. It was like something guided her hand and arm so that the hinges wouldn’t creak, and she, too, slid inside.
The rock and gem shop was quite, and broken. Shining glass littered the floor and the counters, stones lying on the tiles or across the room, as if thrown in fury. Bins holding polished gems had been shoved over, the rocks glittering like many eyes watching from the dark.
A pungent smell reached her, and she gagged, even as something willed her to keep moving, made her feet sure and soft, keeping her from stepping on broken glass or slippery stones. Faintly, she heard voices, and she walked faster.
I have to keep going. Can’t stop moving, not yet.
The smell grew stronger, and still she was pushed forward, now getting onto her knees, crawling. The shop was even messier farther in, and a door leading to the back room was open. Inside was a room stacked high with boxes; many broken or slashed as if a burglar had been through, others thrown carelessly to the ground, glass and gems scattered, but the glass did not seem to cut her somehow. Many of the boxes, though ripped and pushed over, were still stood like pillars or walls in a maze.
“Get out.”
Cal froze, but then another voice answered, this one younger.
“You’re not in a position to make demands.”
Cal peeked through a space between boxes, seeing the boy standing in front of a shorter man with slick black hair. In the boy’s hand was a gun; pointed right at the man’s head.
For a moment, it was as if the something trailed softly down her hair, and she could have sworn someone whispered ‘thank you’ in her ear, and then it was gone.
“You know what I’m here for.”
Her breath caught in her throat- heart thumping madly as she clutched her knees. All of her sureness vanished as the imagined whisper had. She had to get out. She should not have been there, and she was half sure that at any moment they would hear her breathing-
“Its not here. Can’t you tell? I’ve been searching for weeks.” The man’s voice was fast, raspy, and desperate. “Cobra, Master has told me much about you. Including your real name.”
Cal dared to look around the corner again, the boy’s voice putting her in mind of a feral smile.
“Has he, now?” The boy said with disinterest. “A recruit we haven’t heard of. Not very high up on the food chain, so I guess all you’ve ever gotten is scraps. And, if that is the case…” The boy shimmered, and all over him colors moved, rearranged, until a boy with longer blond hair stood there, wearing a dark red hooded jacket, black pants, and brown boots. Cal could see a knife and a gun clipped to one boot. Clipped at his back was a scythe, and she could spy two other guns at his waist. He was also covered by tiny dime like circles, which he peeled off, revealing that they were connected, like a web. Faster than she could blink, he folded them together with one hand until they were around the size of a cell phone. He slid it into his pocket, taking a step closer to the man, who was trembling now. The boy continued. “Then there is no need for disguises. However, you must know too, then, that if you say my name- I will kill you.” He straightened his gun arm for emphasis.
“Y- you’re going to kill me anyway!” The man tried to sneer, but seemed nothing more than terrified.
“True.” The boy took a step closer, and the man backed up against a wall of boxes, almost falling over. “Now,” the boy continued, “Either you assist me with information, or you produce what I want. I can only promise that I would be kinder than Cronos would be.”
The man laughed, but it was wild, nervous, and Cal tried again to move with no success.
“There’s nothing to tell- I’ve been searching for weeks, and Master will protect me!” He added with more desperation.
“Is that so? Hiding behind a box, is he?” The boy pressed forward, the gun touching the man’s forehead lightly.
The man stammered, sweat dripping down his face. “M-master-”
“-Isn’t here right now. But I am very much here, right in front of you, waiting to pull the trigger. If I you help me and I kill you, it will be quick, faster than your mind can register…but with Cronos it will be the opposite. You will suffer beyond anything you have ever felt before.”
The seconds passed, Cal holding her breath. The man begged and shook, and the boy’s finger inched toward the trigger.
“It is not here!” The man burst out. “Nowhere! I killed the two who owned this shop to search everywhere, but its not here!” The man went on even faster. “Master doesn’t have to know that you were here. I can just tell him I never found it-”
“Won’t work, sorry,” the boy said without regret.
“Please!” The man begged. “Please, Tro-”
There was a clattering of boxes, loud scuffling and struggling gasps- daring to look, Cal saw the man pinned to a wall, the boy’s hand on his throat. Her eyes widened, breath halted at the scene before her.
“Whoops,” the boy breathed as the squirming man beneath his fingers began to turn blue, spluttering incoherently. “You almost said it. You have no right to say my name. So you die now.”
Cal reacted instinctively as horror washed through her- drawing backward rapidly, her elbow smashed into a pile of boxes, all of which clattered to the ground. The scuffling immediately ceased, a loud thump echoing around the room as the man fell to the floor, barely conscious. Not daring to look up, Cal tried to move again toward the door, crawling backward in a crabwalk, freezing as the boy called out to her: “Don’t move.”
The man spoke, out of breath, choking slightly, on his feet again. “Someone is watching us, C-Cobra. I’ll take care of her, I promise, and then I’ll help you out, yes, you can take that gun off me, I swear I won’t run and-”
The boy snorted. “Good luck getting rid of her. Find anything, Cass?”
Cal heard the man’s feet moving backward. “Hydra?” The fear in his voice had increased.
“Yes.” The boy’s voice was conversational. “Want to see what happens when you try to cut off her head?” There was another scuffling sound, footsteps came toward her, and Cal felt a strong hand close around her upper arm. Still keeping her head down, Cal stifled a gasp as a low, smooth voice reached her ear- too quiet for all but her to hear.
“Say nothing. Stand, follow my lead and you don’t have to be involved.”
Aaaaand chapter two:
Chapter Two
Windows
“And since you know you cannot see yourself, so well as by reflection, I, your glass, will modestly discover to yourself, that of yourself which you yet know not of.”
-William Shakespeare
Cal nodded mutely, head down- as if I have a choice.
The boy pulled her to her feet, still gripping her arm. “Try to look fierce,” the boy whispered to her. She nodded slightly, something not quite tangible telling her that it was right. The boy was still pointing a gun at the man, who stared at her with a trembling fear. She gathered her courage, curling her lip and glaring at him.
“Cronos’ promises are empty,” the boy said quietly, moving closer to the man. “You should know that before you die.” He sprang forward.
It was faster than Cal could blink- the boy let her go for the briefest of moments, his hands finding the man’s head and neck, the man had no time to run or scream as the boy twisted with ease, and the man’s neck was broken with a loud snap and his eyes went blank and he dropped.
She couldn’t move, a scream building in her throat, but nothing came out. The boy’s hand found her again and somehow she could not even fight against it; like she’d swallowed all her tongue, no sound escaped her. Why had she followed this boy? Why had she felt like she was being pushed- like she had to go after him? Was she loosing her mind? That was the only explanation that made sense; she had imagined something pushing her, and had followed him for reasons she couldn’t begin to guess.
And why couldn’t she run?
The boy sighed as he led Cal around to face the opposite direction.
“Cass’ll finish it…” He murmured to himself. His hand tightened upon Cal’s arm, pulling her along, none too gently, past the crumpled body. Cal, head bent and eyes unfocused, found herself being led forward dumbly like a cow for slaughter.
An unwilling gasp escaped her lips, and Cal struggled in his grip, punching at his arm, but he pulled her in front of him with ease, grabbing her other arm and holding both behind her back as she continued to struggle. He held her as if her protests used no more strength than a kitten batting at a ball of yarn.
They had reached the wall opposite of the dead man- a maze of boxes still around them, though a door was not too far away.
Unintelligible sounds hissed through her teeth as she struggled. “Let-” he pulled back hard on her arm and her plea became a cry. Almost immediately he loosened his hold, but still she could not get away. Suddenly she remembered Ian- whenever she would try to playfully pull him around, he would just drop to the floor, sending her off balance and running away.
She didn’t hesitate, dropping, letting all of her weight fall to the ground.
The boy grunted in surprise, and for a moment she was free; she scrambled to crawl away from him, stopping in her tracks as eyes stared at her.
For a moment, nothing else registered. The eyes stared without blinking, sideways, as if a person was just relaxing on the floor. Everything came to her in bits; the boy grabbing her again, hoisting her to her feet, the eyes not moving, staring from the face of a dead older woman, dried blood surrounding her on the floor. Not two feet away, a man that appeared to be her husband lay, still looking slightly surprised, on his stomach, a gigantic hole in his back, what was left of his spine exposed.
She couldn’t breathe. Ohgodohgodohgodohgodoh-
Acid filled her throat and she gagged, sagging forward in the boy’s grip as she threw up, sick splattering her shoes.
She had the strangest sensation that the boy was patting her almost soothingly on the back, but it was gone in a moment. Her stomach heaved again but nothing came out, and she was being pulled along more gently this time, feet stumbling, her body horribly weak and shaking.
Dead. Three people dead.
She couldn’t think past it, the eyes staring at her still though they had left the bodies behind. She could smell the blood, the rotting flesh and she gagged again. The boy stopped and waited for it to pass. Finally the oxygen seemed to reach Cal’s head; her breathing evened out, and the tears dried on her cheeks.
They’re dead. Why…how am I not dead?
The boy leading her along had said little to her, stopping when she was gagging, not screaming or threatening her. This boy had protected her, and had lied to keep her alive?
But it couldn’t be- he’d murdered a man in front of her eyes! He was probably taking her out back to rape her or worse-
She jerked her arms again, knowing that it was futile. She wasn’t going to take this calmly. She had to keep fighting him.
He did not pull her arms back as he had before, and as her growls became louder and she opened her mouth to scream he let go of one arm and covered her mouth.
“Don’t.” The boy’s voice was harsh, and he moved easily around her as she tried to bite at him, butt his head with her own. “Don’t. Don’t scream. Please.”
Please.
Cal froze. ‘Please’ did not strike her as something a murderer or rapist would say- besides, didn’t most of them like it when their victims fought? If he wanted her to be quiet he could just knock her out, but he was asking instead.
Slowly, she relaxed, and they moved forward again.
He’s holding me tightly but not hurting me. He’s not yelling, not threatening…he said please. Maybe…maybe he’s the ‘good guy’ in all of this.
The door loomed before them, and the boy swung it forward easily, revealing a sort of back alley behind the store.
Good guy or not, the moment the light hit her she made to through the doorway, when the boy’s hands tightened on her arms, and faster than she could gasp, he had pulled her outside, turned her around, and pinned her against a wall. Her head knocked back against the stone and she felt pain bloom across the back of her skull, her vision swimming.
“Tell me,” the boy said. “Who are you? How did you follow me?”
Her eyes were cloudy, and she blinked away the fog. “Wh-what do you mean how? Why would you want to know that?”
“Tell me! More than your life depends on this!”
She struggled to form words. “I- I saw you. I just- just followed. Didn’t mean-I don’t know why-”
“You can’t be one of his, but I have to know how you followed me! Please!”
The word ‘please’ caught her attention again, but still she didn’t know what else to say. She had had to follow him- she couldn’t’ begin to explain why or how. “I don’t know how!” Cal tremblingly raised her face to meet his.
He froze, eyes wide.
Cal stared up at him, and for a second her fear vanished.
She wasn’t sure how long she stared at him, but she realized that he no longer looked angry or frightening- just sad, desperate, and scared. Most of all sad, weighted down by the kind of terror that she had never known.
Reality crashed down upon her. She knew nothing of this boy. He had just shoved her up against a wall, and murdered a man. He had spoke of killing as if it were no bother, a routine. He could kill her at any moment. He was far stronger, far faster, than she was. It would be easy- equal to a cheetah chasing down a chipmunk.
“…Who are you?” She whispered.
The boy’s eyes darkened, and he turned away, releasing her shoulders.
She knelt, pain vibrating up her legs, and for several seconds she could not move.
Finally, he spoke, voice harsh- “My name is none of your concern.”
He whirled around, fists clenched at his sides as he strode to where Cal sat upon the ground. For a moment he hesitated, murmuring something that might have been “sorry”. He leaned over her, hands going toward her neck.
Cal had no time to scramble away as his hands found their target, and her world went black.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Her eyes fluttered, and opened. Weakly, she placed a hand to her temple, trying to place her confused thoughts. A voice swirled around her.
“…Yeah, the original shopkeepers were dead. Well have to be more careful. I can’t take care of it Cass. Could you and Alex…? Thanks, bring Marth if you can, but someone needs to keep an eye on things…Listen, something’s happened…”
Cal shook her head a few times, trying to peer through the dim light. The boy was standing again, back turned toward her, speaking into a small, silver cell phone.
“Someone…followed me. She saw what happened, probably heard everything. She doesn’t work for anyone- innocent as I’ve ever seen…Just trust me on this one, okay! How the hell should I know?” The boy sighed, running his hand over his forehead. “Cass, she followed me. I didn’t know she was there till she knocked over some boxes…I’m not about to trust her with anything, Cass! She’s just some girl that was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m getting her home now.” He sighed again, this time in frustration. “I’ll tell you more about it later. Be careful. I’ll see you all soon…” There was a small beeping sound- the boy lowered the phone and turned around, running a hand over his forehead, freezing as he saw that her eyes were open..
Without saying a word, he threw something at the ground near Cal’s face- something sweet smelling that became a puff of smoke that left Cal dazed and confused, her thoughts swirling again, leaving her falling into oblivion…
And yet, for a few moments something seemed to reach her in her floating state, sensations and words, soft sheets, a breeze, and his voice.
Cal heard, felt, knew, somehow, that a boy with blue eyes standing over her, whispering apologies into her ear.
~-~-~-~-~-~
A clinking sound woke Cal from her dreamless sleep. Yawning, she rubbed her eyes, blinking to rid them of sleepiness- sitting bolt upright when her memories returned. Where was she? How long had she been sleeping? Glancing out her window, she saw that it was dusk, clouds overhanging in the sky.
“Shit!” Cal hissed, wincing, aware suddenly of the hurrying footsteps coming up her stairs. Whirling around so that she was facing the door, she saw her mother’s pale face, followed closely by her father and brother, as they ran up the stairs.
Upon catching sight of Cal sitting unharmed and bewildered on her bed, her mother Lilliana gave a shriek and dived at her daughter, pulling her into a fierce hug. “Oh Cal,” Lilliana whispered, tears falling onto her daughter’s shoulder, “Oh Cal, thank goodness you’re okay!” Ian, teeth and fists clenched, leaned back against her wall, closing his eyes and breathing slowly.
Her father Dai stood ashen-faced in the doorway, staring at his daughter for a moment before coming forward to embrace her. “My Aijou,” He murmured, “Cal, what happened?” At those words, Lilliana’s back stiffened, and she drew away from her daughter, standing up, eyes slits. Ian opened his eyes, standing straighter. Cal felt as though the room had suddenly been charged with electricity.
“What happened?! You just ran off, disappear for hours, and then we come home to find you here? Cal we thought you’d been kidnapped or worse!”
Cal fought another wince, opening her mouth to speak. “I’m so sorry mom. I felt really sick- I had to find a bathroom.” Cal’s hands clenched on her sheets. Sick. Mentally maybe. “But when I got there, I- I think I fainted. There was someone else in there with me- this girl I think goes to school. I woke up and she was standing over me. I wasn’t thinking straight; I just wanted to get home and rest. I’m sorry, I know I should have called.”
Ian sat down on their father’s side, his face pale. Her mother’s arms circled her shoulders, her father’s finding her waist.
Cal leaned her head against them, closing her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, and the words felt hollow. She wanted to sit there for hours, feeling safe and secure in the arms of her family. “I just…I think I want to rest for a while…”
Lilliana hesitated for a moment before saying, “I understand sweetheart. I’ll go call the doctor, and-”
“No!” Cal jerked, imagining a doctor claiming that she really was crazy.
“Cal,” Her father said quietly after a moment. “If this continues we will call a doctor with or without your permission.”
She nodded, and made herself smile. “Of course. I don’t want to be sick- I think I might have been dehydrated…I’ll let you know if I start feeling like that again.”
Lilliana bit her lip, and then she too smiled, pressing her hand lightly to Cal’s forehead. Why don’t I get you some water then, hun?” Kissing Cal’s forehead lightly, she stood, and walked through the door.
Cal buried her face in her dad’s shoulder, as she had not done since she was a child. Memories of blood, the boy, the terrible smell, flashed through her, and she gripped him tighter. She felt Ian stand and sit by her, wrapping his own arms around her.
Lilliana returned, a glass of water in hand. “Here sweetie.” Cal accepted the glass gratefully, only just realizing how thirsty she was. With another kiss to her forehead and cheek respectively, her parents left the room.
Ian scooted to the edge of her bed, fiddling with the sheets.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked. Cal found herself able to actually smile, sliding next to him to ruffle his hair. “I’m fine, I promise. I just need to take it easy for a while, alright?” She leaned back, turning her head a little to one side. “I’ll see you at dinner, ‘kay?”
Ian cast her one last worried glance, before smiling a little. “Hai, Oneesan. See you down there.” He hugged her again.
She felt her smile grow. She and her mom were alike in taking an odd enjoyment in being addressed in various languages. Cal wasn’t sure how to describe it- but there was something undoubtedly cool about being called ‘older sister’ in two languages, though her brother was far better at Japanese than she was. She’d never been particularly good with languages- the words all seemed to blend together somehow. Ian soaked up new languages like a sponge, writing codes and notes combining the two languages he knew, and others that he was learning by ear, or by looking up online or in books. Cal was quite honestly amazed at how much languages interested him- languages and flying. His room was decorated with various model airplanes, even spaceship toys from Star Wars and Star Trek. “See you down there, Otouto,” she agreed.
He grinned at her, and left.
Cal stood and shut the door behind him, sighing, blowing strands of hair out of her eyes, falling backward onto her mattress. It was unusual for her mom to let things go so easily. Cal wondered if she had somehow sensed the confusion that was running rampant through her brain. She closed her eyes, going over the memories of what had really happened after she left her family. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was missing something- some important detail that would tie all the confusing events together.
How do I know that it wasn’t just a dream? She didn’t, in the end, but the images continued to play in her mind- death, threats, power. The boy. Broken necks and staring eyes. She shuddered. No, it hadn’t been a dream. She counted out the facts in her head, trying to get it all to fit together, like an oversized puzzle.
Fact One, she thought, I followed a strange boy without any seeming reason.
Fact Two, he met another man in there, and they were both looking for the same thing.
Fact Three, The boy and the man argued about a ‘master’ that the boy called Cronos.
Cronos…father of the gods in Greek mythology.
Fact Four, The boy was ready to kill the man for just saying his name.
Fact Five, The boy… murdered him.
Fact Six, I walked, or rather crawled, in on something bigger than myself. Something dangerous. Something that I shouldn’t get involved in…
“….Do as I say and you don’t have to be involved…”
They boy’s words tumbled form her mind. He had said those things, kept her close, so…
Fact Seven, this boy lied to keep me safe.
And most importantly…
Fact eight, He brought me back to my house, unharmed.
The window, which was very slightly open, showed her the world. The people outside, laughing, talking, did not know that three people were dead, gone forever. They didn’t know that boys with the power to disguise themselves and move so fast existed. The didn’t know what a man looked like after his neck was broken; they hadn’t stared into someone’s dead eyes.
Her hands clenched on the sheets. I have to tell someone. It would be so easy, so wonderful, to run to her parents room, bury her face in their pillows and tell them everything. She couldn’t keep something like this from them- they needed to know, and they would be able to tell what to do next.
Cal stood quickly, heading for the door, but she froze as her father’s voice reached her, just as a whisper, from her parents’ room.
“She’s not telling the truth, Lilliana.”
A part of her heart lifted. Dad can tell something is wrong! Below, she could hear the sounds of her brother rifling through the pantry.
“…I know.”
Inching around the corner, Cal saw her father, his back toward her, Lilliana sitting in front of their mirror, brushing her hair, with a look that showed she needed something to do with her hands.
“…’Ana, koishii, ” he took a deep breath. “Whatever happened, she doesn’t want us to know about it.” Dai placed his hands lightly upon his wife’s shoulders.
Her mom paused, brush halfway down a thick bit of hair. “I know. Why, do you think?”
Her husband shrugged. “Whatever she was doing, we have to trust her to tell us about it when and if she is ready.” He bent forward, placing his lips on top of his wife’s head.
Lilliana looked up at him, frowning. “I don’t like letting this lie, Dai. Though you might be right, I don’t feel comfortable not asking her about it. Perhaps she will come around and tell us, but her holding it in is not going to help anyone.” She sighed. “But you’re probably right. You can read her better than I can.”
Dai shook his head, running callused fingers through his wife’s long hair. “You read her just as well as I do. Better, sometimes. And I think that makes her a little uncomfortable.” His voice was a murmur and he wrapped his arms around her.
Lilliana exhaled, bringing her hands up to clasp his arms. “I don’t know. Often I’m not sure that I know her anymore. Even when we’re doing things, or on the same sync, parts of her still seem so foreign to me…”
“She probably feels a bit foreign to herself.” Dai kissed her head again. “Things are changing in ways that are going to be hard for her to understand. But she’s handling it pretty well. She loves you, very much.”
Lilliana gave a faint smile. “I know she does.” Cal’s mom paused, fingers running down her husband’s arm. “She’ll be okay, don’t you think? She’ll get through whatever’s in store for her.”
“I haven’t a doubt in my mind.”
Cal backed away from the wall. Far from convincing her that she should tell them, her parents words made her realize that she couldn’t.
Three dead, so easily. If I tell them, my parents could be next.
She loved her family- her parents, Ian, her best friend Mary who was like a sister to her, and Mary’s dad Ray that was like a second father. She loved them. And she had seen to much to possibly tell them what had happened. The boy, though he had spared her life, had not hesitated to kill that man, and the man had obviously not hesitated to kill the innocent shopkeepers…
Her own comfort was not worth risking her family’s life.
I still have to tell someone. The shopkeepers…they’ll have family, friends. I’d seen them once or twice around; they had lives here.
Slowly she went back into her room, sinking onto her bed. One hand closed around the necklace her parent’s had given her for her birthday years ago. She always wore it, and it always gave her comfort.
The police!
She stood suddenly, mind whirring. Of course! I can tell the police!
The question was, how? She immediately discounted going down to the station. She couldn’t take the chance that she would be seen, and put herself and her family in danger again. The boy, at least, knew where she lived, and if that ‘Cronos’ guy found out, it would be all her fault.
I’ll place an anonymous call with my cell phone. The police will check in, find the bodies, and be able to do something about all of this. Then I can go back to the way things were- try and forget about what happened.
-~-~-~-~-~-~-
The spokes hummed as she pedaled down the sidewalk, hair flying behind her. She’d made the call a few minutes ago inside a bathroom stall at a Subway, and she had to hurry if she wanted to make sure she got there in time.
Don’t look suspicious. Don’t talk to them. You’re just a teenager buying clothes for school.
Cal knew that she had to see what the cops did or found; what if they didn’t come out alive? She’d have to get some help…
The bike jumped lightly as she came off the edge of the sidewalk and into the bike lane. Almost there. The main street of shops was just ahead; everything from clothes to books to specialized photography and street vendors selling Chinese food.
She could see the shop now, and she slowed down. Unlike the other places, The Trove Rock and Gem shop stood almost hidden by the other buildings, and also somewhat apart. Though in good repair, most did not even glance at it as they passed. She stopped, hopping off of her bike, getting as close as she could to the shop without looking odd, standing like she was wondering what to order from the food vendor.
A police cruiser drove up the street. People glanced at it as it passed, but as the siren wasn’t on, no one looked for long. Cal watched out of the corner of her eye as the car slowed and stopped in front of the shop. The driver, after a few seconds conversing with his partner before he sat up and walked to the door. He knocked, and a few people looked over at him again as the officer waited a few seconds, knocking again. “Hello?” He called. Finally, he eased the door open, and slid inside.
Cal waited impatiently as the minutes passed, tense, ready for EMTs, a cry of shock, sirens racing toward the shop- something.
Her heartbeat pulsed in her ears and she knew something wasn’t right. The outline of the officer filled the window on the door, and he stepped out, shaking his head.
“Anything?” His partner called from inside, and Cal tried to quiet the rest of the world, straining to hear his answer.
“Nothin. Damn kids and their prank calls. Its not even Halloween!” The man sat down in the car, and started the engine. “The owner’s aren’t there, must be out. They’re lucky no one seems to have broken in with how they kept the door open.”
“We can let ‘em know,” his partner said, taking a sip of coffee.
“Hey,” the vendor said irritably. “You gonna order anything missy?”
“What?” Cal watched as the police drove away, unable to form a coherent thought. “Oh. Uh, no. Thank you.” She stepped back and stared after the police car, wanting to run or call after it.
What the hell is going on?
Windows
“And since you know you cannot see yourself, so well as by reflection, I, your glass, will modestly discover to yourself, that of yourself which you yet know not of.”
-William Shakespeare
Cal nodded mutely, head down- as if I have a choice.
The boy pulled her to her feet, still gripping her arm. “Try to look fierce,” the boy whispered to her. She nodded slightly, something not quite tangible telling her that it was right. The boy was still pointing a gun at the man, who stared at her with a trembling fear. She gathered her courage, curling her lip and glaring at him.
“Cronos’ promises are empty,” the boy said quietly, moving closer to the man. “You should know that before you die.” He sprang forward.
It was faster than Cal could blink- the boy let her go for the briefest of moments, his hands finding the man’s head and neck, the man had no time to run or scream as the boy twisted with ease, and the man’s neck was broken with a loud snap and his eyes went blank and he dropped.
She couldn’t move, a scream building in her throat, but nothing came out. The boy’s hand found her again and somehow she could not even fight against it; like she’d swallowed all her tongue, no sound escaped her. Why had she followed this boy? Why had she felt like she was being pushed- like she had to go after him? Was she loosing her mind? That was the only explanation that made sense; she had imagined something pushing her, and had followed him for reasons she couldn’t begin to guess.
And why couldn’t she run?
The boy sighed as he led Cal around to face the opposite direction.
“Cass’ll finish it…” He murmured to himself. His hand tightened upon Cal’s arm, pulling her along, none too gently, past the crumpled body. Cal, head bent and eyes unfocused, found herself being led forward dumbly like a cow for slaughter.
An unwilling gasp escaped her lips, and Cal struggled in his grip, punching at his arm, but he pulled her in front of him with ease, grabbing her other arm and holding both behind her back as she continued to struggle. He held her as if her protests used no more strength than a kitten batting at a ball of yarn.
They had reached the wall opposite of the dead man- a maze of boxes still around them, though a door was not too far away.
Unintelligible sounds hissed through her teeth as she struggled. “Let-” he pulled back hard on her arm and her plea became a cry. Almost immediately he loosened his hold, but still she could not get away. Suddenly she remembered Ian- whenever she would try to playfully pull him around, he would just drop to the floor, sending her off balance and running away.
She didn’t hesitate, dropping, letting all of her weight fall to the ground.
The boy grunted in surprise, and for a moment she was free; she scrambled to crawl away from him, stopping in her tracks as eyes stared at her.
For a moment, nothing else registered. The eyes stared without blinking, sideways, as if a person was just relaxing on the floor. Everything came to her in bits; the boy grabbing her again, hoisting her to her feet, the eyes not moving, staring from the face of a dead older woman, dried blood surrounding her on the floor. Not two feet away, a man that appeared to be her husband lay, still looking slightly surprised, on his stomach, a gigantic hole in his back, what was left of his spine exposed.
She couldn’t breathe. Ohgodohgodohgodohgodoh-
Acid filled her throat and she gagged, sagging forward in the boy’s grip as she threw up, sick splattering her shoes.
She had the strangest sensation that the boy was patting her almost soothingly on the back, but it was gone in a moment. Her stomach heaved again but nothing came out, and she was being pulled along more gently this time, feet stumbling, her body horribly weak and shaking.
Dead. Three people dead.
She couldn’t think past it, the eyes staring at her still though they had left the bodies behind. She could smell the blood, the rotting flesh and she gagged again. The boy stopped and waited for it to pass. Finally the oxygen seemed to reach Cal’s head; her breathing evened out, and the tears dried on her cheeks.
They’re dead. Why…how am I not dead?
The boy leading her along had said little to her, stopping when she was gagging, not screaming or threatening her. This boy had protected her, and had lied to keep her alive?
But it couldn’t be- he’d murdered a man in front of her eyes! He was probably taking her out back to rape her or worse-
She jerked her arms again, knowing that it was futile. She wasn’t going to take this calmly. She had to keep fighting him.
He did not pull her arms back as he had before, and as her growls became louder and she opened her mouth to scream he let go of one arm and covered her mouth.
“Don’t.” The boy’s voice was harsh, and he moved easily around her as she tried to bite at him, butt his head with her own. “Don’t. Don’t scream. Please.”
Please.
Cal froze. ‘Please’ did not strike her as something a murderer or rapist would say- besides, didn’t most of them like it when their victims fought? If he wanted her to be quiet he could just knock her out, but he was asking instead.
Slowly, she relaxed, and they moved forward again.
He’s holding me tightly but not hurting me. He’s not yelling, not threatening…he said please. Maybe…maybe he’s the ‘good guy’ in all of this.
The door loomed before them, and the boy swung it forward easily, revealing a sort of back alley behind the store.
Good guy or not, the moment the light hit her she made to through the doorway, when the boy’s hands tightened on her arms, and faster than she could gasp, he had pulled her outside, turned her around, and pinned her against a wall. Her head knocked back against the stone and she felt pain bloom across the back of her skull, her vision swimming.
“Tell me,” the boy said. “Who are you? How did you follow me?”
Her eyes were cloudy, and she blinked away the fog. “Wh-what do you mean how? Why would you want to know that?”
“Tell me! More than your life depends on this!”
She struggled to form words. “I- I saw you. I just- just followed. Didn’t mean-I don’t know why-”
“You can’t be one of his, but I have to know how you followed me! Please!”
The word ‘please’ caught her attention again, but still she didn’t know what else to say. She had had to follow him- she couldn’t’ begin to explain why or how. “I don’t know how!” Cal tremblingly raised her face to meet his.
He froze, eyes wide.
Cal stared up at him, and for a second her fear vanished.
She wasn’t sure how long she stared at him, but she realized that he no longer looked angry or frightening- just sad, desperate, and scared. Most of all sad, weighted down by the kind of terror that she had never known.
Reality crashed down upon her. She knew nothing of this boy. He had just shoved her up against a wall, and murdered a man. He had spoke of killing as if it were no bother, a routine. He could kill her at any moment. He was far stronger, far faster, than she was. It would be easy- equal to a cheetah chasing down a chipmunk.
“…Who are you?” She whispered.
The boy’s eyes darkened, and he turned away, releasing her shoulders.
She knelt, pain vibrating up her legs, and for several seconds she could not move.
Finally, he spoke, voice harsh- “My name is none of your concern.”
He whirled around, fists clenched at his sides as he strode to where Cal sat upon the ground. For a moment he hesitated, murmuring something that might have been “sorry”. He leaned over her, hands going toward her neck.
Cal had no time to scramble away as his hands found their target, and her world went black.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~
Her eyes fluttered, and opened. Weakly, she placed a hand to her temple, trying to place her confused thoughts. A voice swirled around her.
“…Yeah, the original shopkeepers were dead. Well have to be more careful. I can’t take care of it Cass. Could you and Alex…? Thanks, bring Marth if you can, but someone needs to keep an eye on things…Listen, something’s happened…”
Cal shook her head a few times, trying to peer through the dim light. The boy was standing again, back turned toward her, speaking into a small, silver cell phone.
“Someone…followed me. She saw what happened, probably heard everything. She doesn’t work for anyone- innocent as I’ve ever seen…Just trust me on this one, okay! How the hell should I know?” The boy sighed, running his hand over his forehead. “Cass, she followed me. I didn’t know she was there till she knocked over some boxes…I’m not about to trust her with anything, Cass! She’s just some girl that was in the wrong place at the wrong time. I’m getting her home now.” He sighed again, this time in frustration. “I’ll tell you more about it later. Be careful. I’ll see you all soon…” There was a small beeping sound- the boy lowered the phone and turned around, running a hand over his forehead, freezing as he saw that her eyes were open..
Without saying a word, he threw something at the ground near Cal’s face- something sweet smelling that became a puff of smoke that left Cal dazed and confused, her thoughts swirling again, leaving her falling into oblivion…
And yet, for a few moments something seemed to reach her in her floating state, sensations and words, soft sheets, a breeze, and his voice.
Cal heard, felt, knew, somehow, that a boy with blue eyes standing over her, whispering apologies into her ear.
~-~-~-~-~-~
A clinking sound woke Cal from her dreamless sleep. Yawning, she rubbed her eyes, blinking to rid them of sleepiness- sitting bolt upright when her memories returned. Where was she? How long had she been sleeping? Glancing out her window, she saw that it was dusk, clouds overhanging in the sky.
“Shit!” Cal hissed, wincing, aware suddenly of the hurrying footsteps coming up her stairs. Whirling around so that she was facing the door, she saw her mother’s pale face, followed closely by her father and brother, as they ran up the stairs.
Upon catching sight of Cal sitting unharmed and bewildered on her bed, her mother Lilliana gave a shriek and dived at her daughter, pulling her into a fierce hug. “Oh Cal,” Lilliana whispered, tears falling onto her daughter’s shoulder, “Oh Cal, thank goodness you’re okay!” Ian, teeth and fists clenched, leaned back against her wall, closing his eyes and breathing slowly.
Her father Dai stood ashen-faced in the doorway, staring at his daughter for a moment before coming forward to embrace her. “My Aijou,” He murmured, “Cal, what happened?” At those words, Lilliana’s back stiffened, and she drew away from her daughter, standing up, eyes slits. Ian opened his eyes, standing straighter. Cal felt as though the room had suddenly been charged with electricity.
“What happened?! You just ran off, disappear for hours, and then we come home to find you here? Cal we thought you’d been kidnapped or worse!”
Cal fought another wince, opening her mouth to speak. “I’m so sorry mom. I felt really sick- I had to find a bathroom.” Cal’s hands clenched on her sheets. Sick. Mentally maybe. “But when I got there, I- I think I fainted. There was someone else in there with me- this girl I think goes to school. I woke up and she was standing over me. I wasn’t thinking straight; I just wanted to get home and rest. I’m sorry, I know I should have called.”
Ian sat down on their father’s side, his face pale. Her mother’s arms circled her shoulders, her father’s finding her waist.
Cal leaned her head against them, closing her eyes. “I’m sorry,” she said, and the words felt hollow. She wanted to sit there for hours, feeling safe and secure in the arms of her family. “I just…I think I want to rest for a while…”
Lilliana hesitated for a moment before saying, “I understand sweetheart. I’ll go call the doctor, and-”
“No!” Cal jerked, imagining a doctor claiming that she really was crazy.
“Cal,” Her father said quietly after a moment. “If this continues we will call a doctor with or without your permission.”
She nodded, and made herself smile. “Of course. I don’t want to be sick- I think I might have been dehydrated…I’ll let you know if I start feeling like that again.”
Lilliana bit her lip, and then she too smiled, pressing her hand lightly to Cal’s forehead. Why don’t I get you some water then, hun?” Kissing Cal’s forehead lightly, she stood, and walked through the door.
Cal buried her face in her dad’s shoulder, as she had not done since she was a child. Memories of blood, the boy, the terrible smell, flashed through her, and she gripped him tighter. She felt Ian stand and sit by her, wrapping his own arms around her.
Lilliana returned, a glass of water in hand. “Here sweetie.” Cal accepted the glass gratefully, only just realizing how thirsty she was. With another kiss to her forehead and cheek respectively, her parents left the room.
Ian scooted to the edge of her bed, fiddling with the sheets.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” He asked. Cal found herself able to actually smile, sliding next to him to ruffle his hair. “I’m fine, I promise. I just need to take it easy for a while, alright?” She leaned back, turning her head a little to one side. “I’ll see you at dinner, ‘kay?”
Ian cast her one last worried glance, before smiling a little. “Hai, Oneesan. See you down there.” He hugged her again.
She felt her smile grow. She and her mom were alike in taking an odd enjoyment in being addressed in various languages. Cal wasn’t sure how to describe it- but there was something undoubtedly cool about being called ‘older sister’ in two languages, though her brother was far better at Japanese than she was. She’d never been particularly good with languages- the words all seemed to blend together somehow. Ian soaked up new languages like a sponge, writing codes and notes combining the two languages he knew, and others that he was learning by ear, or by looking up online or in books. Cal was quite honestly amazed at how much languages interested him- languages and flying. His room was decorated with various model airplanes, even spaceship toys from Star Wars and Star Trek. “See you down there, Otouto,” she agreed.
He grinned at her, and left.
Cal stood and shut the door behind him, sighing, blowing strands of hair out of her eyes, falling backward onto her mattress. It was unusual for her mom to let things go so easily. Cal wondered if she had somehow sensed the confusion that was running rampant through her brain. She closed her eyes, going over the memories of what had really happened after she left her family. She couldn’t shake the feeling that she was missing something- some important detail that would tie all the confusing events together.
How do I know that it wasn’t just a dream? She didn’t, in the end, but the images continued to play in her mind- death, threats, power. The boy. Broken necks and staring eyes. She shuddered. No, it hadn’t been a dream. She counted out the facts in her head, trying to get it all to fit together, like an oversized puzzle.
Fact One, she thought, I followed a strange boy without any seeming reason.
Fact Two, he met another man in there, and they were both looking for the same thing.
Fact Three, The boy and the man argued about a ‘master’ that the boy called Cronos.
Cronos…father of the gods in Greek mythology.
Fact Four, The boy was ready to kill the man for just saying his name.
Fact Five, The boy… murdered him.
Fact Six, I walked, or rather crawled, in on something bigger than myself. Something dangerous. Something that I shouldn’t get involved in…
“….Do as I say and you don’t have to be involved…”
They boy’s words tumbled form her mind. He had said those things, kept her close, so…
Fact Seven, this boy lied to keep me safe.
And most importantly…
Fact eight, He brought me back to my house, unharmed.
The window, which was very slightly open, showed her the world. The people outside, laughing, talking, did not know that three people were dead, gone forever. They didn’t know that boys with the power to disguise themselves and move so fast existed. The didn’t know what a man looked like after his neck was broken; they hadn’t stared into someone’s dead eyes.
Her hands clenched on the sheets. I have to tell someone. It would be so easy, so wonderful, to run to her parents room, bury her face in their pillows and tell them everything. She couldn’t keep something like this from them- they needed to know, and they would be able to tell what to do next.
Cal stood quickly, heading for the door, but she froze as her father’s voice reached her, just as a whisper, from her parents’ room.
“She’s not telling the truth, Lilliana.”
A part of her heart lifted. Dad can tell something is wrong! Below, she could hear the sounds of her brother rifling through the pantry.
“…I know.”
Inching around the corner, Cal saw her father, his back toward her, Lilliana sitting in front of their mirror, brushing her hair, with a look that showed she needed something to do with her hands.
“…’Ana, koishii, ” he took a deep breath. “Whatever happened, she doesn’t want us to know about it.” Dai placed his hands lightly upon his wife’s shoulders.
Her mom paused, brush halfway down a thick bit of hair. “I know. Why, do you think?”
Her husband shrugged. “Whatever she was doing, we have to trust her to tell us about it when and if she is ready.” He bent forward, placing his lips on top of his wife’s head.
Lilliana looked up at him, frowning. “I don’t like letting this lie, Dai. Though you might be right, I don’t feel comfortable not asking her about it. Perhaps she will come around and tell us, but her holding it in is not going to help anyone.” She sighed. “But you’re probably right. You can read her better than I can.”
Dai shook his head, running callused fingers through his wife’s long hair. “You read her just as well as I do. Better, sometimes. And I think that makes her a little uncomfortable.” His voice was a murmur and he wrapped his arms around her.
Lilliana exhaled, bringing her hands up to clasp his arms. “I don’t know. Often I’m not sure that I know her anymore. Even when we’re doing things, or on the same sync, parts of her still seem so foreign to me…”
“She probably feels a bit foreign to herself.” Dai kissed her head again. “Things are changing in ways that are going to be hard for her to understand. But she’s handling it pretty well. She loves you, very much.”
Lilliana gave a faint smile. “I know she does.” Cal’s mom paused, fingers running down her husband’s arm. “She’ll be okay, don’t you think? She’ll get through whatever’s in store for her.”
“I haven’t a doubt in my mind.”
Cal backed away from the wall. Far from convincing her that she should tell them, her parents words made her realize that she couldn’t.
Three dead, so easily. If I tell them, my parents could be next.
She loved her family- her parents, Ian, her best friend Mary who was like a sister to her, and Mary’s dad Ray that was like a second father. She loved them. And she had seen to much to possibly tell them what had happened. The boy, though he had spared her life, had not hesitated to kill that man, and the man had obviously not hesitated to kill the innocent shopkeepers…
Her own comfort was not worth risking her family’s life.
I still have to tell someone. The shopkeepers…they’ll have family, friends. I’d seen them once or twice around; they had lives here.
Slowly she went back into her room, sinking onto her bed. One hand closed around the necklace her parent’s had given her for her birthday years ago. She always wore it, and it always gave her comfort.
The police!
She stood suddenly, mind whirring. Of course! I can tell the police!
The question was, how? She immediately discounted going down to the station. She couldn’t take the chance that she would be seen, and put herself and her family in danger again. The boy, at least, knew where she lived, and if that ‘Cronos’ guy found out, it would be all her fault.
I’ll place an anonymous call with my cell phone. The police will check in, find the bodies, and be able to do something about all of this. Then I can go back to the way things were- try and forget about what happened.
-~-~-~-~-~-~-
The spokes hummed as she pedaled down the sidewalk, hair flying behind her. She’d made the call a few minutes ago inside a bathroom stall at a Subway, and she had to hurry if she wanted to make sure she got there in time.
Don’t look suspicious. Don’t talk to them. You’re just a teenager buying clothes for school.
Cal knew that she had to see what the cops did or found; what if they didn’t come out alive? She’d have to get some help…
The bike jumped lightly as she came off the edge of the sidewalk and into the bike lane. Almost there. The main street of shops was just ahead; everything from clothes to books to specialized photography and street vendors selling Chinese food.
She could see the shop now, and she slowed down. Unlike the other places, The Trove Rock and Gem shop stood almost hidden by the other buildings, and also somewhat apart. Though in good repair, most did not even glance at it as they passed. She stopped, hopping off of her bike, getting as close as she could to the shop without looking odd, standing like she was wondering what to order from the food vendor.
A police cruiser drove up the street. People glanced at it as it passed, but as the siren wasn’t on, no one looked for long. Cal watched out of the corner of her eye as the car slowed and stopped in front of the shop. The driver, after a few seconds conversing with his partner before he sat up and walked to the door. He knocked, and a few people looked over at him again as the officer waited a few seconds, knocking again. “Hello?” He called. Finally, he eased the door open, and slid inside.
Cal waited impatiently as the minutes passed, tense, ready for EMTs, a cry of shock, sirens racing toward the shop- something.
Her heartbeat pulsed in her ears and she knew something wasn’t right. The outline of the officer filled the window on the door, and he stepped out, shaking his head.
“Anything?” His partner called from inside, and Cal tried to quiet the rest of the world, straining to hear his answer.
“Nothin. Damn kids and their prank calls. Its not even Halloween!” The man sat down in the car, and started the engine. “The owner’s aren’t there, must be out. They’re lucky no one seems to have broken in with how they kept the door open.”
“We can let ‘em know,” his partner said, taking a sip of coffee.
“Hey,” the vendor said irritably. “You gonna order anything missy?”
“What?” Cal watched as the police drove away, unable to form a coherent thought. “Oh. Uh, no. Thank you.” She stepped back and stared after the police car, wanting to run or call after it.
What the hell is going on?
More chapters to come! Should I just keep posting them in this thread and re-name the thread, or should I make new ones each time?