Blood and Light

by Rue Volley

  She rolled her eyes and flashed off.

  I looked back at Josh and Johnathan.

  “When did you start flashing around the woods Johnathan?” Josh said.

  Johnathan looked frightened. “I…I noticed I was able to do it three days ago…”

  Sam came flashing up, with Kai on her back. She dropped him off of her.

  Kai stood up... “Thanks Sam.”

  Sam looked at him, “You really need to learn how to do some of this stuff...! Less games, more learn... got me?”

  Kai ran his hand through his hair... “Yea…I will, promise.”

  I looked back at Josh, and Johnathan started to have red flame rising at his feet... Josh kept hold of his throat, swinging him over his head and slammed him down to the ground… I screamed at him.

  “Josh...PLEASE NO!”

  Sam flashed to his side and she started etching symbols all around them...

  before she finished the last one Josh looked at Johnathan and yelled, “BIND”, waving his hand over Johnathan's wrists. Josh flashed out of the circle and Sam 152

  laid the last one. Johnathan rolled over and pushed himself up... He moved forward and cried out, dropping to his knees. The binding circle would not let him leave it. I started to run for him and Josh flashed to me...stopping me in my tracks.

  Johnathan looked at me..

  “What is going on Rue?” he asked me, with a look of helplessness on his face.

  I looked at him, tears welling up in my eyes... “Johnathan,” I whispered.

  “We can't destroy him...maybe we should trap him a mirror,” Sam said to Josh.

  Josh turned to her, still hanging on to me... “We may not be able to get him back Sam.”

  They stared at each other for a moment.

  “No...no, Josh do your memory thingy on him...PLEASE!” I said in desperation.

  Josh looked at me, “If I do that, he'll know everything Rue.”

  “Well...maybe he should…maybe it will make things easier…” I said as I looked at Johnathan.

  “Or maybe he'll just start to glow and try to kill us all!” Sam said.

  “No…no, I don't believe that Sam…not Johnathan…he won't… I just know it!” I must have looked desperate…because I could feel Josh"s grip loosen on my arms.

  “If I do this…I do it for you. He goes crazy and I'll throw him through a mirror myself.”

  I looked at Josh and whispered, “Please Josh...please do it.”

  Josh relaxed, and looked at Sam, “Listen I'll do it and then he sleeps...got me?”

  Sam put her hands on her hips. “Fine…fine.”

  Josh walked towards Johnathan... “Listen to me…I'm going to let you see what you are... Let the memories flood your mind okay?”

  Johnathan looked at me then to him. “I think me saying „Yes", is the the only option here right?”

  Josh grinned at him… “Yes it is.”

  Josh stepped into the circle with him and grabbed his shoulders jerking him up. He put both hands on the sides of his head and closed his eyes.

  Johnathan"s face went blank and then his eyes opened and went wide... He sucked in his breath and dropped to the ground.

  I ran towards him, yelling his name. Sam flashed to me. “Rue...he's okay, just sleeping, just asleep okay?” she said to me.

  I looked at her then to Josh. Josh leaned down and waved his hand over Johnathan's wrists and the white light dissipated from them. He looked back at me...

  “Fun starts when he wakes up Rue... You'll need to be there for him, okay?”

  Sam let me go and I kneeled down next to him… I touched his hair. He looked like an angel sleeping.

  Josh carried him back to the car. I don't think he was happy about it, but he did it none the less. He put him in the backseat, between him and Sam and let Kai drive us home. I turned around a few times to check on him... Josh kept pushing Johnathan's head off his shoulder, in disgust. I smiled.

  “I'll throw him out of the car…I swear,” Josh said.

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  I turned around, holding in a laugh.

  ******

  We got home it was starting to get dark. Everyone got out of the car and headed for the door. I stopped and cleared my throat. I looked back and Johnathan had slumped over, in the back seat…

  “Ummm Josh?” I said

  Josh looked at me and then back to car.

  “Fine…I'll carry him in,” Josh muttered.

  “Thanks Josh.”

  He looked at me and went to the car. He grabbed Johnathan's arm and drug him out letting him flop on the ground. I put my hands on my hips and looked at him. Josh reached down and picked him up. He walked past me, mumbling something. As he got to our door, he let Johnathan s head hit the door frame.

  Josh looked back at me... “Ooops.” He smiled.

  I followed him inside.

  “You can put him in my room Josh.”

  He turned around and looked at me.

  “What?” he said.

  “I'll sleep on the couch Josh,” I said.

  “Fine.” He headed upstairs and I heard a thump again.

  “Josh!” I yelled towards the ceiling.

  He yelled down, “Sorry…he has a big head!”

  I sat down on the couch and tried to relax for a second.

  Josh came back down. “Okay...lover boy is tucked in.” He headed for the kitchen and started rummaging through the refrigerator.

  “Won't they contact his mother, when they realize that he is missing from the school?” I asked.

  Sam came and sat down next to me, “No...I glamored the school...as far as they know, he never came back to them.”

  “Good...okay then, when will he wake up?” I asked.

  Josh came back in, with a bag of chips in his hands… He dropped down on the chair.

  “Never…” he said.

  I shot him a look.. .“What?”

  “I don't know Rue... You slept for seven days… He may sleep for less.” Josh put a handful of chips in his mouth and started chewing.

  “Okay...so what do we do now?” I asked.

  Sam put a hand on my leg, “We wait…when he wakes up he'll know what he is..and whatever else Josh showed him.”

  I looked at Josh and he started grinning...

  “What?” I asked him.

  “Nothing...he may have some questions about cherubs.”

  “You didn't!” I said.

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  Sam stood up and looked at Kai, ”Lets go to bed Kai…” Kai smiled at her and they headed for his room.

  “Oh...but I did.” He started to laugh.

  “I'm not sleeping on the couch… I'm taking mom and dad"s room.” I threw a pillow at him.

  Josh smiled at me… “That's cool, the bed"s big.”

  “No…I'm sleeping in it...you are sleeping on the couch.”

  The grin faded from his face… “What?”

  “Yep... Cherubs…? You"re an ass.”

  I heard “Wait…” trailing off behind me, as I headed upstairs.

  ******

  I started to open my eyes.. I realized I was in the living room. I could feel someone warm behind me breathing. “What the hell?” I whispered. I lifted an arm off of me and slid off the couch. I stood up and looked down…Josh was still sleeping. I must have been sleepwalking...god damn it. I started to head towards the stairs and I heard his voice.

  “Hey.” I stopped and looked back, Josh was sitting up, looking at me.

  “Ummm…hey Josh.” I reached up and put my hand on the side of my neck.

  “We could have just slept upstairs you know.” Josh was in mid yawn.

  “Well...yea, but „This"...” I pointed at the couch… “Was just me sleepwalking, okay?”

  “What...? You said my name when you curled up next to me last night,” Josh grinned.

  “I did not know... I must have come down here...it wasn't on purpose.” I started to turn toward the stairs.

  “And when yo
u kissed me…?” I turned back around.

  “I did not,” I said.

  Josh got up and headed towards the kitchen.

  “Nah...just thought I'd spice it up a little.” He started laughing.

  “Not funny Josh.” I looked up at the ceiling. I looked back at Josh and he wasn't smiling, but he shook it off pretty quick.

  “Nothing happened… I was sleeping and you just curled up next to me...waking me up. I asked you if you were okay and you whispered my name and didn't do anything else after that... Feel better now?”

  “Yea...Okay. I'm gonna take a shower now,” I said.

  “Feeling dirty?”

  I shot him a look and ran up the stairs.

  I came to my door...I needed clothes, so I slowly opened it and saw Johnathan laying on my bed. How many times did I want him in it? I think a lot. I walked up to him and he looked so peaceful. I remembered when I woke up, after Josh had flash fried my brain...I felt like crap. I looked at Johnathan"s face and could only hope that he wouldn't have such a reaction to it too. I turned around and opened my closet doors, grabbing the first things in sight. No need 155

  for being picky today, I didn't really care. I looked back at Johnathan and left my room, pulling the door behind me.

  I went into my parent"s room and shut the door behind me... I wanted nothing more then to just shower and get something to eat... I am sooo hungry and now that I know that eating food won't ever have any negative affects on me, I am going to eat like a pig. I started up the water and everything started to steam up really fast… I stepped in and let it wash everything away...well not everything, but it helped a little. I started to wash my hair and I heard my name.

  “Rue?”

  I jumped and almost fell in the tub... I wiped my hand on the plexiglass door and saw Johnathan"s face.

  “Geeezus Johnathan, what the hell?!!”

  “I...I'm sorry...sorry Rue I didn't see anything, I swear... I just…I woke up and I felt you in here… I just came in…I'm sooo sorry!”

  “What the hell is it with me and boys in the shower?!” I yelled.

  Josh flashed upstairs and slammed Johnathan against the wall, holding him with the side of his arm.

  “Rue…! Are you okay?” he yelled at me.

  “Yea...yea Josh, I'm fine,” I yelled back.

  Josh looked at Johnathan. “Awake already, I see?”

  Johnathan looked at him... “You!”

  Johnathan grabbed Josh and threw him out of the bathroom...light glowing in the palms of hands.

  I jumped out of the shower and reached for my towel, knotting it as tight as I could in the front. I ran out of the bathroom… Johnathan had Josh pinned on the bed...awkward…

  “You want to explain to me why Rue was on top of you in a hotel?” Johnathan yelled.

  Josh grinned... “Guess I'm just irresistible.”

  Johnathan punched him in the face full force. Josh started laughing and I could see blood on his teeth.

  They rolled off the bed to the other side and I heard a thud.

  “Stop...! Stop it now!” I screamed.

  They both came up in a blur and Josh hit him right in the jaw...he fell to one knee. Josh grabbed his shirt, reached over and opened my window up and tossed him out . I screamed again... Sam flashed to us in a blur. Josh turned around and smiled at both of us..

  “Not funny Josh!” I said.

  He reached up and wiped his mouth… “I disagree Rue...very funny.”

  Josh jumped out the window… I yelped…yep…yelped, that's new. Sam flashed downstairs and I ran after her, as quick as I could. I ran onto the porch, just in time for...

  “You are a little bitch,” Josh had Johnathan pinned to the ground.

  “I'll show you who is the bitch…” Johnathan flipped him and tagged him in the well…you knows.

  Josh rolled onto his side… “Oh my god, you suck soooo bad.”

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  Johnathan rose up and stood over him... “What the hell...? Cherubs?”

  Josh grinned and kicked him in between the legs… Johnathan fell to ground...

  “Geezus!” Johnathan cried out.

  “Not such a funny thing now, is it BITCH?” Josh yelled.

  They both rolled on their sides...wheezing.

  Then they decided…in true warrior fashion or because they are guys…that they would kick at each other laying on their sides. Each one grunting, with each kick thrown. It really was sad...very, very sad.

  Sam put her hands on her hips, “You guys are kidding right?”

  She walked out to them both and looked down at them… “Get up…you"re both bitches.”

  They both pushed themselves up off the ground and stumbled past me on the porch. Johnathan looked at me and grinned as he past me by and Josh winked at me. Awesome, I own two psychos now...great. I threw my hands up and went upstairs to put some clothes on.

  ******

  When I came back down, they were both sitting opposite of each other...Josh in the chair and Johnathan on the couch, they both had bags of ice they were sitting on. I had to laugh…had too…who would think of kicking someone in the stuff and things? Maybe they both realized they were evenly matched…who knows. I sat down on the couch next to Johnathan, hard enough to bump him a little.

  “Ahhh…Hi Rue.” He grunted out.

  “Hi Johnathan.” I looked at Josh… “Hi Josh... Are we being friends now?”

  Josh looked at me, “I think your girlfriend neutered me, Rue.”

  “Serves you right Josh,” I said.

  We all sat there for a moment...nothing being said. I turned to Johnathan... “Are you okay?”

  He smiled and shifted on the ice... “Guess so…”

  “I don't mean that... You know what we are...now.”

  He looked at me, “Yea…tell you the truth, makes me feel a lot better… I thought I was going crazy or something… I started having dreams and then three days ago I discovered that I could move really fast… I'm glad to know there's a reason.”

  Kai came into the room, “Man you guys okay...? I feel your pain!”

  Both Josh and Johnathan looked at him, with painful smiles.

  Kai grabbed his controller and dropped onto the couch next to Johnathan.

  Johnathan winced a little.

  “Sorry man,” Kai smiled.

  “So.” Johnathan looked at me and continued, “Protectors huh?”

  “Yea...listen I don't know everything myself yet, but we will learn together okay?”

  He smiled at me…

  Josh looked at both of us, “School starts…well, tomorrow I guess.” He shifted on the ice.

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  I smiled at him, “Yea, guess you two need some healing time today.”

  “Yea, but tomorrow we get started... You… ” He pointed at me, “Need to master centering and then we can work on the rest.”

  “Centering?” Johnathan asked. I looked at Josh, “You didn't tell him anything did you when you... ya know?”

  Josh smiled, “Oh I showed him some…but mainly it was a „screw you" moment.”

  He started to laugh.

  Johnathan grinned, “Yea listen…I appreciate the visuals, really do...but I would have really liked information...like stuff I could use.”

  Josh looked at me and mouthed the word “cherubs” and winked, thumbing in Johnathan's direction.

  “I'm sitting right here Josh,” Johnathan said.

  I crinkled my eyebrows at Josh and turned to Johnathan.

  “I'll explain everything...sometime soon, I promise.”

  Johnathan reached over and took my hand in his… I looked at Josh and he looked away.

  “Lets go upstairs Rue.”

  I looked at Johnathan, “Okay...if that's what you want.” I reached down and tried to pull him up… He grunted and pushed off the couch. We headed upstairs.

  Josh reached down and a light started to glow in his palm, he cupped himself.

  Kais eyes drifted
over to him, “Dude…you need some alone time or what?”

  Josh grinned, “No…I'm healing myself.”

  “Ohh…cool, well hey, why not show Johnathan...ahh, whatever,” Kai smiled and went back to his game.

  I walked into my room…Johnathan behind me. I heard the door shut, so I took a seat on my bed. I looked up at him and he walked over and sat down next to me. He looked down at his hands. “Listen Rue, I'm sorry about that whole thing with Josh, it was stupid…I know it… I just had these visions in my head…” He paused for a moment, “And I was furious.”

  “Yea listen about those, I can explain.”

  He looked at me…I kinda melted. “Okay…lets do it… I'm not going to lie and say that I don't want to know, because I do.”

  Crap.

  “So Josh and I were on our way to see you at Barrington, honest to god.”

  Johnathan kept looking at me.

  “And…so we pulled over on the side of the road and he was teaching me how to center myself.”

  “And centering is what?” Johnathan raised his eyebrows.

  “It's a…well you see…ohh you'll find out… It's cool, really is.”

  I decided at this point it was just best to keep going...no need to sugar coat it.

  “I had a burst of energy and I broke the windows in the car... We needed to get them fixed and we pull into this crazy little town and found someone, but they couldn't do it till morning. I didn't know at the time that Josh could have just fixed them but…we ended up finding this worn down motel... The girl behind the counter was crazy… You should have seen her hair…insane...anyway we got a room”

  158

  Johnathan grinned, “One room?”

  “Well I said two and the girl…well, really she was like forty and kind of perverted, but anyway...one room…and you should have seen it…all red velvet and gold…

  cherubs on the headboard…and ohhh the bed it vibrated… I didn't even know they made those, but we shared the bed. I felt sorry for him and I drew a line…a very clear line was drawn in the bed between us... It was drawn in the middle…by me…yes.”

  Johnathan had leaned back against my pillows… He looked as if he was going to laugh, but I kept going because I had to right?

  “Soo…I had a dream and I woke up on Josh…sitting on him… I was and those damn cherubs were staring me right in the face… I hate them. I was never even big on Valentines day anyway… I mean who the hell thinks those cherubs are normal…? Creeps me out.”