Blood and Light

by Rue Volley

  393

  “OH, you would be a lot of fun to have around. I had heard that you had a quick tongue, but I never imagined that your wit would amuse me so much,” Caine said as he looked at Josh's leg.

  “Does it hurt?” Caine asked.

  “What do you think?” Josh said as he pressed on it.

  “Bind,” Caine said as he waved his hand.

  Josh dropped his blades and sank to the ground. He gritted his teeth, not to cry out from the weight pressing down on him.

  “I thought you would want to battle, instead you cower,” Josh said as he blinked his eyes.

  “You know, Rue is a peculiar girl. I had her legs spread apart last night and I swear that she wanted me to fuck her. Then she changed her mind, but for a split second I know that she wanted me… I think if I would have been a little rougher with her, she would have let me inside of her... Her passion for Johnathan is uncanny,” Caine said as he grinned at Josh.

  “Shut up, she isn't like that,” Josh said with hatred.

  “Oh, I think you would be surprised at what goes through her mind, naughty girl…

  She just needs the right boy... Someone to force her to realize what she wants, who she really is.”

  “You touch her again, and I will kill you,” Josh yelled out, almost breathless.

  “What?” Caine leaned down and laughed. “You really think that you have the upper hand here?”

  Josh spit blood out at him and Caine stood up. He wiped Josh's blood from his face and looked at it on his hand.

  “I will tell you what, when I fuck her...and I assure you that will, I will be gentle. I won't hurt her, she will enjoy herself…I promise... I don't want to destroy her, not yet anyway... I need her for a much greater purpose.”

  “Fuck you,” Josh spewed out ,as he forced himself onto his back.

  Caine flashed over him and Josh stared at his face. “You look just like Johnathan, Caine... How did you manage to pull that off?”

  Caine smiled. “Oh…with his blood. Elin drank him…and I took it from her.”

  “Nice trick...it won't last Caine... What the hell did you two assholes do with Johnathan, anyway?”

  Caine raised up and looked over to the mirror. “Oh Johnathan is safe, he's in the mirror.”

  “Saving him for dessert?” Josh asked sarcastically.

  Caine looked down at him and smiled. “Well, unfortunately I need him to live for now, otherwise he would be dead, as you soon will be.”

  “Just do it, you dick,” Josh said as he rolled on his side.

  “Really...? So soon…? I was just starting to have some fun,” Caine said as he stepped over him.

  Josh looked up at him and grinned. Caine tilted his head. A symbol started to glow next to Josh. He had carved out one with his fingers, as he laid on his side. Josh pushed himself up and grabbed his blade. He sliced it across Caine"s leg and he cried out as he stumbled backward. Josh stood up and shook his head, he tried to grip his blade but his vision and balance were fading. He had 394

  been poisoned by Caine"s blade and the protection symbol he scrawled out, was weak at best. Caine pushed himself up and grinned.

  “You were worth the wait,” he said to him.

  Josh smiled. “I don't date older men, I'm sorry.”

  Caine laughed. “We need to end this now. I apologize…I do enjoy your company.”

  Caine flashed forward and Josh rolled to the side, he threw his blade and it buried itself into Caine's leg. He reached down and pulled it out and grunted.

  Josh smiled. “Feels great, doesn't it asshole?”

  Josh flashed to the mirror and fell down next to it. He started to etch a symbol onto it with his own blood. Caine flashed to him and they rolled over it.

  Caine raised his blade over his head and tried to bring it down into Josh's chest and he grabbed it with both hands. He cried out as it slid towards him, blood dripping under his palms. He pushed with everything he had and slammed it backward, hitting Caine in the mouth. Caine fell backwards and cried out as he grabbed at his mouth. Josh scrambled towards the mirror and looked back at Caine. Caine stood up and flashed towards him. Josh stood up and fell backwards, with his hands over his chest, he fell into the mirror and disappeared.

  Caine stopped and raised his blade into the air. He brought it down with a flash of light, and the mirror shattered upward. He shielded his face from the shards. The forest went quiet and he stood up over it and kicked the frame.

  “You can rot there, forever,” he whispered.

  He picked up a piece of the mirror and stared into it. His face was bloodied, but he still looked like Johnathan. He threw it down and flashed into the forest, towards home...and Rue.

  ******

  Josh fell into black. He held his breath and tried to open his eyes, but they burned like salt got thrown in to them. He started to move his arms and feet and they felt heavy. He kicked as hard as he could, until he broke the water"s surface.

  He raised up, sucking in air as he wiped at his eyes. It was dark, the moon was so large in the sky he felt like he could touch it, if he just raised his arm up. He shook his head and wiped his hair from his eyes and started to swim. There had to be a shore...had too.

  He pushed himself forward, ignoring the searing pain in his leg and collar bone. He felt sand under his hands and he dug his hands in, and pulled himself forward. He rolled onto his back and gulped in some air and then he coughed. He sat up and rolled on his side. He raised his hand to his mouth and saw blood in his palm.

  “God damn it,” he whispered.

  He rolled onto his stomach and pushed himself up. He hissed and grabbed at his leg when he put his weight on it. He raised his head and looked up. The grass blew slowly in the wind, it sounded like water lapping the shore. He stared at it, and then out over the land. The moon shimmered on the grass and made it look black. He stepped forward and almost stumbled. He caught himself 395

  and pushed forward. He walked out into the grass and thought he heard a whisper.

  He stopped and looked around him. He took a step forward and fell over something. He rolled on his side as he groaned. He looked over and saw a body.

  He scooted towards the black mass and rolled it over. Johnathan's face stared at him. He pulled his blade out and then Johnathan moaned, and blinked his eyes.

  He looked at Josh and tried to focus.

  “What the hell Josh?” he asked him.

  Josh pushed away from him, with his blade gripped in his hand. He pushed himself up and held it out in front of him towards Johnathan. Johnathan tried to push himself up, but he grabbed at his arm and hissed.

  “God, I swear I hate that bitch,” he muttered.

  Josh tilted his head and took one step towards him.

  “Get up,” he said as he gripped his blade and pointed it at him.

  Johnathan looked at him completely confused.

  “What are you doing you dick?” he said.

  Josh grinned. “You are not going to trick me this time.”

  “Trick you how?” Johnathan asked.

  “Oh shut up...stand up,” Josh said as he waved his blade upward.

  “Well I would, but I feel like shit and I've lost a lot of blood Josh,” Johnathan said to him.

  Josh tilted his head and stared him down. “I don't trust you,” he said.

  Johnathan pushed himself up, the best he could. “What?” he said as he stumbled and almost fell back down. Josh laughed...

  “Oh yea, this is hilarious Josh.”

  “You just stay where…” Josh fell and cried out.

  Johnathan stumbled forward ,and leaned down over him. Josh rolled on his back and pointed his blade up at him. Johnathan held his hands up.

  “You look like shit,” Johnathan said to him.

  “I'm good,” Josh grunted out as he grabbed at his leg. It started to swell with some black twisting coil coming out of it. Johnathan leaned in and stared at it.

  “What the hell is that?” he sai
d to him.

  “You cut me, dick... It's poison from the blade,” Josh said as he threw his head back and groaned.

  “I didn't cut you...are you crazy?” Johnathan said.

  “Listen, I'm not falling for your tricks Caine,” Josh said as he stabbed his blade at him.

  Johnathan threw himself back. “What the fuck Josh!” he yelled at him.

  “You came through the mirror didn't you...right after me… I will kill you,” Josh muttered.

  “I am not Caine, Josh...are you high?” he asked him. Josh spit out some blood as he rolled on his side.

  “What?” Josh said.

  “You are unbelievable…! That crazy bitch, Elin, pushed me in this mirror. I thought I was going to drown in that lake... I don't even know where the hell we are,” Johnathan said.

  396

  Josh cried out and the black mass oozing out of his leg grew bigger. Johnathan reached at him.

  “Listen, I know that we are not the best of friends, but you need to get help. Is there anything I can do?” Johnathan asked him.

  Josh looked at him and sucked in his breath.

  “Oh fuck it…here,” he held his blade out and Johnathan looked at it. “Take it douche bag. I don't know who the hell you are, but I need you to kill this shit in my leg.”

  Johnathan took the blade and looked at him.

  “What do you want me to do?” Johnathan asked.

  “I will chant and then you need to stab it.”

  “What…? You want me to stab it?” Johnathan said as he leaned forward. The black mass swelled and he jumped back.

  “Oh for Christ sake, Johnathan... Let me chant, and then I will nod at you, you need to stab it as hard as you can.”

  Johnathan held the blade up and Josh started to chant in Latin. He coughed and Johnathan started to thrust it down.

  “No...ass, not yet!” Josh yelled at him.

  “Sorry, you nodded.”

  “No, I coughed up blood...just wait!” Josh yelled. Johnathan sighed and held it up over his head again.

  Josh started to chant and light started to glow in his palms, light flashed at the mass and lit it up. Johnathan's eyes got wide and Josh cried out the last words and nodded at him. Johnathan thrust the knife down, and ran it threw his leg. Josh screamed and sat straight up knocking Johnathan away from him.

  “Fuck!” Josh yelled out. “Oh my fucking god...! God damn it!”

  Johnathan leaned forward.

  “Better?” he asked quietly.

  “Oh yea, just great!” Josh yelled at him.

  “I'm sorry...! You said stab it!” Johnathan yelled at him.

  Josh grunted and looked at his leg. He grabbed the hilt of his blade and took a breath, he tried to pull it out and his hands slipped from the blood. He sighed and looked at Johnathan.

  “Come here,” he said as he waved him over.

  Johnathan stepped forward. “What now?” he said.

  “I need for you to pull this out of my leg. I can't walk around with a blade sticking out of it.”

  Johnathan looked down. He reached down and grabbed the handle. Josh hissed.

  “We can go on three,” Josh said.

  Johnathan gripped it in his hand.

  “One, two…”

  Johnathan stepped on his leg and pulled it out.

  “Geezus Christ!” Josh screamed as he rolled over on his side. “I fucking said on Three!”

  Johnathan looked at him. “It was better that way, you didn't know it was coming”

  397

  “Awesome... Listen ass, I knew it was coming, I wanted to focus first,” Josh groaned.

  “Well, it's out,” Johnathan said as he sat down.

  “Yep, sure is.” Josh pushed on the ground and tried to stand up.

  Johnathan reached at him and Josh grabbed his arm. Johnathan pulled him up off of the ground.

  “I so fucking hate you right now,” Josh muttered.

  “Well, I'm all you got…so shut up,” Johnathan said.

  They stumbled forward and the sun broke the horizon, it lifted in the sky quickly. They both squinted their eyes from it. Josh put his hand up and shaded his face, as he looked out.

  “Oh shit,” he muttered.

  “What?” Johnathan said with a grunt, as he tried to hold Josh up.

  “Well, it looks like we are trapped in memory,” Josh said as he looked around.

  Johnathan looked down and saw that they were both covered in blood. He sighed, “Well, how the hell do we get out of here?”

  Josh started to move forward. “We need to find a mirror. We can't go back to the water…I have no idea where we would end up. At least a mirror would let us out in the real world...don't know where, but not this fucked up place.”

  Johnathan limped forward with him. He looked out as the wind gently blew across his face. He closed his eyes and took in a breath, it tasted like honey on his tongue.

  “This place isn't all bad,” he muttered.

  “No, this place is a black hole. If we stay here long enough...we won't even know who we are...We have to keep moving, and if we run into anyone, we are not making friends... No joke, you hear me?”

  “Why...? They may be trapped here, just like we are,” Johnathan said as he glanced over at him.

  “No, that's how it starts. You meet someone, they take you in, and then…” Josh made a sucking sound. Johnathan winced. “They suck the life right out of you, along with your memory.”

  Johnathan raised his eyebrows. “Don't make that sucking noise again, okay...? It was disgusting.”

  Josh laughed, then coughed up a little blood. He covered his mouth and pulled his hand from it, blood pooled in his palm. Johnathan looked at it.

  “Your a mess Josh, we have to get help.”

  Josh grinned. “I'm on point,” he said.

  Johnathan kept moving forward as Josh became heavier on his shoulder. “What does that even mean, Josh..."I'm on point"...? Sounds like some military crap.”

  Josh sighed. “It was something my Father always said to me… He said that a great protector is always on point …even injured, without believing that, you are weak... You will fail.”

  “Well,” Johnathan looked at him and at the blood still coming from his leg. “You are still bleeding. I don't need you passing out, or some shit...so keep telling yourself that.”

  398

  They both came to the top of a hill and looked out across the field, they saw someone flash across, it was a quick blur... Johnathan felt a vibration in his hands and he stopped moving. Josh squinted his eyes.

  “What the hell was that?” he asked Johnathan.

  The flash blew by them and Johnathan sucked his breath in. He closed his eyes and then opened them and looked at Josh.

  “Oh my god, it's Rue Josh...! What the hell is she doing here?” Johnathan let Josh go, and Josh stumbled.

  “No!” he yelled at him, as Johnathan flashed away from him.

  “Dammit,” Josh muttered. He steadied himself and looked around, trying to see where Johnathan went.

  Suddenly he saw Johnathan stop in the middle of the field. He watched him lean down. Josh started to move forward, as quickly as he could. He almost fell a couple of times, before he reached him. He came up behind him and Johnathan was knelt down on one knee, a small girl was sitting in the grass holding some flowers in her hand. Josh stopped and looked at her, her hair was long and black and she wore a white dress. She looked like she was maybe twelve. Johnathan turned to him and grinned. Rue looked up and smiled at Josh, his heart fluttered. He cleared his throat. Johnathan reached forward and touched her hand.

  “My name is Johnathan, this is Josh… Who are you?” he asked her.

  She grinned. “You are Johnathan Morris Graph, but I don't know you,” she said, as she stared at Josh.

  Johnathan smiled. “How do you know me?” he said to her.

  “Your family owns the Adda house, I read it in the library. You have a sister Sophie, she's pretty,
” Rue said to him, as she looked back at her flowers.

  She rubbed her hands on the pedals and they started to drop off of the stem, they floated to the ground black and withered. She looked back up and stared at Johnathan.

  “You have grown,” she said.

  Johnathan smiled. “Yes, I've grown Rue,” he said.

  She reached her hand up and Johnathan put his hand out to her. Josh stumbled forward and grabbed his hand, pulling it back. He shook his head “no”

  at him. Johnathan raised his eyebrows and looked back at her, she stood up and flashed away from them.

  Johnathan stood up quickly and tried to see where she went.

  “Awesome Josh...! Where did she go?” he said.

  Josh hit him on the arm and Johnathan hissed and grabbed at it, with his free hand. “Ouch…! Remember...? I got cut…ass!” he said.

  Josh looked at him. “Listen, don't mess with her, she is a memory. We can't trust her Johnathan.”

  “Well…we need someone to help us... What are we going to do…? Wander around here forever?”

  Josh grumbled, “We will, if you start hanging out with her... Listen, just do what I say...okay?”

  399

  Johnathan looked at him and ran his hand through his hair. “Fine...where do we go then?”

  They both staggered, as the ground vibrated under their feet. They turned around and saw that a huge house had appeared behind them in the distance.

  Johnathan stared at it. “That's my house!” he said.

  Josh stared at it and then to him... “It's a visible illusion,” he said.

  “Well, „illusion" or not…we need to go there,” Johnathan said.

  Josh groaned and reached for his leg, the blood was still trickling from it.

  He pressed on it and the blood came through his fingers. Johnathan reached over and put Josh's hand over his shoulder, he half held his weight up.

  Josh sighed. “Fine…we'll go to the house, maybe it has one functional mirror.”

  “We have to get out of here Josh. I don't even want to think about what is happening with Rue,” he muttered.

  “Well, one thing is on our side here...time moves slow top side,” he said.

  Johnathan looked at him. “What, time is different here?” he said.

  “Yea, we have probably been gone three seconds to them,” Josh said as he walked forward.