by Leon Logos
12:00 PM “sharp” was when Bastion bathed. She believed him categorically. Out of habitual paranoia when up to something illicit, she glanced behind her to confirm if anybody was following her.
Serenity attempted her best casual stride, trying her hardest to appear as mere passerby to the other passerby. She reached the Councilmen living quarters without any issues. Bastion’s door was closed as she expected. In her fervor, she had not considered a particular confounding variable. What if the door was locked? Most definitely, it certainly would. Just for ascertaining purposes, she tried the doorknob in vexation. Her mind was blown; the door wasn’t locked. Making sure nobody was spying on her, she slowly twisted the doorknob once more. She opened the door, peering inside cautiously. Bastion’s bathroom door was shut, the sound of a shower running appreciably audible.
She edged towards the mantelpiece, finding that the keys were no longer there. After quick surveillance of his chamber, she discovered them lying on the dressing table. The iron key appeared as dully as ever. Her gaze was fixed on it. Now was the troubling part: unclipping the key from the ring. She had to move the other keys around the ring twice until she could finally set it free from the ring’s attachment. Heart pounding and breathing suppressed; she pocketed the key in jollity. Every part of her wanted to squeal in delight, but she contained her glee.
There was no telling how long it would take him to realize his jailhouse key was missing. She hoped he would just conclude that he had misplaced it and lost it, subsequently acquiring a new one and thinking nothing of it. Serenity crossed to the exit, but then halted with a fright. Her recoil caused Destiny herself to flinch almost as violently. She nearly threw up the pile of clothes she was carrying.
“Serenity?!” she exclaimed in alarm. “Jesus, you scared me!”
“I could say the same,” Serenity laughed nervously.
“What are you doing here?” Destiny asked, eyebrows raised.
“O-oh,” Serenity stammered, still chuckling. In a span of three seconds, she brewed up another lie. “I was looking for you.”
“But this is Bastion’s chamber, not mine…” Destiny said pointedly. “Yeah, but I was hoping I could find you here. You know, you’re always with Bastion? I guess I was right! And the door was unlocked, too.”
“Yeah, I unlocked it out of convenience,” Destiny replied. “I’m bringing him his clothes for New Year’s Dinner. The tailor just finished with them.”
“They’re beautiful,” Serenity said, acknowledging the stack of clothes in Destiny’s arms. “Why so many for a single night?”
“So we can pick one outfit out of the many,” said Destiny, disgruntled. “You’re being really weird with me… What exactly do you want?”
“Lily asked me to find you. She wants to know if you wanted to play mini-golf with us today? Around noonish?”
She had to admit, lying was beginning to become both a habitual and necessary skill to employ—and she was getting better at it.
“Why would she ask me something so stupid?” said Destiny. “She knows that I’m busy until dusk every day. And I’m terrible at mini-golf, nor do I remotely even have any interest in it.”
“Got it, I’ll make sure to tell her,” Serenity affirmed.
“Go on, then,” Destiny nodded. “And don’t be entering Bastion’s, or anyone else’s, chambers without permission. Understood?”
“I understand!” she hollered as she exited the room.
Dinner that night was enjoyable, something she couldn’t say the last couple of days. With the knowledge that her task was actually completed, much of her pressure and anxiety had been lifted. Her cheerfulness was evidently noticeable. Both Lily and Sixto commented on it.
“You feel better now?” Lily simpered.
“Yeah, she’s definitely in high spirits,” Sixto remarked quizzically. “Why, all of a sudden? Just this morning, you were brooding again.”
“I feel better now,” Serenity shrugged, pouring herself water.
“That’s great,” said Sixto. “As long as you’re happy, there’s no reason to question why. What are you doing after dinner?”
“Can we finally visit the tree?” Lily pleaded.
“Yeah, I’ll go with you,” Serenity smiled, wanting to make up for the incessant declinations. She owed Lily this much.
“I’ll tag along, I guess,” Sixto grinned.
The Dining Hall chatter fell silent all of a sudden. It sounded like a church bell. The ringing, which was coming from outside, pervaded the entire property. Although the source of the noise was a considerable distance away, it still was tremendously audible. Some of the children covered their ears. There was a simultaneous scraping of chairs as everybody got to their feet, some rushing faster than others. Serenity imitated the others, turning to Sixto for clarity. The bell was not stopping, and it was imbuing panic.
“Everybody return to their chambers!” Alistair’s voice resonated.
“Stay there until further notice!” Bastion added, in his element.
“What is that?” Serenity asked hastily, following the crowd of people hastening to exit the Dining Hall.
“Those bells from the watchtowers! It’s the warning bell!” Sixto responded seriously. “I’ve never heard it go off before! It’s supposed to signal that there’s an attack or an intruder!”
An intruder. An attack. The presentiments manifesting within her were neither optimistic nor foreboding.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
The absolute order was to retreat to their chambers, lock the door, and stay inside until they were notified it was safe to come out. In addition, they were advised to turn off their lights as an extra precaution. Sixto inferred that they wouldn’t be out until morning, surmising that the lockdown would last way beyond the curfew hours. Sixto ensured her they’d be in contact through phone. He was with Lily, keeping her company; the little girl was scared out of her wits, confused and terrified that something was happening. Sixto had noted that the warning bell had never been rung in his lifetime; that there was a possible attack, or that they were intruders on the loose. Serenity couldn’t help but wonder if the missing jailhouse key was the cause of all this pandemonium. Surely they wouldn’t sound off the warning bell simply due to a vanishing key? It was irrational.
Therefore, it must’ve been an intruder. Or intruders. The obvious question was “Who could they be?” Irrefutably, somebody with unparalleled stealth skills. Someone who was capable of slipping past the sentries. But they had been spotted, as testified by the bell sounding off. Detected but not yet caught. She doubted it was an “attack.” Otherwise, the strident bangs of warfare would’ve been raging through the night by now. Furthermore, what army would be stupid enough to launch an attack on them? Definitely no nation; the Aurelians had no enemies with governments. She sat by the window sill, gazing outside for any signs of battle or havoc. It was perfectly tranquil, just like any other night. However, guards frequently passed by her scope of vision, in troops. It was clear they were searching for the intruders. She estimated that they’d be caught within the hour; but at the same time, she contended her presupposition. Anyone capable of circumventing the Aurelian residence security, and making it beyond the walls or gates, were proficient enough to stay hidden for a considerable period of time. The Aurelian residence was extensive, extending as far as the standard length of a very small town. This made it inaccurate to call the place simply an “estate.” It was a private residence, available to select Aurelians all across the world. The capital, essentially.
Outside her door, there were hurried footsteps and voices. She presumed that the soldiers were checking the rooms to make sure the doors were locked and that the occupants were inside, given the lockdown was in effect. Sure enough, a guard called to see if she was there.
“I’m here!” she hollered back.
“Good! And stay in there!” the guard responded curtly, departing right after with fading footsteps.
Her phone lit up and vibrat
ed. She picked it up; it was Lily, requesting to video call. As she accepted the call, it wasn’t Lily’s face she saw first—but Sixto’s.
“Hey,” he said fervently, adjusting the phone position for better lighting. He moved to the window sill, which provided the only light available in the room: moon light. The lights in Lily’s chambers were off.
“Hi,” Serenity replied; she was already on the window sill.
“How’re you holding up?” Sixto asked breathlessly.
He was visibly excited, eyes wide and his breathing rapid.
“I’m fine. I feel safe in here.”
“And you will be. I still can’t believe it; who the hell managed to get past the sentinels? The sentries don’t slack!”
“I’ve been asking the same question,” said Serenity, glancing through the window again. Nothing out of the ordinary yet.
“I’m hyped up, I’m not going to lie,” Sixto twinkled. “Nothing like this has happened before. It’s like a movie!”
“I’m sure we’re in no danger, they’ll be caught in no time,” Serenity assured. “And how’s Lily? Why’re you using her phone?”
“I’m here!” Lily squeaked, popping into frame. “I’m SCARED!”
“I told her a million times that there was nothing to fear,” Sixto said exasperatedly. “She seems to think ninjas are going to crash through the windows and throw ninja stars at us or something.”
“Only ninjas can get past our security!” Lily argued.
“That may be true, but you’re too old to still believe in ninjas,” Sixto upbraided. “Just like you’re too old to believe in Father Christmas.”
Lily gasped, as if she just found out she was adopted.
“Father Christmas isn’t REAL?!” she burst out.
“Good job, Sixto,” Serenity laughed. “And is that what you call Santa in the United Kingdom?”
“Oh yeah, you Americans call him ‘Santa Claus,’” said Sixto. “And yeah, he’s ‘Father Christmas’ here. Lily was going to find out soon enough anyway. I did her a favor; she’s now smarter than all of her little friends!”
“Who delivers the presents, then?” Lily demanded, perhaps attempting to disprove Sixto’s claim that Father Christmas was a lie.
“The adults do! They order them online and it gets mailed here. They wrap them up and make them look like presents.”
“B-but I thought the elves got them for us in a factory, in the North Pole! Then, Father Christmas delivers them to our houses on his sleigh! With the flying reindeers! Is Rudolph a lie, too?”
“Oh, and then Santa slides down the chimney?” Sixto teased.
Lily nodded vigorously.
“He’s too fat to fit!” Sixto groaned. “Back to you, Serenity. I’ve been thinking. What if the culprits—you know—are—?”
Sixto didn’t complete the sentence, maybe since Lily was present. She knew what Sixto was thinking. What he was trying to say. The identity of the culprits, and who they plausibly could be. Not wanting to linger on the subject, she changed it tactically.
“So, you said this has never happened in your life?”
“Nope. Rare do we get crazy idiots try to sneak into our property. The first would be those two Carlisles. Look what happened to them.”
“And the same is gonna happen to whomever is here now, right?” Lily asked hopefully. “They’ll get executed too?”
“That’s the plan,” Sixto nodded. “As for executed, I don’t know about that. Wow, Lily. You’re really intrigued by executions.”
“Mrs. White lectured us on the guillotine, and how Louis XVI was executed during the French Revolution. It’s really interesting!”
“Woah, you girls learn European history?” Sixto asked, baffled. “What else does Ms. White teach you? About executions?”
“Not much else. She says the three main types of executions are: beheadings, hangings, and firing squad! Oh, and during the Roman times with the colosseum, some gladiators were fed to the lions!”
Serenity was genuinely impressed with Lily’s vast expanse of cognizance pertaining to history. Though, she also questioned whether she was old enough to be taught this barbaric historical information.
“How long will we be on lockdown?” Serenity asked.
“Indefinite,” said Sixto. “Depends how long it takes them to capture the intruders and confirm there’s no more threats.”
“This reminds me of a code red,” she said conversationally, remembering the drills American public schools administered.
“Whatever that is,” Sixto dismissed. “I wished I was with the other soldiers. I hate being a trainee still. I just wanna work already!”
“Can’t Destiny or Bastion promote you to that position with a snap of their fingers?” Serenity suggested unsurely.
“No, they can’t. And they wouldn’t even if they could. Destiny doesn’t believe I’m ‘ready.’ The same case with Bastion.”
“I guess there aren’t any shortcuts,” she told him glumly. “You have to work your way up like everybody else. Destiny and Bastion did.”
“I know,” Sixto grunted. “It’s frustrating, but I know. Honestly, I wish the intruder or intruders would climb up to Lily’s balcony and break into the room. That way, I’d get the chance to apprehend them myself.”
“And risk both yours and Lily’s safety,” she added wryly.
“I can take these malefactors,” Sixto scoffed cockily.
You don’t even know who they are.”
“Yeah? But who could they be? I have elite training. What do they have? Just luck on their side. The sentries must’ve been napping.”
Serenity knew he didn’t believe this. Sixto wasn’t normally a boastful person, but he did have his pride issues. When it came to claims about his level of strength, he would not accept that he could be beaten by somebody. She wondered if he was just pretentiously showing off in an attempt to impress her. If so, she thought it was utterly ridiculous.
“Serenity, you should change and get ready for bed,” Lily advised her. “We’re going to be here for a long time. It really sucks.”
“Yeah, I’ll do that later.”
“Do it now,” Sixto said flatly. “We’re going to hang up now. If you need anything, call us any time. I doubt I’m going to get any sleep with Lily nagging me all night. Oh, and just so you know; you’ll hear a different bell ring once the curfew is over. Sounds the same, except with a higher pitch.”
“No, I’m not going to sleep!” Lily protested. “You can, but I wanna stay with Serenity. I bet she doesn’t want to sleep either. Right?”
“I’m wide awake,” Serenity shrugged ambivalently; truthfully, she could be on the line for another couple of hours.
Not that she was too afraid to sleep, but the initiation of a lockdown thrilled her. Again, she looked out the window, searching for something remotely unusual. It was the same scene. She wished she had Sixto’s view; a larger portion of the estate was observable from his room’s position, and he even had a balcony. Some of the chambers came with balconies, but not hers.
“Hey, Sixto, do you see anything outside from your window? Or rather, Lily’s? It’s dead quiet at my end.”
“Same here,” Sixto shook his head. “Don’t expect to catch anything interesting from up here. You’d have to sneak outside.”
Serenity saw Sixto go silent after his statement, a fire sparking in his eyes and his face illuminating in wonder. He was planning something. She had seen this face numerous times before. Whether he was devising a solution to a problem or contriving a mischievous scheme, it was invariably this face.
“Don’t even,” she said sharply. “I know what you’re thinking.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yes, I do. You’re planning to go outside.”
“Why do you always get the impression I’m plotting something?” Sixto scowled, conceding she was correct.
“I can tell when somebody’s up to no good. I’ve learned to detect mischief through
experience. I knew a guy that always was up to trouble…”
“Tell me his name, maybe we can be friends,” Sixto snickered.
She shook her head firmly. Despite Sixto’s propensity to misconduct, his overall character was irreconcilable with Cackle’s. Not only was Cackle a master of cunning and devilry, he was a sadistic brat and the craziest of all the brothers. His immaturity also highlighted his aversive character. In no reality could she imagine Cackle and Sixto getting along.
“You wouldn’t want to befriend him,” she said. “Actually, forget I even mentioned him. I don’t want to remember his face or his antics.”
Sixto narrowed his eyes, squinting as if he could barely see her.
“I have an idea who you’re talking about. But I’ll leave it alone.”
“Who is she talking about?” Lily asked curiously.
“None of your business,” Sixto returned automatically. “Why? Because I’m ‘too young’?” said Lily indignantly, condemning the incessant usage of the statement.
“Lily, when you’re big, you get to tell kids that they’re too little,” Serenity assured her “For now, you’re going to have to deal with it.”
“I don’t wanna!” she pouted. “It’s not fair!”
“Life isn’t fair,” Sixto patted her head. “Ask Serenity.”
“Why me?”
“You’ve lived an unfair life with the Carlisles? Right?”
“Yeah, I guess so…”
“Tell me about the Carlisles!” Lily burst out suddenly.
“Lily, stop!” Sixto began.
“Lily, all you need to know about them is that they’re cruel savages that’ll eventually be captured and erased from the planet,” Serenity said tonelessly, not exactly looking into the girl’s eyes when she spoke.