by J. W. Lolite
We stared at each other without a word, both lost to the world around us. The funny thing about eyes is they can usually tell you a lot about a person: what they’re thinking, how they’re feeling, or maybe even a glimmer of who they really are inside. I had spent nearly my whole life looking into other peoples’ eyes, studying how to read them. But as I gazed into that brilliant green, I was at a loss. It was too bright, too distracting. For the first time in my life, I was across from a person who had the same eyes as me, and I had no idea what was going on in his mind.
“It can’t be,” he said in a hushed voice. Though his gaze was a mystery to me, the disbelief in his voice was evident.
“Huh? You say something, Farron?” the Plumber asked while turning his head towards his companion. He glanced at Farron for a second before I caught his attention. Suddenly, deep blue joined the green in my vision, and I narrowed my eyes. It was like being in the headlights of a neon party car.
“No way! This girl is . . . but she’s so weak!”
Now that was just uncalled for. I huffed to myself, about to remind this guy I got taken out by a back-attack – from someone over a foot taller!
“Should we take her?”
“No. We’re done here, Plumbarco. We’ve wasted enough time with these humans.” Farron shifted his arm into his cloak.
“Hey! We’re still here, or have you forgotten? Don’t think we’re about to let you leave!” the girl on my other side yelled. Truth be told, I kind of had forgotten they were there. I whipped my head around just in time to see her break into a run towards the cloaked men.
“Kaira! Wait!” Her handsome friend reached out to grab her arm, but he wasn’t quick enough. She was barely a foot away from the strangers when she slowed, her leg sailing around into the air for a high kick – sleek and graceful, just like a ballet dancer. I looked in awe as her long leg forced forward, only an inch away from impact. Swish!
I coughed violently as a surge of . . . of dust? sand?. . . filled the air. What the hell was that? I continued to try and clear my lungs as I stood from my position on the ground. It turned out to be a good decision. As the air cleared, the cloud began to settle on the ground. I brushed my clothes off, looking at some of the material that came off in my hand. It was like fine, dark gray sand, and as I moved my hand over to the nearby street light, it glittered with tiny sparkles of light.
“Cool,” I said in awe, waving my hand in the light.
“Kaira, are you all right? What happened?”
The army man crouched by his friend and put his hands on her shoulders. She sat coughing on the ground. Other than the dust coating her clothes, she looked no worse for the wear.
“Yeah, Markus, I’m fine. It just surprised me. They must have used the stone.” She grimaced before she and Markus stood. “What do we do now?”
“I don’t know,” he replied. “We have to return to Master Rigel. He needs to know what happened. Oh and the girl,” he pitched in, suddenly remembering something. “You -” he looked at me and stopped mid-sentence. This was the first time my fighter saviors paid me any attention. And unfortunately, it looked like they didn’t like what they saw.
“This was a set up!” Kaira spat in my direction. “She’s one of them!”
Seeing my integrity was in danger, I spurred forwards. “No way! I was attacked by those guys! Who the hell are ‘they,’ anyway? And who are you?”
Kaira looked at me in furious indignation. For one so beautiful, she sure could make one scary-ass face. Her whole body tensed up, and for a second, it looked like she was about to leap at me and try to kick my head in. I was trying to decide whether I could take her when I was mercifully spared by the militant forces.
“Settle down, Kaira. I don’t think she’s with them,” Markus said while looking at my wrinkled uniform. I smiled at Markus. Looks and brains. I’m beginning to like this guy. “Besides,” he began, looking lower to take in my bloody knees, “I don’t think she’s cut out for fighting, especially against them.” Scratch that last part. My smile dropped, and I glared at him instead.
“So we’ve established I’m just the victim here. Good. You never did tell me who you guys are,” I pointed out while nursing my pride. Didn’t anyone know what a back-attack was anymore? Not cut out for fighting, indeed.
“Who we are is none of your concern,” Kaira snarled, turning away. “Come on, Markus. We need to speak with Master at once.”
Markus shook his head at her retreating form before turning back to me. He looked at me for a few moments then slowly took some steps forwards.
“Are you sure you’re all right? Do you need me to escort you home?” he asked. “It’s gotten pretty dark.”
I studied him cautiously. He seemed to be honest. I didn’t think he was trying to lure me into a dark alley and do away with me.
“No, that’s okay,” I declined at last. Pointing down the street, I added, “My house is just there.”
“All right, then. Take care.” He turned and began walking after Kaira.
“And the dark doesn’t bother me.”
He threw a smirk over his shoulder. “I know.”
I watched him until he faded out of view. Maybe my first impression was right and he wasn’t so bad. Couldn’t say the same for his friend. I turned and started making my way to the house, wincing as my knees burned from the movement. What a messed up evening. My mind buzzed in the aftermath of all that happened. A million questions flitted around my mind, and I didn’t know where to begin. Something big happened, and I was just as clueless now as I had been before I even got attacked. Who were those guys in the hoods? What were those guys? I couldn’t help but think about the way that Farron guy had looked at me so intensely. Does he know something about me? I growled in frustration as I began walking the path to the front door. My hand gripped the handle tightly, and a new thought suddenly crashed through the jumble of questions. Does he know something about my father?
Chapter 5
Aphelion
My father. Taboo subject, that one. Truth be told I didn’t really know much about the guy. He died when I was still a baby, leaving me with nothing but forgotten memories. Hell, I didn’t even have a picture of the guy. Growing up, my family hadn’t been the most forthcoming about what he was like, especially Auntie. From the uninhibited sneers, I got the feeling she wasn’t overly fond of him. Uncle Sebastian didn’t have much to say about him, either. So, yeah, he wasn’t exactly grooving with the in-laws. Well, there was one exception . . .
“Mom.”
I remember now. “Your father? He was just like you, of course!” She would always laugh and say it like it was the most obvious thing in the world. I remember how she would always talk about how strong he was and how handsome he was. I remember how she would look out the window, a sad smile on her lips, a distant look in her stunning light green eyes.
I felt my eyes begin to sting, and I pushed the painful memories back. There was no need to keep dwelling on this. She was gone and she wasn’t coming back. No matter how much I wanted her to. No matter how much I needed her.
I opened the front door and stopped in the entrance. A pitch black void awaited me. It was too early for Auntie to go out on her late night binges. Where was she? I pushed down the fear that was rising in me. What if I wasn’t the only one those guys attacked. What if they got . . . Auntie . . .
Coming into the living area, a flicker of light caught my eye, and I turned to find the source. Relief washed over me as I took in the image. She sat on the ground, a small, dim candle burning on the table in front of her.
“What are doing, Auntie? Just sitting on the floor like that . . .” I trailed off. She didn’t even acknowledge my presence when I walked towards her. Stepping closer, I noticed her clothes looked even filthier than this morning. Her top had some new dark stains, and looking at her bare arms, I saw her pale skin was covered in a light film of sweat and dirt.
“Is that dust, Auntie? Just how long were you in the a
ttic?” I asked, peering over her shoulder and looking at her face. She didn’t so much as blink when I reached forwards and wiped her cheek. The dust was everywhere. Looking at her again, I looked into her eyes. Her gaze was deep and yet somehow lost, sadness glittering in the flicking flame. Following her line of sight, I felt my heart stop. A group of smiling faces peered back at me, and I felt the sadness that haunted my aunt’s eyes drift into my own.
The photo must have been at least seventeen years old, but I still knew the faces all too well. It was them. Aunt Kaline looked so young and innocent back then. She couldn’t have been more than 13 years old, her bright smile beaming at the camera. Uncle Sebastian, with his black shoulder length hair and rugged smirk, must have been the envy of every guy in the country. He looked every bit the perfect big brother, too, with an arm slung around each sister. I looked at the last figure, and my chest burned. It was her. She looked so beautiful – long dark brown hair and soft, milky skin. A gentle smile graced her lips; a smile I so painfully recognized. I absorbed the whole image, three pairs of light green eyes staring back at me. They looked so happy, so perfect. The world collapsed.
I clenched my eyes shut, the flood of misery and remorse threatening to break through. This was too much. I can’t take this. I straightened up and rushed for my safe haven. Why did she have to have that out? She wasn’t the only one suffering. A flood of anger joined my depression as I rounded the corner. Blood rushed in my ears, and I almost didn’t hear the soft “Ingrid” that came from behind me.
I ignored her and continued on my way. I didn’t want to talk. I didn’t even want to look at her. They all looked so much alike. I slammed my bedroom door hard. Collapsing on my bed, I pulled my pillow to my face and screamed, the tears soaking the old pillow case.
Shit! This is so shit! This wasn’t a messed up evening. This was the worst evening that ever happened. Why did this have to happen to me? Why couldn’t I be happy? Just like they had been . . . so long ago. I cried harder as the image of the beaming faces came back to me. I couldn’t suppress it anymore. The memories came flooding back, flowing just as forcefully as my tears.
I shuddered violently as the images began to change. Flashes of blood and slashed bodies danced across my mind. The scent of blood . . . charred flesh . . . wafted to my nose. I gagged and rushed to the bathroom, the contents of my stomach rising in my throat. I kneeled in front of the toilet for a few minutes, my meager dinner coming up. After I was sure my stomach settled, I turned to the sink and washed my mouth out before splashing cool water on my face. I glanced at my reflection and willed the memories back into their dark safe. My eyes glowed back at me, the light shimmering from my tears.
I stumbled back into the bedroom and made my way to the bed. Without even taking my uniform off, I buried myself under the covers and took in several deep breaths. My sobs turned into silent weeping, and I began to forge my mental barriers, pushing all the pain away.
Lesia was wrong. I wouldn’t need an alarm clock to get up in the morning. I wouldn’t be getting much sleep tonight; nightmares and anxiety would see to that. Finally numbing my mind, the pain in my body began to become evident. My hands and knees ached as I pulled the covers in a cocoon around my body. It didn’t matter. I was finally safe, here in my haven, and I wasn’t about to move an inch until the sun forced me out.
“I knew I should have just stayed in bed today.”
Chapter 6
Radio Waves
A thin sheen of light crept through the blinds of my window and into my eyes. I didn’t even flinch when I glanced towards the source – the crack of dawn. Finally. I pushed my covers to the side and slid out of bed. Shutting the door to the bathroom, I didn’t even bother to turn on the light before I made my way over to the mirror. I looked like a banshee; dark circles lined my bloodshot eyes and my hair was a tangled, dirty mess. After stripping off my uniform, I turned to the shower. I wouldn’t have to hurry today.
As I waited for the water to heat up, I thought about all that happened yesterday evening. Well, about the first part. I had long since locked the second part away and I wasn’t about to bring it out anytime soon. I was still very confused about everything. One minute I was walking home like usual, and the next my life was on the line, threatened by guys that had glowing eyes like me no less. I let out a sigh and stepped into the hot stream of water. My knees and hands burned in the water, and I set about cleaning the scrapes. I really should have done this last night. Finished with my wounds, I went about cleaning the gray sand out of my hair and off my pale skin. After about thirty minutes of washing and relaxing in the shower, I stepped out and grabbed a towel. It felt good to enjoy a long shower.
I toweled off before picking up my uniform off the ground. It was even worse than yesterday and that’s saying something. The gray stuff covered every inch. On the bright side, Ursa wouldn’t be able to single out my lack of ironing skills. I shook the clothes trying to free some of the dirt, only to end up creating a mini cloud in the bathroom. Coughing and wheezing, I rushed into my bedroom and opened the window. With my uniform gripped in my hand, I thrust the clothes out the window and began to beat them against the side of the house. Satisfied with the small pile of gray on the grass below, I pulled my clothes back in put them on. They weren’t spotless, but hey, it was better than looking like I’d rolled in from a dingy desert.
I glanced at my watch and saw I still had some time to kill before making my way to school. I grabbed my bag and took out the small amount of homework I didn’t get to do last night and set to work. I made a promise, and evil attack or not, I was going to keep it. Going over the work, I realized it wasn’t nearly as difficult as I’d always believed. I could do this. After about twenty minutes of writing, I smiled and put the finished product into my bag. Easy-peasy.
I stood up, picked up my materials, and began to make my way out the door. It was still a little early, but I decided I would rather wait for my friends at the intersection than stay here. Walking past the living room, I felt a rush of relief when Aunt Kaline was nowhere to be seen. It was too early for her to be up if she made it back to her room – if not too early for her to be back at all. Either way, I was glad to not see her. It was still too soon. They looked so much alike.
I made my way out the door and set off down the street. I cast a nervous glance down the street, taking in my surroundings. Unlike last night, there were people out leaving for work. This combined with the presence of the morning sun began to put a gradual ease in my mind. By the way they rushed off last night, I got the feeling those guys weren’t likely to make an attack with a lot of witnesses. And if they were anything like me, the light would put them at a disadvantage should my heroes appear again.
I came to the intersection where my friends had been waiting for me the day before, and I stood against the wall. My mind spun again with unanswered questions. While knowing who those guys were would be nice, I soon discovered that knowing what they were appealed to me more. I wasn’t one for supernatural nonsense, but just this once, I figured I’d humor myself. Let’s see, what goes around preying on teenage girls and likes the dark? I felt my mouth twist in revulsion as the most obvious answer popped into my head. Oh, hell no. I didn’t drink blood, I didn’t fear garlic, and I sure as hell didn’t sparkle in the sun. Next, I thought as I rolled my eyes. Maybe I was going about this all wrong. Although those guys wore cloaks, they still had humanoid shapes, and as far as I could tell so did I. Maybe humans, only with some kind of weird alteration. Mutants? I nodded my head. That had some potential. Remembering the way they spoke about humans, it did seem there was some hatred floating around. Or maybe I was all wrong and we weren’t even human at all, like some kind of foreign entity or ali –
“Ingrid! Is that really you?”
I turned to look at my nearing friend, a smirk creeping up. “That’s right! No, your eyes are not deceiving you. I’m really here . . . early!”
“You still may need to pinch me,” Lesia rep
lied. “I think I may still be dreami – Ouch! What was that for?”
“You said –”
“Yeah, but I didn’t really mean it,” she muttered while rubbing her arm. “So why are you here so early? Did you sneak off and buy a clock last night? You shouldn’t have done that; it was starting to get dark.”
“Well, actually, I didn’t. I just had some trouble sleeping last night,” I admitted, sliding down the wall into a crouch. Now that I was on the topic, I felt pretty sleepy. “Bad dreams.”
She didn’t make any attempt to dive further into the subject, something I greatly treasured about my best friend. Lesia knew my mother was dead, but that was really the extent of her knowledge of my past. I got the impression she suspected there was more to it, but she never probed, and I never brought it up. I couldn’t explain it, but somehow she could sense what I was feeling. When I was happy, sad, or times like this when I didn’t want to talk about something. It had always been like that ever since I could remember.
“Ingrid,” she gasped, “what happened to your knees?” She knelt beside me and ran a hand gently along the scrapes.
“Oh, that.” I frowned, my mind whirling for an excuse. I couldn’t exactly tell her I was attacked by two something-or-anothers in cloaks . . . not yet anyway. She would only overreact, and I needed time to figure out just what had happened. “I just got in a hurry to get home last night and ended up eating concrete. No big deal. Besides, they’re already healing.”