by Rue Volley
“Sometimes you have to go to the fight Rue, I'm not going to sit here and wait for Noble or Elin, to find a way in here. It's not how I live, I don't hide.”
I stood there, letting it soak into me. Josh had every intention of leaving. I didn't want that to happen, I could not have it happen. I needed him to stay here with us... with me.
“Please... don't leave us Josh,” I said. He stopped and looked at me then he looked past me to Johnathan.
“I have to go Rue, you stay here, be safe,” he said to me, as he jerked his bag up onto his shoulder. I swung around and looked at Sam and Theodore.
“Theodore? Sam? Do something,” I said to them.
Sam sat down on the couch and Theodore lowered his eyes.
“What? No one is going to say anything? This is your brother! He can't just leave, they will probably kill him!” I said, as I felt my heart beat speeding up.
“I am afraid that Josh has made up his mind Rue. He wants to leave, we do not own him,” Theodore said.
I turned back to Josh. “You can't do this,” I said to him.
“Oh, I can... and I am doing it right now,” he said with no compassion.
Josh headed for the door and I followed him. I seemed to be the only one protesting his suicide run. He pushed through the door and I stepped outside. He jumped off of the porch and started to head towards the forest. Raindrops started to trickle down from the clouds and I jumped off of the porch too.
“Josh!” I yelled after him. “Please, don't leave...! Don't leave me,” I said to him.
He stopped for a moment and half turned. I thought that my last plea may have changed his mind, but he turned and flashed away from me. I felt a deep hole well up in my chest and I let the rain mix with the tears on my face.
I stood there in the rain until I was completely soaked. I kept my eye on the forest, just waiting for him to pop out laughing at me, making fun of me for crying. I wanted Sam or Theodore to come out and tell me something stupid, like he was only going to get us all pizza, but that wasn't going to happen.
I closed my eyes and felt the ground rumble from a crack of lightning and thunder and pictured that damn cat. He wasn't nice, that stupid cat, scratched me all the time and did the “rub my belly” trick so he could bite me, just when my hand was in range. I opened my eyes up and realized that Josh was my new cat... he one who pissed me off 90% of the time, but slept with me at night.
Even though I had this weird blue spark flying off of me, he didn't know if I'd hurt him, but he stayed by my side anyway.
I looked back at the house and out to the forest.
“I'm going to find my cat this time.” I whispered to myself and I flashed.
I ran about a mile I'm sure, before I actually started to feel anything at all. I found shelter under a tree from the crazy rain coming down. Cracks of lightening kept lighting up different sections of the forest, and I'd gasp as every now and then. I would see red eyes staring at me from the shadows. I pressed my hands into the muddy ground and closed my eyes, trying to focus on a trail. I opened my eyes and saw a thin trail of silver, traced with what I took as black. It was hard to tell without the occasional strobe of light from the storm.
I wiped the rain from my face and went to stand up, and I felt a hand push me back down. I looked up to see that Josh was above me in the tree, he had reached down and pushed me into a sitting position.
“What do you think you are doing?” he said, as he jumped down in front of me and knelt down on one knee. When his knee hit the mud it splashed up on me, and I ate some dirt. I spit it out and wiped my face.
“I'm going with you,” I said.
“Yeah... okay, go home Rue,” Josh said. He stood up and grabbed his bag, throwing it over his shoulder.
“You can leave me if you want, but I will track you,” I said as I pushed myself up.
He dropped his bag against the tree trunk and stared at me.
“I don't think that you get it Rue. I don't want you to come with me… got it?”
“I don't care,” I said, as I picked up his bag and threw it over my shoulder. He pulled it from me and dropped it on the ground.
“Don't make me knock you out and carry you home because I will,” he said.
“You can try, but when I wake up I'll just track you,” I said, staring at him.
“Why are you being a pain in the ass?” Josh said as he stepped up to me. I stood my ground, sometimes it's worth fighting.
“I don't want you to leave.” I said.
“You don't want me to leave... right. Go home to Johnathan, Rue, he's probably wondering where you are,” he said as he leaned so close to me I could feel his heart beating. He reached down and grabbed his bag, I grabbed his hand and he stood back up staring at me. I stepped up to him and he started to back away from me.
I grabbed his bag and dropped it. He looked down and back to me. I reached up and placed my hand on his face. “Josh, please… I don't want you to leave... Please come back with me,” I said.
“Why?” he said as his eyes wandered.
“Because I want you too,” I said to him, while I kept my hand on his face. He lowered his head and let my hand fall away from him.
“Well there is a huge difference between ‘want’ and ‘need’ Rue,” he said as he turned away from me.
He started to walk, then he turned back to me.
“I want for it to stop raining, I need to kill Noble, and Elin would be an added bonus,” he said, as he wiped his hand over his face.
“I want normal, but I need you,” I said.
Josh stood still in front of me. I really waited for the comeback. I expected it from him, some twisted reaction to any emotion was so natural for him, but instead he flashed to me.
“You need me?” he said in my face.
I nodded and he placed his hand on my face. I looked up as the rain kept pouring down, the lighting cracked and I could see his face in front of me. It was soft, not pulled in some crooked grin as I so often saw him. He looked as if I had chipped through something, to a place that I didn't know existed in him.
“I do... I need you Josh,” I whispered.
He pulled me to him and I felt his hand slide to my lower back. I didn't shy away, I looked at him with no fear, just let him see me... for the first time. He touched my face and traced his finger across my lips. I sucked in my breath, under his finger. He let his breath out and it looked like white mist in the chilled air. “Rue,” he whispered.
The lightening cracked and everything lit up. Johnathan stood there, motionless, a few feet away. I backed away from Josh and Johnathan flashed to my side. All three of us stood there in silence for a moment and then Theodore called out, as he came to a stop.
“Take her home,” Josh said to Johnathan.
“I am coming with you,” Johnathan said.
Josh laughed. “Fine,” he said.
I looked at both of them. “What...? No, we need to stay together,” I said.
“Go with Theodore, Rue,” Johnathan said as he stared at Josh.
“Why do either one of you think you can tell me what to do?” I said as I put my hands up.
“I don't think you understand Rue... it's a guy thing,” Josh said, as he grinned at Johnathan.
I swung around to look at Theodore. “For God's sake Theodore tell them to come home, this is stupid!” I yelled at him.
Theodore walked up and looked at all three of us. “It would be best if you come with me,” he said as he placed a hand on my arm. I felt a tinge of electricity flow through me and I staggered where I stood.
Theodore held me up and I tried to focus, but everything started to blur slightly.
“What... what did you do?” I said, as I started to lean against Theodore. “I feel weak,” I added.
Josh smiled at me. “Rue... I've only made it easier for you to sleep. Once you wake you will know it was best for you to stay here, where it is safe. I will return, I will,” He said to me as I started to fall,
I wanted to scream out, but I simply started to slump towards the ground.
Theodore held me, I felt him swing my body up and we started to move. I reached out, as I saw Josh and Johnathan flash away from us.
***
Josh traveled at a furious pace for half the night. Johnathan tried to keep up with him, the best he could. Finally Josh came to a stop and Johnathan almost flew past him, he came to a skidding stop as Josh threw his pack down on the ground and unzipped it. He reached in and pulled out two pieces of fruit and threw one at Johnathan as he walked towards him. Johnathan caught it and bit into it.
“So… where are they?” Johnathan asked.
Josh bit into his apple and grinned, as he wiped the juice from his chin. “Don't know yet... but I think we are headed in the right direction. We are going to your house, near Valon.”
“She is going to be pissed,” Johnathan said as he sat down.
Josh laughed. “Yep, you can count on it. We can only hope that she can be reasoned with when she wakes. I think Theodore or Sam can reason with her... I think,” he continued to chew while he talked.
“Yea... we should have told her that we planned to do this,” Johnathan said.
Josh threw his apple core to the ground. “Really...? Do you know her at all? Or do you just try to get in her pants all the time?”
Johnathan threw his apple core down too. “I know her Josh and I don't try to do that,” he said as he rose up and stretched his arms behind his back.
Josh grinned at him and pulled out his blade. It glowed in his hand. He stood up and Johnathan stood his ground. Josh dropped to the ground on one knee and jammed it into the ground, half way up the blade. They both watched as the shimmery trail disappeared from behind them. Johnathan smiled.
“She is going to be so pissed,” he said, as he ran his hand through his hair.
“I am sure all the blame will find its way to me, somehow,” Josh said.
Johnathan sat back down on the ground. “What did you say to her anyway?”
Josh pulled his blade out of the ground and placed it on his back. “I told her to go home.”
“Well, when I came up it didn't look like she was mad,” Johnathan said.
“She wasn't, I had already laced her lips with a sleeping spell,” Josh said as he put his pack back on his shoulder.
“How?” Johnathan said.
Josh looked at him and then back to the ground, he started to grin. “Why…? What does it matter…? I did it, so Theodore would be able to take her back to the house.”
Johnathan cleared his throat. “Did you kiss her?” he asked.
“Not that time,” Josh said as he flashed away.
“What…? That time?” Johnathan said as he flashed after him.
Josh and Johnathan flashed through a forest with little effort, suddenly Josh came to a stop and Johnathan flashed up to his side. Josh knelt down and pressed his palm against the ground and closed his eyes. Johnathan knelt down next to him.
“What did you mean by ‘not that time’?” he asked.
Josh opened his eyes and grinned. “Shut up. Press your hand against the ground,” he said.
Johnathan pressed his hand down. “Do you feel that?” Josh said. Johnathan closed his eyes.
“Yea... I do. Is it Noble?” he said.
“No... I think it’s Elin... feels like static,” Josh said.
“I asked you a question,” Johnathan said.
“Oh shit... just drop it Johnathan,” Josh said half laughing.
“I don't think it's funny,” Johnathan said.
“Listen... you want to help me kill this bitch or keep chattering like a girl?” Josh said as he turned to him.
“I'm not acting like a girl, you dick,” Johnathan said as he stood up.
“Yeah... you are,” Josh said as he flashed forward.
Johnathan grumbled and followed him. They came up to a clearing and stopped. They both crouched down and stared out at the large house. Light glowed in the windows downstairs.
“She is in there. I don't feel anyone else though,” Josh said as he dropped his pack to the ground. He pulled out his blades and gripped them in his hand. Johnathan pulled his blades out too.
“You let me lead, got me?” Josh said. “I know her. I know what she'll do.”
“Fine,” Johnathan said.
Josh looked at Johnathan. “Good... follow me.”
Josh flashed toward the house and came to a stop under a window. Johnathan flashed up to him.
“You stay behind me,” Josh whispered.
They crept around the back side and came to a door, Josh reached up and turned the knob slowly. He stepped inside and sucked in his breath.
“God, her energy is just rank,” he whispered.
Johnathan looked around in the dark. “Yea, like rotten food,” Johnathan whispered.
“Listen that fruit we ate will only blind us to her for about an hour longer, then she and anyone around here will be able to feel us, it is imperative that we kill her quickly and get the hell out.”
“I understand,” Johnathan whispered.
They crept through and started to hear noises coming from the living room. They came to a doorway and saw Elin walking back and forth in the living room on her phone.
“I want him dead Noble! I want them all dead!” she yelled into her phone.
She paused and stopped moving. “I understand, but how do we enter?” she said. She laughed out loud, “Oh, you are too clever. That little bitch won't be able to resist that.” She muttered, “I have moved it. It is safe; no one will be in this house. Elie and Sophie are in Valon. They think he is dead, grief is such a beautiful thing,” she added.
“Come to me… I am hungry.” she paused. “Fine, send the driver then.” She put her phone in her pocket.
Josh looked at Johnathan and pushed on him, nudging him backward. He pointed towards the door. Josh walked to the door and quietly left the house, while Johnathan followed behind. Josh flashed back to the edge of the woods and knelt down. Johnathan came up beside him and knelt down.
“What the hell are you doing, we could have killed her!” Johnathan said.
“She is going to meet Noble, we need to follow,” Josh said.
“No, let’s kill her and leave. We can kill Noble later, she is right there!” Johnathan said as he pointed towards the house.
Josh sighed. “Listen, Elin is not the head of the snake, she is the tail. I want to kill the master.”
“Well what about when the spell wears off Josh... what then?” Johnathan asked as he gripped his blade.
“Do you always talk so much?” Josh asked.
“What...? I am trying to make sure we live, we could have killed her right then,” Johnathan whispered.
They both saw a black car drive up the driveway. Elin stepped out the front door and the driver got out and opened the door to the back seat of the car for her.
“Noble ordered take out,” Josh said as he laughed. He looked at Elin. “I can't believe you had that,” Josh said to Johnathan.
“I didn't,” Johnathan said.
“You’re telling me that you hung out with her for two months and you didn't hit that?” Josh said as he stared at Johnathan.
“I did not, I don't remember anyway,” Johnathan said.
“Uh huh,” Josh said as he stood up.
“Well, I guarantee if you did, Rue will know,” Josh said to him.
“What...? What do you mean?” Johnathan said.
“Elin leaves a mark on you, like a trace, it sucks,” Josh said.
“Oh, man... did you?” Johnathan said.
Josh smiled. “Well, if you two did… it's a shame you don't remember. She may be a psycho, but I'll tell you she can...”
Johnathan interrupted him. “Shut up… I don't want to know,” Johnathan said.
“Whatever,” Josh said as he laughed. “Let’s go… we are running out of time.”
They flashed forward and followed the car.
They kept to the sides of buildings until they saw it come to a stop at an old warehouse and the driver got out and opened Elin's door. She stepped out and went into the building. The driver got back into the car and sat there.
Josh looked at Johnathan and whispered, “We have to get in there, this way.”
Josh flashed around the back of the building that was sitting next to the warehouse. They came around the side and found a rusty ladder hanging down. Josh jumped up and pulled it down to the ground. He gripped it and started to climb, Johnathan followed. They reached the top and pulled themselves over. Josh stood there staring out across the rooftop. “We have to run and jump to the next building,” he said, as he adjusted his backpack on his back.
He ran across the rooftop and lunged over, flying onto the rooftop of Noble’s warehouse then rolled to one side, silent as a cat. He looked back at Johnathan and raised his hand. Johnathan sucked in his breath and ran towards the edge. He jumped as hard as he could into the air, it looked like everything was fine, until he realized he was coming up short of his landing. Josh scrambled forward and grabbed his arm throwing him behind him. Johnathan hit the rooftop and rolled, not looking as graceful as Josh had when he landed. Josh shook his head and ran over to him.
“Really...? You have to work on that,” he whispered.
Johnathan grunted and pushed himself up. “Sorry, I don't jump rooftops every day,” he said sarcastically.
Josh looked across the rooftop and saw light coming out the top from glass windows. He crept over to the edge and looked down. Johnathan came up next to him and peeked over.
“Oh... that's just wrong,” Johnathan said, as he backed away.
Josh stood there staring, “Yea… man did you see the way she was…”
“Yea… I saw. Listen, we need to get down there,” Johnathan said.
Josh stood there grinning, as he looked in the window.
Johnathan smacked his arm. “Hey,” he said.
Josh backed away and looked at him. “Okay… let’s see if we can find a way in. Trust me; they will be doing that for a while.”
“Well…we are running out of time,” Johnathan said.
“What...? You getting nervous?” Josh said to him as he grinned.