by Rue Volley
“I'm sorry Johnathan, I'm just not ready, I said no…” I said.
He looked up at me and whispered, “I love you...please don't hate me Rue, I didn't know.”
I leaned in, and kissed him softly on the mouth. “You just got too excited,” I said. “I know that you are upset, but I'm not ready... not yet anyway,” I said as I sat down and hugged him. Johnathan hugged me back. He gently rubbed my hair as he grinned over my shoulder. I stood up and walked to the stairs. I looked back one more time, as he sat up on the couch and started to lie down.
“I'll see you in the morning okay?” I asked him.
He smiled. “Yes, the morning,” he said as he lay down.
I ran upstairs and went into my room. I stood there for a moment, leaning against my door. My heart was still pounding in my chest. It took everything I had to stop that. He probably knew it too. I locked my door and lay down. I started to drift off. I thought I heard the front door, but I shrugged it off as me being right on the edge of sleep.
I didn’t know it then but Johnathan had flashed into the forest.
***
The morning came and I rolled over, only to see Josh sitting on my bed with a tray in his hand.
I sat up and looked at my door. “I locked my door last night,” I said.
“Yea, I noticed,” Josh said as he ate off of the tray in his hand. I looked at it and to him, raising my eyebrow.
“Oh.” He looked down at the tray, “I brought you breakfast.”
“Then why are you eating it?” I asked.
“I got hungry,” he said with a grin. He laid it down on the bed.
I looked at it. It was a pop tart. Only half of one. I looked up and grinned.
“You ate half of it?” I asked as I crossed my arms.
“Umm, well… looks that way,” he said as he shrugged and picked it up, breaking off a piece. He smiled as he popped it in his mouth.
“Oh, okay... thanks?” I said. He leaned in with it hanging in his mouth halfway.
I pushed myself off the bed and walked to the bathroom. I started to brush my teeth. He walked up behind me and I saw him in the mirror. I had cracked this mirror too in my fit of rage, so he looked distorted. I grinned and spit my toothpaste out.
“What?” he said, as he chewed.
“Nothing...” I said, as I dropped my toothbrush in its holder.
I turned around and walked to my closet. I turned my back to him and took my shirt off. He cleared his throat and turned around. I grinned as I reached for a t-shirt.
“So... I thought we could umm, ah…maybe go to the library today... finally,” he said.
I pulled my shirt over my head and pulled my shorts off. I turned around in my t-shirt and underwear and he looked at me. Then he looked down.
“What… nothing to say Josh?” I said as I held my hands out.
He walked towards the door. “Nope, I got nothin',” he said as he opened the door, and walked out.
I smiled, he said the same thing that I would have said. It felt good to have the upper hand, just once with him. I headed to the shower and stripped my clothes off. I showered with no worries of any boys coming in for the first time, in almost a year.
I came downstairs and Josh was on the couch reading a book. I looked at him as he peeked over at me. I went into the kitchen and joined Theodore, who was eating. I looked around.
“Where’s everyone?' I said as I started to eat a muffin. Theodore smiled.
“Well Kai and Sam have not come out of his room yet.”
He looked towards the room and I rolled my eyes. “Gross,” I whispered.
“Johnathan is out, I guess he got up early,” Theodore said. I glanced over at Josh who was “reading”.
I stood up and walked over to him. I stood in front of him and grinned.
“So, you’re reading I see,” I said.
“Yea, I read ya know.”
I reached down and flipped the book over. “Helps if you have it right side up.”
He sighed and dropped the book. Theodore laughed and Josh looked at him.
“Oh shut up,” he said to him.
Theodore looked at me. “He does read, quite an impressive collection he has ...in his library.”
I looked at Josh and raised my eyebrows. “Really?” I asked.
“Yea, I do... I like to read, from time to time.”
I smiled. “Well, I'm impressed.”
The door opened and Johnathan stepped in. I looked at him and he rubbed his hair.
“Where did you go so early?” I asked him.
“I went to my old house. I just wanted to see it,” he said as he passed me by.
“Have the new owners moved in?” I asked him.
“Yea... they have. Nice people,” Johnathan said as he reached into the fridge and grabbed some orange juice, he opened it and chugged it down.
“We use glasses around here Johnathan,” Josh said as he got up.
Johnathan stopped drinking and put it down. “Oh, sorry,” he said.
He walked up to Josh and stared at him.
“We should check the binding on this town today,” he said.
Josh looked up. “We just did that yesterday,” he replied back to him.
“Well, you can never be too careful,” Johnathan said as he looked at me.
Josh stared at him. “Well I guess we'll go out and check, but I think that we are okay.”
“Someone tried to break through the binding yesterday, I think we should be cautious,” Johnathan said as he grabbed my hand.
I felt a slight vibration and a flash of light made the room go white. I staggered for a moment. Josh moved towards me and reached out. Johnathan pulled me to him and hugged me.
Josh looked at him.
“Rue, are you okay?”
I sighed and blinked a couple of times. “Yea... I need to eat, I think.”
Johnathan put his hand on my face and I looked up at him. He leaned in to kiss me and Josh leaned up to us.
“We better go... Johnathan,” he said a little too loud in my ear.
I closed my eyes and stepped out of the way.
“Go and check,” I said as I sat down on the couch.
I watched them step outside and then they flashed into the woods.
Kai’s bedroom door opened up and Sam came out in her underwear. I sat with my eyes fixed on her as she walked to the fridge. She reached in and grabbed a can of whip cream and walked back across the living room. The door closed and I heard laughing.
I looked at Theodore. “Okay... that was disturbing,” I said.
Theodore laughed out loud.
“After all you have seen, that disturbs you?” he asked.
“Absolutely... anything concerning my brother and a girl in her underwear does,” I muttered.
Theodore winked at me. I stood up. “Theodore, I think today is the day to see the new library,” I said.
“OMG,” he said. I raised my eyebrows.
“OMG?” I said to him.
“Hanging out with Sara is bringing you up to date huh?” I said.
“Oh yes, she is just the most pleasant creature, all ‘OMG’ and ‘WTF’, it's delightful.”
“Okay then,” I said as I turned to hit the door. I stopped and looked back at him. “Do you just want to meet me there?” I said.
“Oh... wait, I've got to change,” he said.
I looked him up and down, he looked impeccable as usual.
“You look awesome,” I said.
“Well, thank you, but there is an outfit for every occasion,” he said as he headed to his room.
I stepped out on the porch and sat down in the swing. I pulled my shades down over my eyes and flashed back to when the black BMW had pulled up that first time. God to only go back to that, simpler, normal time. I knew it would never be again. I pulled out my phone and hit the button. Sara answered on the other end.
“Hello my immortal friend,” she said. I went silent for a moment.
&nb
sp; “Are you alone?” I asked her.
She started to laugh. “Yesss… girlie! I'm in my room!” she said.
“Oh, Okay,” I said to her quietly.
“What’s wrong?” she said.
“Oh nothing Sara, I just, well never mind. Hey, you wanna go to the library with me and Theodore?” I asked her.
“OMG yeah,” she said.
“Well, he's changing into something I guess more ‘library’ or something... Wanna meet here?” I said as I looked out into the woods.
“You bet... Like an hour or something?” she said with way too much excitement.
“Yea... sounds good… see ya.”
I pushed the button on my phone and realized that I had just planned the first normal thing in a long time. I crossed my legs, and then my fingers, just hoping that we could do this without any crazy... no crazy, please. I stood up and ran back in... up to my room. I pulled my backpack out of the closet and then pulled my blades out. I stood there staring at them for a moment. I held them close to my chest and sighed. I closed my eyes and Josh's face flashed in my mind. I opened my eyes up and grinned, as I shoved them back in my backpack and swung it onto my back. I stopped when I caught my broken reflection in the bathroom mirror. I had cracked it down the middle in a fit.
It was at that moment that I realized that I was broken, in two pieces now. I looked away from my reflection and headed downstairs, ready to just be me at the library ‘reading’ a book... not the me I am right now.
Chapter 18
Resurrection
Johnathan raced through the woods ahead of Josh, he suddenly knelt down and felt the ground. He looked up and grinned when he caught the trail he was searching for. Josh flashed up behind him.
“Anything?” Josh asked as he knelt down.
“No...nothing yet, but I swear that I just feel funny. Someone has been here I just know it,” he said as he looked out into the woods.
“Are you sure…? I don't feel anything... I'm starting to feel like we are wasting our time out here,” Josh said as he stood up and sighed.
“Well I don't think it's a waste of time, when it comes to protecting Rue,” Johnathan said as he rose up from the ground.
Josh looked at him and grinned. “Of course not… I would do anything to make sure that she is safe,” Josh said as he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Oh, like getting thrown in the tower of Valon and then having her come and rescue you?” Johnathan said as he looked out into the trees.
“Hey,” Josh said as he turned Johnathan towards him. “I would have never asked her to come. I'm glad to be standing here, but I would have never let her come and try to rescue me.”
“Uh huh,” Johnathan said sarcastically.
“I wouldn't!” Josh said.
“Well, she did and I am curious how you feel about that? Johnathan said.
“How I feel…? Well, I'm relieved that she didn't get herself killed. That's how I ‘feel’ Johnathan.”
“Well.” Johnathan reached down and picked up a twig and started to strip it. “I know that you are glad she is not dead. I mean, how you feel about her.” He tossed the twig and looked at him.
“What...? Oh man, listen I know that you and Rue are together, I get reminded of it every day,” Josh said as he started to walk. Johnathan caught up with him.
“Well, I am reminding you right now that she belongs to me,” Johnathan said as he passed him by.
“Belongs to you...? What the hell Johnathan…? I can assure you that Rue does not ‘belong’ to anyone. Why the hell would you say that?” Josh said as he grabbed Johnathan's arm and swung him around, to face him.
Johnathan looked down at Josh's hand on his arm, and Josh let go. He looked back up at Josh and grinned. “Well, a little protective of her I see?” he said. “I know that you have feelings for her, but I will not let you have her,” Johnathan said as he stood his ground.
Josh walked ahead of him and picked up a rock from the ground. He threw it as hard as he could and the rock disappeared into the woods.
“I know that she loves you,” Josh muttered.
“I'm sorry, I didn't hear you,” Johnathan yelled. Josh turned around and stared at him.
“I know that she loves you,” he said it slowly and a little malicious.
“That is right, and I love her, just keep that in mind,” Johnathan said as he flashed forward.
Josh stood there for a moment. “Dick,” he muttered. Josh flashed after him.
Johnathan stopped in a clearing and stood still, Josh flashed up next to him. “Listen, you don't need to be a dick,” Josh said.
Johnathan held up his hand and Josh stopped and looked around.
“What now?” Josh said as he crossed his arms.
“Do you feel that?” Johnathan said as he looked around.
“I don't feel shit,” Josh said as he grumbled.
Johnathan turned around to face him. Josh looked up, as Johnathan pulled his blades from his back. Josh stood there for a moment and stared at him.
“What the hell are you doing?” he said.
Johnathan gripped his blades and turned them sideways. He started to walk back and forth.
“I am so disappointed in you Josh,” he said as he kept his eyes on him.
Josh tilted his head. “What the fuck?” he asked him as he pulled his blades out.
“You are a pathetic excuse for our lineage... your own really. Your father was a great man. Your family very special to us all and you, the third born, the only one in history, a ‘miracle!’… they all said… I think more of a fluke. Yes, a mistake of nature.” Johnathan grinned and stopped a few feet from him.
“Are you high?” Josh asked him.
Johnathan tilted his head and laughed. “What?” Johnathan said.
Josh stared him in the eye. “Oh... I get it! You want to fight, for Rue! Some ‘ma no e ma no bullshit’, or something like that. You want to claim her for your own… Listen I get it... you like her a lot, she likes you too so this is crazy. I am not going to kick your ass, which I would by the way, and then have you go running back to her and telling her that I'm the bad guy.”
Johnathan stood up straight. “I don't think that you get it Joshua. I've already won her, she's mine.”
Josh shook his head. “You are tripping Johnathan, put your blades down.”
Suddenly something flashed in between them. Josh tried to focus on it, but it moved too fast. Johnathan took off after it and Josh yelled out. “Wait... stupid!”
Josh flashed through the woods and didn't see anything. He didn't feel anything either, which was weird for him. He stopped and knelt down. He pressed his hand against the ground and spread his fingers out. A vibration went through him.
“No fucking way,” he whispered.
He stood up and flashed forward. He broke through the trees and came to a clearing, where he stopped and looked around. He spotted a mirror on the ground and walked towards it. He stopped and looked at it.
“What the hell?” he muttered to himself.
Suddenly he was hit from behind and he flipped over the mirror and rolled. He came up with blades out at his sides, in a crouched position. He scanned the circle and started to stand up.
“Who the fuck is out here?” he yelled. He heard a girl laugh. “You've got to be kidding me,” he whispered.
Elin stepped out from the trees and stood there grinning at him. His eyes went to a slit.
“Oh you crazy bitch,” he said to her. She laughed and pulled her blades out.
He looked at her and tilted his head. “How the fuck do you keep coming back? You’re like a cat,” he said as he gritted his teeth.
“Oh come now Josh,” Elin said as she ran her blade across her hand and raised it to her mouth. She licked it and then lowered it as she smiled. “We had fun, did we not?”
“If you call,’ wondering if you would kill me in my sleep’, fun... Then yea, lots of fun... Elin.”
She rubbed her bl
ade across her stomach and drew in her breath.
“I remember you, so passionate and angry. You want to choke me again?” she said as she stopped the blade below her waist. She looked down and pressed it against herself, letting out a little moan.
“You are fucked up,” he said to her.
“Oh… don't be so conservative Josh, I know you. You are a naughty boy.” She tilted her head when he didn't respond this time. “Oh, has that little girl got you all messed up? Don't tell me that you have let her tame you... that would be a shame.”
“Shut up,” Josh said to her, as he gripped his blades.
“What? I can't talk about your little whore? You know that Johnathan has tasted her blood don't you?”
Josh stepped to the side, as Elin started to pace. “I don't care what they do.”
Elin threw her head back in laughter. “You lie... that is one of your best qualities isn't it Josh? You say ‘I love you’, but you don't mean it.”
Josh grinned at her. “Did you really track me out here to fight about us? Sounds like you are jealous Elin... that's new for you. You just move from protector to protector fucking them until you get what you want and then move on. You will never be immortal, you are human. You can't have someone fuck that into you.”
“I am not human,” she muttered at him.
“Oh yes you are, and a sad excuse for one,” Josh said as he braced for her to attack him.
She screamed out and flashed at him... swinging her blades upward, Josh crossed his blades in front of him and pushed her back. She fell on the ground. He looked down at her and laughed.
“You don't even know how to use them... Stop pretending to be something that you are not Elin, it's pathetic,” Josh said mockingly.
She pushed herself up and went to run at him, Johnathan flashed in between them. Johnathan stabbed her in the side and twisted the blade. She looked up at him and tried to touch his face. She sank to ground as she reached out to him.
“Why, my lord...? I have done everything that you have asked of me?” she said in a whisper.
Josh looked at her and at Johnathan's back.
“What the fuck is this ‘my lord’ shit?” he asked.
Johnathan leaned down and kissed her as blood ran from her mouth, a flash came from his hand and she cried out. Josh backed up from them. Johnathan flashed up from his knee and spun around, staring at Josh. Josh gripped his blades.