by Rue Volley
“You don’t want to get yelled at.” Sam said.
“No… I do not care what Joshua says.” Theo said as his voice changed to a higher pitch.
Sam laughed and walked up next to him, leaning on the counter grinning.
“No… Oh my God, you are embarrassed!” Sam said.
Gracie crooned out the word “embarrassed” behind them and tapped the fork on the table.
“I most certainly am not.” He said.
Sam leaned and looked at his face.
“No… you are… holy crap! I never thought I would see the day come when you didn’t want Josh to know that you messed up!”
“I… I am not embarrassed; I am totally capable of handling this situation.” Theo said.
“Uh huh.” Sam said as she tapped him on the arm.
“Listen, we all have our moments, it’s just I have never seen you flustered, that’s all.” Sam said she looked at Gracie and made a face. Gracie made one right back and giggled again.
Theo turned and looked at Gracie.
“I will not be outwitted by a five year old.” He said as he stared at her.
“She isn’t your typical child, we all know that Theo.”
“Well… nonetheless, we have five little ones in the other room and I have no idea where four of them are from.” He said.
Sam looked at him and shook her head.
“What?” she said.
“Well, the first boy… Alexander… well, Gracie and I found him in the woods, he said he was from Valon.”
Sam straightened up and stepped away from the counter.
“Valon? What the hell?” she asked.
Gracie laughed and pointed the fork at her, Sam sighed. “I mean… What the crap?” she said, trying to make a save but it was too late.
“What the hell!” Gracie yelled out as she waved her fork around in the air like an airship.
“Nice Samantha, expand her vocabulary.”
“Oh shut up… Josh has taught her far worse, I am sure.” Sam said as she sat down at the table across from Gracie and interlocked her fingers on the top of the table.
“So… where did you find this Valonian exile?” Sam asked.
Gracie smiled and pointed towards the door.
“Woods… hide and seek.” She said.
“Oh okay.” Sam said as she looked at Theo and he grinned.
“Gracie here tricked me into going to the store for cookies, but it would seem she had other intentions.”
“Really?... big shocker, look who had her.” Sam said as she laughed and rubbed her neck.
“Cookies!” Gracie yelled out and Sam stood up as she heard movement in the bedroom. Kai stood up too and Theo sighed.
“Seems that our guests are now all awake.” Theo said.
“Oh!” Gracie yelled as she slid under the table in a flash and became a blur as she barreled towards the bedroom door. Sam tried to catch up to her and did just in time to scoop her up as her little hand flung the door open. There before them were five children, all sitting up in the bed staring back at them. Gracie smiled and Sam held her close to her as she stared right back at them.
“I am Samantha Barrington, this is Gracie.” Kai and Theo stepped up behind them and the children all shifted their stares to the two of them.
“This is Kai and Theo; you are in our home in Calvary.” Sam said.
“I know.” The small blonde headed boy said as he rolled off the bed and stood there staring at all of them.
“I am Alexander.” He said as he held onto the side of the bed and looked at the other children.
“Hello Alexander.” Sam said as she handed Gracie to Kai and stood there.
“Where are you from?” she asked him.
“Valon.” He said.
Sam bit her lip and walked towards him. She knelt down to one knee and looked at his pretty little face.
“Valon fell years ago, from what I know.” She said.
“Uh huh, but we stayed there… without parents.” Alex said.
Sam looked back at Theo and then back to Alex who stood there with his hands at his sides.
“You are human?” Sam asked him.
Alex took a breath and raised his hand up to her, a small light pulsated in his palm and Sam stared at it as the white light swirled on his skin.
“You are a protector.” She said as she leaned in and looked at the light. He closed his fist and stared at her.
“What about your friends here?” she asked him.
Alex glanced at the children.
“I don’t know them.” He said.
Sam stood up and stared at the other four and placed her hands on her hips.
“Where did you all come from them?” she asked.
The tallest boy scooted off the bed and stood there looking like he was obviously in charge of this small band of misfits.
“We came from Valon too.” He said.
“Oh really?” Sam asked as she looked at him and studied his face.
“You look familiar.” Sam said.
“My Father is a…well, he was a great protector in Valon, before…” the boy said as he stopped and looked at the other girls on the bed.
“Before what?” Sam asked.
“Before the demon.” He added.
“What demon?” Sam asked him.
“The one who crawled from the black water and killed all the grown-ups.” The girl on the bed said as she hugged a smaller girl closer to her.
“Come here.” Sam said to the boy and he walked towards her slowly and stopped, looking like he wanted to be brave but was so ready to run away and take his friends with him. Sam placed her hand on his head and she concentrated as hard as she could but there was nothing but static. She quickly took her hand from his head and looked at him as she tilted her head.
“You have no memory.” She said.
“I don’t remember much really.” The boy said.
“Well, what do you remember?” Sam asked him.
“I remember a man, mean and covered in blood.” He said.
The girls hugged each other on the bed. The smallest girl started to cry and buried her head in the other girl’s shirt.
“You promised Von, you said you wouldn’t talk about him ever again.” The older girl said as she consoled the smaller one.
“Von, huh? You know it means “hope” or “king”.” Sam said as she looked at him, trying to break the tension.
The older girl smiled. “I would guess “King”.” She said as she smiled.
Von grinned and looked at Gracie.
“She is nice.” He said.
Sam looked back at Gracie who played with Kais hair.
“She is something special.” Sam said.
“Yes.” Von said.
Alex looked at him and then at Sam.
“Can I stay here?” Alex asked.
Sam looked at him and smiled.
“I wouldn’t kick you out, and besides I love a mystery.”
“We can leave.” Von said as he looked at the girls on the bed.
Sam looked at him and tilted her head.
“And why would you think that I would send you on your way?” she asked.
“We are not your problem.” He said.
“Noooooo.” Gracie said as she wiggled in Kais arms. Sam looked at her and back to Von.
“You are gonna make her cry.” Sam said as she stared at him.
Gracie let her bottom lip quiver and Von tilted his head.
“I am glad that we had a warm place to sleep, but we have to keep moving.”
“Von…” The older girl said on the bed behind him. He held up his hand and looked at Sam.
“Oh, I see. You are king, well… listen, it is cold out there and the world is full of things that may be worse than demons, so don’t you think that maybe it would be wise for you to consider their safety?” Sam asked, playing on the hope that he actually did care for these girls who travelled with him. Von looked at them and all three of them
looked tired and dirty and he could only guess that they were starving. He sighed and looked back at Sam.
“Fine, but only for a couple of days and then we are gone.” He said.
Gracie clapped her hands and the girls in the bed smiled. Theo rubbed his hair and walked towards the kitchen, ready to up the amount of food he normally prepared… knowing that he now had five extra beings to feed. Five beings that he couldn’t read or feel… but Gracie wanted them, and not unlike the kitty she had collected at three, she once again had used her charm to get her way… Oh dear.
Chapter 5
Run
I remember my Mom’s skin. I mean the skin on her hand. It was so soft, I never saw her use any lotion when I was “growing up”, I will use that term lightly, because I don’t know how many times I shifted in the timeline. I am sure I had been a “child” for a long time, not moving forward really, just lingering in time… probably just because I could, out of spite. But anyway, I remember her holding me on her lap and I would trace my fingers on her skin, following the lines on her hand that crisscrossed and made an intricate pattern. I didn’t know it then but she was forever stuck at 21, but to me she was my Mom. I didn’t notice how young she appeared to be, you don’t… because Mothers are God to a child. I would sit and she would read to me from my favorite book, the one with all the fairy tales in it. I so didn’t know that I was living in one at the time… a fairy tale of great proportion, one that I would have to make happen. I listened to her voice, calm and steady and never felt lost. She made me feel safe and wanted, like the world made sense. I remember her skin, soft and just like mine and I wanted to stay right there forever, and I probably did, at least as long as I could. I miss her and the simplicity of that moment, before all the crazy and all the grown up crap that you eventually have to face… like now. I miss the feeling, kind of like you miss Christmas morning, or snuggling on the couch and watching a movie, surrounded by familiarity and walls of a home. Home… I missed my Gracie.
I looked around the room as I blinked a few times and knew it had been a dream…me sitting on my Mom’s lap and feeling her hand rub my hair softly as I listened to her voice. I sat up and Gracie stood there, by the window and had her little hands pressed against the glass. I blinked and she started to fade away, I sighed and rubbed my eyes and looked over at Josh, who lay there all spread out and looking peaceful. I shook my head and remembered the night before, you know… all the crazy with Johnathan. I so wanted to hate him and toss him out of the airship as it hovers high above the earth. He kind of deserved it but yet again I felt sorry for him and my heart would not allow me to hate him. He was a lonely creature and my very core won’t let me to abandon him, although I want Josh to verbally beat him into next week. Josh moved a little and I touched his face. He blinked and grinned at me as I stared at him. He reached up and touched my face, gently moving his finger over my bottom lip and not unlike a thousand times before I felt him and the vibration that he created in my entire body. There was something to be said for the love that we felt for each other… and I guess for the love that I felt for Johnathan. It was forever, and that left absolutely no room for grudges. Josh grinned and sat up as he looked around the room and spread his arms out, followed by a yawn. I smiled and leaned forward, rubbing the sides of my head and realizing that drinking wine at high altitudes was much different than drinking on the ground. Josh touched my back and moved my hair over my shoulder and I looked back at him and grinned without showing my teeth.
“I was dreaming again… about my Mom.” I said.
Josh took a breath and looked at me, he pulled me to him and I let my body settle against him. He is always so warm and inviting to lean on.
“Reading the book again?” he asked me.
I nodded and let my face lean against his bare chest.
“Yea, I thought I was awake and saw Gracie standing at the window.” I said.
“I dreamed about her, I was chasing her in the forest.” Josh said.
I smiled and looked up at him.
“She is fast.” I said.
Josh laughed. “Yea, she is a pain in the ass… not unlike you.” He said.
“Hey!” I said as I laughed. He smiled and shook his head.
“And me… I guess.” He added, knowing that I would say that anyway.
“I miss her.” I said as I scooted to the side of the bed and let my feet dangle over the side.
Josh rolled towards me and grabbed my waist and rolled me back to him. I laughed and fell on my back and he rolled on top of me.
“I don’t doubt it.” He said as he looked at my face and touched my hair.
“I don’t think that I should have come along.” I said.
Josh crinkled his eyebrows. “You needed to come.” He said.
“You could have handled this on your own.” I said.
“Theo is fine… Gracie is fine.” He said.
I sighed, knowing that he was right. I had felt nothing bad since we left. I know my heart would have fallen if Gracie were in any trouble at all. I had fought the urge to call Theo, but had decided to forgo it… not wanting to offend him.
“Do you need a distraction?” Josh asked me as he smiled and leaned in close to my face.
“I need food.” I said.
Josh pressed his hips against mine and I sighed and looked at his face.
“Stop teasing me.” I whispered.
He touched my face and grinned as he pressed against me again and I opened my mouth.
“Oh… I love that.” He said as he looked at my mouth.
I bit my lip and reached around to his back and ran my fingernails along his skin, cutting him a little. He gasped and then looked at my lips again.
I brought my fingers to my mouth and slowly placed them on my lip and rubbed his blood on it. He stared at me and I felt his body tremble. Amazing that after all this time he still wants me just as badly as the first time.
“You are a naughty girl.” He said.
“So I have been told.” I said as he leaned in and pressed his mouth against mine.
I heard the door open up and looked behind me, watching Johnathan step into the room and walk towards the table without looking at us. Josh acted like nothing happened and continued to bite at my neck. I cleared my throat and he leaned up and looked at Johnathan as he placed a tray on the table and sat down, ready to eat.
“Oh… nice timing dude.” Josh said.
I rolled him off of me and pushed myself off of the bed. Johnathan didn’t look at me as I walked to the bathroom and shut the door. I didn’t know what to say to him, I mean what do I say? I cracked the door and peeked at him. Johnathan looked up, grinned at me and I slammed it shut. I stood there and rubbed my palm and then decided that the best thing I could do was just take a hot shower… very hot and very long. The longer I stay in here the longer I didn’t have to be in that room with him and the awkward feeling I had in the pit of my stomach.
***
Josh rolled over and placed his hands on his face. Johnathan grinned as he placed the fork in his mouth and pretended like eating was his true intention behind the intrusion.
“You live to annoy me.” Josh muttered as he rolled over and placed his feet on the floor.
“Yep.” Johnathan said as he chewed.
Josh looked at him and the smell of the food hit him and he decided that eating was probably a good idea after all. He stood up and stretched his arms out as he looked at Johnathan and grinned, knowing that him standing there without his shirt on probably annoyed the shit out of Johnathan.
“Did you gain weight?” Johnathan asked as he grabbed his glass and chugged down some juice.
“No.” Josh said as he lowered his arms and glanced at his flat stomach.
“Huh.” Johnathan said as he dug into his plate again and scooped up some eggs, shoveling them into his mouth.
Josh rolled his eyes and walked to the table; he sat down and started to shovel food into his mouth. Johnathan sat back and
wiped his napkin on his lips. He placed it next to his plate and cleared his throat.
“She didn’t tell you.” He said.
Josh swallowed and looked at him.
“She who?” he said.
“Who else?” Johnathan said as he looked at the bathroom door.
Josh lowered his fork and stared at him.
“Tell me what?” he said.
“About last night.” Johnathan said as he adjusted himself in the chair.
“No, how about you just tell me whatever the hell you are talking about.” Josh said as he leaned back and looked at him.
“I uh… Rue walked into the bar when I was… well, I was with this girl.” Johnathan said.
“And.” Josh said.
“Well, Rue got mad and hit me.” Johnathan said.
“Okay ass… what did you do?” Josh asked him as he crossed his arms on his chest.
“Why is it immediately “What did I do?”
“Well, Rue has a temper… but why did she clock you?”
“The ah, umm.” Johnathan said as he looked down at the plate and started to think that maybe this was a bad idea.
“Umm… ah… spit it out already.” Josh said as he adjusted himself on the seat and tried to think of why I would have clocked him.
“Okay… listen. You have to have an open mind.” Johnathan said.
“Bad beginning.” Josh said.
“Okay, well at least hear me out.”
“This isn’t going to be good is it?” Josh said.
“No… no it isn’t, but you are my friend and I feel like I should tell you.”
“Yes, you are my friend.” Josh said as he narrowed his eyes.
“Well, it started when I told her about Brooke.”
“Wait… okay, so you are doing this girl and Rue walks in and you are like… “I gotta tell you about Brooke and how I fucked that up?”
“No… you dick… I told Rue about the Brooke thing earlier.
“Okay, just start at the beginning.” Josh said as he popped a strawberry in his mouth and chewed on it.
“Okay.” Johnathan said as he swallowed.
“I ah, well, Brooke wanted to go to London, to see her parents. Actually she wanted us to see them. I was like cool with it, I thought. I mean she is… or I mean was cool ya know?”