by Rue Volley
“Rogues feel much pain.” He said to me.
I narrowed my eyes and tilted my head.
“As in like a human?” I asked him.
“Yes… it is a side effect of being able to hide, it causes them to feel pain, and that is also why their hunger is so intense too.” He said as he stopped in front of me.
“How do you know that?” I asked him.
“Interrogation… remember, I wasn’t always settled down Rue, I used to kill every day.” He said to me and I knew it to be true. Who knows how many Josh had killed in his lifetime, and how many different ways.
“Oh you mean before me.” I added, not really hurt by it… I mean I knew that Josh had lived a long time, and it would probably take forever for me to get all his stories out of him.
He looked at me and his face softened.
“Yes… there were some dark times.” He said.
I looked at him and tried to read his face, but he looked like he was in memory for a moment.
“How did you find out about the cloaking thingy?” I asked him.
He smiled and shook his head at me.
“It is not a thingy.” He said as he started to sit down and I lowered to the ground too.
“Whatever.” I said.
“Well… the ‘thingy’…” he said as he quoted it in the air like the sarcastic king that he is… “Is quite the powerful tool for Rogues. Many survive much longer than they should because of it.”
“We shouldn’t wish death on them all.” I said.
“Oh really?” Josh said as he leaned back and the light crossed his jawline and I stared at his muscles in his face as they tensed up and released.
“Well.” I said in a whisper, like we were in school and I didn’t want to get in trouble. I leaned forward, closer to him.
“Jonah and Lily are rogues.”
Josh smiled and looked up at the sky.
“Yea… I know they really should be dead.” He said, like it was nothing.
“What?... You cannot be serious right now.” I said.
Josh looked at me and grinned.
“What? Like because we all talk, that changes what they are?” he said.
“You are an idiot.” I said.
“If you remember correctly, we almost ended up on the menu with those two.” Josh said.
“Oh God… really? They would never do that now!” I said.
“Don’t be so sure.” Josh said as he lay on his back and stared up, as the sky started to change and the stars started to pop up one by one.
I scooted towards him and then I lay down on my back too and looked up at the sky. I picked out three constellations before I snapped back to the conversation I was in.
“You are ridiculous, you really are.” I said as I traced Orion with my finger in the air.
“No, I survive and I know what I have to do to make that happen.” He said.
“You are hateful.” I said as I closed one eye and placed my thumb over the North Star.
“I am not, I am a realist… and if it came down to me or them… it would be me.” He said.
I cleared my throat and leaned up to see if he was smiling, I mean he had to be right? There was no way that he thought that we would have to kill Jonah and Lily someday… like that would ever happen.
“I feel bad for you.” I said as I lay back down and looked at the sky again.
Josh sat up and stared at me.
“And why?” he said.
“Because, you have no hope.” I said.
“What?... What the hell does “hope” have to do with anything?”
“Hope is everything.” I said, like I was dropping the bomb on him… but to Josh it was an invitation to a debate as usual.
“You cannot be serious.” He said as he sat there staring at me, and I ignored him… staring at the stars.
“Oh but I am.” I said.
“So…you think that “hope” is an answer?” he said.
“I think “hope” is a state of mind.” I said.
“That is all that it is. Hope did not save my Father.” He said.
I sat up and looked at his face, it looked harder now, like he was hurt in some way, which was not my intention.
“I’m sorry you feel that way, I just don’t know what I would feel without it.” I said, hoping that I could soften the blow of his memories.
“Well, it is foolish.” He said as he stood up and brushed off his pants. He held his hand out to me and I took it as he lifted me up off of the ground.
“Hope is a powerful thing Josh… I am sorry that you have none.” I said as I turned from him and started to walk away.
“Oh, but I bet Johnathan does… doesn’t he… lots of hope wrapped up in a fucking pink box, with a pink bow on it.” He said, sounding so hateful I stopped and turned to look at him. I walked towards him and stopped, placing my hand on my hip and staring him down.
“Jealousy looks stupid on you.” I said, feeling kind of stupid for saying it.
“I am not jealous.” He said.
“Really? You lie.” I said.
Josh laughed and started to walk past me, I watched him… not wanting the conversation to end like this.
“You do!” I said.
He stopped and hunched his shoulders and turned back to me. He flashed to me and the wind blew my hair back and I stared at his face.
“It is not jealousy that I feel…I know that you and I will never part.” He said.
I sighed and looked at his face, wanting to touch his lips, but I didn’t… because he had irritated me. So I stood there looking all pissy Rue, as I am known to do.
“Okay.” I said.
“Okay?... seriously, I don’t get you sometimes.” He said.
“And I don’t get you either.” I said.
“Really?... well, how about this.” He said as he raised his hand and rolled it over slowly as the light glowed in his palm, forming a small sphere and then he flipped it at me and it rolled right through me and caused my heart to flutter. I bent over and “oh’d” as it left me and shook my head as it made me dizzy. I looked up at him and narrowed my eyes.
“Cute.” I said as I flipped my hands out to my sides and light wrapped around my wrists and I drew a little more energy into myself than I should have. I flicked my hands at him and the two long streams of light hit him in the chest and went through him as he “oh’d” himself and shook off the feeling that I had just hit him with. He laughed and shook his finger at me.
“Oh…I see.” He said. “Naughty.”
He lowered to the ground, and let his hands hover just above the grass, I watched as small sparks flickered in between his hands and the earth and I stepped back as he stood up, his hands all sparking and snapping with energy and shook my head.
“No.” I said as I lifted my hand to him, he smirked… not good. I turned and tried to run and he hurled the energy at me and it lifted my feet up, my toes barely touched the ground and the sparks made their way through me and caused the most incredible vibration in all parts of me that it should not have. I cried out and it stopped as I fell to the ground, catching myself and slowly rising up. My hair was standing straight on end and I turned as Josh covered his mouth and tried to stop himself from laughing.
“Uh huh.” I said as I lowered to the ground quickly and felt a huge amount of energy start to collect in my hands, I almost was unable to pull myself up from the weight of it, but I managed to as it swirled and cracked widely around my arms. Josh lifted his hand up and smiled.
“If you do this… I cannot be responsible for what I will do to you next.”
I grinned, not caring at all. I gritted my teeth as I tried to hold onto the energy as it curled and cracked at my arms and hands and then with one exhaustive push I hurled it at him, knowing that it would rock his realist world. He turned and started to flash away from me, but all the energy hit its mark and it knocked him off his feet and slammed him on his back. He cried out, in a way that told me that it felt
absolutely amazing to him, although it had a violent beginning. He rolled on his side and his hair stood up, smoking a little and I laughed… couldn’t help it. He looked ridiculous. He smiled and stood up and as he did the white light and black color started to swirl around him. My eyes went wider than I think that they ever had and I ran… more like flashed, as fast as I could away from him. I knew that one would make me pass out for sure. Everything else he had thrown at me felt like foreplay, but this was the serious part of the equation, Josh full throttle and having every intention to knock me on my ass for real. I headed through the maze, wishing that I could focus on how the hell to get out of it. I had no navigational skill… awesome for a protector, right? I heard the cracking sound of the energy release from him as he yelled out and my heart stopped. Not that I wouldn’t want this, but I had a bad feeling that it may be so intense that I embarrass myself in the worst way.
I felt a vibration inching up on me through my feet, and my heartbeat started racing. I kicked it into overdrive and flashed full throttle, hoping like hell that I was anywhere near to the exit of this stupid shrubbery maze. I suddenly felt a breeze, and veered to the right as I knew this better be the exit and not a dead end. I looked behind me just as the raging mass of energy came hurling at me. I jumped, as high as I could and looked down to see Johnathan step in its way and I cried out to him to duck. He did not.
The massive ball of energy hit him like a freight train and he stood there, his body tensing up as he cried out and then he got the goofiest look on his face as he slumped towards the ground, I know he just… and gross… so gross in so many gross ways. Josh came flashing up and looked at me and then at Johnathan, who sat there, all goofy looking, hair standing up on end and he smiled at Josh who immediately got the worst look on his face that I think I have ever seen.
“Oh dude… fuck you.” Josh said as he started to walk towards the house.
“I hope you know that I won.” I yelled at Josh.
I started to laugh so hard, I thought I might pass out from it. I fell on my side and held it… trying to catch my breath. Johnathan cleared his throat and stood up, his legs wobbly and I continued to laugh as he staggered back towards the house.
“Johnathan! Oh my god… I am sorry.”
“Shut up Rue.” He said as he stumbled and caught himself on the grass with his hand.
I continued to laugh until I fell on my back and the stars looked blurry
“Hope.” I whispered as I continued to giggle.
I pushed myself up and started to run towards the house, ready for the party.
***
Gracie stood still, staring at her house as Alex kept his grip on her wrist. She took a breath and he jerked her back and the view of her house shifted from her sight as he pulled her towards the road. She jerked her wrist out of his hand and stopped and he turned to look at her.
“Second thoughts?” Alex asked her.
“Like I have a choice you ass.” She said as she crossed her arms on her chest.
“Don’t be that way, they don’t even know you.” Alex said.
The other children had moved on, out of sight and it was now just the two of them on the road in front of her house.
“They know me better than you ever will.”
“I doubt that very seriously.” Alex said as he reached towards her face and she took a step back from him.
Alex tilted his head and grinned at her and she bit her lip, as I do.
“I can kill them now, to relieve you of regret.” Alex said.
“No… no.” Gracie said as she glanced back at the house.
“You know as well as I do, that you are simply being fostered here… you are no different than me.” Alex said.
Gracie looked at him and narrowed her eyes.
“No… I have a family and I know love.” She said.
“You simply jumped into this, from curiosity and you know that to be true.” Alex said.
“How did you find me?” Gracie asked him, not willing to talk to him about anything.
“Oh it took me a long time, but I finally found your trail.” Alex said.
“Very clever of you.” Gracie said.
“I take that as a compliment coming from you.” Alex said as he grinned.
“It is not.” Gracie said as she started to walk away from the house. Alex turned and continued to smile as he followed her.
“I would guess that we will return to Valon now.” Gracie said.
“Oh we have a few stops before that.” Alex said as he tried to take her hand and she pulled it from him.
“And what do you have in mind then?” she asked as she stopped and looked at him.
“We have some cleaning up to do.”
“And by “cleaning up” I would assume that you mean “killing”.” Gracie said as she glanced at him.
“Now listen me, little sister… you may have delayed the inevitable by allowing your energy to fester in that protector Rue Volley, but it does not change the fact that you are the future of our race… as am I, so you can protest all that you want… but rogues and the last bit of protector relics that parasite this planet need to be dealt with… as you well know.”
“I don’t believe that they are relics… I believe that they deserve to live as much as we do.” She said.
“You and your compassion bore me.” Alex said as he wrapped his arms around her and held her close to him.
“You bore me.” Gracie said as she pushed him back from her and stared him down.
“You seem different… in a most human way.” Alex said.
“I take that as a compliment.” Gracie said.
“I fear that your time spent with these creatures has tainted your mind.”
Gracie laughed and started to walk again.
“That is so stupid, coming from you.”
Alex laughed and caught up to her again.
“Tell me… did you recognize me when you found me in the forest?”
Gracie stopped and looked at him.
“I did not.” She said as she started to fidget with her hands.
Alex slapped her hands and she looked at him as she frowned.
“Stop fidgeting… and biting your lip, you already look too much like the two of them… and the added mannerisms just annoy me.”
“I am a part of them, as they are of me.” She said.
“No!” Alex said as he grabbed her by the arms and stared into her face. His eyes looked dark and his muscles tensed up in his jaw.
Gracie stared at him and her heartbeat sped up, he sighed and loosened his grip on her arms, slowly rubbing them and then he smiled.
“You are a true protector; from the tree of life… your blood is pure as is mine. We are a new beginning and an ending to this folly that Valon has become. I will not lose you to this… I will not.” He said as he hugged her and she tried to relax, but still felt stiff in his arms. Alex backed up from her and placed his hands on her face.
“You know in the beginning, as you should remember… you went to them freely, so that you would be able to kill them… and instead you fell in love with being a child, and with these things that try to pass off as our race… they are not. The sword and the shield need to be laid to rest, so that Valon can rise and we will once again be powerful, as will Valon, and humans will know their place.”
“And what of the creator Alex? Do you think that she will allow it to pass?” Gracie asked him.
Alex laughed and looked up at the sky and then back at her.
“The creator sleeps… as she has since you entered Rue Volley, she knows of nothing but memory, as it should be.”
“You did that?” Gracie asked.
Alex smiled.
“No… I fear that your years have taken your mind… you did love, before you took form.”
“No.” Gracie said as she backed away from him and shook her head.
“Oh but you did… quite clever really, you baited her with the form you hold now… Sara had no ch
oice but to love you.”
“I don’t remember.” Gracie said as she stared at him.
“Come… please. Let us do what it was that we originally set out to do my love… remember?... please.” Alex said as he held his hand out to her and she looked at it and reluctantly took it, knowing that he was closer to the truth of what she really was then the house and family that she was leaving behind. Gracie closed her eyes and the vision of Rue and Josh entered her mind. Blue sky, Rue laughing and Josh holding her walking through a field. She felt an ache in her heart, one that should not be there… knowing that her original intent was to kill them both as memories started to slowly rise in her mind. She gritted her teeth and waved her hand behind her and color spilled from her and onto the street, it echoed in her ears with memories of happiness and her bond with both of them. She opened her eyes as she let go of Alex’s hand and turned back, raising her hands over her head and whispered “Forget.” And it burned as it left her tongue, knowing that she was stripping them all of the memory of her… but most of all stripping herself of it. Alex grabbed her and spun her around to face him.
“What have you done?” he said.
Gracie looked at him and tilted her head.
“Alexander?” she whispered back.
Chapter 10
Can’t Have One, Without The Other
I had decided that a shower was in order after the maze fiasco thingamabob. Had Johnathan really?... from Josh? Oh god, I was sure that Josh was so pissed with me that it may take days to get him to talk again. In fact he said nothing to me as I passed by him to enter the bathroom and I closed the doors as he sat on the bed, staring off into nothingness. I wished that he would find humor in it as I did, but his hatred impedes his ability and I hated that, I hated this situation. No good.
I sunk into the water and again I decided to go under, not because I really wanted to do it I guess… sometimes it just happens. I sunk under the surface and opened my eyes up; looking at the waving vision of the open sky overhead and I heard a voice whisper to me. This was not new, but had not happened in so long that it startled me. I jerked up and splashed water over the edge of this amazing tub and looked around the room as I wiped my hair out of my face and coughed up some water. Josh slammed the doors open and stared at me. I turned in the tub and half smiled at him.