Kids always look forward to their birthday, but here in NightFalls, one birthday holds the most reverence, the number 14. The cause of this is simple. Whenever a student turned 14, they started hanging out only with people who also 14, disregarding their friends, and ignoring their classmates. They often said things like, "I can't tell you why, you'll find out when you're 14." The closest of friends were broken apart, and the worst of enemies came together. By 8th grade, anyone who wasn't 14 only hung out with people whose birthday's were close to theirs, hoping to avoid the buddy break-up.
Of course, I'm the youngest in my grade, the last to ever know what the 'secret' is. It makes me a complete outsider. My only friends are two people, twins in fact. Zero and Angel Lynmorre, with their jet black hair and flashing neon eyes. Only two days older than me, they were as clueless as me when it came to the 'secret'.
We had our theories of course, Angel was convinced it had something to do with aliens, Zero thought it was a WOMD, and I believed that something... very different was going on.
XXX
"Angel, come on! Why won't you got to Ashley's party with me?" begged yet another 7th grader. Angel sighed, pretending to be annoyed, but I knew she was absolutely loving the attention.
"Jeremy, I won't be going to Ashley's party. Bye," she hung up the phone and rolled her eyes. "Can you believe them? Honestly, to think I would be going to her party!" I shrugged, not really paying attention. Angel stared at me critically for a moment then poked me, "What's got you so bothered in the brain?" I shrugged again, fiddling with a strand of my long, blue-tipped hair.
"It's just... your birthday is in three days... and... ya know..." I shrugged again, not enjoying her intense gaze. Angel grabbed my face on either side and made me look into her eyes,
"Clo, you are my best friend. No birthday is ever going to change that. I promise." I nodded, knowing that she meant every word, but wishing she would let go of my face. I wiggled out of her grasp and slid off her bed and onto the floor. We both sat there in silence for a second then burst out laughing.
Zero popped his head inside the door and asked,
"Are you guys okay?" which only lead to more laughter. Fenix stood in the doorway and waited until our laughing had settled. "Done?" More laughter. "Geez you guys, calm down!" and several other interjections by Zero eventually lead to the end of our giggling. Shaking his head Zero slid down onto the floor next to me. "So what was so funny?" I looked down at my checkered converse, embarrassed,
"I fell on the floor..." Zero looked away, retraining the urge to laugh,
"You just simply cannot stay off the floor." Angel threw a pillow at Zero, and then yelled,
"Death to the intruder!" And a pillow fight ensued.
After about five minutes we all collapsed on Angel's queen size water bed. I rolled over on the zebra sheets and poked Zero,
"Tag, you're it." Zero uttered a undecipherable reply into the blanket he was face down in, then limply poked Angel. She picked up a nearby pillow and whacked Zero over the head with it.
"That'll teach you to poke me!" She hissed playfully. Groaning, Zero rolled over and sat up.
"I'm hungry," he announced. Then he turned to me, "Will you make your awesome homemade pizza?" he pleaded. I shrugged,
"Sure. Do you have all the stuff for it?" Angel laughed,
"Every time we go grocery shopping he insists we buy all the supplies." I stood up and stretched.
"Cool. Well come on, you two can help me."
XXX
"Zero, you have sauce on your nose. Here," I handed him a napkin. "I guess this means it turned out okay." He nodded, his mouth to full to speak. I took a small bite. The pizza was delicious. Crispy, but not tough, with plenty of melted cheese. Accented with a few spices, it tasted much better than any pizza served in town.
"I'm telling you, you need to open a restaurant," insisted Angel before she took another bite. I shrugged,
"Maybe, but if I open a restaurant, you need to open a boutique." Angel just gave me the in-your-dreams look and took another bite of pizza.
"Hey Clo, are you gonna eat the rest of your pizza?" Zero asked, eyeing my plate. I shook my head and pushed it towards him. He snatched it up and all but inhaled it. Angel bopped him on the back of the head,
"You should of said thank you! And quit eating like a pig!" she turned to me, "Are you okay? You haven't been eating very much lately." I took a sip of my Coke,
"I'm not sure, I'm just not hungry. Maybe it's hormones or something." Angel looked concerned, but didn't push the subject.
Mr. Lynmorre walked in, holding the phone.
"Clo your mom is on the phone," he said, holding it out to me. I stood up and got it from him.
"Mom? What's up?" I walked out of the dining room toward the back patio.
"You didn't come home for dinner so I wanted to see if you were still at the Lynmorre's," she replied.
"Mom are you driving or something? You sound distracted."
"Oh, do I? I'm sorry sweety, I've got a lot on my mind right now."
"It's about my birthday isn't it?" She sighed,
"Just a sec," I walked back inside, "Hey do guys want me to spend the night?" Angel nodded,
"Is that okay with you Dad?" she asked. He nodded,
"That's fine with me, but I have to go to work in an hour, so please don't burn down the house while I'm gone. Should I run to the store and get some sleep over munchies?" he asked, smiling.
"That'd be awesome! You're the best Dad!" Angel exclaimed. I put the phone to my ear,
"Yeah, I'm going to stay the night. Don't worry I have my overnight bag here. See you tomorrow?"
"I have a meeting in the morning, but I should be home by one or two. Have fun sweety, bye."
"Bye." I hung up and put the phone back in it's cradle. Mr. Lynmore had already left to go buy various snacks, so we all went downstairs to the basement.
XXX
My bare feet rub against the silky carpet. I sigh and stroke the fuzzy, beige ends. The simple sensation makes me shiver, reminding me that I'm the only one awake. I look over to Angel sleeping on the black suede couch. I can hear her soft, slow breathes. The peaceful look on her face makes me smile. Always the first to act and first to defend, Angel appears grown up and serious most of the time, but now that she is sleeping she looks like a normal, thirteen year-old girl.
A slight pressure in my stomach reminds me why I slid off my chair. As I stand up, my baggy, black plaid pajama pants sway and I adjust my purple tank top. I walk out of the basement's living room and head down the hall to the bathroom. I open the door and go inside. The door clicks shut behind me and I freeze. Across the room is Zero, dressed only in pajama bottoms and drying his hair with a towel. He turns around, towel in his hand, prepared to defend himself. Angel has a nasty habit of attacking him at random times. He eases out of his defensive stance and smiles,
"Oh, Clo, it's only you. Why are you still up? I thought you and Angel fell asleep hours ago." I shook my head,
"No, Angel fell asleep right away, but I stayed up and watched anime on my phone." Zero laughed,
"That is just like you, Ms. Night Owl." I smile back then gesture to him,
"Why are you taking a shower at three in the morning?" He shrugs,
"I thought I would be safe from Angel and I forgot to take a shower earlier so, yeah." My hand clenches, the discomfort in my stomach is growing. Blushing with embarrassment I ask,
"Would you mind stepping out for a minute? I really have to go." He nods and slips past me, out into the hallway; I lock the door behind him.
A few moments later I wash my hands and unlock the door. I pop my head out to see if Zero is still waiting. He is leaning against the opposite wall of the hallway, his arms crossed over his bare chest. Blushing even more, I open the door all the way,
"I'm done. You can have the bathroom back." Zero crosses the hall and I start to walk back to the living room. He reaches out and grabs my hand. I stop and look back, glancing between our hands and his face. He looks down, then drops my hand. "Zero? What is it?" He shakes his head and then walks back into the bathroom. After a split-second of debate I follow him. "Hey Zero! Wha-" I slip on a puddle of water and fall to the tile floor. My shoulder hits first and pain explodes through it. I let out a soft cry and grab my shoulder. Zero drops to his knees next to me and pulls me close,
"Shhh... It's all right Clo, I'm here." I whimper into his chest, but don't reply. The pain was throbbing in the bone. Zero strokes my hair and speaks softly, "You can't stay off the floor can you?" He chuckles quietly, "But I'm here,and I'll stay here until you're okay." I sit up slowly, still holding my shoulder,
"I'm sorry... It's just, you looked so strange a moment ago, I had to know what was going on and I didn't remember the floor was wet..." I start to stand, but Zero stops me. Pulling me into him again, Zero replied,
"I wanted to tell you something, before Angel wakes up and you leave. I wanted... to tell you, before our birthday."
My eyes grew hot, and I knew I was about to cry. Not because my shoulder hurt, but because Zero sounded so sad, and looked so vulnerable when he spoke. I covered my face with my hands and let the tears come. Startled, Zero tried to comfort me, "Please, don't cry because of me... I'm sorry I brought it up.... I-" I put my index finger to his lips,
"I'm not crying because you made me sad, I'm crying because you are sad." I pulled back my hand and pulled away from Zero. I stood up and held out my un-damaged hand. Zero took it and stood up. "I don't believe one birthday will change our friendship, but if it does, I'll cherish the time we spent together." Zero thought about my declaration for a moment, then he a flash of determination shot across his face, and he gently pushed me up against the wall.
"I have wanted to tell you something since the day I met you," he whispered, and his face grew closer to mine, "You're amazing." And then his lips touched mine.
Chapter Two: Learning to Breathe Again
No... This is wrong. You're my friend. Why is this happening?
Zero's kiss was gentle, but I could feel the raw hunger that seethed beneath it. He held me closer, and continued the soft assault. Unconsciously, I kissed back, but inside I was screaming.
I never knew... How long... has this hunger grown?
Slowly, Zero's lips drew back, but he held me just as close. He stared down at me, searching for an expression or emotion that he obviously didn't find. Disappointment flashed across his face, immediately replaced by embarrassment. He quickly withdrew his grasp and stepped away, face down in shame.
"I'm sorry. I just wanted you to know...before anything changed," he murmured. I nodded, breath ragged and hands shaking.
"It's okay, Zero. You just... surprised me is all... Why didn't you ever say anything? About how you felt?" I murmured back. Shrugging, Zero replied,
"Because I knew you didn't feel the same. I would rather be your friend than have you turn me down." I slid down the wall behind me and pulled my knees close,
"I don't know how I feel, Zero. I just... don't know." Hope lit up in his eyes,
"So it's possible? For... us?" The words were eager, but guarded. Staring at the chipping blue paint on my nails, I shake my head.
"I honestly don't know, Zero. Right now I can't even think, so..." He nods, and turns to leave. "Wait! That definitely doesn't mean I want you to leave!" I exclaim, hand out as if to grab him. Sighing, he turns back around and walks over to me. He sits down next to me and I lean my head on his shoulder. "You an Angel are my best and only friends... so the thought of that changing scares me. But... because you're my best friend, I'll tell you a secret. Earlier when I walked in, and you were just standing there, wet and without a shirt? I... kinda liked it."
Zero stared at me for a moment, disbelief written plainly on his face. I laughed,
"What? You're half naked and you expect me not to notice?" I poke his well defined chest, "I'm not confessing undying affection or anything, but hey, I can't help it that I like a guy without a shirt!" I smile at him, and he brightens a little.
"You really are amazing. I attack you and now you're the one trying to make me feel better. Thanks Clo," he looks down at his hands, "And I am really sorry..."
"Don't be," I scoot so I'm sitting in front of him. I pull his chin up and look into his bright green eyes, "Stop being so emo. Come on, I'm hungry." I stand up and hold out my hand, "Wanna come get a snack with me?" He nods and grabs my hand.
XXX
"When you said go get a snack with you, I thought you meant go upstairs to the kitchen," said Zero as he took another sip of his smoothie. I had forced him to get dressed and walk with me the few blocks to a nearby 24 hour Eegee's. We ordered our drinks and a large thing of fries. Then I drug him to a nearby park and we sat down at one of the tables.
I let out a sigh of pleasure as a soft breeze blew through my hair. Zero gives me a knowing look and shrugs. He knows how much I love to be outside at night, and leaves me alone so I can enjoy it. I close my eyes and let my senses expand. I listen to the rustling of leaves and chirping of crickets; and smell nearby lavender and honey suckle. I slowly open my eyes and look at the sky. It is cloudless, and the waxing moon shone like a beacon. The stars were scattered across the sky, but I could barely see them. Sighing, I turn to Zero,
"Well if your done with your snack, wanna head home?" He nods and stands up. Then he walks to a nearby trash can and tosses in our empty cups and left over fries. Sighing once more, I slide off of the wooden bench and stand up. I stretch and the dozens of metal bangles on my wrists twinkle in response.
Side by side, we start walking toward the house. An odd silence encases us and I glance at Zero. He has his hands in his pockets and a look on his face that tells me he's thinking about what happened earlier. I shake my head and wonder,
What does he see in me?
I picture my self in my head: I have long, black hair with blue tips, and bangs that hide my violet-blue eyes on a pale heart-shaped face. I always wear dark, loose clothes, and my arms are constantly covered with bangles and bracelets. And to top it all off, I'm painfully shy.
Sighing, I shrug off the confusing thoughts and concentrate on walking in a straight line. I soon grow bored by this and look for a means to entertain myself. I decide to play a shadow/light game. I hop from light to light, avoiding the shadows. An added twirl or kick makes the game even more amusing. As I leap into another light, I perform a complicated twist and land on my tip-toes. I laugh, remembering all the ballet lessons I'd taken as a child. I'd hated the lessons, but had a knack for ballet. Performing another complex leap, I land in yet another light. I bow to an invisible audience, then stop, slightly breathless. I notice Zero has stopped walking and is staring at me, awe written plainly on his face. I blush, embarrassed that he had witnessed my little game.
"That was... wow." I blush even more,
"I didn't think you'd notice me... you seemed so absorbed in you thoughts." He looks down, and his bangs hide his face.
"I was, but your dancing stole my attention."
"That wasn't dancing, that was... Well, not dancing," I shake my head and start to walk down the street. The sound of Zero's footsteps tell me he does the same.
Chapter Three: Retched Relief
Nightmare... My memory of the fiendish dream is gone, but the fear remains. I slide out of bed stretch, and the twinkle of my bracelets reminds me that I went to bed without changing. The memory of the night before makes me cringe.
Today is the twins' birthday. And last night was hell.
XXX
I'd gotten up around ten, before everyone else, so I made waffles for our breakfast. After we ate, we watched Paranormal Activity 1 & 2, then Jennifer's Body. Bored, we decided to head down to the beach.
We grabbed our beach bags and rode our bikes the few blocks to the beach front. We hopped off our bikes and flung them in the general direction of the bike rack then headed for the water. Angel and I claimed a spot and laid down a blanket and set up a beach umbrella. Meanwhile Zero put on his swim trunks in one of the changing rooms. Angel and I had of course worn our bikinis under our clothes, so we just stripped off our tank tops and shorts.
Angel immediately dedicated herself to a game of volley ball with some cute boys. I, on the other hand, laid back on the blanket and let the heat of the sun warm me. Zero walked over to our spot on the beach and sat next to me.
"You'll burn if just lay in the sun like that. Did you even put on sunblock?" I opened one eye and glared at him,
"You shouldn't interrupt a person when they're sunbathing!" my expression softened, "but I did forget to put on sunblock... Could you grab it? It's in the green bag." I sat up slowly as Zero rummaged through the bag. He soon produced the bottle and handed it to me. I squeezed a bit onto my hand and lathered it on my arms, legs, belly, shoulders, and face. I muttered in frustration as I tried to rub it onto my back. With a sigh of defeat I looked over at Zero,
"Hey would you me out here?" He nodded, took the bottle, and quickly rubbed some sunblock onto my back. When he was finished we went out to the water and jumped into the waves.
XXX
Time flew by; we played volley ball, swam, flirted with people we liked, and talked with people we knew. Zero even tried to teach me how to surf. The sun was starting to set, the perfect end to the perfect day, but of course this is where hell begins.
XXX
We packed up everything except the blanket. The three of us sat together, planning on watching the sun set before heading home. A few minutes after we sat down a guy from our school, Dante Burden, came over.
"Hey we are having a bonfire/party thing over there if you want to join us." Zero tried to say no, but Angel jumped in before either of us could say anything,
"That sounds awesome! We'd love to come! Just wait a second and we can go over there together." With a sigh from me and a glare from Zero, we all got up and headed to bonfire already raging on the opposite side of the beach.
The three of us quickly got seperated in the unexpectedly large amount of people crowded around the fire. Angel took off with a couple of high schooler guys, and Zero was drug off by a hoard of 7th grade girls. I stayed on the outskirts of the crowd, not really interested in socializing. Just as the moon began to rise, I walked away from the party and stood at the edge of the water. The soft waves slid up to my ankles, and the ocean breeze ruffled my hair. The sound of footsteps behind me made me turn around. Standing behind me was Dante, his silvery blonde hair swaying in the wind and pale skin almost glowing in the moonlight.
He stopped at the water's edge, barely a foot away from me.
"You don't like the party?" he asked, his voice was light, but his eyes were ice cold. His piercing gaze made me want to flinch away from him, an instinct I barely controlled.
"I... umm... I don't really like crowds. And I saw the moon and the water, and it was so beautiful, I just couldn't help myself." I looked down at my hands, which were clinging to the thin cover I had over my swim suit.
"Well if the ocean is so beautiful, would you like to take a swim with me?" My eyes shot up and I stared at him in shock. His eyes were slightly warmer, but the idea of being out in the water alone with him scared the hell out of me.
"I... uhh... ok." I'd meant to say no, but the word just slipped out of my mouth.
"Awesome! Come on!" he took his shirt off and threw it out of the reach of the waves. I watched as he walked into the water until it was waist deep then dove under and started swimming. His head popped up out of the water and he waved to me,
"Come on, the water's great!." With a sigh and an odd shiver, I pulled the black cover off over my head and tossed it next to his shirt.
I walked slowly out into the water, my heart pounding faster with each step. When the water was deep enough, I started to swim. As I got to Dante, I couldn't even touch the bottom anymore. This fact put me even more on edge. My anxiety must have showed on my face, because Dante said,
"It's ok, the water is really deep right here, but if we swim about fifteen feet that way, there is a sand bar we can stand on." He gestured to the left. I nodded and he started to swim that way. When we got to the sandbar I looked back toward the beach. All I could see was the very top of the bonfire, a line of small trees stood in the way. I turned back to Dante and realized that if I couldn't see them, they probably couldn't see us.
"Do you know why I asked you to come swim with me?" He asked, his voice dangerously smooth, and his eyes menacing. I shook my head, and taking a slow step back. He grabbed my arm and jerked me up against him, "Because I know who you are, and I know what you'll become. I think it's better to destroy a threat before it has a chance to raise it's ugly head. And you, are that threat," his other hand slid back behind my head, and I realized what was about to happen. I wanted to scream, I needed to fight, but I couldn't. I was frozen by his icy gaze. A single tear rolled down my cheek,
"Why?" Dante looked down at me coldly, and I felt his fingers curl around the hair at the base of my neck. He leaned his head down and hissed in my ear,
"Because I wish to spare you the pain of the Solstice, and I wish for those like me,bound by an oath of blood, to be free. I'm sorry I must sacrifice you to do it, but if killing a scared and confused little girl is all it takes, then so be it." And I was plunged beneath the water.
I struggled at first, but his arms were like steel. I relaxed,and waited for my small supply of oxygen to run out. I opened my eyes, ignoring the sting of the salt. I looked up through the water and saw Dante's face. His eyes looked tortured, and I knew he didn't want to kill me. My gaze went higher and I saw the moon. A smile appeared on my face and I thought: At least I can die underneath the stars... I closed my eyes and let my body thrash and gasp as the last of the air disappeared from my burning lungs. As the darkness began to cloud my mind, my last thought was: Sorry...
XXX
Life came and gave me a round house kick to the face. My eyes fluttered open, they were blurry and sore from being open underwater. I took a big breath and moaned from the raw pain blazing down my throat and in my lungs. Then it hit me: I'm not dead. I blinked until my eyes were clear and looked around. Leaning over me were Angel and Zero. Behind them were a group of kids from the bonfire. Dante was no where to be seen. Well, duh. The guy just tried to kill me. I started to sit up, but Angel gently pushed me back down,
"Nuh-uh, Clo. You just drowned. Don't even think of trying to get up," she tried to put authority in her voice, but it wavered and I could see the fresh tears on her cheeks, "We thought you were dead... I... I was so scared..." Her hands covered her face and her shoulders shook. I looked from Zero to Angel, the fear and relief showed in different ways. I shook my head, my hair rustling the sand,
"It's ok, Angel," my voice was raspy and it hurt to speak, but my voice steadily grew in strength, "I went for a swim on my own, which was stupid, got caught in the tide, and hit my head on a rock or something... It was a close call, but you guys got me out and I'm fine." Angel shook her head,
"No! You're not ok! You just drowned! Zero pulled you out of the water and you weren't breathing! I'm going to call an ambulance and have them take you to a real doctor!" She started to reach for her cell phone and I sat straight up and I grabbed her hand,
"Don't. You. Dare." Angel froze and her jaw dropped at the vehemence in my voice, "I don't need a doctor. Besides if I was really dead, why didn't you call them before? I'm fine." I looked at her pleadingly, "Can I just go home? Please? Please, Angel? I'm tired and I just want to go home." She stared at me critically, evaluating whether or not I was fit to go home. She sighed,
"Alright, but I'm calling my dad. I won't tell him if you want, but you simply cannot ride a bike all the way home," she looked at me seriously, "And if you have any weird symptoms, and I mean any, you call me. That is an order." I nodded gravely then looked down at my skimpy bikini,
"Uhh... do you think I could put some clothes on first?"Angel shrugged and I started to get up. I wobbled a little and Zero immediately scooped me up into his arms and demanded to carry me. He let me down in front of the changing room and brought me my bag.
I came out wearing a pair of snug jeans, a black t-shirt, and my bangles. I'd tried to wash as much salt out of my hair and off my skin as I could in the shower, but I still felt dirty. I let my wet bangs cover my face as I walked over to Angel and Zero. They were leaning against Mr. Lynmorre's shiny blue Ranger, our bikes and bags already in the back. We got in; Angel and Zero in the backseat, me in the front. Mr.Lynmorre drove me home first, not asking why we weren't talking, or why angel and Zero kept sending me worried glances. I could tell he noticed them, but he chose to let it be. When he pulled into my driveway I told him I'd get my bike some other time, then I grabbed my bag and hopped out.
As soon as my feet crossed the thresh hold, the tears began to flow. I silently ran up the stars, and into my room. I wanted to slam the door, scream, and sob at the terror rooted at my core, but I closed the door quietly, dropped my bag, and curled up into a ball on my bed. I cried as quietly as possible, so my mom couldn't hear me, so no one could. Fear, confusion, rage... Dozens of mixed emotions twisted around my soul and ripped at my reality. There were questions I couldn't answer, questions I couldn't even make myself think. Fear reigned, and logic was lost to the turmoil inside me.
Dante...
Why?
Chapter Four: Recovery & Denial
"Dad's taking us out to some cabin in the mountains, he says that it's the best place to talk about 'it'... I'm kinda scared," Angel's voice trembles, like she's trying not to cry, "And I'm really worried about you. How do you feel?" she pauses, "The truth, please."
"I have a slight fever, and my throat is still sore, but other then that I feel normal," I decide to leave out the fact that the base of my neck, where Dante pulled my hair, is still tender. "And don't worry, I'm sure the big secret is something stupid, like 'You have to get a job immediately. You must work in our power plant'. Or something else totally benign." She sighs,
"If you say so... Oh here is Zero, he wants to talk to you." I hear a shuffling noise, the Zero clears his throat,
"How are you?" his voice is almost formal, "Angel says you feel better, is that true?"
"Of course it's true. I'm a little feverish and my throat still hurts, but other than that I'm fine." I pause, swallow hard, wince at the pain, then say, "Look, I'm not exactly clear on what happened last night... You know, before I woke up..." Zero is quiet for a while,
"We were at the bonfire, and Angel noticed you were missing. We searched through the crowd and couldn't find you. I got this sudden feeling that something was very, very wrong. I... I went down to the beach to look for you, and I saw your swim cover on the sand. I called for help and jumped in the water. I was swimming, looking for you, and... I... hit something. You... You weren't moving. I pulled you out and drug you to shore. Your body was limp... Angel was sure you were dead. She didn't bother to call 911 because you had obviously been underwater for a long time." Zero pauses, his voice is like a whisper, "I wanted to do CPR, but Angel stopped me... She was screaming about CPR breaking dead peoples ribs. She went on about how she didn't want you to be buried with broken ribs... So we sat there, just... waiting. Then, like a miracle from God, you just, woke up." Zero's breathing is ragged, and we sit in silence, no sound except our breaths.
"I... I have to tell you something Zero," I whispered, deciding to tell him what really happened. There is a crash in the background then the sound of Angel yelling and Mr. Lynmorre talking.
"Sorry Clo, I gotta go." there's a catch in his voice, "I promise I'll come back and you can tell me." Click. And he's gone.
I sit and stare at my phone, more confused, and more afraid. What happened? Why wasn't there water in my lungs when I woke up? My mind is riddled with more questions, none of which I can answer. But someone else can. I stand up, and let the blanket on my lap fall to the floor. I toss my phone on my bed, and walk across my room, to my open walk-in closet. I quickly change into a purple tank top and a pair of black shorts. I slip on a pair of neon purple socks, then my black converse. I jog across my room to grab my bangles, but hesitate. I look down at the pile of bracelets with an odd sort of disgust. The thought of the cold metal against my skin sends a shiver down my spine. Shrugging off the odd chill, I leave the bangles on the dresser and go downstairs.
I knew where Dante lives, I'd been there once for a party. It was a large house on the outskirts of town. Riding my mom's mountain bike, it took me only minutes to get there. I hopped off the bike in the driveway and walked up to the front door. Just as my fingers brush the knocker, the large mahogany door swings open. I jump back, startled. Dante freezes in the doorway, a suitcase in one hand, the doorknob in the other.
"You... You're alive?!" I nod, "How?!" I look down at my hands,
"I was hoping you could tell me that..." The disbelief slowly fades from Dante's face, and relief quickly takes it's place,
"You're not 14 yet... and yet you survived... So you really are the Matriarch." I stare blankly at him, and a look of achievement flashes across his face, "I just said you were the Hallowed One! The Bind doesn't work with you!"
"So... What exactly does that mean?"
"It means I can tell you anything! I can tell you about the Sentinels, or the Reapers, or, or... I can tell you anything." Dante frowns, "But not here... My parents have a Sentinel drop by to check on me since they are out working for Arbitro... Come on!" He snatches my hand and starts to pull me inside, and I flinch away. "Oh right... I kinda... killed you." I jerk away and take a step away,
"Yea, that's kinda a big deal. I need to know why." Dante's eyes darkened, and the same tortured looked I'd seen last night, flared,
"I never wanted to hurt anyone, but it was the only way too save... someone I care about... I swear, by the blood which flows through me and the life in my soul, I will never try to harm you ever again." He looks up at me, a tortured soul asking for redemption.
"I... I believe you..." I swallow hard, and the fire reignites in the back of my throat, "But I still don't... want to be alone, here, with you." panic flashes across Dante's face, "But I will hear what you have to say. Meet me at my house around six-ish... That's when my mom gets home... I think she needs to be involved in this..." his face contorts into a mask of sheer terror,
"NO! If Arbito finds out that I tried to kill you or that I'm even talking to you he'll kill me. You can't tell anyone that I spoke to you!" I nod slowly,
"I knew there was a reason that I didn't want to tell anyone what really happened... It felt... wrong." Dante studies me carefully, weighing his options,
"Alright, since you don't turn 14 for two days, who says we can't go on a date?" I give him a what-the-hell-are-you-outta-your-mind look, "I mean, I pick you up for a date, then we go somewhere to talk?"
"That's a decent idea I guess... Much better than trying to kill me." I smile softly, "I don't know what your motives were exactly, but I think that they must have been pretty extreme... So, I'll see ya 'round five thirty-ish?" He nods and I turn to leave,
"Be careful Clo, I'm not the only weirdo out there!"
XXX
An odd sort of excitement churns in my belly, and I gaze critically at my reflection. My long hair is done up in a cute twist, with the blue tips spiking out the edges. My bangs are swept out of my face, and my violet-blue eyes are accented by a thin layer of eyeliner and a light dusting of glitter. A black velvet choker rings around my neck, and my wrists remain bare, the bangles banished to my jewelry box. I look down my clothes and almost laugh. Who would have ever thought I'd wear a dress? A short, black, lacy one at that. The tu-tu like skirt ruffles out over a pair of black leggings, that come down to my calves. A pair of black ballet flats completes the ensemble. A small frown bends my lips as I realize something: Too much black. A quick ruffling through my closet produces a blue half jacket. I smile and nod at my cute outfit. The doorbell rings, as if on cue. I grab my phone and head downstairs.
My mom has already opened the door and is ushering Dante in,
"Come in, come in. You must be Dante, Clover told me about you." I sigh as my hippie-first name comes out of my mom's mouth. I descend the rest of the staircase and wave, drawing the attention toward me. Dante's jaw literally drops.
"So, uhh, I guess we'll be going, Mom." I cross the room and stop in front of Dante. He is wearing a plain blue t-shirt and a pair of light grey jeans, but he seems to have cleaned up a bit. He smiles and turns to my mom,
"She'll be home by ten. We plan to go to dinner than see movie. We'll call if the movie runs late," Dante reaches over and hooks my elbow with his, "Shall we?" I nod, and wave at my mom as we walk out the door. She closes the door behind us, and I breathe a sigh of relief.
"So what now?" Dante smiles,
"We go on a date." He leads me to the silver car sitting at the curb, and opens the passenger door for me, "Here, get in." He closes the door and gets in the driver's side.
"Wait... You aren't going to drive us there, are you?" He sticks the key in the ignition and starts the car,
"How do you think I got here?" The car starts to move and I shrink down in my seat, "What, are you afraid of my driving?" The answer must of been obvious, because he didn't wait for my reply, "Don't worry, I have permission from... the mayor, to drive." he winks and I know he isn't talking about the mayor. Maybe he means that 'Arbitro' guy?
"So where are we going to eat?" I ask, my stomach painfully reminding me that I didn't eat lunch.
"How does Italian sound?"
"Great. I'm starving!" He stares intently at the road,
"So you still get hungry?" relief laces his voice,
"That's a weird question, but yeah, most people do... So are we going to talk at the restaurant?" He nods, and I relax a bit,
"You look great by the way. You really dedicated yourself to make it look like a date," my cheeks grow hot and I look out the window,
"I figured that if this whole is as bad as I think it is, I'll probably never get to dress up like this again."
The restaurant is called Romeo's; it's a small but expensive place to eat. We are seated at a table in the back, and a waiter takes our order for drinks. As soon as the waiter leaves, I jump in,
"So explain, explain!" I lean forward, "What is the deal here?" Dante sighs,
"I was hoping to eat an appetizer first, but I guess I better leap right in," he lowers his voice, "Well, here is what I know: the entire town is like a weird cult. Arbitro, the leader, is an ex-judge from the OS. The town's job is basically to guard this giant portal to the OS, which is beneath the town. And when-" I cut him off,
"What is the OS? And what do you mean by 'cult'?" Dante sighs,
"I was getting to that. OS stands for 'other side' referring to the NetherRealm, or UnderWorld or whatever. And by cult, I'm talking about the freaky solstice and equinox rituals."
"Freaky... Rituals?"
"Well, there are various jobs that a person can get when they turn 14. Well, not really a job, but a responsibility. There are Reapers, who hunt down and destroy beings that escape from the OS. Or there are Sentinels, which guard important people, like the Matriarch. The Matriarch, or Hallowed One, is the key to these 'rituals'. Or rather the lock..."
"You're not making any sense. Are you trying to tell me we have a King Minos, a Hell Mouth, and I'm bloody Joan of Arc?" I shake my head, "This is ridiculous! I was expecting like, a government cover up or something, not frickin' fairy tales!" I keep my voice low, but make my point clear.
"Look, I figured you wouldn't believe me, so I brought this," he pulls out a crumpled piece of paper,
"What's this?" he slides it over to me, and spreads it out flat,
"This is the lock to OS. Touch it, and you'll understand." I stare down at the intricate design on the paper. The bold, swirling lines, and sharp edges invoke terror. The thought of touching it makes my heart race and my stomach roll. I slowly lower my hand, and brush the page.
The world goes black; nothing but darkness. I start to panic, but a melodic voice calls out to me:
>Why are you here so soon?<
What? Who are you? Why are you in my head?
>In your head? You are in my realm, my domain. Why are you here?<
I just want to know the truth.
>I see... I will help you when I can, but you have come too soon. You are weak, so I cannot join you. Just listen to Dante, he will not lie to you.<
Wait! Who are you?
"Clo? Clo? Are you ok?" Dante's voice is edged with worry. I open my eyes, I didn't know I had closed them.
"What... was that?" Dante leans forward,
"What did you see?" I look down at the paper once more,
"I didn't see anything, but someone spoke to me..." Dante's eyes light up,
"Really? Most people only see a vision or something... So do you believe me now?" I stare down at the circle once more,
"Well... A lot of weird stuff has been happening lately... and most of my explanations don't cut it, so I'm going to go with yours."
"Your drinks and salad are here," the waiter politely interrupts upon arrival. He sets down our drinks, a Cherry Coke for me and a Diet Coke for Dante, then sets a large serving bowl salad between us. He sprinkles some cheese on the salad, sets down a basket of bread sticks, gets our order, and then leaves with barely three words spoken to us.
"Let's eat!" I say, suddenly forgetting our conversation and focusing on food. I descend upon a bread stick, tearing off the end of it and popping it into my mouth, reveling at the hot, crunchy. garlicky goodness. I continue to eat the rest of the bread stick the same way, and when I finish it off, I reach for a second. My hand stops over the basket, and I notice Dante staring at me.
His silvery grey eyes are no longer harsh, or sarcastic. Even though I see it for only a moment, I know see the emotion clear in his eyes. Longing. Not for me, but for something lost.
"What was it? That made you want to try and kill me?" Dante looks down at the table,
"You aren't the only Matriarch... Every 14 years a new Matriarch is born... And every 14 years one dies. Every Matriarch is born on June 12th, and every Matriarch dies on June 20th, the summer solstice... My sister is turning 28 in two days... And I have to kill her in eight."
"You... What?" Dante's eyes are hidden behind his hair, but I can hear the tears in his voice,
"Every equinox and solstice the Deveo is strung up in chains, their wrists and ankles slit, and a knife run through their chest by the Eruo, me. They bleed out, and the blood pools into the design on that paper," he flingingly gestures to it, "And the lock on the Gate is reset... But on the fourteenth summer solstice, they die, and the next Deveo takes their place... I was hoping that by killing you, I could break the cycle, and spare anyone else from the pain I feel." I look down at the paper once more, and the initial shock wears off. The severity of what he says finally hits me. What the hell is going on here? I stand up,
"I... I have to go. I need to think... I need... to decide how I feel about this," I turn and run towards the exit, ignoring Dante's shouts for me to come back.
His silvery grey eyes are no longer harsh, or sarcastic. Even though I see it for only a moment, I know see the emotion clear in his eyes. Longing. Not for me, but for something lost.
"What was it? That made you want to try and kill me?" Dante looks down at the table,
"You aren't the only Matriarch... Every 14 years a new Matriarch is born... And every 14 years one dies. Every Matriarch is born on June 12th, and every Matriarch dies on June 20th, the summer solstice... My sister is turning 28 in two days... And I have to kill her in eight."
"You... What?" Dante's eyes are hidden behind his hair, but I can hear the tears in his voice,
"Every equinox and solstice the Deveo is strung up in chains, their wrists and ankles slit, and a knife run through their chest by the Eruo, me. They bleed out, and the blood pools into the design on that paper," he flingingly gestures to it, "And the lock on the Gate is reset... But on the fourteenth summer solstice, they die, and the next Deveo takes their place... I was hoping that by killing you, I could break the cycle, and spare anyone else from the pain I feel." I look down at the paper once more, and the initial shock wears off. The severity of what he says finally hits me. What the hell is going on here? I stand up,
"I... I have to go. I need to think... I need... to decide how I feel about this," I turn and run towards the exit, ignoring Dante's shouts for me to come back.
Chapter Five: Escape
I run aimlessly, confusion and fear fueling my hazardous speed. My bare feet tear on the rough pavement, my ballet flats forgotten several streets back. The pain urges me forward, faster, escape, run, run, RUN! I'm running so fast I feel as if I'm flying. The pain, the blood, the fear, the unknown, none of it matters. I can outrun the evil, outrun the blood, nothing can touch me, I'm the wind, untouchable, unstoppable.
