Replacement

by Wojciech Cram

  girlfriend more than he cared for us, and because I felt that if he had really loved mom he wouldn't have been able to care for another woman ever again. So I got up early and

  snuck out before dad or Mark woke up, I don't know what I had originally planned to do, maybe run away, or just make my dad worried enough for him to remember that I still

  existed, either way I had found myself at the flower shop. I assumed it was the same one where dad had gotten Mom's daisies, Briar Creek was a small place after all, and it wasn't

  exactly bursting at the seams with flower stores. I found myself purchasing this big bouquet of lilies that were in full bloom and I could tell why they were my mom's favourites.

  I took them back home and put them where my dad had always placed the daisies, in the same vase and everything. I can remember feeling so smug with myself, as if I'd gotten

  one up on my dad by knowing what Mom's favourite flower was when he didn't. He'd been wrong and I'd been right.

  I'd gone to school as usual that day, never losing the feeling of victory. Even as I practically skipped back home from the bus stop I couldn't wipe the grin off of my face. But as I

  went into the front room, the windowsill was empty and the lilies were gone and I could feel my heart breaking even as anger boiled up within me.

  I can't remember the details of what happened next, I just have the vague memory of screaming at my dad, blaming him for the disappearance of the lilies, and the disappearance

  of my mother, and the disappearance of his love for me and my brother. I guess I must have calmed down eventually, although I have no idea how long it took, or whether my dad

  tried to comfort me or prove me wrong.

  It turned out that Claudette had been the one to throw out the lilies after all because they'd given Mark the sneezes. By the time I found out, I didn't even care anymore. I was more

  concerned over the fact that I'd wasted an entire months worth of pocket money on something as useless as a bouquet of flowers.

  "Hey," I looked up to see Rashel in the doorway, her lithe figure almost blending in with the darkness of the room.

  "Hey," I whispered back, sitting up from where I'd been lying motionless on the bed, the daisies clutched to my chest. If Rashel noticed the flowers, she didn't say anything, she just

  flicked on the light and sat down on the bed opposite.

  "It's been a while since Ash came out, and I was just wondering how you're doing."

  "I'm fine," I sighed, running a hand through my hair, pulling it out of its bun. I was sure that I looked a mess, so I hoped that my hair could at least partly hide me from the world.

  "I'd just really rather not talk about it," I finished, unable to ignore how gloomy my voice sounded.

  "Then you're in luck," Rashel said, her voice sounding way too bright considering we'd been on the run all night and had not nearly enough sleep. But I supposed that that probably

  wasn't a big deal in Rashel's world. It probably didn't even make the list of crazy things she had been through.

  "Because," she continued as I listened attentively. "I, MaryLynette, never went to a proper high school, so as a result, I am not in the slightest bit interested in meddling in people's

  love lives."

  I gave her a small smile, a reluctant giggle escaping my lips. "Thanks," I said. "No problem," she replied, pulling up her legs so that they were tucked underneath her. "But I did

  want to talk to you about something."

  "Go ahead."

  "Well, tomorrow we hit the road and head back to the mansion. You and I will take one car, John and Ash will take the other." I nodded my head. None of this was news to me, and

  it made sense for Ash and I to ride in separate cars. There was no need to create awkward situations where they could be avoided, although I felt kind of guilty for splitting Quinn

  and Rashel apart, even it was just for the journey back home.

  "And once we get back to the mansion, I think we should start training straight away. That is if you're up for it of course," Rashel said, her face serious despite traces of excitement

  leaking through in her voice.

  "Of course," I replied eagerly, not even bothering to try and hide my own excitement. A smile broke out on my face at just the thought of finally being able to properly defend myself without having to rely on Ash or Rashel or one of the sisters to help me. At last I could actually be useful. Maybe I could even help to stop this apocalypse.

  "Don't get too hyped up," Rashel said in amusement. "I'm talking about long gruelling hours of hard work. Blood, sweat and tears. Don't think this is going to be easy." But not even

  Rashel's words could put a damper on my giddiness, I was already thinking ahead to the all arse kicking I could do.

  "Goddess, MaryLynette, you look like a four year old on Christmas morning," Rashel said in exasperation, shaking her head with her eyes wide. "I can't help it," I protested,

  scrunching the duvet beneath me with my fingers in an attempt to release some of the energy that was pumping through me. "It's just that I can finally be all cool and badass like

  the rest of you guys."

  "You are such a dork," Rashel claimed, although she couldn't hold back her laughter as she said it. A laugh of my own escaped my lips, the happiness in the room contagious. I felt

  lighter than I had been for long time. It felt good to just sit and talk and laugh with another human being without the worry of anything else pressing on my shoulders. It might have

  just been my body trying to rid itself of all the sad thoughts and negative energy from earlier, but in that moment I was happier than I could have ever hoped for.

  "Seriously though," Rashel said, taking a breath, although the smile never left her face. "Before we start, I need to ask you a couple of things."

  "Ask away."

  "Okay. How fit would you say you are?"

  "Wow, don't hold back at all. That's a little personal isn't it?" I said, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning back on my pillows. Rashel only rolled her eyes, looking as if she

  wanted to chuck something at me. Luckily, the only things available to her wouldn't hurt too much if she did decide to start throwing things.

  "Answer the question, MaryLynette."

  "Okay, okay," I replied, holding my hands up in surrender. "I guess I'd say I'm pretty fit. I used to be on the track team, and I walk up and down the hill near my house practically

  every night, carrying a huge telescope, so yeah, I'd say I'm pretty fit. I mean I wouldn't win any awards or anything for being in tip top form, but I think I could get by."

  Rashel nodded her head; no doubt mentally storing every piece of information I had given her. "Good," she murmured. "And have you ever had any formal fight training at all?" She

  asked as if she was questioning me in an interview.

  I thought back to the night I'd killed Jeremy, and to a night before that when I'd tried to whack Kestrel with a flashlight, and to all the times I'd booted Ash in the shin. "Nope," I

  said, shaking my head. "No formal fight training."

  "Any health problems?"

  "Nope!"

  "Any extreme fears?"

  "No… well… bugs. I really hate bugs."

  Rashel looked at me suspiciously, her eyebrows furrowed. "How much do you hate them though? Do you hate them as in you'd rather kill one than have it near you, or hate them as

  in you're going to scream your head off and ruin an entire mission if one is even in close proximity to you?"

  I thought for a second, silently assessing my fear. "The former," I said at last. Rashel nodded, and I swear that I could detect a wave of relief flow across her features at my

  answer.

  "So, did I pass?" I asked, only half joking. I really did want to be properly trained up so that I could not only protect myself, but others if I needed to. I was painfully aware of how

  oblivious the human race was, and conseque
ntly how vulnerable we were. If I could save just one human from the clutches of the Night World, it would be worth all the hard work.

  "Yeah, you passed. But that was just the easy part," Rashel started. "I want to start you on basic self defence courses as soon as we get back, and maybe build up your fitness a bit more. Sometimes the most important part of being able to protect yourself and others is to be able to run away. You won't always be able to win a fight, you have to know when to

  retreat and put as much distance as possible between yourself and the danger."

  "Have you ever done that?" I asked, dead serious. Somehow I couldn't imagine Rashel ever running away from a threat, no matter how outnumbered or out armed she may be. She

  seemed like the sort of person who would fight to the very end or die trying.

  "Once," she said solemnly, a far off look on her face. It was the first time Rashel had ever mentioned anything at all to do with her past. "But it was a long time ago."

  There was something very final in the way she said it, so I didn't push any further. If she wanted to tell me about her past, she would. I wasn't willing to force her into sharing

  anything she didn't want to. Not that anyone could ever force Rashel into doing something against her will, and I felt sorry for the poor bastard that would try.

  Just then, Rashel's phone started to ring, the sharp sound shattering the moment of peacefulness. "Sorry, I have to take this," she said, standing up and removing her phone from

  her pocket. "Try to get some rest, we leave in a few hours and I want you in top condition to start training."

  "Yes sir," I answered with a mock salute, causing a small smile to quirk the corners of Rashel's mouth.

  "Hello. Yeah, it's me Keller," Rashel said answering the phone before shutting the door and disappearing.

  Once again I was left alone, left to my own thoughts. I couldn't help my mind drifting to when Rashel and I had first arrived, and my nose had dripped a scarlet red. When I thought

  about it, it was like trying to look at something through fogged glass. I could remember the event clearly, but I had to strain to make out the details.

  This is the end.

  The end of what? The words had run through my head, and at the time they had consumed me. They were perfect. But now, all I could do was question if they were really my

  words, my thoughts. Or did they belong to that silky voice that had appeared in my flashback to the night I was attacked, that had haunted me back at the mansion before Ash had

  parcelled me off?

  More and more frequently it seemed that my mind was being invaded by this mystery presence. I couldn't stop it from happening; I didn't even know what it was. Maybe it was

  some form of PTSD, it would be understandable after the year I had had. But even as the thought entered my mind, I knew it wasn't right, I didn't know how I knew, I just did.

  What if it got worse? I had no way of knowing whether this thing, whatever it was, would heal with time, or whether it would grow and fester. I knew I should tell someone. I'm

  sure Thea or Gillian would have some sort of concoction to put my mind at rest, to stop the ghostly echoes of laughter.

  Still, I couldn't find it in myself to tell anybody. What if there wasn't anything wrong with me, what if everything was just a creation of my own mind? I couldn't face people staring

  at me with pity, thinking that I must be going insane.

  Ash wouldn't think you're insane. The thought was mine. It was the traitorous little voice in the back of my head which I hated but knew was right. Ash would sense it if something

  was as wrong as me losing my mind. He would never judge, he would only ever help. He would support me.

  But would he? I'd just dumped him after all. Maybe he hated me for making him so sad, for making him change and then leaving him anyway. How could I ask for his help after

  that? He owed me nothing.

  I sat there for a while, eyes closed repeating that thought in my head like a mantra. He owes you nothing, he owes you nothing, he owes you nothing, he owes you nothing.

  thought that perhaps if I said it enough, it would start to sound true, the words only started to sound meaningless. Together or not, Ash and I would always be there for each other.

  And whilst it may have been true that he owed me nothing, especially now that I'd ended things, I couldn't ever imagine Ash not caring about me. It was selfish for me to be happy

  about that, but I couldn't help feel comforted by the fact that he would never have the connection we had with another person. I was his soul mate and that would never change.

  Without fully thinking things through, I pushed myself up off of the bed, exiting the bedroom and carefully making my way down the corridor. I had to assume that Ash would be in

  the living room, as there was nowhere else he would be, unless he'd gone out of course.

  As I turned the corner, the living room with all the screens on the walls came into view. My eyes immediately spotted a sandy blonde head on the living room sofa, sat next to

  Quinn. They were having a lively discussion about something, but both of them had a smile on their face. I'd rarely ever seen Ash so carefree. How could I take that away from him

  by filling his head with worries? He deserved much better than having to take care of me when I'd already shunned him. Suddenly, to tell him my concerns felt like taking

  advantage of his feelings, it was unfair, and I still loved him enough to want him to be happy. I couldn't be selfish with him, even if he had hurt me.

  I was about to turn back and sneak away to the spare room, but as if he had some sort of MaryLynette radar, Ash turned around, his eyes landing on mine. Immediately I averted my gaze out of fear that he could tell that something may be wrong.

  Rashel was still on the phone, sitting on a stool in the kitchen. Her eyes lifted as I walked in, and she offered me a smile upon seeing me. I figured the kitchen would probably be

  the safest place for me at the moment, the tension in the living room being way too much to handle. Still, even as I walked away from the two vampires on the sofa, I could feel

  Ash's gaze on the back of my neck every step of the way.

  "Yeah, I'll see you tomorrow, bye" Rashel said over the phone, taking it away from her ear and hanging up. "Winnie, Nissa and Keller are back at the mansion," she called to no one

  in particular. Although I recognised the names, I didn't know the people. From the corner of my eye I could see Ash stiffen, his jaw becoming tense at this piece of information. I

  frowned at his reaction, unsure of why this revelation would bother him. From what I'd heard, Ash seemed to get on well with everybody at Circle Daybreak, Poppy and James

  excluded.

  "Did they find any new information since you last spoke to them?" Quinn asked, shifting so that he was turned to face his soul mate fully. "Not much," Rashel shrugged, fiddling with

  the phone in her hands. "Keller thinks that they might have found a couple more leads, but she doesn't know how useful they'll turn out to be. I'm sure Thierry will have us go and

  check them out though."

  Quinn nodded, and Ash remained silent. From the small wrinkle in his forehead I could tell he was lost in thought, probably not even hearing the rest of the conversation that had

  taken place. I couldn't help but wonder what he was thinking about, whatever it was, it was clearly concerning him deeply.

  "Well," Quinn said, pulling my attention away from Ash. "Since we'll clearly be busy and probably run off our feet over the next few weeks, I think we should make the most of this

  free time we have."

  "How?" Rashel asked, obviously sceptical of whatever Quinn had in mind. I had to fight back a smirk at her suspicious nature.

  "Miss Jordan," Quinn said, standing up and walking over to where Rashel sat on the stool. "I would love to have the honour of taking you out to dinner on this fine evening." He took

&nbs
p; her hand and placed a kiss on the back of it, almost making me swoon at the romance of it all.

  "Like a date?" Rashel asked, seeming even more sceptical than ever, although I could also detect an air of amusement radiating out of her.

  "Yeah. Only a lot more romantic and no where near as cheesy as the ones I've seen on those chick flicks," Quinn answered.

  "You've seen a chick flick?" I asked in disbelief. "Yeah, he loves them," Rashel added, receiving a half heart glare from her soul mate. "His favourite is Bride Wars. He couldn't get

  enough of it."

  Quinn only rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Are you done?" He asked with raised eyebrows, swinging their joined hands from side to side impatiently. Rashel paused to think

  about it for a second before nodding. "Yeah, I'm done."

  "Good. So, what do you say? May I take you out?"

  I could see the indecision in her eyes as she bit her bottom lip in thought. "Go on," I encouraged, nudging her in the shoulder. "You deserve a break."

  "But what if something bad happens?" She asked, all joking aside for now. "It seems like a pretty big risk. You know the Night World are on the look out for Daybreakers."

  A loud scoff sounded from the living room, and all eyes turned to Ash. "Look, Rashel," he said, his voice light, all traces of worry gone from his features. "We all know that a lame

  Night Person won't be a threat to you. You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

  "He's right you know," I told Rashel, and I could see her resolve wavering. From what I'd seen last night, Rashel could easily dispose of a couple of dangerous Night People. She

  could probably do it in her sleep.

  "Of course," Ash piped up again. "I can make no promises for the chick flick fanatic over there. Apparently he scares easily so I hear." Quinn shot Ash a withering glare that seemed

  to say: 'shut you're mouth or I'll hurt you.' Ash only returned it with a devious smile that made me think he had something over on his friend.

  After a long, tense pause, which seemed to last forever, Rashel finally sighed. "Fine," she said, throwing her hands up in defeat. There was really no way she could have said 'no'

  with all of us staring at her with big, hopeful eyes. "Your enthusiasm is heartwarming," Quinn claimed, but never the less, pulled Rashel into a hug, landing a kiss on the top of her