by Dakota Lake
Peanut butter was one of the few things I instinctively knew I loved but Shelley had never heard of peanut butter which I thought was a bit odd for a chef to have never heard of peanut butter. “Personal stash at my cottage, I'll have to sneak you some in.”
“Mmm!” I moaned chewing on the sandwich and licking my lips.
“You want to do something? Swimming, pool or how about some archery?” I asked handing his sandwich back to him.
“Archery. Are you even allowed to do archery anymore? I heard you shot a serv in the foot.” By serv he meant servant, it was a common word used round here.
“There was a bee and it flew at me. It was an accident and I saw that particular serv the other day and he's no longer limping.”
Kenzie looked at me trying not to laugh.
“Never mind, maybe we'll give archery a miss today. How about some indoor games, drunk twister was really fun the other day.”
“I can't today. I'm busy with the others.” he said breaking his sandwich into two parts, handing one to me.
I knew when Kenzie said busy he meant work. I didn't know what he did but I knew it had something to do with Cam and I knew not to ask questions because he wouldn't tell me. I didn't think he was allowed to tell me anything. Also when Kenzie said others he was referring to the other four that were just like him. They all shared the same cold black eyes.
Their names were Roman, Tallen, Ryu and Shasta which was Kenzie's twin sister and the only girl I had seen working closely with Cam. Whenever they were all in the same room I could swear the temperature in the room dropped a few degrees, I usually wore an extra layer to dinner in the evenings. They all shared the same tattoo of a black sun, the same tattoo which many of Cam's workers had and it was the same one I had tattooed on my own hand. I'd even spotted one on the top of Emmett's arm. Cam had the same tattoo, a black sun surrounded by flames on the inside of his forearm. All black and shimmery in the light. Kenzie's sun tattoo was on the inside of his wrist, it blended in with his other black ink tattoos. His sister Shasta was a little more obvious with hers. She usually wore very low tight black vest tops with her black bra visible and her tattoo sticking out the top of it. I had spotted Roman's at the top of his right arm, Tallen had one on the side of his neck and I was pretty sure I spotted Ryu's on the inside of his right palm last week.
The final thing that made them the same was they each had their own pet raven. The ravens lived in a special bird house round the back of the manor. Cam's bird was called Rocky and I only knew Kenzie's bird was called Merlin but the other four had their own names as well.
It was like the six of them, Cam, Roman, Tallen, Ryu, Shasta and Kenzie were connected somehow. But I couldn't figure out how. It felt like I was missing a piece of the puzzle somewhere. “But we can do something tomorrow.” Kenzie said pulling me back from my thoughts. I nodded thinking of things I could do to amuse myself for the rest of the day.
“I have to go Shasta's calling me.” he said kissing me on the side of my face before standing up. I looked around wondering where Shasta was? I hadn't heard her calling him.
“See ya later Cups.” he said calling me by the nickname he'd given me.
The first time I had met Kenzie I was dressed up in some over the top pink dress with frills and bows, looking back I probably looked ridiculous. Kenzie said I looked like a giant cup cake with frosting. So he started calling me Cup Cake which he eventually shortened to Cups. I loosely waved goodbye as he disappeared around the tree.
I leaned over and looked around the side of the tree. Shasta stood waiting by a side door with her hand on her hip. Roman and Ryu were with her.
Shasta shared the same skin colour as Kenzie and the same skinny build. She had long black hair with randomly placed thin braids and a few raven feathers sticking out in places. She was overly confident and liked to boss everyone around. She was also the only person that could get away with wearing black leather trousers that tight and still look good. Was she not hot in this weather? She stood waiting for Kenzie looking over at me. She wasn't that friendly towards me and if I was honest she actually scared me a little. I got the distinct feeling she didn't like me that much and only put up with me because I was friends with Kenzie.
I stayed next to the tree still thinking about what I could do to keep me busy for the day. The last thing I wanted was for Grayson to find me. He'd have me in the study room doing calculus, which I hated. Grayson was Cam's right hand man and my tutor, he taught me everything from chemistry to history. I had five lessons a week on random days to suit Grayson. Lessons lasted four hours starting at 9am and finishing at 1pm. Today was one of those days.
I hated studying it was so boring and seemed so pointless. When was I ever going to use any of it? I didn't think Cam was ever going to let me out the front gates. I didn't need to learn calculus because I'd probably never get a job at this rate. I wasn't even allowed to lift a finger at the moment as it was.
A lilac coloured butterfly with pastel blue spots landed on a nearby flower and was the size of a dinner plate. I crawled across the grass to get a better look. Why did something so beautiful and delicate still seem so unnatural and wrong to me? I shook my head maybe when I got my memory back things wouldn't appear so strange anymore.
“Ruby, is that you?” Grayson called.
I quickly looked over and spotted Grayson looking out through an open window on the first floor. “Crap, double crap.” I said crawling back behind the tree.
I really didn't feel like four hours of studying today. I know fours hours didn't seem that long but it was the amount of homework he set me afterwards. I couldn't be bothered today. I peeked out from behind the tree to see he was gone. I jumped up and scooped up my skirt and ran around the side of the manor heading for a side door. I slipped inside and hurried along the corridor avoiding the main staircase at that was probably where Grayson was coming down to find me.
I ran passed several servants that didn't really pay any attention to me running along the corridors with my dress rolled up and my legs on display. Cam probably wouldn't have approved though. 'Very unladylike' I could just imagine him saying. I made it to the servants spiral staircase and started running like crazy up the stairs all the way to the third floor. When I reached the top I wasn't even out of breath.
There was a guy I didn't recognise walking towards me, I realised I still had my dress rolled up. I dropped it and walked passed him, he wolf whistled at me and jogged down the stairs. I strolled along the corridor and into the main games room looking for one person in particular. There was a group of guys at the other end and when I say guys I really meant older looking teens. Everyone on this floor all looked like college students. I turned around and went back out the way I'd come and poked my head into the other games room, two guys were playing darts. “Hey is Senka around?” I asked.
“In his room.” one of the guys said not taking his eyes away from the dart board. I walked passed about ten doors most of them closed, some with stickers or posters on of random stuff. Some doors had names on and some didn't. I knew the door I was looking for, it was the one with a sticker of a cartoon grim reaper and a poster pull out from an adult magazine of a blonde girl posing on a beach wearing nothing but a pair of red bikini bottoms.
I found the door. His initials S.J were scratched into the wood. Senka Jensen.
The door was ajar, so I pushed it open wider. Senka sat on the floor with his legs crossed leaning back against his bed playing on his games console.
“Hey,” I said leaning against the door frame. “I didn't think you'd be here today?” “I'm not meant to be, taking an extended lunch break I have to go back in a minute.” he said in his deep husky voice.
His eyes flickered in my direction with a hint of a smile on his lips. I walked over and flopped onto his unmade bed.
The walls were navy with a black carpet. His bedspread matched the walls and smelled of coconut. There were a few posters of bands I'd never heard of and another naked
pin up girl on the back of the door that had a couple of darts sticking out in various locations. A small closet, dresser, a desk, a TV unit full of games and a double bed with a large black leather headboard.
Senka switched the games console off and stood up looking around.
He was wearing black jeans that hung low on his waist exposing the black sun tattoo he had tattooed low down, the flames poked out over his belt. It was the same sun tattoo as the others and I had.
I had first met Senka a few weeks after I'd woken up, I bumped into him on the stairs and asked him for directions. I had no idea where I was going back then.
Then I eventually wondered up to the third floor where I found him a second time playing darts. I'll never forget the smile on his face when he saw me that second time. A smile that gave me goosebumps.
Senka was tall, skinny but with lean muscles and abs that weren't over the top but you could still see them. Especially when he walked around with no shirt on. His eyes were blue and had a slight twinkly sparkle to them and they always reminded me of the ocean. His brown hair was shaved at the sides and longer on top and always looked lighter in the sun. He normally wore it styled up but today he'd left it down. He had his lip pierced on the bottom right side with a silver ring in. He had mainly black tattoos on both his arms, mostly of symbols and weird tribal stuff but I had no idea what any on it meant. He usually had a smooth shaven face but today he had left it which gave him a ruggish appearance. Then there were the two deep scars on his back same in size which ran down most of the length of his back, which were visible today. I had seen them before a few times but I'd never asked him how he'd got them.
“So what's up?” he asked tugging on a baggy black vest top with a couple of curse words across the front.
“Nothing just hiding out. Grayson is looking for me.” I said rolling onto my front leaning up on my elbows.
“So you thought you'd hide out in my room? You badass!”
Senka pulled on his black beanie and a few strands of his hair stuck out at the front. I hadn't seen Senka for two days and two days felt far too long, he was the one other person I had grown close to. If I was honest I shared many of my feelings and thoughts with Senka than anyone else. I felt safe here like I could tell him anything and I knew it wouldn't get back to Cam.
I moved around and sat upright hanging my legs over the side of the bed.
“I missed you. Two days is too long.” I pouted, maybe a little too much but I was upset he was already going again.
“Tell me about it Cam's got me working non stop. But I'll be back later tonight, probably around seven and then I should be here on and off for most of the week.”
He walked over to me grabbed my hands and pulled me to my feet.
“I have to go now but you can hang out in here if you want? Here I have something for you,” he reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a small key. “I got you a key, you know encase I'm out and you want some place to hide.” he leaned over and kissed me on the cheek.
I don't really know when we started parting ways with a kiss. Cam and Kenzie always kissed me goodbye. But when Senka kissed me it felt like something more than a casual kiss goodbye, his lips always seemed to linger next to my face for a few seconds longer than necessary. “I'll see you tonight.” he said as he walked out and shut the door.
Grayson wasn't likely to find me now and hiding out in here wasn't so bad, Senka did have some great music in his room.
I switched his stereo on. Music started thumping out the speakers it was loud and heavy, it was a nice change from the classical stuff they had downstairs. I didn't have a stereo in my room. There was one in the swimming pool room but I hadn't found anything other than classical or natural sound CD's downstairs. Cam probably wouldn't want me listening to this though. Cam probably wouldn't even want me on this floor but I didn't think he knew about my little trips up here and that was something I wanted to keep quiet. I walked around Senka's room looking at some of his artwork he had stacked on the floor. Canvases of scenery, a few of the horses from the meadows and some other random pieces that were a lot darker with sinister evil looking characters. I found a sketch book full of pencil drawings mostly of cartoon type characters. Some sketches of Cam's dogs but right at the back there was a drawing of a girl with long wavy hair in a dress just like the one I was wearing. The girl had her hand open with a large butterfly sitting on her palm. I was pretty sure it was a drawing of me it was very accurate and the likeness was uncanny. I kept myself busy for a few hours looking through Senka's comic book collection, I even had a go on his games console but I soon felt tired. I had gone to bed late last night and now it was catching up to me. I spotted a baggy beige vest with a rabbit and gun on the front, Senka had a somewhat different taste in clothes. I looked at the vest top then down at my dress. It looked much more comfortable to sleep in than this long thing that I would only get all tangled up in. I slipped off my dress and threw it over the back of the chair. I pulled the top on and went over to have a look in the long mirror. It looked long on me but felt comfy and for once I didn't feel suffocated by my clothes. I switched the stereo off and climbed into Senka's bed hoping he wouldn't mind this was new territory for me. I usually crashed on the couch in the small games room.
His pillow smelt of coconut just like him. I leaned over and grabbed his MP3 player and popped the earbuds in my ears, it wasn't as loud as the last stuff I was listening to but it was still edgy. I pulled the cover up over my head and closed my eyes.
Chapter Two
When I reopened my eyes I was no longer in Senka's bedroom. I was standing on a pebbled beach. The sea air blew my hair around my face as the sea waves crashed against the shore line. The sky was dark and in the distance there was a long pier lit up with fairground rides, a big wheel towered above the rest in the middle. I knew I'd been here before but I couldn't remember when. I looked down at my legs and feet which were bare. I was only wearing the vest top I'd fallen asleep in.
I spun around looking for him. I don't know how but I just knew he would be here. I looked up at the walk way, he was leaning over the railing watching me. He launched himself over the railing and landed on the pebbles below and started walking towards me. I started waking backwards away from him and the mischievous smile on his face grew bigger as he picked up speed. I turned and ran away from him along the pebble beach. I didn't get very far though he was too quick and I was barefoot trying to run on pebbles.
He caught up with me and jumped in front of me and lifted me over his shoulder and spun me around. He carried me back along the beach until we reached the steps where he put me down. I ran to the top of the steps with him chasing me from behind. I stopped at the top and he bumped into me wrapping his arms around me in a backwards hug. I always felt safe when I was wrapped in his arms. It was an instinctive feeling and the only thing that felt familiar to me. He let go and spun me around to face him.
He was wearing a tatty long sleeve plain black T-shit with holes in it, black scruffy jeans with more holes and a pair of dirty boots.
I never remembered his name after I woke up from the dreams but he was always crystal clear in my memory.
Jet black scruffy layered hair that matched his dark clothes and eyes so green it made the colour of grass look pale. His pale skin looked dirty as though he'd been digging down a mine. A long cut along the side of his cheek bone was visible and his finger nails looked bruised, black and a little bloody.
“What are you wearing?” he asked looking at the picture on the front of the top I had borrowed from Senka.
“I borrowed it.” I replied holding the top down.
The wind kept blowing it up revealing the lace panties I had on underneath.
“Well it suits you. Much better than those long dresses I normally see you in. This looks like something you'd normally wear anyway.”
He made it sound like he already knew me. But I still couldn't remember who he was. “I can't remember your name.” I said frust
rated with myself.
“You always say that.” he said scooping me up into his arms and carrying me as I was shoeless. “It's Mack. You know me as Mack. So what did you do today?” he asked sounding genuinely interested.
I had about a hundred different questions I wanted to ask him running through my head. “Not much. Read a few comics listened to some music. Then I took a nap and woke up here. What did you do today?” I asked.
“Nothing interesting. General hard labour digging in tunnels.” he laughed.
“Is that why you look so dirty?”
“Yep and that's why it's called Hell and not an exotic island getaway.”
He put me down next to a small wall which I climbed up onto. He stuck his hands in his pockets and nodded his head towards the pier. I walked along the wall and he stayed on the path close to me. “So did you find anything out about what we talked about last time?”
The truth was I couldn't remember anything we'd talked about last time and I probably wouldn't remember this conversation.
“You don't remember do you?” he asked frowning.
I shook my head and crossed my arms over the front of myself trying to keep warm. He pulled his T-shirt up over his head, exposing his back which was full of cuts and bruises. The two long scars running the length of it caught my attention the most. They looked identical to Senka's. His wrists looked bloody as though something had been rubbing on them.
“Put this on.” he said holding it up to me.
“But you have nothing on underneath.”
“Doesn't matter. You're cold. Now put it on.”
I slipped my arms into the T-shirt and lifted it over my head, it smelled like a smoky bonfire. “How did you get all those cuts and bruises on your back?” I asked with concern. “Something tells me if I tell you you're not going to remember this tomorrow.”
“What about the two long scars?”
“That's just a reminder of something I will never get back.”
I lost my footing and wobbled over but I didn't fall far. Mack caught me and lowered me down. “Thanks.” I said waiting for to him let go.
