by Lady Lilium
‘I knew I’d find you here!’ she cried triumphantly at the sight of them.
‘No you didn’t’ Lucas droned, arms crossed. The three stopped before her. ‘What the hell are you doing here Lauralie?’ Lucas asked her impatiently.
Lauralie made a pouting face at him.
‘There’s no need to be like that’ she huffed, ‘I came down all this way to see you all.’
‘Don’t you know it’s dangerous here?’
‘Don’t you?’
Lucas dismissed this with a wave.
‘What are you doing here anyway?’ she asked them all. ‘You know I'm beginning to get suspicious, all this sneaking around. It’s like you're holding a secret meeting or something. What's really going on?’
‘Mind your own business’ Lucas spat.
She stuck her tongue out and turned her back on him, speaking to the others like he no longer mattered.
‘So do you wanna hang out or what?’
‘Sure’ Drake smiled at her. ‘Come on, let’s get out of here before a gang shows up and tries to kill us all.’
‘Oh don’t’ she whined swatting at him. ‘You know I hate it when you scare me like that.’
‘It’s true’ Reuben added standing to her other side. ‘In fact just last week, we saw a dead hobo.’
‘Now you're making fun of me’ Lauralie frowned in irritation.
Drake took her by the arm and led her away. Reuben shrugged at his brother as Lucas gave him a sceptical look.
‘Come on, let’s go, I suppose we’ve had enough fun for one day anyway’ Reuben said.
‘We barely even started’ Lucas tutted. ‘Ever since she found out we come here she’s always trying to find us. It’s annoying. Why doesn’t she just go home?’
‘Shhh’ Reuben hissed. ‘Don’t say that, she might hear you.’
Lucas gave his brother a bored look, but said nothing.
‘We’re not the only ones who don’t always want to go home’ Reuben told him in a whisper.
‘Why doesn’t she hang out with her own friends?’ Lucas complained.
‘Who knows? Maybe she’s attracted to us.’
Lucas groaned at his brother’s idiot response as he walked away. Reuben smirked, and jogged to catch up with him.
‘Do you think we can come back here tomorrow?’
‘Probably’ Lucas replied. ‘We’ll have to skip college again to avoid Lauralie though.’
Jacob knelt in the grass examining the strange markings in the dirt. The busy footpath of the park could be seen not too far away from where he was. There were mostly students in sight, taking a short cut home like he had been. But something had drawn him from the path and to this secluded spot. Everything had seemed normal on this day, except for what Jacob was about to find.
He moved past the strange marking that looked like scuff marks from a boot, and further into the bushes. Jacob pushed back a pile of fallen leaves that looked like they had been deliberately collected together to hide something. He ran his fingers along the earth as he noticed something that glinted. Jacob brushed the dirt away with the back of his hand, gripping the object protruding from the vegetation he lifted it up, marvelling at it.
It seemed to be a staff of some kind. It was short and silver in colour, with wings that curved around a sort of dome at its head.
‘What the hell…is this?’
He turned it over. It was engraved with an inscription which ran along its side.
Where I fight I live
‘What the hell is that supposed to mean?’
Jacob turned it over to examine it again, when a sudden and sinister voice caught him off-guard.
‘I see you’ve found my weapon.’
Jacob spun round in alarm; startled that he had been snuck up on like that, so engrossed he had been in his find.
He hesitated. His heart began to pace as he drew a deep breath. The man that stood before him was unlike any he had seen before. A normal human, but dressed in the most peculiar fashion.
He was dressed only in three long strips of cloth. One yellow, one orange and one red. They wound over his whole body, tied in knots here and there. The ends trailed loosely from his arms and knees. His eyes were both milky white.
‘Who are you?’
‘Who am I you ask?’ the stranger replied.
He stepped towards Jacob, brushing back strands of hair delicately with a nail. They were six inches long and coloured a deep dark purple. From beneath his black fringe Jacob saw that there was an unusual sort of metallic plate that ran across the stranger’s forehead, like a sort of bandana. From one side of the plate hanging down in three separate chains were a line of metallic stars.
The stranger moved closer, uncomfortably so. But shock and uncertainty had frozen Jacob to the spot. The man brushed Jacob’s cheek with a nail, caressing him almost lovingly. Like a mother would to her son. Jacob felt a twinge in his stomach, a feeling of unease, was he safe here?
‘War brings out my spirit’ the stranger said. ‘It’s who I really am. It is who you will become.’
He smiled, but Jacob could read nothing into it. Was it kind? Was it cruel?
‘My name is Venom. I have been watching you closely for many weeks now, and I think you are the one.’
‘The one?’ Jacob stammered, breaking his silence. He snapped back to himself, slapping the strangers hand away and stepping back.
‘Don’t touch me.’
Venom faltered for a moment, then regained his original demeanour. He smiled again, this time almost seductively.
‘My dear boy, I bestow upon you a great gift. I think you will like it. You will see.’
Venom moved closer again. He embraced Jacob like a brother, holding him close.
‘Now your eyes will truly be open.’
Jacob felt a surge of energy shooting through his body like an electric shock. He was enveloped in a great pain that ceased as fast as it had begun. His body felt alive, powerful, he felt liberation. Jacob suddenly saw an image then, a world he had never known. It was vast, with miles and miles of open plains and woodland, and near the coast was a great city made of stone. And at its heart, a mighty palace.
Jacob let out a gasp, stumbling back and away from Venom as he was released.
‘I’ Venom spoke, ‘am a guardian, and I pass my powers onto you now.’
Jacob collapsed, weak and shaking.
‘Farewell’ the man said to him turning away. ‘We will not meet again.’
‘…but now I can’t say anything because I'm not supposed to know. Honestly as much as I love her she can be a royal pain in the ass.’
‘What is it with you girls?’ Drake said to Lauralie in a disapproving tone.
‘Oh come on’ Lauralie winked cheekily at him. ‘You’ve got your interests too. It’s not easy being a girl, it’s more political than you realise.’
‘Mmmhmm’ Drake replied.
It was getting late now. The warm summer’s breeze had cooled and the sky was now darkening as the sun dipped just below the horizon. The town was winding down, and as they entered the culdasack they saw more cars parked in the driveways. Most people were at home, resting after a hard day’s work or study, now they ate with their families. Simple quiet folk when they were at home, but out, like everyone else, life for them was hectic.
‘Here’s your house’ Drake pointed.
Lauralie heisted, staring up at the modern white building, with its neat edges and tidy garden, it looked so tranquil.
‘Thanks’ she said quietly to Drake.
‘We couldn’t possibly leave you to walk alone in the dark.’
‘I'm not afraid of the dark’ she said smiling lightly. She glimpsed the brothers behind him; they waited now at the end of the drive.
Lucas stood with his arms crossed looking sour; Reuben at ease was tapping his foot. Reuben waved at her when she looked at him, and she waved back.
‘Goodnight then’ she said giving Drake a quick hug. ‘And you’l
l get home safely yourself won’t you? And you guys’ she called to the brothers, ‘see you in college tomorrow.’
‘Ok bye’ Lucas replied casually dismissive while Reuben waved jovially.
She nodded to them, turning and walking slowly towards the house. Drake returned to the others when she was inside.
‘Get home safely she says’ Drake laughed. ‘If only she knew. I wonder what she thinks is going to happen to us?’
Reuben slapped him on the shoulder. ‘We had better be getting back anyway, exams are coming up after all, don’t want to be late to college because someone overslept.’
‘Don’t give me that’ Drake huffed walking with him, ‘you spend more time out of college than the rest of us.’
‘Not just me. Lucas too.’
‘Don’t drag me into this.’
‘That wasn’t much of a defence’ Drake said looking sceptically at Lucas. ‘Don’t pretend that you're not as bad as each other.’
But Lucas wasn’t listening, his thoughts were far away.
She’s starting to get nosey; it’s only a matter of time before she finds out.
Reuben smirked at Drake. ‘You know you shouldn’t be so lovey with her, your girlfriend may start getting jealous.’
‘I'm not lovey!’ Drake protested. ‘I'm just being friendly.’
‘That’s how it starts out’ Reuben teased. ‘For you friendly and flirting are the same thing.’
Drake punched him hard in the shoulder and the two began to wrestle. Lucas ignored them as he continued his casual pace, watching Drake and his brother messing around as they teased each other.
It was lunchtime the next day in college, and Jacob had met up with his friends.
‘Hey are you alright?’ his friend Josh had asked him.
‘Yeah I'm fine’ Jacob answered.
‘Sure, you look a little pale’ his friend persisted.
Jacob gave him a cold hard stare.
‘Whatever’ Josh shrugged, ‘not my problem.’
‘Why do you have to always poke your nose into other people’s business?’ Alex said from across the table, jabbing an accusing finger in Josh’s direction. ‘Don’t you know when to leave it alone?’
‘Hey!’ Josh argued. ‘I said it’s not my problem.’
The canteen now was brimming with people getting their lunch and talking loudly. As each person speaking contributed, it sounded as one continuous indistinguishable noise over the clatter of knives and forks. People cued at vending machines, some sat in large groups at the tables, a few on their own trying to revise.
‘Have you just come in then?’ Alex asked Jacob between slurps from his carton of orange juice.
‘Sort of, I've only had one lecture…only half an hour though. Just a revision class. Listen, you wanna go outside?’
‘Hold on I've nearly finished!’ Josh shovelled the last few forkfuls of chips into the hole in his face. ‘Ok, I'm done.’
They passed a small group of giggling girls on the way out, sitting around a table by the wall, some sitting on the table itself to see the others better.
‘So what did he say?’
‘Well he insisted on meeting me after class.’ Lauralie answered her friend hesitantly, ‘but I don’t think I’ll be there.’
‘But why not?!’ Christina demanded. ‘He’s totally hot.’
‘But he’s still with someone’ Lauralie replied flatly.
‘And? If you play your cards right he might pick you instead of her. Hell if you don’t want him…’
‘You can have him’ Lauralie said over the laughter of her others friends beside her who carried on in their own discussion. ‘He’s not my type.’
‘I don’t know what your problem is’ Christina replied sulkily. ‘Everyone has a type, but not you. You don’t like anyone.’
‘Hey it’s not like that’ Lauralie argued. ‘I like some people.’
‘Really? Who do you like now? And they have to be in this college, they can’t be famous.’
‘Well…I can’t really say’ Lauralie blushed.
‘Oh yeah?’ Christina leaned towards her. ‘Name me a single guy you stuck with for more than two months.’
‘Ray…’
‘Ray?’
‘Yeah.’
‘How long ago was that?’ Christina asked.
‘Uuuhhh.’
Christina grabbed her round the shoulders with an arm and shook her.
‘Ooohhhh’ she teased. ‘You're terrible, you’ll never change you know that?’
Outside the college, in a home not too far away, was a girl sitting inside, alone on her bed with her shoes on. She was seventeen in age and dressed all in black. Her black hair was cut into a bob, and she wore a short-sleeve black top and a long black skirt. Though pretty she had rather plain features, with large hazel eyes and a little button nose.
The bed in her room was against the wall next to the open window, and on the floor were several large boxes left open and half unpacked. They were filled mostly with old toys she had collected from her younger days. A faded multicolour train, a puppet and a pack of tarot cards worn from regular use was in one of the boxes. In one of the other boxes was a bookshelf dismantled, alongside old books of fairy tales and fantasy, her favourite picture of a meadow, and a bedside lamp made of seashells.
As a breeze lifted suddenly through the window, Ebony leaned on the sill, ignoring the rest of the room.
‘Such a big town, she whispered, ‘I'm not used to this kind of space.’
She saw a small group outside her house crossing the road. They were talking and laughing with one another. Ebony felt a twinge of jealously, and sadness.
She sighed and leant back, falling against the bed and staring up at the ceiling unmoving for some time. Then when she became uncomfortable, she rolled on her side, staring at the open box that contained her soft toys. Something stood out to her then, one of her favourite toys. It resembled a cat-like creature, with little wings and a long tail. It was something she won in a fare some time in her past, with someone she used to know. The toy carried many happy memories with it, that’s why it was one of her favourites.
Ebony rose from the bed and took it. Holding it in her hands she stared at it intently.
‘I wonder what's it’s like to have some company again’ she said.
Then just like that, as if it was the most normal thing in the world, the toy came to life.
First its ears twitched, then its whiskers. And then it sprang into animation, leaping out of her hands and into the air.
‘Where am I?’ the toy said at it landed on the bed.
‘This is my bedroom’ Ebony replied with a smile.
‘Who are you?’
‘I am your creator’
‘My creator?’
‘Yes.’
‘….mother?’ the toy asked, cocking its head in the most curious way.
Ebony smiled again. ‘Yes, I suppose I could be called your mother.’
The toy turned its head and flew to the window, levitating in the air.
‘It’s nice outside’ it said.
‘Anything is nicer than in here.’ Ebony huffed, turning away.
‘You don’t like it in here?’ the toy asked returning to her side.
Ebony sighed forlorn and hugged her pillow.
‘I'm supposed to like it in here, any normal person would.’
‘You mean you're different?’
‘I'm not an ordinary person’ Ebony continued.
‘Are you a guardian?’ the toy asked her curiously.
Ebony gave the toy a glance.
Of course it knows what a guardian is; it’s absorbed some of my thoughts and intelligence.
‘No’ Ebony explained, ‘I'm something else.’ She leaned towards the window again, watching the clouds go by. ‘I don’t want to be alone. Would you stay with me and keep me company?’
The toy stared at her back, expression never changing.
‘I will.’
&
nbsp; Downstairs were Ebony’s parents by adoption. Ebony had never been told about her real parents, and in the end she had stopped asking.
They were both still unpacking boxes, squabbling amongst themselves about what should go where and which box out of the many stacked up they should unpack next.
Ebony stood halfway down the stairs watching them. After several minutes of not being noticed she spoke.
‘When’s dinner ready?’
‘Don’t know’ her adopted mother replied without looking up. ‘Why don’t you go outside and play, get used to this place. I'm sure it’s lovely.’ She ignored her further as she carried a stack of books across the room and placed them where she wanted.
‘But I'm frightened’ Ebony told her. ‘I'm scared people want to hurt me.’
‘Don’t be stupid’ her adopted father retorted, laughing at the absurdity of it. ‘Why would you say a thing like that?’
‘Because!’ Ebony shouted in frustration.
Neither of them rose to it, which infuriated her even more. No matter what she said to them or how much she screamed, neither seemed to even notice.
‘I'm going back to my room’ she said, not caring for a reply.
‘Could you take that box with you when you go?’ her adopted mother asked.
But Ebony had already slammed her bedroom door shut.
‘They couldn’t see me?’ the toy asked her, having followed her down and back to her room.
‘No.’ Ebony went over to the bed again and collapsed onto it. ‘Only those with magic can see you.’ She sat up and held her knees, shoes again on the bed, though she didn’t care.
‘Does that mean they can’t see you either?’ the toy asked coming to rest on her shoulder.
‘It means they barely notice me.’
Ebony gazed out of the window again, like she had done so often already in the short time she had been here in this new home.
‘I'm tired of running’ she pleaded to the air. ‘I just wish someone would save me from this cycle. I wish it so badly…’
Lucas stared at the card his brother had put down, placing his own on top of it.
