Archaic

by Regan Ure

  Everything was starting to settle down into a nice, boring routine, completely drama-free. Finally, I started to relax.

  Friday morning I was walking toward my locker to get my books for my first two classes. Someone bumped into me hard on the shoulder as they walked past me in the hallway. I looked back to see the person and only saw a tall guy dressed in jeans and a maroon hoodie. I couldn't see his face, because the hoodie was covering it. Brushing it off, I continued to my locker.

  The rest of the day flew by just as quickly. I was so glad it was Friday, the start of the weekend. I actually had a skip in my step as I walked to the bus stop. I was looking forward to relaxing at home and getting stuck into the puzzle I'd been putting off.

  I got off the bus down the road and started to walk the short distance to my house. I glanced over my shoulder and saw another person walking behind me. Immediately, I recognized the boy in the maroon hoodie from school who had bumped into me earlier. His features were still hidden by the hood, though, and I couldn't make out his face.

  A cold chill slithered down my spine. This wasn't good... something just didn't feel right. I turned around and started to walk a little faster. Casting a quick glance over my shoulder, I noticed that the stranger sped up to keep pace with me.

  Fear gripped me. I knew I was in trouble. I made it to the front of my house when he grabbed me from behind and spun me around. I was about to scream, but the noise died in my throat when I took in the boy's features.

  At first I thought I was hallucinating. He looked like Jared--not just similar, but almost exactly like Jared. Instead of raven-black hair, though, this boy had sun-streaked blond hair. Cold, deep blue eyes stared back at me instead of warm green ones. He would almost be an exact replica of Jared but for the different coloring in his sharp features.

  He smiled, but it never reached his eyes. It was a cold, cruel smile. That was the moment I realized what he was: he was a Hue, a psychopath. That was what Jared had called them. Limited emotions, no conscience, no guilt. I was scared. I'd never been so scared in my life. I knew this boy in front of me could kill me with a smile on his face and feel no remorse.

  "Please," I managed to whisper. I didn't try to struggle or get away. There wasn't any point. If he wanted to hurt me he would. No one was going to be able to help me. I was defenseless against a powerful Hue.

  His smile widened as the depths of his eyes held me. I was transfixed and I couldn't look away. The irises in his eyes lightened to silver as pain exploded through my body from his hands, which held my arms in a vice-like grip. My legs buckled and he released me as I slumped to the ground. It was agony. I was so consumed with the pain that seared through my body that I could barely make a sound. The last memory I had before I fell into the darkness was of now-black, empty eyes and a smile above me while I writhed in agony.

  My head was pounding and it hurt to breathe, so I tried to take shallow breaths. I tried to lift my hand to touch my head but couldn't move. I groaned.

  "No!" an angry voice exclaimed. It sounded familiar, but the fuzziness in my head made it hard to recognize.

  I tried to open my eyes but couldn't. My throat felt raw and I struggled to swallow. I felt like I'd been hit by a truck. Every muscle in my body was aching with pain. I whimpered.

  "Ava!" I must have been hallucinating, because it sounded like Jared.

  I felt a hand touch my face. The slight touch made the memories of my attack flood back. Fear gripped me, but I couldn't move. My body wouldn't obey.

  "No more," I begged softly.

  "I've got you," I heard Jared whisper to me. His voice was hoarse with emotion. It was definitely Jared, giving me a sudden feeling of safety. I tried to talk to him, but my body wouldn't respond. The pain was too much. I couldn't hold on anymore. I let go and the darkness descended, giving me relief.

  I slowly woke up to a dull pounding in my head. I was still in pain. I opened my eyes and looked around. My vision was blurry, so I closed my eyes again quickly, taking another deep breath before l let them flutter open. My eyes began to focus. Moonlight was streaming through the open windows. I was alone in a bedroom, which I recognized instantly as Jared's. I was lying on his bed with a checkered blue blanket covering me.

  I pushed the blanket down. Everything hurt. I glanced down to see that I was in my bra and panties. Where were my clothes? With a great amount of effort, I tried to sit up. The pain was so bad that I bit down on my lip to stifle a scream. I swung my legs to the side of the bed and then I tried to stand up, but the pain was too much. I collapsed back onto the bed with a soft whimper as the movement jolted my body and a new wave of agony flowed through me. I lay back down and closed my eyes, trying to breathe through it.

  I heard the door open and I heard footsteps. I opened my eyes, but my vision blurred again.

  "You need to take it easy," Jared advised softly as he lifted me and laid me down in the middle of the bed. He gently pulled the blanket over me.

  "It hurts too much," I whispered as another wave of pain hit. I bit down on my lip to keep from screaming out.

  "Shh," he soothed. I felt him pull the blanket down and I felt his hands on my forehead and my stomach. Warmth from his hands flowed from his fingers into my body. The pain dulled as the warmth flowed through my body, gently lulling me back to sleep.

  The next time I opened my eyes, Jared was still there, sitting in a chair next to the bed. He leaned forward as my eyes shifted to meet his. This time the pain wasn't as bad, but I still felt like I had gone ten rounds with a heavyweight boxer.

  "I feel awful," I moaned as I stared at him. He looked as awful as I felt. He looked like he hadn't slept. There were dark bags under his eyes, and he looked as if he'd been to hell and back. With concerned eyes, he took my hand into his and held it gently.

  "What's the time?" I asked.

  "Late," he replied.

  I thought of Anne; she would come home and wouldn't know where I was. She would be worried.

  "Anne!" I panicked and tried to move. He stood up and gently pushed me back down. "Don't worry. She thinks you're sleeping over at a friend's."

  I gave him a questioning look. "I'll explain later," was the only response I got.

  He sat back down and took my hand into his. His touch was gentle.

  "Do you remember what happened?" he questioned quietly while gently rubbing my hand with his.

  "Yes." I didn't want to remember, but I did. I tried to keep my emotions in check, but I couldn't stifle the sob that escaped. Tears began to stream down my face as I struggled to calm myself down. Was it shock or the realization that I nearly died that flooded through me? Either way, I couldn't hold it together anymore.

  The bed dipped and I felt Jared gather me up in his arms and place me on his lap. His chin rested on the top of my head as he gently rocked me back and forth while I cried. The warmth of his arms around me as he held me close comforted me. My hands held his shirt as I let the tears flow.

  Someone I'd never met had tried to hurt me. Had the intention been to just inflict pain, or had it been his intention to kill?

  It felt like forever before I managed to calm down. Even when I stopped crying he held me and continued to rock me back and forth. The soothing motion made me feel safely cocooned in his arms and I didn't want to move. I was tired. I could feel my heavy eyelids begin to close.

  There was a gentle knock at the door when I'd just closed my eyes.

  "Come in," he whispered while he held me close.

  "I just wanted to see how she's doing," I heard Catherine say from the doorway.

  "I think she's sleeping," he said, then he shifted slightly. I could feel his gaze on my face. I listened, but kept my eyes closed.

  "Sleep is good for her. It'll help with the healing process. You need to get some sleep as well. Healing her has drained you." I could hear the concern in her voice. She was worried about him.

  "I can't leave her," he spoke softly and held me tighter.

  "It wasn
't your fault," his mother consoled him. Jared remained quiet while he continued to rock me.

  "Try and get some sleep." Then I heard the door close. After a few minutes, I drifted off to sleep.

  It was dark when I resurfaced again. I had a headache. I moved my body slightly--most of the pain was gone, and all I felt now was a dull ache. I felt an arm tighten around my waist. I could feel the rise and fall caused by Jared's breathing as I lay with my head on his chest.

  Someone had dressed me in a T-shirt and sweatpants. I was lying with half of my body draped over him and my leg tangled with his, my other arm protectively tucked around his waist. I slowly lifted my head and looked at his sleeping face. He was gorgeous. I wanted to trace the outlines of his face, but I didn't want him to wake up.

  I remembered bits and pieces of what had happened. I remembered the attack and Jared holding me while I cried. The way he'd acted--it was like he actually cared about me. I didn't want to think that maybe it was the guilt of what had happened to me that made him feel responsible, and that was why he had taken care of me.

  I lay my head back down on his chest. I breathed him in, realizing I had it bad for this complicated boy.

  The next time I opened my eyes, I was alone. For a moment I thought it had all been a dream. Then I realized I was in Jared's room. It was early morning because I could see the sunrise through a gap in the curtains. Sitting up, I noticed the pain was completely gone. I didn't know how I had gone from such unspeakable agony to nothing overnight. I vaguely remembered Jared putting his hands on me, and the warmth before the pain had eased. I remembered Jared's conversation with Catherine and something about him healing me. He'd healed me. He'd saved my life. If it hadn't been for him, I was pretty sure I wouldn't have recovered. The thought that I could have died brought my thoughts back to the attack. My attacker looked just like Jared except for his coloring, but how was that possible? Jared had never mentioned a sibling. Obviously Jared hadn't told me everything.

  Slowly I shifted out of the bed and stood up. I walked into his ensuite bathroom and went to look at myself in the mirror. My breath caught in my lungs as I stared at my reflection in the mirror. Although I felt fine, I looked awful. I thought Jared looked terrible last night, but I looked worse. There were dark rings under my eyes. No amount of makeup could cover up those.

  Hearing a noise behind me I looked into the mirror to see Jared standing behind me. He still wore the clothes he'd worn yesterday. Our eyes met.

  "I didn't mean for you to wake up alone," he said. Gone was the self-assured, egotistical boy, and in his place stood a quiet and unsure one. I was momentarily taken aback.

  "It's okay," I assured him, turning around to face him. He stepped forward and tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear.

  "It's not okay." His eyes searched mine.

  I felt there was more behind those words than just the fact he hadn't been there when I had woken up.

  "You hungry?" he asked. I shook my head.

  "Are you in any pain?" I shook my head again.

  "You still need to take it easy," he instructed as he took my hand and led me out of the bathroom. I got back into his bed and settled with my back against the headboard. He pulled the covers up to my chest and sat down on the bed, directly across from me.

  "I know you have lots of questions, but I need to ask some important ones first." I nodded my head.

  "I need you to tell me what happened. Every detail," he insisted. His expression serious.

  "It started at school in the morning--"

  "At school?" he asked with a frown. He ran his hand through his hair.

  "Yes."

  "What happened at school?" he demanded with a fierce look in his eyes.

  "It was nothing, really. I was just walking to my locker and someone bumped into me. It was a guy with a maroon hoodie. I couldn't see his face. Honestly I never thought much of it."

  I couldn't look at him when I continued with the next part of my story, so I kept my eyes fixed on the edge of the blanket I was fiddling with. "I got off the bus as usual. It was only when I started walking toward my house that I realized someone was following me. I turned and saw the boy in the maroon hoodie. I started to walk faster because there was just something about him that made me nervous." I paused as my eyes moved to see his fists tighten. He was struggling to keep his anger under control.

  "I walked faster, but he caught up with me. I just made it to my house when he grabbed me. He turned me around and I saw his face."

  Jared held his breath. "His face looked exactly like yours. The only difference was that his hair was blond, his eyes were blue and he was pale."

  He stood up and backed away from me. I'd never seen him so angry, like he was about to lose it. I felt the power starting to build up the air around him. The hairs on my arms stood up as I watched him. This was nothing like what I'd seen in the clearing that night.

  My first instinct was to calm him down. Any normal person would have climbed under the bed and stayed there, but I jumped out of bed and walked toward him. He closed his eyes and I could see the struggle in his features. His chest rose and fell.

  "Jared," I whispered. He opened his eyes and the usual green there had turned silver. The sight took me back to my attack. My attacker's eyes had done the same. I could feel electrical energy swirl around him. I was about to touch his hand when he pulled away and hissed, "Don't touch me."

  I flinched and backed away from him. That seemed to be enough to snap him out of his rage. After a couple of minutes he regained control and he closed his eyes. The electricity that had been swirling around him had vanished. Everything was calm.

  "Ava," he said quietly as he stepped toward me. This time when he opened his eyes they were their usual green color. I backed away from him feeing hurt. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."

  He took another step toward me. I took another step back, still feeling hurt.

  "If you touch me when I'm harnessing energy it will channel into you through the physical connection. That much energy in a human would be deadly; it could kill you. That's what I suspect happened to you, though he didn't use enough energy," he explained, sounding a little puzzled at the last sentence.

  Did that mean he hadn't meant to kill me? Then what exactly had been his motive? Had it been to just inflict pain? Because if that had been his motive, he had succeeded. It had been the most painful experience of my short life.

  He took another step forward. He was standing directly in front of me. Gently, he touched my hand, and I didn't pull away from him.

  "There's a lot I'm sorry about," he whispered as he stared at our touching hands. I just stood there, unable to think with him touching my hand so gently.

  "You need to finish telling me what happened and then I will be able to explain everything to you." He led me to the bed and we both sat down.

  I cleared my throat and started where I had left off. "Like I said before, he looked just like you, but blond, blue-eyed and paler. I remembered the strangers in the clearing that night and how you had explained to me the physical attributes of a Hue. Then I realized what he was. I knew I couldn't fight him. He just smiled, and then all I felt was an unbearable pain. That's all I can remember." I shuddered when I remembered the pain. "I must have blacked out because I don't remember anything after that."

  There--I'd told him all the details about my attack and it was his turn to explain why my attacker looked like his twin.

  CHAPTER TEN

  "I was held up at school so I was late in getting home," he said, pausing for a moment before letting out a deep breath. "I should've called one of the others to watch over you until I got home but I didn't think I was going to be so late."

  It was hard to be reminded of it.

  "You were in really bad shape when I reached you. I saw you crumpled on the ground in front of your house. I called the others and we all took shifts healing you in the first couple of hours."

  I didn't remember that. Vaguel
y I remember Jared finding me. I remembered him saying, "I got you" and then he had picked me up.

  "I didn't think I was going to make it," I whispered. I thought I was going to die. He looked at me and I could see guilt written all over his face.

  "Who is he, Jared? And why does he look like you?" It was time for him to come clean.

  "It's a long story."

  "You owe me an explanation," I stated, not allowing him to think there was any way I was going to accept anything but the whole truth. No more bits and pieces; he was going to tell me everything.

  He sighed and let go of my hands. I didn't say anything while I waited for him to start.

  "I explained how it all started and the direct descendants from the first humans to come into contact with the meteor crash site. Descendants were born from Archaic and Hue."

  I nodded my head.

  He stopped for a moment. He ran his hand through his hair. His mannerisms were more agitated and I had a feeling it had to do with what he needed to tell me next. I reached out and covered his hand with mine. His eyes held mine.

  "My mom was raped by a Hue Descendant," he told me next.

  I was stunned and speechless. It explained the anger festering just below the surface that he'd been struggling with. Being told how evil the Hue were was one thing but hearing about their crimes was something else entirely. Killing human babies, rape--it was like they were built up out of the worst parts of the human race and more.

  "Archaic and Hue are sworn enemies so there has never been an occurrence of a child produced from an Archaic and a Hue. My mom became pregnant," he explained. "We think the reason she was targeted was because she was an Archaic Descendant."

  He paused for a moment.

  "We think they were trying to build stronger descendants by combining both the genetics of an Archaic Descendant with a Hue Descendant."

  "Are children born from parents who are both Archaic Descendants stronger?" I asked, trying to follow the logic of what he was saying.