The List 71-75

Obsession, Mischief Managed, I Can't, Are You Challenging Me?, Mirror

#71 Obsession

            Once she was dismissed by her mistress, Akida ran through the dimly lit corridors of the dark castle. She only stopped when she reached the balcony that overlooked the entrance to the castle. That was where she would wait. He was due back before the day's end. It might be hours before he returned, but that mattered not. She would wait.

            She had not waited long when she saw him arrive with three of the four Heartless guards he had taken with him. She remained on the second floor, watching him walk down the hallway from the railing. She did not leave until he entered the throne room and she could not longer see him. She ran down one of the long corridors and down the smaller spiral staircase.

            It would be another hour before Riku walked out of the throne room. He dismissed the Heartless guards and turned down a corridor. He entered his bed chamber to find Akida waiting for him. She got up from the chair, staring at him.

            "What are you doing in here, Akida?" he asked, sounding annoyed, and took off his cloak.

            "I was waiting for you."

            He tossed his cloak onto another chair. Crossing his arms, he lowered his eyes.

            "What do you want?"

            Akida took a step toward him.

            "Will you come to my bed tonight?" she whispered.

            Riku kept his eyes from her and took a deep breath.

            "No."

            "Riku..."

            Akida brushed her fingers along his arm, but he quickly pulled away.

            "Akida, stop."

            She backed away.

            "What's changed?" she asked, showing the beginning signs anger. "Why don't you want me anymore?"

            "I think it's time for you to leave."

            Riku grasped her arm and led her to the door.

            "You can't deny it forever." she smiled.

            He pushed her out of the door, shut it, and bolted it. From the other side, he heard her laughing. Akida leaned back against the door.

            "You have to give into it sooner or later. You'll want me again before long."

            Riku threw his fist against the door. Akida continued to laugh.

            "I can wait as long as you want. You'll want me again! It's inevitable!"

            Her voice lowered.

            "You'll see."

 

 

#72 Mischief Managed

            "Are we sure we want to do this?" Kim whispered, following Charlie around the bushes.

            "Piper gets to take a day trip to court to drive the extra nail into Simon's coffin. Why shouldn't we get to have some fun?" Charlie answered, making her way to the back of the house.

            Reluctantly, Kim followed.

            "What if they catch us?"

            Charlie turned to face Kim.

            "Kim, you used to live here. What are the chances of your grandparents catching us?"

            "Slim to none..."

            Charlie nodded and headed for the backyard.

            "That's not the point." Kim whined.

            Charlie stood in the dark backyard, looking up at the windows on the second floor.

            "Which room is his?"

            "Charlie..."

            "The man made your life a living hell." she said, still looking for the right window. "All you're doing is returning the favor."

            "I don't think I can do this."

            Once again, Charlie turned to face Kim.
            "The man demanded incest from you."

            Kim blinked twice and her entire demeanor changed. She narrowed her eyes and stood up straight. She pointed to the second window on the first floor.

            "That one."

            Charlie grinned sinisterly, rubbing her hands together.

            Within an hour, three cop cars were parked outside the house. Kim and Charlie hid in the bushes as Richard was escorted out of the house in handcuffs. A policeman read him his rights.

            "How long do you think he'll get?" Charlie whispered.

            "Knowing my uncle, he probably had enough alcohol in his room to totally piss off his parole officer, and enough cocaine in there to get him at least a few years."

            The two women tried to contain their laughter. They stepped out from behind the bushes to watch.

            Richard was walked over to one of the cars. Just before he got in, he caught a glimpse of someone he knew. Looking again, Kim and Charlie smiled and waved.

            "You've got to be shitting me..."

            The cop closed the door on Richard's astonished face.

            Kim and Charlie pulled their hoods on and turned to walk down the street. They stopped only for a small victory dance and headed down the block toward the car.

 

 

#73 I Can't

            Tikki rolled over in her bed when she felt a small rock collide with her head. She was prepared to yell at the culprit until she saw Brett standing at her open window. He mouthed an apology and she got up from her bed.

            "What are you doing here?" she whispered, leaning on the sill of the window.

            "Come with me." he answered.

            Tikki shook her head with a smile.

            "Not tonight, I'm tired. And I have penance early tomorrow morning-"

            "No Tikki," he said as if correcting himself, "come with me."

            She took a good look at him through the darkness. He seemed different. He looked somewhat flustered, but at the same time set in his way. As if he had come to some grand decision and could not contain it any longer. But it bordered on appearing crazed almost.

            "I don't-"

            "Come away with me."

            Tikki took a deep breath. Brett took one her hands.

            "Away?" her voice grew soft.

            "Leave with me, tonight. We'll take one of your motor-bicycle-things and just go." he leaned in closer to her. "We'll just keep riding and leave all this behind."

            "Brett... what are you talking about?"

            "I'll take care of you. We'll get away from everything. From clans and magic and Elders and all this fighting."

            Tikki slipped her hand from Brett's grip and pulled back slightly. She struggled for something, anything, to say.

            "What about my home? My family? I have a responsibility to Pyro." she paused. "What about Kenny and Damien?"

            Brett cleared his throat.

            "It'll be a lot to sacrifice, but once we got it won't matter."

            "Brett-"

            "I can't lose you Tikki." he said on the verge of tears. "And if we stay. I know I will."

            Neither of them could speak. Brett waned to take her in his arms.

            "I can't..." she whispered.

            The tears came. No matter how hard he tried to hold them back, they came.

            "Tikki... please..."

            She stood up and took a step back.

            "I can't..."

            She turned and left her bedroom, leaving Brett standing outside her window.

            Tikki threw on her jacket and rushed out of her house. She did not go to Brett though. She knew he was watching as she ran for the temple.

            I can't... but I want to...

 

 

#74 Are You Challenging Me?

            "What is it that you want Edward?"
            "Fifteen years." Edward growled, gripping one of Danielle's arms. "He's fifteen years older than you."

            Danielle snatched her arm away, bringing her face close to Edward's.

            "And he loves me." she growled back.

            "Danielle!"

            She turned and left Edward under the arch that led to the courtyard when she heard her father's voice. Edward's face reddened with anger as the Duke entered the courtyard. He watched as the man's lips met Danielle's hand. She blushed. Deep in the pit of his very being, Edward longed to have the power to cause her to change such colors.

            Sir Wilcott said something that he could not hear and left. Edward's fury exploded, for as soon as Sir Wilcott disappeared, the Duke's lips moved from Danielle's hand to her lips. Allowing his sudden burst of anger to guide him, he strode out from under the arch and approached the two. The Duke saw him first and took a step back from Danielle.

            "Edward?"

            He could not hear her though. He marched directly up to the Duke and took something out from his vest pocket.

            "Sir." he scowled and the slapped the Duke across the face with his brown leather glove.

            The Duke took a moment to register what had just happened, blinking a few times. He cleared his throat. Danielle had gasped, covering her mouth with her hands and widening her eyes. Adjusting his coat, the Duke turned his face back to Edward.

            "I accept." he smirked.

            Edward nodded and stepped back.

            "For Danielle's hand." he said.

            The Duke looked over at Danielle, who was still frozen in shock.

            "That's already spoken for."

            "What gives you the right to claim sole possession of her!?"

            "Edward, please."

            "If she wishes to decline my offer, she need but say so."

            Edward glanced over at Danielle. She could not find anything to say. She merely stood there, her eyes traveling between the two men.

            "I believe she's made her choice."

            Not bothering to look back at Edward, the Duke began to walk away.

            "No, sir, I don't believe so." Edward snarled, quickly pulling out a pistol.

            "No!"

            Danielle moved in front of the Duke. The man turned back around to see the barrel of the pistol aimed at Danielle. He stood still, not wanting to provoke Edward into squeezing the trigger.

            Edward could do nothing but stare at Danielle, a great despair gripping at his heart. Lowering the pistol, he looked away from her and left the courtyard. He would not return.

 

 

#75 Mirror

            As soon as the ambulance pulled away, Willow opened the trap door in the hall closet and came down from the small attic. She stood in the hallway, staring into the darkness of the bedroom.

            The ambulance pulled up to the hospital and the stretcher was unloaded. The EMT's wheeled him in. They explained to the nurses what had happened.

            The call came from the house. At first, no one spoke on the other end. Finally, a voice told the operator that an ambulance was needed. When the police and ambulance arrived, they found him on the bedroom floor surrounded by the large shattered mirror. They did not find the young lady who had made the call.

            Slowly, Willow walked into the bedroom. She stood in the darkness for a couple of minutes before reaching for the dimmer switch. She kept the light faint. Taking a step forward, she heard a piece of glass crunch under her foot. She stood still again.

            A few hours went by and he was wheeled out of the operating room. He was put in a room, still unconscious. They had been able to remove all the broken pieces of glass and stop the internal bleeding. The only thing that worried the doctors was the head trauma he had suffered when she mirror fell on him.

            Willow finally moved, crouching down over the broken mirror. She could hear the rain begin to fall harder outside. She went to pick up a piece of shattered mirror. Though her hands were no longer shaking, the piece still slipped from her and sliced one of her fingers. She recoiled in pain, only coming to a stop when she saw drops of her blood on the pieces of glass on the floor.

            He had started it. It was his fault. He picked a fight with her. He had dragged his piss drunk a*s upstairs. He had started screaming at her. What else could she do? She had to fight back. Who would believe her though? He had claimed to be clean, and, for some reason, everyone believed him. Who would believe that she, who had voiced a personal vendetta against her father, had no part in how a full sized mirror just happened to topple on top of him? She had to admit that she had fought back harder than necessary. Who would listen when she said he deserved it?

            Despite her bleeding finger, Willow picked up another, larger piece of mirror. Holding it up, she looked at her reflection.

            Outside, three cops cars rolled up to the house. He had woken up.

            Every ounce of emotion was drained from her when she realized that it wasn't her reflection.

            The police opened the front door and called out her name.

            The reflection was his.