Chapter 9

 

“Phillip!”

     A loud shriek came from behind Chloe and she looked over her shoulder to see a petite young woman running towards her with her arms open wide.

     Confused over this girls reaction Chloe stepped to the side out of the path as the girl ran past her and collided into Phillips arms.

     Chloe stood to the side smiling at the tender moment that they were sharing right there in front of her. Phillip hugged the small girl close to him closing his eyes and burying his face in her long brown hair.

     “I have missed you so much sister.”

     “And I you brother. It has been too long and you should never have left. Name must be so pleased to see you and Pesha must be very happy to see you.” The way the girl smiled at Phillip and pushed him with her hip made Chloe jealous. Who was this Pesha and why would she be so happy to see Phillip?

     Chloe, tired of being ignored, walked around Phillip’s sister and boldly took his hand lacing her fingers in his. She was pleased when Phillip’s chest puffed up in a prideful admission that Chloe was with him.

     “Melita, my sister, may I present my lumina, Chloe.”

     Melita stood staring at Chloe with a glare that unnerved Chloe. Taking in every inch of Chloe from her head to her toes Melita walked around Chloe and Phillip sizing up this new person that had intruded into their lives.

     “Hmm. She is very pretty brother. I do not know how Pesha is going to handle this, but if you really believe she is your lumina then Pesha will deal with it.”

     Stopping in front of the pair Melita put her hands on her slender hips and let out a gentle sigh. Holding her hands to the sky Melita walked over and embraced Chloe.

     “Welcome Chloe, to our humble little camp. Let me show you where you will be sleeping tonight. Close to me, very close. Do mind your wandering eyes for you do not want to be noticed here tonight.”

     Glancing back at a helpless Phillip, Chloe was led to a small camp just behind Nama’s wagon. Phillip just shrugged his shoulders as he lifted one hand and silently waved goodbye. To her dismay Phillip turned and walk away towards the group of men.

     “Don’t worry Chloe. My brother will not let you be far from his side. This camp is full of dogs and my brother is very territorial about his lumina. He will be sleeping next to us but for now he must attend to his business.”

     “Why are you guys’ referring to me as lumina?”

     Melita stopped rummaging through the sacks that lay strewn about on the floor. “Lumina means light. For some reason my idiot brother thinks you are his lumina. His light that will bring him from the darkness that surrounds his life. I don’t know what it is that you have done but you have rattled him. He has never in all these years brought home a stranger.”

     “All these years? Why does he leave?” Eager to gain as much knowledge about Phillip as possible Chloe was hoping Melita was willing to give her what she desperately needed.

     “Some questions are better left for Phillip to answer. Just know that he feels you are the answer to everything for him. It may not seem like it but you have changed his life.”

     “He must be crazy then. We are just… just…” Chloe trailed off. It dawned on her. What the hell was she thinking? The idiocy of the journey that she had agreed to came to a new light. There was something dark about Phillip and she knew it was going to kill her sooner or later and she had agreed to go find answers. Followed him into a dark forest and here there were most likely amongst others like him.

     “Just what Chloe?”

     “I don’t know we are just enjoying a small vacation. There is nothing wrong with that.”

     “Fine, fine. I can handle that. So why did you come here? Why did you come here with my brother tonight?”

     “We are going to see someone name Nikolai.”

     Melita stopped digging through the sacks and did a one-eighty.

     “If you cherish your current life turn back now, this will be your only warning. Everyone here would love to see changes for Phillip but I would never condone anyone to this life.”

     “This life? I don’t see anything wrong with this life you live. I sit at home with parents who barely even recognize I am here. I can never get out and see the world because I am stuck at home with nothing, with no one but my parents. Telling me how to sit, how to talk, and what’s proper.” A deep anger grew within Chloe and she didn’t understand it. All she knew was this warning from Melita was unwelcomed.

     “You are lucky to have such a mortal life. You are lucky to know your parents. Mine were taken from me the day I was born. Our life is always going from camp to camp. Searching for food and running. You do not want this life and you will regret not taking this chance to run.”

     The callousness in her voice startled Chloe and she really took the time to look at Melita. Her wild brown locks were tossed about her face but the intensity that she found behind Melita’s hazel eyes frightened her. The finality in her words ended the warning and Melita turned and grabbed a sack and walked towards the small fire on the other side of the camp. Chloe sat there staring after Melita and knew that she had made her decision that fateful day when she decided she wanted answers.

     Chloe walked to the fire and sat on the opposite side from Melita. The distance helped to clear the air from the earlier discussion and gave her a much needed reprieve from the day’s events. The fire leapt at the night air dancing and swaying in the breeze.