Relations

Barrick looked blankly at me for a moment; then his Aura turned a dark magenta. He ordered me to stay in the back room, and then left to take care of the mess I had made only moments before. He was gone for little more than ten minutes before he re-emerged from the store. He said nothing at first, simply pulled up a chair and faced me with a look of deep concern upon his face. His Aura was almost unreadable; he had controlled it down to a faint periwinkle that gave little to no clue at what he was thinking. I hated it when he shut me out like that.

                “You say she is a singer?” He said nonchalantly.

                I gaped at him. “What does that matter? She just up and told me that she was a Semien. Without making sure that I was one too!”

                He nodded. “Not a conservative Master at all. Did she mention his name?”

                “What? No. No, she asked if I had one, but she didn’t say anything about hers.” I shook my head and tried to wrangle my thoughts. I then looked up. “Why aren’t you a little more freaked out about this??”

                Barrick frowned. “I am, son. Make no mistake about that. However, keeping ourselves under control is imperative during this situation.”

                I took a deep breath. “How could this happen to me? I mean, I really liked her. Like, really liked her, you know?”

                “She is still a human being, Flynn.” Barrick reminded me. “Her being a Semien does not mean that you can’t enjoy being around her. But the other points of interest are the fact that not only is there a substantial Controller within this city who is controlling your Vice Principal, but that you can mysteriously control yourself around this girl. These things did not happen by coincidence.”

                “Then why?” I asked, “Why did she so freely say that she could see my Aura? Why didn’t she try to keep it a secret like we’re supposed to?”

                Barrick disregarded my questions, and sank deeply into thought. I knew better than to interrupt him; his mind was working in overdrive, and if I stopped the process, something invaluable could be lost. I amused myself by tracing patterns on the wood floor with my shoe. After a few minutes, Barrick got up again, and turned on the small television that he had on one of the bookshelves. Surprisingly, he turned it to MTV; who should be on the screen but Braydie MacLeod, singing at the top of her lungs. I suddenly had the strangest wish that a person’s Aura could be broadcast through television. I wanted to see what she was feeling when she sang her songs.

                “She may be what we’re looking for, after all.” Barrick muttered.

                I stared at him. “What do you mean?”

                Barrick glanced back at me. “Go back to school, Flynn. Look for this girl, but don’t approach her. If she comes to you, ask her who her Master is.”

                “Nothing else?” I asked incredulously.

                “You heard me.” He said in his tone, “Now go. This is an order.”

                I bent my head respectfully, though I wanted to argue some more. “Yes, Master.”

                I left the bookstore, feeling even more confused than I had before. I wanted straight answers for what was going on, but all I’d come away with were mumbles and severe orders coming from an otherwise open master. I trudged down to the subway, watching people as I passed them, envying their morbidly average lives. My own life had always been a little off, and recent events just served as a reminder of that fact.

                School was back in session by the time I got back to South Glen. I had to give the security guard my pass, and he had to triple check that I was a student there, just a bit late from going to an off-campus lunch. Then I got sent to my English class.

                Braydie was once more surrounded by her admirers, and I made a point of sitting as far from her as possible. Trey and Martin smirked at me in utter victory. No pretty girl for the dork. I simply opened my English book and began to skim over the chapter I should have read the previous night; then I ordered myself to forget about her.

                As if.

                After English, I made my way to the library, no daring to look around me. I had been told not to approach Braydie, though I sorely wanted to. I showed the librarian my ID, and then settled myself at one of the study nooks in the corner. I opened my math textbook and started in on the homework that I had been given that morning. The less homework I had to do at home meant more free time before practice.

                The chair beside my slid out and suddenly, there she was next to me. I stared at her and her stormy colored Aura. This was very out of character. Braydie’s fist was on the table, holding a pencil for dear life. I recognized the gesture as her trying to reign in her vastly overpowering emotions.

                “Braydie.” I commented, and then bent down over my homework.

                “You left me.” She snapped.

                I glanced at her. “You were pissing me off.”

                The pencil creaked. “No, I was trying to figure you out. I wanted to figure out how I can’t stay away from you.”

                Don’t approach her. If she comes to you, ask her who her Master is. I ran over the instructions in my mind, and then put my pen down. “Who’s your Master?”

                Braydie let out a fake, high pitched laugh. “I tell him I can’t stay away from him, and he asks me that.”

                “I just want to know.” I tried to say convincingly. It didn’t seem to work, because her mouth clamped shut and she silently fumed for a moment before finally relaxing her shoulders and taking a deep breath.

                “Listen to me, Mono.” She said slowly, as though talking to a child, “You and I need to figure this out. I have been physically ill since the day I first saw you, okay? And the only thing that feels normal anymore is being around you.”

                I blinked. “Physically ill?”

                “Barfing, genius.” She said. She sighed heavily and let go of the severely bent pencil. It wobbled down the table, and we both watched it go before she said, “I have a show in four days. Just a minor thing, but you have to be there.”

                “Or you’ll get sick?” I asked.

                “Exactly,” She assured me. “It’s the only explanation for what’s been going on. My Master wanted me to ask you the same question yours wanted you to ask me. This whole thing is so bogus.”

                I immediately thought of the sickening feelings I had had the previous hour, and throwing up in the bookstore. “Did you know what I was, when you first saw me?”

                She shrugged. “I sort of guessed. I figured that either you were a Semien, or just someone really mellow. But after lunch yesterday, I knew it.”

                A shudder ran through my spine. “I…uh, I got sick right after you talked to me. Right after I found out that you were a Semien too.”

                “What?!” Braydie shrieked. The librarian loudly shushed her, and she lowered her voice, “You think that’s because we were aware of each other?”

                I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

                She sat back. “Is there anything you do know?”

                “I know your Aura is out of control,” I growled. Indeed, her Aura had changed from stormy gray to explanative mint, to a wondering pink. As I made the crack, she went wryly orange.

                She sniffed at my comment and said, “Like I said, you’re there at my show in four days, and until then, I am sticking to you like glue.”

                I guffawed. “No, I don’t think so. In fact, I know so. There is no way I’m going to go along with you 24/7.”

                “Why? We’re going to be writhing in pain otherwise.” She insisted. “At least together we can do something besides vomiting our guts up.”

                I slammed my book shut, getting another warning glance from the librarian. “Listen, I don’t even know if that’s the case. Ok? It may have just been coincidence, or maybe we just have the stomach flu.”

                “And we feel better whenever we’re within twenty feet of each other?” She asked skeptically.

                She was right about that. But then again, that could just be another coincidence, right? I picked up my book and slid it into my bag, and then stood up cautiously. “Only one way to really find out then, huh?”

                Braydie snorted. “So what? You’re going to just walk away from me again? Maybe it just makes me sick, you think?”

                I ignored her, my curiosity piqued. I walked back past the librarian who gave me a glare that would have sent the Grim Reaper reeling. The hallways were pretty much empty, since everyone was supposed to be in class. I thanked God for study period, and then took myself down toward the office, thinking that I could maybe call Barrick and ask him to deal with her.

                About halfway there, my stomach dropped to the ground. I gasped, and instinctively cradled in midsection in my arms, dropping my bag in the process. My guts began to roil around, causing waves of nausea to crash over me. I felt the vomit begin the climb up my throat and I choked it back down. Good Lord, she was right.            

                “Mono!” Braydie called from down the hall. I heard footsteps, and no sooner than she was beside me did the cramps stop. I was suddenly fine, as though nothing had happened. I straightened up and stared at her. She shook her head, as though she couldn’t believe it either.

                “Is this supposed to happen?” I asked.

                Braydie shrugged, “I’ve never heard of anything like this. I think that’s why Archie wanted to know who your Master was. So that they could get together and find out what’s happening.”

                “Archie?” I asked, “Your gaurdian?”

                “No, my Master.” She said matter-of-factly. “He poses as my uncle to keep weird questions at bay. And don’t you dare tell anyone we’re not related.”

                I suddenly laughed. It struck me suddenly as very funny that Braydie and I were so much alike. She folded her arms and frowned, her Aura growing annoyed. I fought to keep myself under control, though my Aura was stubbornly calm as usual. “You have an uncle who’s not really your uncle…I have a father who’s not really my father.”

                She rolled her eyes and walked around me, toward the office. About ten feet away she stopped, waiting. “Aren’t you coming?”

                “Where?” I asked.

                “To call Archie.” She said, as though I was a dumbass for not thinking of it, “We can’t go to our next classes, because they’re across campus from each other. I’ll call Archie and tell him to pick us up.”

                I gaped. “What makes you think I trust you and your…uncle?”

                Braydie put her hands on her hips. “Think of it this way: what choice do you have?”

                A bit put out, I had to admit she was right. I nodded and followed after her. A hall monitor stopped us halfway to the office, but she let us pass when Braydie revealed that we might have the same stomach condition that caused us both to projectile vomit. The office was being manned by an intern. She was a petite girl who looked to be only a few years older than me. She said nothing when Braydie picked up the phone and began to dial.

                “Archie? This is Braydie.” She said, and then she rolled her eyes. “I know, but it’s just rude not to say who you are on a phone. Listen, I need to get picked up: me and Mono both. Yeah. Yeah, just what I thought. Ok, we’ll be out front.”

                 After she hung up, Braydie took my arm and steered me toward the front doors. I felt a slight thrill at her touch, then a thought popped into my head; “I should call my Dad.”

                “No, you shouldn’t. Archie will take you home so that you can pack, and you’ll tell him then.” Braydie explained, opening the double doors and pushing me outside.

                I regained my balance. “Wait. Pack? Why pack?”

                “We can’t be away from one another.” She said, “God, how many times do I have to explain it? You’ll have to come live at our place.”

                I laughed. “Ha. No. Over Barrick’s dead body. He’s not going to let me out of his sight, and you can bet on that. Why don’t we go to your place, and you pack?”

                “Same reason.” Braydie said, looking more than a little annoyed that things were not going according to her plan. “I guess this is why Semiens never get along.”

                “Maybe.” I said, leaning against one of the tall stone pillars that guarded the entrance to te school. We waited perhaps another two minutes before the long black limousine that Braydie had first arrived in pulled through the school gates and up to the curb. The man who I had initially thought was the chauffer jumped out of his seat and climbed the steps in less than thirty seconds. He was staring at me with a glare that made a chill run down my spine. His Aura was curious, bordering on the agitated.

                I was about to say hello, but then I realized I had no clue how to appropriately speak to another person’s Master. I didn’t want to get on his bad side first off. Braydie saved me: “Archie, this is Flynn. Mono, this is my Master, Archie Sinatra.”

                I nodded to him. “Hello, sir.”

                His Aura calmed a bit. “Your Master?”

                “Marcus Barrick.” I replied, wondering if Barrick was going to give me a tongue lashing because I gave his name to this complete stranger.

                Suddenly Archie’s face broke into a broad grin, his bright Aura breaking through the cold atmosphere that had at first enveloped him. I could sense his signature emotion was that of optimism, not unlike Braydie’s. “Marcus? I haven’t seen that old man in forty years!”

                I frowned. Archie looked like he was only in his late thirties, and Barrick was only a bit older. Forty years seemed like a jump. I shoved my hands into my pockets and said, “Barrick isn’t going to let me leave.”

                Archie raised his eyebrows. “I didn’t think so; but for Braydie’s sake, we will certainly try.”

                Braydie grinned smugly at me. I frowned at her, but followed her and Archie to the limo, where she and I slid into the back seat, and Archie took the driver’s seat. I’d never been in a limo before, and it was kind of fun. Not only did Braydie have a car phone, a TV, and a bar, but there was also a little pet bed tucked behind the front seats. I looked at it questioningly and Braydie explained; “That’s for Mercury. He’s my cat.”

                I rolled my eyes. “Thank God for that. I half expected a little purse dog.”

                Braydie frowned. “That’s so degrading. I hate it when I see those little dogs. Mercury is a free spirit, as you’ll see.”

                I sat back in the comfortable leather, and glanced outside. The windows were tinted so darkly on the outside that no one could tell that I was staring at them as we passed by; they did look at the limo anyway, since not many people in that neighborhood saw a car like that around every day. I noted their moods; like the rooftop gallery, there was a young couple in love walking hand in hand down the sidewalk. I suddenly thought of Braydie, and I blushed terribly.

                “You don’t like PDA?” Braydie asked.

                I blushed even deeper. “I’m cool with Public Displays of Affection. I just…feel a little uncomfortable.”

                “You don’t say,” Braydie said dryly, “Your Aura is as blank as usual.”

                I shook my head. “Not trying to be, really.”

                “I wonder what’s doing that.”

                I shrugged, keeping my thoughts to myself. Even with recent developments, I felt strongly drawn to Braydie in a horrendously personal way, and I didn’t need anything hinting at that nature leaking out of my mouth. Archie kept glancing in the rearview mirror; obviously even if he was a more liberal master as Barrick had hinted at, he still felt that his apprentice sitting in the back seat of a car with the opposite sex merited some kind of chaperone.

                “So where are we going?” Archie asked after a few minutes.

                I looked at his reflected eyes. “Aurora Bookstore. It’s on East 57^th.”

                Archie’s eyes crinkled around the edges. “I take it that Marcus’s passion for the written word hasn’t ebbed in the years.”

                “No. We have tons of books.” I revealed. “Or, he does, anyway.”

                “You don’t like to read?” Braydie asked.

                I snorted. “Compared to Barrick, a Harvard Literature professor doesn’t like to read.”

                For the rest of the way to the bookstore, we were quiet, lost in our own thoughts. What Archie and Braydie were thinking, I could only guess at from the color and consistency of their respective Auras. My thoughts were plagued by what Barrick was going to say when I waltzed into the store with Braydie and Archie in tow. Archie seemed to know Barrick rather well, and I wondered if that was a good thing. Barrick was a private sort of guy in any respect, and Archie seemed to be exactly the opposite. The signature Auras of the two were dense in opposing one another, like oil and water. They didn’t even have to be in the same room for me to notice that.

                It took only a few minutes to get to the bookstore; when the car pulled up to the curb, Braydie leaned over me and looked out the window at the front of the store. As she leaned over, I caught a whiff of scented soap on her skin that sent me reeling for a moment.

                “Nice digs.” She said approvingly. “Very old fashioned.”

                “Bad neighborhood.” Archie commented, nodding at two boys who were crossing the street. They were decked out in gang colors, and one held a huge old boom box on his shoulder. The younger boy could have only been thirteen was covered in tattoos.

                “Not as bad as you think.” I admitted, thinking about my rooftop menagerie.

                The locals were starting to notice the limo parked out in front of the brownstone. A few kids, including the two since crossing the street, were looking at the vehicle like a hungry dog looks at a steak. I was getting a little antsy. I opened the door and let myself out.

                A few of the residents who were peeking out of their windows to stare breathed a small sigh of relief as I exited the car. I saw several Auras go from a frothy red into a pillow blue, though most of the kids were still on edge. It was when Braydie stepped out of the limo that the kids’ Auras changed dramatically. Two little girls ran up and stared at her like she was made of gold.

                “Hi,” Braydie said to them, grinning. “What are your names?”

                “M’Kayla and Tess.” The older of the two said breathlessly. “Are you Braydie?”

                “Sure am.” She said with a glowing visage. It wasn’t just her Aura, she physically glowed. With a speed I would have thought impossible, Braydie reached back into the limo and whipped out two CD’s. I didn’t even see where the Sharpie came from. She then looked at me pointedly.

                “What?” I asked.

                “Bend over. I need something to write on.” She said innocently.

                I glanced at the excited looking girls and rolled my eyes and offered my shoulder for Braydie’s use. It only took a moment, but I was a bit embarrassed. When I came back up, Archie was grinning like he’d won the Lottery. I had a feeling he had been in my exact position too many times to count.

                Braydie handed the girls the CDs, and they both squealed in delight and ran off across the street to show their friends, who were waiting for them anxiously. I turned to Braydie. “We are not making a habit out of this.”

                She sighed, “Come on, Mono. Did you see their faces? They were so excited.”

                I shook my head, “I repeat: Not making a habit out of it.”

                Braydie pouted, and then looked pointedly at Archie. “I think I just found your soul mate.”

                “I’m not the one attached to him, sweetheart.” He replied with a smug grin. I felt my insides shrivel a little bit.

                The bookstore was pretty devoid of human life. There was only one customer, and he was looking through map books; which meant that he was not ‘just looking’, and as soon as his mission was complete, he would be leaving. Barrick was in the back room; I could hear him shuffling around. I cleared my throat loudly, and the map book guy barely even looked up.

                Barrick emerged from the back room, and I braced myself for the worst. He was carrying a box of magazines, and as his eyes caught onto our little party, the box dropped with a thunk to the floor. His eyes were wide with wonder, and a smile suddenly split his face. “Archer?”

                Archie held out his arms. “Marcus.”

                The two embraced, like they were long lost relatives, their Auras sunny and nostalgic. I glanced at Braydie, and she shrugged her shoulders. I couldn’t believe that Barrick was actually hugging someone. I mean, he was a good guy, but hugging was never in his physical vocabulary.

                “It’s been too long, old friend,” Barrick said, pulling away. He glanced at Braydie with raised eyebrows. “A Master, now?”

                Archie nodded proudly. “It wasn’t easy, but your advice was invaluable. It was the procurement that almost had me.”

                “Understandable.”

                I looked at Braydie in utter confusion; what on earth were they talking about? Her Aura was bright, and she shrugged her shoulders helplessly at me as if to say ‘Just grin and bear it.’ I looked back at the two Masters with the same degree of bewilderment, and Barrick caught my expression.

                “I apologize, everyone. Archie, this is my apprentice Flynn. Flynn, Archie was my former Companion.” Barrick explained, “We had the same Master; a rare occurrence, though not as rare as a female Semien.”

                Braydie looked about as flustered as I did. She raised her hand, and then lowered it, as though she remembered she wasn’t in a classroom. “I didn’t know that a Master could have two apprentices.”

                “This must be Braydie. The one Flynn was talking so avidly about.” Barrick commented.

                I turned red, and Archie laughed, “It is hard to talk about Braydie in any other way. An Aura as bright as hers stands out in any crowd; as dangerous as that may be.”

                “Like I said, young one, it is a rare thing.” Barrick told Braydie. “You are a significant rarity yourself. How did you find her, Archie?”

                Archie swept a hand through his reddish hair. “I didn’t. She found me.”

                Braydie grinned widely, and was about to say something when the sole customer of the store cleared his throat, reminding us of his presence. He was carrying two map books, looking a little uncomfortable. Barrick gestured to the cash register, and rang the man up; he gave Archie a small nod, and Archie reached out and lightly touched the man’s nervous Aura. The man’s anxiety melted away immediately, overtaken by a pure aqua. He smiled at Barrick and nodded to the rest of us before exiting the store, oblivious to what had just happened.

                “What was that?” I asked.

                Braydie looked at me as though I’d asked if the moon was made of cheese. “Archie is a Controller.”

                My eyes widened. “I thought that wasn’t allowed.”

                “Only if the Controller meddles others to their will.” Archie explained. He peered at Barrick in a questioning way, but Barrick shook his head. I wondered why Barrick hadn’t ever told me this before, and why he didn’t want to talk about it in front of me.

                “So what brings you to my door, old friend?” Barrick asked, changing the subject. Braydie and I looked at one another with anxious faces. Archie unbelievably gestured to me, as though I were the appropriate party to explain it.

                I rubbed the back of my neck. “Braydie and I…we’re sort of connected.”

                Barrick raised his eyebrows. “How do you mean?”

                “We can’t be too far away from each other.” Braydie explained, “Or we get really sick.”

                For a moment, Barrick just nodded, looking at the spot I had vomited on only a couple of hours before. He steepled his fingers and began to scrutinize me. I looked down at my Aura and saw that it was still stubbornly calm. It wasn’t reflecting my emotion at all.

                “May I try something, Marcus?” Archie asked.

                Barrick still said nothing, just nodded the affirmative. Archie stepped up to me, so that there was only an inch or two between us. He took a deep breath and then reached out and lightly touched my Aura. It felt awkward, as though there was a suggestion hanging in the air, and I didn’t know how to react to it. For a moment, Archie’s hands stayed a few millimeters from my skin, and then dropped to his sides, his face dumbfounded.

                “Flynn, touch Archie’s Aura; make him feel…jovial.” Barrick ordered.

                I glanced at my hands. “I don’t know how to…”

                “Do it.” My Master commanded. I unexplainably glanced at Braydie, but she looked as helpless as I felt. I tentatively reached out and brushed Archie’s purplish Aura, and amazingly enough, I actually felt it; as though his mood was being broadcast over to my own. I pulled back a little and the feeling disappeared.

                “Don’t worry,” Archie muttered, “I won’t bite.”

                I gave him a weak smile, and then placed both palms onto his Aura. A blinding white light slammed out of my palms with a force that shook my body, and physically flung Archie against the historical fiction shelves. As soon as he hit, Braydie leapt into instinctive action, putting herself between her Master and the immediate threat.

                Barrick came around the counter and put his hand on my shoulder. Nothing happened to him. I was staring at my hands with wide eyes, my breath coming in short, hard gasps. I felt like my energy had been drained, and only my shock was keeping me on my feet.

                “Braydie, I’m all right.” Archie said soothingly, getting to his feet. He didn’t seem hurt at all, just a little surprised. Braydie, however, looked ready to murder me. I didn’t like that look on her.

                “Are you?” Barrick asked me. I looked up at him and started to shake my head, but then realized that I wasn’t in any pain at all, I was just…astonished. I lowered my hands, and tried to speak but nothing came out.

                “Amazing.” Archie commented, straightening the shelves he had been thrown into. “Do you think we may have our Guardians, Marcus?”

                Barrick audibly hissed at him. I stared. He had never hissed before; at least, not around me. I finally found my voice, “What Guardians?”

                “Nothing,” Barrick snapped, “Put it out of your mind.”

                “Marcus,” Archie began carefully, but Barrick put up a hand and stopped him.

                Braydie’s Aura spiked into indignation, “Why shouldn’t Flynn know about the Guardians?”

                “Enough!” Barrick exclaimed. “There will be no more talk on the matter.”

                I knew enough not to press the issue, but I couldn’t help myself. The instances of shock and awe that had occurred throughout the day had numbed me to any consequences. I turned to him, my eyes hard. “Why not? I think I have the right to know; I mean I’ve been through hell today!”

                Barrick looked surprised for a moment, at my outburst. His Aura was coming into a crimson color than signified an angered mood. “You will remember your place.”

                I was irritated, and it began to show in pinpricks of dark green that were sprouting on my calm blue exterior. I looked like I had some terrifying disease; and I was in no mood for my Master’s express orders. “I think it’s my place to know what the hell is going on.”

                Braydie’s eyes were wide, like the thought of disobeying a direct order had never occurred to her, and it was the worst taboo she could think of. Normally I would have agreed, and if I had been in her shoes, I would have done the same; at the moment, though, I didn’t much care.

                “Marcus,” Archie said, seeing Barrick’s blood-red Aura, “It does no one good to keep these things private. Perhaps you should…”

                “Do not try to undermine my authority, Archer.” Barrick spat, though his eyes were locked on me. He shuddered as he tried to get control over himself. “Go home, Flynn. Now.”

                I huffed and turned on my heel, tearing out the door like I was being chased by a monster. I couldn’t understand why he was being so stubborn about something that seemed so important. He had never kept anything from me…or that was what I had thought. Now it seemed that he had kept quite a lot secret.

Reviews

[Rose of Gondor]

Grrr! I need to be writing my own novel or doing homework! But this is just too good!!!!!! I've been reading this stuff for half an hour now!!!!!

[Jasmine Thousand]

*reads next chapter*