Wraith Chapter 2

Introduction

Ida

I have always been a lone wolf. The same year I turned 11 me and my two older sisters Kylie and Ewa was placed into a fosterhome soon after our father suffered from a breakdown after our mother had died. He was so blinded by his own grief that he forgot about ours. When I turned 14 both of my sisters had grown old enough to move away from home and around the time they finally did I decided that I didn't want to stay either. Therefore I ran away from the family who had adopted us and soon I moved in with a older girl in a city called Down Alley. My dear sisters, they were devastated when they found out, terrified. First question they asked me when I finally got my hands on a phone was ”How could I just leave?”, and that was my first question to them as well, but I didn't say anything. For once I wanted to be able to live without having to wonder when I'd be left alone next. My sisters kept me alive the first year by sending me money but I always made sure to change the address so they wouldn't find me. It was easier that way, easier to have the choice whether to be alone or not, then to not have it. Even if my sister kept me feed that year, it was the girl I lived with who truly saved my life more than once. Her name was Nora. She was two years older than me and had been running her entire life, from everything. She taught me a lot about what you have to do to survive, what’s worth risking. I did a lot of things I'm not proud of because of her, decisions I can't take back. She told me I was stronger alone and I believed her, almost. We were kids thinking we were adults. Once I got a taste of what it was like to be free, to be my own person, I refused to move anywhere close to having someone above me even if my sisters was trying to get me back. Slowly I started to push them away and I did the same to Nora, who I had shared my first teen year with.

I came across this group of people around the time I turned 15. They were a lot like me but older and a lot more experienced when it came to living day by day. Many of them had started out just like me, running. They became friends on the streets and now survived by helping each other, by stealing, by working under the table to earn quick money. By some reason they thought I could be useful because of my size, to get into buildings and stuff. Once I realised I no longer had any money or a place to stay I had to swallow my pride and say yes. When I first got to know them they were nine, ten with me. Their names are Matteo, Aron, Otto, Julian, Eddie, Colin, Ruth, Thea and Christa. I know a name doesn't tell you much about a person but they all had their speciallies. The girls are about as feminine as the guys and many times I questioned my place in the group. First year was all about learning, falling and getting up again. I once heard this saying that goes ”They beat you so you don't bleed”, and I guess that's a very suitable way to explain how I felt. I was the new little sister. What I thought I had learned about tough love on the streets was nothing like what I learned from my new family, especially from one family member in particular, Colin Hunt. He used to take me to these big gravel fields or abandon scrap dumps. He'd make me carry tyres or climb over fences or even through crashed car wrecks. He used to quote Lilith Saintcrow to me when I wanted to give up; “Better to be strong than pretty and useless”. Colin was about four years older than me, actually everyone in the group was about four or six years older than me, but for Colin I wasn't a little sister. The part of me who was afraid of getting left alone was pushed aside. I grew up, leaving my childhood behind me. Colin stood out a lot as someone who wanted to have control and soon he started to earn contacts and got in touch with company’s and organisations who gave us missions and tasks to perform. It sounds lame really, but technically we'd be paid to do everyone else’s dirty work. In return we started to earn more money than any of us had seen in a lifetime. Soon we could all move into this big apartment which was built on top of an old warehouse, the first real home some of us have had iin years. After a while Colin became the group leader and the one who handed out the missions. Some of us, including me, have our own jobs as well to save up our own money. Everything else we earn is split evenly with everyone in the group. About a year ago I went back to studying too. Since I dropped out of school when I was 14 I've had a lot to catch up on. It hasn't been fun but I felt like it had to be done sooner or later.

That’s the quick version. Everything else is in the past now. Every day is, and has been a fight. But who have truly ever wished for a normal, peaceful life? The group doesn't have a name really but they are the closest thing I have to a family even if most of them are just d*****s. I've worked for them and given them my life now for almost three years. In return I get what I need to live, fully. We've grown. We don't depend on the employers anymore, we don't run the streets, we watch them. Even if we are 11 people now after Matteos sister Livia moved in, we somehow manage to keep everyone happy anyway. Especially after we divided the apartment into four bigger rooms with bathrooms and smaller kitchens to give everyone some distance and privacy from each other. I share room with Colin even if we broke up 7 month ago. In general, we are more than fortunate. Down Alley is the type of city you can either love or hate. It’s located in Vancouver, Canada and is surrounded by both big old woods and freshwater lakes. I still don't have much of a connection to my old family but they know I'm alive.

~

I turned the water on, cranking it to full hot. Feeling the heat and pressure of it rain down my back and through my hair, sending shivers through my barely awaken body as it slowly made me relax. I leaned my forehead against the cold stone wall with a light groan, feeling how tired I was and at the same time not. The previous day's night shift had not yet left my mind and I still wasn't sure how I felt about what had happened. I closed my eyes trying to remember his face as detailed as possible. Who was he? It all felt like disturbing joke.. I knew I wouldn't see him again, ever, and it was for the best. There was to many things wrong with his whole appearance and the conversation we had have had goneshook from normal, to flirting, to arguing, to what I guess could be called getting along, to me getting pissed and him sorry. What felt even more disturbing was the fact that he had somehow managed to get inside my bra and my backpocked without me noticing, and the way he acted in general... like he had no self-control. My thoughts were all over the place. There was just to much of everything, to much wrong. Looking back at it now made me question why I acted like I did... Can always blame the alcohol. I saw his face infront of me, his black eyes sliced into me and the hair of the nape of my neck stood on the end. I opened my eyes, wrapped my arms around myself. I didn't want to think about it. I realised now that he almost had flipped personalites over and over during the night as it had pasted. What do they say about people who does that? I shook my head, looking down. I noticed the written number on my wrist. I took some soap and tried to make it go away. I felt confused and angry looking back at the night, plus a little offended actually by his cocky attitude. He made me feel small and lose all my commen sence and that scared me even more, feeling as if I had no control of the situation. I thought I was done with that type of guy. He saw my every move before I did and knew every answer before I spoke them. I looked up, shrugging at my own thoughts. Nothing of what he had said have any meaning, probably all lies. Something must of seriously been of with him, but yet... the thought of him didn't want to go away.

I didn't recall much else happening. I woke up 15 minutes ago alone in the apartment. Colin must of picked me up. I hate nightshifts. I'm tired around the clock, how do they expect me to stay up all night working? I was just about to start washing my hair when I felt like someone was staring at me.

And speaking of the devil; Colin leaned in through the shower curtain and my heart jumped in my chest. I gasped and turned around, trying to cover up.

”Jesus Colin, privacy, heard of that?” I asked and stared at him. Colin blinked but didn't seem like he cared at all.

”Sorry.. I've been looking for you” He smiled. ”Lucky me to find you here”

”I'm not in the mood,” I said, grabbed the curtain and closed it.

”Why, something wrong?”I didn't repond. I had no reason to tell Colin about Alec but by some reason I wanted to. I slowly peeked out from behind the curtain again. Colin frowned at me, smiled and held out a towel.

”Had a strange night, with a creepy stranger” I shrugged and took it.

”Someone I know?” he asked, his voice went darker.

”Doubt it” I drew a hand across my face as I wrapped the towel around me. ”His name was Alec, something”

”Doesn't sound familiar. If he's buggin you again...”

”Not gonna happen” I interrupted, ”Can you go now?” Suddenly talking to Colin was the last thing I wanted to do, especially now when he was trying to be protective- ish. He wasn't allowed to do that anymore.

”No... Something has happened” he said, this time with a more serious tone in his voice.

”I have work in 20 minutes” I reminded. ”Can we take it later?” Colin chuckled lowly.

”Thats the thing, you don't have work, not any more” I frowned at him. He was joking? I turned off the water and reached for my towel. ”Your boss, Franky Donald got his a*s killed last night. The whole area is a crime scene. Your work is shutting down”

I stared at him, sudden fear squeezed my chest and I swallowed all my arrogance. I had always hated my boss but hearing he was dead made my heart skip a beat. Millions of questions began to spin around inside my head.

”Killed? He was murdered? When?”

”Yesterday, middle of your nighshift actually, or so they think” His eyes flickered, could it be out of concern? ”Probably a fight outside on the parking lot”

”So how do they know it was a murder?”

”I don't know, just from what I've heard... he was pretty splitted. And they didn't find the body til today, on a roof, so either someone tried to hide him...” Colin shook his head, a short burst of laughter mixed with a phlegm-filled snort escaped his lips. ”Or the f****r tried to make it to heaven but failed horrible” He tipped his head back and laughed and I felt sick to my stomach looking at him.

”Can't you at least try and be a little serious about this?” I leaned against the wall. ”I mean he had daughters. It's sad”

”Daughters whom he probably never saw anyway, or remembered. He was a drunk Ida” I ignored him.

”It freaks me out how close to the bar it happened. I wonder what the motive was?”

”Eh who knows, could of been a jealous rival” Colin shrugged.

”How come nobody saw or heard anything?” I murmured, mostly to myself this time.

”I don't know dear, okay. They found him today, remember. They'll get more answers later” His voice choked with irritation, impatient. I looked up.

”So they're shutting down my job, so?”

”Nothing. It doesn't effect us at all but thought I'd let you know. And I'm sorry” I looked away.

”It's the third murder this month. Do you think it might be a serial killer?” I didn't mean the question to sound so naive, but somehow it did. Colin

”Yeah sure, I am terrified” He said and gave me a stern look of seriousness and rolled his eyes. ”This is a small, peaceful city... Not really the ultimate place for a serial killer to settle down.

You are just being over dramatic, whish is adorable”

”So you're not worried at all about...”

”No” he interrupted, a habit I hated.

”Fine, I'm just saying what everybody else are thinking, you know there’s something scary about this. Once is an incident, twice is a coincidence... three times is a pattern” I raised my eyes to his before I closed the shower curtain. I could hear another sign coming from behind it.

”I wasn't finished talking” Colin said after a while.

”And I haven't finished my shower”I answered, just wanting him to leave.

”I have this thing coming up” Colin continued.

”So?”

”I need you...” He said, his voice choked with irritation. ”It's something big, but it'll take some time before we get there”

”Why me?” I asked and opened the curtain again.

”Because no one else is very suitable” He clutched his jaws and crossed his arms over his chest.

”So what is it about?”

”Well, I can't really tell you that yet...” He said, trying to hold back a grin.

”Seriously? So what am I suppose to do?”

”You're not gonna like it, but it'll be a benefit for the both of us and our future business”

”And remind me again, why am I doing anything which would result for your benefit?” I asked and crossed my arms over my chest.

”I'm hot, you’re homeless and you just lost your job” Colin said contentedly with an even bigger grin.

”I hate you” I murmured. He breathed a laugh. ”Is there even a plan?” I asked.

”Yes...” He paused ”You’re switching to another High school in two weeks” I stared at him with my mouth a bit opend, whish I realised a bit to late.

”Excuse me, what?” His smile twisted up on one side and I felt like choking him. ”You’re kidding?” I continued to stare at him. He shook his head.

”Dead serious”

”I... but...” I started but the words got stuck in my throut. ”I don't understand anything. Why?”

Colin shrugged, obviously enjoying my frustration.

”Forget it” I protested. ”I'm serious, over my dead body. I'm doing so good now, I can't just switch to another school”

”To late, you are already signed up” Colin said innocently and started walking towards the door. I clutched my jaws so hard it hurt. He can't do this!

”For f***s sakes Colin” I picked up my towel again and ran after him. ”Can you please explain to me what's gotten into you? It's 7 in the morning and I've already found out my boss was murdered and that I'm switching to a new school in the middle of the year, and you can't tell me why” Colin laid down on his side in the bed and glared at me.

”I get that you’re mad...” He began.

”I'm furious and confused” A silant minute passed. I ran a hand through my wet hair and signed.

”Talk to me” I demanded

”We need you to get in to a place, get them to hire you. I can't tell you more than that because to be honest, that’s step one, that’s what we need to prioritise now. We are not very sure what will next. All we know now it that they need to see a special scholarship, and that’s what we're getting you” Colins eyes were blank, his body relaxed and neutral. He wore torn out hung-low Levi’s jeans and a white tank top. His blond hair was almost covering his eyes and looked like it could use some styling. I looked at him. Anger was still boiling inside me but I knew we he was speaking the truth.

”Why is it so important?” I finally asked. Colin drew his fingers through his hair and stood up from the bed again.

”I've told you everything I know”

”Do the note you told me to write down have anything to do with this?” I asked.

”No, just a package I need you to get for me and send to that address” He walked up to me and without thinking about it I looked down.

I had so many mixed emotions when it came to Colin. Even if my heart was against me when I ended it I still had my reasons. I knew he wanted it to be differently and it made it hard for me to know how to act around him. I didn't want to confess it but a part of me was still scarly attracted to him and every timee he got to close I was afraid I'd fall right back to where we started.

”Why me?” I asked again.

”Why you?” He asked and laughed lowly. ”Why I ask you to get the package or why I want you for this thing?”

”Both” I shrugged.

”Because I ask you to” he replied, like if it was the most obvious thing in the world. ”Because I know you won't disappoint me. Especially when it comes to this ”thing”. You have a fire in you that will become handy” He gave my a half smile and I slowly raised my eyes to his, sucked in my lower lip. Colin scanned me head to toe and looked like he was wondering what I was thinking. I felt like I didn't want to just stand here, not with him, not only wearing a towel.

”I'll think about it...” I finally said and swallowed. ”Let me know if you hear anything more about what happened last night, or about this thing you're talking about” I tried to give him a smile before I started walking back towards the bathroom.

”Ida?” Colin's voice was husky and challeging. I turned around and looked at him from the doorway. My mouth threatened to drop to the floor when I now realised he had taken off his shirt.

”Mmm?” I asked, hoping I'd sound more confident than what I felt like.

”Want company?” He asked as his smile turned into a dark grin.