Fallen Chapter Twenty-Three

 

            Chapter Twenty-Three

 

 Marcus opened his door and I rushed past him. Throwing myself down on his bed, I let myself cry freely, soaking his rust colored bedspread.

 “I’m so…I can’t…” Despair gripped my lungs and I heaved in my breaths.

 “Ssshh, its okay, Kennley. Don’t worry about it, we will save Cooper.” Marcus laid his warm hand on my hair, rubbing my back, I took comfort in the gesture but moved away, afraid of the feelings I was starting to have for him.

 After a while, I calmed down, rubbing the back of my hands against my eyes I wiped the last of my tears away.

  Marcus and I worked on our plan of action; Marcus had been smart enough to look up the harbor lay out on the internet. He had it spread across a desk in the far corner of his room. We both sat huddled over it for hours, planning the best way in.

 Our plan was simple; we were going to sneak in the harbor using a boat and the cover of night. Nicolai will be less powerful at night and we should have the element of surprise. After we successfully enter Pier 20, Nicolai’s warehouse, we use our combined powers and defeat the Light. Sounds easy and fool proof but it was more flawed than we could have ever thought.

  With our plan set and ready, we were set to go tomorrow, around midnight. Marcus says that should be his weakest time.

 While I got ready to leave, Marcus came and stood towering over me.

  “Do you want to stay in my room again; I can sleep on the couch. I mean your room smelled really bad earlier and I’m not sure it has had enough time to clear out.” He blushed and stammered over his sentence, he seemed suddenly interested in his shoes.

 “I should really sleep in my room, I left the fan on and the window open, hopefully it helped.” I walked slowly to the door. Looking down at my hand on the knob, I was suddenly terrified that Nicolai would really come for me that he would make good on his promise.  

 “Actually, could I stay, if you don’t mind?” I hope that he could not hear the fear in my voice as clearly as I could.

 “Well yeah, just let me get some,”

 “No, you can stay here if you want; I mean I can sleep on the floor or something.” I looked at the floor, trying to convince myself it would be comfortable.

 “Are you joking? I wouldn’t let you sleep on the floor. You take the bed and I will pull out my camping cot.” He laughed at me as he made his way to the closet, retrieving a lumpy piece of canvas and some sticks.

 I was amazed at how the canvas and the sticks came together, making what was supposed to look like a bed but better resembled a narrow but long bench. I could not believe that Marcus, all 6’4” of him, would fit on the narrow cot.

 “Are you sure you don’t want the bed?” I was feeling selfish for taking his bed.

 “Kennley, I was raised to be a gentleman and I would never allow you to sleep on this thing.” He rolled over and grunted in uncomfortable pain.   

 “Okay, if you really want to sleep on that lumpy bench.” I smiled to myself and rolled over to stare out the paned window.

 Allowing my mind to drift, my thoughts swirled and bubbled in to a happier time, a time without the other Stars, without Nicolai, without Marcus and the weird feelings I have for him. Feelings I cannot begin to explain, to him or myself.

 The picture in my mind shifted to the train ride that Cooper and I had taken to Little Rock. We had just boarded after a little stop in Elko, Nevada, this cute little town with Casino’s and small shops that Cooper and I enjoyed shopping in. We were lounging in our cabin, examining the small trinkets we had bought, Cooper making me laugh as always. I had not minded the fact that we had to share the cabin. I would even go as far as saying I loved it but at that, moment my life was going crazy and I had not noticed the fierce feelings I had for Cooper. They tended to get drowned out by my insane life and terrifying decision.

 “What did you get?” Cooper grabbed a bag out of my hands and continued to examine the contents.

 I had bought a bracelet with a heart and wolf hanging from the metal links. When I had seen the little bracelet, I could not resist buying it.

 Cooper had paid for everything with a credit card, with a logo I did not recognize. When I protested he just shushed me and swiped the card.

   “Don’t worry about it, I have plenty of money and I love spending it on you.”

 Once again, his openness caught me off guard and I blushed hard, the woman behind the counter chuckled to herself.

 “What’s this?” Cooper had pulled out a small box with a picture of a pocketknife on it.

 “Oh, well, um I wanted to, um.” I stuttered and blushed again. I did not know how to tell him about the gift I had gotten him. To thank him for everything he has done for me.

    “Is this for me?” He pulled out the knife and was turning it over in his hands.

 The knife had a picture of a wolf baying at the moon; it was not scanned on but carved and painted. I could not believe the detail in the carving, the wolf reminded me of Cooper. All alone in the woods watching over his family, all though Cooper was not watching over his family but my so-called family and me. Watching as I was beaten and brutalized and not being able to do anything about it.

 I shook my head, trying to shake out the memories of my formal life.

 “Yes, the knife is for you. I wanted to t-thank you for everything, for taking me away, for saving my life.”

 “Thank you. I mean I only did what any Watcher would do; I just wish I could have saved you sooner.” He stood and grabbed me around the waist, squeezing me tight. I stood breathing in his scent, hoping he would not let me go anytime soon but like so many great things, the hug ended and he released me.

 My arms felt oddly hollow and cold after he let me go. I wrapped my arms around my waist trying to hold in his warmth and the feeling of love he left behind.

 Cooper and I continued to go through each other’s stuff. The train moved on, snaking through the mountains and over the rivers, pulling us closer to our destination and my ultimate destiny. A destiny I had no idea existed. One that would destroy my life and the people that I love.

 The next morning I left early, not wanting anyone in the house to know that I slept in Marcus’s room. I already had enough problems with the people in the house.

 “You know you shouldn’t care what the people think, especially Alorha and Toshia. It is not as if you and I are together. You are my friend and I just wanted to help you out.” Marcus had tried to persuade me but I did not want to chance it.

 I headed up the stairs to get ready for the day; we still had the training course to go through. We are supposed to meet in the back yard at noon but I was supposed to meet Marcus in the garage at ten o’clock to discuss and perfect our plan.

 My shower was shorter than usual, rushing through the motions to make my meeting with Marcus on time. As I thought about Marcus, a strange sensation ran up my spine, making me shiver. I toweled fast, rubbing away the shiver.

    I ran to my room, stopping short of the door. I leaned in close and pressed my ear to the hard wood, listening for anything that should not be there. Hearing nothing but the swish of the fan, I declared my room safe to enter.

   My room looked normal enough, the fan was still on, my window was still open and the flowers on my bed were still red.

 Flowers? Where did I get flowers?

 I froze mid step. I could hear my heart beat in my throat; I could feel the blood rushing through my veins. Hot and fast, it pumped to my heart in my throat making my breath come in short gasp. My head was spinning and I could feel my body sway towards the ground. The floor tilted at an odd angle and a sharp tearing pain ripped through my skull as my head made contact with the hard floor. Hot and fast flowing liquid poured from my scalp on to the floor, the world around me turning a strange mixture of colors ranging from grey to hot pink. It would have been pretty if it were not so painful.

Reviews

[Ron B]

Wow, I think it's time....

[Xfaerie corpseX]

WHAT!!! NICOLAI!!! MARCUS!!! WHAT!!!!!









What!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

[ShadowWolf]

Waiting for the next one!