"I know, it looks strange, doesn't it...?" - He said like he could read my mind.
"It look so... clean." - I admitted. He smirked, and poured a glass of beer for himself. I raised an eyebrow, but he just smiled.
"I'm 21." - He explained. - "I do what I want."
"Oh." - I said with a dash of sarcasm. He didn't look 21 though, but I am just not gonna shatter his beliefs of him being the big guy. He offered me a glass too. At first I wanted to refuse it but I changed my mind, and accepted it. The bitter taste of the beer was far worse than I imagined it. - "This is awful."
"You'll learn to appreciate it." - He laughed. - "So tell me... why did you come to Seattle?"
"I actually don't know. Darren said I would be safe, and since we weren't that close, no one would look for me here, so I thought I won't get you guys in trouble as long as I keep a low profile, and leave as soon as I can." - I said, and sipped my beer.
"Well, if my brother offered his flat, then you must have been close in my opinion." - He said, and drank the last sip of beer from his glass. - "Were you guys lovers or something?"
I chocked on the beer, and I shook my head violently.
"No, he dated my sister... or at least it looked like they were dating." - I said. He nodded slowly.
"Now it makes sense. And do you have a boyfriend who will eventually would try to find where you wandered off to?" - He asked, and leaned against the counter after he poured another glass of beer for himself. I was thinking of Rider as soon as he said the words. I haven't even answered when he nodded. - "So you do, huh."
"No, actually I don't." - I said, and I felt an empty space in my heart. That was the truth. We weren't dating with Rider, even though I knew how he felt, and he knew how I felt. But that was the best for both of us. I was a 'dangerous criminal' in the eyes of the council, and I have already caused more than enough trouble for him...- "I'm alone in this."
He smiled, and took another sip.
"So if Darren would have been trying to kill you, and sent you to me to do the dirty job, I could kill you without anyone looking for you?" - He asked. The blood froze in my veins.
"I... I trust Darren." - I whispered, but I wasn't sure of what would actually happen to me now. Stephen smirked, and took a step towards me. He smiled widely at me. He grasped my hand and began to pull me after himself. - "Where are we going?" - I asked. I was actually trembling in fear.
"I'm showing you around." - He answered with a huge grin on his face. - "I was just testing you. But you seem to be nice, so I approve."
"Approve of what?" - I asked.
"Letting you live with me." - He smiled at me, and spun me around, like we were dancing. That made me laugh, and a sigh of relief left my lips.
"Did you actually think I was gonna kill you?" - He said, holding me dangerously close. I could feel his 'hidden' signs. He was easy to read, and that scared me. Stephen was so open, and I felt like he pushed me into a situation I can't escape.
I decided that first of all, I will put some distance between us. I sup out from his hug, but he didn't let go of my hand.
"Maybe... I admit, it crossed my mind." - Smiled. He smirked, and began pulling me after himself again.
He dragged me across the flat up and down, showed me the huge bathroom, three rooms, Darren's, Joel's, and his, then he showed me to my room, and then the living room. He tried to make me look down from the windows, but I kindly refused.
When he finally finished, I decided that will be the unfriendly stranger, and I told him that I was going to sleep. Stephen looked disappointed, but I was in a bad mood, and I was tired. I tried to call Iris, but she didn't pick it up - Not like I expected her to pick up.
I rolled out the maps again, and marked the places where I wanted to search. It was important to go over the places where demonic activity was high - only if I had someone who knew these places. Google knew nothing about them, of course.
I sighed, and rolled the maps again, and put them away. I changed out from my clothes into a pair of shorts and a huge t-shirt I found in the drawyers. I checked my phone... I had several messages from Rider. My heart jumped, and I vowed myself that I shall not answer, but I couldn't stop myself from reading them.
2014, March 20. 9:23 AM
Are you up yet? I thought we should plan some patrols for your sister together.
2014, March 20. 2:34 PM
Why aren't you answering me? Is everything alright?
2014, March 20. 10:07 PM
You left without telling me? Are you trying to kill yourself? Please, text me back, I have to know that you are alright!
2014, March 21. 0:12 AM
Where are you?
2014, March 21 1:48 AM
If you are alive, please let me know!
2014, March 21 1:56 Am
All your weapons are missing! I am worried, you know that I would feel better if you would have told me what is going on! Please?
I know you think it is a bad idea for us to be seen together, and to be lovers, but you have to understand that I need you, and right now, I am about to just drive off to nowhere with no direction hoping that I will find you eventually.
Please text me back...
The text came more and more often, but of course he didn't drove off to nowhere. He was smarter than that. I scrolled to the last message I got, a half hour ago.
2014, March 21 10:51 PM
Spirit, I am begging you... please, just let me know if you're alive.
I hesitated... That much I could do... but what if he locates me? I sighed, and I knew that I can't answer him... I knew that I have to remain silent, and just stay in the shadows until he forgets about me.
The phone buzzed in my hand, and I jumped in surprise.
2014, March 21. 11: 29 PM
Darren left the house saying that he is going to Seattle to join the institute there. I hope that if you are reading this, you have enough brain in your stubborn head to go and find an institute as well.
That text made me smile a little. So I was stubborn in his opinion... I don't think he knows that this is the other way around to be exact.
I sighed, and turned off my phone. I put the knife under my pillow, and fell asleep while gripping the handle of it.
I was standing on the top of a building. It was a skyscraper, and as far as I could see, all the buildings were abandoned, all the windows were broken, and the ivy grew so high on the side of the buildings that it made the whole landscape look sweet'n'sour.
The sun was setting, and a variety of orange colors painted the sky. I felt uneasy as I stood at the top.
"This is the future." - A voice said behind me. I spun around, and found myself facing my sister. She was beautiful, as always. I have always looked up to her, and I have always wanted to be just like her...
"What do you mean? The people would abandon the cities just like that? I doubt so." - I smiled.
"No, they won't exactly abandon them..." - She sighed. - "There will be no one to inhabit these cities." - I stared at her wide-eyed. - "They will die... all of them."
"That's cannot be true..." - I said.
"Oh, but they will." - She smiled with sorrow in her eyes. Suddenly I realized that I was dreaming.
"Iris? Where are you?" - I asked.
"I am standing here." - She smiled.
"No, I mean, where are you now? You were abducted by demons." - I reminded her. The smile disappeared from her lips, and she began crying, but instead of tears, blood was rolling down her cheeks. Her skin lost color, and turned into an ash-grey color.
"I don't know..." - She cried. I crouched down beside her, and she looked up at me. Her eyes were black, and blood was dripping from her eyes and mouth. It was horrifying, but I came over my disgust and fear, and cupped her face in my hands.
"You need to tell me where you are! I will come.." - She cut me off by pushing me away. As she moved, she left a trail of blood behind herself.
"No, you must stay away. They are looking for you too." - She hugged herself. - "They want to kill you too."
My throat went dry.
"A-are you dead?" - I asked the question I feared the most. She smiled, but that made her cough up a great amount of fresh blood.
"No, but I am neither alive." - She whispered. My heart tightened. I took a step forward her, but as she saw that, her eyes widened, and she let out a blood-freezing scream.
I sat up in my bed, my shirt damp with sweat, and I was still gripping the knife in my hands. Bright light spread through the room... the sunrise was beautiful. I climbed out from bed, and looked at the beautiful sight. I was careful not to look down.
The dream cause goosebumps down my spine, and even though the time was very early, I knew that I couldn't just go back to sleep like nothing had happened. So instead, I decided to go to the kitchen and make some coffee.
I could hear noise from the kitchen, so I quickly sneaked back into my room, and gripped my knife. I headed back to the kitchen, and when I got there, I faced Stephen. I felt kind of awkward, because I was standing in the hall with a knife in hand, barefoot, and in pajamas, and he was standing at the stove, shirtless, wearing nothing but his pj pants. I let out a sigh of relief, and put my knife on the counter. Stephen looked at me with raised eyebrows.
"What's the knife for?" - He asked.
"I am just very vary lately..." - I rubbed my eyes.
"I am not surprised..." - He said, and turned back to the stove. He was baking pancakes. - "If you want coffee, it's there." - He pointed at the coffee maker with the wooden spoon he was holding.
"Are you for real?" - i smiled. - "Making coffee, baking pancakes, cleaning this house... gosh you are like a perfect housewife." - I giggled. He smiled too, and looked at me with his water-colored eyes. I took out a bottle of Nutella from the fridge, and I took a spoon from the drawer. I felt like I have lived here in my entire life. This place didn't feel strange to me for a second... okay, maybe for a little, but now that I was in the kitchen with Stephen, it felt natural.Stephen looked at me up and down, then a huge grin spread across his lips.
"Those are my shorts." - He pointed at the shorts I found in the drawers.
"Oh I am so sorry... I just didn't pack any pajamas and-"
"Hey, I don't mind. If you need anything just tell me." - He laughed. He was such a bubbly a nice person. I doubt I have ever met anyone like him. He didn't want anything from me, didn't act cold when we first met, didn't make harsh comments on my lack of knowledge, but was kind to me the entire time.
"Thanks..." - I shyly smiled at him. - "Oh, I think Darren is heading back here." - I said, remembering Rider's text.
"No, he is heading to the Seattle Institute, not here." - He corrected me. - "How do you know?" - He placed a huge plate of pancakes on the table, and took some from the top.
"I got a text from a friend." - I confessed.
"You didn't tell your friend that you are here, right?" - He asked. - "Because it could go very wrong for both of us."
"Of course not! I just didn't tell him that I will leave, so he is worried, but I cannot tell him that I'm even alive. He would immediately go searching for me... and it's for his own good to stay behind." - I played with the edge of the t-shirt.
"Are you worried about him?" - Stephen asked.
"No... well... yes. I'm kinda worried that he will do something extremely stupid." - Stephen patted my head, and put a plate full of pancakes front of me. I thanked him. - "So, are you the early bird type?" - I asked.
"No, not really." - He smirked as he began eating his pancakes. - "I just had some weird ass dreams tonight, so I decided it's the best if I just give up..how about you?"
"Same." - I smiled. - "Must be something in the air." - He nodded, and drank some coffee out of my cup. - "Hey! What the actual heck are you doing?" - I laughed.
"We are roommates, so we share." - He grinned, and that made me laugh even harder.
"Oh my god, you are so crazy." -I smiled at him. His phone began to ring, and he held up his index finger signing that we will continue, but he has to pick this up. Stephen greeted the person as Joel, so I guess it was his brother. As I listened to the conversation, a dash of guilt took me over. I was supposed to get ready to look for my sister, not sit in the kitchen of a luxury flat, eating pancakes, and joke around with a boy I just met... I lost my appetite, and lowered my fork.
Stephen talked in a serious voice, but I couldn't pay attention completely to the stuff they were discussing. They didn't talk much, and eventually, he just put the phone back facing down.
He turned back at me.
"Where were we?" - He asked, and the smile returned to his lips. I remembered a question I had from last night.
"Stephen, I have a big favor to ask you..." - I began. He put his fork down as well, and turned all of his attention towards me. - "I know we just met, but this is important. I need a guide. I just got familiar with this world, and I have no real connections..." - I began. Stephen's expression became troubled as he listened to me.
"Spirit, you do realize that you are asking me to get involved in this mess with high rank demons, and who knows what else." - He pointed out.
"I know, and it is just a favor I ask. You can say no, and I will not hold it against you..." - That was the truth. I have been enough trouble for him already, and I knew that he put his life at risk by taking me in. He sighed, and took a sip from my coffee - again.
"Eh, so be it. I have nothing else to do anyways." - He pulled on his shoulders - "I have been living as a human for the past couple years, and it's boring. Let's do something fun." - He smiled. I jumped up from my chair, and hugged him.
"Oh my god!! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" - I squeezed him as tightly as I could.
"Hey, calm down! Don't think I will do this for free." - He said.
"I'll do anything." - I said, and took a step back. - "I clean everything for the rest of my life, I can teach you archery, I can pay you, I just have to get a job, or whatever you need, I'll do it." - I knew it was a dangerous thing to say, considering that we only met last night. And that there might be things I actually wouldn't do to save my sister... for example, I wouldn't kill innocent people who have no business with this situation, but Stephen didn't seem like the kind of person who would ask me to kill.
"I am a pretty good archer myself, but I appreciate your offer. So you'll do anything?" - He asked.
"Yes." - I looked at him with a serious expression.
"Alright, I will think of something. Right now, let's just see what can we do." - With that, he began eating his pancakes again. I hugged him again, and he dropped his fork in surprise.
"Thanks, Stephen." - I whispered. He smiled at me, and picked up his fork, and began eating.
"Don't thank me just yet."
I sat back, and with my appetite returned, I ate the rest of my pancakes. So here we go, I made a deal with unknown conditions, but at least I will be able to get close to my sister, and might be able to even save her.
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