The Children of the In Between: Stay With Me (#1 in the Series)

Chapter Six

I do not know how long Josh has been driving me, but it is now mid-summer. The trees are bright green, the human children out playing until night has arrived, and tourists are travling with families. We blend in as a couple travling the country together before college, but I couldn't care less what our 'cover story' is. I let him drive me, for I have to trust him. He can kill me whenever he wants, but he doesn't. He protects me, watches everything and everyone when we walk around to eat. Mostly, he eats while I sit there and pick at the food that they place in front of me.

Even if I am been all over this country before, the famillar scenary doesn't soothe me. But then, I do not need soothed. I never have. Even as a baby, mother told me how I was always calm. I tell Josh stories of my past, and he tells me stories of his. Mine are more vast, but boring. He has emotion and he can laugh and smile at his. I tell him any story that he wants to here. He knows most of the stories now by heart, and he guesses on how I would react if I could. I shrug at his guesses, not knowing how I'd react.

"Narcisa." I look at Josh. "may I touch you?"

"No."

"But I want you to feel things."

"I do not care."

"Then drink my blood."

"No." I turn and go back to cooking his food in the motel. He grabs my wrist and I gasp.

I feel happiness, love, hate, sad, and so many other emotions at once that I collapse. He holds strong to my arm and I try to focus on one emotion, hoping that it will make the pain bearable.

I hold onto the first feeling, happiness.

I feel my lips form something odd and unfamillar. I feel tears in my eyes run down my cheeks. Then the emotion is gone.

I feel love next.

My heartbeat quickens, my palms become sweaty, and my cheeks burn. Then it's pulled away.

Hatred hits next.

My vision has a red ring around it, my heartbeat is quicker but is different than before, my mouth forms something different and my hands go into fists. It disappears.

Sadness hits me dead in the face.

I can't stop crying, I start gasping and losing my breathe, and I sob.

Finally, Josh let's go. It takes longer for the feelings to leave me this time, and I sit there crying. Finally, the tears stop, I breathe normal, and I stop sobbing. I sit there for one more moment, then look at Josh.

"I'm sorry Narcisa."

"If you are to toture me, then just kill me slowly. Burning I hear is quite painful."

"I do not want to hurt you but..."

"Josh, I was not meant to feel any feelings. I am a restless spirted in a borrowed body. Once this body is destroyed, I will be gone forever." I say.

"I.." He stops. I stand up and finish his food, mostly burnt now, and go into the bedroom to read a book he bought me.

All I can think of is how the feelings felt, and how I was able to hold onto one feeling at a time. I have never done that before, but I did it this time. If I hadn't of just told Josh to that I hated it, I might ask him to focus on one feeling with me. But, I will not. I refuse.

"Narcisa...?"

"Yes Josh, what is it?"

"I want to apologize again. If I had realized how much it hurt you, I might not have done it."

"I told you."

"I know. I should have listened."

"Yes, but you did not." I turn my back on him. I feel him sit on the bed, right behind me.

"Narcisa..." I turn and look at him, his face is only an inch away from mine. I see every fleck of color in his eyes, and I see that he is sorry. "have I told you that I think..."

"Josh, I have read this part in a book many times, so do not try to butter me up. I feel nothing." I turn back to my book.

-

When I was still a young Child, a human man tried to seduce me. I felt nothing though. I went to a party, for I could not see anything in the snow storm that had come. I did not know it was party, I just went in so I could see. The man saw me and gave me a drink of champaine, and led me upstairs. I still did as I was told, so I followed. He tried to get me out of my clothes, but I told him no. He had asked me, not forced me. He tried everything, but I did not want anything from a human.

-

I hear Josh asleep in the next bed, but I can not sleep. I do not need sleep. I lay there, waiting for the sun to rise. When it does, Josh wakes up. He always wakes at sunrise. We pack the little things we have, and he drives. He does not try to touch me after last night.

"So." He says.

"What?"

"Why do you think you feel things when I touch you?" He asks.

"I do not know. It has never happened until you appeared."

"Really?"

"Yes."

He nods, thinking. I just sit there when I see the car comming at us.

"Shit!" Josh yells as the car hits us. I go flyingfrom my seat and feel the bite of the pavement. I feel no pain, only the bite of the pavement. I know my body is bleeding, and I know that Josh has landed beside me.

I open my eyes, and the road is covered in car parts and some blood. I look at Josh, and see that his eyes are closed. I get up and walk to him, my body shakey, but I feel nothing. I sit beside his body and poke his shoudler. He winces, and opens his eyes.

"Narcisa...?"

"I am here Josh." I pull his head in my lap, avoiding all skin to skin. "Are you dying?" I ask him.

"Not yet." I look up and see Micheal. "Hello little brother. Are you ready to die?"

"Not until you draw your last breathe, brother." He gasps out. I watch as Josh stands, shaking and obviously in pain.

"Josh, you will die if you move." I tell him.

"I do not care, he will kill you if I do not kill him now." He staggers and I stand up and get in front of him. Sirens start coming, but we ingnor them.

"You will not kill your brother." I tell Micheal. He laughs.

"And who is to stop me?"

"I will if I must."

"Why?"

"He is your brother."

"That is not a point. Our sister was a Child, and I killed her. Or did he not tell you that?"

"I do not care, he has a soul."

"So do you Narcisa." Josh gasps out.

"She has no soul! She is a Child!" Micheal says.

"Will you shut up and either kill me, or leave before the police come." I tell him.

"I will kill you, I always kill my target." He disappears in the smoke and I go to Josh.

"Are you alright?" I ask him.

"No, he has found us. He will kill you."

"You should not care for me the way you do."

"Narcisa..."

"What?"

"Stay with me..."