Soul-Bound

Chapter 7 : The Apple

Ella and Mann sat in their house with the door locked. They sat there for hours, not even saying a word.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
"It's Lily! Can I come in?"
Ella and Mann gave each other a look and then both went to the door. When they unlocked the door Lily nearly pushed them aside while entering.
"I managed to find some big news." Lily said as she paced around the room.
"What is it?" Mann demanded.
"Forlorry directly sent an attack on Tristantown. We only know of the werewolves he was using but there's suspicion that he's also using LTs." Lily went on. "We're starting to speculate that he's not even human anymore."
Mann and Ella were confused but listened closely. Though it took a few moments to register that she mentioned the name Forlorry.
"Okay wait. So Forlorry is a priest, right?" Mann asked.
"Yes."
"And you think he's controlling the beasts along with something called an LT?"
"Yes."
Ella cut into the conversation, "What are LTs?"
Lily stopped in her tracks, "Light-mass Terraformers. Basically they're walking bombs. There's not much I know personally but I do know that they are extremely dangerous."
"Bombs hm? Is it a suicide bomb or do they make bombs?" Mann scratched his head.
"I don't know. I sure as shit don't want to either." Lily sighed. "Just figured I'd let you two know."
"Why us?" Ella took a step closer to Lily.
"You're the only two I've met within the last couple of years who genuinely want to live an honest life. Why not let you get ahead of the curb?" Lily had her head down as she said it. Something burning within her heart that silenced her inside.
"You alright?" Mann asked.
"I'm just tired of living in fear. Knowing the things I've been cursed to bear. I hate it. God gifted me with a million abilities but the one in which I'm consistently forced to bear the pain of other people is the one I hate." Lily explained as her voice began to shake. "You two really gave me hope inside."
"Hope for what?" Mann glanced at Ella and then back to Lily. "What's going on with you?"
"I want out, Mann. Out of here. The fear. The lies. This place is built on corruption within the hierarchy." Lily threw her arms up. "It's a damn nightmare when you're sitting and watching it happen."
"Hey, just relax. Sit down." Ella said. "You'll be okay here."
"You sure?" Lily nearly broke down.
"Just stay here with us for a while instead of the church, okay?" Ella smiled, "I won't give you my bed so you're on your own there."
Lily sighed, "I gotta get some food anyway. The market should have just opened up."
"What time is it?" Mann checked his broken watch.
"About 6 in the morning." Lily stood by the door to answer before she left the house.
Mann fixed the time on his watch and tapped the glass a couple of times. A habit he could never grow out of. For whatever reason, whenever he asked for the time he would check his watch and fix it. It was a broken watch that Ella had given him a year ago for his birthday.
"You doing okay?" Ella sat back down with Mann.
"Yeah. I'm okay." He responded relatively quickly. He fell back against his pillow, looking up at Ella.
She shook her head and got closer to him, "I know you're not."
He smiled. "What makes you say that?"
"The tone of voice you have." She gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You can't hide it from Momma."
"Momma huh? You're momma yet I take care of you more." Mann chuckled, "But...I wish I didn't get Texas killed."
Ella nudged into his pit of his arm, her hand placed on top of his chest. "You didn't get him killed. The bastards who own this place did. Sons of bitches."
"I had a dream the other night." Mann rubbed Ella's shoulder. "I was defending a military shipment from Russia on a pier. Nobody but me. There was this boy who came up to me with a knife in his hand and he kept trying to stab me. I remember I took the knife away from him but then everything changed. I was walking on a beach near our old house and my mom was standing with a family portrait."
"Anything else happen?" Ella looked up at him.
"My face was crossed out." He said lower in tone. "I don't know why it hurt so much."
"Because you're not with her." Ella said. "She's waiting for you."
"Yeah?" He scoffed. "Bitch never once protected me and she's waiting for me in the afterlife?"
"Come on. I know it was bad but you can't hold onto it forever." Ella pled. "I have my grudges too so I know I can't speak but maybe there's something that you could eventually forgive."
Mann shook his head, "No. Nothing. Not even my father."
Ella sighed. "I know, baby."
"I remember him saying that he'd kill me if I ever smoked. Said that also if I ever cheated on a woman." Mann chuckled a bit. "Both I've done funny enough."
"Im sure you have." Ella retorted jokingly.
"Hey! I've never cheated on you. Never. Couldn't ever do it to you. You have what nobody else has." Mann smiled.
"And what would that be?" Ella asked knowing what she would hear.
"A partner." He paused. "A partner who would always fight by my side even if I were wrong. A partner who could help me correct my faults without judgment. A partner who could never give up on me no matter what the circumstances were."