Please, Don't Break Your Promise

Part I Chapter 5

The man, the music box, Ryan, the music box, falling, pain, the music box, and then black. It was gone. I knew that as surely as the aching in my whole body, not one part of it untouched by a needle-like sensation. It was my fault. I knew that. And I didn’t know how I would explain to Ryan.

I mean, how do you explain your attraction to an inanimate object without seeming delusional or psycho, especially when you didn’t understand why the attraction was there and what was so special about the object in the first place?

I slowly pushed myself up, taking in the pain that traveled through my body, and muffling my moans as I searched for Ryan with my eyes.

He wasn’t far off, yet unlike me who had been sprawled on the ground, he was leaning against the wall of a brick building. His pale pallor frightened me. I rushed over to him.

“Ryan? Ryan, wake up.” I shook him. Not getting a response, I slapped him lightly on his face hoping to bring some color back into his white cheeks. His eyelids fluttered slightly. Green eyes shone into mine and I breathed a sigh, smiling lightly.”You okay?”

He looked at me, confusion in his eyes, until they registered who I was and what I asked. He nodded slightly, and moved to rise. He groaned and winced. I looked down to see his wrist discolored, a horrible purple standing out against his pale skin. The bruise was huge and looked really painful. I pulled his good arm around my shoulders and helped him stand up.

We took in our surroundings and after realizing that we were in the alleyway not far from the market place, we began heading back to the base, staying hidden in the shadows of the buildings. We didn’t exactly look inconspicuous right now.

We reached the basement a while later, after much groaning and grunting from the aching that reverberated through both our bodies. We opened the window and I let Ryan through first.

As I slid in, I caught a movement from the corner of my eye and turned my head sharply. I rubbed the crick in my neck as my eyes searched the fast approaching darkness in the alleyway. Empty shadows dancing along the walls reassured me and I fell into the basement, closing the window behind me.

Screams welcomed me. Angry ones from Christian and relieved ones from Tara. Andy remained silent but his posture seemed to have just been released from its tense stance. I smiled guiltily.

“She took the music box,” Ryan said. I waited for the glares and blame, keeping my head down, too ashamed to look up into their angry eyes. But none came, and I looked up to see their reactions, confused.

“We knew,” said Christian. “Andy told us when we got back and you guys still hadn’t come back. We can’t blame you. After all, we did say in the beginning that if any of us took something and didn’t wanna sell it, it would be okay with the rest of us. Though this was the first time this happened, we’re okay with it.” I couldn’t move. I was shocked, and grateful and pleased, and relieved….and a whole lot of other emotions.

Unable to control my feelings, I jumped on Christian, tumbling both of us to the ground.

“Thank you,” I yelped. And I really was thankful.

“Okay, alright, get off,” he laughed. I pulled back, grinning foolishly and turned to look at Ryan. My grin faded at his look. His eyes were angry but he didn’t say anything. I knew I had it coming for me later.

“We got a lot of money for the items too, almost a thousand. That should hold us for more than two months so we’re free from those escapades at night for a while,” Christian told us. Ryan and I nodded, relieved that at least they had gotten that completed.

“Here,” said Tara, putting a slice of pizza in each of our hands. Ryan and I looked at her, the question obvious in our eyes. She shrugged. “We got tired of waiting for you guys, so when Chris and Andy came back, I took some money and bought a box of pizza. Eat up, I know you’re hungry.”

I smiled at her gratefully and a pang went through my heart. I looked at the three of them grinning at the two of us. And the pang sharpened. I felt sorry that we had to leave them, but it was for their own good. I pushed the thoughts back into the deepest part of my brain and bit hungrily into the pizza, the tartness of the cheese filling my senses. Ah, food.

We talked for a while, Ryan and I telling them what had happened at the marketplace. I apologized to them but they all just shook their heads and said that they were relieved we were alright. Again, I thought about how good of a friend they all were. My eyes connected with Ryan’s and I knew he was thinking the same thing.

Tara yawned and we all followed her actions, rising and making our ways to each of our separate sleeping sections.

“Night,” we all echoed to each other. As I slid under the blankets, my eyes shut gratefully, unwilling to hear what Ryan would surely say. In seconds, I was asleep.

It wasn’t long after that a scratch and a burning heat woke me up. I opened my eyes….and screamed.

A/N] Suspenseful, isn't it? Oh, how I love cliffhangers <3 Muahahahaha! VOMMENT >_< !!!!!!