Secrets To Our Past

Chapter 8: A Moonlit Conversation

Alyssa POV
Alyssa took one step out of the Airship, onto the cool grass. The moon shone brightly with a bluish-white light and silver stars were spattered all over the sky.
Silver star...that's what Henry used to call me..
She shook her head, trying to forget.
Alyssa, stop thinking about him. He's not with you...he's gone..You have to move on, he would want you to have a smile on your face no matter what and never give up hope. Henry would want that.
She sat a few feet from the shining red Airship, taking a break from flying. They had landed on the edge of a mysterious and cool forest, with a cliff situated nearby, to avoid sighting. This was the second day they had been here. Tomorrow they would start flying again, heading, always on the move, staying one step ahead of any meddling governments.
Also, she was turning 18 in exactly one week, right after Valentine's Day. Alyssa made a mental note to lock herself in her room on that day. Who knows what crazy stuff might happen on that day. The Toppats were nice enough but even so, gotta be careful.

She took out her tablet and stylus and started sketching a night sky, two people sitting together, arms around each other.

Burt had been overall impressed with her art. He was pretty good at making comics and cartoon characters. It was a little thing they kept between the two of them. Of course, Earrings knew, since they always talked when Alyssa gave a helping hand to her.
'It's actually amazing. Burt has never been so close to anyone. You're probably the first person to bring so much of a smile to his face.'
Earrings had told her a bit about her origin, they were from Sweden, they came to America apparently two years ago. There was one subject she avoided, and that was how she and Sven had ended up at the Toppat Clan.

Sven was so mysterious to her. Sometimes he wasn't seen for days and he always seemed to be lost in his own world. A few times she had visited his office, she had been hardly taken notice of. Of course, Alyssa was grateful to Sven for saving her, but she wanted to find a way to repay him. Earrings had also said he had become so tense and worried, after their rocket had been infiltrated. Something big had happened up there, and he wouldn't tell her.

Alyssa looked at the cliff, where the moon cast silver lights over the black ocean. She had finally felt loved by everyone around her, and she no longer had to depend on anyone to save her.
'Are you proud of me Henry? That I finally don't have to look up to someone anyone? Mom and Dad can't hurt me now...'
'Of course they can't.'
She fell back in shock to hear a voice behind her.
The face of Sven Svensson loomed above her.
'Chief?! What are you doing here? Don't sneak up on me like that!'
'What are you doing out of bed, young lady? There's a curfew, as you should know.'
Alyssa got up and said hotly, 'Don't you treat me like a baby. What are you doing here then? You shouldn't have seen me if you weren't supposed to be here as well'
Sven shrugged. 'I just came here for a bit of alone time.'
'Fair enough. How's the moon, vampire? I haven't seen you in days out of that office.'
'Cooling. Relaxing. Now get back to the Airship.'
'Look, how about we both stay here and we both don't tell anyone about this? You need someone to talk to, by the looks of it.'
'Shut up Alyssa. I don't need to talk to anyone. I'm fine.'
'Could've fooled me.'
'Look here, kid, why are you so bothered about me? It's not like it's affecting you.'
Alyssa got angry at him. This guy needed to open his eyes up.
'It's not affecting me, it's affecting your sister! She's so worried about you, and your state of mind and you don't care! You can't just lock yourself away in a room and expect her not to care!'
Sven was taken aback, but he quickly went to his usual expression of disregard, 'Sabrina shouldn't have to deal with my problems. She's helped me enough. She doesn't deserve a brother like me..'
He looked away, arms crossed.
Alyssa was surprised. What the hell was wrong was this guy? What's this big thing he's got?
'Sven, I owe you my life. I'm trying to help you. If it wasn't for you, god knows where'd I end up. Why did you help me anyways? You could've just left me!'
'I don't need anything from you. Good night.'
He started walking away.
She ran after him and grabbed his arm, her shoulder cape fluttering, 'Answer me! Why did you help me? You can't just walk away like that!'
'Watch me, now let go of me!', he snarled.
'Answer the question!', she said.
'Why do you want to know?!'
'Why do I want to know? I'm involved, you dummy!'
'Let me go!'
'Answer me! I wasn't worth anything to you anyways!'
'For heavens sake, you stupid child!', he yanked his hand out and staggered back.
'You wanna know? Fine! You reminded me of someone I loved once! Are you happy now?!'
Alyssa froze in shock, 'W-What? B-but-.'
'She was the same as you! She was bullied for being so shy, and I stood up for her, we got together after a while, and then-....'
Sven collapsed, hands to his face. Alyssa just stood there, in shock.
She sat next to him and put her arm around her.
'Sven. Look at me. Why did you not tell anyone before?'
He looked up into her blue eyes, which seemed to glow with a magical light.
'Sabrina knows..she's been pulled into my mistakes. She doesn't deserve a someone who can't do anything right..'
'What the heck are you talking about?! You literally busted the whole Toppat Clan out of the most secure complex in the world! You took the responsibility of handling a dang rocket ship on to your shoulders without hesitation! Who does that? Only you do! Think again, you've done some amazing stuff in the past!'
Sven shifted uncomfortably, 'Alyssa, you don't understand..'
'What? What do you-.'
'There's something else..'
Then talk to someone and get it out do yours system! You're gonna go insane, keeping everything inside!'
'Like I haven't.'
'I'm serious!'
'Please, Sven. I want to help you. I don't want to see you in such a helpless state.'
'If I tell you, I'll be nothing but a heartless monster to you.'
'Oh come on! It's not like you killed someone!'
Silence.
Sven looked away from her, his face contorted with shame. Alyssa wondered if she'd guessed correctly.
'Ummmmm, right? You didn't kill anyone, did you?'
'Alyssa...'
'Sven, if you won't talk to me, talk to Sabrina. Please. I'm starting to get worried.'
'She already knows...'
'At least talk to someone-.'
'FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, I KILLED THE GIRL I LOVED!'
Sven was up on his feet, looking down at Alyssa, who crawled backwards in fear.
'I KILLED HER WHEN SHE WAS MOST TRUSTING OF ME! I'M A MONSTER, A HEARTLESS MONSTER AND I DON'T DESERVE ANY KINDNESS OR FRIENDS! GO ON, TELL ME YOUR INSULTS! WALK AWAY LIKE EVERYONE ELSE I TRUSTED ENOUGH TO TELL THEM! GO ON! I'LL BE HERE!'
Alyssa stood up, 'Sven...'
'GO ON! I'M WAITING!'
Sven, listen to me now-.'
'WHY AREN'T YOU HATING ME?!'
'SVEN FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE LISTEN TO ME!'
'WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMEONE'S DEATH??!!'
Alyssa stood up as well, furious. That last sentence had made her mad. She walked up to him, despite being one foot shorter than his 5'11" frame, and pulled him by his shirt until their faces were inches apart.
'Don't you even dare underestimate me, Svensson. You're not the only one who's caused a loved ones death.'
She pushed him away roughly, and sat down again. She scratched the surface of her tablet.
Sven stood next to her and crouched down.
'I'm sorry..for being an idiot.'
Alyssa looked up, frowning, 'It's fine. I just let myself go.'
Sven POV
Alyssa was confusing right now to him. She always seemed like a sweet little girl to him, and the way she'd just suddenly grabbed him was very intimidating. But somehow, even if they'd talked for only a few times, Sven trusted her. Or maybe his conscious was being stupid again.
He shook her shoulder, and tried to get her to look at him.r
'Alyssa. Look at me.'
She turned her face and he forced himself to look in her eyes, to give him a sense of courage of what he was about to tell her.
'I'll tell you. I just want to. I can't explain it, I mean, I've gotten so far, can't back down anyways...'
Alyssa didn't reply.
Sven pulled out a photo from his trouser pocket. A younger version of himself was snuggling a girl, maybe 17-18 and with bright red long hair. Both of them were smiling and laughing.
Alyssa's eyes widened, 'Is that-.'
'Ellie Rose. My girlfriend. Well...sorta my ex-now.'
'Darn, what did she do to make you kill her? At least you look cuter.'
'I'm not cute.'
'Isn't that what the ladies say all the time about you?'
'Whatever, it's  not like I'll date any one of them.'
'Okay, just tell what happened. Maybe I'll share my story as well.'
Sven gave a huge sigh. When he imagined it in third person, the two of them talking together about their sob stories made him cringe on the inside. But, it was making him feel better.
'Well, maybe you should know about my background. Earrings may have told you we are Swedish. We came from an honest, rich family.'

'Wow, how ironic you're the leader of a criminal organization.'

Sven ignored her, 'But heck, they were bad parents, at least to me.
I was...kinda diagnosed with an identity disorder, and my parents didn't like it. Earrings was the perfect child to them. My other personality was impulsive and violent, and I didn't know how to control it. Earrings helped me and I got better at keeping that side under my control. After  awhile, we left the country to go study at a university over here.'
He gave another sigh and continued.
'She was just a shy girl, getting pushed around and alone, so I took her under my wing. Eventually, we fell for each other and things went great for about six months. Then I started having identity issues again. The other side of me was getting out of my control, and I was scared I would hurt her. Then my fear came true. We were alone together, and my other side took over. He took a pistol that was in my bag and shot her. I don't exactly remember what he said to her, but it must've been hurtful.  The next thing I knew I was in my room, and Sabrina was with me...'
'Why did you have a gun in your bag in the first place?'
'Honestly I don't know.'
The girl right next to him just looked at the grass. He couldn't tell what expressions she had right then.
'But then at the rocket, I got sabotaged by some government soldiers. One of them tackled me, and had bright red hair, but it was..shorter. She looked so different from the shy girl I knew. But I know it's her. She's alive, and she must've recognized me as well. I can say she's coming for me, along with the rest of the damned government.'
He fell into silence. The air felt awkward.
Silence.

More silence.

Then Alyssa pulled him into a hug.
'Well, at least she's alive. You're not a murderer, you goofball. We'll try and explain things, assuming she doesn't kill us.'
'Yeah right.'
Sven realized something. He wasn't a murderer. He hadn't killed her. Relief washed over him, he couldn't believe it.
'Okay, now you owe me your story. What's your backstory?'
Alyssa poked the grass with her stylus.
'Well..you see..'

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OOOOOH THE SUSPENSE IN THE AIR!
I go offline for one week and find 600+ reads? Wow, thanks a lot!