Earthbound (Slow Updates, Sorry Guys)

Chapter Four- Shadows

As we followed a group of forty or so mutations our feet sunk into the wet mud that spread over the cracked pavement and into the streets. The mutts stared through windows in the high rises we passed and peaked out of alley ways. Matthew, the old man, was leading the way with Navi, who insisted on being the first to see what this was about. I could guess the real reason was because she wanted to have some leadership or importance in the Above, might as well start now.

“How is the performance in Sector Five?” Navi asked pressing closer to the front.

“Sector five’s inhabitants have been long awaiting your releasing my dear, and now that this day has come, your presence has made them more joyous than they have been in a while, because of the rain of course.”

I looked around at the gutter that was filled with pooling water. Bugs floated to the surface and a mutated amphibian with yellow slimy skin and green eyes jumped into the sloshy grass. Sticking out its tongue, it looked at me and jumped out of sight back into the murky gutter water.

This place wasn’t exactly as I imagined.

I had imagined sector five more of a green zone, not grey-skied and most definitely not a slosh pit of water and mud. I couldn’t see the pavement under the wet mud, I couldn’t even tell if my feet were touching pavement or if there was just so many of layers of mud that it would take years of rain to break it all down.

During my training for my Releasing I had to become familiarized with all nine sectors of the Above. When they were teaching about sector five it sounded wonderful, like with rolling green hills and blue skies. Now, as far as my eyes can see, it’s grey skies, crumbling buildings and flooded streets.

“Are all sectors this off contrary with what we learned?” I asked quietly. Navi and Matthew both turned to look at me over their shoulders. Navi looked ready to spit fire but Matthew raised an eyebrow.

“And what exactly were you taught Luna?”

“Well the scenery was not as…” I swallowed hard and looked around. “Not as wet.”

He smiled and stopping, he let me catch up and as I walked with him he put his arm around my shoulder and nodded. “No, I bound you are a little disappointed. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, but the weather has been off for a while.”

I nodded and snuck a look at Navi who had been pushed off to the side and was slowly staggering behind with Ty and Dawn.

A group of mutts were following at arms distance behind and beside us, sneaking looks at us and gazing at our bare feet.

I could still feel shards of glass in my feet, which was the only reason why I was grateful for the soft sinking of the mud. I’m sure if I was walking on pavement I would be screaming in pain.

Matthew’s skin was rubbery against mine, so much that it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I placed one hand on his wrist and my other arm around his waist, he felt so small and fragile that I questioned how he was still standing, and how much longer he could walk.

“It will dry up soon I believe,” he said quietly.

“I hope so.” I sighed. “For your sake.” I added as an afterthought. He glanced at me and chuckled.

“You’re not like your friend.”

“Navi isn’t exactly one on making friendships.” Our friendship was accidental and I believe that if I hadn’t ran into her in the hall before her Awakening things would have been completely different.

He nodded and breathed out loudly. “No one here really is; she’ll fit in just fine trust me.” At that I smiled and tossed her a sideways glance. She narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms. Bad idea Luna.

The smile slipped from my lips as I turned back to looking ahead. Was I losing Navi?

“So where are we going?” I tried changing subjects. It worked.

“You’ll be staying at a boarding house that we had set up for when you were to arrive. It isn’t big but we had managed to fit five beds in there, but it looks that you will only be accommodating four.

I hate to inform you though, that before we can take you to your home it would be in all of our best interests to let a couple days pass before you go there, just to assure no nosy followers tagging along and spreading the word of where you are.”

I nodded and looked behind again, this time looking at Ty and Dawn. Her eyes were still puffy looking and Ty’s arm was snaked around her waist. I could feel a burn in my throat and my stomach started dropping. Why am I feeling this way?

“It was completely unexpected,” I said shaking my head. I could feel my eyes pricked with tears. I could still see Angel’s face in my mind, her long fair hair draping her shoulders and her thin frame walking through the halls.

“Well no one doubted that dear,” Matthew said pulling me closer into his side.

“But a loss of a companion is no reason to be depressed, avenge her death with your joy, which is what I’m sure she would have wanted you to do.”

Would Angel have really wanted me to avenge her death with my happiness? No, I can’t see Angel doing that. I could actually see her saying go kill those pathetic life forms.

I almost laughed at how real it sounded, like it could’ve been straight from her lips, an order to finish off whatever of them are left. I felt my pulse speed up and then my skin getting sticky with sweat. My lungs burned and my lips went dry. I actually wanted to avenge her death. I never loved Angel and I can tell you now she never loved me, but she was made in my image, no matter how much we fought, she was my duplicate. The humans practically killed a part of me, shot my arm or my leg and have left me lame.

I pressed my lips into a line, all gratefulness to Matthew disappearing and all fear of losing Navi escaping from my system, leaving me with a sickly anger that swelled in my chest.

I feel like I could explode.

They killed Angel and have destroyed my home. I swore silently. I will avenge her death, just not with joy.

                                                             ***

We finally got to see the boarding house three days later.

“It’s beautiful,” Dawn said staring up at the ceiling of the boarding house. I didn’t understand how the landscape could change from city to a small town so quickly.

We had entered a small dead zone where the houses were spaced so much that no one could truly call anyone neighbors.

At the end of a small circling street, a white house rose higher than the others. Blue shudders were held back with iron clasps and the door had a horseshoe knocker on the front door.

“Welcome to your home.”

Navi looked around at the yard and sighed. While Matthew looked at her sadly seeing her disappointment I looked around. This house was like nothing I had ever seen before. White pillars, too wide to wrap my arms around stretched to the sky, while ivy snaked up the wall and down the pillars. The walkway to the front of the house was slightly sheltered from the mud with small bushes lining the path. I glanced up at the windows. The curtain swayed a little and I took a couple steps towards the house. As I was about to step onto the porch a shadow stopped dead in front of the window. I stared and it stared back, as far as I knew it was looking at me. The shadow was built like a man, the structure of his shoulders were broad and the way his chin squared off made it impossible to not watch him stand there. Why was he watching me? More importantly, why is he in our house?

“Matthew.”

“Yes?” he said.

“Is anyone going to be staying with us?”

He looked at me quizzically and then laughed. “Are you four not enough? No, no one is going to be boarding with you.”

I took my eyes off the window and looked at the man, and when my gaze returned the shadow was gone, the man had just disappeared.

Who are you?