Mirrored in Her | ►

3. Rogue Nights

I was allowed to leave the shift early today because of the lie Nevaeh invented about her mom being ill and that I had caught the illness from her, to which Elowen immediately excused us.

We changed out of our uniforms and packed our belongings. A dark gloom had already crept into the streets as the sun had set. Both of us stepped out of the cafe.

The streets were oddly quiet and deserted, which was not an unusual occurrence but still gave me a cold shudder. The breeze slowly moved with a sense of harmony and peace mingled within, playing with my hair and tugging at my clothes as if wanting to follow them.

I felt paranoia gnawing at my spine as fear chewed away at my brain. My hands were clammy and cold, so I had to wipe them on the side of my dress. I knew I shouldn't be scared of the dark, not after what I'd been through. There is something about how they conceal the unknown, and their disturbing secrets that crawl through the dark irk me.

I had been subject to the dark, protected from the light of the outside world, and it has helped me avoid the preying eyes of humans.

I was one of its secrets, yet I still feared it, not because I was unaware like others, but because I knew what it could be capable of.

The streets of Kertneigh, despite how many people come and go, will always seem deserted. It saved Kertneigh from being just another place and not the city filled with mysteries as an old-time war location.

But one good look through the eyes of a wielder could see the aged spellbinds placed here that had collapsed and contradicted each other after the deaths of their castors, and together they formed this odd type of trance here that has prevailed ever since the king of eras ruled here as the capital city.

The crime rates here didn't even rise because of that. Since crime here technically would be harming a human unless it is a wielder who gets caught and killed at sight, which would come out as an act of heroism and will further solidify the beliefs of many cults in a pristine world where all welders have been killed as they continue 'the act of cleansing.'

My eyes scanned through the endless posters of unrecognizable faces, yet I knew they were related to me, one like me. It was easy to identify them since we are mostly painted in an obscene way to make children and teenagers think of us as villains or monsters who creep under their beds at night and bite a toe or two.

The walk home felt longer, with my mind constantly forming different scenarios. Even though I could feel Nevaeh's stare on me, I ignored it and diverted my attention to our feet, which were in sync and created a rhythmic sound as they scraped the gravel.

"Alessia?"

"Huh?" I blinked at her.

"What happened out there?"

"Nothing. Just forget it," I mumbled, not in the mood to converse.

"What do you mean by nothing? You were trembling, and your body was so pale, Alessia." Nevaeh raised her voice at me anxiously. I knew how much she cared for me, but sometimes it is better not to tell her.

"Now is not the time, Nevaeh. Let me be," I replied, lowering my voice, not wanting to alert anyone of our presence.

Nevaeh huffed, but she kept quiet and rushed past me, showing her defiance at me, which made me smile slightly.

It was humid in the air by the time we passed the streets. The earthy smell of rain filled the air. Our pace quickened as the clouds gathered in the sky.

The beautiful moon-illuminated sky was beginning to darken into gravel gray. A large group of clouds was forming, blocking the moon's white shine.

Nevaeh fumbled with the keys as we reached the brass-encrusted door of the cottage. I felt unease break out across the back of my neck. The skin behind my back prickled, and I felt thousands of eyes on me.

My fists tightened into small balls beside me. I breathed out a deep breath, which was misunderstood as an act of impatience by Nevaeh, making her scowl at me.

Finally, I gave up and turned around swiftly. As I did, I only had a few seconds to catch the wide-eyed horror of the lady peering at us behind her curtains before she drew them in, and beside the house was an odd-looking old man who ducked behind the bushes at first sight of the two.

Nevaeh found the key and opened the door. She let me in, first noticing the look of unease across my face before she got in herself and shut the door behind us.

The living room was adorned with the sweet smell of cinnamon rolls. The cottage may seem small from the outside, but it holds a lot more space than it showcases.

Nevaeh's mother, Celene, came out of the kitchen. She gave me a smile with her steamy red face due to the kitchen heat.

Her blond hair was tied into a small, messy bun as she wore her supposedly blue apron, which was now covered in some liquid along with her entire body.

"I had an accident," Celene explained as she hurriedly passed to change. I smiled at her lightly.

I removed my coat and let myself fall onto the soft couch with a sigh. The door was busted open as my brother Everard squeezed through with as many boxes as he could, trying his best not to drop any of them.

"It's okay," he begins sarcastically, "you sit there and enjoy. I got it all by myself. I'm fine," he spoke, gritting his teeth under the weight as his eyes bore into mine.

"I thought so," I responded sheepishly.

Huffing, Everard placed the boxes on the table before he walked back outside to bring in the rest of them as each box was placed inside. For a moment, I feared he might go to his room now; if he does, then I'm screwed. But instead, he let out a dramatic sigh and fell on the couch beside me.

I relaxed when I heard him start snoring. How tired was he?

I quickly walked to the side table and retrieved a blanket from a cabinet, covering him before closing his open mouth. A smile crept on my face as I remembered how my mom tucked him in whenever Everard fell asleep.

Nevaeh came out of the kitchen holding two mugs of warm coffee in her hands. She handed one to me while settling herself on a cushion diagonal to mine.

I pushed my nose against the cup's rim to smell the coffee beans. The ceramic cup was so hot that it burned my fingers, sending torpedoes of heat and shivers through my body.

I took a sip and enjoyed the sensation of the hot, bitter liquid pouring down my throat as the heat spread all over my body.

"So," Nevaeh began, "are you ready to tell me what happened?" She tried again.

I opened my eyes and stared at her. She was looking at me expectantly and waiting for me to open up. She was constantly rubbing her hands in front of her skirt. Her legs were drawn together as she leaned in attentively.

"Go and rest, Nevaeh." I chased her away again. I didn't feel like talking about anything because I didn't want to be reminded of it. There is an ember of hope burning inside of me, telling me not to talk about it. Then maybe it would be like it never happened, foolish as it was, but it still kept me sane.

I saw her face drop, her hands flailing by her side, defeated. Guilt crept into my consciousness. I wasn't usually the reserved type in front of Nevaeh; at least I pretended not to be. I always had my fair share of secrets, but I made sure not to indicate their existence in any manner. Especially in front of Nevaeh, who had been through thick and thin with me.

I don't recall the last time I was very real with anyone. Maybe there wasn't any time at all. My eyes went back to Nevaeh, who was fighting a frown.

"Alright," she finally said. She pulled herself up and walked away; I assumed she went in for an early night. My body was raging with guilt. Especially when I think of the packed bags under my bed, all tight and ready for my departure, which I have been hesitating for so long. But what happened today loosened the last screw that had fixed me to this place.

Maybe it was all for the best.

I got up from the couch and walked to the window, listening to the pitter-patter sound of the rain as it murmured outside the window like angry bees. Thunder rumbled off in the distance as the clouds spit out large gouts of water.

Before sunrise tomorrow, I will leave. I just had to wait till the rain stopped. The sounds of the heavy rain falling blurred into a whirring noise inside, making me feel caged out of nowhere. I need a fresh breath of air. I grabbed my coat off the hanger and went out to the garden with my coffee gripped tightly in my hand.

I watched the sky go off above the trees in the distance as lightning flashed against the dark clouds gathered, and I took another sip of my almost cold coffee. Bright and angry strokes of lightning lit the sky like fireworks.

Another bolt of light pulses through the sky as the drizzle intensifies. I raised a hand in an attempt to shield my face. A low cloud hung over us, engulfing everything in a thick mist.

The rain picked up as the wind blew harder, making my ears go deaf. Tiny droplets of rain tapped at my dress, lingering on me for a moment before floating away. My hair and long skirt swayed behind me, dancing along with the tune of the wind.

I decided to get back inside to pack, but before I could turn around, thunder roared again furiously.

An electrified bolt of lightning darted across the night sky, brightening it briefly, and at that moment, my eyes fell upon a silhouette of a man gazing at me.

My heart skipped a beat. The coffee cup slipped off my hands and thrashed the floor with a deafened crash. The white piece shattered over the floor as the liquid covered it.

Darkness enveloped me as the lightning retreated into the clouds. Goosebumps ran along my body as a chill ran down my spine. Another beam of electricity flashed through the sky, but no one was to be seen in the trees. My heart hammered in my chest as I ran for the door.

I heard the sound of mud being squashed under my feet. I was only moments away from the handle before I felt a strong pull on my hair.

I fell back with great ferocity, but I got back up on my feet immediately and searched for the man like a wild cat.

I felt a poke at my shoulders, followed by a cold breath blowing behind me that raised the hair in the back of my neck in its wake. My lips trembled as I struggled to keep my breath stable.

"Never turn your back on your opponent." My father's words echoed through my mind.

Taking a deep breath, I swung around just in time to block a hit from the intruder. The sharp metallic blade pierced my arm as a scream left my mouth.

For a moment, I felt my body freeze as the dark silhouette stood before me. Every muscle in my body refused to move. My body was on top of the broken pieces of the cup, so I applied pressure and let those sharp ends break my skin.

Pain always helps when you are in shock.

I stumbled as I tried to stand up. In an attempt to run, I stepped on a piece of the broken cup, lost my footing, and fell down the wooden flooring, rolling over the small stairs leading straight to the wet, muddy ground.