Silver {Book One}

Chapter Seven: Story Time

    We were back in Salem, New Hampshire. I didn't realize it until I ran out of the forest into the snowy street. You could tell ice had frozen itself onto the sign. I could see a house near by. It looked like an old Victorian home with an ugly pink siding.

    She was still passed out, but the cold made her shiver in my arms. She only had a thin blood soaked white t-shirt and flare jeans on. I swore under my breathe for not packing her warmer clothes. I jogged towards the house. I twisted the front door knob, testing to see if it was unlocked, and pushed the door open.

   It was almost as cold in here as it had been outside. Though, the house was able to block the wind. The whole house was empty except for the living room which had a raggedy pink couch in front of a wood stove. I laid Aderes down and  walked by the wood stove. It still had a few logs in it, so I flicked my wrist, fired a small red orb into the stove, and light it on fire.

   I quickly lifted Aderes in my arms and laid her head in my lap so I had better access to the deep cut on her head. The cut had dried blood in it, which stopped it from bleeding more. I laid her back down. I walked around the house and found the kitchen. I rummaged through the cabinets finding a old tin bowl. I tried turning the water on but the pipes were frozen. I ran out to the backyard and packed the bowl with snow. On the backdoor steps laid a falling porch swing and laying over it, untouched, was a dry afghan blanket.

   I went back into the living room putting the tin bowl on top of the wood stove to melt the snow. I pushed the couch closer to the fire and draped the afghan over Aderes. I quickly moved on to the other rooms until I found what I was looking for. Needle and thread.

   I sat on the couch pulling Aderes's head in my lap again. I need a cloth but couldn't find any. I pulled her backpack open looking at her clean clothes. Might as well not make a mess of the rest of it, I thought as I ripped Aderes's bloody shirt off. I look over her quickly to see if there were any other cuts I didn't see, covered bare skin up, and the ripped the shirt into long strips. The stained parts I threw in the fire and the clean ones I dunk into the now warm water.

   I parted her hair allowing me full access to the cut. She was defiantly going to need stiches. I dipped the clean rag into the water and wiped the blood away. It took three times until I finally cleared the wound of blood. I focused on my index finger until it turned red and a small flame flickered there. I grabbed the needle and past it threw the flame, sanitizing it. I threaded the needle and prayed silently the Aderes wouldn't wake up. I carefully sewed her skin back into place.

   When I came back from trading the bloody water for fresh snow Aderes was awake. I placed the bowl on the wood stove and crouched in front of her watching for any signs that she might pass out again. Her eyes stayed on the fire as she gently rubbed the back of her head.

"Does it still hurt?" I asked

She shook her head.  "Not as much. I assume you had to stich it.''

I nodded.

  She sighed and wrapped the afghan around her. I noticed her had a new blue shirt on. I put my hand over hers. Her stare lingered on my hand so I removed it.  I cleared my throat.

"So where did my shirt go?" She glared at me. I knew she would be pissed.

"I had to use it as rags to clean you up." She stayed quiet. " I was going to clean up the cuts on your arms and face..if you still want me to that is." I lowered my head to look her in the eyes as I grabbed her hand slowly and pulled her hand out of shelter of the blanket. I grabbed the warm water and a fresh rag and dabbed her cuts. She hissed.

"You alright?"

"As okay as I can be right now." She sighed.  "I feel like I got hit by a car."

"I should've been able to protect you...I'm sorry Aderes." I shivered at the image of her flying into the wall.

"Rail," she shook her head,  "I thought I was the Protector?" She laughed quietly.

"Yes, but-"

Aderes took my hands into her hands.  "I don't know who you are Rail. I know only what the visions show me and they've shown me who Aderes used to be." She pulled her hair over her shoulder. "I had white hair. I had silver eyes, and I protected everyone. But, me, Sarah doesn't really know who she is anymore. Or anyone else for that matter." She whispered to herself.  "I've had visions of Athena and I in battle, of you at times, " my heartbeat shot up at her words. Her eyes seemed hesitant.

"What else?" I said.

"I've had visions of my multiple lives with Jay."

My hands tightened around hers. "That basterd was supposed to bring you home to me."

"Well, he told me that but that you wanted to kill me." She seemed scared and tried to pull her hands away from mine but I pulled them to my chest right where my heart would be.

"Aderes, will you listen to yourself. You have to know that I would never, I mean never, hurt you."

She sighed.  "Aderes maybe but I  don't know that." She pulled her hands free. Silence lingered between us. I looked up though my lases to see Aderes looking around the room. I dipped another rag in water and dabbed the gash that was on her cheek.

"Can I ask you a question?" she asked. When I didn't respond so continued.  "Why do you and Jay look so similar?"

   I thought back to the day I created him. "I always wanted to have a 2nd in command. I created him from me. To be like me and rule Lands of Luxury while I was away."

"But why would you leave? I've seen it and it's so beautiful." She exclaimed.

   I saw the memory clearly. I held the knife against my forehead and cut deeply above my eyebrow. I lowered my head in a bowl to collect the blood.  "Blood for knowledge." I said. I poured in into the palm of my hand. I willed it to collect itself into a ball. It floated in my left hand and in my right I had the green and white stone. I whispered the bonding spell and the ball of blood rose higher in the air and formed a frame of a man. Slowly it lowered itself onto the ground. The blood fell to the floor but leaving almost an exact image of me laying on the floor.  "Jayden." I remember the odd feeling I had when I saw him as almost a reflection.

"I created him so if there came a day when you needed my help leaving The Heavens, I could help protect you from the True One...It was for-" I stopped. Aderes became stiff. I looked to she her eyes glisten and glaze over.

"- for us to escape." She whispered.

"Yes." I waited to see her reaction. She looked tired and pale.

"But why? I don't understand."

"I'll tell you when you remember, love. Just try to get some sleep now." I wiped away the last of the blood from the cut on her cheek. I lightly pushed her shoulders down onto the couch; she didn't fight now. She closed her eyes.

   I could stare at her all night. I would if I didn't have to keep watch out for Jay. Her hair was a ratted mess but it still looked beautiful and her skin looked like honey in the firelight. I sighed for I was content.

"Rail, when can I see Stef?" she yawned.

Soon my angel.

Without an answer she fell asleep.