The awakener (bxb)✔

TA 36

Chapter 26

Riley's POV

I put my hood on as I quickened my pace. It was drizzling, and I was slowly getting wet. I had been wandering in Aqua Town, and it was about time I moved on. Staying in Aqua Town was not good for me, or for anyone else. I was on the road that led out of the town. I passed tall green trees as I inched out of the town slowly. I kept closer to the trees, a few meters away from the asphalt road. The road was not at all busy, which was good for me. I was in no mood to be stopped by some dude who thought I was lost. A bird cried in the far distance, disturbing the night. I had a feeling of foreboding. I narrowed my eyes as the clouds became darker, shielding the moon. I thought of instantly transmitting myself, but decided against it.

A foreign noise entered my ears. It sounded like leaves being rustled behind me. I turned slowly, but saw nothing. Blaming it on the road, I continued walking.

Noise much like the previous one entered my ears, halting my thoughts. I turned with a frown on my face. The person or animal couldn't get away in time. I narrowed my eyes. It was a person.

I waited for the person to catch up with me, but they seemed rooted to the spot.

"Hi", I said cheerfully, a smile lurking.

"I come in peace!" the person shouted. I recognized the voice the moment it left the person's mouth.

"Peace? Why are you following me?" I asked, a hint of anger in my voice.

As if invisible chains had just been unlocked, the person walked towards me. It was no longer drizzling and the clouds had parted a bit, the moon's nose showing. It illuminated the person's face, confirming that I was not wrong. The lips on the face that looked like mine twisted into a shy smile.

"Forgive me son, but I had no choice", dad said. He stroked his beard. "We need to talk".

I stuck my hands in my jean pockets, drying them a bit. "How long have you been following me?"

"Since you entered Aqua Town", he said simply, and then, "Why did you run away?"

"Isn't it obvious? I want nothing to do with you!" I said.

He grinned. "The darkness inside you, you will never be able to get rid of it. Come home".

"No", my reply was swift.

The smile never left his face. "You will come home eventually. The darkness in you will keep growing and growing until you can't contain it. We will be waiting".

I was about to say something when I felt the world dissolving around me. I looked around wildly and saw dad disappear. Seconds later, I felt something pull me back.

I opened my eyes to a sight of Margaret standing next to me. She was just staring. I raised a brow.

"Sorry. I couldn't resist looking. I just can't believe I am here with you. The last time I saw you, you fit into my arms. Now...now you're all grown-up", she said with tear-streaked ears. "Your mother did an amazing job".

I nodded slowly, realizing I had fallen asleep on the couch and dreamt about Isandro finding me.

"Tell me, how was it?" she said eagerly. "Did you like living here?"

"It was okay", my voice was monotone.

Margaret may have not noticed, but my dream had rattled me. In it, I felt myself giving in to the darkness inside me. I felt it consuming me and I welcomed it. The prospect was scary. Was Isandro right? Would I go back?

"What's wrong?" Margaret asked.

"I don't know", I said.

"Riley..."

"What if I can't contain the darkness inside me? I nearly beat up a guy to within an inch of his life. I..." I said and trailed off.

"Riley, when I gave you up...I wanted you to experience being human, the humility humans have. Yes, we are a selfish and arrogant race, but there's some good in us too. We aren't flawless, but you know what we have? We have love. It's more powerful than perfection. It allows us to forgive, to give second chances, to make others happy and feel good about ourselves", she said. "I think it paid off. I saw when you walked in that you weren't like Isandro. Like all Darkeners, he's incapable of love. You are capable of love".

Casey...

"I'll be back", I said jumping off the couch. "I'll bring food on my way back".

Margaret was surprised. "Oh...uh...where are you going?"

"Stay put", I said and instantly transmitted myself to a place I knew off by heart.

*

Butterflies were bouncing off the walls of my stomach as I leaned over the tree outside Casey's room and proceeded to open the window. As expected, Casey had left it slightly open. He liked climbing onto the couch in his room and looking out the window.

I opened the window enough for me to be able to climb in. I could have instantly placed myself in Casey's room, but I didn't want to scare him. It was the last thing I wanted to do. With how things had been lately, my sudden appearance was bound to fluster him.

I knew things wouldn't be like before. He wouldn't welcome me with open arms. We wouldn't exchange banter and laugh at our silly selves. He wouldn't let me wrestle him or make an effort to tickle me. Things had changed.

I could say I wished for things to go back to normal, but I would be lying. Normal for us was chasing each other around. I wanted that, and I wanted more. I could still remember the afternoon we shared together in my room. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever experienced. I wanted that. I wanted to tell Casey I loved him and tease him about his moaning and the words he said in the middle of passionate lovemaking. I wanted to hold his hair and tell him I loved him over and over again.

Things weren't so simple, and that made my heart ache. Just when I had gotten what I hadn't known I wanted, I'd gone and ruined it.

I was back to make things right. Casey had to know that even when far away from him, he was foremost on my mind. He had to know that I was willing to fight the darkness because like my mom said, I was capable of love.

I stepped into the room quietly. I was about to get off the couch I'd landed on when I spotted a body on the middle of the floor. There was a smell of blood. My heart rate immediately increased.

I got off the couch and went to the guy. He had no pulse, a sign he was dead. He wasn't significantly cold, a sign he hadn't been dead for a long time. In my effort to find a pulse, I pulled the guy's shirt aside. It was then that I saw it; a tattoo of a D in a circle of thorns. Enclosed by the D was an eye that seemed to be looking at every movement I did. Instead of a pupil though, the eye contained a light bulb that seemed to be broken at the top.

It was a mark of the Darkeners.

I let in a shaky breath at the sight. The Darkeners had been at Casey's house looking for something. I felt a cold chill run up my spine. They knew about my love for Casey and they were going to use it to make me do what they wanted. What if they hurt him?

The thought of someone hurting Casey had me rooted in place for a few seconds in fear, guilt and then anger.

I ran to the bed. Casey wasn't there. The sheets were disarray, suggesting someone had been sleeping on the bed. I spotted another guy slumped against the foot of the bed.

Something didn't make sense. If the two men had obviously failed at their task, where was Casey? Unless, there had been more than two Darkeners looking for Casey!

I scanned through the rooms in the house, finding no one. Just when I finished, I picked up sounds of a car turning into the driveway. Someone was home. I had to get out of there. First though, I needed a clue as to where Casey could be. My extra-senses allowed me to pick up Casey's scent. I couldn't tell if he was alive or dead. Following the scent would lead me to him, and hopefully I wouldn't be too late.