Blue Sty

Chapter II

I didn't.

I'd never seen the guy before. Completely unknown. Why the hell would I ever know a gothic emo wizard when I lived in freaking South Dakota, middle of nowhere, a state filled with nothing but white people? He was still looking at me with those piercing blue eyes, grinning so slyishly, looking so casual, as if he didn't mean to do anything but talk to me as a friend. But yet, I sensed the menace in his piercing gaze, his burning desire to kill me. He reached out a spidery hand to touch my chin. I urged myself to move, but my muscles wouldn't obey my commands--and I stood still as a statue.

All I could think of was Randy, my only friend. How much I had just lost, and how I never got a chance to say goodbye.

I wasn't ready to die. But I had to stay strong... for him.

"Your precious dog is dead," the alchemist hissed. My fists instantly flexed, as if to punch the man... but he did nothing but chuckle. "Worry not, child. Don't be scared. I only desire the best for you... Katto Ortinus." Something about the way he said my name made my arm hairs stand on end, and I felt a burning desire to run, stronger than I ever had before. His voice sounded like silk.

If only I could.

"Are you ready to die, Katto Ortinus?" the alchemist asked, flashing me a smile that showed sharp white canines. He slowly began to pace around me, but I could do nothing but look forward. I was locked, my feet firmly planted to the floor like roots of some massive tree.

I didn't want to die. But I hadn't lived much of a life anyways--a life with a lot of potential, sure. But I had never made any real connections, had never seen anything really worth seeing. It only seemed fitting that I was about to be killed by a man who I knew nothing about. As usual, my life was out of my control. Tears welled up in my eyes, tears for Randy, and I could do nothing to dry them.

"If all goes according to plan, I suppose, you'll soon be joining your stupid mutt." He turned back to face me, sighing with some emotion... relief. "I hope that you know that things are under my control here. I possess many abilities, as I'm sure you can see. Or as I'm sure you can feel. It would make me pleased to know that you are afraid of me." He continued to pace around me, so incredibly pleased with himself. My fist twitched once more, but I could do nothing to move. He was right--things were under his control, in my house, in me and Randy's room.

"It's good to finally have you here," he soliloquized. "I must say, I feel some pity for all the things you'll never get to see. All the worlds... you know, there's much more than just Earth? Very few know, you should feel lucky. I don't deny they're beautiful--I've seen them all, Katto Ortinus. It's a shame you'll never get to see the true wonders the universe had been saving for you." He sighed--for a few moments I almost actually believed that he felt bad for me. Then I thought better.

"But we all have our reasons, don't we? I would hardly kill a dog for no reason. Rather, I had one myself, a very long time ago. Trust me, I feel some compassion for you, Katto Ortinus. Your home, nor your parents, won't be harmed... or will they?" He chuckled. "I suppose it depends on your choices. It doesn't matter much to me either way. What do you think of your home, your family, your pet, Katto Ortinus? What are your true emotions on losing them?" The room was tense with silence, until the man slapped a hand over his mouth. "Oops! Sorry, I almost forgot. You can't speak. Now allow me to do you the honor of letting you speak, and the first words out of your mouth had best be those of gratitude."

He pulled a thin wand out of his cloak, the wand seeming to light afire with flames in the dim cellar light, but also seeming to freeze and turn a pale white on its underside. "Vocabul Solific!" he casted, and my tongue almost seemed to melt back into my mouth. He tucked his hands behind his back, smiling devilishly at me, waiting for me to ask him anything. But I had nothing to say to my future killer. Nothing except one word.