Unknown L (Book 1)

~~ Wow! Just, Wow! ~~

"We'll be getting off soon. You need to put your sunglasses back on before we do. We're not, out of the woods, so to speak, just yet."

L had only just remembered she'd taken them off after waking up and wondered whether that's what had set the Demon man off. Bryce had said it was something to do with her birthmark, and she reached up to rub her eye. It had never been more than just a mark to her. 

"What's so important about my birthmark?" L asked abruptly.

The question startled Bryce momentarily, and he leaned forward in his seat. 

"It's hard to explain right now without going into every other detail. Let's just say you don't see it the way we do. It's not just a marking to be recognised by. It also means something... Haven't you ever wondered why it changes shape?"

L blinked back her shock.

"I didn't actually think it changed, I thought I was just seeing things... so no, I haven't. How do you know it does that?"

Bryce smiled softly, "I know because it was designed that way, to keep it moving and changing. Like I said, your parents did a good job at keeping you safe and hidden."

L's shock was only increasing while she listened. She purposely peered down the bus and back to him questioningly, to which he shook his head. Apparently, the bus was safe for them to talk now.

"It's just a birthmark though, wasn't I born with it? How could it have been designed to keep me hidden?"

Bryce shook his head, "You weren't born with it. Your parents placed it on you before they had to leave you. It was designed by them to keep you safe from the woman who wants you. She's been looking for years, but that has kept you hidden from her... until now, that is."

L rubbed her forehead. She was trying her hardest to keep up with what he was saying.

"So much for not knowing anything about it all. Tell me then, why has she suddenly been able to find me, this woman you keep mentioning?"

Bryce looked at her guiltily around a half smile, "Yeah, I might have twisted the truth a little there, but only so I didn't overwhelm you with so much information all in one go. And as to why she can send things after you now and not before, well... she captured someone who told her what to look for. Before that, she was just looking for a girl around your age and type... now she knows exactly what to send her lackeys out to look for."

L had a feeling there was more to it, but her head was already overflowing with everything he'd said. She tried to organise it all in her mind. He had been right about overwhelming her with a lot of information.

"Well, can't someone remove it so she can't use it to find me?"

Bryce's eyes widened this time, "No, no, no, definitely not. It's not just a piece of camouflage. It has other functions... that I don't know about before you ask. I just know that it's as important as you are."

There it was again, being told she was important when all her life she hadn't meant much to anyone. Being important in any way was a strange notion; even with the note tucked away in her bag telling her the same thing her whole life. Having it written on a piece of paper made it easier to think her parents might have seen her that way, but to hear it coming from Bryce was absurd. She shook it off to file away for later and was about to ask more about her parents when Bryce sat up straight.

"Right, our stop is coming up. Are you ready for some more walking?" 

L groaned under her breath at the way he could dodge things and heard him chuckle while reaching down for his bag. She grabbed hers and hoisted it up on her back. She heard mutters when she passed some of the other passengers. She didn't make eye contact with any of them and followed Bryce to the front.

The bus began slowing down, and a few seconds later, it stopped outside an old factory building. The place looked like it had been boarded up for years. L glanced up to see there was no bus stop sign when they stepped off. She then turned quickly to watch the bus drive off down the street. The few people that were around gave it no notice and carried on about their business.

L turned to Bryce, ready to ask about the bus, but was distracted when she saw that he was adjusting his hat again.

"I still don't understand why you bother if nobody else can see you, and I know now?"

"Humans aren't the only ones hanging around. Just remember that."

Of course they weren't, L was slowly coming to terms with the fact that it wasn't just on the bus that this new world existed. She hoped Bryce was surveying their surroundings more closely than she was. He seemed more relaxed now that they were off the bus, and L thought it might have something to do with the open space.

"Where are we anyway?"

"South somewhere, but it doesn't matter because we're not staying here. Like I said, we've got some walking ahead of us. Let's get going."