IncuBUST

Gatekeeper

"What are you doing?" Sissy asked watching me shove all of Octavia's new clothes into her beat up suitcase. 

"Packing," I replied bitterly. "Can you get her computer stuff off the counter?" She stared at me for a moment and then said, "Sure." She left the living room and came back several minutes later with Octavia's laptop case, her canvas shoulder bag and her duffle full of toiletries. I had forgotten about those things. 

"Thanks," I mumbled zipping up her suitcase and setting her other things on top. I sat on the floor in silence trying to make myself stand up. Why was this so hard? I had only known her for a few days so why did the fact that she was leaving make me want to cry?

"Are you gonna tell me what's going on?" she asked and I sighed. I slowly stood up and looked at her saying, "Octavia is moving in with her aunt and cousins." Her brow furrowed and she asked, "Why? I was rather under the impression she enjoyed living here." 

"She does, but her aunt has custody. That's what I had to go to the library for; to see her father's will. She can't live with us," I explained as I gathered up her bags. 

"Does what she wants not matter?" Sissy asked and I shrugged saying, "She's under eighteen so I guess not." She scoffed and muttered, "That's bullshit." 

"Yeah," I mumbled, "But it's a nice place, her aunt's house and her cousins seem friendly. I don't think she'll want for anything." Sissy raised a perfect eyebrow and murmured, "Except you." 

"What?"

"Nothing. So where is this house?" she asked as I started towards the door. I glanced back at her and frowned replying, "Watermill." Her eyes widened. 

"You were in Watermill?" she inquired her voice hushed as if the word were cursed. I nodded and opened the door. Her eyes drifted to the scars on my back still pink from their recent reopening and she exclaimed, "You flew out of Watermill?!" 

"It was too far to walk. Don't worry, I'm taking the car now," I said leaving the apartment. She rushed after me, closing the door behind us, and hissed, "You could've been shot out of the sky!" I rolled my eyes and said, "Don't be dramatic, Sis. It's a human community, but Mythics are still allowed to visit with permission." 

"Yeah, written permission! Not 'this chick let me in' permission. How are you gonna get back in?" she followed me down the hall to the elevator. 

"Um..." I hadn't actually thought about that. I shrugged and stepped out of the elevator into the parking garage. "I'll deal with it when I get there." 

"What, are you going to Enamor the gatekeeper? You'll be fined if anyone sees you. Maybe even arrested," Sissy said stopping by the car. I popped open the trunk and set Octavia's stuff inside. 

"I'll just explain the situation and if I can't get in I'll text Octavia to come to the gate. Everything will be fine," I said hoping it would be true. She sighed and crossed her arms over her chest as I got in the car. 

I rolled down the window and she leaned down to kiss me on the cheek and say, "Be careful and tell Octavia it was fun while it lasted." I nodded and she back away from the car as I pulled out of the garage. 

I arrived at the black iron gates of Watermill and slowly pulled up to the gatekeeper's station. I cringed at the loudness of the car. The middle-aged man in the small, air-conditioned booth glanced at me and asked, "Guest?" I smiled politely and nodded. 

"And who are you visiting?" he continued. I stared at him for a second and then laughed nervously saying, "I don't know the exact address but her name is Charlotte Demarco." The man smiled and said, "I know the Demarco's. Nice people. Been living here for years. I just need to see your ID card and you're good to go." I sighed. The moment of truth. I reached into the pocket of my scrubs and pulled out my wallet trying to prolong the moment. I slowly removed my ID from its slot and was just about to hand it over when a body slid between my car and the gatekeeper's station. 

"Oh hello, Nikolai, did you come to meet your guest?" the man asked and Nikolai smiled saying, "Yeah, he's helping my cousin move in with us." 

"Well that's very nice, but I need to see his ID. I run a tight ship here, you know," the gatekeeper said. I leaned back in my seat and my eyes widened as I saw Nikolai reach his hand through the small window and touch the other man on the shoulder. The gatekeeper suddenly began laughing as if something unbearably funny happened. 

Nikolai stuck his arm through the window and flicked a switch causing the gates to swing open. He ran over to the other side of my car and hopped in the passenger's seat saying, "Drive."