Those Lovely Children Of Lys

Chapter Fifteen ~Alice~

Everyone stared at me for some time. Darby was making a cross with his fingers like I was an unholy demon against the church. Julian kept looking at all of us like we were crazy. Whilst I, a little sad, a little bewildered, held Blythe's watery gaze. Rosemary's mouth hung open, while her eyes darted from Enoch to Blythe, to Josh.

"Babe?" asked Josh eventually, "What the hell is going on?" Blythe turned to look at him. Tears poured down her eyes. "Oh my god," she said, "Oh my god." She hugged him, ignoring how he winced when she touched his back. 

She didn't turn to look at me or anyone. She murmured something in his ear, and they both hopped back inside the building. Stormclouds gathered in the sky, the smell of expectant rain in the air. Julian narrowed his eyes at Enoch. 

"It's all your bloody fault, Errand Boy!" he screamed, lunging for Enoch. Enoch coolly side-stepped him, looking bemused. Julian wasn't deterred. He again ran for Enoch, who by now was looking irritated. "Honestly Julian," he said, "I think we all saw mysterious creepy writing on Josh's back. If anything, we should have each other's back at times like this. Pun not intended." 

Darby met my eye and then quickly looked away. Julian turned to face me. "So you too went poking with them on this monster nonsense?" He glanced at Enoch, "You've already lost one sister in this meaningless voodoo charade! Why can't we all just let go of it!"

"Oh for HEAVEN'S SAKE!" Screamed Rosemary, stirring me from my sorrowful torpor. "Are you guys MEN OR WHAT?! In front of you Josh got scarred, he didn't tattoo himself! This isn't a bloody choice, Julian!" She was about three fourth his height, but twice more ferocious as she strode up to him. "Julian," she said, "Now, more than ever, we need you. The home needs you," her voice faltered and she looked down, "Blythe needs you." That brought some color back into his face. "For Blythe, Julian," she whispered just loud enough for me to be able to hear, "For her. Let go of this stupid fight you have with Enoch." 

Julian rose his eyes and met Enoch's. "She's not asking you to marry me," he drawled, "We just kind of need to save everybody. After that, you can go back to hating me." Julian muttered something incoherent, but I guess that was guy-speak for yeah okay whatever.

"Uh, Rosemary?" I asked, looking up at the sky, "I have a feeling we need to do something, though I have no clue what." The clouds swirled ink-black. "I do," she said, "Come with me."

~

We found them in the sitting room below the dormitories. The radio was crackling faintly with static and hushed reports of a tornado/thunderstorm brewing. Apparently meteorologists too were baffled. Blythe, red-eyed, was dressing the scars on his back with a wet cloth. 

"Have you told him?" Asked Rosemary gently as she sat next to him. He groaned as she pressed the wet-cloth into a red-hot cut. "Tell him that I am actually thinking of killing him for the whims of a senile woman? Yes, Rosemary, I told him." What? I looked at Rosemary, shocked. 

"Whoa, whoa...okay, wait-- Allinor isn't senile just because your boyfriend is your token," said Rosemary bossily, "And I'm sure there are ways we can do the whole thing without killing him," she continued. Blythe, still hopeless and pale, shook her head and resumed cleaning the scars. "We're going to run away tonight," she whispered, "Josh and I. We should have a long time ago. We'll catch the train and go to Surrey...or London...or anywhere." She looked around the sitting room, "Just not here." Her eyes met Julian's, and she quickly looked away. 

"Okay, I really don't want to come across as rude-- but have you lost your mind?" I opened my mouth for the first time, not thinking before letting my innermost feelings speak out, "You're going to travel like that? With Josh not being able to wear a shirt without writhing in pain? And you-- you look underage and pale and drugged out. You're going to make it straight to the police station...honestly Blythe, we have two days left. You found your token. We have time to go to Allinor once again."