A tremble ran through me as I stood up from the stone table. Even as my vision wavered, blackening at the edges, the feeling of my fever having finally broken was a welcome relief. A bone deep ache tore through me as I stretched, but the harrowing pain seemed to have settled back into an unstable slumber. Still feeling tender, I was oblivious to the gentle scents of lavender, chamomile and sage, until Cain placed the bowl and a hot cloth down next to me. A pale blue robe that looked more like a cloak lay on the other side, the light material holding a shimmer.
As I stared, Abel leant over. “A little something of old, from the Lilith clan.” He smirked. “Unless you’d rather walk around half-naked. Not that I would mind.”
A cold light lit up my smile. “What was the gift of the Lilith clan...?” My eyes narrowed. “Karma, wasn’t it?”
I heard Cain laugh softly as Abel joined him. The two of them leaving the room, but not before Abel turned back with a seductive wink that was only half serious.
“Meet me outside when you’re ready.” After that, they disappeared.
As my hands brushed over my jumpsuit, I found myself sighing. Once again I was filthy, but this time I had a mixture of dried blood marring the material. Slowly but surely, I peeled away the stiff and stained clothing, with every movement feeling tiresome.
Dipping the cloth into the water, stirred the soaked herbs, as I lightly ran it over my skin. The feeling soothing and yet refreshing, as the concoction washed over me in relaxing scents. Cain was clearly talented when it came to healing.
‘I wonder, was he even better with poisons.’
My thoughts were a nice distraction as I relaxed at the scent of lavender. The chamomile and sage, less obvious. I spent a few long moments gliding the cloth over my limbs, something that was usually done without thought or effort. The stiffness that flamed with every new stretch, gradually receded until I felt a warmed fluidity loosing my muscles.
Despite feeling revived, the moment I settled back into my damaged jumpsuit, stiff with sweat and blood, the feeling slowly disappeared. Taking hold of the pale blue robe, I slid it on, its light weight a relief. Buttoning the front, I straightened the hood as I looked it over. Its length falling to mid-calf, a slight flare to its overall shape.
‘I can’t believe I’m wearing this.’
I was glad that there was no mirror, I had a horrible feeling that I looked like a knock off version of little red riding hood, only dressed in blue instead.
‘Wonderful.’
There was nothing that I could do about it, though, so I left, taking the directions that Cain had sarcastically given me earlier on. The hallways were fairly short and carried the same dimness as the rest of the crypt, except for the roughened walls and lack of care. The longer I walked, the steeper the incline became until daylight greeted me.
As I stepped out into the light, my eyes thinned to slits. The sunlight warming yet harsh. It was clearly still early, as a freshness lingered in the air. The sun, although bright, lacked it’s usual cloying humidity. As my eyes slowly adjusted, I looked around, taking in the beauty surrounding me. A walled garden laden with flowering blooms, and a small stream basked beneath the strengthening rays of the sun.
The flowers, and their vivid colours, sat gently weaving together. The sight reminiscent of meadows from long ago. Hearing the soft burbling of the stream, I walked over and settled down beside it. Its flow almost hypnotizing, as I watched the lazy current drift by. It must have been part of an underground spring.
A few minutes later, I heard footsteps before Abel came into view, and sat down beside me.
“Beautiful isn’t it?” His voice was quiet, devoid of its usual taunting.
“Very.” It was peaceful, too. Nature often soothed the storm within me, but it was only occasionally that I truly got to enjoy it.
As we sat side by side, my thoughts drifted back to Bluebird, and questions naturally followed as my head cleared.
Turning to Abel, I watched as he sat with his eyes closed, but I saw his lips twitch as if he knew and could feel my gaze.
“Ask, I know you want to,” he said, breaking out into a smile.
I rolled my eyes. “How did you know that I’d be at Bluebird that night, and why did you want to meet me?”
He opened his eyes slowly, looking me over as his smile turned sly. “We have our sources, but if you really want to know, Cain’s the one to tell that story. Besides, we’d seen you numerous times in different sectors, and knew that you were an operative of the sanctuary. As for wanting to meet you at Bluebird, we knew that you were investigating the killing sprees and disappearances. So we decided to approach you, in a round about way.” He raised his eyebrows in mock excitement. “It’s always more fun that way.”
One look at him was enough to tell me that he wasn’t going to reveal anything more of real consequence.
“And you decided that I could be trusted? Your sources must either be brilliant or illegal.”
He laughed. “I can safely say that they’re both.”
Deciding to change the subject, I suddenly thought of the attack from a few nights ago.
“Did the young girl survive?”
Laying back, he closed his eyes again. “She survived, thanks to you. Her mother took her, and they fled to the north side of sector nine that was less damaged. Cain and I killed those corrupted. Their bodies turn to ash once killed, along with their victims, but with the victims it takes a little longer. That’s the reason why you could never find their corpses, or any real evidence. Apart from the odd witness.”
A wry smile graced my lips. I’d asked him one question, and yet he’d answered a few. Including those that I had wondered about for quite some time. Even though I was pleased at finally having some answers, I couldn’t help but to feel that him telling me so easily was part of his will to manipulate me.
Soft laughter reached my ears, and I realised that I had been glaring at him while thinking.
“You keep that hot glare up, and you’ll give me ideas,” he said, looking amused.
“If you try out any of those ideas, I’ll show you exactly how I feel about them.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Yes, but for you, it could be a painful one.”
When our gazes clashed, our smirks bordered on the edge of a glare, that was only half serious.
“Come on, now that you’re threatening me, which, by the way, I enjoy, we need to find Cain and leave. We’ve already stayed for far longer than we should have.”
Rising to his feet, he leant down, offering me his hand. Grasping it firmly, I allowed him to pull me to my feet.
As we left the stream behind, I took one last glimpse of the garden before following.
“It’s a beautiful place, yet so undisturbed.”
Hearing me, he half-turned, flashing a smile. “You’ll see why shortly. Though I’m sure you’ve guessed that it has to do with the clans.”
I was about to reply when, I noticed Abel’s eyes flick over my shoulder, for just a moment, but it was enough. Almost on instinct, I ducked and felt the air stir as an arm flew over my head. Swivelling around, I swiped a leg out, but faltered when I saw Cain. He stepped back, before aiming a high kick at my chest as I stood. Blocking the blow, I turned sideways exchanging glancing hits with him, until I raised my hands, palms facing one another as I compressed the air between them. Cain flinched hard, but caught me across the neck with an awkward hit, that still sent me staggering backwards.
Then as quickly as it had started, it stopped as he dropped his hands down by his side, relaxing.
Panting, I stared at him harshly. “If you wanted to test my skill and fitness, there are other ways.”
“Mmm, I like the sound of that,” Abel said, still standing at a distance and having clearly enjoyed the show, as I ignored him.
“Surely you’re not afraid of a little confrontation? And only by attacking you without warning, can I judge whether you’re able to protect yourself,” Cain said, totally unapologetic.
Trying to calm my breathing, I shook off the dizziness beginning to set in, as my sore joints gently throbbed, but the all-consuming pain had settled, and thankfully didn’t return.
“You already know the answer to that, but if we’re leaving, there’s somewhere I need to go.”
“So you’re joining us?” Abel spoke up.
Not taking my eyes off of Cain, I threw my words over my shoulder at Abel, just like he had done to me, back in the crypt.
“We’re both searching for the same thing, there’s nothing more to say.”
“Where do you need to go?” Cain asked, interrupting us.
“I’ve hidden supplies here, in sector nine.” At his raised eyebrow, I continued. “A change of clothes, weapons and an emergency kit.”
“Isn’t that against regulations?” He questioned, a knowing smirk upon his lips.
“So is sharing information with outsiders. Looks like those rules were made to be broken.”
“Where is it?”
“Not far.”
I wasn’t going to give them anything more than that for the moment. So I turned and left, ignoring Abel’s look of satisfaction as I passed him by. After a few moments, I heard them following as we all descended once more into the crypt.
Now that the sun had fully rising, the humidity had settled into the air, causing my jumpsuit to cling uncomfortably. The robe only adding to the unpleasantness, although unlike my bloodied jumpsuit, the robe had no weight or stiffness to it.
As I entered the room where I had laid recovering, I watched Cain and Abel as they side-stepped me, and went about gathering their things. I checked that I hadn’t left anything behind, not that I really had much on me to begin with. As a telekinetic, I mainly relied on my gift like the others, unless I needed something specific.
“Alright, let’s go,” Abel said, as he winked at me. Cain already leading the way.
I followed as we turned to the right, and then shortly after to the left. The incline steepening sharply again, before we came to a ladder. Cain climbed the wrought iron, his hands fiddling with what looked like some combination above him as he reached the top. In the next moment, there was a click, and then the sound of a mechanism groaning.
Above him, something similar to a trap door opened as he climbed through. Abel indicated that I was next with an overly dramatic bow. Pretending I hadn’t noticed, I started up the ladder, but narrowed my eyes when I felt him climbing up closely behind me. Yet he seemed to realise that if he so much a brushed up against me in the wrong way, I’d kick him in the face, as I heard him quietly start laughing.
After the two of us emerged, the door shut with another long groan, the mechanisms winding down. As I watched, I was oddly fascinated to see something so simple but mechanical in a time when everything was computerised.
Tearing my gaze away, I looked around as I realised that we were among the old ruins and woodland. The same place where I had been attacked. A shiver ran down my spine despite the heat.
“Whereabouts in sector nine did you hide your supplies?” Cain asked, as he looked around carefully. He seemed tense, almost on edge.
“Well, I did say, not far.” I raised an eyebrow.
Both Cain and Abel stared at me for a moment.
“You stashed it here?” Abel laughed.
Not bothering to answer, I walked over to the ruins, weaving between tall greying pillars and broken walls blanketed by moss and vines. Their footsteps were almost silent as they followed along behind me. A sign of their experience. The thick and winding stems brushed my covered arms, bursting with white flowers and green foliage. I kept going until I reached the broken down bones of a small mausoleum. Stepping into its cool shade, I approached the corner. Bending down, I ran my fingers over a small emblem just proud of the surface. It was a depiction of mistletoe, known as a symbol of peace, protection and friendship, according to what I had read.
Pressing down, there was a rumble as a stone slab in the floor slid back. The grinding, an acknowledgement of its age. As I turned to descend the narrow steps, I caught sight of both Cain and Abel smirking as they stood with their arms crossed, leaning against another wall.
Reaching the last step, the darkness was like an impenetrable wall, as I activated my augs. I was surprised when they responded, I had thought that they may have been damaged. My eyesight sharpened as the surrounding room came into focus. An old but familiar box rested back against one wall. Nearing it, I knelt down to open the lid. A change of clothes rested inside, wrapped in a white cloth. As I stood, I unbuttoned my robe, before peeling off my jumpsuit and boots. Picking up the white stretchy leggings that held a subtle sheen, I pulled them on before grabbing a mocha coloured short-sleeved shirt. Afterwards, I slid on a long white sleeveless coat, with an open front but lightly cinched in waist.
Throwing my old cloths back in the box, I pulled out four guns, and my holster. Bending forward, I twisted to the side, as I secured the buckles from hip to hip and down to my right thigh. Grabbing the boxes of ammunition, I headed for the steps. My legs aching a little with the flex of the muscles as I climbed the last few steps, but no sooner had I reached the top, than Cain and Abel slammed into me, the three of us crashing into the ground. The landing jarred every bone in my body, as Cain and Abel held me close, just as an explosion hit the far wall, ricocheting outwards. Stone, dirt and rubble clouding everything, as my ears rang and the world spun.
Thank you for reading ❤️
(Word count 2,453)