There was only a pale man with a white beard and white hair dressed in a neat loose shirt and pants of white, sitting in a chair.
Wow, talk about choice of color. I walked towards the man, expecting Francie's rude reply. But it never came. Francie? Still no reply. Weird.
The nan gestured a "come forward" with his hand. It was a light and gentle signal. I don't know why but it made me feel safe. I walked directly in front of me.
"Hello," the man spoke. "Hello," I replied. "Who are you?" The man cocked his head, showing his surprise when I asked.
He touched his beard, combing it with his fingers. He had this pleasant and wise feeling to him. "Who I am or what I am?" He asked.
"Both." I said. The man chuckled softly, "my name is Fosty and I am the Guardian of the Zodiacs."
I scoffed, "you mean those 12 chinese animals?"
"Ehhh, kind of," he trailed off.
"What do you mean?"
Fosty raised his eyebrow, "isn't that what you are? Was I?
I was confused. Fosty closed his eyes, deeply breathing in the air. After a while, he finally spoke, "your name is Zodiac, correct?"
I looked him in the eye, "correct." He smiled gently, "your dad named you well." I tumbled back, "you knew him?" I haven't even seen him in 11 years.
He eyed me, "I guess I have to explain."
"Where's Francie?"
"Who? You mean the girl who was in your mind?"
"Yes."
"That girl wasn't real." I raised my eyebrow, "what do you mean?"
He seemed serious. I couldn't judge him. "Let me start from the beginning. There are 12 zodiacs correct?" "Uhhhhh, yeah?"
He crossed his arms, "there's a 13th zodiac, and that's you. The 12 zodiacs roam the Earth, not knowing their purpose.
He cleared his throat, "each zodiac have a different set of powers. The 13th zodiac has the hidden power to change other's fate. That zodiac helps the lost zodiacs to help lead their way on their destiny to help. The 13th zodiac has the most power. Each zodiac is passed on from generation to generation. If one dies, a new one is born. If they reproduce, the child becomes the new zodiac."
I clicked my tongue, "what do you mean hidden and destiny?"
He stared at me dead in the eye, "the hidden you have to find out, the destiny... they use their powers to set people on the right path."
"Why can't you help? You're the guardian right? Can you get my friends and I out of the school?"
He looked sad, "no, my duty is to watch over the zodiacs. I'm not allowed to interfere. I can only talk to the 13th zodiac."
My red eyes were itching, it was getting to hard to handle. A red outline could be seen out my eye. It cooled down, "does that mean you talked to my father?"
Fosty slowly nodded, "do you want to know about him?" I shook my head, "I'll find him and to ask questions. My old man is still alive right?"
He coughed, "yes, but he's losing his powers. It was the 12th zodiac."
"What?" I asked. Fosty cleared his throat, "the 12th zodiac created your friend as a distraction. Although here, he or she can't activate its power on you here."
"What about my red eyes? Do all zodiacs have it?" I asked.
"No, only the 13th zodiac has it. The brighter they shone, the more power you get." He replied.
"How do I get it to shine?"
"Your willpower," he whispered but it seemed like a strong statement.
I raised my eyebrow, circling around him, "does that mean the 12th zodiac is causing this and in the building?"
"Errr, I can't tell," he hesitated. "Oh ho ho, you spilled too much," I grinned. I narrowed my suspects down. I'd hate to add in the girls and Zach but there would be a possibility. Humans ------ they think they know what they're doing but they don't.
Just thinking about it disgusted me. I shook my head to get it out.
"How's Truth?" He rose his arms. "How do you know her?" Stopping in my tracks.
He froze. Caught you, you said something unnecessary again. "I've uh -- seen her around." Tch, lies.
"Uh-huh." I replied, nodding my head back and forth. I thought about her.
And that's when it all came back.
I was crying, carrying my favorite blanket and an apple. That day I had enough of my mom. I was planning to run away.
My tears slid down my face and snot got jumbled up in my nose. I had to be about 6-7 years old.
That was when my dad left with an affair and mom got violent. I had cuts and bruises all over my body from her. Not caring if anyone saw marks on my face.
Not that anyone would care though, they all thought I was a monster. I didn't have contacts on that time. My red eyes shined brightly through the dark.
My mom started coming after me with a knife. I looked back, horror filled my eyes. Trying to carry my chubby self up the rocks into the forest.
I entered the beginning of the forest. By then mom caught up to me.
"Get back here!" She screamed, grabbing me by my collar. I could see the anger in her eyes and feel the tension all over.
Rage began to consume me and I ended up yelling at her, "leave me alone!" She dropped me as the trees around me began building a barrier between us.
I gasped, running away deeper into the forest. "Get back here you spoiled b-." I couldn't hear her anymore as I ran deeper. I could feel the moon rising up and stars twinkling that night.
I could feel the leaves falling down on me as I stumped away. I looked ahead to find a bright light.
I wondered if it'd been my ticket out or my end. I didn't want to go back so I kept going towards the light.
A branch was going to hit me but I ducked away. I could hear the rustling sound of leaves under my feet.
And what more, I heard a beautiful voice of a girl singing. I slowed down, following the voice into the light.
I felt calm and soothing, like being in a warm bath filled with bubbles. The warmth filled me in. I didn't know what song it was but it was beautiful.
"And all our hearts left from the dark. No one remained but the warmth seemed to leave me by myself. A world of shadows trying to take who I am. Little bird, fly away to where you belong. Before it takes who you were."
She seemed to pause for a moment. I started walking towards the little girl who seemed like 5-6 years old. She had dark brown hair and pale skin. Her back faced me so I couldn't see her face or expression.
"The war ended with our selves. We lost and all left our home. Our home we used to call our hearts. The sun, it never came again. Our mind we lost it in the fight. Little bird, you just lost your own escape. Your heart, it closed up all the way."
She seemed to be finished. I walked around her to see her face.
I was surprised, falling backwards when I saw a tear slip down her face. Her green eyes stared at me.
"Don't cry," I sniffled, putting my hand on her shoulder. She flinched but didn't leave. It was the first time anyone stayed after seeing my eyes.
I cheered up from my running away, wiping my tears. "It'll be okay," I wrapped my blanket around her. "Look, I'm going to give you my favorite blanket!" I smiled.
She looked up to me, wiping her tears, "okay!" She smiled.
We both sat down. I gave her half of my apple to eat. Now that I'd look around, it was a beautiful place. There was a small area of clean water and a small waterfall on a cliff above. Although enough to jump off the cliff down safely. It was about 1-2 feet taller than where we were standing. Not only that but the trees were gleaning with life and a nice green.
"Why were you crying?" I asked while biting into my apple. It tasted sour.
She sniffled, "I don't know. I think it's because of the song."
"Hmmmmm, who taught you the song?" I asked.
"My mom, she made it."
"I think it had a message in it."
"No ---- it was just her thoughts on the world."
"What'd she think of it?"
"I don't know, she died." She said softly.
I smiled, raising my hand out to her, "my name is Zodiac." She laughed. "What's so funny?" I asked. She shook her head, "that's the 12 chinese animals."
She shook my hand, "you can call me Heart." I cocked my head, "why not tell me your real name?" She grinned, "it's a s-e-c-r-e-t."
"Why are you here?" She asked. "I'm running away." I averted my eyes from her. I felt guilty although, I don't know why. Heart frowned, "you can't do that!"
"Why not!" I got angry.
"Because I don't want you to meet the world like mommy did." I smiled, "I won't go. But only if you become my friend!"
"Deal!"
After that I went home. Mom yelled at me many times. I would go sneak out in the middle of the night to go meet Heart. She was my only friend at the time. Everyone else was afraid of me.
One day we were playing near the waterfall. We got soaked many times.
"Zodiac." She said.
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Your eyes are beautiful."
"No, they're not. Everyone hates it!" I got mad.
"They're jealous."
"Of what?"
"Your eyes show how strong you are."
"Am I?"
She grinned, "very." After that I loved my eyes. I looked at her, she seemed sad. But at what?
"Can you promise that you'll always be strong no matter what?" She was hiding something.
"Yeah." I nodded slowly. She cheered up, "it's a promise!"
She kissed my cheek, "I love you." She was my first love. I haven't forgotten her since.
"T-------," someone was calling out a name. I didn't hear what though. It was a rough and manly voice. "Oh that's my dad!" She said. "I got to go!"