I yelp, surprised at this stranger's sudden appearance. It's a girl, dressed in black leggings, black knee height lace-up combat boots, and a black sweatshirt to match her pin-straight, shoulder-length raven black hair. She practically radiates all things dark and evil. Along with at least three piercings in each ear, and one in the nose as well, I'm pretty freaking sure I shouldn't get on her bad side for fear of getting stabbed with one of them. She looks our age, and if not, then a little younger. But she could pass for possibly eighteen or nineteen with all of the bling she's got going on.
Alix immediately stands up straighter, and I know I'll have to speak first before he goes off and says something we'll both regret. His idea of asking questions is the equivalent of flirting. I can practically see him drooling at her appearance.
"Who are you, why did you follow us, and what do you want?" I ask firmly, my mouth pressed into a thin line.
"So many questions." She says, bobbing up and down on the balls of her feet. She looks almost... excited. "But if you must know, my name is Liz, and you may not call me anything else. I followed you because I know who it is you're looking for, and I want nothing but a part in the action. Who are you?"
I stop listening as soon as she says I know who it is you're looking for. How can she know who it is we're looking for? Has she seen something? My back stiffens, and I don't even realize I'm squeezing the circulation out of Alix's arm where I'm gripping it with my fingers until he struggles under my grip.
"I'm Alix, and this lovely ray of sunshine is Jess." Alix says, before casting his gaze to me. "Let's keep walking and get as far from the edge of the forest as possible, and we can interrogate her there. Okay?" Alix suggests softly, prying my fingers off of his arm.
We shouldn't allow her to come with us. In fact, it's a stupid idea to even converse with her. I can picture it now: cold, hard betrayal. But I don't want to wait. I don't want to wait another damn second without my parents. It makes me sound like a two-year old, sure, but you never know how much you miss something until it's gone. I'm not the only one here, and I can't say this is all about me, so I let out a sigh and shove my fingers in my pockets, nodding my consent.
"Does that mean I get to keep her?" Alix asks, shooting me the goofiest and dorkiest grin I've ever seen.
I roll my eyes at him. "Fine, whatever." I say halfheartedly. "As long as I don't have to carry her leash." Then, I turn to Liz. "Don't kill him. I kind of need him." I say nonchalantly.
"You got it, Princess." She says with a wink. I don't even flinch at the stupid nickname.
The next thing I know, I'm walking down the path, trying desperately to ignore Alix's bantering.
"See? She needs me." I hear him say from behind me.
"Sure as hell she does." Liz replies, for no other purpose than to humor Alix.
Their conversation drowns out eventually, and the only sense I have left is sight. I used it to my advantage, moving quickly and swiftly through the forest, all of my thoughts getting shoved aside for the time being.
~
I don't realize how late it is until the waning orange light of the sun shining through the cracks in the trees blinds me, causing me to hold up a hand over my eyes in a vain attempt to shield the light. The path we've been following is covered in snow, our boots leaving deep footprints as we trudge through it. After another couple minutes of walking, the line of trees opens up into a small clearing. There seems to be enough cover overhead, and we shouldn't go any farther. It will be dark soon, and because it's winter, it will get darker and colder faster.
Surprisingly, neither Alix nor Liz had complained throughout the walk, though we've obviously over-traveled our "mile." But Liz hasn't tried to murder Alix yet, so I decided along the way that I trust her. Well, I trust her somewhat. I still have questions.
"We can camp here." I say, right as the sun disappears behind the cover of the trees. "Alix, I'm putting you in charge of the fire. Liz, you can help me with supplies."
She doesn't look happy about it, but she obeys, making her way towards me and the backpack Alix unmercifully throws to the ground.
~
It takes more work than expected, but eventually, our little makeshift camp is up. Alix has started the fire, Liz has positioned logs around it, and I'm working on food. Thank goodness Alix had the smarts to pack some. It doesn't help that we have another mouth to feed, but if we banish her now, who knows what it'll mean for us.
The fire crackles and pops in front of me, and I feel like with every passing minute I migrate closer and closer to the warmth. It's a fairly enormous fire, but Alix is smart enough to know that if he had made it too big, then the large quantities of smoke would alert our enemies to our location.
I had passed around some crackers and apples to the two of them, before slouching down on a log next to Alix. The log's surfaces are still damp from the snow that Liz wiped off them, chilling me to the bone. Liz is sitting across from us, chewing absentmindedly on a stale cracker and staring off into space.
"So, Liz." I finally say after a long moment of silence. "Care to explain what you meant before?"
Liz sighs exasperatedly and gives me the stink eye. "It's kind of a long story. Do I have to?"
I shoot her a look. "We've got nothing but time and we didn't just haul your--" I start to say, annoyed that she's even considering the fact that we'd help her without the information she has.
Alix cuts me off. "Please? We really need answers." I want to explain to him that I can talk for myself, but her head perks up as soon as he says the word please. What a suck up. Perking up for the valiant prince.
"Alright, fine." Liz says, blowing out a breath. "I guess I should start from the beginning. I was born in an orphanage in Nevada. I was adopted into family after family time and time again. When I finally thought I found the right family, they betrayed me and and taunted me with what I thought was true. I ran away after that and didn't look back. It's not like anyone had any reason to look for me.
"I was right. No one cared. After all, I'm not freaking Taylor Swift or the President, so why should anyone care? Anyway, I eventually found my way into this cute little town. I just so happened to be spying on the streets the exact same day your parents were taken." She finishes, looking at me expectantly for a response.
It's true. Silverton, Colorado is the cutest little town, with a population of under 800 people in total. Pretty much everyone knows everyone in this tiny city shoved in the southwest corner of Colorado. Which is why I've been wondering lately what brought Alix specifically here.
Through all of what she says, I feel pieces of the puzzle come together in my mind. The words she says stick in my mind. I just so happened to be spying on the streets the exact same day your parents were taken.
I nod eagerly, encouraging her to go on. She takes the hint.
"Yeah, so anyway, I was in one of the alleys, and I had just woken up when it happened. It was the strangest thing." She says, staring me straight on. Her gray eyes pierce mine with a sharp intensity. "The streets were empty because they don't start to fill up until around nine. Everything was quiet and the way everything should have stayed. But then the screams started. They cut through the silence like a knife. I remember bolting upright and creeping to the corner to watch, curious as to what was happening. I saw two people, Jess, struggling against restraints that I couldn't see. Then suddenly, the screams stopped and they both went limp, and three people emerged from the shadows. I watched this all happen. I stared, helpless as the three strangers hauled your mom and dad into a car. A black one. Everything was black. Then the car drove away, but it didn't go back down the road. It went straight into the forest."
I bite my lip so hard as she talks that it isn't long before the metallic taste of blood fills my mouth. I'm silent long after she's finished. I can see images of the scene flashing by, though I wasn't there. I can hear the screams ringing through my head, pounding against my skull. It went straight into the forest. We are in that forest. I finally build up enough strength to speak.
"How are you so sure those were my parents?" I ask, though I already think I know what the answer is.
"You're parents were taken this morning, yeah? Why wouldn't it be them?" Liz says, tilting her head at me. The lock of hair that fell into her face and the light from the fire both made her look strangely beautiful.
I cast a look towards Alix, and frown upon seeing his eyes trained intently on the light of the smoldering fire.
"Um... Alix? Did you hear any of what Liz just said?" I ask, snapping my fingers in front of his face a couple times. He straightens when I say his name, his brilliant blue eyes snapping back into focus.
"Yeah, yeah. Sorry about your sucky backstory. Mine isn't that pretty, either." He says. "That is strange though. Speaking of which, there is something I've been meaning to tell you, Jess."
I ball my frozen clenched fists up in my sweatshirt, my breath catching. Whatever he has to say sounds important. I nod, a silent affirmation that he can go ahead and spill.
"First of all, you're probably still pissed because I got spotted." He says, and I nod, furrowing my brows. He's bringing this up now? "Something strange happened. I was hiding where I told you I would be hiding, when I felt something furry brush against my legs. I looked down, and it was a black cat. It looked well-fed and perfectly healthy, so I knew it couldn't be a stray, but I also knew that the city is pretty far from most neighborhoods, so it's unlikely it was someone's pet. While I was trying to process how strange the cat was and listen to your conversation with the man at the pawn shop, I heard the footsteps of the police. They didn't spot me, Jess, because I was out of view of the streets. Completely hidden. Yet the police caught sight of me anyway. Does that strike you as strange?"
I think it over. As soon as a black cat, the symbol for bad luck, walks in front of Alix, the police find him. Hmm. Yes, it does seem strange. More than strange. Our plan not working. Alix getting spotted. Me slipping from the roof. These recent events didn't just happen by coincidence. No, they've been happening.... for a reason. I can't bring myself to answer him, so I simply shoot him a glance that says everything I don't have the guts to say at the moment.
Liz watches the exchange between us silently, her eyes traveling from Alix to me, and then back to Alix. I run a hand through my hair, my mind slipping into sleep mode along with the sun. Alix must see it in my expression; I can certainly see it in his.
"Let's try and get some rest." He tries.
Liz nods absentmindedly, and I vaguely remember nodding. But then I'm slowly laying myself down close to the fire where the heat has melted away the snow. I pull my arms into my sweatshirt and pull my hood up. I honestly don't expect sleep to come. I don't want sleep to come, especially not after last night. But life has a way of surprising you. I find myself slipping away, piece by piece into the safety of the darkness.
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Chapter 15 should be up on Saturday (1/23). I am kind of tight on my schedule, so if it's not up, it will be shortly the next day. Vote and comment your thoughts and feels below. If you have any feedback, PLEASE speak up! This is for you guys. Thanks!
~trebleclef18