Zane heard a voice too familiar around the corner, a voice usually gentle and even, but this time, the sound was sharp and harsh, yet still seemed controlled.
"Why are you following him?"
The tone suggested that those words were not of spite but of a cold sensation of confusion. Perhaps Zane would join the party, perhaps not. The situation served best when scouted, and he would do just that. Allow them to speak on and listen as if he were not there, because surely those couldn't have been the first words.
To him, it was two spiky haired idiots bickering over nothing and just one happened to be his friend.
"I'm not here to argue with you, I have business."
"If that business involves my brother then I simply have the right to know," his friend retorted without giving any indication that he was not serious.
Odd, rather odd indeed, all those years that he had known Rhys, he had never known Rhys had a brother. He did consider the fact that Rhys was trying to get information out of the other, but if that were true, going ten years without hearing a trace of this brother of his best friend would be unsettling.
He opted to conceal himself the best as he could and listen close. Very strange. He had never condoned the act of eavesdropping yet he just couldn't help it in such a situation.
Rhys would continue with a question, but the tone returned to his usual self, "Just what is it you want?"
Pausing, Rhys abruptly turned around towards Zane's direction and whispered, "I know you're there, Zane."
How was that possible? He had hid behind a tree without even the slightest noise in the shaking of leaves.
"It's...complicated."
What was? To Zane, Rhys was acting odd.
"So tell me." Zane requested.
“It’d be easier if I just show you later, but know, that man is suspicious. Do not trust him. You will regret it.” Rhys answered after giving the stranger a sharp look, leaving the other boy simply puzzled without a clue of what was going on, yet somehow Zane didn’t think Rhys was fully aware of the situation either.
While the two were having a silent conversation, the supposedly suspicious man cut in, “I’m Jordan, but also kind of in a hurry, so take this,” and pulled an envelope out of his pocket and handed it to Zane.
“I’ll see you soon.”
That was all Jordan said before walking off, obviously thinking something to himself. At least that was what Zane deciphered.
After Zane noted that the man named Jordan was out of earshot, with a slight glint of seriousness in his eyes, he sent Rhys a subtle nod, sending through the message: I am going back to my apartment. You are coming with me and explain whatever the hell it is that you think you should explain. Then we’ll see what is in that envelope, because if it’s a bomb, it is your fault. Understand?
As usual, the cue was understood.
-----
Zane’s expression stood blank. With that appearance, he uttered, “Simply speak. Please? It’s quite difficult not knowing. If you don’t know, that’s fine, but what did you mean by your brother? What was that man after?” A pause. “Oh, and don’t you dare tell me this doesn’t concern me. You’ve given me the impression that we might as well swear brotherhood, because you sure as heck helped me loads before.”
“Funny you should say that. I should just show you,” was the reply from Rhys.
What the air was filled with wasn’t tension, but rather nothing. Emotions ran empty. Every word was austere. Bits and pieces almost sounded like a robotic enchantment of a spell.
But the spiky haired boy continued, “But before that know, your statement wasn’t that far off. By brother, I meant that you kind of are my half-brother...”
Silence. One could hear the crickets chirping inside the rugged apartment room as the clock ticked time by.
Zane couldn’t bring himself to utter another word. If he tried, he would have had realized none would come out, all there would exist were nothing but incomprehensible sounds.
But he was about to be silenced further.
Zane heard his half-brother ask, “Do you believe in angels?”
A bright golden light flared and before Zane knew it, the boy in front of him was emitting a glowing radiance colored in white gold. The hair that had been once spiky flowed down to the boy’s shoulders in an orderly fashion and now flared in a shade of platinum. Eyes once brown now radiated light sea green coated with a bright layer of yellow. Who stood in front of him, appeared to be nothing like the best friend he somehow once knew. He didn't want to question it. Rhys would tell him. Patience was virtue after all.
“Perhaps I shall enlighten you in the long story?”
Rhys didn’t wait for Zane to respond, but instead, he continued with the words that would fill his agenda.
“Zane, it is indeed a long story. I’m sure you knew you were adopted as you told me many times before, so I’ll skip that part.'' With a second thought, he added, “Have you ever wondered where you came-”
Zane cut him off right there with his own voice. “Please. This isn’t a game show. Life is getting weirder and you know what? I really don’t care. Just tell me, how can I be your half-brother? And who was that guy? I prefer answers, not a million questions, please”
“Answers will lead to a billion more questions,” Rhys retorted with an alluring grace.
Though he could tell Zane knew the he was right, Zane opted to give him a dark glare, eyes burning in bright orange, they flashed an iridescent light before falling to a shade of red before reverting back to their original state in response.
Rhys ignored it and started to ask questions yet again, "Do you believe there is a world beyond what we see? Beyond imagination?"
"Are you trying to suggest you are an angel? Because I'm sure don't think I can believe you, though I can't say you've ever lied to me before." A moment later, his mind circulates and connects to his vocal chords for more iterations, "Yeah yeah, I'm speaking in a rather weird manor. I have noticed. My speech pattern is off from usual. I already know. No need to point out."
Well, it was Rhys's turn to give a look, but this was more of less subdued and much out of the incredulous nature of his friend's query.
"Something like that, but I'm not quite close to an angel," Rhys replied, disregarding the added statements.
"Do I have to ask?"
"I'm sure you already know where this is going." He wasn't sure what to say. He never knew what to say to Zane other than try to help Zane with his problems. He didn't know what to tell and he wasn't sure if he was allowed to say what he knew. So he settled with, "No, I've already told you. I'm your half-brother."
"Explain."
"To keep it simple, we're not from here."
At this rate, Zane wasn't sure he even wanted to know what it was in that envelope, he just wanted to live because he could. He heard Rhys let out a sigh.
"Honestly, I think you've probably figured this out by now, but words like 'human' and 'ordinary' doesn't quite apply to us, at least here."
In this strange state, Zane was more or less trying to figure out if this was a dream. He couldn't quite comprehend that Rhys was lying, because that wasn't something the other boy would do. He couldn't give response and let the other continue on.
"In this realm.
Where we are now.
Here.
In this room.
Where we are standing.
We are from a different Realm, hopefully you've gotten that in your silly little head.
Sorry Zane, should have said something sooner, but it didn't work out that way.
And no, we're still not from here. Things don't change like that."
Zane knew His mind should be blown by now. it hadn't.
He knew he should respond. He wouldn't.
He knew he should be shocked at this load of information. He wasn't.
He knew this wasn't normal. But so what?
He knew he should panic. Why?
He knew he probably should push Rhys to tell him everything. He doesn't want to.
He knew he should wonder what exactly is going on. He wasn't sure he wanted to know.
He knew that it should explain so much, though he knew so little. Perhaps the next words could explain more.
But what he didn't know anymore was who they were.
Who he was.
Who he had been.
Who Rhys was.
Or perhaps what they were.