J A C K S O N
"Behind every beautiful thing, there's some kind of pain." - Bob Dylan
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Ebony was a mysterious girl. If it wasn't the way she carried herself, always guarded and even afraid. Then it was how she responded to things.
The way she acted at the cafe was confusing to say the least. She looked like she was going to scream when I told her she was afraid of something.
She must be afraid of someone then. The way she looked at me as I spoke, it looked like she was looking at the devil. Like I was the devil.
And I know I've done some pretty fucked up things in my life, but I've never gotten that look from someone. Not even someone who's known about the shit I've done.
Whoever she's seen done something so horrible, it must be stuck with her. And she must have seen that person in me when I mentioned fear.
She must still be afraid of them.
Eventually Maggie told me to get out as I saw the look in her eyes. She probably thought I did something to Ebony, and when I told her I didn't, and I swore, she told me something that had me wondering if I could deliver.
"She's afraid Jackson. Afraid of something, and you know how I know." Her eyes kept me right where I was as she eyed me. "There's only one other person I knew of with that same look. And look where they are now, don't let her end up like him." She left before the welled up tears in her eyes could fall in front of me and i saw her quickly swipe them away as she walked back into her cafe.
My mind was in the gutter as I thought about what she said. The past that's always caught up to us somehow, and how the Darwin gang was the center of it.
She was right though. That look Ebony held was a look I was all too familiar with. It was the look of utter fear, from all angles.
And the last time I saw it was nearly five years ago. And still to this day, it torments me with just the thought of what happened, and the aftermath.
My feet took me somewhere, and as I began to slow down my steps, as the thought of the Darwin gang being out here, watching out for me as Jerry tried to scare me with was only a mere joke itself.
But then a familiar building came into view as I sped up my steps a little, and saw the small light pouring out from the little window.
She was in there.
I bent down as I caught sight of Ebony on the floor. She had the box in between her legs as she stared at it, and she was breathing heavily.
Her eyes stayed focused on the black covering what I assumed was the mirror though, and I saw her wipe away what I also assume was a tear.
Something in me then felt strange. Besides the burning sensation in the soles of my feet from squatting so low, there was also a burning but aching sensation inside of me.
Close to my heart and also in my throat.
She then pushed the box aside, gently, and began to stand up. She was changed out of the baggy clothes she had on earlier, and was now wearing the black leggings that had a hole right on the back of her thigh, and a long sleeve white cropped sweater.
Soft music began to play, that could only be heard from being close to the building and she began to move.
More like float, as her body was now in a swift motion across the small studio. Her legs got longer somehow, and she was now swirling and jumping.
With every jump she did, I noticed she would smile. It was a smile that had me torn in two.
A smile that had me feeling like if I wasn't the one to see the full smile, I'd go crazy.
And then as she jumped in the air, I noticed her stomach. The scattered bruises that were across her flat stomach brought me back to reality.
I stood up then, and quickly walked away. What was happening to me?
Before I knew it, I had trekked a couple of miles and I was making my way down the stairs to the pub.
I pushed the door and stepped in as I was once again met with its familiar smells.
"Aye Jackie, come." Markus, another one of our gang members called me over as I sighed and walked over to him.
Only Jerry and him could actually get my attention. If it was anyone else, I would've ignored them and went straight back to my room.
Unlike the rest of us, Markus came from a family. Not his parents or anything, but a wife, and child.
No one knows why he left though.
"I know your still trying to defeat the Darwins." He looked up at me as I shrugged and glanced around the place to see if Jerry was around. But knowing his great hearing, I simply shrugged with an "okay."
He nodded and sighed. "And I know what they did is still affecting you, and it's affected all of us tremendously. But your not going to be able to defeat them alone." He pulled out a map from underneath the couch then, and lay it out on the table.
"This is a map of the Darwin headquarters, and their usual kidnapping spots. If you let me work with you, we'll be sure to get things done." His eyes found mine again as I thought about what he was saying.
"Are we done here?" I asked, as Markus eyed me for another second before nodding with a sigh.
I quickly turned and made my way to the bar that didn't have Paris, as I put on my apron and began to get things ready for the needy customers.
But Markus' offer was still evident in my mind all the while.
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E B O N Y
I felt like the box was watching me. Like it was waiting for me to do something so that it could pop open and eat me alive or something.
I tried to avoid even looking at it by putting it behind my backpack, but even then my brain couldn't focus as all I thought about was feeling watched and the temptation to look inside the box that the lady said would bring me the one thing I've been trying so hard to find for years now.
Peace.
If it was the truth, and this box really was going to bring me that one thing, I don't know how I'd feel.
How I would react.
And so after dancing and feeling myself settle down, and my lungs expand with the need to bare oxygen, I finally sat down and grabbed the box.
As it sat before me now, I took the time to examine the box. It's purple overlay was settling and the purple sparkly ribbon was kind of cute.
'Peace' was all I thought about, no matter what was inside it would bring me peace.
What if it was a knife for me to finally let myself go with? Or even a book that could bring me to another world.
As I opened the box, and the contents inside lay before me, I felt dumb to not think it would be chocolate.
Each piece was neatly wrapped in a gold wrapper, and had a stamp on them.
It was a curvy, fancy M. It must've been hand made by Maggie.
I took a piece from its delicate bed, and unwrapped the blanket from it. As it was bare, I sniffed it, and to my senses it smelled delicious.
Mainly chocolate, but a little bit of caramel and maybe even peanut butter.
Something I haven't had the chance to indulge in or smell in a while.
I brought the round treat to my lips and bit into it. Instantly a gush of warm caramel flowed into my mouth, and the peanut butter and chocolate outside melted with it.
But what really had my mouth left gaping open, was how my body reacted to it. I felt relaxed, and even at bay. My mind was gone from its usual worry and fright, and I now felt like I was riding on clouds with no worry in the world to care for.
All I felt was peace, and I didn't care what she put into these candies to bring it to me.
After that, I ate a couple more and closed the lid with many left to indulge in. I knew I couldn't bring it back to Gales in case he'd find it and destroy it, so I decided to leave it here.
I pushed it underneath the bench and got up to change. As I put on my sweater, and headed for the door, my entire body froze as the door slammed open.
And Gale stomped in.
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I have questions to ask... *smirks*
Do you think Ebony is going to actually take the money?
What's your thoughts on Jackson?
What if I did a chapter on Gales POV? Or just like a little snippet of what he thinks? (Obviously no one wuld give two shits.)
Lol, those are some of the questions that I hope to answer and clear up in upcoming chapters. Continue to vote and comment please, it really means a lot to me!
Love all of you guys!
*also unedited*
-Ellipticall