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Summary: Storms in her area weren't that uncommon, some stranger coming and knocking on her door saying this was his home too before passing out was a bit new. What was going on? Each chapter has a song that fits it, I recommend listening to each song for the respective chapter to get a feel for the atmosphere of the chapter.
Chapter One
New Divide by Linkin Park
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Rain pounded on his back as he hunched over the small plastic card in his hand, clinging to it with his remaining energy as his mind chanted the information over and over to keep it from slipping away like the water running down his face.
...112 Sydney Avenue...
...112 Sydney Avenue...
He was soaked...down to the bone as his water sodden clothes pulled on his exhausted body. He'd been out in this weather for hours, trekking across half the city to get to the address on the card. Night's darkness wasn't helping him, the black sky had only made walking along the unfamiliar streets that much harder and the lack of light added to the lack of heat as the cold rain chilled him numb.
Coughs wracked his body as he stopped, leaning heavily on the lamppost on the corner of the street he'd been following now for a good hour at least. A car horn blared loudly in his ears as it swerved by, water shooting up from the street and only drenching him further. He was shaking as he blinked up at the dull light above him, trying to read the sign in the haze that was rain and reflecting light and shadows.
Sydney Avenue
A shaky sigh of relief slid past his lips before he tried to head up the long avenue, managing to tangle his feet before buckling. The hard pavement jarred his senses, ripping the fabric on his legs and tearing up the skin on his jeans. The sticky blood was barely able to be felt on his chilled limbs, the tingling in his hands lead him to believe he'd also scraped his palms and knuckles, not that he wanted to look at just how bad his appearance was by this point. He was lucky the houses themselves were well lit even if the street itself was not, the numbers emblazoned on the outer walls by the doors were easy to read as he started walking again.
...199...198...197...
This was going to take a while...
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The storm had been rattling the outer windows and shutters for hours now, a typical Pineapple Express moisture and heat wave that hit the snow storm coming down from Canada. Seattle really needed a new weather pattern...the heat wave had hit the cold weather front like a freight train, and while the hail had stopped when the sun went down, the rain had only gotten worse.
With an unconscious sigh she tucked the stubborn fleece fold back around her toes, refusing to put on socks or slippers since she was spending most of her time bundled up on the couch in front of the fire place with a good book and blanket. Nothing else had caught her attention for the night so she was left to allow her mind to become entrapped in a fantasy world of the fictional literature variety.
The house echoed with the booming thunder, lightning casting odd flashes of light into the expanses of shadows ensconcing the huge halls. She was aware of none of this until a particularly crafty wind gust billowed down the chimney and startled the well tended flames. She swore as she jumped free of the thick fleece blanket, book dropping to the couch cushions as she snatched up the tongs and poker to get the loose embers back into the safety of the stone hearth. The smoke billowed in her face, making her cough slightly until natural drafts carried the particles up the chimney and away.
She growled as she adjusted the vents, sliding the chain mail screen over the hearth opening to keep anything else from falling out with the wind's force. By that time the relaxed lull that had taken over from reading for so long had disappeared. The soft toll of the grandfather clock in the front study only exaggerating just how late it was when she stood up and stretched.
Bone deep, rattling thunder almost drowned out the sounds of dull thudding on the front door. If it weren't for the fact that she had stepped closer to lock up for the night, she never would have noticed.
The door creaked open, letting a wild gust of cold wind in as she turned on the front light right above the door, the exterior lights left the door alcove in shadows. Wasn't expecting the sight before her, blinking in the bright lights as she blinked at him to see if he was real.
He looked terrible, exhausted and shaking as he swayed on his feet while leaning on the door frame. Mud covered much of his clothes and exposed skin, blood on his ragged jeans where his knees were torn open, his black curly hair was plastered to his head and neck. Every inch of him was soaking wet and dripping cold rain water, his bronze skin was pale and only added to his ragged appearance.
"Um...can I help you?"
He coughed, trying to stay awake as exhaustion dragged down at him, the hand not bracing his shaking body upright held a small card out to her.
"I...I...th-th-think...I l-l-live...h-h-here..."
She took the card from him, glancing at the only non-muddy part on it, the address, sure enough his ID clearly read 112 Sydney Avenue, Seattle, Washington.
He groaned softly before she could say anything, and she helped him inside and shut the door, might as well figure this out without both of them getting soaked.
"What the hell..."
He merely shrugged, swaying dangerously as he rubbed at his face, trying to get the water dripping from his hair out of his weary eyes.
"Ok..." She shook her head in confusion, "What's your name at least...?"
Again he coughed, this time the fit was strong enough to make him start to fall and she instinctively grabbed an arm to support him, he clung to her like a life line as soon as her body heat penetrated his soaked clothing. Her conscience hadn't quite caught up with her actions yet, logic should have told her to stay away from this complete stranger who looked like he'd gone a round with godzilla and lost...
Yet whether it was fate, magic, or just the life of the night...she didn't dare let go as the coughing got worse and he ended up leaning mostly on her to remain upright.
"...ah...ah..."
She snorted a little, shifting her grip and slinging one of his arms over her shoulders, "Usually when someone stutters they say 'uh' or 'um'...don't tell me you can't remember your name..."
He shook his head, inhaling weakly before trying again, "I...I know my name-"
"And it's a boy's name too...sorry it's late, you're-well whatever-and I'm quoting Disney! Go ahead, my bad..."
A weak chuckle, "I...my name...that's...that's all that I can remember...there's...something's missing..."
He managed one other word before whatever hell he'd gone through finally caught up with him, and he dropped like a stone as she stared in confusion.
The awkward thud his body made as he hit the floor didn't register with her until another set of footsteps came jogging towards her, then she noticed her impromptu house guest had passed out.
"Miss is everything alright? I heard-oh dear, who is that?"
She shrugged, "No idea...but his ID listed his address as here so probably another candidate, guess this one got a little farther than the others or whatever, or they're getting desperate..."
The older gentleman stepped closer, peering down at the shivering body on the floor that was causing a mucky puddle to form on the white marble floor.
"What should we do with him?"
He only got another shrug.
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Eventually he moved the impromptu guest to a spare room, taking the clothes she grabbed from another closet and cleaning up and changing the guest so he would rest comfortably. Besides scraped knees, a cut palm on one hand, bruised knuckles on the other, the only other injuries marring the young man were a couple scars that had long since healed and were faded.
"He is resting comfortably now miss, I believe it is merely exhaustion from exposure to the elements, his shoes are quite worn and I believe he has been walking for some time this night."
She nodded, glancing in at the still form on the bed before shutting the bedroom door with a sigh. "Thanks for that...I just...something's different about this one..."
"They all were different miss."
"I know...but this one is different different..."
"What are you going to do?"
"Let him sleep...and get some rest myself...will talk with him more in the morning...or well in a few hours."
He merely nodded, trusting her decision before heading back to bed himself as she sighed, rubbing at her face and walking to her own room a few doors down from the guest.
So much for not getting wet, her clothes were soaked and filthy from grabbing the guy when he'd buckled.
At least her sleepwear laid out on her bed was warm as she changed and cleaned up enough to sleep. Her mind settled into sleep with little issue, already resigning herself to this change in her normal, content life.
One thing stuck out though, making her nose scrunch up and eyes narrow slightly before she drifted off to sleep.
"What kind of name is Ahk?"
Ok not the finest first chapter but it just wasn't flowing very well...
Please review? What do you think?