1. Breathe
"Eins," a voice started.
"...Zwei." the second voice said, a little moodily.
"Drei!" the third voice piped up sportively.
A surge of pink smoke burst forth, clouding the visible scenery and filling the room with a misty, scentless fog. The smokescreen soon dissipated, revealing three suited figures, top-hats in their right hands, placed above the heart, in a respectful bow. Synchronously, the three fixed their posture, straightening their backs and standing upright.
The shortest of the three threw up her hat playfully as she took light steps forward, spun around three times, and magnificently caught her hat with her head. Dancing around with feathery steps in her ecstatic excitement. Despite her seemingly staggering, unstable steps, she didn't lose her balance for even a fraction of a second.
Giggling, she raised her right arm to the sky. "Ladies and Gentlemen!" she said in an announcement tone.
The second hatter sighed. He took two steps forward, and with a movement so swift no one could catch, he produced a black wand stick out of his hands. Revolving it around his knuckles a couple of times, he stopped to show the crowd as it had multiplied into two. Repeating his previous motion, it multiplied once more, into three.
His face was locked in a stale, unreadable expression as he tossed two of the batons to his two companions. Then, he gave a simple finishing bow. With a zestless tone, he spoke to the crowd. "Welcome once again, to the night of glory days."
The tallest of the three brought a polite smile up to his face-a smile that seemed nice and friendly, but upon closer look, did not reach his eyes. "We hope you enjoy the stay," he said, rolling the wand over his knuckles, finishing with a cliche bouquet popping out.
"Now, then," he began, "Let the show begin!"
Hundreds of doves emerged from under his sleeves. The crowd erupted in cheers. Music started to play.
My name is Drew Cite. I am the younger sister of two older brothers, Eve and Zen Cite. We live a mostly normal life. Although our parents are never really home, the three of us support each other to live.
Since young, we've all been fascinated by magic. Our parents are travelling magicians, so we've been left at home by ourselves often. Inspired by their shows on television, we pursued our strong points and became a roadside circus of our own.
"Mornin'." Zen Cite mumbled. Yawning, rubbing at his eyes, he staggered back and forth as he dropped down onto his seat on the dining table. His arms on the table, his head buried in them, he fell back to sleep almost instantly.
"Good morning, Zen." I said, placing down a mug of coffee in front of him. "Is Eve awake?" I asked, bringing a plate with a sandwich on it to the dining table.
"Mm?" Zen mumbled, his voice muffled. Taking a moment to register his surroundings, he got up to drink his coffee. Then, he picked up the sandwich. "Mm."
As if on cue, the oldest of us three walked into the room. "Morning, Zen, Drew." Eve Cite greeted, stepping into the room. A rare smile on his face, he settled down in his seat.
Eins, Zwei, and Drei. That was who we are.
"Don't go to school." Eve said. "Please."
Huh? I stopped in my tracks. My hand was already at the doorknob, my bag over my shoulder. I turned to my brothers who were standing at the doorway. "What this, all of a sudden?" I asked, giving a light chuckle.
But I had a feeling it wasn't anything simple.
Eve's eyes, for once, showed genuine emotion. He was always the master of disguise. His smiles were never real for the crowd-his smile was something reserved for only Zen and I. But now, he wore a face full of worry and concern.
A hand was laid on the door, pushing it firm. Zen was very strong. I would never overpower him, and he knew that. He, as well, was stopping me from going out of the house.
"Guys?" I spoke up.
"Not today." Zen said.
I gulped. "I've got an important examination today." I began, "I can't miss it."
"Screw it." Eve snapped.
I flinched. Eve had never spoken harshly against me. It was always just Zen. What's with them today? Of the three of us, I was the only one still in high school. Zen was three years into college and Eve was in his late twenties.
"But Eve, seriously."
"Just don't go!"
And then, I had charged out of the back door. I had better reflexes than them. I had long lost them, taking the long route to get to school.
"They're always ordering me around, gosh," I muttered spitefully under my breath, "They always say I gotta do this, gotta do that...then they never tell me WHY!?" I cursed out loud, kicking a stone at the wall. "They're always discussing things by themselves, never, EVER, including me! Why? Is it cause I'm a girl? Cause I'm literally ten years young than Eve?"
Why was I blowing up at them? Why now? I never voiced them out before.
"I'm not gonna listen to Eve anymore." I grumbled. "Never!"
However, I knew. After school, I would rush back home. I would run the whole way, going for the shortest route possible. And when I get home, I would act as if I hadn't dashed. Then, Eve would lecture me until dinnertime. Zen would be making dinner, serving us food to break off our argument.
According to routine, we would automatically make up, and then, we'd get dressed for work. We'd have fun with our magic, then we'd all go home. Together. But not today.
A foreign arm dragged me into an alley. Quickly, more hands took hold of my limbs, pinning them down and rendering them useless. A hand clasped my mouth shut.
"No screaming." the man with his hand over my mouth spoke up first. "Any strange moves and your left hand goes." he threatened, and I could feel the man who held my arms tighten his grip on my left wrist. Warily, my mouth was freed.
"Where are they?" he demanded.
They? I gulped. It had all happened so fast, I couldn't even react in time to avoid this turn of events. Taking a breath to calm myself, I ascertained the situation. There were four adults. They were all strong and many times bigger than I was. I may be proud of my reflexes, but my strength was as good as a kitten's. I had no way out of this.
What's worse, I had rounded a more isolated part of town. Well, there was this very beautiful lake round the corner stall. It was my personal safe haven, because nobody ever passes by. The chances of anyone coming in was zero. Even if someone noticed me, no one would interfere.
"Hurry up and answer!" the man demanded impatiently, putting a hand at my throat and pressing down lightly.
"I don't know...who you're talking about." I said, sounding calmer than I was.
A loud snap registered in my head. For a moment, I wondered where that sound came from. An irritating cramp was on my left wrist-then I realized the agony. Pain erupted through left arm, centering around my wrist. My arm fell limp beside me.
Then, I screamed.
A hand clamped out my mouth again, muffling the noise. "No more nonsense from you, girlie." he growled out lowly. "One more peep of bullshit from you, and your foot's next."
Tears prickled at the corners of my eyes, but I managed to stick my screaming at my throat. My breath was heavy, and the burning sensation in my arm was making my head spin nauseatingly.
"Mera and Biru. You just need to tell me where these two are." The hand on my face left my mouth as the man asked again, this time giving me something that sounded like names.
I don't know them. I told myself. I've never heard the names before. Were those even proper English names? What language, from what origin were those names? Why would I know them? I've been living here for a long time, and everyone knows everyone around here.
"I don't know..." I choked out between sobs I didn't intend to make.
This time, I was very well aware of what the crack sound coming from my right foot was. Unprepared, I accidentally bit my bottom lip as I let out a pained howl.
The man gave me a hard slap to my cheek, annoyed. I didn't fall, as there were two hands grasping my unharmed limbs. The blow stung like needles on my face.
Why? I sniffed, tears rolling down my cheeks. No more.
No.
"Woah, dude, she's crying." another man's voice piped in, genuine concern in his tone, "Aren't you going a little too far, I mean, what if she really doesn't-"
"Don't bullshit me!" the first man yelled. "We've got factual evidence that she has personal connections to the targets," he started, "What other proof do we need?"
Personal connections?
"Look here, girlie. This is your last chance." the man grabbed my chin, "Where. Are. They."
No.
I don't know.
I really don't.
Please, no.
No...
"Help me..." I whimpered softly.
The men went silent. The first man sighed. He leaned in, closing in on my ear. Speaking softly, but loud enough for the rest of the men to hear, he whispered into my ear.
"Wrong answer, bitch."
I was picked up by the collar, the other hands losing their grasps on me. This man held me up with only one hand, so he was incredibly strong. I knew I couldn't win, but I struggled desperately for life. They man walked somewhere, dragging me kicking and screaming to his destination.
I was wailing for help. I was sobbing uncontrollably. I was screaming out everything that came to my mind. This guy was going to kill me. You didn't need a genius to figure that out. At the moment, that was everything I thought about.
I didn't have time to worry about why this man was killing me. He just was. The agony that burned in my broken limbs barely registered in my mind.
I was clawing at his hand. I was positive I had made scratches that bled, but the man was completely unaffected by my futile attempt.
Help.
Zen.
Eve.
Help.
Save me.
Anyone.
I don't want to die.
And then, we reached our destination. A crystal clear lake. It was a deep body of water, filled with a small number of fishes. The place I once called my safe haven was now staring back at me, registering in my head as the place I will experience my death.
"Let me go!" I shrieked. "Let me go!"
Then, I fell myself falling. The man had thrown me, and I was headed to the waters. I instinctively reached out for a nonexistent hand that didn't hold onto me.
I hit the waters.
I was falling. Sinking into the clutches of gravity, my movements obstructed by the inconsistent push and pull of the water current. My incapacitated limbs had grown numb. I could no longer move them.
I desperately kept the air in my lungs, but it quickly escaped. I wasn't mentally stable enough to focus on an act that required as much concentration. I flailed against the waters, but my limbs were foreign to movements in the water.
It hurt. The dire need for air flooded my senses. It was painful. My lungs screamed for air. The lack of oxygen ached. My heartbeat was so loud, I could feel it reverberating in my head.
Air.
Air.
Air.
Was I crying? Even if I was, I couldn't tell. Despite the situation, one thought arose at the back of my mind.
Was this what people call fear?
The surface was so close, yet so far. It was just slightly out of my reach. I only needed one more kick upwards to get there. I know how to swim. I know. Being halved of my limbs, I didn't make it in time.
I involuntarily gasped, yearning for a breath of the cold, sweet air, I was used to breathing. However, nothing but water entered my lungs. I lost energy, as if someone had pulled the lever of my body's circuit breaker.
I began to sink, gradually being pulled towards gravity.
The pain may have still been there, but my body was numbed. I barely even felt the cold. As the last of the air left my lungs, I felt one last throb of pain as my body spasmed.
Then, I felt nothing. No pain. No suffering. It was all gone. At that moment, I felt extreme bliss. I had forgotten why I was there at all.
Only one of my sensory organs worked now. I focused on my eyes, which were, for some reason, slowly drooping in heaviness. The scenery before me was breathtaking. I no longer had breath, but it was just so...pretty.
Corals that lined the shallower floors of the lake, the fishes that swam through it, avoiding my as they went with their usual business. I could only faintly see some things, as the sunlight could only show me so much.
Sadly, I couldn't admire it for long.
My eyelids began to feel increasingly heavy. I should have slept earlier last night, I remember thinking. It not every day I can see such a scene, after all.
I should take a nap. I thought. A short and rejuvenating power nap.
I closed my eyes, still fighting back sleep for another while.
When I wake up, I remember reminding myself,
I'll bring Zen and Eve here and show them this.