One - The Night That I Ran

The lantern on the porch flickered. They pushed me out the door, and I landed on my knees. I looked up from the porch at them. Her eyes filled with tears, and they just pushed her back into the house. She didn't want me to leave, but they didn't care. I felt my eyes water as hers, and I stood up. The door slammed behind me, and I winced.

"Why are they doing this?" I wondered out loud. At least I wasn't fathers alcohol monkey anymore. I looked up and noticed a cave in the rock.

Many Years Later...

I walked forward, kicking the dust and rocks. Patricia was only ten and I, fourteen. They hated me, and I hated them. Patty and I loved each other. My arm lit my way in the total darkness, and I moved to my hillside cave.

The curtain slid open and I stepped inside. The small twigs on the ground crunched as I stepped on them, and I moved to the pile of leaves I was sewing together. I sat on my 'stool', which was really a log I had carved out, and began sewing again. I was finally getting it done.

I held up my work to look it over. Not only did it cover what my clothes would not, such as my back, chest, and face, but it looked pretty good. I hooked it around my shoulders and pushed the mask over my face. I was very thankful for my somewhat unnatural talent for sewing.

I poked my head out of the curtains, and stepped a few feet into the dark. The leaves blocked the yellow- custard glow. I smiled into the dark. I looked over at the house.

Patricia stood in the window, staring at the cave that I slept in. She watched over the cave every night, like a routine, but she didn't understand what exactly she would do, because our parents wouldn't give a crap. I felt really sorry for her, living with them all these years.

I pulled open the curtain and went back inside. The cape dragged behind me, and I decided to cut it off. It was unnecessary, and it made a lot of noise, therefore a danger to what I was about to do. I took it off and removed the drapery of leaves. I sewed the holes I had accidently put in the collar.

I refitted the sleeves, vest, neck, back cover, and mask around my body, and put out the torches. I opened the curtain and looked up at the house again. The lights were out, and everyone had gone to bed. I turned away and forced back a feeling.

I kicked at the rock in front of me. It had been three hours of walking, and I was almost to my new home. I saw the tall mountain peak over the horizon, and suddenly felt something rush behind me, then hide. I turned around, pulling my wooden knife from my pocket.

The thing made a noise from behind the rock, and my mark pulsed under the leaves. I cringed, feeling the pulses flow through me. The thing heard my moan and peeked out over the rock. It was small, and it's jaw looked broken.

I looked at it, and it must have seen something in me, or been extremely stupid, because it walked over to me and brushed against my legs like a cat. I reached down to pet it, and it arched to my hand. Then I heard another noise.

It was a man, calling into the distance. It perked up at the voice, and I watched it trot off into the dark. Another pulse shook my body. I didn't like this. The footsteps got closer, but the calling stopped. I found a hole in a rock, and hid in the small cave- like space.

I heard the animal sniff the ground, and the man was watching it. I heard his encouragement. The animal peeked it head into the small space and opened its mouth. A thin tongue slithered out and licked my face. I giggled. The animal pulled back and let the man look in. He smiled at me.

"Hello there, miss. Are you lost?"

"None of your concern. I know where i'm going."

"Arabia seems to like you. She has a somewhat specific taste in people. Are you from around here?"

"No. I'm actually trying to get away from someone." I pushed him away and stepped out of the space. "Now, good evening." He watched me go, and he noticed something I had hoped to avoid.

"Is your leg glowing?" My pant leg and come up a bit, and my ankle was slightly visible.

"No." I bent over and pushed it back into my shoe.

"It was! You are special. Good girl, Arabia!" By the time he looked back up from his animal, I was gone.

After that close exposure, I didn't stop running until I reached the new cave. I had decorated the inside of this one with fuzzy leaves glued together with amber on the floor and a salvaged bed from a junk yard. It wasn't too pretty, but it was comfortable.

The light of the lanterns lit the room. The table I had made sat in the middle, along with the chairs I had carved and assembled. I placed my widling knife on it, as well as my wooden one, and took off the leaf canopy around me.

I locked the gate, and covered it with the leather.

I flopped down on the bed and stared at the gems in the ceiling. They glinted from the light of my markings, and I covered with the cape I had brought. At least it didn't go to waste. I watched my marks shift for a while, then drifted into sleep.

The next day…

I woke up and cracked my neck, listening to the little pops it made. I looked at the door, and noticed a small rip in it. I stood up and looked at it. It looked like… a bullet hole? I looked around the room, and saw what it had aimed at. The small hole rested right above where my head had been. I looked down. Someone had slid a note under the gate and leather cover.

Dear Girl,

I understand your concern, but you have nothing to fear from me. Arabia and I just wish to help. I heard you talking in your sleep. You have a sister? And your parents hate you? I'm sorry. If you'll meet me where we were yesterday, i'll help you two. If not, then I cannot say you will survive the next misfire.

Sincerly,

Mr. Aculus Jayn Phoulus

I thought. Either I was going to die painlessly in my sleep knowing that my sister would never know, or I could go off with a stranger to save her. I sighed. I was about to make the stupidest choice.

That night, I stayed awake. I heard shuffling outside, and I turned over. I saw a knife cut the hole bigger, and I sat up.

"Mr. Aculus? I'd like to talk. I didn't feel safe out by the rocks though. Would you come in?"

I heard his pet sympathise for me, and he nodded. I pulled down the leather, and unlocked the gate. I turned away from him as he opened the door, then locked it.

I replaced the key where I always kept it. Somewhere I didn't think he'd wish to put his hands any way, but just to be safe I made sure he didn't see what I did with it. The cat- dog- thing brushed me again, and I picked her up. She purred, and I stroked her. The man sat in one of my chairs, and admired the table.

"You're quite good at this. And sewing." He picked up the outfit I had made, and stared at it. I took it back and smoothed it out on the table.

"Its fragile. Please, don't touch." The animal trotted around on the chair, spinning in circles. I laughed. The man looked up at me.

"So, about your sister…"

"Ten. Looks alot like me, only without the tattoos, of course. Brown eyes, that don't change color. Seriously, I don't know why. Uh, about half a foot shorter than me."

"Whoa, slow down."

"Sorry. So, your plan?"

"Your parents are around all day?"

"No. They both leave at seven P.M. to go to dinner, and at eight A.M. for work."

"Ok, now I have some information. What about you sister?"

"Home all day. She and I are separated all day, too. We bonded when she was three, and I was seven, before this." I gestured to my arm." Inseparable, or so I thought."

Arabia snuggled against my chest, and I looked down at her. Then I got a realization. "Oh, god! She is probably worried to heaven!" He looked at me.

"Then lets get her." Aculus stood, and Arabia hopped off me so I could do the same. I followed him to the door, where I pulled the key, unlocked it, and replaced it, of course, after he looked away. This was a secret place, where no one would ever go, and I wanted no one knowing where I stored the key.

He lead me to a car. I had only seen these kinds of machines in the big cities I walked past when I did these little expeditions, although I planned this one to be permanent. He opened the door for me, and I slid in. He took the other side, and started the engine. Arabia laid down on my lap.

"Thank you."

"No problem. It was the gentlemanly thing to do."

"No, well, yes, but I meant helping me with my family issues."

"Anything for a young tattooed."

I blushed. I hated people acknowledging my tattoos. Especially the times when it made the least bit of sense to talk about them. He shifted gears, and the car shot forward, propelling it forward at a very high speed. I tried to keep my hair out of my face, but it kept escaping my fingers, so I just gave up.