| Return to Fan Submissions Liquid Silver: Desert Rose (Chapter One)
By Yamato
yamato@bigbrother-sees-all.co.uk 5th August 2011 It's night, it's dark, and why am I driving on a old dusty trail through a desert?
I'm on my way to meet an old friend, maybe not a friend, a business partner who can
help me. I've probably said too much already, you can wait to meet him, he won't say
no to my offer. I'm sure of it. He can't say no. On the horizon there's a spectacular display of bright lights emerging from the desert,
not long to go now. It's a city, awake, vibrant, always full of life. I remember this place
from what must have been seven or eight years ago, from what seems like a past life.
An old life I'd like to forget, but can't, and here I find myself wanting to reawaken this
long dead life. I need to know what happened to people from that life that I cared and...
possibly loved. Where are they? I'll know soon, very soon.
The bright lights and neon signs shimmer around me in a mixture of Japanese
and English. I feel lost in this ocean of chaos, quickly I'm out of that maze and
surrounded by forests, lakes, and the night sky filled with glowing moonlight.
It feels good to have the cool summer night air breezing across my skin as my
small, red, convertible jaguar brings me closer to the truth. I'm almost there, but I need to check something.
I stop the car at a good point where I can get a good view of the place.
Across a wide shallow valley lies the estate where I'll meet my 'friend'.
I can feel my whole being shaking, I can't go back now, I've come too far,
I've been planing this for months. It can't, it won't fail.
From my pocket I pull out some binoculars and press them against my eyes.
I feel paler as I zoom in on the mansion and it's surroundings.
I have to be calm like I always am when I do something like this but this time,
this time I'm saving life than destroying it. A hired mercenary, that's what I am.
Maybe it's time to turn the tables on my life.
What time is it anyway? Lifting my right wrist and looking at my small black and
silver watch - almost 1am.
Time to go, I put the binoculars back into my pocket and coldly walk back to the car.
But just before that I look across the valley to the estate and beyond that.
Time to say goodbye to this life and create a new one. Driving down the side of the valley and across the plains and I'll be there.
I can see the mansion peaking through the tops of the trees, soon I see
a large set of golden gates, this is where I have to go on foot. Bit of a trek though. I jump out of the car and clamber up the wall surrounding the estate near the entrance
and jump down onto the grass below. Picking myself up I ran like hell through the
woodland to the house. Pale eyes glinting in the moonlight I see the house.
I would have thought there would have been more security guarding this place.
There must be something?
I see an open window on the first floor. Perfect.
Creeping over to the wall of the house I right under the window.
I step back and reach into my black rucksack and pull out some ropes and a large
sharp grip which I attach to the end of the rope.
I swing it round several time and launch it towards the open window.
It goes through first time and the is gripped against the inside wall under the window.
I pull myself upwards using my upper body strength.
Those leather gloves came in handy!
I clamber through the window find myself in a dark hallway. I creep through the large and dark halls of the house.
Everywhere shadows on the wall, and creeks each step I take.
Will I get caught?
Of course not, I've been doing this for years.
The same thoughts everytime going through my mind.
But what if I did get caught, what would happen to me?
Is there someone there?
I hear some kind of humming sound all around me?
I take a small device from my waist, and place it on the floor.
A smoky gas is released, I finally realize what that humming was.
Red lazer beams in all directions.
Okay, this should be a bit harder than I thought, but isn't the reward worth it?
Of course it is.
I take a step back and launch myself into the air and untangle myself from the
red web.
Looking back I continue to hear dark sounds and see the dark shadows.
I have little time, I must hurry if I wish to complete this mission.
I've gone too far to have second thoughts.
But are those thoughts the reason I'm still alive?
I continued to run down the a long corridor laced with red carpet on the floor
and paintings of members of this family.
All of a sudden I hear another's footsteps, I stop, dead in my tracks.
I run to the a darkened wall and push myself against it.
I close my eyes and beads of sweat form on my forehead.
My breathing and heartbeat quicken.
It's just my imagination I think to myself.
I hope it's my imagination.
Opening my eyes I look back.
Nothing. Nobody.
I must go on.
Carefully and quickly I continue running through this awful place.
Again I hear those footsteps which are not my own.
A light breeze caresses my back.
Slowly I turn round.
Nothing.
Show yourself!
Show yourself now! I curse.
Don't let your paranoia get a hold of you, there's nobody here except you
and you alone.
You're almost there, looking about and recogizing the shape of the corridor.
Walking quickly but every so often looking behind myself but I was always greeted
with darkness, shadows, and that ghostly silence.
The silence was getting to me.
Turning round, I was there.
The doorway, locked.
No worries, I was prepared for this.
I reached into my back pack and pulled out another device but quite small.
Small enough to insert into the lock.
It makes a light but sharp sound as it unlocks the door.
The sound stops, I look round.
Nobody.
Nobody there.
I remove the device from the door and open it and slip myself into the small passage.
I close the door and walk down the long staircase.
When I get to the bottom, I am greeted by another locked door.
This is getting irritating!
I place the unlocking device into the lock.
When the sharp sound stops I reach for the door hand and turn it.
I am able to open with a sharp twist of my wrists.
None of my skills will prepare me for the sight I am about to witness.
The air is hot which sent shivers down my spine.
As my eyes adjust to darkness of this dungeon, I see what I have come all
this way for.
I am here. I smile at his sleeping form.
As I draw closer my smile dissipates to a mixture
of sadness, and anger.
Wounds that bear red blood present themselves to my eyes.
My God.
He is bound by ropes.
I reach for my knife and cut those ropes that bind him.
His eyes remain close.
Growing fearful, I call his name.
Nothing.
I whisper his name into his ear and lightly shake him.
Putting my hand to his chest, I hear the faint beat of his heart.
I removed my hand and put it close to his.
His breathing was still present, a good sign thank God!
Slinging my arm under his shoulder, I guess I will have to help him out of this place.
Up the steps, out the door, several corridors and out through the gardens to the car
waiting to take us both far.
As we reach the end of the gardens I see my car a small distance away.
I wrap a blanket around him and sit him in the front seat, I walk round to the
other side of the car and get in pulling the seat belt over my chest and slotting it in.
I do the same for my friend.
As I turn the engine on, I notice torch lights in my rear view mirror and I can hear the
barking of dogs getting ever closer.
Narrowing my eyes with rage I release the hand brake and drive off quickly.
The nearby sound awakes him and he looks back and then looks at me with
silent love.
I see him in corner of my eye. "Who are you?" he looked round at me.
"You don't recognise me, James?"
I turned round and looked him in the eye waiting for the reaction to kick in.
"Oh come on! You don't remember your old friend, Cassidy?"
"Cassidy?!" James screamed before desperately trying to open the door.
"It's locked. James I need your help in finding someone."
"Why would you need my help?"
"Well I actually need your help to find Butch, but it's expensive..."
"And you want my parents money?" James continued her sentence.
"Yes and in return I'll help you find Jessie, do we have a deal?"
"And this is completely business? I still hate you and Butch for all those incidents
between us, okay?" he said crossing his arms and frowning at her slightly.
"Completely business, but I don't hate you, I think you're a nice guy. It's Jessie I hate."
I reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a small box of tablets.
"Paracetomol." I said tossing him the small box. "Take two right now."
"Thanks." James said surprised by my actions.
"We'll go to my apartment and tomorrow I'll take you to a doctor to get those wounds
checked out." For a few minutes we just sat there in silence, then he turned round slightly.
"Thanks." he said trying to free the silence between us.
"You're welcome." I said quietly.
And then I just continued on my way and his way, our way....... To be continued...... Return to Fan Submissions |
