Mother 6: Sounds
Chapter Two: Arise! Chain Stones of Harmonica Town!
A tall white tower, two girls, two boys, there were four blurred symbols, he couldn't see them, a ghostly figure, and then there was a bright red flash.
The cream walls reflected sunlight that slipped through the black curtains, slowly climbing down the walls and onto the body in the bed, Chain Stones, age 14, awoke with a start, and thus began the daily ritual of wrestling with the gray bed sheets from his body, but as usual Chain fell on to the wooden floorboards. "UGH! Damn it!" he wrestled off the sheets with a loud YARGG he pulled the sheets from his body and tossed them across the room. Chain sighed heavily with his eyes closed, he pulled the white tie from his hair letting it fall shoulder length "Every damn day…"
"Chain!" Shannon's shrill voice came from outside the door; he ignored her voice, whatever it was he could surely get Lauren or Jordan to do it. "Chain!" she shouted louder.
"What?" he snapped
"Scarlett is sick! I have to watch Scarlett to make sure she doesn't get worst, can you go get the doctors?"
The boy hopped up to his feet, cursing obscure things as he ran around his room, yanking open the drawer to his dresser he pulled out a black and gray striped shirt, he pulled that over his head as he ran to the closet, Chain yanked the closet open grabbing a pair of jeans, pulled those on, looping the brown leather belt around his waist, he reached back into the closet and pulled out a red jacket, he shoved his arm though the right sleeve, then the left, running back to the dresser he grabbed a pair of white socks, he pulled them on as he hobbled out of his room, he stopped, turned around and ran back into his room to grab his gray scarf left abandoned on the nightstand. Wrapping it around his neck Chain stormed to the landing of the staircase, he grabbed his shoes and pulled them on as he rushed down the stairs into the living room.
The room was empty, which was kind of unusual, but due to circumstances it was understandable, Chain glared at Lauren's favorite pink beanbag was left sprawled out on the cream carpet, even her coloring books were carelessly thrown onto the two chairs by the fire place, she growled, it was like she was trying to get him to trip and snap his neck. He threw the beanbag into its place, by the bookshelf next to the fire place. He gazed at the items of the shelf.
Two pictures framed, one of his mother, Pink, the other of his father, Rock. True to her name, his mother Pink had long pink hair, long bangs covered her matching colored eyes, as far back as Chain could recall she always wore a white dress, on the other hand looked like his, the blond hair and violet eyes followed the family for generation after generation, although normally it was the first born who received these traits, but this generation it happened to be him the second born.
Chain glanced at the item positioned between the frames, it was an old family heirloom, and he would never understand why it was so precious to his family. He stared at for a moment or two before pocketing it.
"Oh god what am I doing?" the boy scowled at himself and ran for the door.
Harmonica Town, it was a sea side little town, its people always hard at work out on the seas bringing in fish for the other towns and cities. It was quaint and simple town, children went to school and adults worked out at sea.
Chain burst into the streets of his home town, Scarlett's sickness has existed than birth and ever since the attack upon the town years ago did they become more frequent and violent. Chain would never show it but it deeply worried him, it always had.
To the center of the town was the hospital, Chain marched right in, ignoring the looks he was given, down the hall was a lone room, he opened the door, inside as usual was the town's two best doctors.
Joshua, the taller and more experienced doctor, smiled. Joshua was a man in his mid-twenties, with coal black hair and green eyes. This man was soon to be Chain's brother-in-law, as far back as he could recall Scarlett was in a relationship with Joshua, they must of really had a thing… He was a good choice. That was all he ever said on that matter.
But then there was Edward, there always about that damn man that just irked Chain, his freaking short cut brown hair, and blue eyes, he dint like him, probably it was his smartass attitude…
"What's wrong Chain?" Joshua asked realizing the slim worry on Chain's face.
"Yeah, you seem like you're out of breath!" Edward laughed.
"Scarlett is sick again!" it was only a matter of seconds before Joshua was out of his office, Edward sighed and picked up the medical bag, he followed Joshua out and Chain followed as well.
Lauren was not one to break rules, but she had to, at least for today. Sitting on the pink carpet she pulled on her favorite white sneakers and socks, she adjusted her jean skirt and stood up. Lauren fixed her beloved pink hair ribbon she received from her big brother; her green eyes scanned her room, finding her jump rope among the mess that was her room. The little girl peered out the crack of her doorway, her mother was still occupied.
The white tower needed help and she was gonna help it, even if her momma and papa didn't want her too.
Lauren opened the window, from her second floor window she climbed onto the sturdy oak tree branch and climbed down the branch.
Joshua burst into Scarlett's room, the sickly woman's violet eyes softened; she weakly sat up to reach out to her love. He gently pushed her down and brushed back her orange-brown hair
"Lay down…" he smiled "Don't stress yourself." Edward turned to Shannon and Chain, he shooed them away, closing the door behind him. Shannon glanced to Chain who had a scowl plastered on his face. She gave a sad smiled and walked down the hall to Lauren's room, Chain walked down stairs he threw his body onto into an arm chair.
He sat there, the door opened and Jordan entered, the town's lone officer, the man removed his coat, by the time he looked over at Chain the boy had lit a cigarette and it was hanging from his lips. Jordan stomped over and took the cancer sick and snuffed it with his shoes.
"Chain, I told you quit smoking long ago." the boy didn't respond, "Where did you even get these? No one in their right mind would sell these to you, or where did you even get the money for these."
"God will you just shut up already?" Chain glared at his guardian "It's my own damn life! I can do whatever the hell I want!"
"Not while living under my roof boy! You oughta stop acting like a brat. Shannon and I feed you, clothe you, and raised you since you were young! You are far beyond an age where you can benefit to this family, what have you even done?" Chain refused to respond "That was a question Chain."
"Nothin'."
"That's right, 'nothin''. Scarlett who is saving for a house for her and Joshua, benefit to this family, if you looked hard enough you could find yourself a job, instead of brooding over your parents' death! It's been at least eight years Chain, acting the way you do will not bring them back!"
"SHUT UP. YOU DON'T KNOW ANYTHING JORDAN!" He nailed the adult in his face
"It's the truth, you need to grow up and be a man, you are nearly an adult Chain, you can not go out in the world acting the way you do." the boy clenched both teeth and fist.
"Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. Shut up."
"Chain clam you self down and go to your room." Jordan pointed to the stairs, the boy brushed past the adult grumbling. "If you're going to say something, say it." Chain stopped and reeled around to the adult,
"Fuck you, I hate this goddamn town, its people, its sights, everything. I couldn't and wouldn't give a damn if you and your damn family died too Jordan. I'm fuckin' out of here." Stomping outside, he looked at Jordan through the open door and he flipped him the bird.
"Don't give me that finger!" he shouted back at the boy. Shannon ran down the stairs, Jordan looked at his wife worry all over her face. He sighed. "I know, I expl-"
"Where's Lauren?"
"Isn't she in her room?"
"No!" Shannon blurted in hysteria. "She wasn't there, I went to check on her but the window was open, I thought maybe you saw her when you came home! I checked her room too, she isn't there!"
"Alright, we'll go look for her, just tell the doctors."
"O-okay honey…"
Chain glared at the ground as he walked, he kicked an unfortunate can that was in his path, after walking some more he found the same can, hands in his pockets he swung his leg, but stopped. He could hear something, a sound? No, it was music.
He raised a brow and began to move toward the music, on its own his mind made lyrics for the song. He began to wonder how come it was now of all times could he hear this music?
The melodies lead him to the town's dig site, he climbed down the dirt hill and to his surprise there was Lauren standing at the mouth of the cave. "…Lauren?"
The little girl jumped, she turned around and smiled "Oh big brother! What are you doing here?"
"…Umm… music?" he blinked.
"Oh! You can hear it too? You must have powers like me!" the little girl hugged her big brother figure, Chain let out a heavy sigh as he pat her head. She let go and took her place back at the cave entrance, curiously Chain followed her.
"What? You mean those freaky mind powers?"
"Freaky?" the little girl puffed her cheeks out "They aren't freaky! It just means I'm special."
"I'll say." he snickered
Rumble, rumble, rumble.
"Lauren!"
The rocky alcove of the cave entrance gave away, rocks came tumbling down, Chain did hat came to mind first he grabbed the girl and dived into the cave.
Chain's loud cry could be heard, the search party turned. The dig site. The search party rushed, Shannon burst into tears assuming the worst had happened, Jordan did all he could to reassure her everything was okay. They wished, the cave entrance had caved in on it's self.
The dripping water on his face…
It was starting to piss him off, Chain scowled at the stalagmites or was it stalactites? Like hell he knew, damn small town education.
"Mamma! Mamma!" Lauren yelled at the stone wall, it once was an entrance… "It's okay! Big brother protected me!" Chain groaned as he pulled him self to his feet, he stretched his back, it cracked.
"Is Chain in there with you Lauren?" Jordan called
"Uh-huh and he cracked his back really loudly, it was gross."
"I see, listen to me Lauren, tell Chain that there is a back exit. It will lead the way to Harp City, and call us once you get there. Okay?"
"Ugh, yeah, I get it." Chain muttered, he looked around and noticed a shovel lying around, he picked it up and equipped it, "C'mon, let's get going Lauren." the little girl smiled and followed him dragging her jump rope behind him.
"Wait!" Shannon yelled through all of her tears, but they could not hear her. "Lauren… Chain… be careful… both of you…" she fell to her knees. "Oh God, please don't take them away from me, please…"
