His eyes
snapped open. Still lying down, Dark Ace glanced around the room and
sighed with relief. He was alone. Alone, but safe. He could feel
something wet underneath him. Blood. He sat up slowing as pain jolted
quickly through his back.
"What the-" he said to himself
out loud as he touched his back. It didn't hurt but as he touched his
scars he could feel the blood trickle out of them, like what had
happened when they'd first been cut into him. His scars... had
opened? Surely these dreams weren't right. He needed to tell someone.
But who? Who could Dark Ace trust? There was Master Cyclonis; but
maybe she might not believe him... maybe no one would...
Now
what? He was standing in Cyclonis' chamber, waiting for her reply as
he explained everything that had happened to him... the dreams;
everything. He stood there, about 5 feet away from her as she pressed
her slim fingers onto a strange looking machine, a thoughtful look on
her young, evil face. Dark Ace cleared his throat a little, just in
case Cyclonis had forgotten he was here.
"So… what do I do,
Master?" Dark Ace asked quietly, looking down, slightly
ashamed.
"Who do you think I am? An Agony Aunt?!"
Cyclonis snapped angrily.
Dark Ace stepped back, slightly shocked
at Master Cyclonis' reaction, "No... I just-"
"Well
don't! Now get out and let me concentrate!" She barked.
Dark
Ace didn't need telling twice as he walked quickly out the room,
closing the door quietly behind him, desperately trying not to anger
his Master even more so then she was already.
He sighed to himself and sat down on his bed, the black sheets crumpled to form the shape of his body, like water takes the shape of its container. Placing his head into his hands he groaned unhappily. He was stuck at a dead end. No one would help him. Unless... No. He couldn't. He hadn't spoken to her in years. Maybe she would be happy to hear from him. Maybe she would slam the phone down. But there was no one else, so Dark Ace picked up a phone and dialled that number...
He
was shaking when he heard a female pick up the phone and speak in a
soft friendly tone, "hello?"
Dark Ace gulped, took a
deep breath and spoke, "err... hi," he cleared his throat
before speaking again, "hey, Karla..."
"Do I know
you?" came the reply.
He sniffed slightly before replying,
"Um... I hope you do..."
"What's your name?"
Dark
Ace gulped again before mumbling his real name.
"Oh!"
Came the voice on the other end, "Oh my god! How have you been?!
Why haven't you called before?"
He had to laugh a little,
"Okay cut the crappy questions, Karla I need-"
Dark Ace
was cut off by a high pitched squeal and he gulped quietly on the
other end. He waited for Karla's voice again but instead he heard a
different one... a younger one... his niece's...
The phone was slammed down quickly. Well that was a waste of time. Dark Ace sighed and sat back down on his bed. This was not what he needed right now. All he had was his niece begging him to visit her. He sighed again and lay on his back. Now what was he going to do? He couldn't go on like this. So there was only one thing left to do; and Dark Ace was sure he was brave enough to do it. He had to pay a visit… to his mother.
Dark Ace sighed and looked at his surroundings that reminded him of the haunted childhood that stalks him in his sleep. A woman entered the room carrying a tray, her dull, black hair plastered to her head, exposing little flecks of grey hair as she aged. She looked down at Dark Ace with her blood red eyes covered with circular glasses. Deep wrinkles cut into her forehead as she narrowed her eyes and sat down opposite Dark Ace.
He gulped slightly as he looked up at this frightening image of his mother. Unbeknown to the outside world, Dark Ace's stomach was tight as anything, he was almost unable to breathe and he couldn't speak. He tried to act as if nothing had happened in the past as another person joined his mother.
This man was a lot taller than his mother, he had grey hair, dull, almost hollow eyes, showing no sign of emotion and he wore an unemotional expression on his cruel face.
For a few minutes, the three of them sat
there, looking at each other in an awkward, difficult and
uncomfortable silence. Then his mother spoke.
"So… what
brings you here," she smiled sweetly as if hiding a sneer.
Dark
Ace gulped slightly and took a deep breath, "well…" he had to
swallow a few times to dampen his dry throat, "well I just wanted
to talk… about…"
"About what?" his father answered
quickly as he narrowed his eyes at Dark Ace.
"Umm…" he
looked down quickly, intimidated, "well, about my childhood…"
"What
do you want to know about your childhood? Don't be stupid, you were
around during it!" his mother said as if she were bored of talking
to him already.
"That's not what I meant!" Dark Ace sighed
and looked up at his mother and father, "I meant, I wanted to talk
about the way I was treated-…"
"That's quite enough thank
you very much!" His mother exclaimed loudly, standing up and making
the chair she was sitting in topple backwards off its legs.
"Ooma,
dear," said Dark Ace's father, "do calm down,"
Shaking
inside, Dark Ace stood up.
"Just where do you think your
going?!" Ooma snapped.
Dark Ace took a step backwards, but he
couldn't move as he was pressed against the wall; trying
desperately to sink into it.
"Um… Back to Cyclonia?" Dark
Ace said quietly, quivering with fear.
"Oh no, no, your not
going anywhere!" Ooma cackled, almost like a witch.
"Ooma,
don't start this ridiculous behaviour!" Dark Ace's dad
snapped.
"No Ant! He needs to be told!" answered Ooma.
Dark
Ace's red eyes darted around the room looking for an exit. His
right leg was shaking like crazy. He needed to get out now.
"Luckily
for you, my son," Ooma snarled at Dark Ace, "your cousins are
coming soon."
Dark Ace gulped. This was not going to end nice…