Chapter 2
The tunnel was dark and had a damp earthy smell. The bottom was loose dirt and the sides were moss covered concrete. The three of us walked shoulder-to-shoulder through the never-ending hole. The silence was maddening against the nagging thoughts in my head. Finally, I was fed up with it. "So what is it?"
I didn't need light to know how they were looking at me. "I mean there has to be a reason for you risking your lives for a complete stranger. So what is it?"
I heard a sigh on my right; Kallin. "It's rather…awkward to explain."
I scoffed. "Try me."
"Well, we're not exactly complete strangers."
"Have we met before?" I asked, confused. I was sure I'd remember if I had met them before.
"No, we haven't met per-say."
He paused and I tried to figure out what he was saying. "I'm sorry. I'm not following you."
"Do you understand what I mean by αύρα?"
I thought for a moment, finding the best English word to describe it. "Aura?"
"Yes. Your Greek is better than my English. As I told you my mom was a watcher, she once told me that for every watcher there is an aura that they are more sensitive to than others." Kallin said 'sensitive' slowly, choosing the word carefully. "It causes us to have clearer visions about said auras, among other things."
"So I'm this aura for you?"
He swallowed loudly. "Yes. It makes me feel very protective of you. Like nothing I've ever experienced before."
"Oh." Awkward silence engulfed the tunnel. No wonder he was hesitant about telling me. I felt movement in the far distance through the earth, a side affect of my unique moving ability. I stopped in my tracks.
"Wait." I whispered harshly. "There's someone else in the tunnel with us. Two people, I think. A man and a child?"
"Kallin?" Alexa asked.
"I don't see anything. How do you know Chelise?"
"I'm more in tune with any near-by movement. I can feel them, through the ground."
"They only sent a single man and a child after us?" Alexa asked incredulously.
I shook my head, even though I knew they couldn't see me. "No. They're in front of us. Maybe two hundred yards out."
"We should turn back and go through one of the intersected tunnels." Alexa suggested, but I disagreed.
"No. I think we should continue forward."
Kallin thought for a moment. "I think Chelise is right. We go up and meet them. If they are enemies, they won't pose much of a threat and if we get lost down here we'll starve to death."
"But you can't see them, Kal!" Alexa exclaimed in a low voice.
"We keep going." Kallin said with a tone of finality. Alexa mumbled something under her breath (I'm pretty sure I caught the word 'sprung'), but didn't hesitate to follow us as we continued walking.
I noticed as we got closer that the people weren't walking, the man was pacing the width of the tunnel and the child was sitting against the tunnel wall. After a while longer, a faint light formed in the distance, but it was obscured the silhouette of a person in the middle of it, moving back and forth. I was on defensive mode, preparing to attack at any given moment. Kallin and Alexa were walking stiffly beside me, preparing for a conflict as well.
I walked slightly ahead of the other two, knowing if things became physical there was little either of them could do. But they matched my stride, staying by my side. The lighting was dim and the entrance to the tunnel was a good thirty yards behind the two strangers. The child stood and I could tell now that she was a girl, nine or ten years of age.
"Well it took you long enough!" The small girl chimed. "I knew that your shield must be strong, but my vision being two hours off is a little embarrassing." She greeted us as if we were old friends, late for a party.
"I apologize for my daughter, she gets ahead of herself sometimes." The man spoke. "I'm Michael and this is Sara."
"I saw you here and just knew we had to help you!" Sara added.
"Wait, you saw us? That's not possible…My shield…"
"Is very strong." Michael cut me off. "Sara is the best watcher I know of. We've never come across anyone who can block her vision. You're the first who has even thrown her off."
"What is your purpose for finding us here then?" Kallin asked suspiciously.
"We're here to help you! Didn't I already say that?" The girl peeped excitedly.
"Help us with what? We don't even know what we are going to do yet." Alexa said.
"You're not a very good watcher, are you?" Sara directed at Kallin.
"Sara, don't be rude!" Michael scolded. "Apologize."
She looked down at her toes. "Sorry." Michael wrapped his daughter in a half hug and whispered something to her that caused her to smile. I smiled as well, Michael reminded me of my dad.
I took a step forward and immediately felt one hand on each of my shoulders; one feminine and the other masculine, but I shrugged them off. "What is it that you see Sara?"
She smiled at me. "Going after your parents of course and their dad," Sara gestured at Kallin and Alexa. "and my mom."
"We're going after the division?" I asked. She nodded. I looked back at Kallin and Alexa who both wore indiscernible expressions.
"We should make camp now." Sara suggested
"Make camp? But sunset isn't for at least two hours."
"Yes, but we won't get far on the rocky terrain. It'll be better to rest here for the night." Michael answered, then pointed at a pile of equipment that I hadn't noticed before.
"We only brought four sleeping bags. I only saw two of you." Sara said, embarrassment showing on her face.
"It's alright." I answered. "I won't be sleeping tonight anyway. Besides the fact that I slept for a day and a half, if I go to sleep we'll loose the shield."
"Just wake me up when you get tired. My shield isn't as powerful as yours, but it'll keep out the division." Michael said. I nodded. He must be why Kallin couldn't see anything.
Kallin and Alexa were being awful quiet and it was beginning to worry me. I turned back toward them, my face obviously asking what they thought of the whole ordeal.
"We're not going anywhere for tonight. We'll make camp and discuss this." Kallin said, answering my unspoken question.
We all walked to the end of the tunnel. Michael and Kallin gathered some dry branches for firewood as Alexa, Sara, and I laid out the sleeping bags.
I leaned the sticks of wood against each other in a teepee form and placed the dried brush under them. Then I snapped my fingers, the minuscule amount of friction was enough for me to create a small fire above my thumb. I lit the brush and watched the flames engulf the wood.
"How did you do that?" Kallin asked.
I looked around me and realized that everyone was starring. "My moving ability works more on a molecular level. I used to have to rub my hands together for five minutes to get a spark, but now…well practice makes perfect,"
"So you're a shield and a mover? That's pretty rare!" Sara exclaimed.
"Actually she's a pusher too." Alexa added.
"Another thing I missed!" Sara exclaimed.
I shrugged. "But enough about me, don't we have more important things to discuss?"
We talked well into the night, figuring out what to do and if everyone was on board. After everyone fell asleep, I wondered from the tunnel and perched myself on a rock, gazing up at the stars. I let my thoughts consume me, but finally came to the decision that no matter what, I was going after my parents.
I began to sing softly to myself. It was a song my mother used to sing to me, that strangely enough reminded me of Kallin. A small giggle escaped with the song, when an involuntary shudder rattled my bones. I hadn't realized how cold it had gotten. Next thing I knew a blanket was around my shoulders.
"It's much warmer by the fire." Kallin said as he sat down beside me.
"Nights like this remind me of my mom. We used to lay on the roof and look up at the stars until I fell asleep, then my dad would come and get me." I reveled momentarily in the memory, then looked over at Kallin, who was looking back at me. We both looked away.
"You were close with your parents?" He asked after a minute of silence.
"Yeah. Due to all our traveling, I didn't make many friends. They were all I had." I stayed quiet for a minute, keeping the tears from leaking from my eyes. "So what about you? The division has your dad?"
"My father was my mother's aura and she tried her hardest to keep them from taking him, but she couldn't. After he was gone she was plagued with visions of all the horrible things they did to him. It tore her to pieces, I saw it slowly suck the life from her long before she died. After I turned eighteen she went after him…" Kallin's eye's flashed and he looked away from me. "I watched them kill her."
I placed my hand on his arm, desperate to comfort him. "I'm sorry." I let my hand fall. "I know it doesn't even begin to cover it, but I am truly sorry that you had to endure that pain."
"I know." His voice was thick with emotion and he kept his eyes on the starlit sky. I didn't even notice that I was crying until I felt his hand brush against my cheek, wiping away a tear. I turned from him, drying my face on my arm. Kallin shuttered beside me.
I offered him the blanket without looking at him. He took it gently from my hands, but wrapped it around both of us, pulling me into his warm side. Part of me wanted to pull away from him, but a greater part of me was thoroughly enjoying being in such close proximity to him.
"Kallin?"
"Yes?"
"How do you see me? I mean, with my shield and all."
"I'm not sure. I've wonder that myself, but I think it might be because of your…connection to me."
I nodded. That made sense. "Do you mind if I ask you some questions, just to get to know you better?"
"Ask away." He sounded amused now. "But I get to ask you some too."
"Ok. So what's your full name?"
"Kallin Zareb Liatos." I smiled. A chuckle escaped my lips. "Is that funny?" He asked, confused.
I shook my head. "No, it's just…did you know Kallin means 'handsome' and Zareb means 'guardian'? Handsome guardian."
"And that is funny because it is so far from the truth?" He asked with a joking tone.
"The opposite actually. The irony is what makes it funny." Kallin was silent. "It's your turn to ask a question."
"Right. What is your full name?"
"Oh how original." I rolled my eyes. "Chelise Alina Gant. So how old are you exactly?"
"I am twenty-one. And you are?"
"Nineteen."
Kallin and I continued our questionnaire, learning frivolous trivia about each other as well as important facts, until I yawned and leaned my head against his shoulder.
"You're tired. Come on, we'll wake Michael up." I was too tired to protest as Kallin led me back to the tunnel. It was at least four in the morning.
The fire was nearly out so I tossed a couple small logs into it as Kallin woke Michael up. Michael stood and walked out into the night, probably to keep himself awake. I lied down in his sleeping bag and fell asleep almost instantly.
A/N: Review :) pweeeaase :D
