Chapter 6:Breathe Me_Sia
Author:MishaV946 / 946MishaV
Author: MishaV946 / 946MishaV
Rating: M+ Course Language and Graphic Violence
Summary: Max and her friends are taking a relaxing vacation to Australia. However on her way to this tremendous time, she reflects on her life; unsure of the memories that ran deep within her mind. But things don't turn out the way she expects them too…
Spoilers: Way after FN
Disclaimer: *hands on hips* really now!
Feedback: Thank you for the reviews: Pinkbeachluluand ToAshNwhiskey, I know that the previous chapter was really vague. I needed the plot to be set that way for the next two chapters. I hope you guys enjoy reading this one :)
Status: WIP
Warning: Graphic violence and Course Language...A lot of darkness and angst too :(
A/N: This chapter and the next one is pretty long, hope it's not too much to read O.o And Max's thought are in Italic...
A/N: Reviewing would help, like so much…just lay it down for me; I promise I won't bite :)
Chapter 6: Breathe me - Sia
27 October 2013
21:35
Five friends stood in a circle, laughing with mirth as they patiently waited behind the terminal gates. Their long awaited journey half way across the world would soon become a dream come true. After 4 years of hard work in their field of study, the friends decided that their hard work should be rewarded with a trip to Australia before they would apply their knowledge in the working world. The plan was to relax on the sandy beaches in their striking figures with sexy bikini swim wear, then travel to Melbourne where they had a friend waiting for their presence.
"Hey Mi you should be really excited, you going to see your friend and that hot stud in Australia" her one friend wiggled her eyebrows.
"Oh PLEASE!" she cussed with a funny face making everyone laugh beside the friend who stood on her right.
Knowing her train of thoughts, she turned towards her direction and winked at her, "everything will be okay Ash." She reassured her friend.
Truth be told, she was very glad that her friend decided to join them on this adventure, after that whole Brian van Dyke incident she needed to talk to someone who wouldn't judge her.
'Ash it's over. I broke it off with Brian.' She recalled her conversation with Ash.
"All passengers on flight 452SA, now boarding at gate 5." The attended announced.
'How ironically appropriate, gate 5 and flight 452.' She smirked at the thought.
All five friends settled in their seats. Not that the seats were any comfortable in the economic class but the thought of those sandy beaches trump the horrible seats. Max noticed the flight attended glancing at her every now and then. Wondering if she should talk to the attended about her disturbing stares being passed towards her or not, was stopped short when her friend distracted her with a burning question.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Sure"
"What exactly happened to you and Brian?"
She sighed thinking about that night at Brian's place.
*flashback*
"Hey beautiful, where did you disappear to?" he casually walked into his study finding the object of his affection in front of him.
"Brian what is this?" she asked, lifting up a compact written book, "these markings look awfully familiar." She speculated.
Brian visibly swallowed, "Where did you find that book?"
"On your table now answer my question."
He looked at her with pity then sighed tiredly.
"I think you know what they are." He treaded carefully, pocketing his hands in his jeans showing his discomfort.
"Hmm," she pursed her lips into a thin line, "so all these memories are real? It's not my mind playing games with me?" her agony evident in her eyes and tone of voice.
"No." he whispered.
She stood still.
Stomach churning in discomfort…
Walls closing in on her…
Fear, fear coursing through her veins…
Grabbing the chopping knife…
Aiming the knife in his direction…
"What are you doing?" he shouted in shock.
"Shut the FUCK up! Are you one of them?"
*end of flashback*
"Mi to earth…come in Mi…" her friend bellowed.
"Huh, sorry. Guess I spaced out."
"About Brian. Come on you don't share details with me anymore. It' like since the breakup you've been hiding under a rock."
"Please, you know that's not true!" she retaliated with a whine, contorting her face in disagreement.
"Fine, share the details with me." Ash said excitedly, wriggling in her seat with anticipation.
Sighing in defeat, she began to explain, "Brian isn't the guy I thought he was."
Waiting
Silence
"That's it! Oh come on!"
"What? That's all there is." Max shrugged her shoulders.
"Arg!" Ash pouted her lips and folded her arms with a huff, making Max laugh loudly.
"Oh my dear friend, you've been hanging out with me for far too long…" she laughed, stretching her arm around her friend's shoulder giving her half a hug.
"But on a serious note, if you ever want to talk…"
"I know."
The journey was going to be a 36 hour long trip that included the connecting flights to Singapore then Australia. 5 hours had passed and practically every passenger was sound asleep, all beside Max. Her excitement about this journey wasn't as peaked at her friends. Her memories started to invade her mind. Confusion, fear and loneliness were the only emotions that she could recognize as being part of her. This laughing all the time was something she was sure she wouldn't get used to.
'I know that I am a Manticore prodigy, I know that they taught me well to hide my emotions and fake ones too. Damn, it's the only one thing I can tie the loose ends to. Everything else is just disarrayed in my mind. All these flashbacks or memories, I thought they were mind games. And this feeling for this guy named Alec, what is up with that? Why do I feel like I know him, but I've never met him…or maybe I have? Arg!'
'I know that the brain works like a computer, if you have a virus with no anti-virus software, information in the system can be overwritten. Same principal goes with the brain. I must have suffered a viral infection. And no matter how true I want this to be I know that it's not the case. If it weren't for Brian being the most important clue in my life to have proven that the one part of my memory is actually true, I was sure I'd be diagnosed with delirium!'
'I remember the day it started, the memories of cause. In 2001 I started to meditate…yeah meditate! Who knew, Max Guevara and meditation?! It was supposed to be a harmless act of soul calming and souls searching, how was I supposed to know that it would start to scratch through the walls! That's when the confusion started. Everything that I knew, everything that I was, was being compromised by those thoughts…memories…whatever. I got scared. So the mediation stopped, temporarily. Then three years later I started the meditation again just to see if it was a fluke, but the memories started-again. And this time, things got worse. I would do things that I've never done in this life, of instance holding my breath in for 8 minutes long! WHO THE HELL DOES THAT? Wait I did. And it freaked me out! Then there was the whole flashback thing I would get when walking down a corridor. I would see a degraded city alley way and broken down rusted cars. And at times I swore I saw Alec standing in front me…those where the worse ones. I'd see him, but I couldn't touch him and when I couldn't see him anymore, my body ached and my heart felt like it was being squeezed by my lungs. But what did this all mean? That this life I live is a lie or is the other a lie…but then why would Brian say such things? And those markings, what about that?'
'All of this is making my head turn. I just want straight answers. *sigh* but would that help the way I feel. I haven't been myself in what 12 years? And who is 'myself' that I would refer to anyway Mi or Max? And no matter how much time I spend in the company of my friends or family, I always have this sense of feeling lost and alone, or when I laugh, my heart feels sad. Treachery, my mind is treacherous! Or is it?'
'*sigh* what if I don't belong here? But then what if I don't belong there? What if everything was true, truly true? What if I could go back home to Terminal City? What if I could go back to the people I call 'family', but what if these people I maimed them to be 'family' don't want me back? Why wouldn't they want me back…hmm…maybe because it's been 12 years since I disappeared…is it also 12 years for them too? Oh God, now I feel depressed. Maybe that lady was right, who was it, Renfro, yeah she said I was poison, maybe I am and I don't belong anywhere'
'I am all alone left with only but one clue and no further answers.'
'No, the only way I'm going to survive this Bitch; re-build walls, lots of walls. Build walls that are impenetrable, I am going to re-build them so well that I alone won't be able to break them. Don't even think twice about it Max, you know why you need to hide these memories away…you are losing your mind. You always wanted to live a normal life, don't you still want that?'
'Don't you want that?'
Mentally sighing, Max laid further into her seat. Remembering last year's event.
*flashback*
She ran, ran as fast as she could towards civilization. She didn't wait for his reply, she blazed. Seeing the freeway, she stopped at the gas station. Her heart beating in a continuous fast rhythm, she paused taking a deep breath. Noticing the people around her looked at her strangely, she quickened her pace towards the 24 hour store. Shocked by the reflection staring back at her, she took the corner of her shirt and wiped the sweat off her face.
She entered the store, her spine tingled. A largely built man with a black ski mask locked the door behind her. She tried to run but was elbowed on the side of her head making her lose balance and fell to the ground with a painful groan.
"Get up Bitch! Or you will pay!" he pulled her off the ground by a fistful of her hair.
"Hey Jabu, check this fine piece of meat…"
The man tugging at her hair, laughed in excitement behind her ear. His groin pressed against her hip.
A sudden jolt of confidence made her smile, "Oh, wrong woman to rape BITCHES!"
"What did you say, whore?" the man approached her, rifle in his hand, ready to hit her again.
"I said-you-got-the-wrong-woman-to-rape!"
Mi twisted in the man's painful grip, kicking him in the shins, shattering his bone then kicked him in the groin.
Falling to his knees with both his hands on his groin, Mi fisted him square in the face knocking him unconscious.
The act so fast the other man standing had no chance of reacting.
Running in a zigzag formation in the confined space, she grabbed the man's arm that held the rifle, twisting in and awkward and painful position, rifle falling to the ground; she karate chopped his arm, dislocating his elbow and shoulder at the same time.
He screamed and wailed at the pain, shuffling in the same spot trying to break free from her.
"SHUT UP! How's does that feel Ass Hole?" she grappled him by his collar, kneeing him in the groin.
"Im sorry."
"SHUT UP! You want me to accept your apology but how many people have you killed and woman raped? HOW MANY?"
The man's whimpers only made her blood boil more, "I killed 15 people and raped 7 women."
"Yeah and how many were at your mercy?"
She didn't wait for an answer, so angry she threw herself on the man fisting him on each cheek with every blow harder than the next.
Blood was seeping through man's nostrils, eyes and ears.
She continued to fist the man savagely, the feel of bones cracking and breaking beneath her fist-satisfying her more and more.
In the corner of her eyes, she saw the other hostages stand still, witnessing an act that they would never overcome. Not sure what to do.
A pair of arms suddenly held her back with a tight hold around her arms, "Don't Mi, you're not a killer!"
"He deserves to die!"
"Yes he deserves to die a lot, but all the people will remember is how a man got killed by the hands of a woman who retaliated and they won't even think twice before putting your ass in jail."
"Let me go Brian!"
"NO MAX!"
Her name
Her name screamed at her.
Her name Max that brought back hidden memories from behind well-built walls, well- built walls that were now broken down in full force.
*end of flashback*
She was so astounded when the rest of the hostages that day made a pack not to reveal the incident that they witnessed. To her they were stone cold scared but an old lady walked up to her and said 'thank you for saving us'. She couldn't phantom on how the lady could say such a thing; she almost killed someone in her own rage for revenge.
Her senses tingled in wariness as the air hostess walked passed giving her an odd look. Max wasn't sure if she was a threat or just some girl who thought she recognized as someone else. Deciding to end this, she strolled down the aisle to the centre kitchen area where the air hostess stood waiting for the bottle of milk to be warmed.
"Sorry Miss…Kathryn," she read off the name from her name tag.
"Yes how can I help you mam'?" she smile warmly.
Cocking her head to the left, eyeing this petite figure in front of her, Max got to the point, "what's with the stares?"
The young smiled at her, warm and inviting, "you don't recognize me do you?"
Max's eyebrows rose in confusion, "er, no."
"I was 10 when you had saved me, at the Johannesburg airport."
Max shook her head, unable to piece together the memory.
"That's ok, you were pretty brave to have taken a bullet for me," she smiled.
"Sorry I really can't remember."
"It was around July 2001, there was some kind of altercation with the workers at the airport. I was standing with my brother at the information desk. Next thing I knew you jump in front me took a bullet in your arm and made sure I was alright before you spun around and knocked some sense into those people."
Giving the young girl a curt nod she realized, 'That wasn't me; she's talking about Mi. the girl who saved my life to live hers.'
"My brother couldn't stop thanking you; he went as far as paying for your medical bills. You really don't remember?" Kathryn asked with disappointment in her tone.
"Oh, don't take it too personal. I recently hit my head pretty hard, and have a bit of memory loss." She lied lightly, chuckling slightly.
The girl seemed somewhat pleased then smiled.
"Ok, so like there's one more thing."
"Yes?"
"No more awkward stares please?" she asked lightly chuckling.
"Yes definitely." She laughed.
Mi extended her hand for a hand shake, "Kathryn…"
"Kathryn van Dyke"
29 October 2013
18:00
Despite the warms sunset and excitement coursing through their veins, the friends decided that the sandy beaches could wait one more day and for tonight they would enjoy the cool evening air with amazing friends from abroad. Mi's five friends sat around a circular table and one guy friend from this home country seemed to take an interest in one of her friends. She didn't mind at all, truth be told, she hadn't felt right in any of her previous relationships beside the one which involved a dark blond haired man. She sat quietly, observing the mindless conversations that dealt with their relationships and their boyfriends.
'I miss this, but mostly I miss this with OC.' she thought sadly. 'And you miss Alec' a fragile whisper echoed at the back of her mind. Her heart ached for this man. The body ached and tingled only for this man. Her tears only shed for this man.
"Are you okay Mi?" Ash asked bringing her back to reality.
"Yes I'm fine." Mi replied with her trademark smile.
"Are you thinking about Brain?" her friend coaxed attentively.
'Not exactly Brian, more like Alec evading my mind!'With a curt nod to her friend she pouted, "Nah, but sometimes I do wonder what it would be like to be in love again and not feel…"
"Alone?"
"Yeah." Turning to her friend, she taken aback by the genuine concern and understanding in her eyes.
"I know what you mean. You will find your prince charming one day Mi. No one should be alone in this world. I mean life can't always suck right? Look at me, I'm about to get married when we get back. You are going to get there too."
Max remained silent, taking in her words. Her thoughts pulled together by only one memory, her life that she once lived with a certain Alec. She always wondered when God or the universe would have mercy on her and grant her the one wish she always asked for every year, him.
She thought about the words that her friend said, then returned back to the conversation that flowed around the table. They laughed, talked and ate their meals.
But the atmosphere began to change. A chill ran down Max's spine, she sat immobilized. With deafening nervousness, her heart rate elevated more. The clanking of dishes and the mindless conversations faded into the background. The sound of feet colliding to the stone paving echoed loudly with each step causing her ears to perk in alertness. The sound of familiar feet grew louder with each confident stride. The sound getting closer, and the closer it got the more her heart hammered painfully into her chest. Sweat beading down her forehead and neck.
Starting to take quick short breaths, she ignored the concern looks that were passed from Ash. Her palms sweating profusely, she placed the fork aside with a resounding clank against the porcelain plate chipping the corner slightly. Slowly but automatically she turned to the right for clarification. Her eyes bulged and mouth opened with a gasp. The world around spun in a nauseatingly slow pace, the world was not right.
Taking in deep breaths, her surprised eyes turned dark within mere seconds. But that didn't stop her from glaring at the 'shoes'
"Mi, what's going on?" Ash asked worriedly.
With the sudden burst of adrenaline, she stood up in abruptness causing the innocent chair to topple unceremoniously behind her. The clear midnight blue sky died from the raging stormy clouds. Her face reddened with rage, her nostrils flared as she strode towards the objective with a feral look to kill. Striding closer, she blurred towards the unsuspected patrolling officer; punching him unconscious with one hard blow to the head, she swiftly stole his 4.5 semi-automatic weapon from the hoister as he limply fell to the ground. Aiming the gun straight in front of her, she could hear the screams and shout dissipating into the far darkness of the world.
Her nostrils flared, her eyes concentrating on him. Blood trickled down her nostrils as her mind concentrated more and more. The surrounding street light posts exploded in a million splinters showering the area like deadly twinkling stars. The clouds began to swirl rapidly like a tidal wave of darkness.
"I know who you are!" she hissed coldly.
"Hello Max"
"Ames White…" her tone darkened with every word that she spat out, gun still in her hand, un-wavered even though the sound of sirens could be heard. Cocking her head slightly, "you never call me Max!"
"Don't you remember? I started to call you by name because I needed your help and I still do."
"Help with what?"
"To bring down the Familiars and Conclave," Ames White observed the vivacious figure in front of him, pocketing his hands in his jeans.
A figure stood in the shadowy armpits of the building next to the restaurant. Astounded by the scene on front of them, they dialled a familiar number.
"We have a problem; Ames White found her and wants to bring down the Familiars and Conclave. What are my orders?"
"Follow the objective and rouge. I will send them to her."
"Be careful Will."
"And you take-care Kathryn"
End of chapter 6...
A/N: How was it? good? bad? think im losing my mind? O.o