(Officer Veil POV: Days Prior)
As a battle on the roof raged on inside of a cube of darkness on the roof of the school, I was helping line up students and getting them to safety. My team and I moving people along as paramedics, firemen, and the media started to show themselves. The media had their reporters perfectly lined up to show the action going down on top of the roof. Of course they couldn't really see anything, everyone, including myself, were intrigued.
Alongside making sure the media and everyone stayed a safe distance, I had my men moving the two unconscious creatures we had in custody. Now with a clearer mind, I was able to realize what these could be connected to. I remember the last time the school was attacked by two strange creatures. They were unidentified, traits that didn't fit the animal they closely resembled. Not to mention the ice, it seemed the powers between these creatures varied as well.
The creature in green and white was surprisingly human. Quite frankly I would say I was quite jealous of how beautiful she looked, stunning even. It was rather a rare sight to see such a creature in comparison to the rest I had seen here today. She was tied down on a stretcher, carried by two of my officers and two paramedics. While uninjured it seemed wise to still keep her under wraps, neither the people here nor myself could take the risk of them attacking. Still, though, the creature from before told me she didn't seem like a threat, thankfully for that reason I wasn't that worried.
But the other one, this other one was on a whole other level. It was brutal and vicious, and unrelenting. Injured a good five of my men before the creature joined in. They'll be out for a good time, and this thing got hit by a truck, and he doesn't even looked all that banged up. I ordered my men to restrain every part of the creature's body, while cruel, it was necessary to make sure no one got hurt. On top of that, I got my men to get the collar it was wearing off, using jaws of life to break it, just to make sure it didn't cause any unwanted issues. We could try to lock him up in the intensity ward, for now, strongest place back at the jail.
Soon enough there were now media choppers surrounding the area alongside the other media outlets. They were doing their best to get pictures of the creatures, and a lot focused on the huge cube on the roof as well. My officers were successful in loading the two creatures, the dragon sporting his own swat van all to himself.
"Hey! Anyone!" I heard screaming from behind me, it seemed to be one of the students was trying to get one of the officer's attention.
I walked over to the young man, "Yes, is something wrong?"
"Hey look, I need to know if you've seen my friends, I've looked everywhere for them, I can't find them anywhere!" he said in a concerned tone.
"Alright slow down, give me your name and then the names of your friends, we'll look for them," I said.
"Okay, name's Terry, my friends are Xeta, he has a large scar on his neck, you can't miss him, and Elizabeth, damn it, she was taken by that one creature up on the roof," He said.
That made me stop for a moment, he knew the hostage, and second I knew the name Xeta from a couple of incidents in the past, the last school attack and the arson.
"The girl who was taken was Elizabeth?" I asked.
"Yeah, I don't remember her last name, but you can't miss her either, glasses, scars on her face. I didn't know if she was okay or not, that creature just took her suddenly, and held her hostage, the blue dog was there too… and…" The young man said, stopping himself.
"And what?" I asked in response.
"Just, look can you find them ok?" he asked again.
"I'll do what I can if they aren't here they must be inside. Once we deem the area clear, we'll head in and-" Before I knew it I was cut off by a loud bang, almost like if a bomb had gone off.
Screaming surfaced from everyone here, the area shaking violently from the shockwave. I looked over at the roof of the school to see the cube that was originally formed was now shattering and breaking apart. Falling piece by piece was not only the cube but from the dust cloud, I assumed that the roof had given way.
"Damn it," I looked over at a few of my squad mates, "You guys with me, we're heading in!"
I put on a helmet as quickly as possible, getting ready for anything that was waiting for us inside the school. One of my team handed me an SMG, better suited for this sort of scenario. My team and I started approaching the school, deciding that the best way was through the entrance, and making our way through there to the cafeteria.
We cleared the entrance, nothing. We started moving down the hall, but before crossing it we checked our points. Left, nothing clear, right-
My train of thought had been taken over by instinct, moving back into cover as a few bullets flew by, one scraping my arm.
"No, no, NO! Stay back, I'm not going anywhere!" I heard down the hallway.
"You ok ma'am?" One of my fellow officers asked quietly.
"Yeah, seem to be some stragglers in here, thought they all ran out and got captured," I said to him.
"We should aim for his gun, so we can take him in alive," the officer said.
"Good thinking," I said.
We got ready to turn the corner, preparing ourselves to fire. I rolled out while he stayed in cover. In the split second, I saw this man covered in black gear, holding a small machine gun in hands, laying on the floor with a heavily damaged leg, with bodies surrounding him. I retained my focus in the split second my mind raced, my fellow officer also turning the corner, we fired, hitting the man's gun and right hand, blood spouting from the wound he obtained.
The man screamed, trying to go for his gun again, my officers were quick enough to take hold and make sure he couldn't move, the man's protests going unanswered.
"Holy hell…" My fellow officer said.
I was finally able to take in the carnage, an entire hallway filled to the brim with blood and bodies. There was no indication that all were dead or all were alive, but this was still bad.
"You two, check them to see if they're still breathing, and detain the ones that are, the rest of you with me!" I ordered.
My men and I got ready to head inside the cafeteria. Covering each side of the door. We all took a breath, and I gave the signal. We rushed in, checking our corners to see if we could spot anything. Rubble surrounded the area, burning rock filling the rims of the roof that were destroyed. Pieces of rebar and brick lined the area we were in.
As I walked I heard a noise come from under me as I stepped. I looked down to see a small patch of fresh blood, and drops of it leading further in.
"Got something…" I whispered and my team took notice.
They started to follow me as we moved our way forward. Slowly we moved, making sure every footstep made as little noise as possible. I was waiting for either the blue dog or the black creature to jump out. While the blue dog helped me, I still don't know if I can trust it, it could use this chance to get rid of us and run. Then there was the girl that was here, where'd she end up in all of this. My mind then suddenly stopped at the sight to my right.
My men and I all pointed our weapons at what we saw, but I realized something I spoke up.
"Hold it!" I said.
My men resisted the urge to fire. I took a step closer to the thing we saw. The black creature from before, with white hair running down the side of where he lay, and a blue eye rolled back into its skull, blood stained the sides of its face, and a knife poking out of where it's other eye should be. I looked up to see the rest of the carnage. A broken sword had pierced the way through the creatures chest cavity, leaving a pool of blood to leak around him and past the rocks under him. The lower half of its body had been crushed by the rubble from the explosion. I saw no movement, and I slowly moved closer, trying to listen for breathing or anything. I got nothing, this creature, was surely…
"It's dead…" I said in disbelief.
"Ma'am are you sure?" one officer asked, their guns still trained on the creature.
"Yeah, yeah I think so, no breathing, no movement, and the wounds, I think it's safe to say it's gone," I said with a sigh of relief.
My men lowered their weapons. I told the others to scout around while one stayed with me to inspect the body.
"What is it?" He asked.
"I'm not sure, I'm not sure about any of this," I said.
"I don't blame you," he said back, "What do you think killed it?"
"It could have been a number of things, his lower half is crushed beyond repair, and with the blood from the rocks it's safe to say it wouldn't have survived that. On top of that, it got double tapped with the knife to the eye and the broken sword… possibly the fall itself too," I gave my reasoning.
"Speaking of which, where did the weapons come from?" My fellow officer asked.
"Uh. Ma'am… you may want to see this…" I heard from another part of the cafeteria from another officer.
I got up alongside my teammate and moved to see what the rest of them found. I saw them gathered around something, and they moved out of the way to let us see it. I saw the blue creature from before. It had removed the coat it had worn prior to our first meeting. It was laying down, but it seemed to be breathing. I noticed a cut in its leg and other marks and wounds on it. He was alive, thankfully.
Sadly, however, my relief had not stayed for long. A second later I looked on the ground and saw blood. Following its trail, I saw rebar that was stained red poking out from where it broke from the explosion. I looked back over, and finally noticed what had been laying in blood next to the blue creature….
"Oh my god…"
(Xeta POV, Present)
I sat there in silence, just pure, calm, silence. No sounds, nothing to focus on, just me, in this room, looking down at my paws. It's weird, I never really gave it thought, not for a while at least. This feeling felt odd, I remember having hands, controlling five joints, now only limited to three.
I moved my ears, just to feel it. Moved around my head as if they were a dogs. It was natural, just something that I could do now, that I couldn't before. Back, and forth, my ears moved, continuing back and forth in my madness.
I then moved my tail, it felt like a third arm. It two felt natural, just moving a body part, that's all it was. It swayed like a pendulum, left and right. Nothing new, it's been like this for months.
I moved my paws up to the feelers on the back of my head. These nubs that just dangled from the back of my head, causing no pain. Held them up, let them fall right back down. It was amusing, I nearly laughed, but then realized what I had been doing.
These distractions, I was using, were just to help me forget. As hard I tried, I just wanted to forget, everything. All that happened, I could just, let it wash away, start anew. I felt my eyes, the stains of tears madding the fur together right below them. I wanted to keep on, but, I ran out of tears. I was too tired to do it again.
I lost everything… and all I got wat this new body. I can't really say, this body doesn't have it's uses… but, I don't think it was worth what I lost, not by a long shot. I really don't, know what I'm supposed to do now. I lost my freedom, I lost my family, I lost my friends, and lost the only thing I had left… What more, could be taken?
Easy answer, would probably be my life. I have no intention of taking it or losing it. But, what do I even have to live for anymore, my freedom? In the long run, maybe I could move on, but, how do you move on from all of this. How do you move on, when you have no one there, to reassure you that, everything's going to be okay. Even if it was just to make me feel better, I wish I could hear it, cause I sure can't say it myself.
My mind keeps going back to that moment. How… could she smile at me? After everything, I did, after involving her, after her being attacked, after me…. How could she ever, smile at me. How could she have even wanted to still be with me?
"I don't want to be alone," her words, those very words. She had the same fears I did, she didn't want to be alone. When she hugged me, she was just so afraid of being alone. I… I wanted the hug never end, and neither did she. I wanted… I didn't…
I felt myself begin to break again. I remembered one last thing. Before I fell unconscious… she looked so peaceful, almost content. She didn't want to die, yet seemed to go so peacefully, why… was it because… she wasn't alone. Was the idea of her being alone, a worse fear then death? I don't know, I don't know what it was, but she, she went in peace.
A stupid, childish thought crossed my mind. It was just, a simple idea. I was standing next to her. I was still this creature, but, we were just standing on the beach. Waves hitting our feet as they glided across the sand, both our gazes just looking out to the ocean. Such a nice and quiet place, something so simple, yet, for a moment. I got to smile, even if it wasn't for long.
Just a stupid childish idea….
I laughed quietly to myself, "That… would have been something…"
Suddenly my ears perked up to hearing footsteps coming from outside the room I was in. The door opened to reveal Veil walking in, unlocking the room I was in and walking inside. She looked at me sympathetically.
"Hey…" She said.
-Hi…- I replied.
There was silence for a while, I wasn't trying to be rude by keeping quiet, I just really didn't know what to say or do. Everything was weighing against me, and I just couldn't, really…
"Hey, look, I uh… I need your help with something," She said.
I looked up at her, -What? What do you need? I've told you everything I know…-
"No no, you have, but it's something else," she explained.
I cocked my head in confusion.
"So, the other two creatures you fought that day, Bruce and the other one. I wanted to see if you could try and speak with them?" She asked.
-Speak to them? But Bruce is, I don't think he's really there, and the other one, she seemed confused about everything, are you sure this is a good idea?- I asked.
"I don't know if it is or not, but… Whatever info they can give us, we need it, if we're gonna make sure these people get caught. Look, we don't have to make them remember all in one go, but, we need to at least warm them up to the idea, we started with you because it seemed the easiest, and as of now you're our only way of communicating with them, so… We need your help, please…" She asked wholeheartedly.
I looked down, not really sure if I should, but there was really nothing to lose from doing it.
-Ok… do I need to be handcuffed or anything?- I asked expecting that was what was required.
"As long as you stick with me, there will not be anything like it required," she replied.
This made me a bit more upbeat about this, I wasn't being treated like someone who was abnormal, by her at the very least.
She led me out of the room, being very precocious, watching me a lot. It was understandable, she had to make sure I wouldn't do anything. I didn't plan on it however, I had no reason to hurt her or anyone here, so there was nothing to worry about.
I looked around, some of the officers I passed by giving me looks. Some of them have probably already seen me, but it still must be a shock to them. Some people will take the situation differently I guess. It was a different feeling now that more people knew, I felt a bit freer I guess? Not really worrying about having to hide, but it was still a scary feeling, knowing that there would be people who would not accept this. That's history, and history has a good way of repeating.
We made our way over to a giant window, on the other side I could see Bruce. This dragon paced around his room, almost impatiently. I looked up at Veil.
-So what's the plan here?- I asked.
"Well we're going to let you in there to see if you can talk to him, we've got a double sided door so there's not a way for him to escape, let's just hope nothing goes wrong," she said.
-Let's hope he doesn't hold a grudge about the car… or the shotgun… damnit,- I replied back.
"Let's just hope he doesn't get angry…" She said worryingly.
I followed her to the entrance of the… enclosure? She slowly unlocked the gate for me to enter and I was met with another gate. She told me that I would have to open the second one, and then leave it open once I got in when I was ready to leave I would close it back, and she'd let me out as well.
I opened the second gate to be greeted with the face of Bruce. It was almost like if a snake was ready to pounce. He got one look at me and started to growl. It was a very odd sound, almost like a hiss from a snake, and the low growl of a large dog combined. The sound bounded throughout the room bouncing off the walls making it seem even louder than it probably was.
I decided to just take the calmest and most casual approach.
"H-hey Bruce… It's Xeta…" I said simply.
The growling stopped for a moment. Bruce's head cocked, looking at me in a hint of curiosity.
"Ga… Rrr…?" He took a few steps towards me, looking down at me he inspected me. I didn't dare move, making sure to make no movements that would scare or intimidate him. He just, examined me, without making any more sounds, and then, turned away. Just going about his business.
I tried to speak again, "Hey uh Bruce, can you understand me?"
He gave out a grunt and looked at me, and then huffed turning back around.
"Bruce look, if you can speak I need an answer-" as I tried to walk closer to him, his tail flew back and whacked me back. Thankfully I was able to block it and hold myself.
He gave another growl, but then stopped. Going back to his business. I decided that was enough and left the room, locking the gate back. I heard unlocking coming from the other gate, and on the other side I met up with Veil.
"I'm going to assume it didn't go so well," She said closing the door back once I got on the other side.
-Not, entirely? From, what I could tell, he was able to… I wouldn't say he understood what I said, but I think he understood that I was saying something. One thing is for certain he is much less hostile than the last encounters I had with him, which in of itself is a good thing. But, the bad news is I don't think it's him, not, either, he's not there at all, or so much has changed that, if he is there, there isn't any sign of him as of yet,- I explained.
"So he didn't speak to you?" she asked.
I shook my head, -No, sadly it seems he isn't able to speak to his own kind, not yet at least, if he could understand that I was trying to say something, then, maybe he could learn? But, that's just me hoping, I don't know if that will happen or not… A good side of this whole thing is, at least he's alive…-
"Xeta..?" she asked.
-It's, it's okay, I promise,- I gave a smile, trying to reassure her.
"Y-yeah… Hey Xeta?" she asked.
-What is it?- I asked.
"Things… Things will be okay, I promise they will," she said. I guessed that was her way of trying to cheer me up, in some ways, it felt good just to hear.
-T.. Thanks, I needed that,- I said.
Veil said we needed to move on to the next. We moved over to a normal cell, which held the green and white creature from before. Her eyes were closed, was she sleeping? Veil took out her keys and started to open the cell.
"Here, just wake her up gently ok? I don't think she'll mind," Veil said.
I was skeptical of this at first, but I agreed to help, so I just went for it. I slowly took my time to walk over to her. She was on her knees, sat up straight, and still. The only motions made from her was from her breathing. The only sounds in the cell were the very clam breathing and quiet snoring that could be heard from her. I gently placed my paw and her shoulder, and slowly shook her.
"Hey… Hey." I tried to get her attention.
I saw movement from her. Her arms moved above her, stretching them out, and then she rubbed her eyes.
"Huh?" she said, looking over to me, "Ah!" I seemed to have spooked her, I guess she didn't expect to see me.
"Hey, sorry didn't mean to spook you," I said with a warm smile, trying to keep her calm.
A bit of recollection came to her it seemed, "Wait.. you're from before? Right? Your name was…"
"Xeta… It's Xeta, things were pretty crazy, it's not a surprise you forgot," I said keeping the mood light.
"S-sorry… I didn't mean to… What happened?" She asked.
"Uh… well, the attack ended, not sure if anyone here explained it to you or not," I said.
"They talked about me, but didn't really talk to me…" She said kinda sadly.
"It's ok, I know the feeling, and it's not your fault, they can't understand us when we speak like this," I said.
"Wait… they can't understand us?" She asked.
"Not like this no, seems only we can understand each other," I said.
"So… you're one of my kind as well?" She asked.
"Yeah… I mean, I guess so," I said back.
"That's… I'm glad…" She said sporting a smile now.
"Oh… well, it's good to talk to another of my kind as well… a friendly one at least," I said laughing nervously.
"Yeah… same here… that black one with me kept that collar on me, and hurt me… he wasn't nice…" she explained.
"You mean Monty, well, you don't have to worry about him anymore, he can't hurt you," I said.
"R-really?" she asked expectantly.
"Yeah, I made sure of it," I said, "He can't hurt anyone anymore."
Just then, without warning, the creature hugged me. She seemed to be crying, I guess she was just relieved. I didn't really know what to do here, so I did the most logical thing and returned the hug. I looked back at Veil who seemed relieved of the situation.
"Thank you… I hated that place… I hated him… I hated it… all of it…" She said between her sobs.
"It's ok, don't worry, it's ok now," I said reassuring her.
After she calmed down, we broke away from the hug. She was wiping the tears from her eyes. She regained her composure and looked at me.
"Sorry… I, I'm just," she was having trouble.
"It's okay, you don't have to worry about any of that now, the people here won't hurt you, neither will I," I reassured.
She gave a big smile, she was really happy.
"Hey… I'm sorry to break this up, but we needed to ask you some questions," I said.
"Some questions? I… I'll try, but, I don't know if I'll be able to help," she said.
"Ok, just answer what you can, and don't force yourself if you can't remember," I said.
She nodded and I began asking.
"I know, I asked you this before, but if you can't remember, again don't stress yourself, do… you know your name?" I asked.
She gave it some time, calming herself, trying to think. From her actions and demeanor, I can tell she's seeing a lot of haze. She freaked out before from just trying to remember her name, she seems like Bruce in a sense, not able to remember themselves, but unlike Bruce, she retained a sense of self like me at the very least. Even if she can't remember who that self is.
She shook her head, "I… I don't know, I can't remember it, I feel like I know it, but, I've been called so many things, I don't know what my name is…"
I nodded, "It's okay, don't worry… We have plenty of time, and, while we take the time to do this, we'll do what we can to help you remember your name, how's that sound?"
She smiled at that idea, "Really? You'll help me remember my name?"
"Yeah, just help us, and we'll do what we can to help you," I said.
She nodded once again.
"Ok, you said you hated Monty, and whatever place you were at… can you tell me about that place?" I asked.
She took a breath, "I remember being in a cage for most of my time there, much like here, but the people aren't as nice… Well, I think there was one nice one, but that was it… The place had, tables… I think, and big open rooms for testing, I remember them making me practice this energy I use there."
"Like training?" I asked.
"Yeah… I guess that's what it was… and there was one more thing…" she said.
I waited for her response.
"There, were others like me," she said.
My eyes grew wide at what she had just said.
"How many?" I asked.
"Uh… A lot, I think… yeah, a lot," she said.
My mind started racing now, I had thought there were maybe more of my kind due to what had been said, and how organized some of these guy's things were, but now this confirmed my suspicions.
"Can they speak as well?" I asked.
"Like, did I talk to them?" she asked.
I nodded.
"Yeah… but none of them I talked to were happy, they kept saying they wanted to go home… it was really scary…" she explained.
I nodded.
"Hey… can I ask you something?" she said.
"Huh? Oh uh yeah," I said.
"Can you do the things I can do, like this?" She held her small hand out, some bright, pink and blue energy surrounding it.
I smiled at the gesture, showing my energy from my paw, glowing a dark purple.
"Yep, sure can," I said.
She examined it curiously.
"Why's yours a different color?" she asked.
"I mean… I'm not sure actually," I laughed at the comment.
"Oh.. haha," she laughed as well.
I then turned my attention to Veil, -So I've asked her about where she was located and her name, anything else?-
"Not at the moment, we don't want to overdo it," she said.
I nodded.
"Wait… were you just talking to her?" the creature asked me.
"Huh? Oh yeah, I was," I said.
"I didn't hear you say anything, why did she?" she asked me.
"Oh, well, I can basically send thoughts to people," I said.
"How… wait… do you think I could do that?" she asked.
I thought for a moment, her powers seemed rather similar to mine in some ways, her control over energy, and Monty having the same ability… Could it be possible for her?
"Actually, you may be on to something, want to give it a try?" I asked.
"Uh y-yeah! How do I do it?" She asked.
"Ok, it's not that hard, I promise," I said.
"What's going on?" Veil asked concerned.
-I'm trying to teach her how she can speak to you guys as I do,- I explained.
"Wait can she learn that?" Veil asked.
-Worth a shot,- I said.
I turned my attention back to the creature, "Ok now, what I want you to do, is first focus on me, ok?"
She then started hard at me, maybe a bit too hard.
"Uh, not that much," I laughed, "Just keep your focus on me."
She relaxed a little.
"Ok, now, try to send just a light amount of energy around you, it doesn't have to be much," I said.
She seemed to follow what I was saying, this type of speech wasn't that hard if you had the ability to do it, which I think she did.
"Now, all you have to do is say something in your mind, just think to yourself, and I should get the message," I explained.
She seemed to try for a moment, but then the next second later.
-Hello?- I heard in my head.
I jumped up, "You did it!"
Her eyes widened and she smiled, "D-did I?!"
"Yeah! You did!" I said smiling.
She just started giggling, she was overjoyed.
"Ok now try talking to her!" I said pointing to Veil, and she started focusing on her.
"Uh… hey why is she looking at me like that," Veil asked backing up.
-It'll be fine, trust me!- I said to her with a smile.
Veil seemed to be taken aback, maybe because I was happy? Not sure. She calmed down and just waited.
She jumped a bit.
"Uh… Hi?" she said. It seems she got the message.
"She heard me!" the unnamed creature happily said.
"Wait what the, was that you?!" Veil asked.
The creature next to me nodded.
"That's, amazing! Now we have two of you who can talk," Veil said.
-Seems like it,- I said smiling.
"Oh also, keep practicing it and you can send messages to more than one person!" I said to her.
The creature nodded.
I explained to her that we were about to be heading out now. She didn't seem to mind staying in the cell, I think she was happier that she actually had someone to talk to. I exited the cell and brought the info to Veil.
"So what did you find out?" She asked.
-She can't remember her name or where she came from, but she gave us something important,- I said.
"What is it?" She asked.
-There are more of my kind, like those creatures, there's a lot of them,- I explained.
She got a bit shaken up about that one, "You can't be serious?"
-Well, the good news is it seems like they aren't on their side, it seems like they were victims like me, just wanting to go home,- I explained.
"You sure?" Veil asked.
-That's what she said, but again she probably hasn't met all of them, so it's not exactly sure cut,- I said.
"It seems that way, how the hell did they manage all of this?" Veil asked.
-I've been asking that since day one…- I said.
I was starting to feel the weight of it all again. While talking to that creature had been a nice time, and being able to move around helped, it was nothing to help me come back to one-hundred percent. I decided I just wanted to head back to my room now.
-Ok, I guess you can take me back now, I'm also kind of hungry, if you don't mind,- I started walking but noticed she wasn't following.
"Uh… wait, there's something else we need to do," she said.
-What? I thought that was it?- I asked.
I noticed her sigh, "No… There's one more," she said.
This confused me, I had only seen Bruce, the other creature, and Monty… Monty was dead, so was there one I missed? I could have sworn there were no others unless this was one they came into contact on their own. Veil told me to follow her, we moved down the hallway with the cells, and she stopped at one a bit ways past the other creatures.
Inside the cell, I noticed a canine-like creature. Pure white fur covered most of its body. It laid on its left side stretched out. It's face covered in dark grey fur, and a sickle-shaped horn forming from the right side of its head. It had a really large tuft of fur around its neck as well. Then its paws had three claws on each, and one forming from the back joint of each. Then to finish off the look it had a tail that I could only describe as being shaped like a sword.
It was sleeping.
-So where'd you find it?- I asked.
"Somewhere," she said quickly.
I shrugged it off.
-So what do you want me to do? Wake it up?- I asked.
Veil wasn't speaking.
-Veil?- I asked.
I turned around to see her looking down, she seemed really nervous.
-Veil? What's wrong?- I asked.
"Xeta… there's something I found out after you told me what happened at the school," she said.
-What's brought this up all of the sudden?- I asked.
"Look, just listen okay?!" she said a bit louder.
I stayed quiet, she seemed serious.
"Argh, damnit… how do I put this… god damnit… Ok, just, just say it," She said to herself.
I was really confused here.
"Xeta… we never found, Elizabeth's body," she said.
As soon as those words had left her mouth, my anger started to rise. It wasn't sadness, it wasn't fear, it was anger.
-What… are you talking about?- I stared her down.
"Look, I know you're going to be mad about-" I cut her off.
-You better believe I'm mad! You're telling me after all of that, you people couldn't even keep her body safe, how did you miss that!? She was in my arms, there's no other place she could have been, AND YOU'RE TELLING ME YOU DIDN'T FIND IT!?- I yelled.
"SHUT UP AND LISTEN!" she yelled at me.
I backed off, letting her speak.
"Look, I knew you weren't gonna be happy to hear that, I knew you weren't, we never found her body, it wasn't there… But… after hearing what you told me that happened in the school… I think I know where it went," she said.
-Where it went?! What in the hell are you talking about?- I asked now angry and confused.
"Xeta… You weren't holding the body of a dead girl in your arms," she said.
-What..?- I asked.
She looked over to next to me, "In your arms… you were holding that creature."
Unconsciously, and slowly, my head turned looking over at the bed I had looked at only moments ago. The creature laying down, peacefully in silence… as if there was… nothing wrong… I felt my breathing go heavy.
"Everything was still in place as you said," I looked back over to her in silence, "The jacket laying under you two, your arms still curled around it, even blood was still on it like you had said… Xeta…" She said my name.
My body was shaking, all of my emotions not being under control anymore. I felt tears leave my eyes. I bit my lip.
"Xeta, I can't think of anything else here that makes sense, I never found her body, nothing was moved, and you were holding onto her, refusing to let go, just like you said you were… Xeta…. Xeta it's her."
When she said that I fell over. Landing on my knees, my arms and head landing on the bed. I was laughing and crying. It was too much to handle, everything I had felt had just washed away, all of it being replaced with joy, overwhelming joy that just let everything out. My sadness, my fear, all of it, all of it was removed in the span of seconds, and my body and mind couldn't handle it. The second time I cried today, but I didn't care, none of that mattered, none of it. It felt too good to be true.
-You… you… you're su-ure? You aren't lying… right? This isn't a joke right?- I asked looking up at her, wanting to know if what I was really seeing and feeling was real.
"From what I've gathered… it's a very low chance of me being wrong here… also, I'm not cruel enough to make a joke like that," she smiled genuinely.
I kept laughing, relief washing over me, I was so happy, I couldn't even form words. Just happy whimpers and sobs, and the occasionally attempted thank you came out of my mouth, though she wouldn't have heard it.
"I'll go get you a chair, and after that some food. I made arrangements for you to stay in here, it would be cruel, and besides… You aren't criminals, no reason to treat you as such," she said.
-Thank you… Thank you…- I said.
I heard her shut the gate and walk off. I got up for a moment to look at her. She was so peaceful, I couldn't believe she slept through the yelling. I just laughed, I just couldn't believe what had happened. Everything that I had thought, flipped itself on its head in a matter of seconds. I just… Holy shit…
I decided in the end not to wake her, she'd been through a lot herself, and she was gonna need the rest before she finds out what happened. I can only imagine her reaction, for now, I'd just wait… Besides…
We weren't going anywhere.