BORING DISCLAIMER: Gargoyles, Twizzlers, and Gameboy don't belong to me. Neither do Harley Davidson, or Gadzooks, ect.... So don't sue, okay?
Tap.... tap.... tap.....
~Why doesn't that just stop?!~
Tap.... tap.... tap.....
"AMBER!!!!!"
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!! I'll quit!!!"
I nodded once, looking back to my open biology book, sitting at my desk. The room wasn't really dark, because I had my desk lamp on, and Amber had the computer turned on. Still, I needed quiet. Stupid tests, and I had to be the one with the sister who just HAD to tap her nails on the computer desk over and over and over....
............ tap..........
"Gah!!!" I slammed the book infront of me and sighed, "It's hopeless, I just can't concentrate. I officially give up."
Not that it mattered to my sister. She simply shrugged and continued typing.
"What's that?"
Another shrug. "Just RPing."
"Ah." I moved to look over her shoulder. Role playing, a favorite past time. We used to each have characters in a pack of wolves named the WhitePaw, but instead her character, Cynthia, left to go to Dissension, a neighboring country, to rule. Didn't bother me too much, since we had more than one character that were linked together. "As?"
"Cynthia," she muttered. "And Nathan's trying to get that Elisa girl to stay."
"I've always liked her." I reached across the keyboard to steal a twizzler from the bag resting against the monitor, and got my hand slapped at before retreating with it to my bed.
"So, what's next on the agenda?"
I shrugged, munching away on the licorice. "At seven, we're leaving. Then the day after Micheal's taking me shopping. You commin'?"
"Yeah, I love to have money spent on me," she flashed a grin at me over her shoulder. "Though I'll have to find the Gameboy light thing when we're at the hospital."
I nodded as I stood, walking into my closet. I have a huge walk-in closet, where I keep almost all my stuff. My room looks like a hospital room or something. Everything is white. Not my decision, though. It's my mother's. I grabbed the light from a showbox on the top shelf, and tossed it onto the bed.
Gameboy, the perfect thing to bring. I have ovarian cancer, and sitting there in the hospital bed with the same 30 channels can get boring. No MTV?! Please. Since I'm so young, and they didn't catch it early enough, they say I'm to die at an early age. Oh yes, everything is smiles and chocolate in my life.
"I take it you found it?" she asked without even looking at me, shutting down her windows.
I nodded as I flipped off the desk light. "I knew where it was- with the rest of my Gameboy stuff."
"You mean TYLER'S stuff." Well!! Okay, so it was my brother's. He rarely played with it anyway.
"Onlywhenhellfreezesoverandimlonggonemaybe" I muttered as I set the light next to me at the bedside table, dropping onto the bed after pulling the covers back.
She only chuckled as she shut off the computer, walking over to me and tucking me in. Hey, I may be 18 but who doesn't love extra special treatment from her favorite big sister? ((Author's note: Because of this statement, I will not allow my other sisters to read this. I have 8 others!!)) "Maybe. Anyway, get some good sleep. We have shopping to do!"
I giggled as she shut the door behind her, leaving me in complete darkness.
Two days later, we pulled into the mall parking lot at about 4 in the afternoon. I pulled myself up from the back seat of my brother's big duley truck- and man, is it sweet. Black, diesel, Ford, huge. Perfect.
Micheal pulled the seats forward after they both got out, and picked me up and set me into my wheelchair that Amber already had gotten out. No, I'm not crippled. I just get too weak after chemo, and sometimes it's better to pass out in a chair then standing, non? Anyway.
I smiled the second we went inside. Micheal said something about the Harley Davidson store, and left us to ourselves- with one of his credit cards. Good plan, I thought. I pointed to Gadzooks and off we went.
Maybe two or three hours later, somehow, we made it to the second level ((I mean somehow as in the plastic was hot on the credit card. A lot of stores down there!! We took the elevator.)) infront of Spencer's. We almost went in until Amber spotted one of those stands against the edge, selling those little peweter figures with the crystals. We LOVE those things!! I collect dragons, Amber collects wolves. So we were both very pleased to see that they had both once she wheeled me over there.
I moved to one side, noticing a jewelry case. Old jewelry, which I loved to collect as well. Tilting me head at it, a special one caught my eye. Because, in fact, it was an eye. A small jewel-like stone set into a delicate bracelet cuff, it reminded me of smooth opals. Only it was red, like a ruby. Deep inside, the closer I looked, I thought I saw a castle...
Then a man stepped to the otherside of the counter. He wasn't all that tall, but tall enough. He wore glasses, set upon his slim nose. His hair was blonde, and his head tilted back even as he looked down at me. His voice suprised me almost as much as his sudden appearence, for I first thought it would be normal- but it was quite commanding and calm. "You have no need for that peice. Far too expensive."
Taken aback was all I could say. After chemo, I admit, I look like 50,000,000 miles of the worst road even thought of. I knew I looked like some twelve-year old kid, with my long hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. "What makes you think it's too damned expensive??"
A slight grin crossed his lips. "For one, it's six hundred dollars. Two, you wouldn't have anywhere to place it."
Ooohhh..... M-A-D.... A-N-G-R-Y.... I counted to ten about four times before I controlled my composure, narrowing my eyes at him. "I have many places to put it. I want it."
"Old jewelry necklace stands and dresser tops don't count."
I made an un-lady like growl and pounded a fist at the armrest on my wheelchair, "Listen, bub, I suggest you wrap that up in a nice little box for me right now." Wow, I read/watch too much X-Men.
"Or else what."
"Or else we'll have a problem with your employment," grated a voice behind him. I couldn't see who it was at first, he was standing behind a large case of figurines and I really couldn't just stand to see him. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and right away knew it was my brother. I looked up at him, seeing him grin at the man behind the case.
"But sir, you told me to be careful about who I sold it to, and-"
"And she's a Finch, Owen."
Owen glanced at my brother, then me before making a huffy retreat. The other man took his place, and I got a good look at him. Almost as tall as my brother, who is REAL tall ((Micheal is about 6ft 2in, no joke. I'm a dwarf.)) with greying sides on his head of ebony hair. He had a dashing smile, and he flashed it to Micheal as he leaned onto the glass table after shaking my brother's hand, "I'm sorry if he upset you. Micheal, I haven't seen you in awhile. This must be your sister, Katherine, right?"
"....Kat... " was all I could mutter softly, tilting my head at this imposing man. Not scary, though... well, at least not totally. His voice was more commanding than Owen's, though it was so smooth...
He reached down to shake my hand, instead, he kissed it softly, "Kat, I am David, David Xanatos. I've known your brother for years, along with the rest of your family."
I glanced up at Micheal to see him nodding as David wrapped up the bracelet I was looking at, then handed it to me. "Many years. In fact, that's how I met Tara."
"Oh, I'm sorry I missed your wedding," he said as he handed me the package, as if it was nothing. "I was overseas and didn't hear about it until it was too late. You have a son as well, right?"
He nodded, "Another Micheal. I've got to get my sisters home, but next week we'll have to set something up and catch up on old times."
Acting as if I wasn't even there. Amber came and pulled me away from their conversation, taking me into Spencer's... and to the very back, whispering at me in an excited but almost scared tone, "Kat!! That blonde guy talked to me... you know what he said?! Of course you don't. He said it's dangerous, or something... the bracelet, I mean. Did you even SEE Micheal pay for it?! Of course you didn't becausehedidntandohmanletsjustgetouttahere, 'K?"
I shrugged as she wheeled me out, seeing that Micheal was waiting for us. We went through the mall, Amber stuffed with shopping bags, Micheal pushing me, I holding on tightly to the single small box I had resting in my lap.
Later that night, my sisters and I were sitting in my room. I was on the bed, looking at my new necklace. Amber was at the computer, and Rachel was looking through the new clothes we had bought. Amber was chattering away to Rachel about our encounter with the strange men.
"Oh, THEN when we left Spencer's, Micheal pushed Kat away, leaving me with all the shopping bags. When I looked back, they were both looking at us, and both grinning!! I mean, creep show!!!"
I rolled my eyes at her, "Come on Amby, they were just looking at your ass and you know it."
One of the cusions to the computer chair was tossed at me, narrowly missing. "I'm totally serious!!"
Rachel came up for air, letting the piles of shopping bags sit next to my closet. "Maybe they were just talking about Micheal. You said they knew each other, but I don't remember any Xanatos hanging around. I thought he met Tara at college."
"Then that's where they knew each other," Amber muttered, stopping to type just long enough to toss a 'duh, you shoulda known dat' look at her older sister.
Rachel only rolled her eyes at her as she flopped onto the bed next to me, and looked at the bracelet. "It's awfully dirty. Want me to go grab some jewelry cleaner?"
I nodded before she slipped away, setting the bracelet on my bedside table. "Amby?"
"Hhhhmmm?"
"......... What do you think that Owen guy meant?"
"About it being dangerous?"
I nodded, even though she couldn't see.
"Well... " she spun the computer chair around a bit, knotting her brow in thought. She looked strait at me, and that instantly calmed me. Her eyes are green, with flecks of gold that can just.... well, maybe it's just a sister thing, who knows. "Probably that the clasp could come loose? Or it could cut you in some sort of way."
"You didn't make it sound that easy."
She shrugged, and swirled the chair back around. "Oh well. Who knows, maybe it's got some curse or something."
"A curse? What, Kat's grades?" Rachel snorted as she entered my room again. "I couldn't find it, but Jane said she has some and will bring it in a sec."
((Yet Another Author's note: In this story, true with ages, I'm 18, Amber is almost 20, Rachel is 21 and Jane is 26))
I rolled onto my stomach, grabbing the bracelet again. "My grades aren't that bad. And I hope she hurries, 'cause I want to show this to Mamma when she gets home."
Rachel snatched it from my hands as she sat beside me, looking at it again. "Is that a castle?"
As I nodded, Amber moved to the other side of me on the bed, raising a brow. "Turn it over. Might have an inscription."
Rachel handed it back to me, and I turned it over. Now, me being me, I don't know much latin. Jane knows more than any of us, she's taking a class in it, but is teaches Rachel all she knows. So, as I rubbed away some of the dirt to reveal glittering silver, Rachel whispered the only word she could make out... "Mori...."
For some reason, my hand turned the bracelet over and clasped it around my wrist. I leaned my head towards it, as did my sisters. The red gem seemed to glow... and I remember the castle looked so much closer than what it really was... then for some reason, we weren't sitting on my bed... though we were.... everything around us was a brilliant, beautiful red... and the castle came closer, closer... then we each saw that it wasn't a whole castle, but half of a castle, set upon a high building.... and we were almost onto the building....
The door of my bedroom flew open, and Jane walked inside, reading the label of the jewelry cleaner until she looked up to see the red. "You guys, I could only find this but only if it's real silv- AH!!" She dropped the small container, and the last thing I remember is everything I could see warped into a whirlpool, then a tunnel, and I was being thrown down it.
Tap.... tap.... tap.....
~Why doesn't that just stop?!~
Tap.... tap.... tap.....
"AMBER!!!!!"
"Okay, okay! I'm sorry!! I'll quit!!!"
I nodded once, looking back to my open biology book, sitting at my desk. The room wasn't really dark, because I had my desk lamp on, and Amber had the computer turned on. Still, I needed quiet. Stupid tests, and I had to be the one with the sister who just HAD to tap her nails on the computer desk over and over and over....
............ tap..........
"Gah!!!" I slammed the book infront of me and sighed, "It's hopeless, I just can't concentrate. I officially give up."
Not that it mattered to my sister. She simply shrugged and continued typing.
"What's that?"
Another shrug. "Just RPing."
"Ah." I moved to look over her shoulder. Role playing, a favorite past time. We used to each have characters in a pack of wolves named the WhitePaw, but instead her character, Cynthia, left to go to Dissension, a neighboring country, to rule. Didn't bother me too much, since we had more than one character that were linked together. "As?"
"Cynthia," she muttered. "And Nathan's trying to get that Elisa girl to stay."
"I've always liked her." I reached across the keyboard to steal a twizzler from the bag resting against the monitor, and got my hand slapped at before retreating with it to my bed.
"So, what's next on the agenda?"
I shrugged, munching away on the licorice. "At seven, we're leaving. Then the day after Micheal's taking me shopping. You commin'?"
"Yeah, I love to have money spent on me," she flashed a grin at me over her shoulder. "Though I'll have to find the Gameboy light thing when we're at the hospital."
I nodded as I stood, walking into my closet. I have a huge walk-in closet, where I keep almost all my stuff. My room looks like a hospital room or something. Everything is white. Not my decision, though. It's my mother's. I grabbed the light from a showbox on the top shelf, and tossed it onto the bed.
Gameboy, the perfect thing to bring. I have ovarian cancer, and sitting there in the hospital bed with the same 30 channels can get boring. No MTV?! Please. Since I'm so young, and they didn't catch it early enough, they say I'm to die at an early age. Oh yes, everything is smiles and chocolate in my life.
"I take it you found it?" she asked without even looking at me, shutting down her windows.
I nodded as I flipped off the desk light. "I knew where it was- with the rest of my Gameboy stuff."
"You mean TYLER'S stuff." Well!! Okay, so it was my brother's. He rarely played with it anyway.
"Onlywhenhellfreezesoverandimlonggonemaybe" I muttered as I set the light next to me at the bedside table, dropping onto the bed after pulling the covers back.
She only chuckled as she shut off the computer, walking over to me and tucking me in. Hey, I may be 18 but who doesn't love extra special treatment from her favorite big sister? ((Author's note: Because of this statement, I will not allow my other sisters to read this. I have 8 others!!)) "Maybe. Anyway, get some good sleep. We have shopping to do!"
I giggled as she shut the door behind her, leaving me in complete darkness.
Two days later, we pulled into the mall parking lot at about 4 in the afternoon. I pulled myself up from the back seat of my brother's big duley truck- and man, is it sweet. Black, diesel, Ford, huge. Perfect.
Micheal pulled the seats forward after they both got out, and picked me up and set me into my wheelchair that Amber already had gotten out. No, I'm not crippled. I just get too weak after chemo, and sometimes it's better to pass out in a chair then standing, non? Anyway.
I smiled the second we went inside. Micheal said something about the Harley Davidson store, and left us to ourselves- with one of his credit cards. Good plan, I thought. I pointed to Gadzooks and off we went.
Maybe two or three hours later, somehow, we made it to the second level ((I mean somehow as in the plastic was hot on the credit card. A lot of stores down there!! We took the elevator.)) infront of Spencer's. We almost went in until Amber spotted one of those stands against the edge, selling those little peweter figures with the crystals. We LOVE those things!! I collect dragons, Amber collects wolves. So we were both very pleased to see that they had both once she wheeled me over there.
I moved to one side, noticing a jewelry case. Old jewelry, which I loved to collect as well. Tilting me head at it, a special one caught my eye. Because, in fact, it was an eye. A small jewel-like stone set into a delicate bracelet cuff, it reminded me of smooth opals. Only it was red, like a ruby. Deep inside, the closer I looked, I thought I saw a castle...
Then a man stepped to the otherside of the counter. He wasn't all that tall, but tall enough. He wore glasses, set upon his slim nose. His hair was blonde, and his head tilted back even as he looked down at me. His voice suprised me almost as much as his sudden appearence, for I first thought it would be normal- but it was quite commanding and calm. "You have no need for that peice. Far too expensive."
Taken aback was all I could say. After chemo, I admit, I look like 50,000,000 miles of the worst road even thought of. I knew I looked like some twelve-year old kid, with my long hair pulled back into a messy ponytail. "What makes you think it's too damned expensive??"
A slight grin crossed his lips. "For one, it's six hundred dollars. Two, you wouldn't have anywhere to place it."
Ooohhh..... M-A-D.... A-N-G-R-Y.... I counted to ten about four times before I controlled my composure, narrowing my eyes at him. "I have many places to put it. I want it."
"Old jewelry necklace stands and dresser tops don't count."
I made an un-lady like growl and pounded a fist at the armrest on my wheelchair, "Listen, bub, I suggest you wrap that up in a nice little box for me right now." Wow, I read/watch too much X-Men.
"Or else what."
"Or else we'll have a problem with your employment," grated a voice behind him. I couldn't see who it was at first, he was standing behind a large case of figurines and I really couldn't just stand to see him. I felt a hand on my shoulder, and right away knew it was my brother. I looked up at him, seeing him grin at the man behind the case.
"But sir, you told me to be careful about who I sold it to, and-"
"And she's a Finch, Owen."
Owen glanced at my brother, then me before making a huffy retreat. The other man took his place, and I got a good look at him. Almost as tall as my brother, who is REAL tall ((Micheal is about 6ft 2in, no joke. I'm a dwarf.)) with greying sides on his head of ebony hair. He had a dashing smile, and he flashed it to Micheal as he leaned onto the glass table after shaking my brother's hand, "I'm sorry if he upset you. Micheal, I haven't seen you in awhile. This must be your sister, Katherine, right?"
"....Kat... " was all I could mutter softly, tilting my head at this imposing man. Not scary, though... well, at least not totally. His voice was more commanding than Owen's, though it was so smooth...
He reached down to shake my hand, instead, he kissed it softly, "Kat, I am David, David Xanatos. I've known your brother for years, along with the rest of your family."
I glanced up at Micheal to see him nodding as David wrapped up the bracelet I was looking at, then handed it to me. "Many years. In fact, that's how I met Tara."
"Oh, I'm sorry I missed your wedding," he said as he handed me the package, as if it was nothing. "I was overseas and didn't hear about it until it was too late. You have a son as well, right?"
He nodded, "Another Micheal. I've got to get my sisters home, but next week we'll have to set something up and catch up on old times."
Acting as if I wasn't even there. Amber came and pulled me away from their conversation, taking me into Spencer's... and to the very back, whispering at me in an excited but almost scared tone, "Kat!! That blonde guy talked to me... you know what he said?! Of course you don't. He said it's dangerous, or something... the bracelet, I mean. Did you even SEE Micheal pay for it?! Of course you didn't becausehedidntandohmanletsjustgetouttahere, 'K?"
I shrugged as she wheeled me out, seeing that Micheal was waiting for us. We went through the mall, Amber stuffed with shopping bags, Micheal pushing me, I holding on tightly to the single small box I had resting in my lap.
Later that night, my sisters and I were sitting in my room. I was on the bed, looking at my new necklace. Amber was at the computer, and Rachel was looking through the new clothes we had bought. Amber was chattering away to Rachel about our encounter with the strange men.
"Oh, THEN when we left Spencer's, Micheal pushed Kat away, leaving me with all the shopping bags. When I looked back, they were both looking at us, and both grinning!! I mean, creep show!!!"
I rolled my eyes at her, "Come on Amby, they were just looking at your ass and you know it."
One of the cusions to the computer chair was tossed at me, narrowly missing. "I'm totally serious!!"
Rachel came up for air, letting the piles of shopping bags sit next to my closet. "Maybe they were just talking about Micheal. You said they knew each other, but I don't remember any Xanatos hanging around. I thought he met Tara at college."
"Then that's where they knew each other," Amber muttered, stopping to type just long enough to toss a 'duh, you shoulda known dat' look at her older sister.
Rachel only rolled her eyes at her as she flopped onto the bed next to me, and looked at the bracelet. "It's awfully dirty. Want me to go grab some jewelry cleaner?"
I nodded before she slipped away, setting the bracelet on my bedside table. "Amby?"
"Hhhhmmm?"
"......... What do you think that Owen guy meant?"
"About it being dangerous?"
I nodded, even though she couldn't see.
"Well... " she spun the computer chair around a bit, knotting her brow in thought. She looked strait at me, and that instantly calmed me. Her eyes are green, with flecks of gold that can just.... well, maybe it's just a sister thing, who knows. "Probably that the clasp could come loose? Or it could cut you in some sort of way."
"You didn't make it sound that easy."
She shrugged, and swirled the chair back around. "Oh well. Who knows, maybe it's got some curse or something."
"A curse? What, Kat's grades?" Rachel snorted as she entered my room again. "I couldn't find it, but Jane said she has some and will bring it in a sec."
((Yet Another Author's note: In this story, true with ages, I'm 18, Amber is almost 20, Rachel is 21 and Jane is 26))
I rolled onto my stomach, grabbing the bracelet again. "My grades aren't that bad. And I hope she hurries, 'cause I want to show this to Mamma when she gets home."
Rachel snatched it from my hands as she sat beside me, looking at it again. "Is that a castle?"
As I nodded, Amber moved to the other side of me on the bed, raising a brow. "Turn it over. Might have an inscription."
Rachel handed it back to me, and I turned it over. Now, me being me, I don't know much latin. Jane knows more than any of us, she's taking a class in it, but is teaches Rachel all she knows. So, as I rubbed away some of the dirt to reveal glittering silver, Rachel whispered the only word she could make out... "Mori...."
For some reason, my hand turned the bracelet over and clasped it around my wrist. I leaned my head towards it, as did my sisters. The red gem seemed to glow... and I remember the castle looked so much closer than what it really was... then for some reason, we weren't sitting on my bed... though we were.... everything around us was a brilliant, beautiful red... and the castle came closer, closer... then we each saw that it wasn't a whole castle, but half of a castle, set upon a high building.... and we were almost onto the building....
The door of my bedroom flew open, and Jane walked inside, reading the label of the jewelry cleaner until she looked up to see the red. "You guys, I could only find this but only if it's real silv- AH!!" She dropped the small container, and the last thing I remember is everything I could see warped into a whirlpool, then a tunnel, and I was being thrown down it.