Chapter One: The Email
"Gene! You told me to tell you when your email thing popped up, and um...yeah.... It popped up!"
"Check the return address Jim.... What does it say?" Gene called from the other room. He was attempting to fix the sink, which had broken...Again.
"Um.... Hold on, lemme see here.... It's from someone named Hearts of Fire. Only, it's spelled H-R-T-S-O-F-F-I-R-E. Should I delete it?"
"Um...no, I'll check it out when I'm done. The name sounds familiar. Just lemme finish here...I'm almost done."
"Okay, I'll leave it be. Say Gene, could it be Suzuka playing a trick on you again?"
"What this about playing tricks, my young friend?"
"Suzuka! Gods, I'm almost twenty now! I'm not exactly that 'little' kid you think I am!"
"I know Jim! I was just kidding around. But no, I haven't been online in almost a week. I haven't had time. Besides, the send date says today. And this is the only connection here in the house. Well, so far, at least."
"You leave my house alone Suzy, or I'll skin you alive!"
"Gene! Don't call me that! There's only one person who gets away with calling me that, and you sure as hell aren't him!"
"Calm down, Suzy, it's okay," Jim said real quietly. He was that one person.
"Alright Jim, I'm done. It's only temporary, at least until the plumber gets here. Which may be never, but hey. At least now we have running water. Okay, time for you to get off. Come on Jim, I need to get things done. You can get back on later. Thank you," Gene said, when Jim got out of the seat. Gene loved Jim, he was Gene's 'little brother.' He had to take care of him. And Suzuka helped...though not much.
Gene pulled up his email account, and found the mysterious email from one HRTSofFIRE. Why did that name sound familiar to him? Where had he heard it before? Wait... No, he thought. It couldn't be.... Could it? Gene opened the email.
Dear Gene:
I know that we haven't corresponded in a very long time, but I had a sudden urge to make contact with you again. I only pray that you have kept your email the same, and I am not sending this to some random person. I just... I have to know Gene... I have to know whether or not you ever believed me. You walked away that day without giving me an answer. You just left on that train... And you never looked back. And you never came back. How are you? How is Jim? I only ask, because I know he is with you. You would never left him, he's your 'little brother.' Please Gene, I need to know. I may be sadistic by sending you this email, but what was I to do? I think about you a lot, Gene. Every day, to be exact. I just... I love you Gene. I always have, I always will. I don't know whether it's a curse or a blessing! I'm leaving for home tonight. My train leaves at 7, and I'll be there around 9. You know where to find me... If you want to that is. It's up to you. Gene, I love you. I don't know how not to.
~Melfina.
It was her. And she was coming back here. To Rostract. But to do what?
"Gene! You told me to tell you when your email thing popped up, and um...yeah.... It popped up!"
"Check the return address Jim.... What does it say?" Gene called from the other room. He was attempting to fix the sink, which had broken...Again.
"Um.... Hold on, lemme see here.... It's from someone named Hearts of Fire. Only, it's spelled H-R-T-S-O-F-F-I-R-E. Should I delete it?"
"Um...no, I'll check it out when I'm done. The name sounds familiar. Just lemme finish here...I'm almost done."
"Okay, I'll leave it be. Say Gene, could it be Suzuka playing a trick on you again?"
"What this about playing tricks, my young friend?"
"Suzuka! Gods, I'm almost twenty now! I'm not exactly that 'little' kid you think I am!"
"I know Jim! I was just kidding around. But no, I haven't been online in almost a week. I haven't had time. Besides, the send date says today. And this is the only connection here in the house. Well, so far, at least."
"You leave my house alone Suzy, or I'll skin you alive!"
"Gene! Don't call me that! There's only one person who gets away with calling me that, and you sure as hell aren't him!"
"Calm down, Suzy, it's okay," Jim said real quietly. He was that one person.
"Alright Jim, I'm done. It's only temporary, at least until the plumber gets here. Which may be never, but hey. At least now we have running water. Okay, time for you to get off. Come on Jim, I need to get things done. You can get back on later. Thank you," Gene said, when Jim got out of the seat. Gene loved Jim, he was Gene's 'little brother.' He had to take care of him. And Suzuka helped...though not much.
Gene pulled up his email account, and found the mysterious email from one HRTSofFIRE. Why did that name sound familiar to him? Where had he heard it before? Wait... No, he thought. It couldn't be.... Could it? Gene opened the email.
Dear Gene:
I know that we haven't corresponded in a very long time, but I had a sudden urge to make contact with you again. I only pray that you have kept your email the same, and I am not sending this to some random person. I just... I have to know Gene... I have to know whether or not you ever believed me. You walked away that day without giving me an answer. You just left on that train... And you never looked back. And you never came back. How are you? How is Jim? I only ask, because I know he is with you. You would never left him, he's your 'little brother.' Please Gene, I need to know. I may be sadistic by sending you this email, but what was I to do? I think about you a lot, Gene. Every day, to be exact. I just... I love you Gene. I always have, I always will. I don't know whether it's a curse or a blessing! I'm leaving for home tonight. My train leaves at 7, and I'll be there around 9. You know where to find me... If you want to that is. It's up to you. Gene, I love you. I don't know how not to.
~Melfina.
It was her. And she was coming back here. To Rostract. But to do what?
