"Nothing," Chris lied, jumping back up to his feet. "What the hell are you
doing here?" There was a slight falter in his voice and he hoped she didn't
notice. If his mind hadn't been reeling with excuses as to why he was here
in the dead of night, he would've more appreciated her delicate features in
the dark, sopping wet...
"Walking. Is that a crime?"
"No," he snapped. He didn't know why he was so angry with her, but he didn't want to deal with people right now. Besides, people just died in the end. If they didn't die one day, it could be the next or the one after that or next week...He brought himself back to reality.
"Want to walk with me?"
He stared at her for a moment. What an odd question in such an odd setting—it was sopping rain, he was clearly pissed off, and she was clearly not tolerating his attitude—and she asked him to walk. He kind of enjoyed the unpredictability.
"Okay..." he accepted after a moment. "Where do you live?"
"How about you?" she shot back at him, a little too eagerly. She seemed to draw back a bit.
"I asked you first."
"Alright, I live in an apartment building on main street. It's near the place we met last."
"That's where I live!" Chris exclaimed.
"Really?" she said, equally excited. "I've never seen you there before!"
"That's because...never mind." His face fell but they kept walking, foots in step with the hail and the loud storm.
"It's kind of peaceful—you know, besides the storm. It's cool to be on an empty street without cars or mayhem or busybodies everywhere."
"Yeah, I know what you mean," he agreed, voice sounding vague.
"I live with my uncle. Who do you live with?"
"Uh..." His face seemed to turn red for a moment. "My dad, I guess, but he's never around." He didn't want to tell her the truth and say that he lived with no one because Wyatt murdered everyone he knew. That way she'd make the connection and realize that they were related. He definitely didn't want that to happen—he was getting used to the idea of having another friend.
"That's too bad."
"Not really," he countered. "I don't like him and he doesn't like me. Is your uncle a phoenix?" he added quickly to change the subject.
"No, um, my aunt was a phoenix and he was a witch. Only the women in the line are actually phoenixes."
"Cool."
"Yeah. So, um, you never told me what kind of a magical being you are...Andy."
Chris flinched. "A witch," he responded a bit too quickly. "Just a witch. Kind of like you."
"Right...then how come you can orb?"
"Freak accident with a potion vial, that's all." He laughed a bit nervously. "My family can be a bit reckless with potion vials."
"I can see that."
"Heh."
They walked in silence for a couple of blocks, watching the rain and heading towards the apartment building. Once they got there they said their farewells.
"Bye, ANDY," she said loudly.
Chris flinched again. "Bye, Bianca. See you later."
He closed the door to the apartment and immediately orbed to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge. "LEO!" he screamed, the rain pouring down harder than ever before. "LEO, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!? DAD!"
Leo orbed in.
"That's a first," Chris mumbled to himself.
"Why are you calling me?" Leo demanded. "I'm busy!"
"Busy? Oh, sure, busy with what?"
"Contemplating ways to save Wyatt."
"SAVE him? Save him from WHAT?"
"He's obviously possessed," Leo stated simply.
"Whatever, Leo. I'll have you know that my 'possessed' brother just KILLED Victor."
"I'm very sorry to hear that. Now if you'll excuse me—"
"WAIT! Leo, what do you expect me to do? I'm alone. I'm only fourteen—"
"I'm sure that you can take care of yourself, Christopher."
"Leo...don't you get it? Piper, Phoebe, Paige, my uncles, my cousins, Victor—they're all dead! There's no one left! How am I supposed to survive?"
Leo shrugged. "I trust you, Christopher."
"Stop calling me that! It's Chris! Chris Perry! You're SON! You're supposed to help me!"
Leo orbed away.
Chris punched the pillar of the bridge in rage, causing his knuckles to split open. He continued, ignoring the pain. His blood and his tears washed into the rain like they never existed—just like everybody thought Chris didn't exist. Here he was, his brother an evil tyrant, his friends thinking he was dead, his father ignoring him, and no one left to turn to. The only ray of light in the mess of a life he was leading was knowing that there was someone upstairs he could relate to. Someone upstairs in the apartment building he could trust.
((()))
"I know where he lives," Bianca reported, kneeling down to her master. "The apartment buildings on main street."
"Good. Very well done, Bianca. Now, tell me...does he suspect you?"
"No. He is foolishly trusting me now that there is no one left for him. I have lead him to believe that I am against you." She paused. "He also believes that I live upstairs in the apartment building with my uncle. I should go back down there, in case he comes to find me." She looked into her master's piercing blue eyes and prayed that he didn't know that the real reason of her eagerness to return was that she was actually looking forward to seeing her target.
"Excellent." Wyatt stood from the heavy arm chair, the only furniture in the dimly lit room. "You have pleased me, Bianca. You have your master's praise. Now, go back up to earth and wait for him."
"Wait—Wyatt, sir...Who killed Victor?"
Wyatt laughed a deep, yet haunting laugh out loud so it vibrated through the empty room. "I did, of course, you silly girl. That was a personal matter," he said slyly, though not in an offended matter. "I can't have him helping the target, can I?"
Bianca nodded her agreement and bit back her curious tongue. She wondered why they were targeting this certain boy, and why Victor had to die. Was there some sort of a connection between the three of them? Looking back at those eyes she decided hastily that now was definitely not the time to ask another question. With a last bow to her master, she shimmered out.
((()))
--DREAM--
"No, Chris. I will bring him home, just you wait and see! He has to obey me, I'm his mother!" Piper cried indignantly, pacing in the attic.
Chris was shaking in fear. "Mom, you can't summon him! He'll kill us both before we can say a word! Please, mom, don't do this—"
"Chris, you shouldn't be trying to stop me. You don't know Wyatt, you're not as powerful as he is and you just have so much trouble accepting that that you want ME to believe that he's evil. Well listen here, I'm not going to fall for it. You're brother isn't evil and you know it."
He looked at his mother, swelled up with so much pride that she didn't notice how deeply her words and distrust stung.
"Mom," he pleaded, voice straining into barely a whisper, "please believe me. I'm your son."
"And you're sure not acting like it. No son of mine would accuse his older brother of being evil."
Chris' bubbling rage finally got the best of him. "You know what, PIPER? Fine! Summon him! I'm not gonna stick around to watch you DIE!" He orbed away, one last stray tear hitting the ground.
--End of DREAM--
Chris woke up in cold sweat, gasping for breath. He was shaking all over. Everything was so cold.
He looked down and screamed. He was still on the bridge! Why was he here? Oh yes, Leo. That bastard.
The rain had stopped but the thunder was still rumbling in the distance. He knew that it wasn't that cold outside—why was he shaking so hard? He hugged his knees to his chest and realized that his clothes were still drenched to the bone. How long had he been out here? It looked as if the sun was coming up.
It was that stupid dream again. No, it wasn't actually a dream...it was a memory. But in the dream, he wasn't in his body. He was watching himself and his mother argue as if he was a stranger in their midst, looking on from afar. But oh, how he remembered the day so clearly...
He had run away to Victor's and come home to find Piper's body dead on the attic floor.
Not that he wasn't expecting it. The moment he had orbed to Victor's he knew that that was the last time he may ever see Piper again. That's why he always blamed himself for her death. Of course, he warned her. He really did try to talk some sense into her diluted mind, but it didn't work. She blocked him out—and she paid the price.
He shivered again, a chill running up his spine, and hugged his knees tighter.
Why did he keep having these nightmares?
"Walking. Is that a crime?"
"No," he snapped. He didn't know why he was so angry with her, but he didn't want to deal with people right now. Besides, people just died in the end. If they didn't die one day, it could be the next or the one after that or next week...He brought himself back to reality.
"Want to walk with me?"
He stared at her for a moment. What an odd question in such an odd setting—it was sopping rain, he was clearly pissed off, and she was clearly not tolerating his attitude—and she asked him to walk. He kind of enjoyed the unpredictability.
"Okay..." he accepted after a moment. "Where do you live?"
"How about you?" she shot back at him, a little too eagerly. She seemed to draw back a bit.
"I asked you first."
"Alright, I live in an apartment building on main street. It's near the place we met last."
"That's where I live!" Chris exclaimed.
"Really?" she said, equally excited. "I've never seen you there before!"
"That's because...never mind." His face fell but they kept walking, foots in step with the hail and the loud storm.
"It's kind of peaceful—you know, besides the storm. It's cool to be on an empty street without cars or mayhem or busybodies everywhere."
"Yeah, I know what you mean," he agreed, voice sounding vague.
"I live with my uncle. Who do you live with?"
"Uh..." His face seemed to turn red for a moment. "My dad, I guess, but he's never around." He didn't want to tell her the truth and say that he lived with no one because Wyatt murdered everyone he knew. That way she'd make the connection and realize that they were related. He definitely didn't want that to happen—he was getting used to the idea of having another friend.
"That's too bad."
"Not really," he countered. "I don't like him and he doesn't like me. Is your uncle a phoenix?" he added quickly to change the subject.
"No, um, my aunt was a phoenix and he was a witch. Only the women in the line are actually phoenixes."
"Cool."
"Yeah. So, um, you never told me what kind of a magical being you are...Andy."
Chris flinched. "A witch," he responded a bit too quickly. "Just a witch. Kind of like you."
"Right...then how come you can orb?"
"Freak accident with a potion vial, that's all." He laughed a bit nervously. "My family can be a bit reckless with potion vials."
"I can see that."
"Heh."
They walked in silence for a couple of blocks, watching the rain and heading towards the apartment building. Once they got there they said their farewells.
"Bye, ANDY," she said loudly.
Chris flinched again. "Bye, Bianca. See you later."
He closed the door to the apartment and immediately orbed to the top of the Golden Gate Bridge. "LEO!" he screamed, the rain pouring down harder than ever before. "LEO, WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU!? DAD!"
Leo orbed in.
"That's a first," Chris mumbled to himself.
"Why are you calling me?" Leo demanded. "I'm busy!"
"Busy? Oh, sure, busy with what?"
"Contemplating ways to save Wyatt."
"SAVE him? Save him from WHAT?"
"He's obviously possessed," Leo stated simply.
"Whatever, Leo. I'll have you know that my 'possessed' brother just KILLED Victor."
"I'm very sorry to hear that. Now if you'll excuse me—"
"WAIT! Leo, what do you expect me to do? I'm alone. I'm only fourteen—"
"I'm sure that you can take care of yourself, Christopher."
"Leo...don't you get it? Piper, Phoebe, Paige, my uncles, my cousins, Victor—they're all dead! There's no one left! How am I supposed to survive?"
Leo shrugged. "I trust you, Christopher."
"Stop calling me that! It's Chris! Chris Perry! You're SON! You're supposed to help me!"
Leo orbed away.
Chris punched the pillar of the bridge in rage, causing his knuckles to split open. He continued, ignoring the pain. His blood and his tears washed into the rain like they never existed—just like everybody thought Chris didn't exist. Here he was, his brother an evil tyrant, his friends thinking he was dead, his father ignoring him, and no one left to turn to. The only ray of light in the mess of a life he was leading was knowing that there was someone upstairs he could relate to. Someone upstairs in the apartment building he could trust.
((()))
"I know where he lives," Bianca reported, kneeling down to her master. "The apartment buildings on main street."
"Good. Very well done, Bianca. Now, tell me...does he suspect you?"
"No. He is foolishly trusting me now that there is no one left for him. I have lead him to believe that I am against you." She paused. "He also believes that I live upstairs in the apartment building with my uncle. I should go back down there, in case he comes to find me." She looked into her master's piercing blue eyes and prayed that he didn't know that the real reason of her eagerness to return was that she was actually looking forward to seeing her target.
"Excellent." Wyatt stood from the heavy arm chair, the only furniture in the dimly lit room. "You have pleased me, Bianca. You have your master's praise. Now, go back up to earth and wait for him."
"Wait—Wyatt, sir...Who killed Victor?"
Wyatt laughed a deep, yet haunting laugh out loud so it vibrated through the empty room. "I did, of course, you silly girl. That was a personal matter," he said slyly, though not in an offended matter. "I can't have him helping the target, can I?"
Bianca nodded her agreement and bit back her curious tongue. She wondered why they were targeting this certain boy, and why Victor had to die. Was there some sort of a connection between the three of them? Looking back at those eyes she decided hastily that now was definitely not the time to ask another question. With a last bow to her master, she shimmered out.
((()))
--DREAM--
"No, Chris. I will bring him home, just you wait and see! He has to obey me, I'm his mother!" Piper cried indignantly, pacing in the attic.
Chris was shaking in fear. "Mom, you can't summon him! He'll kill us both before we can say a word! Please, mom, don't do this—"
"Chris, you shouldn't be trying to stop me. You don't know Wyatt, you're not as powerful as he is and you just have so much trouble accepting that that you want ME to believe that he's evil. Well listen here, I'm not going to fall for it. You're brother isn't evil and you know it."
He looked at his mother, swelled up with so much pride that she didn't notice how deeply her words and distrust stung.
"Mom," he pleaded, voice straining into barely a whisper, "please believe me. I'm your son."
"And you're sure not acting like it. No son of mine would accuse his older brother of being evil."
Chris' bubbling rage finally got the best of him. "You know what, PIPER? Fine! Summon him! I'm not gonna stick around to watch you DIE!" He orbed away, one last stray tear hitting the ground.
--End of DREAM--
Chris woke up in cold sweat, gasping for breath. He was shaking all over. Everything was so cold.
He looked down and screamed. He was still on the bridge! Why was he here? Oh yes, Leo. That bastard.
The rain had stopped but the thunder was still rumbling in the distance. He knew that it wasn't that cold outside—why was he shaking so hard? He hugged his knees to his chest and realized that his clothes were still drenched to the bone. How long had he been out here? It looked as if the sun was coming up.
It was that stupid dream again. No, it wasn't actually a dream...it was a memory. But in the dream, he wasn't in his body. He was watching himself and his mother argue as if he was a stranger in their midst, looking on from afar. But oh, how he remembered the day so clearly...
He had run away to Victor's and come home to find Piper's body dead on the attic floor.
Not that he wasn't expecting it. The moment he had orbed to Victor's he knew that that was the last time he may ever see Piper again. That's why he always blamed himself for her death. Of course, he warned her. He really did try to talk some sense into her diluted mind, but it didn't work. She blocked him out—and she paid the price.
He shivered again, a chill running up his spine, and hugged his knees tighter.
Why did he keep having these nightmares?