Reliving the Nightmare
By Kuro Kin'youbi
Chapter 7
It had never really occured to Ashelin what she had done until it was too late.
"Ashelin..." Torn muttered hollowly.
It turns out that too late meant now. Torn backed away from Ashelin as she turned off the communicator. Ashelin faced Torn, and when she saw his uneasiness she realised she had just put the bitter cork on their relationship.
"What did you do?" Torn croaked.
Ashelin froze. She had done it. The thing she had vowed never to do - hurt Torn in any way.
"Oh, my god." Ashelin said.
Torn frowned. She moved towards him, and he moved away from her. He backed out onto the balcony and she followed.
"Torn, I..." She said.
He lifted up a hand and silenced her. She fell silent. She wanted this relationship to work out!
"Why, Ashelin? Did I not love you enough? Did I love you too much? Tell me."
Ashelin dropped to her knees in sobs by Torn's feet.
"It... I don't know what came over me." She sobbed.
Torn wasn't looking for excuses. Ashelin got back on her feet and started to beg for him to forgive her. He turned away and looked over the edge.
"Don't ignore me!" Ashelin said.
Now the next thing she did was very simple... as she said, 'Don't ignore me!' She pushed him in the back, to get him to listen to her. But, she pushed him too hard, and he toppled over the edge.
"Torn!" She screamed.
He didn't even know he was falling. Even though the ground was approaching quickly. A sickening thud could be heard over the city as he landed.
Torn woke up. He didn't know when it was, but it was actually 3 weeks later. He was in a bed, that was all he knew really. A girl was standing beside the bed, watching him.
"Finally, you woke up." She said.
Torn looked at the girl who was there. She was just younger than him. She had brownish-reddish hair, silver-blue eyes and a mysterious appearance. She wore a pleated skirt and a blouse.
"What do you mean?" Torn asked.
Everything was a blur to him... going to see Ashelin the last time... falling... falling... all he could remember was falling. Was there water involved? Where did he fall from... where did he fall to?
"You fell. From a balcony in the Palace. 3 weeks ago. You broke a leg, an arm, cracked your skull and damaged a top part of your spine. You won't be able to do much for a while, Guard wise. Maybe ever."
As Torn listened to all this it was slowly coming back to him. Ashelin... push... fall...
"Do you even know where you are, Krimzon Guard?"
Torn looked at the girl. She seemed rather angry at the moment. Torn fumbled for his pocket and produced a piece of paper. His resignation form.
"I quit."
Another week or so had passed since Torn woke up. He was still in the dark about where he was, and why he was still alive after falling from a balcony. The girl hung around a lot, and helped him recover his injuries. He was thankful but couldn't help but wonder why she helped him.
"So..." Torn asked one particular morning. "Do you have a name?"
"Harmony." She said. "Sometimes my friends call me Harm - wonder why?"
Torn could imagine. "Was it because... you are tough? Rough?"
She laughed, and nodded. Torn grinned and went back to what he had been doing. Which was... spinal recovery exercises.
"The Shadow would like to meet you, you know." Harmony said. "He's very interested in knowing what you know about the Krimzon Guard... you do know the UNderground is against the Baron, right?"
Torr sat up instantly, causing pain in all harmed areas. He yelped, then looked at her.
"Underground? That's where I've been the last month?"
Harmony nodded. She went back to her work... making another quilt, for the beds at the Underground. It was something she did to help out, Torn would find out later.
"Harmony, that's enough. That man may still be working for the Guard."
Harmony looked behind her. The Shadow had just entered the room. She quickly grabbed her quilt equipment and left the room, uttering a quick "Sorry" as she passed. The shadow walked into the main part of the room and studied Torn. Torn just looked at the man before him.
"I don't work for the KG anymore, despite what you may think."
The Shadow laughed and stood forward.
"I am the Shadow. I run the Underground. Torn, I have heard about you. What was the name they called you? ... Oh, that's right. The 'Reluctant Guard'. How did you get that name anyway?"
Torn thought a moment. He explained to the 'Shadow' that he never really wanted to be in the KG, that he was forced to.
"Oh, I see. That name describes you quite well, actually. Now, there is something you must do for us."
Torn nodded. "You did save my life, after all."
The Shadow nodded.
"This is your mission..."
Man, this is tiring, Especially when you had a falling out with your best friends and sister. Please let me know what you think. Thank you.
