Chapter 6

[Part 16]

"Are... you all right?" Selphie nearly fainted at the sight of the spike that was punched through the teenager's shoulder. It bled heavily making the acids in her stomach stir. He had cuts and bruises all over himself, but mainly the spike was his lethal injury. He was pale and his eyes were an oddly pinkish red. He breathed heavily before answering.

"Does...it look...like I'm ok...to you?" he stammered.

She looked back at the gas station, at least six minutes had passed by then, yet Vincent was still missing. She eyed the large piece of wood wedged in Cloud's shoulder disgustedly. "We really need to pull that out, you know? It's really bleeding."

"Where's...Vincent...?" he asked.

"He's inside. Been in there for God knows how long. We gotta do something!" she sighed heavily nibbling on her nails in deep thought when she saw the teen's weak stature. "But we really need to get that thing out... here let me try and—

"Ah! Fck!" Cloud cried. A mother gasped as she covered her child's ears with her hands as she looked disapprovingly at the two. There were some people who were starting to help now, but things were still confusing. They were just standing around trying to figure out what to do. "Woman... are you... trying...to kill me...here?" he screamed angrily.

"Oh, that's really in there..." she said examining the wound. "Getting it out is going to be tough."

"No shit?" he told her sarcastically.

The teen blinked rapidly as the approach of a swelling rush of intoxicating feelings thundered its way through his body. His eyes dilated uncontrollably blurring his vision temporarily as his heart squeezed as though someone had reached through his chest and was crushing his very existence. He could feel the blood pumping through every vein in his body making his forehead drip with beads of sweat. He found it hard to take in air causing him to feel light-headed, worsening his already pounding headache. There was a burning sensation that stung his frayed limbs. It intensified slowly growing within him. He made his way to the light post and leaned against it. What's wrong with me...? He thought. The teen knew there was a threatening chance that he may not make it through the night with the massively painful injury to his shoulder, but this was a completely unfamiliar feeling that continued to expand within him. I feel...it hurts...he scowled while grinding his teeth from the unbearable pain.

"Where's...he? He should be...out now." He tried to distract himself by keeping his mind on Vincent. He began coughing blood, making Selphie cringe as she slyly stepped behind him. Cloud suggested, "Maybe we should... go check on hi—

The mother wasn't the only woman who had to cover her ears as many cars of Carbora Boulevard tried to block out the curses shouting through the air. Cloud screamed explicit words that children shouldn't be allowed to hear as Selphie rested her fists on her waist examining the spike that she was able to pull at least half way out.

Then it happened.

The burning sensation swelled into a great ball of lightening shocking its way through the veins of his body as Cloud wailed in agonizing pain. Time suddenly stalled as everything began to move in slow motion. Cloud's eyes began to dilate even more until everything went pitch black. A bright light bolted through his darkened vision as an image of Vincent flashed in his mind. It was clear only for a moment when it began to fade into a foggy blur of colors.

"What the hell...?" Cloud mumbled to himself as he tried to overcome the overwhelming confusion that tried to envelop his mind. Time began to run smoothly and the teen snapped back into his cruel reality. Selphie, oblivious to Cloud's condition, was about to apologize when a split second later the largest explosion blasted through the garage.

"No!" she cried. "Vincent!" She started to run forward when Cloud held up his arm stopping her in step.

"Wait."

"Are you fucking blind?" the young woman screamed at the top of her lungs. Shoving his arm away, she scolded him, "Vincent's in there! He could be dying for all we know! You want to just wait for him to walk out like some dead beat zombie?"

"He's fine," Cloud stated quietly.

"Say what?" Selphie stood back. "Move. I'm going in."

He exhaustedly held up his arm again. "I said... he's fine. You go in there...you'll only get...you're as baked." Selphie stared at him with a skeptical look. You're scaring me, kid...she supposed vaguely. Blue eyes? She finally noticed for the first time. A thought promptly smacked her in the face. "You...you're...are you—

Just then, Cloud looked up without shock, but disbelief when he saw Vincent stumble out of the wild flames carrying a ripped up jacket and a box with something carved on the front. What's happening to me? How did I— his thoughts were interrupted as Selphie ran towards the young man and jumped into his arms. She rung his neck gently with her arms as she hugged him tightly obviously glad to see him again. The fire was still raging as Vincent led her farther away from the gas station and regrouped with Cloud.

"He's alive!" she said in a high-pitched voice. "Can you believe it?"

No, Cloud thought silently. After having a moment of unending coughing fits, the young man stared wide- eyed at the teen.

"The hell happened to you...?" He laughed at Vincent's amusing expression smeared with black ashes.

"I'll...live. Good to...see you...man..." Cloud held out his hand as Vincent shook it in return. He clung onto his box and his jacket while he grinned weakly.

"Yeah, it's good to be back," he choked out with his voice low with sincerity.

"I can't believe you made it out alive. I thought you were dead!" Selphie exclaimed. "How'd you get out?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," he answered scratching the back of his head. "Come on, let's get you fixed up." He pointed to Cloud as they made their way to Vincent's house and into the night.

[Part 17]

Far in the distance, atop a building defeated by years of brutish tending, a teenage boy stood above the city under the star lit ocean of black velvet. Five large men and a young woman lingered impatiently behind him in silence. The wind speared through his short dirty blonde locks as his eyebrows furrowed with his squinting eyes. Grinning with a leer, he held down his binoculars after watching Selphie and the two strangers leave. Putting down the binoculars, he leaned down to place his hands atop the roof's ledge as he closed his eyes breathing in the crisp dry air into his lungs. The dull breeze circulated through the bodies and trench coats of its visitors as it clung thickly in the air awaiting the breaking of silence. Its wish was fulfilled as the woman's loud smack of gum shattered through the ever-comfortable quietness of the rooftop.

The mysterious teenager shifted his head slightly behind him at the group that suddenly became alert and ready for action. With the signal of his hand, a man in his late twenties stepped forward leaning close to the teenager as he spoke into his ear. Nodding, the young man turned towards the group with a straight face. After giving them an order, they departed the rooftop, leaving the teenager to stand alone with emotionless eyes.

A sound rung from his pocket as he slid out a cell phone. Flipping it open, he spoke wearily, "Yeah?"

"Has He arrived?" a voice deep and sharp as glass asked.

The teen instantly recognized the voice on the other end of the line as he replied sarcastically, "Sure thing, Skippy. Peanut buttery cow dung oozing through his fucking brains."

"You dare mock me?" the voice retorted.

"Not if I wanna keep my dick," he joked swerving around and leaning back against the ledge. "The kid's here. Had a little accident I think."

He heard a sharp breath of air exhale through the phone. "Did He survive?"

"Who gives a damn?" he rolled his eyes.

"If you want to keep that sorry little dick between your legs, I suggest you answer my questions accordingly," the voice threatened coolly.

Stiffening slightly, he told her, "Look lady, till I knock the shit out of that pretty boy's face, the kid ain't gonna die. So get the fck off my as and let me kill him."

"No. No one is to harm him, do you understand?" she restricted harshly. "Just do as you are told. Bring him to me."

"Whatever lady," he said turning back to the ledge. He picked up the binoculars and inspected the area where the fire took place. The three people were no longer in the street corner of Carbora Boulevard and Havana Avenue. "But the shit head's got one of my girls."

"What is she to you?" she questioned flatly.

"A penny in a sack," he sneered. "Them girls down Bicmoy Lane ain't so fun. They're all broken in, if you know what I mean." He smirked before continuing. "So you fine piece of as, when will I get to ride you into the sun like a cowboy?"

A short pause came, followed by a low seductive voice. "Bring Him to me, and I'll grant you whatever you're heart desires."

The teen nodded with satisfaction. "That's what I'm talking about."

"Dispose the girl," she ordered. "She mustn't interfere with my plans."

[Part 18]

Cid walked down the broken sidewalk as he limped his way back home. It was a long walk and his leg was slowing him down. He managed to hitch a ride with a driver back from Tapioca Avenue, but got kicked out because the car was being stolen while they were driving. He had at least a block and a half to walk, but with a busted leg, it was harder than he thought it would be. Looking passed the torn down buildings on his street, he lit up at the sight of his apartment sitting just a couple more feet away. His leg grew worse with every agonizing step. Each time his foot came into contact with the ground, a bolt of pain shocked through the torn tissue of his calf. Blood seeped through the tattered skin leaking down his skin and dripping onto the ground as he walked. His arm stopped bleeding from when one of the robbers slit him in the diner earlier that night. He went about it like a snail as he limped his way towards the front door. Opening it, he went down the hallway to the left and opened the door to his home.

"Cid!" Hilda whispered excitedly.

Jonathon was sound asleep, but his loving wife had stayed up all night waiting for him. She got up from a slanted chair and slid into his arms as they embraced each other with care. He flinched a bit as Hilda pulled back at the feel of the tenderly warm fluid cascading her cold arm.

"You're bleeding!" she cried with wide eyes that nearly bulged out of their sockets.

"Ah, it's all right, just a little speck eh?" he moaned as she poked his thigh near the wound.

She shook her head as she went to find something to clean up the injury with. "What happened? Did...did Cloud do this to you?" she said alarmed.

"Now, now, hold your horses," he calmed her down as she supported him to a chair. She sat down as she mended his wound. "I couldn't get nothing out of him, so I stuck with the chump for a bit. He was all edgy just like his dingbat bastard of a Papa," he chuckled frivolously. "We ended up at the gas station up in Carbora cause of that damn motorcycle of his."

"Carbora? That far?" she asked.

"Yeah. Finally got to chat with the little sucker," he twitched painfully. "Ah, gentle girly, now, gentle."

"Oh shut your trap, Cid," she smacked his hip. "Stop being such a baby. So what did you two boys talk about?"

"I think the boy's got amnesia..." he stroked his mustache in deep thought.

"Just a blank slate? Oh Lord, this is something ain't it?" she dabbed a dry rag on the gash as she wiped away the blood.

"Hilda, I really think that boy's got something happening in that head of his," he began. "He is Cloud. He's the only kid we know who got those eyes. But he said something about never being in Trion and being from someplace else."

"If he does have amnesia, how can he know?" his wife asked. She began wrapping the wound on his calf with a long piece of ripped cloth from one of her old skirts.

"I didn't have much of a chance to ask. That boy rushed out on me in a snap," he snapped his chubby fingers loudly to emphasize the scene. Jonathon stirred but stayed asleep on the old mattress with the worn teddy bear held in his arms. "Right when he walked out, them Red's just came storming in. Boy, if I ever get my hands on that Seifer—"

"Cid!" she exclaimed with fear. "We didn't warn him about Seifer!"

"Huh? Ah damn it, slipped my mind!" Cid smacked his forehead guiltily.

"We can't let them Red's know he's here," she stated gravely. "If Seifer finds out that Cloud's home..."

"Yeah honey, I know," he assured her. He paused for a moment with wrinkled marks engraved in between his eyes.

"What is it?" she asked unsurely.

"Kid helped me out back there," he murmured gratefully. "I got to thank his as for that, but what happened after made me think..." Seeing the confused look on his wife's face, he explained. "I took him to Edea's place, the one up in Tapioca Avenue. Her old room's on the second floor, but I took him to the fourth. I wanted to see what he'd do, you know, test that memory of his... but we had an accident, my fault actually. He ended up falling right into Edea's room. Ironic huh?" he chuckled awkwardly.

"I don't see anything to laugh about. You could've gotten him killed!" she scolded him. "Is he ok?"

"He's got some cuts and bruises, but his shoulder's got a bad case of spikes. Big hunk of wood stuck right here." He placed his hand where Cloud had the foreign object lodged in his body.

"Ugh, that's horrible. We need to get him to Doctor Kadoka!"

Cid got up slowly, his leg stiff from the bandages that tightly bind his calf. He stood by the window looking exhaustedly at the crowd of people walking passed the building with a chilling apprehensive air that hung onto him, solidifying on the old skin of his face.

"Cid?" his wife unbent her knees as she shuffled her way to her husband. She ran her hand on his back with concern. "There's more, isn't there?"

He paused to carefully word it. "His dreams..."

"Dreams?" she said thoughtfully. "You don't mean... him... and the mirror..."

"Afraid so."

"Oh no..." Hilda said alarmed. "Not him..."

"Who else?" he replied, "The kid turned into this little creepy monster, just like he'd say when he got one of those nightmares. Never believed a single word out of his lying mouth but... he spoke to me.

"So he's back," Hilda assumed. "We already know what that damn mangy son-of-a-bitch is after. Cloud's turning eighteen soon, you know what'll happen then," she nodded as he continued. "He's bound to go after the kid, I wouldn't doubt that for a second. But I'm starting to think maybe he's got something to do with Cloud's disappearance."

"But it still wouldn't make any sense. It's all wrong..."

"I know darling," he said to her sadly. "I know."