Recap

Holly looked back, and Artemis dropped the smile before she could notice. Holly turned back around, she had probably thought Artemis would run off at the first chance he got. She was right, of course, but he would wait until they were asleep and had no supicions, no doubts left to keep in a light sleep, footsteps wouldn't reach them. Tonight he wouldn't be followed, tonight he wouldn't be inturrupted.That insane, wicked, and almost cruel smile returned to his face along with thoughts of self destruction. "Beautiful..." Artemis whispered, but nobody noticed, nobody ever noticed.

End Recap

.-silk deceit-.

Fowl Manor - Dec. 4

12:52
Juliet and Holly had fallen asleep, Juliet tangled up into an awkward version of the fetal position, and Holly sprawled out, nearly falling off the bed and at the same time being used by Juliet as a partial blanket. Artemis was propped up against the wall, he had chosen to 'sleep' on the floor, finding sharing the bed with both Holly and Juliet a bit...awkward. Holly had refused to even close her eyes until she was sure that the Mud-boy wasn't faking. Of course, he was and she fell for it despite her persistence. Artemis cracked an eye open. The only noises in the room was the sound of soft snoring and incomprehensible murmurs from Juliet's bed. Artemis got up, and walked slowly and silently to the door. The bed squeaked as Juliet turned over, altering her postion so that she face the door, and Artemis. He jumped slightly, notbecause she turned or the bed's mummur of protest, but because she whispered something extremely close to his name. Artemis slowly turned his head, looking at the sleeping form of Juliet. He had not awoken her, though he wished he had.Juliet looked dead, the only indication of life in her pale shell of a body was the slow rise and fall of her chest. He glanced at the elf, her mouth was widen open and a slight drool was at the side of her mouth, Artemis could have laughed. Despite thecomical expression masking her face Holly still managed to look peaceful, not at all like the ball of fire that he had come to know as Holly short. A slight smile tugged at the edges of his lips but he forced it down. Even as he left the room he could not shake the image from his mind, Juliet and Holly, drenched in moonlight, silent and still. Peaceful as the dead. Or those who are about to die... He shook his head.

Artemis made his way to his room, and did what he set out to do. He didn't really remember exactly how or when he did what he did, the process had been mechanical, empty. Artemis looked up, his eyes cold with darkness and dispair. It seemed so bright, too bright. How could so much light be produce by a mere sliver of a moon? Everything had become chrome by its touch, the room, the boy, the blood. Artemis was tired, he didn't whether it was from blood loss or exhaustion. Maybe it was both or something else entirely. Artemis lied on the floor, unable to move. He had fucked his wrists up pretty badly, but not bad enough to kill him, but enough to lose some blood, a lot of blood actually. Darkness over took his vision, and the world was a blur that faded away, slowly being eaten, till nothingness, till darkness once again ruled the night. Artemis let out a pleased sigh. If anyone had been around to hear it, they would have thought the boy had gone completely insane. Maybe they would have been right.

/--/--/-/--/----------

It was bright, too bright and blurred, everything was mixing together in an endless pattern. The world had transformed into a water-color painting, drowned in a shallow tide. Artemis squinted through the fog of light but it did nothing, he felt sick. Snow, faint snow falling from the ever-elusive heavens, spiraling down in the wind's white noise. He was shivering, and yet he was not cold. The boy only grasp about half of what was happening. "Artemis..." that voice, why was it calling him? "Don't worry..." There was something wrong with the snow, it wasn't white...

--------/----/---/-/--/

3:07
Artemis awoke, laden with sweat and a strong sense of déjà vous. He held his head in his hands, he felt sick. The room was spinning, blackness teasing his vision with shadows. Artemis gathered what scraps of the dream he could. Artemis tried to mesh the pieces together, and wasn't exactly succeeding, all he had managed to retain was a blurry images. And snow, for some reason that one word seemed overly ominous. Artemis sighed, these remnents of his dream were completely random and he couldn't get them to make any sense what-so-ever. It didn't fit, it was too fragmented. He forced these thoughts to the back of his head, knowing the task of remembering would be like solving a jig-saw puzzle when over half the peices are missing. Hopeless.Artemis looked around, finally realizing that he was in his room, and that the sun had not risen yet. Juliet and Holly were still asleep...and that was good why? Suddenly, remembering what he did, Artemis smiled and groaned simultaneously. Two conflicting emotions merging together, rather disturbing to experience and an odd combination to see. Artemis stood up, he need a bath, too much blood. His shirt was ruined, nothing could undo the damage that had been done. He pulled it off and replaced it with a similar one, nobody would notice. At least his jeans had remained mostly untouched, at least he wouldn't have to fix that too. He through it under his bed, making a mental note to burn it when he got the chance, less risk that way. Artemis washed the dry blood off his arm and tried to removed the stain on the floor, or at least make it as subtle as possible. Artemis' form of washing was looked more like he was trying to compact the rug than remove a stain from it. So much anger (or maybe it was hatred?) was poured into his work that the area became a faint outline of what was once a bloody mess, the friction used in its removal made it hot to the touch. Content with his work--or rather he realized that it would not get better after sitting for so long and that further attempts were pointless--, he pulled on his jacket that he had taken off early that night in favor of easy pain, and headed for Juliet's room, hoping they hadn't woken up and seen...him.

Artemis held his breath, unknowingly of course, and slowly open the door. It creaked and Artemis winced. Please be asleep... He slid through the opening, and shut the door. Juliet was sitting up, rubbing her eyes. Shit. (Artemis' ever famous, over used word-of-thought)Artemis blinked, his eye twitching slightly, Well I'm losing it. "Artemis...?" Juliet said, sleep evident in her voice. Holly stirred. Okay, so I'm screwed and insane, well isn't that lovely, friends and neighbors?...friends and neighbors, where did I hear that one..."Its still dark out, don't you ever sleep in mud-boy?" Holly sounded annoyed, tired, it was likely that she'd bite his head off for the littlest thing. He retained his emotionless demeanor. "No, I don't Miss Short, as I have said before, I usually don't sleep at all." That much was true, though he had been sleeping a lot during the past few weeks for his usually insomniac self. She glared at him though there was nothing behind it. Her hazel eyes held nothing but sadness and that bothered Artemis. "Well, how am I supposed to sleep with you lurking around?" Juliet laughed, well a muffled-giggled would be a better way to word it, "You guys are pretty funny, I bet people would pay to see you two fight." Artemis lowered his gazed to the smiling blonde, thinking she must still be half asleep and delirious at that. Holly rolled her eyes, "Well, whatever. If you guys don't mind, I'm going to raid the fridge." Artemis could still see the sadness in both of their eyes, even though they tried to hide it. Juliet followed her, simply adding "Me too." She looked at Artemis and smiled, but it was laced with sadness. "Come on Artemis." He sighed, but made no further protest. He wouldn't eat but he'd stay with them.

Nobody spoke for the duration of the meal, until Holly decided to make herself known. She slammed her fist into the table making it shake, "Would somebody please say something?" Artemis looked at Holly, who was glaring at the table. Juliet just sat there staring at her food. Artemis sighed, this was beginning to annoy him. "Something." Both of the girls looked up at him, and Juliet let out a burst of laughter. Holly followed soon after. The laughter became tears and finally a content, what-could-almost-be-called-silence. They no longer seemed to be carrying as much of the great weight that had been placed upon them earlier, it was as if the weight of the world had lessened considerably. Artemis just sat there looking confused,What the hell just happened--did I do that? The two girls smiled and wiped tears from their eyes. Holly tried to hide the fact that she had been crying, whereas Juliet just looked embarrassed and tried to shrug it off. Typical. Artemis smiled, then wiped it from his face, he was Artemis Fowl II, he did not smile. Now who was typical? Artemis scowled at his thought and considered telling himself to shut up, but blinked at how insane that sounded and, impulsively, bashed his head into the table, gaining himself two strange stares from the other end of the table.

4:47
The morning's mock-twilight began to appear.

yah...sorry about the long gap,
but it shouldn't happen again.
I think.
Anyway I hope you like this chapter,
diminutive as it may be...
Please reveiw