Chapter Three: Arrangements
Hi c: I hope this chapter turned out okay, since I've been thinking really hard on what to do for it. I hope you enjoy!
Oh, one last thing. I'd like to give everyone who reviewed a big thank-you! It makes my day whenever I get one. ^-^
As the young girl flees from the room, I peer out with disheartened eyes. Although our meeting had been brief, I find I'm surprisingly fond of Ruby. I feel more at ease when she's around. Weird, I know, but still. I want her to come back and tell me everything is going to be okay. Maybe I'd believe her. But she doesn't reappear, and I'm left, sick to the bone with fear and crouched beside the door.
It seems like forever until I finally decide to peel my eyes away and seek refuge on the fragile little bed in the middle of the room, which I doubt has enough strength to support my weight. However, I decide to take my chances, since the wooden floor isn't a very comfortable place to stay for any length of time. With a grunt, I pull myself to my feet using a flimsy looking doorknob which looks as though it could drop off without a moments hesitation, and begin to stroll lazily to the bed.
As I walk, the tips of my fingers trace along the pea-green wall, as if trying to find a trap door that could lead me to safety. I have no such luck, and I'm not sure why, but it seems the fact that I can't find any means of escape triggers an emotion, so deep and neglected, it's almost painful for my body to bare. Despair inches through me, creeping up every cell of my body until a droplet of warm water drizzles from my eye.
Been awhile since I've cried, I think vaguely to myself, gently wiping the tear from my cheek and curiously watching it dissolve on the tip of my finger.
No... I make people cry. I enjoy making people cry. It's not me who's supposed to be doing the crying, showing the weakness... The thought trails off as a sob catches in my throat.
The next thing I know, I'm bawling my eyes out into my palms, soaking my face with the salty liquid.
I stand there, weeping in the middle of the floor for God knows how long. It's only when someone knocks timidly on the door when I finally manage to regain my composure.
I wipe the tears from my face and mould my features into an indifferent mask in what feels like half a second, just enough time before the door inches open and a girl's face peers through. I breathe out a sigh of relief when I see that it's Ruby.
"Mama wus wonderin'.. if you.. come eat wit' us?" she asks faintly, and I can tell by her pitiful expression that she knows what has happened to me, which only makes my mask turn even more remote.
I'm about to object her offer, until an idea springs to mind. Maybe I can speak to Big Mama over dinner, get some questions answered. Get her to trust me.
"Sure, Ruby. Jus' let me clean myself up a bit first," I say with a subtle sniff of my nose, "You have a bathroom?"
"Yeah, jus'... over there," she directs me over to a tiny room at the opposite end of the hallway. She follows silently behind me until we reach the door, where she stands aside and motions for me to go in.
"I'll wait 'ere."
I nod and close the door behind me. There's not much in the little room, except from a mirror, a precarious looking shower, a toilet and a mouldy sink. Without much thought, I approach the mirror, which is severely cracked down the middle, but I can still make my pathetic looking face out in it. I recall Lizard calling me 'pretty', but I'm far from it. I'm about as pretty to look at as roadkill. I'm unnaturally skinny, with black patches of skin under my left cheekbone and my forehead which contrast sharply against the rest of my pale complexion. There's also another mark that runs down my neck like a grotesque tattoo, but it's easily hidden, so I often forget about it. My eyes, which are as luminous as car headlights, are way too large, and my nose is too small and pointy. Not to mention my choppy hair which is slight above my shoulders, but rises up at the back at a severe angle. I sliced it off with my serrated dagger after I realised that it was only a inconvenience to me when it would get in the way of my vision during a hunt.
But those things are a meager problem compared to my sodden face, which is puffy and streaked with wet marks. My eyes are disturbingly red around the edges and swollen with unshed tears.
I forgot what crying made my face look like.
No wonder Ruby knew, I think bitterly, regretting the fact I'd allowed myself to become weak, like the humans.
I sneer at the thought of becomming like them.
I twist the tap violently until a centimetre thick stream of water is spilling out. It's dirty, but it's better than nothing. I cup my hands beneath it and begin to scrub my face. It's been awhile since I've washed myself; There isn't much cause for hygiene out in the desert. But the water feels nice on my skin, and I'm surprised to find that it's removed a thick layer of dust from my face.
I try not to stay in the bathroom for too long, since I don't want to keep Ruby waiting. But it takes a surprising amount of effort on my part to persuade myself to stop washing my face, but I eventually manage after I'm satisfied that all traces of my tears have dissolved into dust.
I dry my face off with the edge of my shirt and neaten my hair with grubby fingers before spinning around and swinging the door open.
Ruby is in exactly the same place as I left her, and a smile tugs on her face as I step out. Her mouth opens a little, as if she is about to say something, but quickly changes her mind and begins to pace down the staircase, glancing back now and then to make sure I'm following. I tread behind her with careful steps, allowing my hands to flutter down the banister just incase I happen to slip.
Once I reach the bottom, I can hear the noise of plates clattering against one another as Big Mama sets the table. I feel a bead a sweat forming on my forehead, but I'm quick to wipe it away. Ruby turns to me and gestures for me to stay where I am, and I oblige without a fuss. She walks forward and turns the corner to the kitchen.
"Where's Aysel?" I hear Big Mama ask as she dishes the food onto the plates.
"She's... jus' comin'," Ruby responds, "I'll jus' go... get 'er now."
Suddenly, I don't feel too nervous. It's just Ruby and Big Mama, afterall. They've not hurt me yet, and I don't think they intend to do so anytime soon. I force a weak smile on my face, ready to enter without anxiety once Ruby comes back for me.
Then, as if on cue, a familiar voice rings out through the kitchen.
"Who's Aysel?"
My breathing hitches at the voice, the voice of a man, the voice of a mutant, the voice of my captor. Lizard. But it seems different compared to the aggressive and sarcastic voice of the man who chased me from the gas station; softer, somehow. If it wasn't for the southern drawl, I probably wouldn't have thought it to be him at all.
But my instincts are still screaming at me, and I'm about to turn and run for the door when I feel a small hand tugging at my wrist. I look down to see Ruby, gawking at me with a look of concern. I try my best at a reassuring smile, but I don't think it would be hard to tell that I'm crumbling internally with fear.
"Mama, who's Aysel?" The voice repeats again, a little more impatiently than the first time.
Wouldn't he know who I am, if it were Lizard, considering he brought me here in the first place? I can't help but question. Something tells me I shouldn't be worried, but I can't help myself. My eyes quickly dart to the door again, assessing my options of escape, but Ruby persists on trying to usher me to the kitchen. She nods encouragingly at me, which gives me the shred of bravery I need to gulp back my fear and do what I have to do, but doubts continue to pester my mind.
Remember what you did earlier, how you regretted showing weakness, I remind myself firmly, and finally allow Ruby to drag me into the kitchen.
My eyes instantly dart around the room, trying to find my captor so I can make sure he doesn't spring an attack on me. But I can't see Lizard anywhere, the only people in the room are Ruby, Big Mama and... Oh. That's not Lizard.
"Ah, that's Aysel." The voice states quietly, coming from an unknown mutant's mouth.
I gawk at him, confused. He's wearing a black bowler hat with strings of blonde hair sticking out. His skin is an odd shade of pink, presumably from sunburn, and the most deformed thing about his face is his nose, which appears to be just two slits.
"Oh, Aysel! There ya are," Big Mama exclaims before hurrying me over to a quaint, wooden table which is ringed with mismatching seats. She sets me down on one which is opposite the mutant with the bowler hat on, and Ruby takes the seat next to me.
"Thought ya weren't comin'!" The older woman says whilst shoving a large chunk of meat onto my plate. It doesn't take much imagination to know what kind of meat we are feasting on tonight, but I certainly don't have any objections.
"Yeah, I just... Had a bit of a fright coming down the stairs." I tell the woman truthfully before sawing a small piece of slimey meat onto my fork. My stomach flares up in hunger as a small pool of blood begins to form around the flesh where I pressed on with my knife, and I almost forget that there are other people in the room as I shovel it into my mouth.
I don't even notice the questioning looks I'm recieving from all ends of the table until I've eaten more than half of my dinner. It's only when I look up and see no-one else has touched their meat that I finally come to my senses.
I can't help but groan internally when I see Big Mama looking almost offended.
So much for getting her to like me.
"Just.. a misunderstan'," I admit, a nervous laugh chiming through my lips, "Just thought he was Lizard." I comment quicky, giving a fleeting nod to the mutant opposite me, who's eyes now flicker with confusement. As I try to defuse the tension, I can hear Ruby restraining a titter, but the man just watches me like I'm some sort of alien species.
"I don' look like Lizar'." He responds almost sulkily, stabbing the meat forcefully with his fork and knife.
"No, you jus' sound an awful lot like him."
"Oh." Is all he says, before silence overcomes the table.
I eat slowly, waiting for the male mutant to leave before I begin to ask my questions. The frigid atmosphere at the table is difficult to ignore, but I've lived by myself for the last three years, so I manage to bare it. But even I know that asking questions infront of this obviously sour mooded man would lead me into trouble. Trouble I don't need.
The silences drawls on for atleast 20 minutes and it's only long after we've finished our meals when someone decides to speak. I would've left earlier if it wasn't for my powerful desire to have my questions answered, here and now.
"This here is Goggle," Big Mama says almost desperately, "He's Ruby's brother."
After sharing an intense stare-off with his mother, Goggle finally turns to me and stretches out a rugged hand.
"Aysel." I murmur before reaching my own hand out. It seems tiny compared to his, and I can tell by the amusement flickering in his blue eyes that he notices this too, and he shakes it with about as much force as a fluttering moth wing. I find myself somewhat offended by his gentleness.
He's treating me like I'm weak, I think angrily.
Well, weren't you the one whimpering like a child in the room only half an hour ago?
That particular thought doesn't exactly put me in a good mood.
Big Mama begins to clear the plates, and I realise it's almost time for me to be excused from the table, and that I'll have missed my chance to ask my questions. But I don't want to say anything with Goggle here. I don't want to risk it with him listening, but I don't want to return to the room with unanswered questions still lingering in my mind. I'm just about to risk it, chancing my luck with Goggle and simply asking Big Mama, but she beats me to it.
"Aysel," Big Mama says suddenly, looking at me directly after picking up my plate, "We need to find ya someplace to go 'fore Jupiter gets back from Hades'."
I don't know who Hades is, but I decide that I really don't care.
"Any suggestions fir places to put 'er?" She asks her two children, who, to my dismay, both shake their heads.
"Just somewhere for 'er to stay for a lil' while. I jus' need to explain it to Jupe. He'll be angry at first, and I don' want 'er to be 'round for tha'. Jus' somewhere he won't look... Only fir a few hours." She begs, and I can't help but wonder when and why she began to care for my well-being.
Both Ruby and Goggle seem to think harder this time. It's some time before Ruby speaks up.
"Maybe.. She could.. Hide in ma closet?" she suggests, blinking those painfully sad eyes at her mother.
"I don' want 'er in the house, though. Jupe will expect 'er to be 'ere. If I didn't know wha' Lizar' was like, I'd prolly' put 'er in his house. If I give 'er to Pluto, Lizar' will still get her off a' him. I wudn't trust Cyst or Big Brain one bit. Which only leaves you, Goggle."
It seems the woman has put a lot of effort into thinking about this. About thinking how to save me. Again, I wonder why.
Goggle stares at his mother, and I can tell that they are communicating without words. Even Ruby seems to join in the staring feud, but within a minute it has ended, and 3 pairs of eyes meet mine once again.
"I think I have 'n idea." Goggle declares before rising out of his seat and approaching a set of cabinets. He opens one and pulls out a pair of wicked looking shackles.
"You 'n me are goin' for a walk up the hills ta' look for some food."
"Take Pluto with ya, 'case she tries to escape," Big Mama suggests, and I have no doubt that she is the one who planted the idea of a walk in Goggle's mind, "Wouldn't want Hades ta' find 'er if you do lose 'er. I'm surprised he didn' get 'er 'fore you seen 'er, Goggle. Not often he misses out on a purty gurl."
"Lizar's just as bad," Goggle grumbles, earning an intense glare from his mother.
"'Least he doesn' keep 'em long," Big Mama snaps before carrying the dishes to the sink and rubbing the blood off them with an already filthy rag.
Goggle only shrugs before sauntering over to me and asking me to lay my hands out on the table, jangling the shackles around tauntingly. He gives me a look of exasperation when I fail to oblige. Going out in the desert with Goggle and Pluto with shackles around my wrists is one of the last things I want to do today.
Better than going with Lizard, I remind myself.
"If you wanna' stay 'ere and get killed by papa, be my guest. But if ya wanna live, I suggest ya put yer hands on tha table," Goggle states bluntly.
My eyes flicker over to Ruby for reassurance. She nods subtly in my direction, so, with a sigh, I reluctantly set my hands on the table. Goggle is quick to fasten the shackles around them. Ruby smiles at me, and I try my best to return one.
I watch Goggle as he pulls out a walkie-talkie and presses a button. I can hear a soft crackling before the familiar childish gurgles ring through the speakers.
"Get up 'ere to mama's, now," Goggle tells him with a scowl on his face.
Pluto's giggles are cut off instantly when Goggle presses another button and tucks the walkie-talkie into his chest pocket.
It's not long before I hear the door swinging open with a loud bang which seems to vibrate throughout the entire house. Heavy footsteps traipse into the kitchen, accompanied by the gurgles which just seem wrong coming from the giant's mouth.
"Come on, Pluto, we're gonna' take little Aysel 'ere out fir a lil' tour 'round the desert."
Little Aysel? I make no effort of disguising my scorn towards being called 'little'. But Goggle only chuckles before strolling towards the door which Pluto has just emerged from.
"Comin'?" Goggle asks, gesturing towards the door with his arm, "lady's first."
I'm about to counter him with some witty remark I have stored in my mind, but something in his tone urges me not to. He sounds so sincere, as if he's actually trying to be a real gentleman, unlike his teasing tone from before. I can't even find the slightest trace of mockery in his rough voice now.
So I just smile, stand up, and walk through the door with Pluto almost tripping on my heels.