Chapter 5
To the Sea
Linebeck woke when the sky was becoming pink in the small window.
"Red sky at Night, Sailors delight. Red sky in morning, Sailors take the warning." He automatically thought, raising a hand to rub his eyes. He froze when the previous day's images invade his mind. The silent walk to the house, the bloodstains on the road, his mother's still body, the writing on the wall-
Linebeck's stomach revolted at the scenes. He fell out of the bed and into a wooden bucket. He scrambled for it before vomiting into it. Footsteps are heard from the hallway. A comforting hand was placed on Linebeck's back.
"Here, drink this. Slowly, though." Mr. Rybak said, handing Linebeck a cup of water. Linebeck took it with a muttered thanks and began sipping the water, sitting back against the bed frame. Mr. Rybak took the bucket away and soon returned.
"Have they found her yet?" Linebeck softly asked, in an emotionless voice.
Mr. Rybak shook his head in the negative. "They're still searching the island." He sat beside Linebeck. "The other men plan to begin going to the other islands to search for her after your mother's funeral."
Linebeck only nodded. Mr. Rybak stood up, pausing at the doorway. "Try to get a few more hours sleep." He said softly.
Linebeck only nodded again, still staring at nothing with the blank look in his eyes.
Mr. Rybak closed the door and began walking down the steps to the bar. Linebeck set the glass on the floor, before leaning back against the bed. Against his will, his eyelids drifted close over his eyes.
...
"Hello, Mr. Rybak." Maris said, walking into the bar, with Max beside her.
"Hello Mistress Ralean, Master Irball." Mr. Rybak returned. "I assume you're here to see Master Brante?"
"Of course, Mr. Rybak." Max said.
"Well, he's in the room at the end of the hallway on the left." Mr. Rybak said. It seemed he was going to say more but there was a loud thump and muffled cry from the upstairs. Maris and Max immediately sprinted up the steps. When they crashed into the room Linebeck was occupying, they see him on the floor, clearly trapped in a nightmare.
"Linebeck! It's all right!" Maris yelled, falling to her knees beside the struggling teen to try to wake him. She let out a cry as one of Linebeck's arms contacted with her nose.
"Becky, wake up!" Max said, in accompaniment with a sharp slap to Linebeck's cheek.
Linebeck jolted awake, eyes filled with terror and his ears still ringing with cruel laughter and Linette's accusations. He spotted Maris, eyes closed in pain, hand over her nose.
"Catty! What happened?" He asked, sitting up more.
"You were having a nightmare and hit my nose." She gritted out, opening her eyes that are watering in pain. "I think you broke it..." she removed her hand and gingerly began touching it. "And stop calling me Catty..."
Max snorted. "I doubt scrawny here has enough strength to even bruise it."
"Yeah, Maris, I- Hey wait!" Linebeck cried in annoyance.
"Sorry, Becky, but it's true." Max said, smirking. His smirk faded. "But how are you holding up?"
Linebeck jerked his head to the side, taking awhile to think, while slowly sitting back against the bed. "As well as anyone who's lost their family in one night." He finally said.
Max placed his hand on Linebeck's shoulder. His own mother had died when Max was very young, forcing Max's father to raise the boy on his own.
"I'm so sorry, Linebeck." Max whispered, gently squeezing Linebeck's shoulder.
Linebeck looked at Max with deep hurt in his eyes, before softly saying to Max. "I know you are Max."
The three teens fell into an awkward silence. Suddenly Maris swore very loudly and slammed a fist on the floor, making the two boys jumps. "Why the Hell was Linette taken!? She was adventurous, scattered-brained, always had faith in others, rebellious and yes, a moron at times but that doesn't mean she had to be taken!" Maris took a deep breath, fighting a lump in her throat so she wouldn't cry. "With only having two brothers, I sometimes really felt like Linette was my sister at times. And yes, that's corny. But it's true."
Maris swiped at her eyes as Max scooted over to place his arm around her shoulders. Linebeck slowly nodded in agreement.
"You did forget one thing though, Maris." Linebeck said, his emerald eyes locking onto Maris's red-rimmed brown eyes. "She is also a fighter." He leaned forward and placed a hand onto Maris's shoulder. "We will see her again. I don't know when or how, but we will see Linette again."
...
The sky outside was dark and gloomy, with a soft pattering of rain. A sky fit for a day of mourning for a mother lost and sister missing.
Linebeck was currently in the room Mr. Rybak was leading him, sitting on the bed. His head was bowed over, with his elbows resting on his knees, and hands clasped together. His eyes were closed and already there are gentle bags under his eyes from lack of sleep. His navy blue jacket laid on the bed, thrown there when Linebeck came into the room. On the first floor came the muffled sounds of the funeral party.
The door creaked open and a 7-year-old Calista peeked her head in. Her amber eyes peered at Linebeck. "Uncle Linebeck?" She whispered.
Linebeck brings his head up with a start, opening his eyes. "Yeah, Cauliflower?" He asked.
Calista giggled slightly at her nickname. "Can I come in?" She asked.
"Well, I think you can..." Linebeck said, smiling slightly. "You have legs and feet that are working properly, right?"
Calista huffed and rolled her eyes. "May I come in?" She revised.
"Of course." Linebeck said, motioning for her to walk into the room. "I could do with some younger company."
Calista opened the door more and walked in, shutting the door behind her. She was wearing a small black dress that ended near the middle of her calves. It buttoned from below her chest up to her neck where there is a small collar. The dress has short sleeves with a small puff to them. She hopped up onto the bed. Linebeck wrapped his arm around the girl, letting her rest her head onto his chest.
"Where did Miss Marlene go?" Calista immediately asked, raising her head to look at Linebeck. "Momma wouldn't tell me when I asked nor anybody else and they all got this really sad look in their eyes."
Linebeck swallowed, taking a deep breath. "My Mum had to go away for a while."
"Will she ever come back?"
"No... She went to a very special place."
"Can we visit her?"
"Not at this time, not for a long while. You see, my Mum went to the Sacred Realm."
"That's where the Goddesses and my ancestors live!" Calista exclaimed, stumbling over the word ancestor.
"That's correct. And now my Mum lives there now." Linebeck smiled gently at the little girl.
"Momma told me that. She also told me that no evil can get in and that it will be never allowed in." Calista told Linebeck proudly. But then her eyes turned confused and she bit her lip. "But if Miss Marlene lives in the Sacred Realm, is 'Nette with her too?"
"Goddesses, I sure hope not." Linebeck thought before answering Calista. "No, Cauliflower. Net had been taken away by a very bad man and hidden away."
"Like the fire-breathing pig that takes away the princess to try to get the triumph-forks?" Calista said.
Linebeck let out a small snort. "Yeah Cauliflower."
Calista got a thoughtful look on her face before looking up at Linebeck excitedly. "Well, then you should be then one to find her, Uncle Linebeck! Cuz whenever you and Max and Mari and Net and me play hide 'n seek you always managed to find us! No matter where we hid!"
"You think so Cauliflower?" Linebeck playfully asked, messing with the little girl's hair.
Calista shrieked in delight, swatting away Linebeck's hands. "Yeah, Uncle Linebeck!"
"Then I shall." Linebeck stated, looking out the window with an unreadable expression on his face. He looked back down at Calista. "But you must not tell anyone else!"
"I promise Uncle Linebeck." Calista said, trying to look solemn. The effect was ruined by the twinkle in her eyes. "I won't tell anybody, not a soul!"
Linebeck laughed and ruffled Calista's hair. "Now come on, your mother's is most likely going crazy trying to find you."
Right on cue, Calista's mother walked in the door. "I should have know you were in here." She said. "Come on, it's time to go. Your father's downstairs with your coat."
Calista gave Linebeck a quick hug before scooting off the bed and running out of the room.
"I sure hope she wasn't bothering you." Calista's mother said.
"Cauliflower is always a welcome to me, Mrs. Narof." Linebeck said. "After all, I am her "Uncle" and she always manages to make me feel better."
Mrs. Narof looks at Linebeck with a sad smile. "I'm glad to hear that, then."
"Thank you for coming, Mrs. Narof, by the way." Linebeck said.
"Marlene was a wonderful person, Linebeck. Of course I would have come." Mrs. Narof said. She turned to walk out.
"Stay safe, Mrs. Narof." Linebeck said. "And look after Calista. I wouldn't let her out of your sight for awhile."
Mrs. Narof turns and looks at Linebeck at Linebeck with a funny expression. "Strange..." She mummers.
"Mrs. Narof?" Linebeck inquires, raising an eyebrow.
Mrs. Narof seemed to start. "Oh nothing, Linebeck. Just a silly old woman's thoughts." She gave a smile before following her daughter out the door.
Linebeck looks out the window at the rain.
"No matter what, Linette." He mutters. "I will find you."
...
A few nights later, having finished loading the last pack of provisions on the S.S. Linebeck, Linebeck exited the cabin of the ship, going down a mental checklist. He had enough provisions to last him until the next island, where he could buy more in bulk.
Linebeck had forced himself to enter his home so he could gather what he needed from there. The other islanders had cleaned the place, but the flashes of what he found still appeared in his mind as he had went through the place.
Suddenly, a hand grabbed his shoulder from behind and whirled Linebeck around. He let out a small scream before swinging out his arm. A different hand grabbed his arm and twisted it, causing him to let out a whimper of protest.
"And just where are you going?" Maris growled.
"Maris?!" Linebeck exclaimed, voice laced with pain. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
"Making sure you don't do anything incredibly stupid." Max stated, sitting on a crate on the deck.
"Like going after a man who wrote a message on the wall... In. Effing. Blood." Maris said, twisting Linebeck's arm more.
Linebeck's eyes widen and he began sinking down. "Ah, ah, ah. Maris! Let go before you break my arm!"
"Let me think." Maris pretended to ponder before looking back down at Linebeck. "Like hell I will, Becky."
"Come on, Maris, please?" Linebeck pleaded.
"Maris. Let him go. No use breaking his arm." Max said. He pushed himself off the crate he was sitting on and walked up the gangway.
Maris tutted before releasing Linebeck. She doesn't back away though, and crosses her arms angrily.
Linebeck let out a gasp of relief before standing up, massaging the arm. "Geez Catty, you don't seem that strong."
Maris's mouth twisted into a snarl and Linebeck took a few steps away, raising his hands in the surrender sign.
"How did you guys find out?" He inquired, crossing his arms.
"Calista, who else?" Max said. "Though it did take some work to get her to give it up."
"Had to tell her my soul had been taken by a poe and only Calista's giving up of the secret that you two had could regain it." Maris explained. She gives a creepy smile. "And this face certainly helped."
Linebeck gave Maris a flat stare. "You give kids nightmares with that smile." He stated.
"Eh, Cauliflower is made of stronger stuff than those wimps." Maris said, giving a shrug. "But we're not here to talk about Cauliflower. We're here to talk about your suicide attempt at saving Net."
Linebeck flinched, hurt flickering onto his face for a moment. "Don't make it sound so hopeless." He whispered, looking away from his friends.
"Sorry Becky, but what Maris is saying is true." Max sighed. "For a sixteen year old, with practically no training in fighting other than a few friendly spars with friends, Jolon would have you beat and dead in no time flat." Max placed a hand onto Linebeck's shoulder. "Listen, just let the other, more experienced men of the island find Linette and try to keep a normal life."
Linebeck unshouldered Max's hand, and fury raised in his eyes. "So you just expect me to sit back and put my sister's safety into the hands of other people?!" He snapped. "She's my sister! I just can't stay here, twiddling my thumbs waiting for the news if they managed to find her or if they're going to come back one day and say that it's hopeless, and Net's gone for good! I will not have myself go through that, and I will NOT try to go on with a 'quote on quote' NORMAL LIFE, while my sister, MY TWIN SISTER, is going through Hell with Jolon! She's MY sister, Jolon is MY father, and he killed MY mother! This is MY problem and I'll be damned if I let other people take care of this!"
Several seconds of silence minus Linebeck's angry breathing passed in which Maris and Max stared at Linebeck in shock. Linebeck draws himself up and straightens his navy blue jacket, the one that Marlene made for him the same year he had gotten the S.S. Linebeck. "Now if you would kindly please step off my boat." He hisses. "I would like to begin searching for Net."
Maris's expression of shock changes to annoyance. "Fine then!" She snarls. "Be an idiot! Go on! Get yourself killed! And if you ever decide to come back, I'll be right here. Waiting to tell you, I TOLD YOU SO!" She whirls around and stalks off the boat and into the foggy gloom surrounding the dock. "So long, Linebeck Brante!"
Max looks between the spot where Maris disappeared and Linebeck, who still had anger in his eyes. He sighs and turns to fully face Linebeck. "Due to the fact that I've known you since we were three, I can recognize the "I'm going to do something incredibly stupid and I know this but I'm going to do it anyway" look." A pause. "But you're sure about this going after Linette, alone?"
Linebeck slumps. "Yeah, Max. I'm sure. Besides, someone needs to be here when in a few days, Maris gets in a slump for days at her words to me." Linebeck looks at Max, giving a solid nod.
Max nodded back, hesitated and then pulled Linebeck into a hug. Linebeck tensed, not used to Max actually hugging people and not drawing them into headlocks as way of greeting and farewelling.
"Bring her back then. And make sure Jolon doesn't find you first." Max cautioned before releasing Linebeck, then immediately dragged the teen captain into a headlock.
"Argh! Maxi!" Linebeck exclaimed, struggling to get out of Max's grip.
Max laughed, ruffled Linebeck's spiky ponytail, which Linebeck swiped at Max's arm before fixing his hair. Then Max walked off the ship, and gave a two finger salute to Linebeck who returned it, with a smirk.
Linebeck disappeared into the engine, and soon after, the S.S. Linebeck shuddered to life. Max remained on the dock and watched the steam-boat pull out of the dock and disappear into the fog. He remained there until he couldn't hear the ship anymore, at which time he turned and began walking back home after uttering three word to the silent fog.
"Good luck, Becky."
...
I am a horrible, horrible person who has erratic updates and has this horrible problem of not forcing self in front of the computer screen to write this story, meaning that this story has not been updated for quite some time. And also that fact that my father has these Korean Drama's he is wanting to watch, all the freaking day meaning the only time I can write is during less than an hour now, two days per week before having to be kicked off and forced to sulk upstairs.
That being said,
Yeesh, heavy stuff, and lot's and lot's of OC's in this chapter. What do you guys think of Teen Linebeck so far? Noticing any differences between this guy and game character? We'll get to those changes in chapter's 7 and 9, I'm pretty sure.
Not much else to say, than Happy Holiday's everyone!
~Roses