Karma
Storyline
Astro has been kidnapped; the only clues his two calls to Zoran and his diary entries in his broken laptop. Ken, Atlas, Zoran, and Tawashi peice the clues together and solve a riddle to who kindapped Astro and where he is being held. Atlas, Astro, and Zoran need each other to keep their sanity and relieve their internal pain: Atlas needs to act like the eldest brother he is.
Chapter 7
A Lonely Star in the Cloudy Night Sky
"There it is." Atlas said in a dark voice. "That's the Jackal Prision." Off in the distance, the sound of crushing metal and machines at work could be heard.
Zoran was clinging onto Atlas's back, in the same fashion Astro did in the picture he took of them dog pilling each other. Ken, Alejo, Ambercrombie, and Tawashi had taken Tawashi's police car to the Prision. Ken convinced Tawashi and everyone to let him, Alejo, and Ambercrombie help find Astro, even when Alejo and Ambercrombie refused.
Pluto and Epsilon followed behind uneasily. In truth, Epsilon was still in shock from hearing of Reno's... condition. She hoped that both boy's would be able to live and escape their deadly holds.
A crow cawed into the night. No stars could be seen, for clouds overcast the city, showering the heros in rain water. Everyone was shaky, for what stories that were told may or may not have been true.
Atlas shuddered to think he would have to take care of those nurses... He had ruined his suit enough already. That, and he couldn't stand another scream from those wretched things. But, it had to be done in order to save Astro.
The group landed, everyone either getting out of the car or jumping off of Atlas's back. Ken pulled out a flashlight and flicked the switch. He, in honesty, had never felt so... not afraid... but having adrenaline surgeing through his body at such a high rate. Alejo and Ambercrombie cowared behind Ken without even thinking. Atlas scoffed, then looked at the ever-so-determined Zoran, who stared straight into the darkness of the entrance. It was pitch black, even with Ken's flashlight shining into the evil lair of gosh-knows lerking in the darkest corners.
"I hope you're ready for this." Atlas warned to everyone in particular. Everyone nodded and began inside.
Astro lied on the ground in anguish, cluching his head, panting heavily. His energy was so low, his eyesight was dimming, his hearing was fading. He had lost hope a week ago. He brought his knees to his chest and hugged them closely, still lying on his side. He bowed his head against his knees. He would always hear the same song: 4 by 4 time signeture, 3 measures long, repeating the same piano-like notes: G, A, B, A, G, B, G, B, A, C, C, G, F.
Zoran's song.
Hearing the song over and over made him feel his soul was being ripped from his very body, that his Kokoro was going to faulter and he would die. That something was whipping his heart and mind. The pain was unbearable. So emotionally unbearable.
He was going to die... A long, painful death. No doubtly, continuous torture before he would pass. Endless suffering... He wanted it to go away. He wanted to forget everything and everyone he knew. Forget everything he had ever experienced to ease his pain, but forcing himself to forget only caused more agony.
They've forgotten me... He convinced himself. Forgotten all about me. Did they even notice I have gone? Do they think I will return one day, that I will live? What is hope? Really... What is it? Isn't it the feeling you get when you are in dark times, that something will turn up, a merical of a sort? Where is the hope in me now? Where had it gone? Why is it gone? Have I given up life? When will my questions be answered? When will it end...?
G, A, B, A, G, B, G, B, A, C, C, G, F.
Would Zoran forget me?
G, A, B, A, G, B, G, B, A, C, C, G, F.
Would Atlas enjoy my disappearance?
G, A, B, A, G, B, G, B, A, C, C, G, F.
Would the world find it easier to live without me, no one to try and hunt me down?
G, A, B, A, G, B, G, B, A, C, C, G, F.
Why should I surrender?
G, A, B, A, G, B, G, B, A, C, C, G, F.
Why shouldn't I surrender?
G, A, B, A, G, B, G, B, A, C, C, G, F.
That's what they want, right?
G, A, B, A, G, B, G, B, A, C, C, G, F.
What if it isn't?
G, A, B, A, G, B, G, B, A, C, C, G, F.
What if they want what I don't have?
G, A, B, A, G, B, G, B, A, C, C, G, F.
Where are they?
G
Did they forget me?
A
Should I forget them?
B
What do I do?
A
Am I to suffer for the rest of eternity?
G, B, G, B
Why hasn't help come!
A, C, C
Where are they!
G
Someone! Please! Help me!
F
He screamed.
A scream echoed off the bare, cold walls. Everyone jumped and turned to the direction of the scream. Zoran felt familier with the voice that it came from. "Astro..." She whispered, then began to jog down the corridor. She sped up to a run, then a sprint. She bolted down the hall faster then most, save Atlas, could keep up.
Ken was farthest behind. Even though he had joined the soccor team and ran laps almost everyday, he found it hard to run. He had drag on his shins. He could see Ambercrombie and Alejo bolting ahead to keep up with Epsilon. "Hey, guys!" He called out after them. "Wait up!"
He slowed to a stop and fell to his knees. This day just wasn't in his favor.
Up at the front, Zoran took complicated twists and turned down the halls, knowing which way and which corridor to take to Astro. She began to realize that she might not be able to find her way back. But, if everything went as planned, Astro would show them the way out, whether it through a hole in the roof or a GPS through the maze.
She stopped and looked around the corridor. There were doors on either side leading up to the back wall. She walk to the end and turned to the left. She opened the door and peered in. The first for her to see were shiny red shoes... no, boots, that lead up to the shin, metal bands wrapped around the ankels. She continued to open the door.
Next, she saw bare, peach colored theighs, then black underwear with a green band. As she continued to open the door, Atlas was approching her. Zoran slowly continued to open the door, tears in eyes at the slow realization of who it was. When she opened the door completely, a boy, no more then nine, dressed in nothing but black breifs, a green belt, and knee-high crimson boots, lying on the ground, chained to walls on either side. His hair was black and two-spiked in his famous way.
But everything she was oblivious to. She stared deep into the chocolate brown eyes, just like hers: filled with sorrow, fear, and suffering... but also hope. Somewhere, in those eyes, she could see hope. Her mouth opened, and she whispered the name like a lonely star in the cloudy night sky: "A-Astro..."
