She Sees What's Lost

Saturday Afternoon

Pounding on the front door sent a splinter of echoes through the dining room.

“Who in the HELL would ruin this,” Chime’s voice turned to fake distress, “beautiful meal of Mac and Cheese with weenies?”

“What has this world COME TO?” Cheshire joined in on the phony cries pounding the table with the flat of his palm. He had been able to walk, or at least Moon made him able to walk, to the dining room where we had been eating for half an hour or so.

“Amelia, get the door.” Moon didn’t seem to care for my real name; I didn’t really mind either way.

The handle continued to rattle with each strike on the door. “COMING!” Yelling through the door was useless, it was too thick, but it just seems right to try and let a person know they aren’t being ignored. My hand swiftly wavered towards the handle when a hand clasped mine over the knob.

“We don’t know who it is. Why don’t you back up a little.” Chime picked me up by the shoulders and placed me to his side; he turned the handle easily releasing the door from its frame.

“Yes, can I help you?” A cool crisp blanketed voice flowed from Chime’s lips.

“I ran into your dog today in the forest, and she told me you were living here. Do you have anything I could eat?” It was that kid’s voice.

“Who are you calling a dog?” Muttering I squeezed between Chime and the side of the right door.

Chime chuckled as his open arm embraced me in a head lock. “Cute, isn’t she? Yeah, sure, we just made dinner. You’re welcome to come in.” Moving backward from the door and letting his free hand wave towards the dining room, Chime allowed the child to walk into the safehouse. His lips wavered touching the top of my ear. “If he tries anything, I’ll need you to run to your room and lock the door, Okay?” I nodded. Warm flowers were blooming in my stomach. “You’ll be fine, there’s no way a kid could do any damage.”

“WHO’S THE KID?” I could see Cheshire’s lightning purple agitated voice.

Leaving my head free, Chime held his arm parallel to the tile resting my hand on his. “This way Milady.”

“I told him He could eat with is. This is the boy Scarlette saw in the orchard.” Chime had moved his bowl to sit next to mine and began eating in his new spot beside me.

“Well you can’t stay the night. We’re leaving tomorrow.” Glancing at Chime, Moon’s authoritative voice was on overdrive tonight.

“I was just hungry. I’d been on the same rock for three days alone.”

“That’s not much kid. You still have a long way to go.” Cheshire smirked one of his half moon grins.

“I’m not a kid,” He moved a dirt spotted hand threw his greasy black hair. “You three are Shadows too right?”

“We’re not in that sleazy business. We were raised for the protection of one man only,” Chime looked up from his plate towards the grungy mess of a child on the other side of the table, “Kid.” I had never heard Chime so stern. His whole persona stiffened at the word “Shadow”. His glacial eyes didn’t quiver in the least. For a few seconds the whole table sat in still awkward air while static grey hovered encircling our bodies.

The dinner concluded as the child stood up and bowed mumbling, “Thanks for the food.” I lead him to the door with Chime practically stepping on my heels and as soon as the last centimeter of space between the door and its home had closed Moon ran up between us.

“Plans have changed. We’re leaving tonight.”

“But, Wh-” I stumbled.

“He knows where we live. So, you’re ready I’m guessing?” Without time to protest Chime threw me over his shoulder and rushed me through the library to a room behind one of the bookshelves.

“What… What is this place?” I was sat down amongst an armory. Countless knives and guns surrounded my eyesight.

“Grab as much as you can and put it in the trunk.” Chime was already shoving ammunition into a duffle bag as I stumbled around trying to pick out what looked most useful. An assembly line was formed with me at the end trying to fit everything in the trunk. Tetris is one of my main loves, so loading wasn’t very difficult, but Tetris doesn’t have the danger of blowing my brains across the grass.

“We have everything? Might as well. Get in the car everyone! Scarlette, take this.” The moonless night made it difficult to catch what ever Chime had thrown at me. A smack of something hard on my head had left my skull warm. Searing pain unleashed only a whimper as I reached for the projectile missile and fled into the back seat. “Damn did I get you on the head?” His strong hands weaved my hair out of the impact sight but I couldn’t feel anything anymore. It was like my head had been through so much drama in the past week that it didn’t have time for something so tiny. “Yeah, you’re bleeding. God, I’m sorry Scarlette. I should have waited to give it to you in the car.”

“That’s what she said.” Cheshire muttered from the front seat.

“You really need to let up on your head. If you lose your talent we have to put you down.” Moon huffed for breath while starting the engine and whipping off onto a dirt path. Chime’s hands rummaged in front of Cheshire returning with some napkins and water. While Chime started at work with my head I played with the black object he had thrown towards me. It was a knife.

“What’s a Shadow?” A whisper balanced in front of my face before falling to my lap. The blow to my head left a mist in my mind and the yellow butterflies had returned, fluttering around my cupped hands.

“A Shadow is ultimately just a man for hire. They do anything and everything for cheap. They are barely trained yet they treat every other creature like they don’t deserve to live.” I could tell by the chill in Chime’s throat that he hated the subject.

A shining butterfly that was resting on the black switchblade flickered upwards and landed on Chime’s cheek. The butterfly wouldn’t leave, no matter how I rubbed the wings just flexed and shimmered.

“You’ll wear my cheek off like that.” His laughter sent a frenzy of glowing wings in a whirlwind. “I really am sorry that I hit your…”

His mouth kept moving but only static bubbled off of his tongue. I told him, “Everything happens for a reason,” and collapsed on his chest, melting into the stars behind my eyes.