Monday, August 31, 2015

Chapter 32: The Sinner's Mark

"Master, is it okay if I ask more about...Black Magic?"
            Master made an obvious disgust look when I mention Black Magic, but I knew he never reject any question I asked of him so he only made a long sigh.
            "What is it, if it's teaching you then I won't do it!"
            "It's not something that ridiculous, I just want to ask.... is it possible for a magician to use Black Magic without them realizing?"
              When I ask, it was an instant but I could see Master made a shock expression before he turned serious once more, "What makes you say that?"
             "Well, you said that Black Magic comes from the negative energy from our soul, then I wondered if it is possible when one is overcome by their own emotion, then their mana would react in correspond to their soul." Master had an amazed look on his face, one of the rare expression he would make and I was happy, even felt a little proud of myself. Master might have somehow figured my thoughts since he prick me in the forehead before he answered my question.
            "It's just as you said, there are cases when one's emotion invoked Black Magic without realizing it, that's why meditation are important. Not only will it increase your inner mana but regulates your emotion."
            "Then if you don't know you were using Black Magic, how do you know if you had used it?"
            "There are many ways to know you used Black Magic, but for definite proof you'll just need to find the mark."
            "The mark?"
            "Oh right, I haven't told you this, have I? Once you use Black Magic, a mark will appear at one part of your body, that mark will forever be engraved as a brand for those who had touched the darkness"
#
I open the door to my house abruptly, and the first thing I saw was both my parents standing with worried face. The moment they saw me, they made a relieve look then angry the next. "Claudia Robertson, where have you been! We were worried you hadn't contact us as promise, and did you get home alone? You know it's dangerous for a child to do without company!"
            I didn't took my mother much notice and ran straight toward my room. They could hear the door closed, and was left dumbfounded without understanding my action. Of course they wouldn't understand, it's not everyday your in shock after your best friend tried to kill you. I touched my neck which felt warm and turned toward the mirror where I could see the red mark coiling around it. I shuddered when I remember the event that had only happened a few hours ago.
#
In the dark damp room next to a skeleton, I felt the suffocating pain of being strangled. My mind couldn't keep up what's happening, and stupidly stayed there looking surprise. Her grip was strong, not some strength a normal child would have if it weren't for her training.
             When it comes to strength, there's no way I could win, I couldn't even chant a spell to protect myself. I almost thought that there's nothing I could do but to die at my best friend's hand. Seriously, isn't that too pathetic? There's no way I let myself done in that easily. Just when I thought of that, I felt something wet trickling on my cheeks, the room was too dark for me to see her face, but could it be....
            I tried to resist as much as I can trying to get even a little voice out of me, and with all my strength I tried saying, "Don't....cry....Lora...."
            My words might have hit her heart, because her grip became loose and I rolled away while coughing in some air. I turned to Lora who was sitting lifeless, with her hair hiding her expression. I believe in her she wouldn't truly try to hurt me and I'm glad I was right, otherwise I'd be dead. 
           "Lora" 
            She flinched when I called her name and look at me as if her world was breaking apart. "Lora look at me!" Again she flinched, but slowly and hesitantly, she lifted her head and was looking the me who looked straight at her without any fear. 
            I wonder what she saw in me from her eyes, because her jaw drop and he began gaping, reminded me of the day when we first became friends. 
            "Lora, talked! What is this about?" Before she could explain, I heard the door began to unlock along with the keys that dangles. Lora immediately gets up and drag me toward the closet of her room or should I say the corpse's room. She also rushed on bringing my bag and shove it inside along with me. 
            There were sounds of foot steps that was walking toward the room. "Stay!" she said and closed the door to this room. Did I do as she told? Sadly, no. If I just do as she told, I doubt she would explain everything. In the end, even when I was reluctant to stay in the room together with a skeleton looking at me from behind, I peep from the door that wasn't fully closed and saw her getting pushed far for her to hit the wall. Before she could stood up, that bi--I meant woman kick her in the gut, rolling her away toward the pile of trash. If I hadn't know things would turn the worse by showing myself, then I would have let her taste what living a nightmare is like.
            I clenched at the door knob, subconsciously asking it to hold me back. This time that woman waited for her to get up as she took a deep breath. "Haven't I told you not to enter my room, is your brain only using that sick ability of yours?" If my nails had been a little bit longer, they might have noticed the scratching sound against the door, but the other thing that kept disturbing me was the tingling feeling at the back of my neck.
            "I thought I should take out the trash since they were piling up, and it's not like you use this room, so I thought...."
            "Don't do anything unnecessary!" and she slap her."Now get out before I raise my temper."
            Didn't you already have you witch! Just when I was about to go back to the closet, I saw her with her menacing dark chocolate eyes, she look toward Lora's room. I had already took a step back and avoid her eye sight, but I might have instigated her suspicion because I could hear her heels getting closer. She then open the door, and saw the usual empty room. She looked around for two-three seconds and then head toward the closet. Lora was felt too much in pain for her to stop her mother, and before she could even say anything. She opened the closet.
            However, inside was dusty closet, without even a spec of clothes and webs covered the corners. She knit her eyebrows then and closed the closet without being left satisfied. I thought she would get out afterwards but instead she approached the corpse and caressed it gently, "Oh dear, why do you kept on sleeping here, you know it's not good for your health." and kissed it with a loving face I couldn't have imagined she would make and then carry it toward the bed.
            Oh Dear Lord, no matter in what era, insanity never seem to change. Once I was sure she left, I sneaked out from under the bed and took my bag while I slip out the window, and ran without a moment to lose.
#

After recalling what happened, I switched my attention from the red mark on my neck toward the back. There was another reason why I knew Lora didn't intend to hurt me.
            Those moments when I find the skeleton and meeting Lora's mother, there was a tingling feeling from the back of my neck. I pushed my hair away and resolve to find what I had suspected it was. 
            The time that I fought Jacob, I never wanted to admit the kind of magic I used on him in his last moment. However, when I found a strange mark behind my neck that gave off the shape of a six pointed shape star. It looks as if I had gotten a tattoo, but I knew without a doubt this was the Sinner's Mark, the mark of those who had used Black Magic, and proof of being a Witch.

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Double chapter this week, how do you like that?

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Chapter 31: Loranne's Secret

Me and Eric were speechless. That's because while we were eating lunch at the back of the school where the trees give a cool settling and a remediable place of when I had saved Loranne and Loranne had 'saved' me, Loranne arrived with her arm being cast. There was no need for us to ask her what happened since our face should be enough to convey our feelings. 
           "There was an accident when they were testing my ability, and well…this and that happened and I broke my arm."
            We were desperately trying to ask if she was alright, but we ended opening and closing our mouth like chicks asking for food. 
            "I'm fine, it hurts but it's not like I couldn't bare it. I honestly feel bad that because of my failure, I got the professor fired instead."
           Loranne had a face of guilt when there was nothing she should be feel wrong about. As a professor who is responsible of nurturing our ability with experiments and drugs, it is their responsibility to ensure our safety, even from a slight discomfort could lead to a professor's end of career here in Praetor Academy. 
           "Do you think you could still eat with us?" asked Eric in concern. "It's fine, since it's my left hand that was injured, my everyday life could still go normally."
            She said with a smile that tried to comfort us even though she's the one that needs comforting the most. It won't be wrong to say she was used to pain, because her training menu was tough yet fun for her, she would always have at least a small bruise on her, since she was shy to show it, she would always wear long sleeves. Anyway, we ate as usual while conversing our normal days, since the three of us are now in different class, there was a lot of things we could share and we had fun in this simple life of ours.
            "By the way, Eric have you join any club yet?" 
            "It's already been three weeks since the semester starts so of course I have, it's the soccer club you know, but Claudia don't tell me you still can't decide yet?"
            A lump was made on my throat an move my gaze away. One of the biggest difference one you enter third grade in this school, is that you are now fully able to choose and join any club available and let me tell you the numbers are no joke in this school. There are a few I had aim on like the Science Research Club that involves many science experiments and handling chemicals I've been dying to get my hands on, but I can't make a haste choice without properly observing all the clubs. In the end, it took me three weeks without choosing anything. 
            "Then Lora, what about you?" recently, I've started to call her Lora instead of Loranne since it felt long to say it, she seem happy enough that made me wonder if she likes having a nickname. Her spoon stop in the middle before it reaches her mouth, she put it down and went silent. I tried to ask her one more time which she replied, "I'm not joining."
             "But Loranne, it's mandatory for us to join at least one club or it'll affect your grade, or worst you might not graduate because of it."
           "I'M NOT JOINING!"
            Even though Eric had only tried to reason her smoothly, her reply stunned the two of us. Lora seemed to realize what she had done, her face turns pale and she left in a rush without a word. Me and Eric started to look at each other, confused, hoping the other knew what happened but in the end left clueless. 
#
Lora must have felt bad for yelling since she kept hesitating on coming up to talk to us even though we didn't mind it that much, we decided came up to her and decide to forget the whole thing. However, the second strange thing happen when father called to my phone and said he would be late so I should either go home with my sisters, or hang out with my friends somewhere near. Out of the blue, I ask of her if I could visit her house. 
            "Hmm, that's a bit...troubling for me." she said  with a slight guilt on her face. Maybe because I've been too comfortable with her that I became carried away, I almost beg her to let me visit her house, saying I wanted to play with her longer. Besides I never play in her house-or in this case her apartment-so I wanted to try visiting just once. 
            Without being able to cope with my pleading, Lora finally gave in since her mother will be away for most of the day. She kept murmuring that 'it'll be fine' or 'just act normal' yet I didn't pay it much heed so I forgot about it soon enough.
             Her apartment was only a short distance from school, so we walked toward it. The usual weeds that were almost as high as my eight year old self had been cut so the lawn apartment didn't look like a jungle anymore. We took the stairs and she opened the lock door that was three doors down the hall. I heard she was living with only her mother, she never talked about her father so I never probed at i, but even her own mother, she only talked about her in general and would usually changed the subject.  
            Anyway, the room itself was small but was I judge enough for two people. The living room consist of only  two chairs and small coffee table with a 20 inch screen television across it. The floor was covered with dark green carpet and you could feel its roughness with your bare feet, and the wall were white with lots of blemished and nothing that decorates it. there was only one bulb lamp hanging, quite old fashion if I must say since she needed to pick up a chair and pull the rope trigger, there's also a folded bed stashed beside the TV and a bookshelves with our schoolbooks stashed by the other. I wonder why though, it's only a small normal living room, but I feel something was amiss, I wonder what it is.  
            "I'll make some tea, so at the meantime, wait for me here and Claudia.... please don't wander the house, okay!" 
            She went to the kitchen to prepare tea even though she didn't need to be that considerate, only in cases like this where the timid and silent Lora would show how independent and hard working she is, but lately she wasn't as timid as before and would openly show her opinion, somehow looking at my friend growing up made me tear up a little like a mother watching her daughter grow. 
            10 minutes passed and there was no sign of her returning, the timing takes too long for someone who was only trying to prepare tea. Out of a whim, I walked around the room. I  know it wasn't polite to do that when she said I shouldn't wander around here, but it's not like I'm going to other people's room right? Is what I thought, but then I head toward where I thought it would be her room, I wasn't sure why but it felt like only that particular room was calling me. 
           That became my first mistake. 
           The one I had opened was in fact not her room, I knew when I saw the clothes and lingerie on organized on the floor, but the room was dark and I had the urge to get inside. It was perplexing why the back of my neck was stinging the moment I got in. I wasn't sure what it is that had pushed me inside but the room was without a doubt weird, actually it's more like chaos. 
            On one side the floor is filled with unwashed clothes, the other side is full of trash bags that piles up with its foul stench, you could barely find the floor. All though the bed was clean, the cleanliness looks like no one had used the bed for a long time. I'm sure the right choice of action was to get out as soon as possible, but again my neck came stinging the moment I turned toward the door.
            I knew from its position that it connect with the room beside it, I knew something bad was going to happen if I open it. As if getting attracted to it, my hands helplessly open the door. I knew if this room was her mother's than the room on the other side would be Lora's. I gulped and open it without being able to hold back the urge that kept stinging me. 
            That became my second mistake. 
            Just like in this room, Lora's room was dark, there was only a simple bed, a desk across it and a closet beside, but other than that it felt like an empty room. She felt the dust that had piled here for at least a year or two. 
            Then... I saw it.....
            A black bag that resemble the worm bed that people used when camping, with it's face the only thing visible and sticking out, I saw the face of a skeleton. At first I thought it was only a nasty decoration, but from the stench that was mostly covered by the trash on the room next door, I touch the bone that had a rough texture but I know was a person's bone. A bad wave over loomed me, yet the stinging on my neck became tingling as if it was happy. 
            "I told you not to wander off."
            I turned where the voice came from which I then saw Lora, with two hands holding the two glasses, her face was wet from tears and her voice was cracked as well. "Why did you have to open that door." 
              It then dawned on me the amiss feelings I kept feeling from when we started to hang out, why there were no photos on this room, why her textbooks were on the living room shelves instead of her room, why there were old bruises that didn't look like came from school, why she was stubborn on not joining clubs. Not all the answer was there but I knew it was connected somehow. 
            When I was racking my brain, she let go of the two glasses, letting out a crash sound that strains the ear and before I was able to react, she had already put her hand around my neck. 

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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Chapter 30: Unexpected Family Visit II

"I'm so glad I get the chance to talk to you like this, anyway, go order anything you want, I'm sure it's not everyday you get to eat at such a fancy café."
            I forced out an awkward smile at Aunt Frey who was smiling happily at me. We were both sitting across each other, classical music resound at the background, while she was sipping a cup of espresso and me drinking an ice cocoa. We sat by the balcony, overlooking a great view one of streets of Ohio. 
            The traffic today might be the worst I've ever seen perhaps. The street was jammed pack with cars and motorcycle, the horns would have annoyed me if we hadn't sat at a 10 story balcony.

              Why I am with Aunt Frey? It started when I was waiting at the front gate, waiting for father as usual when an unfamiliar car stops in front if me. When she took down the window, I was surprised seeing her and told me to get in. I then heard from her that father got stuck on traffic so he had Aunt Frey who was working near here to accompany me until he picked me up. Right now, Aunt Frey is having me drink in a café at a famous hotel. 
            Honestly, I feel extremely awkward. Even though I know It's not good to have baseless prejudice against step-mother, it's hard to change the point of view I've had for so long. 
             While we keep staring at each other, rolling our eyes from time to time. The cake I ordered came, I ate it silently but I could see Aunt Frey's mood lifted when she saw me eating it happily. 
              When she did, a memory from the past was triggered. I remembered  she came by a couple of times before I was 5, she had a longer hair and didn't wear glasses then but her smile resembles her a lot, I always thought she was a rental maid though I didn't pay attention much. "I remember you" I uttered without thinking. Her face turned a lot happier when she knew I remembered her. 
            "I see you cut your hair"
            "Well, I've been wanting to have a new style, does it look weird"
            "I think your new style is better" 
             Before long, we both began to talk more naturally with each other, my chest relaxed from releasing the tension. 
              I'm also glad she's just as friendly as she was described. Well, she's one of the few people who could make Karen smile so I should have expected it. 
            As we began to talk a lot more, one question I thought at spur. I wanted to swallowed it up before I might regretted it, but my mouth just couldn't shut when needed.

             "What kind of person was your son?"

            The cup she was sipping was put with a clatter, some of her espresso ended up spitting off the cup. She looked taken aback then and conflicted the next. I immediately told her I was sorry on how rude I was and to forget what I said. 
            An awkward silent again fell on us. Even though I was never the type to blab……except for some cases, and now I regret what I said.  
            "His name was Elbert. He was, if I have to describe, he's a cheery kid. Too cheery actually. I could never see him stay at one place too long and he would often play outside and get new bandages everyday. I should be glad with that one aspect of his rather than having him glued to the screen inside just like kids nowadays, you know there's this one time…"
            She began to talk about Elbert with enthusiasm, about how he had jump off the second floor to the pool, how he had ridden the neighbor's bull dog for fun, there were funny and absurd stories of his that I couldn't help but laugh at every one of them. 
            What I couldn't understand how she is able to tell it so easily with a glee on her face. As if she was telling an old friend who she hasn't met for so long, but to her, it must've felt more precious. 
             I was late too noticed she had stopped talking and was looking at me with her glistened eyes. "If I think about it now, I might have been too focused on work that he would usually do such a stunt. If I had paid him more attention, maybe there was still a chance to save him. To think, as a doctor, I couldn't see my own son's illness." Her eyes started to dart down at her cup. Her fingers started caressing the cup as if to calmed her down. 
            There wasn't much I could say to her because I don't know what an appropriate comfort an 8 year old should say. In fact, the only feeling I had for her was not pity but admiration. Because I know, more than I could have ask, how it feels to lose someone important to you, I had then decided not to recall about them, erasing the sadness I had whenever I was alone. The only reason I could recall them now, was because I was able to meet them again in this life. 
            Yet she, without forgetting the guilt and the pain, she willingly tells me about the days she had with her son with a smile. I kept wondering in my mind what kind of strength she had in her, a strength I would never be able to achieve. 
            So instead of mere words, I decided to give her something that I'm sure will give her a peace of mind. I took a perfectly round green stone, I knew Aunt Frey's eyes glimmer even without me seeing it since she likes jades and anything of the like. 
            "Aunt Frey, do you want me to teach you a spell?"

#

 After Michael pick up Claudia, Frey finished her cup before she could ask the bill and went home. She immediately took a hot bath, letting the steam eased her fatigue. Water was dripping from her wet hair, she stood by the mirror to let her body cool down and wiped the blurry mirror.
             She covered herself with a towel and went to turn on the TV, she sat by the sofa with a bottle of wine she prepared before hand. The wide window that over looked the city gave an awed night view. 
            She looked at the city, knowing there was one house she would sometimes look out from here. An old memorable house that she couldn't stand to live in it, yet living in this apartment had proved she still had attachment. 
           Without any shows that give interest to her, she turned off the TV an turn her focus at the green stone glittering on her table. No matter how one looks at it, you would think it's just an ordinary stone.

            "This isn't just a stone," Frey recalled Claudia's words, "this is a.... Dream Stone, yes let's called it Dream Stone, anyway this is something I've heard but if you put this under your pillow while you chant a spell, it's possible to contact with the soul of the dead in your dreams."
             Frey laughed at her remark, but Claudia wasn't upset after foreseeing her reaction. "It's fine if you don't believe it, but I think your son has as much to say to you as you have to him." Her father then came for her so she left leaving the stone with Frey. 
            She couldn't really leave the stone as it's, one way or another, the first gift she gave to her. Now, because of her ridiculous description of the stone, she was hesitating for a bit. She wondered if it's human nature to rely on anything that could fulfil their wish. 
            Since she didn't felt anything wrong with trying, so without much expectation, when she got ready to bed she put the stone under her pillow per instruction.  She closed her eyes and said, [Lord of the Underworld, grant me your blessing and guide my soul to seek the truth]
            After saying it like a prayer, she went to sleep and experienced what she could never imagined. 
             Frey never went so sleep, to be more accurate, she never felt she had fallen to sleep. Her surrounding was dark and confirm her eyes weren't close. Exactly where was she, she kept on wondering.  
             A warm light blinded her and the next thing she knew, she was at the hospital where her son was admitted. She was startled and confuse, but all that was washed away when she saw her son, Elbert dozing on the bed with a pale face and many monitors surrounding the two. 
            There wasn't much time for him, yet nothing she could do other than staying by his side with both her hands covered his. She remembered this scene as if it was yesterday, the moment his condition was at its worst, Elbert began to turn blind and kept uttering how the lightning was scary even though he was in the room with the sun striking hot outside. 
            She kept holding back her tears while she kept herself by his side to make sure he knows she was here. Yet, when he asked to see her face, there was nothing to do but for the both of them to cry with that last wish left unfulfilled. 
            She had nightmares for a few weeks after his death, things have calmed down for her but now she didn't think she'd be dreaming about his last moment anymore. 
            She thought that the dream would not change ever since. However, there was a slight difference in it. With his supposed to be blind eyes, he looked straight at her with him holding her hand as tight as she hold his. There was a desperate clutch, trying the best she could hope to hold him down along with his life. 
            She knew it was pointless, but still while there was time, she wanted to spend his last moment while pouring out her love. She tried speaking but no voice, she even tried screaming but wasn't even able to feel the strain muscle of her throat. That is to be expected, because she is now only the image of her soul and a mere soul cannot do such a simple thing as conversing. 
            She was about to cry when she knew she couldn't tell her son anything. However, when she looked up, Elbert was standing and then came up to her while putting his arms around her.   
            She suddenly felt a burst of emotion flowing inside of her. It was full of love and gratefulness along with the memories they had together. She was hugging him back, hoping the same feeling would transmit to him as well.
            Her surrounding turns white and the two look up at the warm light above, Elbert smile one last time before he floated up in the sky. She wanted to hold him back, but she knew instinctively he was happier up there. So she let go and her sight went back to her room as she woke up at the sound of her alarm blaring across her ear. 
            She felt her face wet from tears and wondered about the dream she had, she then looked behind her pillow and found out that the green stone disappeared. She wasn't able to comprehend if that dream was real or not, but she felt part of the weight she had in her heart was loose and form into tears she had shed. 
              It's okay to assume you love me right?

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Chapter Unexpected Family Visit is dedicated to my brother who I never met, died at 5 years old because of a blood cancer and Also to my family, including my step mother. Unlike in the story the one who divorced was my parents and dad then remarried. Because he had 3 daughters, he never neglected us and support us along with my step-mother so my mom could live as a housewife. My step-mom doesn't have a child by the way so she treated the 3 of us as one. 

I want to show from this story that even when a family is not perfect or even wreck doesn't mean we can't stay happily as one. I would visit my step mom every week and love her as much as my own mom. 

Hope you enjoyed it, I have to say this chapter is the hardest chapter, especially when I tried to get the feels right.

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Wednesday, August 19, 2015

Chapter 29: Unexpected Family Visit

Time flew fast yet so many things happened these days. Uncle Steve came by a two weeks later, expressing his thanks to Beth for her consent. Nothing happened to her at the time thank God, and told us what happened after. We found out the kidnapper was called Jacob, he was wanted by the FBI, InterPol, CIA and many other organizations. That just shows how dangerous he was, but Uncle Steve was more concern on who apprehended him to that pitiable state and tip the police as well.
            Let's hope he'll never find the answer to that. 
            He also told us the police found where they ha confined the children which was the unused third floor of a hospital few blocks away from here. However, the shocking thing that happened was that the whole floor was gone. According to their investigation, the culprit had used some kind of Pressure Bomb. Though what I use resemble more of a large Nitrogen Bomb, but let's put that aside. 
            Though he didn't tell us, I'm sure Uncle Steve had also found a flash disk that the man named Jacob had when they found him. I don't know how important the content I stole, but It must be important enough that he would hid it from us. 
            More time has passed since then, the incident became a thing of the past and was left at the back of the people's memories and finally, I became a third grader. As usual I'm still stuck at Class 1, not that I have much complain since I don't have powers. However, I do have one complaint. 

            "That's great Eric, you were placed at Class 2, which means your rank got up."

              I said that with the biggest smile I could muster, but with his ability, I'm sure he realizes how I really feel. Eric wryly smile at me while holding my hand as he tried to comfort me. Even though I'm the older one, how pathetic that I had a child comforting me. 

             I can't help it. 

            Eric is really the only true friend I had in class, now I will really be alone. It's not like anyone is bullying me or anything, they just feel awkward and secretly annoyed how I, without knowing my own power, gets to be in their class. 

             Just thinking about it makes me want to cry, but it's not like I could hold back Eric, but still....
            "It's okay Claudia, I'm sure once you found out what your power is, you'll raise your rank in no time" 
            Such a kind kid, but Eric, I don't think I'll ever get my powers. I've been thinking why I wasn't able to achieve what I should have like the others, that I might know why I was deemed unknown. 
            It's because I can use magic. 
            If I think of it that way, it explains why I can't become an esper. If my brain expansion is used to wield magic instead of having ESP, then I'll have no choice but to give up being an esper. 
            "It's good if that ever happens." I wistfully said.

#

             Things became a little different at home afterward. Well, there's only one thing that became different. 
            When I got home, I heard the quick steps coming toward me. I saw a shadow looming on me, and I look up to see Galbraith jumping toward me. He succeed on pinning me down on the ground, so much that I could hear his tail wagging around. 
             Usually I'd be happy to have Galbraith getting attach to me, but  not this time. I held the fur on his head and pull him so I could shove his face to the floor. 
          "Didn't I tell you not to show yourself so blatantly, Galbraith is not your body!"
            Galbraith, or should I say something living inside him, was whimpering. No matter how cute the dog is, I won't be fooled, because I know how slick this spirit can be. 
            "Remember, act natural or I won't call out to you for a week Hod."
             The dog bark in respond and went back. I went my way toward my room and heard laughter from the dining room. Curious, I went toward the source of the voice and I found my mother having a great time chatting with another woman who was sitting opposite of her. 
            I felt that she was familiar, but I can't seem to recall. She had black short perm hair, a pair of glasses on, fair white skin, and round nose. She was wearing a white blouse, a long gray skirt and black pump shoes. 
            Our eyes unexpectedly met and I could see her eyes gleam when she saw me. My mother followed her gaze and realize I was home. "Claudia, welcome home, where's your dad?" 
            "Dad forget something in the office so he rushed back."

             Mom sigh while she muttered 'typical'. I turn my gaze toward the other the other person and asked who she was. The two didn't expect me to say this, seeing they were both surprised. "You don't remember me? You were small back then so I guess that should be expected. "
            So we had met before, I'm confident with my memory so I didn't expect myself that I would forget someone. I do feel she was familiar but I can't seem to remember her. 

            Just when she was about to introduce herself. I heard Beth's voice yelling 'Aunt Frey' and rushed to her lap. Karen followed behind and hug her after ripping off Beth from her. "It's good to see you again Aunt Frey, it's been three years." Karen let go of her so she could see her face. The woman called Aunt Frey, caressed Karen's face admiring her womanly features that was starting to show. 

            "I'm glad to know all of you looked well and healthy, and Beth, I heard about what happened, I'm so sorry I wasn't able to be with you." 

            Beth shook her head saying there's no need. Without knowing much who she was. Mother came up beside me and told me who she was. "She's your father ex-wife"

            Talk about throwing off a bomb! Are you saying the one who's in our house and talking merrily with you and my sister so lovingly is my step-mom! 
             I looked at her once more, when she noticed my gaze, she once more smile sweetly at me. Because I didn't know how to respond, I only smile awkwardly. 

            "By the way, I brought you all souvenir, hope you all like what I brought." She said that while she picked up a huge bag, she took out out souvenirs and another until the table was fill with odd gifts. "I had just finished work in Indonesia and bought a lot of interesting souvenirs from there, this one is a local mask from Papua, this one is a local short sword called Keris, although it's fake, this one is a...." 

            While she was explaining her souvenirs one by one, I wasn't able to quite catch her relationship with us. Putting that aside, why have I only heard of her now? Moreover, there's no way I would forget someone so significant.  Somebody please explain!!!!!

            "Here's a gift for Claudia, it's a bross made of pure silver I got for cheap in Jogja, I'm sure you like it." So she said and gave it to me. When she said it was made of pure silver, she wasn't joking. I could feel strong spiritual energy from it. I'd be lying if I said I don't like it. 

             When she hold my hand while giving me my gift, she held me firmly for a moment and when I look into her eyes, her eyes seemed glistened. She's not crying is she? Don't tell me she's that shock that I forgot about her? 

            After a while, she told us she was leaving and left just like that. "Her works made it hard for her to come by now these days, but in the past, from before you were even born, she would usually come over and play with the children." I would have never thought we have such a long history with her. 
           "Mother is that okay with you, since…you know…she's…"
            My mother laughed when she knew what I was getting at. "You'll understand when you're older" she said that before she prepared dinner. 
            Even though I want to retort that I wasn't far from your age but I guess there's no way of saying it.
           Before long, father came back, beading with sweats on his head. When he saw the many souvenirs, on the table, he let out an 'aaaahhh' sound before he asked if Aunt Frey was here. When dinner was ready, the family talked about Aunt Frey and how she had been doing these three years from what she told us. 

          Her name is Frey Owen, she seems to be a famous doctor, enough for her superiors had her send to many places, especially places like small villages and would be a way for at least half a year. 
            I wanted to ask what happened in the past that let's her be accepted in this family, because in a way, that is not an easy thing to do. My father might have read my face because out of the blue, he began to tell us a story. 
            "Me and Aunt Frey dated back in college, we got married right after graduation and we even had a son" 
            Again another bombshell, why haven't anyone tell me about this…oh wait, I'm still 8 years old, they might think I had been too young to know this story. Also, I might have misheard it, but did he just say he 'had' a son?
            "He died when he was only 9 years old, he was unlucky, he had a rare disease and by the time we noticed, it was already too late."
            Silent filled the room and only the sound of dishes being washed accompany the depressed mood. Father didn't stop there, "Our marriage didn't go through well after, we started blaming each other for every single thing, and she would be crying whenever I took my eyes of her. We both know that things couldn't work out so we decided to start a new, I married your mother and your Aunt Frey seems happy getting a high position at her job."
            "I've told this to your sisters so I'll tell this to you. No matter what happen in the past, the fact she's a family doesn't change so I hope you'll treat her as one." 
            There was a strict yet gentle tone in his voice, almost pleading maybe. Even after being separated, father still wanted to accept her as family, and he as someone who once swore to live the rest of his life with her. 
            "I understand" after that, the conversation ended.

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I did say I'll publish once a week, but it doesn't have to start this week right? 

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Monday, August 17, 2015

Chapter 28: The End of the Serial Kidnapping-----or is It?

The moment I saw the white ceiling when I first woke up, I knew I wasn't in my room. I know that since I had personally paint my whole room purple. There was something attached to my arms, is it an injection? Perhaps I am in a hospital? Other than the wall behind, I'm surrounded by a green curtain, there was a bottle of water, a fruit basket and vase full of different kind of flowers on the table beside me. Feeling hungry, I concentrate on the apple and had it move toward me.
            It hadn't move as smoothly as I imagined, I wonder if something happened with my ability. I look at my bracelet and was surprised that it looked it had been jacked. What's going in? when I thought that, I began to remember what happened. 
            I was sleeping with Claudia when suddenly someone came through the window, I was drugged and kidnapped. That Asian man, he took me somewhere where he kept some of the kids alive and then I....
            There were some parts of the memory I felt was missing, but decided to think about that after I get to my current situation. I heard a door swung open and someone coming toward me, the curtain was shifted and I saw Claudia, and behind were mom, dad, and Karen. 
            Claudia rushed at me like a bullet. Karen came toward the other side of the bed and hug me tight, that's rare, she never was the touchy sort of people, mom was holding back her tears, and dad tried to hide her crying face with a face of relieve. 
            Claudia seems to try hiding her crying face as she sniffled with her face on my chest. "I'm so glad you're okay" she said with her face still stuck on my chest. Somehow.... I made them worried, have I? My eyes began to feel warm and I realized I was tearing up as well, I didn't quite understand at first, but I guess I was half bursting out the pent up feeling when  I was alone with no one to rely, and was mostly relieve I get to see my family again. 
            So I hug both Claudia and Karen tight as I burst into tears, mom and dad followed and we all hug together.
#
 "I'm sorry to interrupt your heartwarming family gathering, but is it fine if I come in?" 
             All of us turn toward the door and found someone who I should have expected at this time. "Don't worry, you never were good at reading the mood so I had expected you to barge on our quality time, Steve....." 
             Dad gave him a sour expression as usual toward him. My uncle, Steven Roberson, brother of Michael Robertson, don't exactly get along with dad. As to why I had expected him to come, that's because his job is a police detective. A job very suited to a man who was 2 meters tall,a rough body comparable to those wrestler they showed on TV, and his signature shining bald hair. Well. the hair has nothing to do with his job, but anyone who looked at him can't help but notice his egg head.
            Sparks were flying the moment the two looked each other in the eye, none of us know exactly what happen that makes them get into each others nerve except for mom. It didn't stop uncle for regularly visiting us as he wants though, mysteriously he usually came up to us when dad wasn't around.
            He switched his focus from dad to me, I jolted when his eyes looks at me sharply. The eyes her usually have when he was looking at something related to work. He came closer and sat on a chair beside my bed. "It's good to see you in good health Elizabeth, I brought you your favorite Cheese layer cake."
            "With extra cream?" I asked, uncle smiled happily as he nod and I smiled back at him. "Uncle, it's okay to cut to the chase, you want to look into my memory isn't that right?" I felt bad when seeing my words wipe off the smile on his face. The happy air turned gloom in a flash. Really....since uncle is a family, they don't need to think too much about it.
             "Are you okay with that Beth, not only would I will look into your private life, I would also be making you remember some painful memory from then."
            Just as uncle said, having someone look into one's memories is considered one of the police's last resort when taking statement yet the most efficient, that's because looking at someone's private life isn't something anyone would just give consent, especially when they're strangers. Moreover having your memories read would result in remembering memories you might not want to remember. They're are even cases where one would get a mental breakdown when remembering traumatic events such as rape victims.
            "Elizabeth, don't be foolish, you know it's fine if you refuse and only take your statement."
            "But a child's statement isn't worth much in court right? Besides, if I don't do it, uncle might have to ask the other kids for theirs and that might leave a bad aftertaste, don't you think?"
             Uncle smile wryly at me, as if expecting for me to say that. "Your strong will reminds me of your mother over there." I smile when he pat my head while saying his praise, his hands was always full of warmth and kindness yet it had a mysterious burden weight on it.
             "Then I'm going work on the consent papers, but what do you parents have to say?"
             "I refuse to have her go through with it....it's what I like to say but...." my mom tucked her head and turn her eyes at me with a slight guilt on her face. Because she used to be a reporter, having chased stories and being a witness of countless events, she knows how important seeking out the truths is. That's why, she can't wholeheartedly stop uncle from pursuing the truth.
             "What about you?" uncle asked with an irritated tone, yet without getting riled up, dad pondered with a complicated look. Dad then came up to me while kneeling so he could look at me at the same eye level. "Beth, think of this one more time, these memories you experienced isn't something you could shrug off, it will haunt you for life, and not remembering would not cause harm to you or to anyone. Are you still insisting on this?"
            My dad's words weren't wrong, I can try to forget what happened and live life normally as if it never happened. However...
            "I'm doing it dad, if my memory could help put that man into jail or helps shed light to this incident, I'm willing to do it." I look at him straight in the eye, I wonder if my determined look got to him because dad had sigh in the end. "You're right about one thing Steve, she really is like her mother." my dad laugh,  I laugh, and the others laugh as well.
#
             When Beth determinedly decided to have uncle personally read her memories, I felt a strong admiration from inside me. Did something happen to her? Last time she had even lock herself in her room just so she wouldn't take the chance of meeting with that Asian man, yet why is she so determined now?
            Uncle Steve left with mother and father to work on the consent papers, Karen left early and the only one left was me and Beth in this small confined area. An awkward air loom on us, or maybe it's better to say I don't know what to say to her. I was angry at myself that I didn't stick to the promise I made, resulting in this mess. I was also angry how foolish I was at that time, thinking because no one knows about magic, I could win somehow even without having full pool of mana. My overconfident almost cost me my life, all though I didn't get to chance to use all my cards, it is still no excuse because the past and the present still have the same rule, 'Kill or Be Killed' and who knows what might happen later if he had won instead.
           Again, I was reminded how pathetic I was. Maybe because Beth saw my depressed look because she suddenly called out my name and ask what had happened while she was out cold. I then told her about how the Asian man was found unconscious in front of the police department. He was found in tatters and he had a face so pale, you would have thought he didn't eat for days. The most surprising thing was, there was an anonymous tip that said he was the culprit of the serial murder and kidnapping.
           The police took him custody and ask him some question, he answered them all too readily as if he had prepare the answer before hand. However, using Uncle Steve's ability, Memory Scanning. It was given no doubt that he was telling the truth, he added that all though he couldn't find any of his memories manipulated, he could find several traces of memory wiping instead. That's why, all though they know somethings like he had a client that was pulling the strings from behind, they couldn't find clues on his identity.
           Off course, they didn't disclose all what they found to the public but just the sure fact the serial kidnapping was over. "Is it really?" Beth asked with a heavy tone in her voice. I knew what she was getting at but I pretended not knowing what she meant. Beth told me what was on her mind that was similar to my idea as well. Even with the culprit caught, that would not stop the one pulling the strings from continuing his crazy plan and would just hire another kidnapper.
            I'm sure the police realized that as well when they looked into his memory, I thought everything would be over once he was caught, never imagined the culprit would take measures against Memory Scanning ability. Knowing I did the same makes me sort of guilty as well. It made me even more guilty when I know I used it on Beth as well so she would forget traces of me at the time. "Beth, I know it's late for me to say this but are you sure about this, don't you think you're also risking yourself as well in this."
            When I look at her intently, she suddenly snort in laughter while she told me this. "You know I had a weird dream," I tilted my head confuse on why she suddenly said that, but I kept on listening to her while she continued. "I was in an unfamiliar place with many unfamiliar faces surrounding me, yet I knew I had experienced my happiest and saddest moment with them. There were faces I never met yet it felt nostalgic seeing them." She turn from looking up at the ceiling to me, "I don't know why but at that dream and now, I feel like you took my hand and saved me both times, it's weird right?"
            "I remembered something else, there was a girl in my dream, she told me something along the line that I should live a life where I could love myself. I wonder why those words held so much meaning to me and gave me courage as well." I wasn't sure what she meant by that or what kind of dream she had. She held my hand and lean her head toward mine while looking at me as if observing my eyes, "Hey Claudy, we're sisters right?"
            I didn't get why she suddenly ask that, but I answered the obvious question and she smiled with the same childish smile I had long to see.
#
           "Interesting, interesting, interesting, interesting."
            The man kept on repeating that as he watched one of the surveillance tape he had  secretly put. He kept repeating with the same excitement as a child, with eyes widen almost popping out, his frail skinny body shaking, his gray hair that was partially bald was sticking out as if he hadn't took a bath for days, the man took out a pickled brain from the jar lay on the edge of the table and happily squeeze it, expressing how excited he was. 
            "Ice Manipulation, Warping Ability, Enhance Strength, for her to have so many abilities, how is that possible? For someone that defies logic and common sense to actually exist!"  
            The old man was fumbling the table, filled with jars, plates, and papers. The six monitors hanging on the air was the only light that shone the dark humid room, so one might need to concentrate the hidden tubes by the wall that had the fruit of his labor hidden inside and the shelves that procured his collection. 
             "I want her, I want her, I want her, want her, want her, want her." It took him a while before he realized the drool that was slipping from his dry lips. The room was filled with the sound of a mad man's laughter.

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I'm finally starting to start college, so I might update this novel about once a week seeing I'm busy and I'm aiming a scholarship, though I think it'd be hard to achieve that. My hard and fun college life is about to begin!

Thanks for reading, hope you like it, and watch your back Claudia! your life, is going to get much harder than that of a soap opera.

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