A Murder and a Stolen Heart

East and West

Chapter Three

I wake up to someone shaking me. I groan and slowly open my eyes. It's Larkson. My eyes fly open all the way. “What are you doing?!” I exclaim, quickly backing away.

He sighs. “Just follow me.”

I get up and yawn. Mornings aren't 'my thing'. I notice Larkson watching me with an amused expression on his face. “What?” I ask. He smirks, “Nothing. Now let's get going.”

I follow him without a word. I realized that there is no point in asking him where we are going because he won't tell me. So I walk next to him in silence, staring ahead with a grim expression. About twenty minutes later he looks over at me, “You don't talk much.” He smirks.

I snap. I just watched my best friend die, had to go to her funeral after finding something fishy about her death, met the guy I once thought of as my best friend, get thrown over an electrical fence, only to get caught by this arrogant guard.

I turn to him, “Okay what is your problem? I just found out my best friend was MURDERED among other things! Being stuck with a jerk of a guard for a full night hasn’t really helped the situation, and you expect me to talk?”

He sighs, “I'm trying to help you! Some thanks I get!”

 I just look at him, “That's your problem. You act like life owes you something!” He just grins and stared back challengingly, “Yeah? Well you’re too judgmental. That’s your problem.”

 I open my mouth to respond, but snap it back closed. He's not worth it, I tell myself. Just ignore him. I walk on in silence.

A few hours later we arrive at an old, small building. I am so tired I just sit down on the steps and collapse. Larkson smirks. I'm annoyingly getting used to that smirk. I lift up my head, “Are you gonna tell me what we are doing here? Or do I have to guess?” He sits down on the edge of the steps.

“You’re gonna be staying here.”

I snap my head up, "_What?!_" 

He sighs, “Calm down. You want to find out what happened to your” - his eyes soften- “Best friend, right?” I nod. “You can stay here when you’re not out investigating. And I will come visit once in a while.” I raise my eyebrows. He rolls his eyes, 'I'm a guard it's kinda my job.'

“I thought your job was to make sure no one crosses the fence?” I ask, score one for me!

He shifts uncomfortably, "This is different. That's why I have to watch out for you. It's not my choice."

"We all have a choice," I say.

He smiles wryly. “Well, I don't... If you knew who I really was then you would understand.'"

I decide not to say anything in return and wrap the coat around me tighter. I watch as Larkson lights a fire in the center of the dingy room.

"So..." I attempt to make conversation. "You gonna tell me what this place is?

He doesn't reply right away, but instead focuses on adding a few more twigs into the flame. "It was my mothers work shack." He finally says. I wait for him to say more, but he just continues to stir the flames with a branch.

"Ah," I nod slowly. "And.. I take it she found a better- ?"

"She's dead." He cuts me off shortly.