Petals For Brains | Number Five Book II

CHAPTER 2: From Hazel and Agnes With Love🌼

It was November 25th of 1963, when Five finally found himself in the shabby alleyway from where the rest of his family dropped into. Before he could even assess his surroundings, he looked to his side, fully expecting to meet the green orbs he'd always loved, eyes that could only belong to his sweet Ellie. To his absolute terror, she wasn't there. No flowers, no green eyes, no warm smile. He would have been better off if he had seen the familiar dazed look on her face. But she wasn't, and he could feel the dread bubbling up inside of him, he was alone and so was she. He looked up at the portal above him, hoping that it would spit her out at any moment, but she did not come, only the electric blue spasming staring back at him as if in mocking. The hope inside of him slowly dissipates as he notices the portal collapsing in itself. Anxiety began to set in, his breath began to labour, the only thought in his mind was being able find her as quick as possible.

Before he could think any further, an orchestra of violent booms distracted Five from his own thoughts. So loud that they left him with the annoying ring in his ears that he could swear almost drowned out another set of the deafening reverberations happening a couple steps from the alley. Then he heard the voices, prompting the young man to turn around, running toward the street to witness the destruction taking place. Soldiers and civilians alike were scattered around the block. Many were injured, laying waste upon the pavement, many more rushing in holding guns that seemed to get progressively bigger with every group that passed. They were shooting at something that Five could not see, but he was sure that it was way more formidable than anything they have put up against it so far with the state of things.

His nostrils flared, itching at the distinct smell of gunpowder and the irony smell of blood. The assassin that he was could care less, it was in fact a part of the job, but nevertheless it made his skin crawl. He looked around, sea green eyes raking across the familiar area, he knew right away.

Dallas looked like shit. It was as if a bomb was dropped right into its heart reducing it to this war ridden rubble, and it was probably one of the things that happened. Five could barely even register one of the soldiers yelling right at him to get away, his mind racing, wondering what is it exactly he was looking at. He eventually found a little piece of paper beneath his own feet, the headline written on it worsening the already heavy dread lodged in his stomach. "This can't be right." he mutters to himself, looking towards the scene in front of him once more.

He looked at the soldiers who lay hopeless on the concrete, huge wounds allowing thick crimson blood to stain it, many, if not most of them lay gasping with limbs contorted in abnormal directions. "What did we do now?" he asks, gasping out before a tank close to him released a missile, the sheer power of its ejection throwing Five off his feet, sending him a couple of yards into a pile of even more rubble. Dazed from the impact, the boy found himself enthralled by the weapon, eyes following it towards a target anticipating the giant explosion, only for him to see a familiar figure.

Vanya. Floating a couple feet off the ground, skin pale, glowing in a ghostly white, her powers encasing her in what looked like a bubble of pure energy. She looked like she had that night in the theater, white eyes and all. She held up her hands towards the impending missile hurtling towards her, making it stop midair. The ripples of energy she emitted looked almost peaceful, the illusion breaking at a single wordless command from the petite woman, the giant bullet breaking into shards in front of her.

Below her was Klaus. His hair was now brushing the top of his shoulders, his beard ever thicker than the last Five had seen his brother. The séance advanced, eyes dilated, hinting at his concentration. Before one of the soldiers could even touch him, Klaus thrusts his palms forward signaling a troop of misty beings to charge. They looked harmless as they walked through Klaus, but definitely proved fierce as they slashed incoming enemies dead.