Axel Light Trilogy: Wands and Shield

Chapter 12-A

They had lunch at Marvellous Moods Café at Candleton Main Street. Axel knew that his day out was meticulously planned. From the casual clothes that MaxPol were wearing to the visit to his home and now, lunch at one of his favourite places. Even the booth that they were seated at was the most popular spot in the café.

He knew that Linden had wanted him to feel that life could be normal. He could go anywhere and do whatever he liked. He should not hole himself at home, doing nothing.

But he felt uncomfortable. He was conscious of people looking at him. Even though Linden, Stanley and Johnson were not in MaxPol uniform, people should have guessed that they were his bodyguards. It seemed like everyone in Stirling knew who he was. Some were trying to catch a glimpse of him, some pretended to look away when he looked at them.

Axel needed two cups of coffee. He was yawning as he ate, and he felt even sleepier after food. He had not slept since three in the afternoon, the day before; nearly twenty-two hours of staying awake.

Johnson had left the café for a moment while they were having some ice cream. She came back with a bouquet of cream-coloured roses. Axel's heart clenched at the sight of the roses, and he glanced at Linden and Stanley suspiciously.

'Where are we going after this?' asked Axel warily, 'Aren't we going home?'

Linden gave him a warm smile, 'We are going to your parents' graves. You should give them a proper farewell. You did not manage to, at the funeral.'

Axel shook his head fervently.

Linden sighed, 'You will be starting your training tomorrow and you will be using your wand. You need to be at peace. You need closure.'

Axel stared at the empty coffee cup that he had cradled in his hands in front of him. He did want to use his wand – he could not wait. He was afraid to use it too, afraid that he might cause harm. Did he nearly destroy Million Wands because he was not at peace?

Linden was right. He would not be at peace until he had accepted that his parents were no longer around and until he had accepted that his parents had sacrificed for him, and he must not waste their efforts.

He must live his life to the fullest, like his parents had written in the letter.

He looked at Linden and gave him a reluctant nod.

They had Translocated to the cemetery. Axel must had looked sleepy and tired, that they had decided not to 'take a stroll'.

Axel clutched at the bouquet of roses as he tried to keep up with Linden. Johnson had stood guard by the entrance, while Stanley had stopped at the junction of rows of graves. Linden beckoned Axel to follow him down a lane flanked by tombstones, which to Axel, they all looked the same. If he had not been so sleepy, he might had been freaking out or feeling the creeps. But he was focused on keeping his feet on the ground and the flowers in his arms – shutting out everything else.

Linden had suddenly stopped on his tracks and Axel bumped into him.

'Sorry...' muttered Axel, as he let out a yawn.

'Someone was here,' said Linden coldly.

Axel gasped and looked at where Linden was pointing at – a vase of red roses in front of a lilac tombstone. Linden gripped at Axel's arm and led him to the lilac tombstone. Axel stood in front of it, and it was his mother's photo – the same portrait at the funeral.

Natasha Wyndham

He stood rooted, staring at his mother's photo, his eyes wide. He was no longer sleepy. He gripped tightly at the tissue papers that wrapped the bouquet. But not as tight as Linden's gripped on his arm.

'Commissioner... Linden...' said Axel distractedly.

Linden had stared intently at the red roses in front of his mother's tombstone, and he was now glancing around the cemetery wildly. He then muttered into his badge urgently. Axel caught Stanley's name and 'entrance' and 'Veldor'...

Axel glanced around too, wondering what Linden was looking for. He caught a shadow behind some trees at the edge of the cemetery. Some tombstones by the edge had patches of grass where some trees were planted, probably to provide some shades to the stones or visitors. He stared at the shadow for a while, and the shadow seemed to be staring back at him.

His key felt warm, and it fluttered. His heart raced.

Axel dragged his eyes from the shadow, back to his mother's photo. Was she trying to talk to him, again?

'Axel, you can place the roses in between your Mom and Dad,' said Linden, his voice sounded tensed.

Axel glanced at the tombstone on his mother's left and saw his Dad's photo with his name, Edward Light underneath it. Like his Mom, his Dad's photo was the same as the one in the funeral.

He took a step to stand in between their tombstones and placed the bouquet between them. He sank his knees to the ground, right in front of their graves. His eyes darted between his Mom and Dad's photos interchangeably.

This was all they were now – photographs and memories.

His heart sank to the pit of his stomach and his key had gone cold.

'Dad. Mom. It's me,' whispered Axel, his eyes were burning.

He tried to control his tears. He did not want to tear anymore. Not in front of his parents. He must show them that he had grown up, that he was alright, that he could take care of himself. He should not let them worry about him. Not in their graves.

'I don't understand everything that had happened,' said Axel, trying hard to level his voice, 'But I know that everything that you had done, was for me. I don't know why, and I don't deserve it.'

He had to pause to take a deep breath, to stop himself from choking in his own tears.

'I thought I had been in a dream,' he continued woefully, 'but I think this is too real now to be a dream. I must wake up from it. And I will.'

Axel had to use his left hand to wipe the tears on his face, because Linden was gripping at his right arm so tightly that he could not use it. He adjusted the bouquet of roses that he had placed hastily earlier. He wished he had brought a vase, like the person who had placed the red roses for his mother. He wondered who that was. Maybe the person had left a name? He reached out to touch the vase.

'Stop,' said Linden curtly as he gripped at Axel's arm even tighter, 'Don't touch it!'

'Ouch! My arm...' muttered Axel.

Axel stood up slowly as Stanley and Johnson came running up to them. When they were nearer, Axel saw that they looked panicked, and they were shaking their heads.

'Negative,' said Stanley, 'We did not see anyone.'

'There was someone behind the trees,' said Linden, pointing at the trees, but not at the same ones that Axel saw the shadow.

'I saw someone there,' said Axel, trying to be helpful.

Their eyes darted towards the tree that Axel was pointing at, which was a lot nearer to them than the ones Linden had pointed at. They turned to look at Axel grimly.

'He was looking at... us,' said Axel, uncertainly.

He wanted to say, 'at me', but he had a feeling that Linden might freak out.

'Stanley, I want Forensics here ASAP to dust the area, the red roses and the vase,' said Linden grimly.

'You mean, it's not from my parents' friends or someone...' asked Axel surprised, though, he too started to panic.

It had not crossed his mind that there might be enemies lurking behind those trees earlier. He thought a kind neighbour, or an old friend had placed the flowers for his mother. Someone who knew her because of the roses.

'It might be, or it might be an Elite as well. We don't know but we must remain vigilant,' said Linden grimly as he looked at Axel attentively, 'And I am glad that you had finally, woken up from your dream.'