Fall Is Beautiful

Chapter 6: A tearful goodbye

I felt beads of sweat drip down my face, even through the cold. Hina has gone too far with this. This morning, just 15 minutes ago, I woke up with Jafar no where to be seen. Hina had been sitting outside the car, smoking a cigar out in the cold. I opened the door, feeling frost already biting at my nose.

"Where's Jafar?" I had asked. Hina let out a puff of smoke before responding.

"Had him go out on his own for a while. Hasn't come back in an hour." I blinked. He couldn't be serious now, could he? Hina would never put our lives in danger like that- never! I wanted to deny it, to say that it wasn't true. He wouldn't go this far. So far as to have Jafar go out in a literal snow storm by himself.

"Y-you're joking, right?" I mumbled, shivering over the cold. Hina hadn't seem fazed in the slightest by the freezing temperatures. How'd he survive in this weather? Hinahoho kept staring out at the foggy white morning, the sun barely peaking out from the clouds.

"No."

I rushed back inside the car, searching for any sign that Jafar was still inside. This had to be a prank, some kind of trick he got Hina into playing with him. "Come out Jafar! This isn't time to be playing games!" I yelled, only to be met with cold silence. Oh my god... I threw the blankets all around the car, hoping, praying. I didn't find anything. Tears welled in my eyes as I stopped, dropping to the floor of the car. I tried to hold it in, my sobs, but all that did was make me cry harder. "AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" I banged my fists against the cars floor, hitting them over and over and over again and again and again. I threw my head to the floor, hitting it so hard I was sure I got a concussion. "WHY CANT I PROTECT ANYONE I CARE ABOUT?! AHHHHHHHHHH!"

...

There had been no sign of Vittel, the name Jafar had given the doll I made him. That must've meant that my brother had taken it with him. I could only hope I'd find him before I died or he died. I'd left Hina after snapping at him. The words of our conversation echoing in my mind still.

"Why did you let him leave?!"

"It was for training."

"Hina, what part of 'going off on your own' sounds like training to you?! That's my little brother out there in the cold and I'm going to find him! Without you."

"Sin-"

"Shut up. I don't ever want to see you again, YOU HEAR?! Leave or stay here I don't care! Take the car, leave it, it doesn't matter. Once I find Jafar, we're leaving you behind."

I don't regret anything I said. Hina had gone too far with this one. I know he was trying to make me control my furry so I wouldn't blow up the car or something but... Jafar's a kid! He shouldn't be off on his own like this!

I stepped forward, snow and ice crunching under my feet. Wind and frost gathered around me, and I had to summon a light fire from my palms to keep myself warm. It only lasted for a second, before it spiraled out of control and I had to throw it at the snow. That's when I got the idea. I started building up a small fire in my hands, then when it started to become unstable, I'd throw it at the snow. It released a lot of my frustrations, my fears, my guilts.

My tears felt like icicles now. I didn't know where I was. Last time we had stopped in a town we were in Massachusetts, near New York. Maybe I'd be entering a city soon. I hoped I did.

My mind had started to race, blood running from my ears and nose. I wiped away at my nose, hissing. Damn this. I had to find my brother, I had to make sure he was safe.

"Sin?" It was a faint whisper, but loud enough that I could hear. My head whirled around to where I heard the voice, and saw him. He stood there, Vittel in his arms, the wind almost blowing off its head. He looked completely fine, his nose was a little red, sure, but he was ok! I ran to him, wrapping my arms around his small frame.

"Jafar! Thank god you're ok!" Arms never came around me, and I guessed it was because he was carrying Vittel. I recoiled from the hug, resting my hand on Jafar's cheek. "You seem to be fine, maybe a little cold. We should get you somewhere warm-"

"Why'd you leave me?" The question made me pause. I looked at my brother with concerned and confused eyes. His eyes only met mine with dullness.

"I- I never left you, Jafar- I never wanted this to happen-" Suddenly, Jafar's face was frosted over, the dull eyes becoming dead as he dropped Vittel to the snow. He seemed lifeless.

"You left me. And now I'm dead. You promised you'd protect me." Tears flooded out of my eyes like waterfalls. Was this some kind of prank...?

"No... I..."

"Admit it, you failed. You weren't strong enough to save me. And now I'm suffering because of it." I dropped to the ground, wailing.

"I'm sorry! I'm so sorry...! I didn't mean for any of this to happen-! If I'd just been stronger- I could've protected you and Serene and Shar and Lay and Yam! I could've protected all of you!"

...

"Do you have him?" The girl, a mask covering her face, warm clothing covered over her to protect her from the cold, asked. The other, another girl with the same attire, nodding, her fingertips softly touching the tip of the boy's head.

"Yes. He's completely vulnerable." She said, and the other girl nodded.

"Good, take him to the truck with the others. This should be enough for our release."

"I suppose. But I feel bad for making other children suffer."

"Don't feel bad, sister. If they were so weak to get themselves caught by us then it's their own fault." The girl started tying a rope tightly around the boys arms, tears falling from his drowsed eyes.

"Sis, do we happen to also grab a boy with white hair, by any chance?" The other girl released her hold on the boy, stepping back. He toppled over, dead asleep.

"No. Is that someone close to this boy?" The girl asked, lifting the boy up over her shoulder. She grunted as he was heavier than some of the other kids, but stabilized.

"Yes. I manipulated the boy's heart into thinking that the strange white haired boy blamed him for everything. I hate this gift."

"You are a mere orange, sister. I am only a blue. Please do not wish hate upon yourself."

"I wish hate on only those that choose hatred and violence over purity and love."

"Good, good. That is how it will always stay."

...

I woke up in a truck, my head fuzzy. It took me a moment to recall what had happened. Once I did, I let out a choked cry. Jafar's dead... he blames me... oh god... oh god...

"Hey, newbie." Someone hushed from my left. I looked up from my hands, seeing a boy dressed in muddled clothing. How was he still alive in this weather with those clothes? He didn't even have shoes. "Rule in the truck is no crying. If they see you cry, you're put in the cellar for a week." I gulped, my hands traveling back down to my knees. "Wait- Sinbad?" It was then that I remembered that deep voice. My eyes shot up back to him, and now that I was trying to focus, I could see now.

"Drakon?!"

4 chapters...... let's goooooooo!!!!!

This chapter was a little shorter than usual but I promise they'll get longer as they go on.

Also, I cried while writing this. :)