Ashes of Vile

04

CHAPTER FOUR
What-ifs

Lilac Evergreens had a motherly personality, taking willfully the bargain of caring for those around her for just the company in return. She liked being around people, and sometimes she gets carried away and starts bossing people. But she never refused to be called out if her behavior reached too far. She may look like a person you'd have to tolerate, but once you truly dive deeper into a world with Lilac Evergreens you would begin to grow an understanding that she is a one-of-a-kind you need in your life. It was only natural since she took care of her family members. Cassidy and Lilac never explored the topic further, leaving it at that. All Cassidy knew was that Lilac takes care of her younger siblings. There were no parental figures in the Evergreens family so Lilac took the burden and stepped up. After all, every family needed one.

For the Idgen family tree, on the other hand, it seemed to have dispersed into nothingness and transformed into the void itself. Cassidy was not the one who stepped up, not that she could, she was the only standing Idgen left. So she grew to really appreciate Lilac's presence in her life.

Initial perception drove people to think Lilac Evergreens was ordinary, just one of the many bunches of light hairs known as a blonde. But that was untrue because her hair since she had been a young girl was strawberry, although it is not as near bright and obvious red as it had been, the hue was there except its saturation nowhere. It did not delight Lilac to know she was standardized as different just because of a little thing. It upset Cassidy, as it had been one of her favorite features of Lilac, she said it was easy to spot her in a crowd. Lilac only grumbled in response and replied, "You are lucky you're small, I would've tackled you then and there."

Lilac Evergreens and Cassidy Idgen left their 'quarters' to head to the post office as Lilac had something extremely important to do. They had a mutual understanding and there was never any need for an extended invitation for Cassidy to know when Lilac wanted to go to places with her. It was like telepathy, they understood each other in just glances or indirect speakeasy. However, that day was different, as Cassidy was not free to leave her captive's watch. But Lilac had managed to convince him.

The taint of sinister taunted the streets of Ashgrim. The break-in was made public, arrests were unwarranted, the interrogation was supplementary, and secrecy was no longer an option. The watchmen came knocking door to door, and the details as to what they did next was a hush. They had not reached Cassidy's street yet, but the whispers and rumors had arrived quicker than lightning. So Cassidy and Lilac took the opportunity to stop by and quickly get clothes and all of Cassidy's needs from her room when on the way to the post street. The streets were empty, an unusual sight for Ashgrim. Cassidy and Lilac walked the streets in an illusion of saints, enraging from the upbringing of dust settling and wind stopping. The march of the watchmen was distant yet so loud and truly antagonizing.

The two muffled their breaths and sauntered slowly and quietly. They had been walking towards the same direction of the watchmen's route, and they would be bound to get caught if they were not careful. Lilac seemed to be at peace as she walked, although fully aware it was not a good the decision to be walking empty silent streets knowing well enough there was a reason why. Silence is danger. One shouldlearn that before they could talk. Cassidy struggled to keep her thoughts in place. There would be nothing the watchmen could have against her if they were to go on a full force of accusations on her, but she did have something to be guilty about. She knew there was not just one group of outlaws who break in illegally into the lawful building, and she was a part of it.

Lilac held her breath as they got closer and closer to the sound of people. People who shared the same mind and goal, to follow the Valkyrie's orders and pay no mind to their own moral compass if they had one. The post office was in sight however so were the watchmen. Their breaths hitched and they hurried their pace toward the post office. The area was dim and there were no working or strolling people. It felt like a ghost town and it certainly was not a good feeling. Lilac pushed the glass door open quickly and pulled Cassidy beside her and pushed themselves down to duck behind the printed paint that covered the bottom floor of the post office.