The Day She Fell

Chapter 2: Confused

The sky seemed sad today, it was strange how a collection of gases could seem almost human. Maybe because we are all just compounds of elements. Callan sat beside me on the weathered rooftop while a light drizzle misted our faces and arms in the early twilight. I had taken off the baggy sweatshirt covering my loose black T-shirt before I left.
"I really hope he was the right person." he told me.
"Well if I was wrong we're both screwed." I responded.
"Got that right." he mumbled.
We fell silent and I brought a hand up to my eye to trace around the surfboard-shaped scar. I had gotten this one in a fire three years ago. I tried not to scar my face too much for fear of never being able to cover it up. While I could cover the other scars on my face with makeup, I could only cover the one around my eye with the hair I rarely cut. Oh well, I hid that eye anyway to conceal my heterochromia. I had cut my hair only three days ago with a pair of scissors I found in the discard bin. It had been nearly down to my waist and had grown cumbersome; and while it looked a little choppy now, it was better than before. Though it still surprised me when I ran my fingers through it and it stopped short, or when it tickled my neck whenever I moved.
"Regret cutting it?" he asked me.
"Eh, I'd rather be able to move without tearing out my hair."
"You didn't have to cut it so short you know." he eyed a piece precariously tucked behind my ear.
"I wanted it as short as possible so I don't have to cut it for a few years."
He nodded, "I see." We fell silent for a time and stared at the darkening clouds.
"It'll rain soon, we should head back inside." I said.
"You can go," he told me, "I'll stay here until he wakes up.
I glanced at him before sliding across the worn shingles onto the pile of crates we climbed to get up to the roof. Once I was back inside I sat back down on the barstool I had vacated earlier. It made a small screeching noise on the floor due to my rough plop onto the seat, moving it a centimeter to the left. I ignored the chair and stared at the man I had lain on the floor. Now that I took a better look at him, I could see the discreet muscle lining his arms. It was a bit strange we were so similar.
I looked down at my lightly-haired and delicately-muscled forearms. Releasing a short sigh I ruffled a hand through my hair again and consequently remembered it was shorter. A serene smile crossed my face and I moved to the back room where there was a couch I could lay down on.
The material on the furniture felt as light as the soft drizzle of rain I had vacated, and before I knew it I was asleep. I had been awake for two days straight so it wasn't surprising. I really needed to remember to sleep, I was so busy I forgot until I sat down on this couch. So I let myself drift off. Callan was still around anyway, so if Eli woke up he would take care of it.

-

I awake on the floor of the bar now warm courtesy of my body heat. I debate letting the girl know I am awake as she walks toward where I presume some sort of back room is. But I let her walk and stayed still as I tried to keep my breathing even. Where's her brother? Could I get out of here unnoticed?
I decided to follow her and see what she was up to after a heated debate in my head. She could be in trouble, and I haven't seen anyone else but her walk in or out of the room. I gently shift onto my knees, wincing as I inspect my face and find one of my eyes has since become blackened and sore, my jaw bruised, and my lip cut. I find a crust of dried blood on the edge of my bottom lip and clean it off with a finger. Standing up carefully so as not to pass out a second time, I start walking towards the path she took. Then what she said before I passed out hits me.
'Orphaned at 14... Want you to help me' What did she mean by all of that? How did she know about my parents? And that burn on her face wasn't from baking cookies. I got the distinct feeling I shouldn't underestimate her. What was her name again? I forgot. I realized with a light sigh, I would have to ask her again. Damn my terrible memory.
I continued walking toward the back of the building and walked in on the girl sleeping on a plush black couch that reflected the light from the desk lamp someone had turned on. Her brother was still nowhere to be seen. He never even told me his name for me to forget.
I paused at the entrance to the room, unsure of what to do if she was sleeping. Now that I thought about it, there had been light purple bags under her eyes as I was talking to her. I didn't notice them because her skin tone was so near pure white they blended in a bit too well. How often does she get to sleep? She's a sixteen year old girl I presumed lived here, in a bar where she couldn't legally be.
Her brother was a nutcase too. How does he own this place if he's so young? Twins. I remember. This was too strange, I had to know what was going on.
So despite all of my instincts screaming at me to run as far as I could I sat at the desk at the right of the space and waited for her to wake up.

I was going to be respectful and not go through the stack of papers on the desk but my curiosity got the better of me. I took the top file and carefully unfolded it. It was empty.
I tried the next file, and the next, and the next. All were empty. I had looked through almost all of them and the pile was dwindling. Then I saw something sticking out of a file near the bottom. I pulled it out and it only added to my confusion.
It was a rather large envelope, I couldn't find a sending or return address on it. I sucked in a bit of breath too small to be called a gasp but still audible. The seal on the letter was broken and the items inside intact. I took out the contents carefully, like there was a ghost sleeping in the package. There were four items, three of them were passports. I opened one and recognized the girl's brother in the photo. His hair was cropped short, revealing pierced ears. I looked at his name. Cadmus DeFord. I would have to remember that. I opened the next passport, it was someone I've never seen before. Female in stature with thick dark brown curls tied back behind her shoulders in a ponytail. Her skin was a warm shade of brown and not being able to smile must have been difficult for her. The corners of her mouth looked like they were being forced down. Asha Waters, that seemed to be her name. The third one belonged to the girl. Tiffany Loknare, it said. Neither of those names seemed familiar so I had to assume the names on passports were fake, or the name she gave me was fake. And who was that other girl?
I placed my elbows on the desk, head in hands until I decided I wanted to know more and opened the last item in the envelope. It was a letter addressed from somewhere in Athens, Greece.
I gently unfolded the paper, as if it would catch fire if I moved too fast, and read it to myself.

Dearest Laina,
Sorry to only write to you now, I am afraid the news I bring is equally as terrible as the previous letter entailed. Trysdale has fallen to the goldbloods, refugees are fleeing to our kingdom in waves. They are coming here next, I am afraid I will not be able to see you ever again. I know you're in dire straits at the moment, but if we are not reinforced we will fall within the month. The sky has turned grayer and grayer without your presence. Your people are still behind you, regardless of the past. Let them help us to a future where -
I hadn't heard the small rustle of her getting up, I only noticed her when she grabbed my shoulder, pulled me back roughly, and yanked the paper out of my hands.
"I'll have Callan watch you if you can't keep your hands to yourself." It was an evident threat, but I noticed a slight quiver of her lip as she put the contents of the envelope back.
"I'm sorry." I was shocked that she was showing such blatant emotion, what did the rest of that letter say?
"A simple sorry does not excuse your every action." there was a rim of tears forming around her eyes now.
I froze at the accusation in her voice as her lips quivered. Sympathy would not get me anywhere with this girl.
"Who wrote that letter?" I already put one foot in the grave by opening that letter, I at least want some information out of this.
"You don't understand, could never possibly understand her existence even if I wanted to tell you," her voice had hardened and her lip stiffened, "It doesn't matter now anyway."
"Well it obviously matters if you're crying about it." The words came out more defiant than I expected, she flinched.
"Oh, you are such an absolute idiot." Another person came into the room, her brother, "You think you're the only one who's been hurt?" he put an arm around Laina and led her out of the room. Leaving me with too many questions and no exit if I wanted the answers to them.