Monochromatic

Chapter 26

Freedom

I broke my promise two days after I made it. I had to return, I had to know the truth, I wouldn't be able to sleep well until I did. Azoria showed me a little trick before she left out that morning. She called it a 'self-defense' tactic, only to be used in emergencies.

"Flick this to reveal the blade, but be careful, it is sharp and it will hurt you as much as your attacker if not used properly," She began, but I couldn't focus past that.

I couldn't help but stare at it, the slender figure, the sharp tip of the blade; it scared me, yet I was too curious to refuse my sister's gift. Azoria entrusted me with the pocket knife, putting the blade away and dropping it into my hands.

"And remember Freedom, never use that unless it's absolutely necessary!"

And then, she was gone.

I watched my sister run out and disappear behind the trees and down the corner, then I took the time to further analyze the dangerous foreign object entrusted to me. Flicking the side the blade shot out, slightly cutting the rough skin that covered my poorly put finger. I didn't bleed, I was used to hurting myself like this and my body developed a resistance to this.

'I can use this if someone tries to stop me again, but what did my sister say was the defense tactic?

There was no time to think about that now, the more time I wasted sitting there the less time I had to investigate before my sister returned. Scrambling around the house I packed the plastic bag I had with a few necessities I might need on the way. I kept the knife and my directional device on hand. With that, I left the house, traveling the same trail I had last time. It was too quiet, and for once, I felt alone.

'No one's around today huh?'

I didn't know I should have been worried or relieved, and no matter how curious I was to know why the girl was gone, I had a job to do, and I couldn't turn back. That horrid mysterious stench finally hit my nose, I was there.

I walked into the vacant building as quietly as possible, analyzing the environment for anything familiar. Not daring to shut the door out of fear the coming through it elongated my shadow only adding on to my terror. It wasn't like me to be this scared. I was usually alone, I explored places like this all the time, nothing has really changed, so why was my heart thumping out of my chest? Why did I have such a strong urge to turn back?

'No! I have to do this, no matter how painful it is!'

The faint familiar smell of bleach and blood hit my nose as I entered the hall. There was old paint covering the deeply embedded scratches on the wall, and the further I went, the more horrid the stench became. Nonetheless, I didn't turn back, how foolish of a mistake that was.

The ground crumbled beneath me, shards of broken glass pierced through the calluses of my feet causing sharp pains to almost crimple me for a few seconds. Nevertheless, I remained calm. At last, I found a room I felt was familiar; it had the haunting scent within it. The smell only got stronger as I opened the door. The suspense and fear ate at me further the longer I hesitated to go in. There were no windows, no source of light. I had to feel my way around, and more than enough times did I grip on to chilly air. Before I could hold my breath, I tripped over something and hit my head on the wall ahead of me. It was a box, a dusty and brittle thing which I felt I had no choice but to open. There was a flashlight inside, and an old, unlocked book. There was a picture on the front page of a woman and a baby, the head of the woman torn off, and the baby clinging on to the woman's shirt in her arms. The child didn't look happy, his face was pretty blurry but I could tell he was crying. His eyes were tightly shut, and his mouth was wide open. He also appeared a lot smaller than I'd imagine, the size of a full-grown kitten really. The majority of the woman's body was covered in white, and the arms that held the infant seemed frail and torn. I could feel the sad expression of the woman's missing head. I was surprised by the condition of the picture and the book it was kept in; it didn't look as if it was in that box long. I felt as if someone intended for me to find this picture, like it meant something from my past; I flipped around in the book but there was nothing else.

The floors creaked outside the room making the hairs of my body stand. The footsteps obviously coming towards me sent me hurrying for cover. I dropped everything, hiding in the quickest and darkest place I could find hoping for a miracle.

"I know you're there Freedom, it's about time you came." The voice echoed as it approached the room.

He appeared as a silhouette, only making him scarier. I wasn't supposed to be there, but how did he know my name? I whipped out my pocket knife only for it to be taken from me. The man approaches me knowing exactly which corner I hid.

"I'm too old for this..." he groaned

He took my knife, then held a sharp object to my neck.

'Why am I becoming so dizzy...'

Libia

It was silent, too silent; the air was humid but the ground was cold. I couldn't scream if I wanted to, there was a gag in my mouth, but for some reason the situation didn't seem as hostile as I imagined it to be. My eyes were covered by some sort of tape I assumed from the feeling, but a little bit of light shined through. I was on a poll?

"See? I told you this would be amusing to watch!" A feminine voice uttered laughing.

"Or you just wanted to see a little girl on a poll," A masculine voice sighed unamused, "one of your-"

"Oh hey Libi! You're awake at last!"

"And, where am I?"

The female made a dramatic gasp at my response, the male simply groaning at us both.

"But hun aren't you going to ask us who we are? Or do you really want to get down to business!"

"Z she's a child!" the male outburst.

"So?!"

While they argued I began trying to free myself like any sensible person would do, but to no avail. I had no time for this! Rave needs me! He needs me to help him remember before it's too late!

"Libia, why are you trying to leave us?" The girl whined.

"I-I"

"Woah! We finally caught her off guard!"

I felt a warm hand on my cheek, a thumb stroking it lightly. The owner's breath warmed my neck as she spoke in a whisper.

"You won't be going anywhere for a really long-time sweetheart."

I heard her footsteps walking further and further away.

"Okay, so what should we do next, Employee number 45?"

"Wait."

Call it a hunch, but I knew they'd give me hell.