The Guard

The House of Grear

Present Day,

"Cal we need to talk" yeah every movie, book and crime show I've seen, shows that whenever someone says that to another character, shit's about to hit the fan. I looked around the room for my mum it was only then I noticed Nathan leaning against a bookshelf behind Kayden. Realising mum's lack of presence I looked back around the room "Cal did you hear me?" my uncle questioned gently I looked directly at him "where's ma?" I asked if she was not here I'm just assuming she was somewhere else within this big ass place.

Kayden took a deep breath before gesturing to the sofa in front of him "it's best if you both take a seat" he said softly. I grabbed Ember by her hand and pulled her over to the sofa, the both of us taking a seat and waiting for Kayden to talk further. "Cal, you know I'd never lie to you right?" He questioned at this point I was just confused as to what this conversation was getting at so I just simply nodded at his question, he took in another breath before adjusting how he was standing before continuing. "There's no easy way to tell you this so I'll just get it out," he said while rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. I noticed he wasn't as relaxed as normal "Cal, your mum is dead" he said looking up and watching for my reaction. I searched his face trying to find a hint of him lying to me "that's bullshit, where the hell is my mum?" I demanded rising from my spot on the sofa Kayden looked me in the eyes "I'm so sorry" was all that left his lips. 

Blinded by my emotions, I grabbed Ember's car keys that were sitting on the side of the sofa and stormed out of the house running towards the car yelling back to the man at the door to have the gate open now. "Cal wait!" I heard my uncle yell after me I jumped into the driver's side of the car and sped off down the driveway heading back to my house in search of my mum. Once I reached my driveway I parked and turn off Ember's car and ran up to the front of the house, I noticed the police tape covering the front door. Without a second thought, I unlocked the front door with my keys and ripped my way through the tape into my house. 

"Mum!" I yelled from the front door, I began to frantically open every door I could get my hands on in my search till I reached mums bedroom. I placed my hand on the doorknob while taking a deep breath "Cal wait!" I heard from the front door, I looked to where the voice came from seeing my uncle was standing there with a frantic look on his face. I looked back to the door and turned the doorknob swinging the door wide open, "Mum?" I asked into the room. It was then I noticed something on her bed, slowly walking into the room it finally hit me. I ran to the side of her bed, once there I took in the sight before me and fell to my knees screaming in agony at the sight before me till I couldn't even hear my own cries anymore. I didn't even notice the hands on my arms lifting me and turning me away from the sight till my head was softly held against their chest protectively. "I'm so sorry Cal, I'm so sorry" was all I could make out from my uncle as he ran one hand up and down my back and held my head with the other trying to give me any sort of comfort right now. 

Kayden led me out to his car, opening the passenger door for me to get in, it just felt like time slowed down and the world went silent the whole drive back to Nathan's house. Who would do this to my mum? She was all I had, apart from my uncle of course but before he came to stay it was just mum and I she was my best friend. We finally made it back to Nathan's with him following us back in Ember's car unwilling to leave it at my house. Once stopped in the driveway I got out of the car and made my way back up into the house to the lounge again. I made my way over to where Ember was still sitting, she looked up at me "is it true? is mama J gone?" she asked softly my words got trapped in the back of my throat unable to verbally answer all I could do was nod. Ember fell apart crying at the news, they were close. Ember was just like another daughter to mum no denying that. I pulled her into me as I sat down next to her, allowing my emotions to take over again. 

 After what felt like hours of holding each other and crying Ember finally fell asleep. I gently removed myself and made my way to the kitchen for some water, still angry and confused as to how all this was real surely I was just stuck in a nightmare right? 

Once I finally located the kitchen, I walked in to find Nathan and Kayden having a quiet conversation at the kitchen bench. "What the hell happened to my mum?" I demanded to know while making my presence known to the men in the room. Nathan and Kayden exchanged a look with each other before replying, it was Nathan who spoke up first "your mother was murdered by The Dark," Nathan said while straightening up, Kayden shot him a look of warning to stop. "The dark? is that some gang or something?" I asked trying to get Nathan to continue. Nathan looked to Kayden who was just shaking his head "she's going to find out soon anyway"  Nathan replied while making his way over to me "find out what? one of you better start talking or I swear I'll lose it" I said beginning to become pissed at the fact these two were clearly keeping something from me. 

"I assume you might have heard about the Lorien?" Nathan questioned "yeah of course they're a children's story. Mum used to tell me about it before I would go to bed at night. I dreamt about it a lot as a kid" I replied confused about why we were now talking about a child's story. I looked to my uncle trying to get some sort of answer from him but his gaze was fixed on the floor "it's not a children's story, the Loric are real and we are them" Nathan said matter of factually. I looked at both of them "Bullshit, just tell me who the hell killed my mum" I took a breath before looking back at Kayden "and your sister!" I yelled "why the hell am I the only one so angry and upset by this? We should be out there looking for these people, but here we are just standing around in a fucking mansion while mum is lying on her bed with her throat sliced up!" tears began to run down my face by this point. How can they just be standing there as if nothing happened? 

"Cal, we're not lying to you, we can prove it to you," Nathan said after silence was throughout the room. I looked at him in disbelief that he was still spreading this crap about the 'Loric being real' "I know how crazy this all sounds, trust me I thought the same thing when Nathan told me, but kid, I've never lied to you why would I start now? I just need you to trust us right now" Kayden said finally looking directly at me. Everything in me wanted to continue yelling at them and maybe even punch my uncle in the face but, another part said to listen. I looked between them again trying to find evidence that they were in fact lying or that this was one horrible joke but I couldn't. I let out a breath I didn't realise I was holding before taking a seat at the table watching the two men join me taking seats on the opposite side. 

"prove it to me then" 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------