The End of the red String

Chapter 4: Falling Apart

Owen were sitting in the park under a tree on a picnic blanket.He weren't sure if he was just an idiot.
His fathers words had made him thinking the whole night. The next morning he felt better and he were slightly excited to see them again.
So he had prepared Sandwiches and fruits and something to drink for more than one person and of course two of his books.
And now he waited - waited for her... or him.... just one of them. He looked up nearly every 5 minutes and then finally he heard them. His head raised up. There were Mina laughing in the arm of her mother. On her side walked her man he had seen before but hadn't spoke to yet.
Owen just stared at them - his heart beating faster. What was wrong with him?
And then the man looked up and in his eyes and he smiled. Owen swallowed but smiled back and before he could do anything he lifted his hand and waved.
The man put a hand on the Arm of the woman and she looked up too and smiled.
She let down the little girl and she did ran away to pick up flowers.

"Owen," Tessa smiled at him. "What are you doing here?"
"Reading..." He lifted his hand to the man. "I am Owen... this means..."
"Warrior... i know... I am James."
"You can sit with me. If you want. I have books and food. Okay that sounds creepy"
" Not at all. I like food and she likes books" he laughed before they sat down next to him.
Owen watched a bit Mina before he put in the middle his books and the food. "How old is she?"
"Our little Mina is now two but we have also a Teeanger who we adopted," said Tessa.
Owen smiled and took a deep breath. "I don't have siblings and my mother died. But i have still my father. He owns a bookstore."
"I am sorry to hear that," Tessa whispered and for a few seconds nobody said anything, before Owen shrugged. "It's okay. She were sick. It was better for her. " He bit in one of his sandwiches and looked after Mina before he looked back at them. "If you want you can come to our bookstore. I will give you a special price."
Tessas eyes got bigger and James laughed. "Oh no... you have no idea what you have done.... She will buy everything."
"That's not true"She hit him on the arm but he didn't stop laughing and Owen laughed too. He felt good with them - warm. It was easy... it was pure....
"MINA" Owen did ran to her and did throw himself infront of her to shield her.
As he looked up again he saw Tessa ran towards Mina and him while James fought against something. He fought? And... against what? What was this thing?
Owen felt weird. He stood up - his blood felt hot in his veines. And without thinking he called. "Jem?"
Tessas gaze went to him in shock. They had never told him this name.
She pulled her daughter closer.
Jem killed the monster and turn ed around to them.
Owen shivered. His clothes were bloody and Mina were crying in Tessas Arms. "Owen?"
He stumbled backwards. "What... what was that thing?"
"Owen...we... we can explain" He looked from Tessa to Jem and shook his head. He were trembling. "This... this was a monster... What... what are you?"
"Owen please....Calm down."
"NO...." And Owen ran. he ran as fast as he could.
Tessa sighed frustrated. "He hates us now."
"Tess... Nobody could see that coming." He softly kissed Mina who had stopped crying. "He will come back."
"Are you sure?" "Give him time" Jem whispered and kissed her. "Let us go home. We will take care of his things.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Owen? Are you okay? I have brought you sandwiches... please eat something."
Owen heard how his father went away but he didn't open the door. Why should he?
He hadn't really left his room for days.
Since what had happened he was only out once. He had watched them from far away and followed them to see where they lived but it was a totally normal house.
But they weren't normal.
Since then Owen stayed in his room, barely ate or sleep. His dreams got more intense.
He wanted to stay away from them even if his soul felt still dragged to them. But he was scared... not scared of this thing, scared of loosing his balance in this world.

He heard a loud noise and opened his door. His heart was racing. "Dad?"
His father moaned in pain. "DAD?" he ran down the stairs.....

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On the first day after it happened Owen felt numb. A few of his fathers friends and clients came to see him - brought him food and tried to talk to him but Owen didn't want to.
He just sat there and stared at the walls for hours - maybe days he wasn't sure. His mind was racing - screaming, crying - he was so angry but on the outside he was numb.
He had lost everything.
It took him a while to stand up and get himself something to drink. Why? He knew his father was sick - he was sick a long time and felt weak. This fall down the stairs was his fault because he hid in his room - because his father was worried about him.
It was his fault.
Owen screamed loud and threw his cup on the wall and started to cry. He pressed his hands on his face trying to hold back his tears.
He couldn't breath. His breathing almost stumbled - he needed air. So he ran away. He didn't care that it was already night - he didn't care that it was raining. He just ran......

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Jem had woken up from a loud noise and was already going down the stairs. Someone was hitting against the door in the middle of the night and he knew this couldn't be good.
"I am coming" Jem called and went as fast as he could to the door and opened it. He froze.
There were Owen standing wet from the rain and obviously crying. "I.... I didn't know where else to go..." Owens voice was almost not to hear and he began to sob falling on his knees but Jem already catched him. "TESSA"
Owen cried. "It was my fault.. my fault.... " he cried again and again.
Tessa ran downstairs but stopped. "Jem..."
Jem looked up and she immediatly ran to them both and like Jem she hugged Owen. "It's okay.... It, s okay......"