Aiden sat by his huge window were he gazed out at all day, wondering how he could escape this nightmare without having to waking up. He peered at a couple, with a child, walking along the footpath. They looked happy, almost peaceful. Aiden envied those who could pretend to be happy in a dying world they lived in. He got up and pushed the dozens of books that laid off his bed and fell onto his bed. He turned right side up and stared at the ceiling. It seemed so close, yet when he reached out, he couldn't touch it.
"Hey, get up you lazy ass bastard!" a voice roared. Loud noises of rustling came from downstairs. Aiden realized Melissa was coming up and that only mean't one thing. Ear pulling. He jumped off the bed, opened his window and jumped out. The distance between his window and the footpath in which he fell upon wasn't great, it was just high enough for him to land saftely. Melissa barged into Aiden's room with a large wooden stick. She stormed across the room angrily looking for him. She noticed the open window and realized he escaped. She grunted and retreated to the kitchen to cook dinner for everyone. "Was he up there?" one of the helpers asked, "Ahh, nah, the bastard got away, but next time!" Melissa laughed. Melissa was the common whore of DragonBlood, a well known institution. Aiden was welcomed with open arms to join when he was eight and starving to death. Melissa raised him and watched over him. Aiden knew he was in great depth to the institution and served as an assassin for them. Aiden loved books and learning about knew things. Unique things caught his attention and he loved listening to stories Melissa dreadfully made up.
"Aiden! Come here!" Called out Ricky, Aiden's friend. "Looky here, I got the book ya wanted, better be grateful, I got in trouble with dad." He threw the heavy golden book towards Aiden, the cover read The Tale of the Dead. He was intrigued and threw Ricky a silver coin. Aiden didn't talk much. He only watched and noted.
Ricky was a bubbly teenager, he always tried to approach Aiden but was a little afraid of him. One day, when they where around twelve, Ricky pushed Aiden into the lake and yelled out "You stupid idiot! Stop actin all full of yere self!" Aiden was confused. Ricky took off his jacket and gave it to him. Aiden didn't understand this strange boy. Did he dislike him or did he like him? Rickey was determined to get Aiden to notice him. Rickey's father owned a book store not to far from Aiden's home. Rickey was reading a book near the river while his father stacked the shelves for a new day. Aiden was going on his usual walk looking for something unique when he came across Rickey reading "The Velvet Rabbit". Aiden had found his unique thing and Rickey had found a new friend. They bonded over the book, verifying each others opinion. It was oddly similar. "It's metaphorical." Aiden stated. "Meta- what?" Aiden laughed. "I think it represents something, something a lot more meaningful."
"Yea, something that is a lot more personal to us," A smile spread across Aiden's face. Finally someone to talk to. Melissa was good to have a laugh with but nobody ever discussed actual literature with him.
"Hold on will ya! I'm bout ta close the shack," Aiden stood still observing the book closely. The book seemed over a hundred years old. He flipped the page and began reading it, there where tales of the old world, of how everything worked and how everything slowly walked towards darkness. "Forget this world and come with me to paradise, somewhere much better than this wasteland, and let us love one another for eternity," Aiden read out loud, "Paradise, huh?" He chuckled. Ricky sneaked up behind him and grabbed his shoulders, Aiden pulled and a knife and held it up to his throat, "Oh hey calm down," Ricky said with his hands held up. "You died your hair to red?" Aiden asked, pointing the knife to his hair before putting it back in his pocket. Ricky ruffled his already messy hair, "Ya finally noticed?! I thought brown didn't suit me brown eyes, plus standin out is so much better, I'm just like you ain't I?" Ricky went on. "Just like me?"
"Yea, I mean look at ya, black straight hair with light blue eyes, sometimes it turns even lighter, you're a weird fella Aiden, and on top of that you're one of the best warrior here in the North, who knows maybe even in all of Merentarily!"
"Warrior? I don't fight to protect, Ricky, I fight to earn money, so I can eat and survive, there is nothing noble about me." Aiden looked down at his feet, a little disappointed. "Ahh well just leave it! Lets go down to Mr. Harry's coffee shop, he opened it a few days ago,"
"Sure."
"I knew you'd come around, but it's a real shame the old man's wife died a couple weeks ago. Geez, I remember'em bein so happy when Mrs. Harry said she'd saved enough money to open the shop. I actually remember Mrs. Harry tellin me that they promised a long time ago that when everything settled they'd open a coffee shop together. It really is a bloody shame she died before the shop opened. The poor old man."
"Mr. Harry should be glad she died a peaceful death,"
"Guess you're Aiden," Aiden gazed at Ricky who's arms where folded as he stared into the sky. It was a warm day, there was barely a cloud in sight. They walked towards Mr. Harry's shop and when they walked through the door everything was wrecked, and there laid Mr. Harry. He was severely injured. Aiden ran over and checked his pulse. He had a weak pulse and tried to utter words that could not be understood "S-he... a-a-alive...ch-child... save her...unde-r-r-r bo-o-boo-book she-sh" He took a deep breathe and then his life faded away. He was a mere corpse now. A tear trickled down Ricky's cheek, he looked around angrily looking for any clue to Mr. Harry's death. "Why'd he have ta die?! Aiden?! Do something! Stop sittin around looking at him! Call for help will ya, hold on I'll get help!" Ricky ran towards the door, Aiden got up and calmly said "No we mustn't, let's go through the back door and sneak away while we can, this was done by someone who knows what there doing, they trashed the place on purpose. If we stay they'll kill us. I don't know who or what they are but they are dangerous, Ricky go now, I'll come after you," Ricky didn't question what Aiden had said and did as he was told, Aiden looked around then walked towards the bookshelf. It had fallen over and broken. They laid an envelope on the floor beside it. "Did he hide this on purpose? Aiden thought to himself. Aiden heard voices approaching and left. There stood Rickey waiting for him.
They walked away slowly. Ricky shaking with anger, he pushed Aiden against the wall and put his hands around his neck, "Why?!" Ricky loosened his grip, then let go altogether. Tears ran down his face. Ricky knew what kind of world they lived and he also knew it was better to do nothing. Since Ricky's mother was killed the same way. He felt empathy for Mr. Harry's son, John, who lived in the South and visited every weekend. To think John would come home to see his father brutally murdered. Ricky walked faster and faster and soon began to ran. He disappeared into a small alleyway.
Aiden knew it was better to leave Ricky alone. He walked towards a small river than ran through the neighborhood and looked towards the sun, and whispered "They were looking for something," then laughed.
