A Spectral Prophecy

Two Caught Schemers- Only One Prisoner

Traice awoke, her body sore and aching everywhere, her leg and chest were patched up but that didn't stop them from causing unbearable pain, she tried to find out where she was but all she saw were iron bars- she was in a cell of some sort. She tried to stand up but her leg couldn't handle it- so she crawled to the front of the cage- "Hey!" She called, "I'm claustrophobic can I be transported to a different prison?"

A man approached her cage, a man bearing all white of course. "Nice try, miss." His voice was deep and raspy, "But we've encountered many thieves and know all too well all they do is spout lies."

Traice scoffed, "Way to stereotype us, Joe. Maybe some criminals are different from the rest, like me. For example, others do it because they need money, I do it because I am just so powerful and mighty!" After that prideful claim, she stood but hit her head at the ceiling, "Owww..fuck you ceiling."

The man rolled his eyes, "My name isn't Joe, but I'm glad you think yourself as powerful. At least there's one person in your life that thinks high of you." And with that, he left her peripheral vision leaving Traice actually alone.

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Kato walked to his all too familiar kindergarten classroom, as he walked in the room he expected to find Mrs. Noseberry-his teacher- but instead he was met with his dad crossing his arms.

Kato awkwardly stopped in his tracks, "uhm..hey Dad?"

Alaric shook his head in disappointment, "What did I tell you about reading banned books?"

Kato froze, his father knew about his whereabouts? Uh oh. Kato gulped, feeling a cold sweat start to form. "I didn't..mean to.." he bit his lip, "How did you know about that?"

"Kato, you read like an open book. Mrs. Noseberry saw you awkwardly skip towards the halls and read a book I locked up years ago... " he leaned in closer, as he was getting to the real meat of the discussion, "how did you find it?"

Kato paused, "I uh..it fell off the shelf and hit me in the face?"

"Lies!" Alaric snapped, "More and more lies that's all you do is lie! How am I supposed to trust you when you lie to your own father?" He looked away from his son, "To think I raised you.."

"I wasn't lying!" Kato exclaimed, "I know it may seem hard to believe but.." he stopped, should he tell him about the ghost? She did help him.."But I did it for a good reason; I wanted to help you, Father."

Alaric raised his eyebrow, "And stealing from my vault is 'helping' me? Do elaborate, son, I'm very curious on what goes through your mind."

"You never took me seriously before, Father." Kato said, his expression serious and honest, "I had to take matters into my own hands if I ever hoped to have power of my own; a way to defend myself and our people from spirits and monsters. And I did find it out, that 'scandalous' book taught me about the.." he paused, hesitating to finish his sentence, "the 'blood' strategy."

Alaric's mind went into a frenzy: his son knew about that? What else did he find out?! "Kato." Alaric said, his tone strangely calm, "What 'blood' strategy. I'm curious on what that is?"

Kato raised his eyebrow, "You're the one that invented, it Father. At least according to the-"

"Those books are full of lies." He cut off, coldly turning away from his son's view, "You may enjoy reading them but they're full of bullshit. They try so hard to make us-the underdogs- the villains!" He shook his head, "How could anyone believe they learn anything from such immoral nonsense?"

Kato tilted his head confused, "But I thought I found the truth. She told me it was-"

Alaric turned his head on an instant, "She?! Who. Is. She?"

Kato gulped, backing away slowly, "Nobody. Just my imaginary friend- Gertrude! Yeah, she's rambunctious all right! Haha.." his father's expression became angrier and angrier, "Ha..ha.."

"Be honest with me Kato!" He yelled, "Who is this she?" Kato kept his mouth shut, hitting the wall behind him leaving nowhere else to run to- he was cornered. "Kato?" Alaric's patience ran thin, "Goddamnit Kato just be honest with me for once!" His expression changed from wrathful to a strange pain that Kato hated to look at, so he turned away. "Kato.. I love you more than anything, and if there's someone planting this..this propaganda in your mind you need to say something; you need to let me free your mind."

Kato snapped, "You're not freeing my mind you're imprisoning it!" And with that, he ran away, not bothering to give his dad a proper answer.