Darkside

Chapter 23: Broken

DarkSide

Chapter 23

Broken

She was embarrassed, that was for sure. She had cried a good bit in the restaurant. She had used the excuse that she had burned her hand on the stove. Apparently it happened a lot there. Ingo and Emmet didn't buy the excuse in the least bit. Actually...She looked to either side of her and each one had her hand in theirs. She appreciated the gesture, but she was over it now...right?

Ingo had been surprised as Clarity began to cry. She seemed emotionless at first, almost like she had no idea she was crying. When she felt them hug her she started to cry like a child that broke its favorite toy.

The look on Emmet's face was almost panicked, like he might have caused it. Yet Clarity didn't even push him away like he thought she would. What girl wanted to be babied? Yet she clung to them like they would leave her there to suffer alone. To be honest...Emmets should that's exactly why.

"Oh we should..." He heard a soft music box playing. He looked around at the square. It would seem they had accidentally stumbled upon the center of the town. There were tables set up with old items to sell. Almost like a yard sale.

"Oh...that smells good." Clarity said as she spotted something not to far off.

"Boiled peanuts?" Emmet asked. Clarity looked a little iffy about that. She hadn't ever tried such a thing.

"Here..." Emmet walked off for a moment and came back with the peanuts. "There are a lot of different kinds of foods that you can try in places like this. My favorite is deep fried pickles."

Oh the look on Clarity's face caused Ingo to burst out laughing.

"I don't think she's feeling that adventurous yet, Emmet." Was that a smile? Okay nope, not a smile...maybe?

"Maybe...someday." She said as she put one of the peanuts into her mouth. She was a little surprised and took another one. "Salty..." She whispered before walking ahead of them.

"Ingo..." Emmet whispered as he watched their sister walking.

"Yes I noticed too. She's a binge eater...and she prefers to stay moving. If she stops...she thinks and it causes tears." Ingo sighed looking around at the bizarre as they continued on back toward the hotel.

Technically they should have left by now, but it would seem she wanted to stick close today. At least that's what they figured. At least before she stopped just in front of a train station. She turned and looked at them.

"It'll be easier and safer to move at night." Both brothers looked baffled at her. Was this her plan? Did she know where they were going to begin with or...

"I'm an adult, you know that right? I know my way around cities." Shit...yeah she wasn't a child, she might be the height of one, but she wasn't a child. She could read street signs.

"We just figured you'd want some...us time." Ingo said...well he kind of did. His hand went up to his collar and he walked over to the ticket master and bought three tickets, and a room for them to travel on.

"Where to?" Emmet asked. Ingo took a deep breath and motioned toward the ocean.

"To the most crowded place, but the most relaxing place I know. The Alohan region. A vacation wouldn't be a bad idea." He sighed as he looked at his brother as they climbed up onto the train and ushered the yawning younger siblings to their room.