Because It Is My Blood

Chapter 2

 I was not afraid of this person, but with his KGB nonsense and apparent ability to see Zulfiqar, he was still a threat to my own cover. I did not want another incident with my family and more psychologists.

I continued to follow him silently deeper into the subway systems, comforted by the slightly different weight in my right boot then my left. Some people might find the unequal weight annoying, but to me the imbalance was a comforting norm. It was caused by the eight inch bronze dagger I had stowed away in my right boot. Zulfiqar and I are the only ones who are aware of it's existence, but I have had it since my childhood. Zulfiqar says he knows where it came from, but he won't tell me. The only things he tells me about the dagger are the necessities; when someone's life is taken with the blade it adds their remaining lifetime to the killer's, it causes a chaotic, animalistic side of me to break out and attempt homicide, for which if my family ever saw me like that, I would undoubtedly be diagnosed with Sybil's disease, and if the knife is stolen from me, or I choose to give it up, I lose the extra years I bought myself with the blood of others. This knife is a comfort, a blessing, a mocking, a curse, and an insult all at once. It lets me know that I won't die for another twenty years on the bottom of the handle, and even that isn't set in stone, but at the same time, it mocks my selfish want to live while other people die for my life.

Jamie had driven, the nine hour overnight drive had been stifling and uncomfortable, it was now twelve thirty-four Saturday morning. I did not sleep at all on the car ride to the subway station, Zulfiqar does not need sleep, and Jamie was driving. Jamie consumed about seven cups of gas station coffee. Jamie and I had remained in an uncomfortable silence while Zulfiqar made occasional comments on the places and things we passed. This went on until Jamie turned on the radio and Zulfiqar fell silent.

The entire time, Jamie never once took his eyes of the road, his smug expression from earlier had evaporated and had been replaced with one of suffocating seriousness. My own expression mirrored his; with maybe a little bit more animosity. from time to time my own intense gaze would shift from the the window or road to Jamie, who never looked back. He, undoubtedly, could sense my suspicion of him.

the only reason I continued to follow him through the dark tunnel, to which my eyes almost immediately adapted to, was because I wanted to make sure that he would not, in fact, blow my cover if I didn't. If I had to, part of me would be alright with taking his life, but the rest of me was disgusted by the thought.

"Zafira," Jamie said, not looking away from the weak circle of light cast by the dying flashlight.

"What?" I look back at him. Any traces of the previous high-school students we were is gone from our voices.

"It will be nearly another half-hour before we reach our destination. Before we get there, are you sure you want to go through with this?"

"Another half-hour? Damn, this is boring." Zulfiqar cut in.

"Shut up, Zulfiqar," I scold my brother. "You didn't leave much of a choice, if I had stayed or stop now, I won't be able to tell if you'll blow my cover to the people I know. Not to mention I still have no idea exactly how much you know about me." I return my intense gaze to the back of Jamie's head. Behind me, Zulfiqar sighs and folds his hands behind his head.

"I can promise that the KGB won't reveal anything of you, or Zulfiqar"

"I don't trust you."

"That's too bad."

"It's too late to turn around anyway, you chose a hell of a time to ask, like in the movies. God, even when you're serious, you're still cliche."

"That hurts." There was sarcasm in his voice, and for the first time since we left the school building he looked back at me and smirked. I felt the urge to slap him well up again.

"For some unknown reason, I really don't like you."

"I don't feel the same, in fact, I think you're one of my favorite people right now." I much prefered the serious Jamie over the annoyingly joking one.

"Smug bastard" I muttered under my breath as I cast one final venom-filled glare his way before walking ahead of him, relying on my own ability to see in the dark instead of his failing flashlight.

"Hey, sis."

"What do you want Zulfiqar?" Zulfiqar had joined me in the front, leaving Jamie to walk behind us, scowling.

"What are we going to do about Ella?"

"We'll let the KGB worry about that."

"Somehow, I doubt these bozos are friendlies"

"Couldn't have said that better myself, but we still have to investigate this. We may not be able to leave without them spilling our secret."

"I know how to fight off two opponents if that's what you guys are whispering about up there," Jamie yelled up, annoyingly.

"OH NO! Quick Zafira! We've been found out, run for cover!" Zulfiqar comically rushed at Jamie, only to pass right through him, leaving both me and Jamie with very unamused looks.

"And yet, Zulfi, you wonder why I try to ignore you."

"OH SHIT!" He turned back to our unmoving forms.

"What now?"

"How come he can see me!?" He pointed wildly at Jamie as if he were the fucking Black Death. "Only 'fira can see me! Ella's an anomaly, too! WHAT THE LITERAL FUCK IS GOING ON?! AM I BECOMING A REAL PERSON?!"

"No," 'Smug Bastard' dropped all attempts at humour and looked Zulfiqar in the eye. "I can explain this. All members of the KGB get their ears pierced," He gestures to a small steel orb in his earlobe. "These piercings allow us to see through pocket dimensions, anomalies, and whether or not someone actually comes from this dimension."

"When did my situation become wrapped up in interdimensional shit?"

"The dagger creates a...bubble, if you will. You, being of both the normal dimension and the root of the anomaly are 'visible' from both sides, however, Zulfiqar, being only of the anomaly and not of this side, is only 'visible' from your side. He cannot be perceived with normal, unaltered, human abilities from outside the bubble."

"So what's with Ella?" I asked, My eyes narrowing at his bullshit.

"She has something, a piercing, some clothes, or even organic material that allows her to see Zulfi, here...Whatever it is, it was seeded, and she doesn't understand anymore than you do."

"Shit..." Zulfiqar had remained silent through the whole thing, his sudden vocalization of his opinion was slightly startling.

"Zulf...I'm about t-to..." I start shaking as I crumble to the ground.

"SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT!" Zulfiqar runs over and picks me up, running further ahead of Jamie, not needing the flashlight. He ducks into the nearest door; a closet holding electronic controls for the subway. Summoning his mental focus one more time, he ties my ankles and wrists with an extension cord. as soon as he finish I start spasming uncontrollably. Just before my mind slips to black, I see Jamie's flashlight casting weak beams across the damp walls.

"Get him out of here before I..." My world turns black.

"You need to stop following me--these cords won't hold very long when she wakes up."

"And you think that I won't be able to subdue some mad woman?" My barely conscious mind recognizes these voices; one, Zulfiqar, my dead brother, and the delightfully alive and quite annoyingly sexist, Jamie.

"'Some Mad Woman', huh? I'll show you mad." My world is a monochromatic red. I can no longer control myself now, it is in control. I watch myself wriggle of of Zulfiqar's grip and stand, the cords braking before I even need to think about them.

"Shit." Jamie pulls a knife out of his sleeve.

"You call that a knife?" The weight in my boot is removed as an eight-inch bronze dagger is removed with the words "Speculum Vitea" engraved on its hilt. "This is a knife."