Into the Dark

Chapter Six

In our life there is a single color, as on an artist's palette, which provides the meaning of life and art. It is the color of love.

-Marc Chagall

Once again, the wind swirled all around us and dropped us off in the middle of Los Angeles. It wasn't much different from New York, with buildings sky-high and bright lights shining wherever you looked.

"According to the Headmaster, we'll need to go visit Mr. Leto in his house, which is 1418 Yale Street," Josh said. "Get us a taxi, Lydia."

I nodded and stepped up to the edge of the sidewalk. I held out my arm. A taxi-cab pulled into view.

"Hop in lad, we've got plenty of room back here," the driver said. I nodded and got inside after Jasmine and Josh did.

Unlike our previous taxi-cab, this one was much filthier and hotter. The seats were ripped, the windows were smeared lightly with mud, and trash was littered on the floor.

"1418 Yale Street," I said. The taxi-driver drove forward with a sudden jerk, causing me to bang my head on the seat. Once we stopped at the traffic light, he lit a cigarette. I crinkled my nose.

"Gross," Jasmine said, and for once, I agreed with her. The driver then threw the cigarette out the window.

"Hey, that's littering!" Josh said, but of course, the driver didn't hear him.

"It's hot in here, don't ya think?" he asked. "The darn AC broke down last week, so tough luck kid." I coughed, the putrid smell of the cab filling my lungs.

"Next time, we're going to teleport," Jasmine muttered.

After what seemed like forever, the cab pulled in front of the house. "Give me my money, kid," he said.

"How much?" I asked. He grinned, showing arrays of rotten yellow teeth.

"$20.53," he said.

"W-What?" I stuttered. This ride was worth a penny, if worth anything.

"I'll take cash or check." Jasmine mumbled something and I handed him the money.

"No tip?" he asked. I slammed the door in his face and hurried off to catch up to Jasmine and Josh.

"I have been scarred for life," Jasmine said. Josh nodded while he stared in awe at the house.

It was almost the size of a mansion and was furnished beautifully. There was a balcony with chairs and a table, pots of blooming flowers at the front door(if only I knew what color they were), and a beautiful fountain at the front.

Josh whistled. "Mr. Leto must be one very rich guy," he said. I nodded in agreement and we walked up onto the front doorstep. Jasmine rang the doorbell and Josh began taking off his shoes.

"Um, what are you doing?" Jasmine asked.

"Wouldn't want to track mud into the house, would we?" Josh said. Jasmine rolled her eyes, but began untying her shoelaces. I slipped off my flip-flops.

The door opened and a young woman with an apron peeked out.

"May I help you?" she asked.

"We are here to see Mr. Leto," Josh said. Her lips tugged at a frown.

"I'm afraid that he is away on a business trip and won't be back for two days," she said. "Would you care to come in? I just finished baking some scrumptious chocolate-chip cookies, and it would be nice to share them with someone." My stomach growled and I realized just then how famished I was.

"Yes, thank you, Mrs., um-"

"Please call me Deborah. I'm Mr. Leto's wife. Now, do come in." Josh nodded and we walked inside. The house was magnificent inside, with plush sofas and a chandelier overhead. The smell of delicious cookies tickled my nose, making my mouth water.

Deborah led us into the kitchen (obviously as clean as any other part of the house) and set a tray of cookies on the table.

"Please take a seat," she said, and we sat down. I took one cookie and munched on it happily. It melted in my mouth and the chocolate-chips tasted blissfully amazing.

"So, er... Deborah," Josh said after taking a bite of his cookie. "Did Mr. Leto tell you any important information?" She tilted her head sideways.

"Important could mean many different things," she said. "Please explain in more detail."

"Well, the Headmaster sent us on a mission," he said. "Surely Mr. Leto told you about Headmaster Dillingham?" Deborah nodded and he went on.

"A young girl has discovered the secret of Disapparents-"

"They are real," Deborah muttered quietly, only audible enough for me to hear. She looked up at Josh. "Go on, dear."

"-and he Headmaster has sent us to find her and track her down, then remove the memories from her. Otherwise, us Disapparents will be in great peril."

"Would you care to explain about the Disapparents?" she said. I raised my eyebrow. Why would she need to know about Disapparents if she was a Disapparent?

"Just so, I um...understand the gravity of the situation," she added quickly. Josh nodded.

"We, the Disapparents, are no ordinary humans. We have special powers, but that costs us one very important thing. The sense of seeing color," he explained. "We aren't known to the ordinary people-"

"Duh," Jasmine said. Josh glared at her before continuing.

"-and keep ourselves hidden in the city of Kin so they don't kill us for witchcraft." Deborah nodded and stood up.

"Well, I think you should go now. It will get dark soon, and I wouldn't want you munchkins to be in danger," she said. Munchkins? Who even says that?

She pulled us up from our seats and began pushing us out the door.

"Hey, wait! Do you know anything that could help us?" Josh asked, before she pushed us out.

"Nope, sorry darling," she said, and slammed the door in our faces.

"Well, that went well," Jasmine said sarcastically. "Wasted thirty minutes." We put on our shoes and began to walk down the sidewalk.

"We have to wait two days for Mr. Leto to come back. I don't think we have that much time," Josh said. "I better send a telepathic message to the Headmaster."

"First, let's get settled and rest," I said.

"And no taxis this time."

****

I took a shower as Josh and Jasmine unpacked their things. Josh had teleported us into a hotel room and we didn't even have to pay anything. Sweet.

I dried my hair and put on a clean set of clothes. I walked out of the bathroom and saw Josh sitting on the bed with his eyes closed and Jasmine packing my things.

"Why are you packing my things?" I asked.

"Because some brat isn't responsible enough to even put her socks away!" she said, throwing a gray sock at my face. I was about say a comeback when Josh interrupted.

"Guys," he said with a worried look in his eyes.

"Mr. Leto doesn't have a wife."