Motega

Chapter 3

Wow...so, I'm so flattered by all the readers I've gotten and everyone's comments. I love you all!! And so, my gift to you, chapter 3 of Motega. Enjoy!

Chapter 3

“What the hell was that?” Fain had finally stood up and ambled over to a snickering Anya, “That was one of the most pathetic things I have ever seen.”

                I glowered at him, hoping my usually intimidating gray eyes would break a barrier of some kind. But to no avail. Anya had now pocketed the knife, and Fain seemed exasperated.

“Do we really need to take her?” Fain turned to Anya, “What help would she be?”

                Anya shrugged, “We’ll never know unless we take her. And besides, it’s our job to help the housebroken.”

“I don’t know if you realize this,” I angrily interrupted, “But I am no freaking pet, and you’d have to knock me out and stick me in a damn burlap sack before I went anywhere with any of you!”

“Easier done than said.” Fain smirked.

“Get. Out.” I narrowed my eyes, “This isn’t your place to be.”

“It isn’t your place to be either.” Anya tapped Fain on the shoulder, but directed her speech towards me, “We might as well make sure. Just to be safe.”

                Fain reached for a silver chain around his throat; attached to the end was a pendent of some sort. I took a silent step backwards, hoping to reach the door and find Aleta before anything worse could happen. I stopped mid stride. Fain’s eyes had latched onto mine, but instead of the brown they had been only moments before, they blazed silver. My entire body was suddenly enveloped within an icy casing.  The bones in my frail body quivered in anticipation and the once rapid beating of my heart had dropped to a standstill. The only defense I had left, the jail gate eyes I used so repeatedly, fluttered closed and with trembling legs I took a tentative step towards his cutting silver eyes. Everything inside me screamed to stop, to take control, but something else had taken over my body. I wouldn’t describe it as a monster, more like an unwanted visitor, and in my current situation I wanted everyone out.

                Using every inkling of energy I had left, I pictured myself closing the wooden farmhouse door and returning to the life I had lived before the seamstress visit. My unmoving body responded with a gentle smile. Mother was telling me to clean my room, and father was playing Joseph in chess. The frost surrounding my skin slowly began to thaw, and the feeling in my toes returned. Each wiggling toe brought about another memory of life as a home schooled teenager. I had reached back to my seventh birthday, the first day with the illness, when suddenly a wave of heat rushed through my blood. Dull colored images, blurry like old Polaroid’s, flashed through my mental vision, obstructing the view of my seven year old self. A young boy holding a woman’s hand. A room full of strangers dressed in black. A teenager with curly brown hair sitting at an altar, crying. The images suddenly broke off and my eyes snapped open.

                The room had stayed the same. The old fashioned fireplace still commanded the room, picture frames loomed from each wall, and the television set was still overturned and out of place. My mind finally pieced itself together, and realization hit. Anya was missing. The graceful teenager with the six inch blade had snuck off during…whatever had happened.

                Where was the other one? Fain? I searched the room before zoning in on a motionless lump resting in the middle of the carpeted floor. I wanted to leave him there and find Aleta, but I could still envision his trembling body crying under the pulpit and I knew better than to leave him.

“Fain?” My hands had stopped shaking and I felt stronger than I had before, “Are you okay?”

                I lifted his lolling head. He had strong features, broad eyebrows, high cheekbones, and dark eyelashes. It disturbed me to know that he had once cried under those powerful eyes. His body was awfully light, and I lifted him onto the shredded olive couch without much effort. I considered calling for Anya, but something about her personality told me otherwise.

“Come on!” I tried again, gently slapping one of his cheeks, “Open your eyes you stupid jerk.”

                He had begun breathing again and I felt a tremendous weight lifted off my shoulders. His fingers, only inches from mine, quivered slightly. I sighed in relief. He would be okay and I was free to find Aleta. My focus shifted from his now flickering eyes to his opening mouth. He was trying to say something. I leaned in closer to make out his words.

“You have to swear.” Fain breathed, his fingers brushing against my own.

“Swear what?” I shifted my gaze towards our hands inquiringly.

“You can’t tell her.” Fain was now watching me intently.

“I don’t understand, who can’t I tell? And what would I tell them?”

                A bitter silence followed during which I attempted to regain control of my fluttering heart. I could feel Fain’s gaze on my face. He knew I had seen something he hadn’t wanted shared.

“Fain?!” Anya’s musical voice called from upstairs, “There’s someone else in the house. I’m coming down with her.”

                His hand grabbed my wrist unexpectedly.

“You can’t tell anyone what you saw.” He whispered ferociously, “And you cannot tell Anya what just happened. Do you understand?”

“I-I understand, but,” my voice wavered, “what just happened?”

“I can’t tell you.” He shook his head, “Not yet. Just swear you won’t tell.”

“I won’t tell.”

                He let go of my arm and nodded. He had stood up before Anya had even walked through the door.

“Well?” Anya smiled.

“She’s a match.” Fain shrugged, “You said you found another?”

                Anya turned around and walked through the door, returning seconds later with a bow-legged Aleta. She had obviously tried to get to the upstairs telephone, but hadn’t made it in time. Her tapered eyes searched the room frantically for my presence.

“I’m here Aleta.” I pushed past Anya and wrapped my arms around the petrified girl, “They won’t do anything to you while I’m here.”

“What do they want?” Aleta gargled through her sobs, “Why are they here?”

                I turned towards Fain and Anya.

“That’s a good question.” I tilted my head harrowingly, “You aren’t here to hurt us. So what are you here for?”

                Anya beamed, “We’re here for you.”

                I blinked.

                “You’re one of us.” She laughed, “Well, at least, one of him.” She pointed towards a grim faced Fain, “You’re Psi.”

                With that last mind shocking statement, the Egyptian goddess who just so happened to be sporting a steak knife, enfolded me inside her toned arms and gave me a hug.