Soul Splitters

Reflections

Lucifer and Sallice stood on the grass, Josh opposite them. Autumn wasn't sure why but the tension was mounting with every silent second.

"Well, isn't this cosy." Josh seethed finally.

"Not now Josh. I'll explain later." Sallice replied immediately in his calmly, preprepared dialogue. Then he walked forward pushing past Josh expecting Lucifer to follow, which he did. Autumn shivered, realising that Sallice had some kind of control over them, her too if he wanted too. It made her uncomfortable.

Autumn and Josh hadn't moved by the time Sallice and Lucifer had marched out of view. For once Autumn broke the silence.

"Let's get in the boat." She took herself and Josh by surprise with her outlandish and commanding words. To Autumn's pleasure Josh did as he was told. She gave the boat a push and rushed to climb in as it rocked and floated out into the water.

Josh grinned softly and picked up the oars, he slotted them through the holders and let the flat ends cut the mirror like surface of the lake. She found herself watching his arms under the rolled up sleeves of his tight blue sweatshirt as he rowed until she was dragged into conversation.

"You mentioned your dog, back at the house-" He mumbled, trouble initiating conversation was a trait they seemed to share.

"Shelley." She interjected.

"Yes, Shelley. Have you found your memories are starting to come back?" He looked hopeful, which made her feel guilty because she was about to let him down.

"Not really, a little, but not much." She tried to make it sound hopeful and she was thankful when he didn't look too disappointed.

"That's good. Give it time and I think you'll be able to remember everything. It's quite normal, it happened to me." He smiled, Autumn noticed how white his teeth were. It was unsettling though, like how milk-teeth look once they've fallen out. She wondered if that's how her teeth looked. "I feel really guilty about how difficult it's been for you here. None of us have made it very easy, it's just there was a lot going on..."

"Don't worry about it," She tried to smile - without showing her teeth. "You're making up for it now, right?"

"Yeah." He looked down, letting a half smile break out. Autumn watched happily, trying to catch a glimpse of the smile under his large nose before it disappeared.

They reached the island and Josh pulled in the oars when a flicker of light caught Autumns eye. It came from further across the lake, behind the island.

"What was that?" Autumn exclaimed, pointing out towards the flicker of light. She showed Josh the glimmer, narrowing it down to coming from a set of bramble on the far edge of the lake. They decided to investigate the light, setting off in the boat.

*

Sallice looked around his bedroom trying to remember where he had put it. He knelt down, his deceivingly young knees creaking from age, fishing underneath his bed his hands found the box he was looking for.

The box was brown leather, with fools gold hinges and corners. At the front of the box was a lock that was scratched and bloodied with attempts that had been made to open it. Sallice stroked the lock with his withered finger, the long, yellowed nail caressing the keyhole.

"Sallice? Did you get what you came for?" Lucifer impatiently called from downstairs. Sallice jolted and pulled open the lid, the lock redundant after he had broken it. One of the scratches on the lock marking his success. The underside of the lid read: Property of Kyla. Sallice reached into the box and rummaged through the possessions before his fingers met with cold metal. He retrieved a silver framed photograph and tucked it into a pocket in his cloak.