The Cipher

Chapter six

  Cyrus was confused at first, just as I expected him to be. But as soon as he looked into Jensen’s eyes, I saw that relief mixed with happiness and joy filled his features.

  Cyrus’s stutter was almost humorous in his awestruck condition. “B-B-B-But…. How?” he blabbered. “The house… you… Mom… and Kian… You were all in it…”

  Even though it seemed impossible, his face lit up even more at his own mental realization.

  “Does that mean Mom and Kian are here?” he was shaking of happiness now, tears falling from the inner corners of his eyes.

  Jensen’s smile turned to a frown as if he had just remembered something horrible, but then again, he probably had.

  “No, they perished in the fire.” Jensen spoke with a calmness I never thought he was capable of.

  “Perished?” Cyrus was now slightly irritated. “They were murdered, Dad.”

  “Son, calm down. I know, I just hate the word.”

  Cyrus shoved Jensen’s hand from his shoulder.

  “You actually have the nerve to tell me that? After what you turned me into? You turned me into a murderer. MURDER, DAD. MURDER!” Cyrus now seemed to be growing resentful towards his father. Now that the few good memories were fading away as well as the shock of seeing him alive, he was remembering what his father had done to him. And ever since learning what Jensen had raised Cyrus to be, I couldn’t speak to him without a slight distaste, either. But that didn’t mean I wasn’t happy to see him.

  He was the closest thing to a father that I had.

  “How did you survive the fire? There was no way you got out of that.” Cyrus shouted with accusation.

  “I was outside collecting firewood when it started… I went to check what was going but HQ was there and I had no choice but to leave…”

  “YOU LEFT THEM?” Cyrus snarled.

  “Cyrus I had no choice, I would have died along with them…” Jensen’s words ran together as if he was about to cry. “What use would I be dead?”

  I ran to Cyrus’s aid. This was my fault. I had thought Cyrus would be happy to see his father alive. But I supposed what had happened in his past had taken a heavier toll than I knew. Did Cyrus see the faces of the people he killed every time he closed his eyes like I did? Did he blame his father for those faces?

  “You would be better off dead.” Cyrus spat. I had to hold him back from swinging at his father. “You didn’t even bother to search for Aspen and I. What kind of dad are you?”

  When I felt the tension in his body release, I let go of him, knowing he wouldn’t try to throw a punch again.

  “The kind of dad who wants to survive. I would have died searching for the two of you. I am lucky I got here safely.” Jensen was now becoming defensive, and I knew Cyrus would not take his words lightly. I wrapped my arms around him, holding him back again as he struggled against me.

  Suddenly he twisted around in my arms and faced me, and for the first time, I could see the heinous grimace that he wore upon his face.

  “Aspen, I love you, and I don’t want to hurt you.” he spoke politely, obviously trying very hard not to scream at me. “You need to let go of me, and back away.”

  I could see the rage burning in his eyes, and I knew that if I let go, his rage might get the best of him and he might kill his own father. I had seen Cyrus when he was angry. He couldn’t talk it out, he had to hit something, he had to hurt something, break something.

  Despite what my brain told me, I let go and backed up into the wall. No matter how cruel it might sound, Jensen deserved a good punch.

  Cyrus sprung on his father, punching him square in the jaw. I watched as blood flew in an arc through the air.

  Jensen fell on the floor, and Cyrus took one look at me, as if I were his anchor to sanity; the only thing keeping him from killing his father. I nodded curtly, signaling that enough was enough, and he stood up from his crouch over his father. He stood tall, looking down at Jensen who was wiping blood from his mouth frantically.

  “I know you are the kind of dad who wants to survive. I know that because you tried to turn me into that same type of man. The type of man who will stop at nothing to save his own ass, regardless of those around you. Well, dad, I am not that type of man. I will never be, I may not be able to control rage, but at least I care about my family. If I am lucky, I will never be anything like you. Mom deserved better than you, Kian deserved better than you, Aspen deserved better than you, and I deserved better.”

  After his harangue, Cyrus turned on his heel, and grabbed my hand. I began to walk away with Cyrus.

  “Cyrus, you need to know I still love you.” His father spoke urgently, leaning on his arm.

  “Actions speak louder than words.” Cyrus said bluntly.

  We were almost at the door when Jensen called for me. “Aspen, tell him he’s wrong.”

  I stopped, Cyrus still alongside me. I looked over my shoulder at Jensen, whose eyes were pleading. Whose eyes were saying I can’t lose anyone else.

  At my sudden stop, Cyrus looked at me as if I was insane. As if he thought I was going to side with Jensen.

  “I am so sorry, Jensen, but I cannot do that.”

  With those words, I remembered the way Jensen threw me down that staircase with such force, the way he slapped me, the way he only pretended to like me because he thought I would get Cyrus to start training again. I was doing the right thing. Cyrus was the only constant I had in my life anymore.

  With that, we turned out backs on Jensen.