Black

XXI

He was sitting on a huge rock, moving his fingers over its cracks.

He didn't exactly know where he was. He had just left his place from beside their house, because he couldn't bear looking at her when she was like that anymore.

She looked so desperate to be somewhere where it was safe. She looked so tired from the world she was living in, even though she only lived in it for seventeen years. She looked so pale and even more frail than she usually was.

But she was still walking in the streets with a strong grip on her sister's hand and her head up, refusing to give up even though she barely had anything left in her.

And he couldn't see her like that, knowing that he once saw the smile that usually didn't get removed from her lips. The rosy cheeks that she had and the colorful eyes full of happiness. Her laugh that used to fill the ears of the whole neighborhood and make them slightly smile because it was such a beautiful melody.

He threw his head back, looking at the sky ahead. Birds were chirping and flying happily. He wished he was a bird, so he would finally feel the freedom it felt, and be with the people he loved, without rules, without having to harm them in some way because it was the only way to be with them.

That day when she was stumbling around the streets and that asshole of a guy came up to her, he couldn't help it. It was like the ropes that usually holds him back from her suddenly snapped, and he was running like mad to her, even though he should have stayed in front of the house eying its surroundings because of the little kid that sat alone inside it, but he couldn't stay in place after he saw the state that she was in.

He could still feel the sting of the five slashes on his back, that he took as a punishment because of his actions, but he didn't mind the pain anymore.

He finally jumped off the rock and headed to the house once more. The only place he felt like he belonged.

Even though he didn't.

~

*Black's POV*

I aimed the barrel to the target, which was a can at the moment, and pressed my finger slightly on the trigger, taking a deep breath.

"Where is he?"

"I told you he already left," she said, looking down at her hands then raising it in front of my face.

There was something in her hand.

"He even gave me $100 so I wouldn't tell you that he was here. He was bribing me." she shook her head. "I took it from him to know what he wanted from her, from both of you." she handed me the paper of indeed $100.  I looked at it disgustingly.

"And what did he want?"

"Answers to questions that didn't make sense. How Zoella was and how you were doing; he even asked me if Zoella needed something. I didn't and still don't understand what his intentions were, but, I didn't give him any information though, don't worry."

What?

"How did he look like?" I asked.

"I...don't remember his features exactly...I could tell you that he wasn't tall and he had green eyes," she said, squinting like she was trying to picture him again.