Lucky and the Killer ✔

Why Did it Have to be You?

Voices echoed around her as she started to come to. She was still in that in-between state where everything was both real and a dream. They talked; she listened.

"Why didn't you kill her, too?" Gray said with a raised voice. "Look, I'm not saying it's easy. I get it, but you have to remember why we came here to begin with, King."

"Relax," King sighed. "I've still got her, and we're going back soon."

"And if she gets away?" Gray protested.

"She won't," he said.

"What makes you so sure? Don't blow this. Too many people have died over this, King. I say we kill her now. Get. It. Done."

"No," King snapped. "You're my subordinate. You will follow my plans. Besides, what better way to lure out Zee?"

"Yeah, whatever," Gray spat.

Lucky's eyes fluttered open in time to see an angry Gray walking out of the tiny apartment and slamming the door. It dented in he'd shut it so hard. Anna. She bolted up right.

"Please, tell me it was a dream," she whispered.

The floor where Anna died was still somewhat stained, but she wasn't there anymore. King sat down beside her in the kitchen floor.

"Why did it have to be you?" he sighed.

"Let me go," Lucky asked more than she said.

"Shut up and listen," King said back to her. "You're not from Earth. Whether you want to believe any of this or not. You're a princess from a neighboring kingdom...a different dimension, if you want to call it that. Your family...has done horrible things, and it has always been my job to kill you. You and your brother are the only two left. If I kill you both, my job will be complete. The empire will have completely fallen by my own hand."

Lucky tried her best to process. If she could have remembered past Sycamore Street, she would have called him completely nuts, but she couldn't. She couldn't remember anything past then. They'd chalked it up to amnesia and left it at that, but another world? She didn't peg herself as the type to believe in fantasy non-sense like that. It just wasn't true. He must have been delusional. He was so out-of-it that he was going to kill her over something that wasn't even real. How could she bargain for her life with someone who thought he was from another world? Would she even want to...with Anna gone?

"So, why aren't I dead, King?" she mumbled. "Why don't you kill me like you killed my friend?"

"She wasn't your friend, Lucky. She was a liability," King sighed with a bit of remorse. "I can't. That's why. I can't believe you had anything to do with what happened back in our home world. That's why, I have to bring you back until you regain your memories. Then, I'll know what really happened."

"Our home world?" she asked, but she wasn't sure if she was starting to believe him or just trying to stay alive. Perhaps, it was a little bit of both.

"Yeah, we're leaving tonight," King said. "If you think I'm nuts, you'll find out that you're wrong in just a little bit."

"Why are you telling me all of this?" she asked quietly.

King looked away and towards the floor where Anna died earlier. The blood was still there, even if they tried to get rid of it all. Blood didn't go away that easily, and he knew that. It could've been anyone's blood, but it couldn't be hers. He just couldn't let it be Lucky's—not until he knew for sure.

"Never mind that," King said as Gray came busting back into the living room. "I see you've calmed down."

"Yeah, whatever," Gray said as he threw down some rocks onto the floor. "Let's go, your majesty."

"Now, now," King said and stood up, "there's no need for name calling. When we get back, we'll rendezvous with our in at the guard."

"I don't care what we do," Gray said. "I'm drinking after we get home. This place is a nightmare."

"As you wish," King said.

He picked up the stones and started to sort through them one-by-one. The rocks gave off natural energy. It was a comfort to him more than anything. It would help amplify his own energy and make it strong enough so that he could sense the gate in this town. It wasn't an easy task to perform. Had it been easy, Lucky wouldn't have been as safe as she was there on Earth. There were very, very few who could actually locate the gateways. They changed with the weather.

"Gray," King said as he worked the little stones around in his hands, "untie her and walk her over here."

Gray rolled his eyes, "really?"

"Really," King said. "Come now, have a little more faith in yourself. Do you honestly think she could out run you? Besides, do you want to deal with the humans on our way? Most people don't drag their friends around in ropes."

Gray cut his eyes over to the girl and walked into the kitchen. Despite King's manipulative compliment, Gray still didn't think this was a good idea. King was getting over-confident. There was a lot riding on this mission, and he'd already screwed up once.

"Run," Gray said as he cut the ropes, "and I'll kill you myself. Stand up. C'mon."

They walked over to King. The air in the dim apartment seemed to quake, and it looked like heatwaves bouncing over each other from floor to ceiling. His hands clinged to the rocks and put them into his pockets.

Gray pushed Lucky next to King and followed after her with a smirk. It would be so good to be back home. Earth was such a drag. He thought they'd be going back alone, without the princess, but he supposed things would still get done. King was always soft on her. He knew he loved her. He might not be able to get the job done, and that's why he was there. Any more screw-up's, and he'd see that she died personally. King couldn't be trusted when it came to Lucky.

"Let's go," King said.

Energy buzzed up his legs and through his bones as he turned his senses on in full force. He could feel it—the energy. There was always a lot of it near a portal. He opened the apartment door, and they stepped out into the evening air and onto the metal staircase. The sun was already starting to set again. It cast a sick glow over the dying city. Lucky kept silent beside them. Gray locked a hand onto her arm and looked at his so-called leader for a direction.

"This way," King said at last, and they started down the steps towards the gateway that would take them all to another world.