Shards of Kairos

VII - Mitch

Julian pointedly ignored Evie’s eyes upon him as he partially dragged the mostly unconscious police officer towards the library by an arm. Which was barely a few meters away.

Evie had called him 'Mitch' and had seemed to be close or at least have a close relationship with the sheriff.

While Julian was annoyed, and something else he absolutely couldn’t and wouldn’t place, Briarsfield was small and Evie had grown up in it. It wasn’t a shocking development that she was closer to the male than he'd previously surmised - but it was unsettling that Evie knew him well enough to be upset at any pain Julian might inflict upon him. They no longer had room for those attachments.

And Julian was sympathetic but there was only a small piece of him left that could feel the softer, gentler emotions anymore.

This was a war he'd been badly equipped to fight and he wasn't talking about the Crystal. Julian was far too accustomed to having no emotions left, a cold apathy replacing them, or having to set them aside entirely just to survive.

But he wasn’t entirely heartless.

“Mitch I wish I could explain.” Evie said as she joined Julian on the police officer’s other side.

The male was hardly on his feet but making an attempt. And he was conscious enough to be trying to form words, even if they were mostly inaudible. Julian knew the sheriff wouldn’t be putting up a fight for awhile and so he wasn’t overly concerned. If he relaxed his own defenses enough, even with it being a risk with Evie so near, Julian could feel that the police officer was frustrated. Upset. But relatively calm. Hardly afraid. Which was impressive.

And he wasn’t hurting too badly. But Evie didn't know that.

Evie took one of Mitch’s arms and winced at the weight of it but determinedly pulled it over her shoulders with a gentle, compassionate touch. “I wish you remembered me. Something. Anything. Mitch I’m so sorry.”

“How do we get in?” Julian asked, giving a look at the heavy double doors they’d come to, the main doors to the library that faced outward to the center of town - and a solemn look at that.

From what Julian could see, and it wasn't much, the doors were chained shut and the entire building looked as derelict as his own world. The mirror copy of this one anyway, of Aristera.

Julian knew he could take the doors down but it wouldn’t be easy and it would attract attention they couldn’t afford any of that; more than they had already, probably attracted. And it would be loud.

“Around back.” Evie said, seemingly reading his line of thoughts.

As they came around the large building in the center square that was the library, Mitch’s words became a lot more audible. But only just. Julian was sure he’d broken the police officer’s nose and blood covered his lips, the front of his uniform, staining his teeth  “We can talk...”

Words seemed to a considerable effort for Mitch and Julian’s jaw tightened almost painfully. His people were an empathetic race, by ability and not merely the term.

They were entirely open with one another, they could feel each other’s emotions and they didn’t bother to hide them. There was no need. There was no concept of ‘walls’. Julian had been forced into learning how to build his own but it was an alien concept. He could feel that Mitch wasn’t exactly scared. But he was in pain and he had no idea what they were going to do to him.

“We can talk this out.” Mitch tried again, words more clear now.

“Mitch.” Evie breathed, pained. “We’re not going to hurt you.”