Self Destructing Messenger

#23 - Bueller

So typical of Cayce and Pyro, arguing like children. Even without every experience with the crimson crusader in mind, Azalea knew the behavior was normal. So many of the exorcised memories were so closely tied to Cayce, the Man in Black and most of all, Gia, that she still felt she knew him through the context. Azalea would have laughed at the verbal sparring had she not been out of breath.

Being able to run through objects rather than having to scramble over or around made up for Azalea's lack of speed and the gap slowly closed between her and the Man in Black. She harbored no illusions that she was going to out sprint a german shepherd or a squirrel for that matter but she wasn't worried about them. No, a man chasing a squirrel seemed to her to be far more concerning.

The lithe man weaved around cars, out of the parking lot, disappearing into an unremarkable urban backyard. Azalea followed, flashes of black before her eyes as she sped through fences and trees.

"Wait!" She yelled, having actually managed to get within earshot.

He didn't slow but did reply. "No time! It has the launch codes!"

Azalea ran past a pool, two girls b@#$%ing over having their sunbath interrupted and thought to herself that she was currently reenacting a scene from an eighties movie against her will. Another tall privacy fence and she was sliding across wet grass while being blasted by a water sprinkler.

"STOP!"

The whole world suddenly burst into bright colors before her eyes. Azalea's hands flew up to her ears, clutching them uselessly as the thunder of the voice roared between them. Everything narrowed down, all systems in her body unable to process anything other than the wracking pain. Her heel hit the ground, slick vegetation propelled it sideways. There was no correcting the movement. Azalea's body hit the moist turf, momentum bouncing her along. Her vision cleared as she rolled, the stained wood of the fencing closing in. She phased, tumbling once or twice more before ending up on her back in the neighboring yard.

She stared up at the sky. All over her body she could feel the grime of earth permanently embedding itself in her clothing. There was likely a nice splotch of green across her a$# not to mention the dirt all over her jacket. She didn't even know how to clean it. Did it have to be dry cleaned? Maybe spot checked with a washcloth... all over. Then it occurred to her how dumb all that thinking was in light of what had just happened.

The voice in her head had returned. Returned with a vengeance. It had never been so abrasive before, at least not right off the bat. Usually she had to ignore it for a few days before it took on the volume of a jet engine.

Her head lulled to the side, not expecting to see the Man in Black or dog or squirrel but wouldn't it have been nice? Instead she got a view of the back end of the little community she had invaded. A narrow alley with a poorly paved road and all the crap the neighbors kept from their perfect front yards, bikes, toys, etc. And past the mouth of the dirty little secret, she could see more perfect little houses across a much nicer street.

And a door.

In the middle of a yard.

With nothing attached.

Azalea stood, made a feeble attempt to straighten out her appearance and then started towards the bad idea.

Down the alley. Across the street. Up the quaint stone pathway to the door to no where. She hesitated. Worst. Idea. Ever.

"INSIDE."

Her head rattled with the word and she placed her hand on the knob and pushed. Endless darkness. She stepped inside and saw before her rows of books, inhaled pine scented cleaner. The portal from before. Her regret was instant and she tried to back up but bumped into the shelves on the opposite wall. She pressed against them, trying to ease down the rising panic. This time she also controlled her movement. She couldn't decide if that was better or worse. Could the person she saw through be in the area this time?