COBALT: The Red Phantom (Book One)

Chapter 18: The Torture of Cosmetics (Part 2/3)

          "Make sure you get that off your hand as well," Phantom said, motioning to the black scribbles littering Káel's palm like fresh blood after a murder.

          "Yeah I know, there isn't exactly a bathroom down there," he replied, hiding the mark in his pocket with a sour frown and closing up the secret secret room. 

          As he went for the stairs a strange vibrating sensation rattled at his wrist, causing him to jump and feel around for his phone. The box remained lifeless in his pocket however, coaxing him to lift his sleeve and stare at the little shaking sender.

          Káel blinked in confusion. "Why's it doing that?"

          Phantom was equally perplexed by the bracelet, craning over Káel's shoulder to inspect it. "Is there a button somewhere to stop it?"

          The bracelet continued to vibrate as Káel looked at it from every angle for a button, the silver bracelet completely bare of any bumps or switches. It persisted, growing more restless by the second, until Káel poked the centre of it, silencing it with a soft click.

          "Did it stop?" Phantom whispered, the two of them watching it in stiff anticipation.

          Suddenly a small orb shot out of it, halting at Káel's eye level while he jumped. "Finally! It worked!" the orb cried, somehow possessing the energetic tone of his roommate.

          Káel drew back in surprise. "Truvius?"

          "Oh yeah, you've never been in range when I've tried to call you on your sender," Truvius continued. "Glad you figured it out, where are you?"

          "Walking around," Káel replied, giving the talking orb a weird look. "How did you do this?"

          "I'll show you later, where were you before? Cause when you disappear and I try to call you on this the signal never works."

          "I was outside," Káel lied.

          Truvius' voice flattened with doubt. "Really now?"

          "Did you reach him?" another voice cut in.

          "Yeah, quit shoving your face at my sender Leon, you can hear him perfectly fine!" Truvius snapped, a quiet shuffle leaking through the orb as the boy's adjusted to share the call. "Anyways, we're outside playing some games right now. Feel free to join us."

          "Okay," Káel replied hesitantly. "I'm going to the bathroom, I'll catch up later."

          "Alright, see you then," Truvius quickly replied, cutting off the call before Leon could give his farewells.

          Phantom shared Káel's concerns over the strange nature of the call. "That was..."

          "Odd?"

          "He sounded kind of weird," Káel said, thinking about anything he could've done to arise irritation amongst his acquaintances. There was plenty, but none of them ever affected Truvius.

          "Ignore it for now, we need to get rid of that lovely drawing on your hand first," Phantom said, casually strolling away to the nearest washroom while whistling a tune.

  —————  

          Káel checked the washroom for guests, discretely slipping his hand out to scrub at the stain under the flowing water enchantment. The water turned grey with loose ink, but even though it looked like it was coming off, the markings remained clear as day.