Our second world- Book two: War is coming

Chapter 21

~Haren~

"Ouch!" He groaned, rubbing his back.

"Wow. That was embarrassing," Artemis laughed. She and Haren were having a light sparring match and she had just swept his feet out from under him.

"Yeah. You're getting better."

"I agree," August added, offering Haren a hand to stand.

He smiled and reached out with his right arm. Only to feel a sharp pain in his shoulder when August pulled. The pain surprised him and he let go. Causing his hand to slip from Augusts' grip as he fell backward.

"Are you ok?" August asked, dropping down next to him," Was it your shoulder? Did I hurt you?"

"No. I think I did something when I fell," Haren answered, pulling off his shirt," Can you take a look?"

August nodded and shuffled around behind him," Some of the wires came loose it looks like." He said after a moment.

Haren reached into his pants pocket, pulled out a small silver tool, and handed it to August. It had happened once before, so August knew what to do and quickly reconnected the wires. Catching Haren as he fell backwards clutching his shoulder in pain. August held onto him; whispering soothing words until the pain subsided and his breathing returned to normal. Reconnecting wires was one of the most painful things he'd ever experienced, and replacing the whole arm was at least ten times worse.

"Ok now?" August asked, pulling him to his feet by his left arm.

"Yeah." He replied. Looking up at the sky, he realized it was already getting dark," I'm gonna head to bed a little early tonight, I think."

"Good. You could use the sleep."

Haren smiled at his partner and retrieved his shirt from the ground before making his way inside. 

On his way to his room, he ran into Silver on the stairs to the third floor.

"Hey," he said, hanging a towel around his neck.

"Silver." Haren returned the greeting.

"Wow. That's quite a few scars on your back," Silver said when Haren walked in front of him," What kinda mission was it?"

Haren stopped walking," Wasn't a mission." He shook his head to clear the unpleasant memory of the tragedy that had taken his parents, his arm, and permanently scarred his body," I got these long before I came to this country."

"Hmph. Seems we both have tragic pasts we want to forget." Silver said, walking ahead.

"Your fear of water?" Haren guessed.

"Yeah. Have hardly been able to touch it since."

The two boys walked in silence the rest of the way and parted at the top of the stairs.

When he got to his room, it was empty and dark.

He sat down on his bed and ran a hand over his right arm. As his fingers ran down the cool metal that no-longer looked like skin, he let out a small sigh and flopped backwards onto his pillow.

"Why do I feel so alone?" He murmured to the dim as he curled up," What did I do wrong?"

He felt someone crawl into the bed behind him and pulled away when they tried to put their arms around him.

"Daddy?" It was Mary, but it couldn't be that late already. could it? No. It was still early. August and Artemis weren't back yet," Daddy, what's wrong?"

"I don't know," He couldn't form the words. Couldn't understand why he was pushing her away when he wanted her to be near.

"If you can't tell me, that's ok." She threw the blanket over him and sat at the edge of the bed," Can I do anything?" Her voice was full of worry," What can I do to help? I can go away if you want me to, but I'm not a mind reader. You have to talk to me." She paused," I'll go get August if you'd rather talk to him."

She stood up.

"No. I don't want to be alone!"

He grabbed her and pulled her back onto the bed.

The look in her eyes was a mix of worry and fear for a moment before her mind registered what had happened. The fear changed to realization and she took his hands in her own.

" I won't leave until he gets back, then." She said laying down next to him.

"Promise?"

"I promise," Mary answered, running her fingers through his hair," You'll be hurting if I do, and I don't want you to go back to the way you were when Dad was gone. How you acted made me scared. I thought you were going to leave me like my parents did. I was scared because I don't want to be alone again. That's why I won't let you be alone. You'll leave if I do."

"I'm sorry, Mary. I'm so sorry," he whispered," I don't want to be alone, and I don't ever want to leave you. I'm sorry for making you think I would."

"I know you won't." She said," If you tried, you wouldn't get very far because I wouldn't let you."

"I don't doubt that you won't."

~The next morning~

He found that Mary hadn't moved from her spot since last night. They both were in the same place, with the addition of August on the side that Mary didn't occupy. Although he'd slept through the night, he felt as if he hadn't gotten any sleep at all.

"Oh, great one." He sat up and blinked. Did he just imagine it?

"Strong one..." There it is again. He must still be dreaming.

"Please..." This voice is different," We have a request..."

"Help us." That's a third voice?

"Aid us." A fourth?

"Please..."

"Listen to us..."

"You're the only one," That's seven different voices. There's no way he isn't still dreaming," Wait for us."

Before he could say anything, the eerie presence he felt while the voices spoke was gone along with them.

"What did they mean by 'Wait for us'?" he wondered as he threw on his uniform," I guess I'll find out whether I want to or not."

He slid out into the hall and softly closed the door.

"Good morning, Major. Can I talk to you?" Elise was standing in front of him the moment he stepped out of the room. He noticed Rose standing a few steps behind her.

"I suppose it's important if you had to wait for me," He sighed," Where to?"

"The war room; if it's not too much trouble," she said, her smile vanishing.