Robin Souls | Open Novella Contest 2019 | Completed

Chapter 7

"So, to sum up, you believe this stranger is the one the cards warned me about?" Damien asked, looking around the area they were in with interest; Cameron had been in the town longest so he'd led them through a series of maze-like streets until he was sure they were alone.

Elise nodded. "I believe he might be."

"Which means..." Damien continued, pausing for a moment while he thought this through, "I'm really close to achieving my goal?" Damien's excitement was palpable.

"That's right, so you should—"

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. I have to be there when it happens. But I appreciate you coming to give me the warning." Damien rushed out his words as he started to take a few steps back and away from the two. "I'll see you soon."

And that was the last he said before he turned away, jogging off in the direction they'd come from.

"Wait—" Elise said, raising her hand in an attempt to stop him, but it was to no avail; he was already too far away.

"I mean..." Cameron said while walking closer to Elise's side, bending slightly as they watched Damien's back. "Were you really expecting anything else?" Cameron placed his hand on Elise's raised arm and lowered it back to her side.

Elise sighed and folded her arms, Damien now having rounded a corner and being out of their sight. "Not really, I guess. But it never hurts to try."

Cameron looked at her sympathetically. "You're just going to leave it?"

Elise shrugged her shoulders and Cameron followed her when she started walking back towards their part of town, which happened to be the opposite direction. "There's not much I can do if he won't listen."

Cameron sighed dramatically, slinging an arm around Elise's shoulders. "My poor girl trying hard to save people and no one's listening."

"Yeah. No one except you," Elise said before giving him a quick jab in the side.

He pulled back and placed his hand in the spot she'd poked, giving her a mock-offended look. "I had no idea you were you trying to save me from anything in the first place."

She couldn't help but roll her eyes at him. "You know what I mean."

Cameron shot her a toothy grin. "I do." There was silence between them for a moment and the only sound to be heard was their footsteps. "So, who exactly is the stranger that might harm our Damien? Is he just as gorgeous as he is?"

Elise sighed and shook her head in disbelief. Was that all this man ever thought of? "He's unique to say the least, very black and white," she said while they continued to walk along the empty road.

"Black and white?" Cameron repeated, not sure what she was trying to say. "What does that mean?"

"Like... He's literally black and white – his hair is," Elise said as they come up to the first corner of the street – the one they'd have to turn into. "He said something about Damien taking his powers."

Cameron's jaw dropped almost comically. "He what?"

She frowned. "So you think it's strange too?"

"Strange at the very least," Cameron muttered, placing his fingers to his chin in thought. "It's unbelievable, really, is what it is."

They rounded the corner then and froze in place at the sight before them; Elise's eyes widened in recognition and Cameron's in surprise as the colourful man they were just talking about shot them a toothy grin.

"I just hung around for a few seconds to say thank you," he said, his voice eerily smooth. "I've waited too long for this." His smile seemed to widen, which hadn't seemed possible; he raised his hand and wiggled his fingers in farewell. "Bye."