MORNING STAR, a STARGAZING series the 1st

Chapter 6, The Sign

Allan point of view

There was a horror in seeing your friend stared down at the dead body with a grin. I was wondering if this runs in his family. When I walked towards him, all the hair in my body stood in a shiver. I couldn't remember why these feelings felt familiar. For a second my thoughts kept telling me how dangerous Byan at the time, but vulnerable as well. If I hold back now, I couldn't save him, I told myself. If I was lucky, I'd still had my body parts at their place.

"By" I called him. He did not reply but I was pretty sure he was listening, "We have to go." He wasn't answering. "I know you're pissed off. Well, I'm sorry for keeping it all secret, but believe me-" I sighed, "-I'm sorry. We'll settle this later, but we have to go. I know you're listening."

"Where," he said at last. He was still facing to the other side.

"Somewhere safer"

"There was no safer place," well he was right after all. "I can protect myself" he added.

"Just because you killed one Astaroth doesn't mean you can handle everything! And-for the love of Aries look at me when you talk!" I shouted. The word "killing" sounded weird to me like I knew I've prepared my life with this word but not that soon.

He turned to me, the way he stared to me I regret telling him to turn.

"Who the hell is this Aries you kept telling me?!" he said in an irritated tone. "Wait, I know. When the time comes I'll figure it out, tell me I was wrong."

"Why are you like this? I know you're mad but don't make it harder."

"How dare you to ask 'why am I like this?' and for the record, you were the one to make it harder by telling me nothing!" he shouted. It was getting tenser that my blood pressure was flowing faster. At this rate, he could've exploded at any time but perhaps I was out of my mind. I marched to him, as I get closer there was a strong force field against me. It only took me one second to punch him in the face. Thud, what a pleasure!

He was shocked, perhaps because he never expected me to dare to hit him. Well, I don't either, but while we were on it, there was no way to stop. I grabbed his collar shirt and lifted him in the air. Correct: that was my plan. But I wasn't that strong to hold his body weight in the air. Instead, I dropped him to stand before me. I pulled him closer so his ear was about an inch to my mouth.

"Listen to me," I whispered. "I'll tell you slowly so your slowpoke brain will handle this. There were more than just one Astaroth, and if you think you're safe just by killing one, I swear in the name of everything you put your faith on that you'd rather died moment ago. And, I'll gladly tell you that you just survived Astaroth, there are more than just a dozen kinds of monster that are looking forward to hunting you. I know-exactly everything you want to know right now. And I could have told you everything, everything-" I repeated to make it clearer "-but with your current condition, your current mental condition, you won't be able to keep your sanity. Your life matters, not for me, but there was a whole ass land that needs your existence so watching you die insanely won't be the best thing I wanted to see. So as your best friend, and the only person alive who knows you better besides your mother, I'll ask you politely: stop talking as if you are the victim because WE are all the victim here, so it would be more helpful if you can just stop pretending that you're the only one and get your shit together. And lower your voice, you never knew how much your mother sacrifices her whole life to protect you. Everything and that's not to see what have you become just now."

I took a deep breath, it was kinda tiring saying that much words at a time. If you ask me to say it again I wonder if I can do it properly, or at least say it in order. Byan was so stunned to hear that, he must be unprepared. He might have hit me for talking too much if we were in a better condition.