Destiny

Chapter 3- A cold weekend

Today is saturday, Jones is taking me into the city so we can get to work. I mean I would rather spend it exploring, but that is not the reason I was sent her. After going through the files, I discovered the person I was searching for was around his mid 20's, blonde hair, blue eyes and had a small tattoo on his neck of a weird symbol I've never seen before. Jones believes he is part of a clan, that more than one person is out for my father. My father probably deserved it, but I wasn't going to think that way. I wouldn't be in this world without him. In a way, I owe him.

"Alright, so the last time he was stopped on the surviellance was here 2 hours ago. He was eating and socializing with some men, we believe they are part of the clan." Jones said.

"So calmly out in the open? Isn't that wrong? Wouldn't they be in hiding?" I asked as we walked past a small park.

"Yes, that's what I don't understand. Why would he flee from us in the first place?"

"Maybe he just wanted to live.." I mumbled looking at the icecicles that hung from the trees. Jones stares at me for a moment and looked up at the sky.

"I see."

" From a humans perspective, isn't it to cold to be outside?" I asked.

"That's right. They'd avoid the cold because they'd get sick..oh that reminds me.." He stopped me by grabbing my arm.

"Those tissues in the bathroom, are you possibly sick? It's normal if you are. I noticed you have been sneezing sense we got here." I shrugged.

"I don't know, I've never been sick."

"I'm sure it's nothing, but be sure to bundle up more okay?" he said, I smiled nodding. He's always worrying about me.

"Can we gifts tomorrow?" I asked.

"Gifts?" he looked suprised.

"I want to give them to my friends for christmas." I said.

"Then yes, you can." He said smiling.
"Okay, now back to work. We don't know what name he is using. Or where he is hiding. So where do you suppose we start?" He asked.
"Witnesses? I'm sure people live around here in these houses. We should try the houses across from the park. So..there." I pointed to a small hotel.
"Hotel? That's a lot of people Scarlett!"
"That's why we ask the workers." I said pushing him across the street.
"Give me the photo." I said opening my hand. He handed it to me. We walked up to the building, two men stood outside in heavy coats and scarfs.
"Hello, can you help me?" I asked. One was Mexican, another Dark skinned.
"Yes?" The dark skinned guy asked. I looked at them then the park.
"Were you working here 2 hours ago?" I asked.
"I was, why?" The Mexican asked.
"Well, my brother is avoiding Christmas dinner with the family and we are trying to find him. Could you tell me if you've seen him?" I held up the picture.
"Oh him? He lives here in apartment 213 I believe. He's a regular who give great tips. How rude to try to skip dinner with such a lovely looking girl."
The Mexican winked. I smiled and looked away trying not to puke.
"Thank you!" I said pulling jones into the hotel. A large tree stood in the Center of the room.
"That was way to easy.." I mumbled to jones.
"Come on." He led me into a small box room. What's this? Don't we need to-
suddenly the box began to move. I held tightly to the bars yelling. Jones covered my mouth.
"Calm down would you? It's a way to move up the building. Quicker than stairs."
I breathed in and out nervously. It came to a stop. Are we there? We stepped out and walked down the hall 210, 211,212. We turned the corner and I pulled back, pulling jones back to.
It was June. Ruth's friend.
"Jones, she goes to my school." I whispered to him.
He peaked his head and saw her and the man we were looking for hugging.
"I have an idea..stay here. If he runs. You can catch him ok?" I said lowly. He nodded.
"Be careful Scarlett." I smiled at his concern. I took a deep breath and started walking down the hall June was in.
"June! How funny running into you here haha." June looked at me and waved.
"Hey. What are you doin here?" The mans eyes went wide. He noticed me didn't he. Maybe he had seen me before after all.
"My moms friend works here, he wanted me to check each room and see if they needed anything."
"You're a maid here?"
"Not yet, I'm in training." I lied.
"Ohh."
"So, who's this?" I said with a smile. The guy gulped.
"This is nick, my father." I froze in place. Father? How is that possible?
He fell in love with a human right? But that wasn't for that long was it? Something doesn't add up about this.
"Nice to meet you nick. Is there anything you guys need while I'm here?"
"Not really." He said. I nodded at them and speed walked down the hall the jones.
"I have some questions for you and father."
"We have to kill-"
"Quiet!" I shouted. Jones blinked surprised. They are hiding something from me, and I'm sure going to find out!
~
"Father, I want to speak to you right now." I said angrily.
"So do a lot of people." A voice said in he distance. I turned in my room, the find my father. He was holding a hanger in his hand examining it.
"Either you knew about this man for more than 16 years or you're hiding something. I refuse to harm someone if I don't know their whole story." My father tilted his head and threw the hanger at me. I gulped gripping my hands. What am I doing? Do I want to die? I let the hanger cut my cheek.
"Who the hell do you think you are talking to child?!"
"I'm talking to a man who wants me to kill a man with a child. That's why you sent me to that school isn't it?"
"Kinda." He said. I bited my lip in frustration.
"What is wrong with a man being in love with his child?" I asked taking a step forward.
"Because he is suppose to think only of me once he leaves his human life."
"Wait, what? He was a human? How is that possible?"
"I take a human vessel every other day to create a soldier. They leave their life's and do my work. That's just how it is Scarlett. He decided to take his life back, and now follow me. So he is being punished."
"So a death penalty? That doesn't seem right."
"It's right to me. Everything I do is right." He said stepping towards me, we were inches apart. Then I found myself against the wall, neck being choked.
"Do you want to defy me daughter? Your own father?" I coughed, tears escaping my eyes.
"Do you even know what a father is?" I managed to choke. He tightened his grip. I can't breath.
"You need to learn who you are speaking to! I made you, I could destroy you so easily."
Everything became black then.
Am I dead? Maybe I'll be happier dead. Or maybe I'd just end up back with father if I die. I hope not. I hope when I die I'll be somewhere peaceful.
But where am I now? I sat up. My dress is white and so thin. I touched my hair, it's was long again. What's going on? I sat up and found myself in a garden. There were so many flowers. I turned to find a dark figure in my face. I screamed and pulled myself to my feet. I ran as fast as I possibly could. The soil was wet and felt odd against my feet. And the branches hurt once I got towards the forest. I looked back, it was gone. Huh? I looked around, it's gone? Goodness what was that thing? I ventured around the woods, so this is a forest with a garden. I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds of my surroundings. No bugs, no animals?
I kneeled down and touched the ground, it began to shake. I gasped falling down. I looked up to find my sister holding her Favorite sword.
"Sister, don't you see this is your grave yard on earth?" She kneeled next to me.
"Oh don't cry, you knew you were going to die first." She laughed. I cried scooting away from her. Sister no. Please don't, I have so much left to do!
"What's the point of running, you know I'll always find you." She said. Her eyes, those scary eyes flared into mine. Is this the end for me? I covered my face and the sword was sent through my Chest.
I woke up with a scream. Jones ran in surprised to find me against the wall.
"What's the matter?" He asked helping me up.
"Bad dream.." I mumbled.
"They aren't real. Don't worry about them." But jones for some reason I think it really was. I can't explain it, but that moment felt so real.
Just what is going on?
~
Presents, what would they like? I stared through the windows in each store, nothing really caught my eye. So I walked into a small store called Ladies Love. There was so many stuff to choose from it was overwhelming.
"Hello there, one moment." An old woman, she wore a long green dress with flowers and had her hair in a neat clip, and wore a beautiful diamond dolphin necklace. I ran over to her and helped her with the large box she was carrying.
"Oh!" She called her hands together as I took the box out of her hands.
"Where do you want it?"
"Behind that desk there please." I went behind the wooden desk and placed the box behind it. Is this store new? There are so many boxes.
"We aren't new. We have items shipped in from around the world to sell."
I blinked and looked up at her. How did she know what I said?
"I can read minds. I guess you could say it's a gift."
"Read minds? Is that possible?"
"Some believe so, some do not. You can choose to believe or not." This is weird.
"If I made you uncomfortable I'm sorry." She looked upset.
"No, it doesn't bother me. I'm just new to it. I've never heard of reading minds." She tilted her head.
"At all? They have them in stories and movies."
"I haven't read any of those stories and I haven't seen a movie before." No point of lieing.
"Interesting. Well, my name is gromes. I'm the one who owns this little shop."
"And I'm Scarlett."
"So Scarlett, what are you looking for today?"
"A present for a few friends." I looked around. There just so much, how was I going to choose.
"That's where I come in. If you want, you can think about that friend, show me your memories with them. And I can come up with the perfect gift."
"I just have to think about my memories?" She smiled nodding. Well it's not like it'll harm me, so let's give it a try. Let's try clorissa first. I men's rally images the first time we met, and how she stood up for me. How she told me about her dreams, and the people she introduced me too. Then I heard the woman's heels leaving my side.
"Where are you going?!" I asked.
"Getting the gift of course."
I stood there awkwardly. This is so odd, I've never met a woman like this before. Did father really create her? Was these powers part of his plan?
"Here we go." She held a small item infront of me. I touched it and smiled. A small, but precious item. It was a badge, on it was the American flag. She would love that.
I held it to me smiling.
"Alright, who's next?" Alex. I closed my eyes and smiles at the memory of how I slid into him. And how he introduced me to the school, and how he was my locker "buddy".
"That fellow..Alex, I know him." I stared at her confused. How does she know him? This city is so large, there's hundreds of people, more even.
"He worked here with me when he was a lot younger. I actually know exactly what he'd want." She left my side again. So this woman worked with Alex? What was he working at such a young age though? Is that normal here?
"Here we are." She handed me a small black notebook. I looked at her then it.
"It's his old journal as a child. He wrote in it a lot. I'm sure he must miss it. He left it here..under certain circumstances." Alex...why do I feel As if your story is hidden?
"Is there anyone else?" I shook my head. I didn't know anyone well enough to know what to get them. I'll have to wait longer.
"So you'll be back?" She asked with a smile. I keep forgetting she can read my mind.
"I will, here." I handed her the cash. She took it and nodded. She wrapped the presents for me. And waved as I left. This has been a rather interesting trip. I looked around and froze in place, a large Christmas tree stood in the middle of the area. So many lights, decorations, and snow on it. I ran up to it and touched it. Amazing, so amazing. Mother you would love to see this wouldn't you? I wish you could. It sparkled in the night, and I couldn't stop staring at the large star at the top. Suddenly my phone started ringing, I took it out my pocket, it was jones.
"Hello?" I answered.
"How does Chinese food sound?"
"Are we going to China?"
"No no, it's food the Chinese make but they are made here. Man this is hard to explain."
"I actually know Americans eat food the Chinese made. So yes Chinese sounds great."
"Wait, were you messing with me?!" He said with a nervous laugh.
"Yes, I sure was." We both laughed.
"I'll be home in.."I stopped midsentence as I watched Alex with Crow walk past me.
"Scarlett?"
"An hour. I walked a long distance."
"I'll just pick you up."
"I want to walk, I like the scenery. Don't worry I have my cell on me okay?" There was a short pause.
"Ok.." I hung up the phone and followed slowly behind the two boys. What are they doing together? They could be friends but I just felt something is off. They walked down an street and I hid behind a curve as I saw crow look around. So many large houses surrounded this area. Are these people wealthy? I watched them push a button by a gate.
"Hello young masters." A voice said. I stepped forward. And a branch cracked. Oh no. Alex turned around and saw me.
"Scarlett?" Crow said looking towards me. I was caught.
"Come on in Scarlett, no point in hiding it now crow." Alex said walking through the gate that started opening.
Something tells me I'm going to miss chinese.
~
The inside reminded me of the weddings, perfectly organized, beautiful, a large ballroom, and a staircase that led to mystery. Marble floors, they shined so much.
"Scarlett why were you following us?" Crow asked. I avoided his question by staring ahead.
"Masters!" A woman appeared in a maids uniform, I coughed. How creepy.
Alex waved her off and left the room. Was he always this cold? I hugged the gifts to me.
"Oh my, a girl! So pretty to! Is she your girlfriend crow? I mean your father wouldn't like the idea but that ok. You can be in love all you want." Crow blushed and shook his head.
"She's nothing like that. She's just a friend of clorissa's. I want to talk to her alone." He said, the woman nodded leaving the room. This reminded me to much of home and I hated it so much.
"I just ran into you guys is all. I was curious why you two are together."
"We are brothers." My mouth dropped. I didn't expect that at all. Brothers? They look nothing alike though.
"It is a secret so don't tell anyone ok?"
He asked. I nodded slowly and looked at the way Alex left to.
"He's only kind to people in public, he actually really hates people. He does it because father wants him to be popular among the students. And when alexander has a good reputation it helps my fathers with the students and their families. It's advertising." Crow shrugged. Alex is being used? He can't be himself? But..he hates me also. That's the sad truth.
"I'll keep your secret and Alex's. I'll see you tomorrow at school crow. Bye." I waved and ran out the house. How can a man do such a thing to a child. That's right...I will never understand that. My father is the same way. Using people, making them miserable. I sighed. I just need to sleep this off.