Vow of Unity

Chapter 2

   Both of us frozen, we stare. Her eyes burn into mine, and mine to hers. I feel like if I even flinch, she'll run away from me. My feelings are a mixture of fear and confusion.
   "What's your name?" I make careful and sudden movements to show her that I have no intention of causing her any problems. When I speak, she just turns back around and goes to run again.
   "No, don't go," I say and look at the Seal on her back, "I just want to talk to you."
   "They're after me." She whispers, in a very gentle voice.
   "Who, the Angels?"
   She nods in response. I run my hands through my hair, I'm not sure what to do. I sigh and look around.
   "Okay, how about this? To get you out of the cold for tonight you can come with me and I'll find a place for you to stay."
   She seems hesitant. Her eyes look me up and down.
   "I've seen you on T.V." She says with the slightest bit of exclamation in her voice.
   "Yeah. I work for an advertising company." I look at my watch, 11:59.
   "Are you going to come with me or not? I don't want to get caught past the curfew time and get thrown in jail."
   Slowly, she comes towards me. I take my overcoat off and wrap it over her and we start to walk back toward the City.
   "Did you come from the Damned?"
She nods.
   "You're a Curse, right?" That was a dumb question.
She nods.
   "May I ask why you don't have any clothes on?" I hate myself for trying to sneak a peek a few times.
   "I was a um, prisoner...I escaped during our shower times. I didn't have the time to stop and put clothes back on." She wraps my overcoat tighter around her small body.
   "Why were you a prisoner? If you don't mind me asking."
   She hangs her head a bit, "I've tried to escape many times before, and they also tell me that I need to be contained. It has something to do with the power I was given as a Curse."
   "Oh, I see."
   With an awkward feeling I look at all the lights for the second time tonight as we enter the City.
   "Have you ever been here before."
She shakes her head.
   "Well, it's not as great as it may seem. It is probably better than a Jail Cell though."
   I regret it as I say it, seeing an empty look on her face.
   Looking around more closely, I realize there are no people around. No cars, no one passing by on the sidewalk. Nothing. I now remember, it's past curfew.
   As quick as I can move, I grab the girls hand and almost drag her to the nearest alleyway.
   "What's wrong-"
   I grab her and pull her against my chest. I cover her mouth with my hand. Then we both watch as a man in a black uniform passes by. On the back of his jacket is a pair of wings, and a simple circle stamped with a cross. He's an Angel.
   I take my hand off of her mouth and motion for her to stay quiet. Angel's are usually powerful Blessings, with offensive abilities capable of just about anything. The "Watchmen" aren't any exception.
   Grabbing her hand again, I lead us further into the darkness. Luckily enough for us, I know my way home from here. All of the alleys in the City create a system of walkways that lead to each individual corresponding town. I go on plenty of walks to know the route.
   Once we're out of sight, she speaks up.
   "What just happened?"
   "It was a Watchmen. They belong to the Observational Branch of the Angels." I look around and continue to lead her along.
   "Every night after Midnight in the City they begin to roam the streets to find people that are out after curfew. I wasn't thinking and it completely slipped my mind that we were out so late," We take a right and then a left, "I'm sorry for the inconvenience."
   "Don't be sorry, I'm the real inconvenience."
We don't say much to each other the rest of the way to my house.

~

   I hold the door open for her as she steps inside.
   "If you just take a seat on the couch, I'll grab you some clothes."
   She takes a seat on the old couch. I walk into the my room and search through my closet for a shirt and maybe an old pair of pants.
   "For such a famous person, you don't live in a very big fancy house."
   I walk in holding a maroon shirt, and a pair of grey sweatpants I never wore because I bought them too small.
   "I feel guilty if I spend my money on personal use," I grab a couple blankets from my hall closet, "So I usually ninety percent of my paycheck to charities. Mainly housing in the Damned area."
   I lay the blanket across the couch and pat it, placing the other on top. I raise back up and turn to see a small smile on her face. It's gone almost in an instant, which leads me to not bring attention to it.
   "Thank you.." She whispers and sits on the couch.
   "Oh, you think you're sleeping in here?" I laugh lightly.
   "The bed is for you." I jerk my thumb over my shoulder, pointing toward my room.
   "No, I couldn't.." Her face reddens a bit.
   "I haven't slept on that bad in years anyhow. This is where I sleep every night."
I yawn and stretch a bit, and look at her. She stands there with dirt on her face, in her hair, and holding my old clothes close to her chest.
"Why don't you go shower, and get dressed. I'll cook up something while you're at it. Sound good?" I half smile awkwardly and tilt my head a bit.
"Okay.."
I motion for her to follow me and right down the hall I hold the bathroom door open for here.
"Um yeah, towels and stuff are in the cabinet. Also, lucky for you I use women's shampoo and conditioner."
I begin to feel nervous for no reason around her. I notice another small smile before the door is closed in my face. Going to the kitchen, I open the fridge and see nothing but a few bottles of water. With fingers crossed I open the freezer.
"Yes!" I silently say to myself and reach for the package of frozen sausage. I turn on the electric stovetop and put a pan on it, throwing the sausage on.
I look in the cabinets for tea bags, which I find. So I fill a pot with some water and turn it on to boil.
While I wait I think about what's happening to me. I have a random stranger in my house, who I found in the woods, and not only that but she's using my shower.
I'm too nice of a person at time, although I do feel sorry for her. I don't know her whole story but I can barely begin to comprehend what it is like to live in a place like the Damned. Especially in a jail cell for just wanting to be free. She is a prime example of why I want to help them and why I won't give up on it.
My three years of consciousness have almost only been devoted to the goal of bringing everyone in this world together. It will happen.
I snap out of thought when grease begins to snap and pop from the pan. I turn off the stovetop for it and throw the teabags in the boiling water. I put the sausage on my only plate and set it to the side while I stir the tea. For what felt like five minutes, I prepared the tea and put it into two cups. The girl walks out of the bathroom with perfect timing.
I stand in front of her like an idiot holding out the plate of food and tea. My shirt and pants are baggy on her, all the dirt is gone and her hair is still a bit wet, dripping on the floor. I thought she was beautiful earlier, and she still is, just cuter now. That's another thing that has bothered me. Why do I feel an attraction to the way this stranger looks? There is no reason for me to. There is no reason for anyone to.
Handing her the cup and plate, we head to the living room. I take a seat on the small leather chair that I never use, and she sits on the couch. I watch her as she begins to eat, tearing the sausage apart with her fingers and devouring it. She even drinks the hot tea like it's water. I look away and my face heats up when she notices me staring and stops eating.
"Uh, you never answered me earlier when I asked your name." I blurt out to start up a conversation.
"It's Eve."
"That's a nice name."
"What is yours?" She finishes the last piece of sausage and says it with a small mouthful.
"My full name is Fable, but people usually just call me Abe. I don't like it much but it stuck so I deal with it."
"I think Fable is nice." She hides her face with her hair but I feel like there was a smile in those words.
"Thank you."
After our small talk, we sit in silence for what feels like forever, until I ask her another question.
"How long have you been escaped for?"
All I get is a shrug.
"Okay," I rub my chin a bit, "You don't have to answer this at all, but you told me you kept trying to escape time after time, Why is that?"
When I ask, she makes no movement or sound to show me any response. I take that as time to stop talking.
"I need to find someone."
"Who would that be?" Hearing things like this get me excited for some reason, like watching a T.V. Show.
"A friend I lost years ago."
"How long have they been gone?"
"Four years, I think."
I rest my hand on my hands while my elbows dig into my thighs. I want to question her further and learn more.
"Why do you want to find them so bad? I understand it was your friend, but with the way the Angels treat the Curses, especially ones who disobey, is it worth it?"
"I think it is. He was the most important person in the world to me.." This is the most she has said and the loudest she's spoken to me. Getting a better sound of her voice, I like it. It's peaceful in a way.
"We grew up together in the Damned and made the best of our lives. Then Four years ago, a few Angels took him away and I never saw him again," I can hear it in her voice that she is beginning to cry as she grips the blanket tightly. Her knuckles are white.
I stand and cough.
"I'm sorry for asking you about that."
She stands up from the couch and heads toward the room.
"If you need anything, wake me up. I'll be here."
She turns to me one list time.
"Thank you."

~

I wake up the next morning to a cliche note from a Romance movie. It's from the girl and it reads,
"Thank you for everything you did. I'm going to find my friend. I won't ever forget you." ~ Eve.
I somewhat find it hard to believe that it all actually happened. That's why I decide to keep it off my mind as best as I can, and try to forget the whole situation. I'll probably never see her again anyways.
I get ready for work. Almost everyday I dress formally and I wasn't in the mood to do so today.
   "Morning," Jax waves over to me from his yard. He's carrying a tree log over his shoulder. I think he builds wooden structures for a living, but I'm not sure.
"Good Morning. It's a nice day isn't it?" I wave back, gazing up at the cloudless, deep blue sky.
"Yes it is!" Jax walks behind his house and I hear the log smacking against the ground. I hope he has a good day.
On my way to work, I can't help to think of Eve. I didn't have time to think it out. I could have given her money for a hotel room and clothes or something along those lines. If it happened to be that we were caught, my life would be over. I'd become ridiculed by society and cast aside. Then how would I bring them all together, if they hated me? I just know I'll never do such a thing again.
"You're Fable aren't you, the guy from the commercials on T.V.?" A stranger asks me, as I walk down the street.
"Yes I am." I smile and try to act happy.
"Can I get a picture with you? A younger friend of mine thinks you're awesome!"
I take the picture with him and walk away in a hurry. I've always hated situations like that, I'm not special, I just happen to be good at promoting products. There is also nothing awesome about what I do, but I believe the way I present myself helps with my image.
I approach the building I work in, one of many that the company owns, and I stare up at it. It looks down over me as it scrapes the sky.
   I'd like to stand atop the roof one day.
   As I walk in, I'm greeted by the people at the front desk I forgot their names, but they are very kind ladies. I wave to them with a half smile and walk on.
   "Good Morning Ann," I greet my assistant as I walk into my office.
   "Any information on the case?" I ask, sitting behind my desk and propping up my feet.
   "No, sorry," She answers, giving me a fake sad face through the window.
   For about a year now, I've had Ann research things about my past to see if she can find any clues. I don't care what it is, a person, a place, an event. I'll take anything. I ask her about it every morning and the answer is always the same.
"Anything else I should know?"
"Yes actually, let me email you something." She swivels around in her chair and types away on her keyboard. Seconds later I get her email and open it. As soon as I do, my breathing stops for just a moment. There is a very familiar face staring right back at me in a photo.
It belongs to Eve.