Of the Twisted and the Lost

Chapter 4:

Sera's breath lodges in her throat, as his lips brush against hers — delicate, like she's glass that he doesn't want to break. 

Then the boy moves away, mouth twisting into a satisfied smile. 

And that's when Sera explodes. 

"Don't kiss me ever again," she snaps. "I don't know who the hell you are but if you do that again. . ." She lets the sentence trail off, glancing down at where her soaked purse is. "I know Judo, Taekwondo, Karate, and nine other martial arts that I'm not afraid to use. I also have a filer, a nail clipper, and a salt spray so if you want to keep your face, back away, buddy." 

He raises his hands in the air. "Whoa, there," he says, still looking amused. 

Sera fumbles through her purse, the metal hitting her fingers as she shoves it into the boy's face. "See?" she says, glaring. "I have a salt spray. I won't hesitate to use it if you ever try to kiss me." 

"Sorry to disappoint, but that wasn't a kiss," the boy drawls, though he eyes the salt spray wearily. Good. He should be afraid. Although it wasn't as effective as a pepper, it did have the same effect making people startled for a second. "I just needed a taste." 

Sera gapes at him in horror. 

"Not like that taste," he rushes to say. Then he pauses, glancing at her through lowered lashes. "You come here often?" 

It's a statement, not a question. 

"Look," Sera snarls. "People are drowning. We need to save them." 

"'We'?" laughs the boy. "I'm sorry, but you're an idiot if you want to save these people. They're most likely half dead by now." 

"I am not an idiot!" she retorts. "I get A-pluses on my math, for God's sake—" 

"I don't really give a fish about your school grades." 

"We have to save them," Sera repeats. 

"No," the boy says simply. 

"I'm sorry?" Her voice rises in disbelief. "Don't you have a single good bone in your body? There are hundreds of people dying right now!" 

"I have no relationships with these people." His shoulders rise in a shrug. "Besides, why would I save the people I'm supposed to kill?" 

"I knew it." Sera glares accusingly. "You're doing this. All of this." 

"Of course. It's basically my job." The words slide off his tongue so casually, it's almost like he didn't just admit that he drowned a few hundred people. 

"Fine," she scoffs. "If you aren't going to do something, I am." 

The boy rolls his eyes. "No offense, but that's the stupidest idea I've ever heard. If you saved everyone, you would drown too, which would be a pity." 

"At least I'm doing something." 

"Really." He says this in a flat tone. "Killing yourself is doing something?" 

Sera doesn't know how to respond.

"Look, Chocolate," he sighs. "I'm afraid all we can do right now is stay put and—" 

He stiffens, before shoving Sera behind the rocks. 

"Be quiet," he hisses. 

"What's going on?" Sera demands, wrenching her arm away from him. "And don't you dare touch me." 

The boy raises a finger to silence her. 

Sera's eyes narrow, though she finally falls silent. "You do as I say and you'll be safe," says the boy. "Shh. Quiet."