MyStreet: When Angels Fall (OC Character Added)

Aaron's Losing Battle

"Melissa... This isn't happening... this isn't happening... this isn't happening..." Aaron's chant comes like a snake's hiss from his shadowed, tear-streaked face. Aaron continues to breathe hard, like slowing his breath will bring Melissa's back.

My heart aches more than any part of my body. I'm curled up behind a garbage can, my ears and tail out in plain sight, my arms wrapped around my stomach, like I can block out the images if I force myself into the present, digging my nails into my sides. But Melissa's last moments keep on replaying... and replaying... and replaying...

"She... she did it for you." Kawaii~Chan says softly. I look up, and she's watching Aaron, her eyes wide and scared.

Aaron looks up, furious, his eyes shining like beacons in the dark alleyway. Kawaii~Chan backs up, scared, but continues on quietly. "I, uh..." She looks away from his eyes. "Garroth told me... that back in those woods... near the lodge... when all that bad stuff happened... you were trying to do everything to protect them. She was like you. Thinking about everyone else. Thinking about YOU. She did it for you."

Aaron's ragged breathing slows a bit, but he still doesn't move.

I force myself to meet his eyes. "She loved you." I whisper. This seems to set him off, and he closes his eyes tight.

"Aaron..." Kawaii~Chan pleads. "I don't know where anyone else is. And we can't stay here!" She sounds close to tears now. "I need you to be here. I need you to be calm. I need you!"

Out of nowhere, Aaron's fist goes flying, and he punches the wall so hard his fist leaves a hole in the cement. I jump to my feet by the sudden noise, and Kawaii~Chan flinches back. She glances at me, terrified. I look at Aaron and warm emotions flood back into the hollow place Melissa left as I watch her little brother break. Out of everyone, I think I can understand most of what he's going through. I thought I lost Zane, all those months ago. I thought I would lose Garroth, thought I might be the one to end his life. I don't know where they are now. For all I know, they've found Zane, Garroth, Mummy, and Dad. I've lost Melissa, who isn't family but feels like she should be.

I can't lose Aaron, too.

I feel my werewolf ears and tail tuck themselves away, my broken heart pulling itself together, at least for a moment.

I hug Aaron. "I'm sorry." I whisper, my voice breaking. He doesn't move, doesn't answer. I back away again. Aaron slowly turns around, his eyes still red but no longer angry.

"Thank you, Kawaii~Chan. Violet." He says. "I'll be okay."

"What do we do?" Kawaii~Chan asks.

"I don't know." Aaron admits. "But we need to hide."

"Where?" I ask, pulling on my messy hair. "Where can we go?"

"We... can go to the place where Aph and I camped out." Aaron says. I can tell how much he wants to cry, but he doesn't.

"Isn't that back towards the resort?" Kawaii~Chan asks.

"Yeah." Aaron says. "I think we can get there through the woods. Garroth and Violet did it that way. Right?"

I nod, but a knife stabs my heart at Garroth's name, my mind wondering where on Earth my brothers are. Are they all right? Did they make it out? What about Mom and Dad? Did they get captured? Oh, I should have run when Dad said! I should've left... I should've...

No.

I made the right choice. I never could have left my family.

Aaron grabs the case Agent R brought. "This way." He says, and walks down the alley. Kawaii~Chan and I follow him cautiously.

"Aaron!" Kawaii~Chan suddenly says. "Your eyes!"

Aaron pauses. "Calm." he murmurs. "Calm." he turns to us for confirmation. KC and I nod, and he sets off again, leading the way to where he and Aph were happiest here.

________________________________________

We're walking through the woods, and Kawaii~Chan is getting more nervous with every step. "Are you sure this is the right way?" She asks.

"Yeah." Aaron says reminiscently. "I've walked this path with Aph before."

"Do you think it's safe?" KC worries.

"It should be. The GF mostly stick to the main road." Aaron says. "This is how Garroth and Violet came back to meet Agent R, right?" He looks to me on the last word.

"Yes." I say. "It's safe. Or, as safe as it can b---" I stop dead, my ears popping up. "Someone's coming!" I hiss.

"Keep your head down." Aaron orders. "And put your ears away! Maybe they'll just pass by." I follow his instructions, and we all duck behind some shrubbery. My snooter---ah, nose---wiggles a bit, trying to catch their scents, but I can't pinpoint it.

The footsteps get closer. "They're getting closer!" KC whimpers.

We hear what sounds like two voices arguing about something---food? And complaining about patrolling, I think.

"The GF's?" KC worries.

"I'll tackle them to get their weapons." Aaron says. "Kawaii~Chan, Violet, I need you to help me after I get them to the ground."

"Done." I say, thinking of Melissa. My ears pop out in preparation.

"Okay..." Kawaii~Chan says, much less sure.

As the voices get closer, Aaron turns to us. "Ready?" We nod. He sets his case down and runs out, attacking the two people and throwing them to the ground. KC grabs a stick and pokes one savagely while I hold him down and Aaron holds the other.

"Owwwwwwww!" The one I'm sitting on yells.

"Daniel?" I yell in surprise, recognizing the sweet brown-headed werewolf. I hastily put my ears and tail away. Daniel's scent of peanut-butter and rubber balls fills my nose, slightly masked by the scent of dirt and muddy water. Aaron looks over, shocked.

"Daniel?" he repeats. I laugh when I see who he's on top of.

"Violet? Aaron?" Blaze asks. "Get off me!"

"OH MY IRENE!" KC yells. "I'M SORRY!"

I climb off Daniel to see he's squinting one eye shut. "Owchee." he opens it back up, and it's a bit pink. "Heh. It's no problem. Did you guys have any food?"

I can't help it. I laugh.