“Sonya, you fixed the car, didn’t you?
Cuz it looks like someone’s trying to make a get-away.”
Melanie pointed to the black car parked behind the building.
“It’s fixed.” Sonya
answered. At once, she sent out a
mental call to the little band of rebels that remained.
“Do not let him get away.”
To Beatriz she sent the message “Nicholai
is out here. Come quickly.”
~~~~~
Beatriz stopped and turned to the other two, “I’ve got to go—keep
looking, he’s here somewhere.” She
looked at Camille, “Call out to him, he’s here.
I can feel it. But be
careful, you don’t know what’s happening.”
The girl nodded and Beatriz rushed back the way she’d come in.
When she came to the rear of the building she saw the long black car,
surrounded by an eager group of vampires; mostly
young and all enjoying the fact that the oldest, most powerful of the elders was
trapped before them. The keys were
in the ignition, but the battery was disconnected.
She kissed the cross around her neck, then raised the bow up,
a slender wooden arrow aimed at the man inside. The group parted for her and she
let go of the bowstring and watched the metal tip shatter the window and graze
the cheek of her enemy. His eyes
met hers and she almost felt his rage.
“Where are you going, you coward?”
She asked.
She barely managed to get out of the way of the door as he smashed into
it, flinging it off its hinges toward her.
“I feel rather outnumbered here.”
He answered, standing up and stalking towards her.
She raised her bow again and he stopped.
“You’re going to just shoot an un-armed man?
Right here in front of your little lapdogs?”
“I do not even like dogs. I
don’t know why you always use that tired, boring old metaphor.
You brought this on yourself. Everyone
was happy with the way things were.”
She said, her steely eyes watching his.
“You were grooming that freak to take over, don’t deny it Beatriz.”
He spat.
She smiled, but still remained motionless, “Not really.
I was grooming him to protect himself from you.
You caused the whole ‘takeover’ when you decided to kidnap two human
children who are dear to him.”
“I didn’t do that. It
was Joshua.” He said, changing
his tactics.
“Don’t be absurd.” She
said. “Nothing happens here that
you don’t have a hand in.”
“That’s very flattering, but untrue.”
He said.
Beatriz glanced at Sonya, “You two go back to the apartment.
Let everyone there know what’s happened.”
She then looked at Nicholai and sighed, “You’re making me
tired.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.” He
said, mocking her. “Would you
like for me to lie down so that I’m an easy target for you?”
“If you’d like.” She
replied.
He stepped closer, “What do you want?”
He demanded.
“I want him back the way he was.”
She said, her eyes narrowed. “I
want your respect. I want you to be
fair. I have a very long list of
things I want that you will never be
able to give. I want to see your
blood running on the ground just like the blood of your associates runs on the
marble floors of your house. ” She
paused, “How did you get away from Taylor?”
Murmurs ran through the crowd as they began to understand what had
happened.
She raised her head, speaking to the small crowd, “Your new leader has
disposed of the old ones quite easily. But
he seems to have let one rat escape the nest.
What shall we do with him?”
Nicholai suddenly had the rear door of the car, its hinges whining as he
tore them from the metal body of it. He
flung it into the group, hitting the slower few but not causing a great deal of
damage to anyone. He then flipped
the car up onto its side, showing his incredible physical strength.
Beatriz lowered her weapon and gave him a look, “Is that all you
have?” She asked, her voice
tired, almost bored sounding. Her
hand shot out and the car slid a few feet, then toppled over onto its roof.
She then narrowed her eyes and pointed at Nicholai.
As she stretched her fingers out, he dropped to his knees.
“Anyone can do that.” She
stated. The crowd moved in closer
as he drew his hands up to his head. She
raised the bow back up, and drew back the string.
She let go and the arrow pierced his chest, his shirt staining red.
“I’ve waited so long to do that…”
She said.
She turned to the petite redhead behind her, “Julie,”
she said pulling the sharp dagger from where it had been tucked into the
waistband of her pants.
“You do the honors…make sure you get through the spine
and no drinking.”
She said, looking across their faces.
“It would probably kill you.”
She muttered and she walked back towards the building.
~~~~~
Avery was crouched in the corner watching her brothers.
Taylor sat on his feet in the middle of the room, Zac’s head cradled in
his lap. He looked small now and
the fury she’d seen was gone. She’d
watched him enter the room by smashing the heavy locked door by kicking it and
tearing it down with his hands. She
knew he’d done it mostly with his mind though as things were flying through
the air as if he was surrounded by his own little tornado.
Joshua who’d been so smug and frightening was now the one backing away.
Taylor didn’t give him a chance to speak, he just rushed at him,
trapping him there and began to rip him apart, literally, all the while spitting
words at him;
killing him for taking her and Zac.
Zac was dead, she knew it.
He hadn’t moved since they were in Tulsa and even before Taylor
“rescued” them, she’d noticed his breathing changing.
It was faster and more shallow, as if he couldn’t get any
air into his lungs. She looked at
the walls. Red was splattered
everywhere and there was one spot where Taylor had thrown Joshua’s
head…blood and brains and bone still clung to the stone.
Now, it lay there, looking at her.
~~~~~
Kirk and Camille were following Taylor’s footprints and his scent.
Old blood was an easy thing to pick up.
They’d gone through two doors, one bent and another torn off it’s
hinges, and now they found themselves in a long hallway.
The walls were stone and it was obviously an older part of the building
and seldom used.
Camille stopped and held her hand out for Kirk, “Listen…”
She said, her head cocked to the side.
Kirk stopped and he did hear some tiny sound coming from the
end of the hallway. She quickly
darted off toward the sound, ignoring Kirk’s “be careful” remarks.
He caught up with her easily and when they reached the doorway of the
room, they both gasped at the state of the place.
The thick wooden door had been broken and stones around the doorway were
cracked and crumbled under their hands. Camille
rushed to Taylor’s side and Kirk went to Avery.
The sound they’d heard had been the chattering of her
teeth, whether from cold or fear, he wasn’t sure.
“Are you alright?” He
asked her, pushing her hair away from her face.
Her eyes were on Taylor and she didn’t respond other than to place her
arms tightly around his neck. “It’s
gonna be alright.” He tried to
soothe her.
“Zac is dead.” She
whispered, just before putting her thumb in her mouth.
He shook the blanket he carried, hoping it wasn’t too dirty.
“Here, I think this is yours…”
He said. “And Zac isn’t
dead.”
“Taylor’s crying because he can’t feel Zac.
He’s dead.” She uttered.
Kirk stooped down and stood her on her feet, “I know he’s not moving
or anything, but his heart is beating.”
She finally looked back at him, “It doesn’t matter.”
She said, her voice sounding eerie to him.
She looked back at Taylor, then moved back closer to Kirk.
Camille looked at Taylor. He
was covered in blood and dirt and the remains of his victims.
Yet, underneath it all, he looked the same to her.
He didn’t look like a monster or even powerful like the Elders had.
“Taylor—“ She reached
her hand out to touch his face. She
wasn’t sure if he knew they were there or not.
In his arms, he clutched Zac, holding him close, his hand cradling the
back of his head. The boy looked
extremely pale and his full lips had lost the rosy colour they usually had.
She could hear his heart beating, but it was slow and irregular.
He wasn’t dead, but he was dying.
“Taylor, what do you want me to do?
Beatriz is coming.”
He didn’t look back at her, only closed his eyes tight, “Why did they
do it? I did what they wanted…”
He murmured, pressing his face against the top of Zac’s head.
“I don’t know.” She
said softly, stroking his hair.
He looked up at her then, “Can you fix him?”
He asked, his eyes brilliant with unshed tears.
“I don’t know how. But,
I’ll bet you could. You’ve got
whatever it is, Taylor.” She
said.
“I’m afraid I’ll hurt him.”
He said looking down at Zac’s peaceful face.
He looked at Kirk, “Can you?”
Kirk shook his head sadly, “Naw, dude.
I definitely couldn’t do it. I
don’t have that stuff at all.”
Taylor looked at Avery, “Ave,” He
said, looking as if he’d seen her for the first time there, “are you okay?
What are we gonna do?” He
asked her.
“I’m so sorry…”
He said, his head falling back down again.
Camille felt her own tears welling up and she called out again to
Beatriz, asking her to hurry. “Taylor,
Beatriz is coming. She’ll know
what to do.” She reassured him.
But she wasn’t really sure of it herself.
Taylor’s hand was bloody, not only from the killing he’d done, but
because Zac’s hair was full of it.
~~~~~
Sonya and Melanie were allowed into the building and they rushed over to
the elevator. The doors slid open
and they both finally found themselves with a moment to contemplate what had
happened that evening. “This is
the most fucked up thing ever.” Melanie
said, leaning back against the polished wood.
Sonya’s green eyes met Melanie’s, “He killed them.
Beatriz said he killed them all.”
She looked up at the numbers now, “God, I hope they didn’t do
anything to Zac and Avery. He’ll
never forgive himself if they did.”
“Well, it’s not like it’s his fault.”
Melanie reasoned.
“It won’t matter.” Sonya sighed.
Melanie shook her head, “This is insane, Sonya.
I mean, how could he do that? I
don’t even think Beatriz could have done that.”
“I don’t either. Really,
she has so much control…you know what I mean?
And he doesn’t. So, it’s
like, it must have just come pouring out of him.
I don’t doubt that she could do some serious damage, but I think
she’d have to sort of plan it. She
wouldn’t just go in and explode like that.
What if he hurt his brother and sister?”
Sonya placed her hand on her forehead and pushed her hair off her face as
the door opened.
Mr. Jones stood waiting for them. “What
the hell is happening?” He
hissed. “I have these people
returning here and I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with them!
I have the Hanson’s calling here telling me two of their children are
missing! And the Lady seems to be
unreachable, which I knew she would be, but still.”
He took a breath then, “What’s happened?”
“It’s over.” Sonya
said. “Taylor killed four of the
elders plus whoever else was in that place with them.”
His eyebrows came together in puzzlement, “Repeat please?
I’m not sure I heard you correctly.”
Melanie stepped up closer to him then, “You heard right.
Taylor killed everybody in the building.
Nicholai got away somehow, but he got caught and as far as I know, she
offed him. I can’t believe I
didn’t get to stick around and watch.”
She complained.
Mr. Jones shook his head as if it would make everything fall into place
neatly. “So, Taylor, our Taylor, killed people this evening.
And the Lady and your little team of meanies took out the
rest? So, this city is now hers?”
“Well,” Sonya said, “I
can’t guarantee you there aren’t a few out there that have gotten away, but
the Elders—the five main guys here in New York, are gone.”
“I think the city will be theirs—not
hers.” Melanie stated.
“I mean, this will be like, legendary.
But, the only thing is, he’s probably gonna need to be
locked up because they kidnapped Zac and Avery.
Do they actually know who took them?”
She asked.
A new look was on his face now, “Oh no.
That is reprehensible.” He
said.
“Last we heard, they hadn’t found them yet.
Kirk and Camille were in there and Beatriz was doing her thing out in the
parking lot.” Sonya lamented.
“So, of course, we get sent back here to get everybody settled.”
She walked over to the couch and sat down heavily.
“I just have a really bad feeling though.
Taylor survived, or Nicholai wouldn’t have been trying to get away.
But, I couldn’t feel him, or Zac.
Avery, I was getting a little something.”
“Me too.” Melanie
agreed. “But not for long.
They must have taken them someplace pretty deep.”
She looked at Mr. Jones, “But, they were alive when we saw them, I’m
sure of that.”
“Well, I’m not making that phone call.”
He said, straightening. For
a moment, he just stood, collecting his thoughts.
“Very well. I shall assume
that there are enough beds still for those who will be or have already returned.
Food is not an issue.” He
looked back at Sonya as he pushed the button on the elevator, “Are we allowed
to use cell phones and such things now?”
Sonya shrugged. “I don’t
know. I’m just going to go down
to the Living End and talk to whoever is there and tell them that until we hear
something different, they need to consider Taylor and Beatriz their leaders and
that nothing’s changed until they hear it from her mouth.”
“We probably need to still be looking for people working for the
Elders. I don’t know if they’d
do anything, but just in case.” Melanie
added.
“True, true.” Sonya
said, pulling her hair down from the ponytail it was in.
She furrowed her brow as she returned it to it’s up position, this time
in a bun. “Mr. Jones, have you
got it covered here?”
He gave her a disgusted look, but nodded.
“Good. Then we’ll head
out. But, I’ll take my phone this
time, in case you need to call me, okay? I
don’t see what difference it could make now.”
“Fine.” He said, and he
stepped into the elevator and was gone.
After changing their clothes, both Melanie and Sonya hurried back out
again, to let the rest of their kind know there’d been a bit of a change made
in the way things would be run…
~~~~~
For the first time that day, Beatriz heard Taylor in her head.
He was pleading with her to hurry. She
was almost there anyway, but she found herself running faster.
She made her way easier than Kirk and Camille, having their scent and
their voices in her head as well. Entering
the room, she saw looks of relief though she wasn’t sure her presence would
actually change anything. “You
have to fix him. Hurry.”
Taylor cried.
She rushed over to him, stooping down to his level.
She placed her hand on Zac’s head, feeling the small bit of warmth
coming off him. She knew without
looking his skull was badly fractured and that the delicate and very important
area at the base of it was irreparably damaged.
“Taylor—“ She
started.
“Just do what you do. You
have to fix it.” He said softly.
His eyes were breaking her heart.
“Taylor, you are precious to me and I would do anything
within my power to help. But, I
can’t fix this.” She answered.
“Please, just try!” He
begged, tears running down his dirty cheeks.
She looked at Camille and then Kirk.
Avery understood when Beatriz shook her head slowly.
She’d known already that her brother was injured terribly and she knew
that Beatriz would have saved him if she could.
She buried her face in Kirk’s shoulder.
Turning back to Taylor, Beatriz gently moved Zac’s head
just to see with her eyes what her mind had already told her.
She flinched and shut her eyes for a moment, knowing the
shape of it was unnatural. She took
in a deep breath and looked at Taylor. “I
can’t save him Taylor. If he was
already in a hospital, they could perhaps put him on life support and possibly
keep his heart beating, but you wouldn’t want that.
That’s all he would be; a beating heart.”
Taylor’s face crumpled, “No, you have to be able to…”
He cried now, putting his face in Zac’s hair, taking in his scent and
his feel for the last time.
Beatriz
stood and walked toward Kirk. “Avery,”
She said, “what do you want us to do?
You know that there is a way and I don’t think Taylor can make that
choice right now. He’s not
himself.”
The little girl raised her head and looked back at Beatriz’ face and
into her dark eyes. “Would he be
the same?” She asked.
“In many ways, yes.” Beatriz
answered. “But just as Taylor is
different, so he shall be.” She
looked back at the two boys, then back to their sister.
“If we do this, it must be quick.
He’s leaving very soon.”
Avery looked at them now, “Taylor scares me.”
She said.
“He was protecting you.” Beatriz
said, softly. “He’s been here
for many days, and only when they hurt you and Zac did he become what you
saw.”
“I don’t want Zac to die.” Avery
whispered.
“We won’t let him, if that is what you decide.
It is not a bad thing if you don’t want him to become like us.
I think your family would understand.”
Beatriz said, moving closer to her.
“Death is only an end for those left behind.”
Avery thought of her family and what they’d gone through when they’d
thought Taylor was dead. She also
knew that even the way he was now, they still loved Taylor very much.
She looked back at them and nodded her head.
“Don’t let him die.”
She said. “I think he’d
want to keep living.”
“You are certain of this?” Beatriz
asked. The little girl nodded
again. “Camille, you and Taylor
take Avery upstairs. We’ll be
there shortly.” She said. “And
we’ll need a car to get you all home in.”
She then walked over to Taylor and spoke to him “Taylor you need to
take Avery from this place. Go
upstairs.
Camille will go with you.”
“What about Zac?” He
said, looking down. “I wanna be
here if…” his voice dropped to a whisper,
“you know.”
“Avery needs you now. You
go up and wash your face and your hands. Put
on some clean clothes.” She said.
Beatriz carefully took Zac from Taylor’s arms, “We’ll take care of
him.”
Taylor
stood and put his hand out for Avery. Slowly,
she stepped closer to him and placed her hand in his.
She bent down and kissed Zac’s cool forehead.
“Bye, Zac. I love you.”
She said. Taylor wiped his
face on his shoulder, keeping Avery’s hand in his.
Camille took his other hand, and reluctantly, they stepped out of the
room.
Beatriz
placed her hand on Zac’s chest and then his forehead, then she looked at Kirk.
“You’re going to do this.
I’ll tell you what to do.”
Kirk
furrowed his brow, “Me?
Why me? I don’t want to be
anybody’s sire. Especially
Taylor’s brother.” He looked
toward the door and hissed, “He’s gonna freak out over this.”
“Only
for a moment. It’s what he would
have done if he could have.” She
replied.
“Then
why not have him do it?”
Kirk asked, his hands going to his hips.
Her
eyes narrowed, “He drank from them! Couldn’t
you tell? I’m not having another
one like him. This is better.
You don’t have to take responsibility, Taylor and I will do
that. This way though, he’s
normal.” She said.
“Hurry, he’s going to go down on us and it’ll make it harder to
bring him back.
With
a sigh, Kirk stepped over to them. Beatriz
wrapped her fingers around his wrist and pulled him closer.
“We’re doing the right thing this time.”
She assured him.
“I
hope you’re right.” He said,
and he knelt on the floor next to her.
“If
she’d have said to let him die, I would have.”
She answered.
~~~~~
Taylor
had picked Avery up onto his hip. At
ten years old, she wasn’t small, but she may as well have been weightless to
him. Walking back through the
hallways, he looked at the blood on the walls and the floor, but he didn’t
acknowledge it at all. Avery buried
her face in his neck and her dirty blanket and Camille kept her thoughts to
herself as well. They came to the
room he’d used while living there and he sat Avery down on the bed.
“You sit here with Camille. I’ll
be right back.” He said.
She nodded her head and watched him grab a shirt off the floor and go
into the bathroom.
“Do
you think it’s too late?” Avery whispered to Camille.
Camille
leaned in, “I don’t think so, or Beatriz wouldn’t have asked you.
She knows everything.”
“Okay.”
Avery said softly. She
began to look around the room, then she got up and picked up some shirts she
recognized, stuffing them inside her blanket.
“Taylor might want these.” She
said.
“Yeah,
let’s grab whatever we see here. I
have a feeling he won’t be wanting to come back here for anything.”
Camille said, standing and picking up some videos from the desk and
shoving them into his worn back pack.
When
he stepped out of the bathroom, Taylor’s hair was wet and his face at least,
was clean as were his hands. He
hadn’t showered though, so he was still covered in the muck from his killing
spree.
“How are we getting home?”
He asked.
“Well,
I guess we have to take a cab.” Camille
said.
“Sonya took her car back to the apartment and I ‘m sure
Beatriz will want hers for when she’s done here.”
“I
don’t imagine there’s a lot of cabs sitting around here waiting.”
Taylor said, hoisting the back pack over his shoulder.
He reached down and picked Avery up again stepping out into the hallway.
He stopped, a sigh leaving him, “I
don’t know if I can stand to leave him.”
He said, looking back down the dark hallway.
“Beatriz
is right. Avery is right here and
you need to make sure she gets home safely.
She and Kirk will take care of him, you know that.”
Camille answered.
Taylor
shut his eyes, willing the tears to not form again.
He didn’t know how long he’d sat there with his brother as his life
slowed to a halt. He looked down at
Camille, “I know what she’s doing.
Why can’t I be there?”
“Avery
doesn’t need to see that.” Camille
sent back to him. “And maybe…maybe she doesn’t know if it’s going to work,
Taylor.”
He
wiped his eyes with his hand, “It has to.”
He said, and he turned then and followed his own bloody footprints back
down the hall to the stairs. He
didn’t want to go back into the basement, but he didn’t know the codes to
open the front door.
Stepping
into the old parking lot, they saw the overturned car and the blood on the
pavement, but that was all. No one
remained there, and there was no body to go with the blood.
Avery gasped when she saw the car, knowing she and Zac had made the trip
from Oklahoma to New York in the dark trunk.
“Those people can never hurt you again.”
Taylor rubbed her back and kissed the side of her head.
Looking
down the street, it appeared they’d have a long walk ahead of them.
The place was always quiet, but at this moment, it was
silent. The first ten blocks, they
didn’t see anyone at all but finally, they saw two young men standing on the
porch of an old house, watching them make their way down the street.
Camille
walked ahead of Taylor and stopped at the old iron gate in the yard.
“Hey, what’s going on?” She
asked, using her powers to call them to her.
The fear on their faces however, let her know it might not be that easy.
In this neighborhood, the people knew that not everyone was what they
seemed.
When
Taylor caught up with her, he stopped and Avery looked up from his shoulder to
see why. “Hey.”
Taylor said. “Do you know
anyone with a car? We need to get
to Manhattan.” Both boys just
shook their head. “Listen,”
Taylor said, “I’ll pay you five hundred dollars if you can get us
there right now.”
Both
boys’ eyebrows raised and soon they were leading them down the street to where
“Anthony” lived. He had a car
that sometimes ran, it seemed, and they were sure he’d be more than happy to
make that kind of money for a little bit of driving.
Avery knew she should be frightened.
She’d seen people and neighborhoods like this on television and people
killed each other without much of a reason sometimes.
She saw people peeking out their windows, or watching them from the
safety of their front step. And
they were obviously afraid of Taylor and Camille.
Somehow, they knew what they were and they were letting them pass.
When they’d walked up to Anthony’s house, his mother had made the
sign of the cross as he’d opened the door.
“So, you got to get to the city?”
He asked, pulling on his jacket.
“Yes
please.” Taylor said. “I’ll
make it worth your while.” The
young man looked at his mother, then nodded and soon, they found themselves in
the backseat of a loud 1987 Buick LeSabre.
Taylor directed him back down the street and they parked in front of the
building they’d just left.
Kirk
was standing outside, watching for them. He
walked over to the car and Camille rolled down the window. Looking at the driver
he spoke, “Everything okay here?” He
asked. Anthony felt the hair stand
up on the back of his neck, but he didn’t say anything.
“Yeah.”
She answered. “This
is Anthony. For a small fee of five
hundred dollars, he’s going to take us to the penthouse.”
“Hey—“
the young man started to protest, but Taylor cut him off.
“I offered it.
I just want to get home.”
He said.
“That’s
cool, man.” Kirk answered.
He stood back up and looked behind him, then back at Camille.
“You’ll probably need to ride up front.
She wants to put him back here because her car is too small.”
He then walked back into the shadows.
When
he returned, he was carrying Zac’s limp body and Beatriz walked behind him.
Taylor felt extreme fear coming off the boy in the front seat.
Camille opened the door and got out, and Kirk gently lay Zac on the seat
next to his brother and sister. Avery
got up off Taylor’s lap and scooted closer, allowing him to be laid across her
lap.
His face looked the same, but he wasn’t struggling to
breathe any longer. She looked over
at Taylor and smiled, “Do you feel him now?”
Taylor
tried to smile back, but it wasn’t easy.
“I think I feel something. I’m
not sure.” He answered.
Beatriz
had stepped around to the driver’s side and looked at him with her dark eyes,
“I hear you’re being paid to do this thing for me.”
She said.
“Ma’am,
I never asked for anything.” He
answered.
“I
realize that. You were promised
five hundred dollars, I believe.” She
said.
“That’s
right.” Taylor said.
For
a moment, she just looked at him, and Taylor was certain he would faint, but
then she spoke. “Anthony, there
is going to be a terrible fire this evening.
The only thing to go will be this complex of warehouses and such.
None of your neighbors will be in danger.
I’d appreciate it if it’s allowed to go…unhindered.
No firefighters need risk their lives for such a useless old place,
don’t you agree?”
“Um,
yes ma’am.” He uttered.
“Very
well. I very much appreciate your
help with this. If you’d let your
neighbors know this, we’ll just make that an even thousand dollars for this
evening’s work. Thank you very
much.” She said, leaning down
closer. Taylor wasn’t certain,
but he thought he may have seen her fangs.
The
drive home was quiet. Avery fell
asleep, content in the knowledge that Zac was going to be alright.
Camille was happy knowing Taylor would be coming home.
It was all she needed. The
fact that the whole hierarchy of their world had been turned upside down
didn’t concern her at all.
Taylor
watched as Zac’s chest rose and fell. He
continually pressed his own mind into his brother’s, searching for some sign
that he was indeed still in there. When
they got to Beatriz’ building, Mr. Jones was waiting in the lobby.
Immediately, two men came out and very carefully pulled Zac out and
through the glass doors. Camille
reached back to help Avery out and Taylor followed.
“Are you Anthony?” Mr.
Jones asked the boy.
“Um,
yessir.” He replied.
The man then reached into his pocket and counted off ten one hundred
dollar bills. “Thank you for your
assistance. The Lady is very
appreciative and she expects her wishes to be respected in regards to the
situation.”
Taylor
stepped up behind Mr. Jones, “Thanks, man.
Have a safe trip back.” And
he jogged back into the building with the others.
Zac and Avery had already gone up in the elevator, so he waited for Mr.
Jones.
“You
look frightful, young man.” Mr.
Jones said as he stood next to him in the lights of the foyer.
“I’m
sure I do. I feel pretty frightful.
It’s been a fucking insane week and month and this day has been…I
don’t even know how to describe it.” Taylor
answered, punching the button again.
“Well,
it seems you won.” Mr. Jones
stated as the doors open.
Taylor
snorted, “Whatever.” He said,
stepping in and pushing the button for the penthouse.
“I didn’t win shit. They
killed my brother.” He said, and
he looked at Mr. Jones as he grabbed Camille’s hand.
She pushed his hair behind his ear and lay her head against his arm.
“I
was very sorry to hear that, Master Taylor.”
He answered. “I’m sure
he’ll recover from his injuries in no time.”
The door slid open and for a moment, they just looked at one another,
each knowing what the other was thinking. “He
should be in the bedroom next to yours by now.” He said and with that, he
bowed and walked toward the kitchen.
Taylor
pulled Camille out into the room. The
lights were dim and the sky out the windows was still dark.
He wrapped his arms around her and pressed his face against her soft
hair, “I can’t believe I missed this place, but I did.”
He said softly. Then he
sighed. “I’m gonna go be with
Zac. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She
sniffed and smiled at him, “It’s gonna be alright.
He must be gonna make it. He’s
still alive, right?”
Taylor
smiled, but it was sad. “Yeah, he’s alive.
More or less.” He backed
away from her and raised an eyebrow, “Just like you and me, huh?”
Camille
felt a tear run down her cheek, “Yeah, just like you and me.”
Then she turned and went down the hall to where Melanie waited for her.
When
Taylor entered the room, Avery looked up. “He
looks better, doesn’t he?” She
asked.
He
looked over at the boy lying in the bed. His
hair was a mess and his face was pale and he was quite motionless, yet he did
indeed look better than he had before. “Yeah.”
Taylor agreed, sitting down on the bed next to her.
“We
need to call Mom.” She said.
Taylor
actually felt himself flinch. The
thought of calling his parents and telling them what had happened was too much
for him. He looked over on the
table where the phone sat. With a
sigh, he picked it up, “You go ahead, they’ll want to know you’re alright.
I can uh…I can tell ‘em about Zac.”
He offered.
“There
really wasn’t anything you could have done, y’know.
Those people, they did it even before we left.
We were stuck in that car…” She
stopped and her breath hitched in her chest.
Taylor
wrapped his arms around her, “God, I’m so sorry you had to go through
that!”
He said. He
looked at Zac, “And I’m so sorry that he’s gonna be like me now.”
“It
was the only thing we could do.” Avery
said through her tears. “Mom will
know that.” She sniffed and wiped
her hand across her nose, “And at least, you know, he’ll have you to show
him what to do and stuff. You
didn’t have anybody.”
“Yeah,
I’ll show him what to do.” Taylor
said softly. He looked down at his
little sister. Her face was dirty
and her clothes were torn in places, but she looked alright other than that.
“They didn’t hurt you, did they?”
“No,
not really. But, I think they might
have. That man was scary, he kept
telling me that if you didn’t do what they wanted that they’d have to give
you a piece of me to make you. They
took Zac’s hair…”
“I
know, baby. Don’t think about it,
okay? Call Mom and let her know
you’re okay. I’m sure she wants
to hear your voice. Tell her
we’re gonna be okay and that…tell her they should come see us and they can
pick you up.”
“Is
Zac gonna stay here with you?” She
asked, wiping her eyes.
“I
don’t know, but I think that’d probably be best.
Don’t you?” He answered.
“Couldn’t
you all come home with us now? Those
men aren’t going to do anything anymore.”
She reasoned.
“We’ll
see.” Taylor said.
He looked over at Zac, “We’ll
see.”
Fix You
When you try your
best but you don't succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can't sleep
Stuck in reverse
And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can't replace
And you love someone but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
And high up above or down below
When you're too in love to let it go
But if you never try you'll never know
Just what you're worth
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
Tears streaming, down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears streaming down your face
And I..
Tears streaming, down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears streaming down your face
And I..
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
