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Maynia -- Day Fifteen -- 2,153 words
“I know how you feel all too well, son. And those feelings you have for Ms. Lancaster? They're gonna take this town to great heights!”
“I never wanted to be in politics, ‘dad’. I don’t have plans on being the new Mayor of Samheinrock.” I gritted my teeth just to prevent from angrily shouting my point across.
“Well you ain’t got other plans, son! What, you planning to run off to the army again just like that broken friend of yours? HA! I didn’t make all those adjustments back then just to have you let this family down!” He pointed at me in emphasis, as if I was supposed to be grateful for what he had done.
You forced me into it. I thought, as an image of my mother all bloodied as she was rushed to the hospital flashed in my memory. Father had pulled the strings too low that time..
I only gripped the edge of the dining table as I immediately stood up, causing my chair to make a loud screech as it threatened to topple over, “I’ll talk to Shiela about it.” I said tonelessly as I looked back at my father, “—she’ll understand why I wouldn’t need her support for the elections.”
I walked out of the room then, but not before hearing him say, “If she knows what’s good for her, she shouldn’t be leaving town anytime soon!”
“Are you gonna eat that?” Lost in my thoughts, I didn’t get to reply fast enough before Sheila swiped a couple of fries off my own.
“Hey!” I could only watch as she slightly licked the tips of her fingers while she looked at me teasingly, my suit coat-- that I draped over her shoulders against the night air-- bringing out a possessive streak in me. Suddenly, the gentle breeze in the open parking area turned stifling and I had to look away as I swallowed hard, “Didn’t you eat enough at the house?” I asked awkwardly, wanting to distract her.
“Hmm? Oh! Don’t get me wrong, your mom cooks great! But it’s just that—” I looked back at her then as she hesitated, seeing her look down sheepishly as she pulled my suit coat closer around her in some sort of defense, before she raised her eyes again to meet mine, “I’d really appreciate it if she’d put them in.. larger quantities? You know what I mean?”
I couldn’t help my laughter then as I leaned back on my elbows as we sat in the back of my pickup, still hearing Shiela trying to get her point across, “What?? You didn’t really expect me to ask for seconds when the rest of your family had their eyes on me, did you? I actually have a reputation to keep in this town of yours, you know?”
My laughter subsiding by then, I slowly sat up and leaned close to her as I stared deep into her emerald eyes, “Shiela… about that deal you have with my father—I’m actually asking you not to support me for the elections.”
She stared back at me softy then, “I gathered that much but—” she looked away from me as she fiddled with my tie that served as a makeshift bandage for her hand, “—what would you do if not be the next Mayor of Samheinrock? What would you have wanted to be if not the Sheriff of this town?”
She asked those questions as if she already knew the answers to them, as if she only wanted me to confirm whatever she knew.. I didn’t get to think much into it as I glanced the first light to strike up the sky from the distant town seen from this mountainside.
I heard Shiela gasp just as the light exploded into a brilliant firework, followed by a couple more as I leaned down next to her ear, “I’ve always only been here whenever my parents would have their anniversary. It’s the only time that I remember seeing these fireworks.”
Shiela then slowly turned and looked up at me, her emerald eyes seemingly turning opal as the fireworks illuminated the night sky. My gaze then lingered on her lips, not really stopping myself as I leaned down closer to her; she was like a drug that pulled me in—the type of designer drugs that made me lose focus and just want to enjoy the experience of being with her—she stopped me before I could feel her lips against mine, instead I felt her firm hand as she held it to my chest, hesitant eyes now looked up at me as the last of the fireworks fizzled out into the night sky.
I slightly leaned away as she started speaking softly, “Jack, I’m sorry… I don’t know how this could work out.. I’ll be leaving Samheinrock whether you want me to or not—"
I held her hand on my chest close, making her stop in what she was saying enough for me to speak up, “You wouldn’t keep me from trying, right?”
She could only smile at me sadly in return, before I pulled her close in my arms instead as I tucked her head under my chin—Wishing I’d give her enough of a reason to stay or.. find a way to leave this town with her..
I held her there in my arms for what felt like centuries, but was actually only a few seconds, before I slowly leaned back from her, giving a tender kiss to her forehead, “Time to call it a night then..” I looked deep into her eyes as I held her face in my hands, “Let’s go home.”
Home. I never really had a place to call one, especially after mom’s death—we moved to a new place and dad started being distant—it wasn’t until Ms. Chip came back to us that I suddenly knew, that home wasn’t a place but what a person made you feel whenever you were with them.
And here I was, standing on my porch as I watched Jack drive away, thinking this could be my home—if only I had the strength to protect it.
I felt something was wrong the moment I had turned the key to my house and entered the foyer, I had only just pulled out my silver knife when I made a dash for the kitchen as I heard Jaden yowling.
“Oh my goodness, Shiela! Don’t you go sneaking up on me like that!” Ms. Chip exclaimed in shock, placing a hand to her chest as I almost came crashing into her in the hallway. Surveying her whole form for any injuries, I glanced behind her and spied Jaden right at her heels before he came towards me and proceeded to rub his furry body around my legs.
“Is everything alright here?” I asked Ms. Chip but kept my gaze wandering around the house’s walls, not really seeing anything out of place.
“It’s nothing dearie, Jaden here’s just been making a fuss all night. Must be those tuna rolls I made him..” Ms. Chip had replied off-handedly before she glanced my bandaged hand, “Oh dear me! Where in heavens did you get hurt, Shiela?” She started to take my hand but I waved off her concern, saying it was only a flesh wound.
“You sure you’re alright dear? Maybe you can have Jaden sleep with you tonight?” I smiled at that in remembrance—Ever since I started my weapons training as a child, I almost never went to bed without a scrape or bruise somewhere. It wasn’t until Ms. Chip started leaving Jaden next to me, that I stopped crying myself to sleep; the purrs his tiny body emitted always seemed to heal me, even for just a little while—Years later though, Jaden was now a spoiled hellcat, preferring to mostly spend his days lazing around wherever Ms. Chip was. She probably kept him fed every minute or so.. Crouching as I thought that, I took note of the slight weight he seemed to have gained after that first morning that I came here when he got sick.
“You sure Jaden wouldn’t mind? He’s technically your cat after all.” I scratched him behind his ears as I asked Ms. Chip without looking at her.
“A human can never claim a cat as his, unless the cat chooses that human to be his companion—never his owner dear, you gotta remember that.” Ms. Chip waved a finger at me as if to lecture me as I stood straight, before she cut to the chase, “Now, tell me how was your date with the handsome Sheriff Heins?” Ms. Chip didn’t really stop herself from giggling as she mentioned Jack.
I raised my eyebrows at that and said, “Something tells me you’ll find out even if I don’t spill any details.” If the perfect fit of this dress is any proof. I thought that last part to myself as I turned around and prepared to go upstairs, Jaden zooming pass my legs as he went on up ahead of me.
“Oh lil’ Shiela, sometimes you just gotta let people in, you know? Maybe they’re the people who’ll make you see the reasons to live for each day.” I stopped mid-climb as I turned back to Ms. Chip, “I already have you and Jaden, I don’t see any reason to get more people involved in my life. Good night, Ms. Chip.”
“Good night dear, may you have only sweet dreams.” I saw the sad smile Ms. Chip had on her face before I turned back and continued climbing the stairs. I didn’t need dreams, I needed a plan of action.
Lucinor. I named it after the latin word, adlucinor, that stood for ‘dream’—Because like its name, it came and went away easily like a ghost in the night, but it brought with the most hellish of nightmares.
I say this because I have seen it take the form of my deepest fears, as if it crept into my soul and began to know the deep recesses I tried to keep buried within me. God only knew what this creature’s true form would be, but I knew one thing—this demon was purposely summoned; none of its kind could work in such malicious calculation like that, it was obviously being controlled by its summoner. Unless it has grown tired of its mortal master and now decided to work on its own vendetta.
But right now, I must find the person who was foolish enough to meddle with things he probably has no complete understanding of, he must pay with his life and I have to make a sacrifice as well—in order to completely seal the rift and end this once and for all."
May my lifeblood be enough.
Something didn’t add up. I’ve read all of dad’s journals by now to be able to familiarize myself with his handwriting, but this I was sure—dad didn’t write this. That was when I heard a knock from the door.
The knock from my dreams was actually the sound of scratching at my door as I slowly opened my eyes and adjusted them to the dark stillness of my room. I inched my hand under my pillow for my silver knife, only slightly relaxing as I saw it was Jaden’s slinky silhouette by the door. Just then I heard a thump from down the hall.
I slightly opened the door and put my foot in the way as to keep Jaden from following me as I quietly closed the door on him, heightening my senses so I could locate the source of the sound. There!
I soundlessly made my way towards Ms. Chip’s room, the halls now eerily quiet in the dark of night. I was just about to knock on her door when I noticed it was slightly open. The first thing that caught my attention upon entering her room were the open windows that kept the curtains gently rustling in the gentle night wind, but what horrified me was seeing Ms. Chip on her bed—spread-eagled as her usually warm brown eyes now stared lifelessly up the ceiling, a look of terror frozen on her face.
I caught the gasp before it escaped my throat, tensing as I felt a chill run down my spine. I tightly gripped the knife that I held before I threw it at the shadow I briefly glanced at the corner of my eye. I turned at the shattering sound it caused, deafening amidst the night’s silence, and saw my reflection in the half-shattered full-length mirror.
I gritted my teeth as I stared back at my reflection, I knew what I saw there, and I knew what I heard as a voice from the past came back to taunt me.
“What are you most afraid of?”
to be continued...
Image from Pixabay, by Phan Minh Cuong An: https://pixabay.com/users/minanfotos-9565064/ (edited with dreamscopeapp)