ambiguous blog title

this is a choose your own path story blog! feel free to stick around for updates and pics i draw!(:

[neccaro-story]

WELCOME!

DON’T SCROLL DOWN THIS BLOG!

This is a pick your own path story! That means, the paths are all misplaced and I wouldn’t want you to become horribly confused!

Want to read my story?

Click here or click the “BEGIN HERE” link at the top of my blog!

Thank you! (:

[neccaro-story]

For easier blog navigation, I suggest reading it on a PC instead of mobile! Sorry for the inconvenience,, i hope to make it more mobile friendly soon

FOR FOLLOWERS: If you get notifications for my posts, please wait for this post to resurface or a small “chapter update post” before continuing your reading! ((:

[neccaro-story]

Chapter 4: C

     A prisoner was centered in a circular room with one door placed in front of him, and a light shining down where he sat, motionless. He was in a kneeling position; a bar was cuffed to his ankles, his arms held up over his head by a chain that came down from the ceiling, and his hands completely encased inside a thick metal that was shaped like an upside-down V. The man’s eyes were shielded by a metal plate that wrapped around his skull and fastened in the back with something similar to a black belt. He wore nothing but a pair of ripped up jeans and a gray tank top, but what he wore didn’t matter to him anymore. The only thing that mattered to him now was his freedom, and he was going to do whatever it took to get it. The noise of scraping metal echoed through the room, and the prisoner recognized it as the door of his cell.

    “Hm,” he mused, a devious smile spreading across his face, “Is that you, Cecily? Have you come to tell me how much I sicken you again?”

    “No,” Cecily responded. The clack of the heels she wore were always pleasing to the man, even if they were accompanied by nasty insults.

    “Well, I’m sure you aren’t here to ask me how my day’s going.”

    “No one has fed you for three days,” she sighed, a hint of pity in her voice, “here.” Cecily pulled off a small water-pouch that had been slung over her shoulder and held it out to the man.

    “I sincerely hope you aren’t trying to hand me something.”

    Cecily sighed, slightly irritated by the man’s smart remark. She stepped closer to him, tilting the pouch’s nozzle toward his face, “Open your mouth.”

    The man took a sip, only to instantly cough and choke on the fluid he had been offered. He didn’t spit it out, but he had trouble finally swallowing whatever it was.

    “What the hell is that supposed to be?” he sputtered.

    “It’s soup, you ungrateful–” Cecily stopped mid sentence and pinched the bridge of her nose, “I… made it myself. It’s a little cold now, yeah, but you should have some anyway. You’ll starve.”

    “So, what you’re saying is… you made me some soup because you care about me?”

    “Axel, I swear to God, I will let you die. No one told me to do this. Personally, I’d rather see you suffer.”

    “That’s obviously not true,” Axel replied, grinning, “it may have been at first, but I believe I’m growing on you.”

    “No! God, get a grip,” Cecily blushed, a frustrated look appearing on her face, “I would rather be friends with a rock!”

    “I beg to differ.” Axel was no longer smiling.

    “What are you trying to say?!”  

    “Mind keepin’ it down? Hearing is one of the only things left I get to enjoy in this place.”

    “Whatever! I’m leaving.” Cecily huffed, dropping the pouch of soup on the floor; her heels clacked as she approached the exit.

    “I know you’re intelligent, Cecily,” Axel said, his voice becoming deeper with seriousness. Cecily stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

    “And that’s why,” Axel continued, “I know that, in the end, you’ll make the right choice.” The corners of his lips tilted up slightly.

    Cecily took one last look at Axel and then toward the floor. What could he mean by that, Cecily wondered, tugging the door open and letting the air from outside gush in. She knew better not to believe or listen to anything he said, but his words didn’t fade into distant memories this time, as they always have. This time, the words danced around in her head, digging up questions she had long ago buried in her mind. Cecily opened the door a little wider to fit through and then closed it behind her, finally sighing and leaning against the cold metal.

    Was there something more to what happened to Axel? Was he more than just some criminal who kills for fun, or did he have a reason? The more Cecily thought about it, the more she didn’t know about Axel’s imprisonment. He wasn’t given a trial, due to being a DPP, or a Dangerous Powered Person; in the law of the Zentique Court, it states that people labeled as DPP’s who kill another are imprisoned without a trial, whether it was self defense or even an accident. All she knew about Axel was that he had committed several acts of murder, and she automatically assumed the worst. The way he acted and talked to Cecily led her believe he was as evil as his crime, but was that really the case?

    Cecily sighed and moved to a pass code panel on the right side of the door, tapped five numbers into it, and listened until she heard a low rumble and a click. She pulled on the door handle to make sure it was locked, and turned to walk down a long hallway filled with doors to other prison cells.

    Screams echoed through the hall; some pleading innocence, others begging for a victim to kill. Cecily continued walking, her heels clacking; she was not phased by the torment of the prisoners anymore. She was determined to find out the truth about Axel.

END OF CHAP. 4 —————————— Click here for Chapter 5.

[neccaro-story]

Chapter 4: B

     A prisoner was centered in a circular room with one door placed in front of him, and a light shining down where he sat, motionless. He was in a kneeling position; a bar was cuffed to his ankles, his arms held up over his head by a chain that came down from the ceiling, and his hands completely encased inside a thick metal that was shaped like an upside-down V. The man’s eyes were shielded by a metal plate that wrapped around his skull and fastened in the back with something similar to a black belt. He wore nothing but a pair of ripped up jeans and a gray tank top, but what he wore didn’t matter to him anymore. The only thing that mattered to him now was his freedom, and he was going to do whatever it took to get it. The noise of scraping metal echoed through the room, and the prisoner recognized it as the door of his cell.

    “Hm,” he mused, a devious smile spreading across his face, “Is that you, Cecily? Have you come to tell me how much I sicken you again?”

    “No,” Cecily responded. The clack of the heels she wore were always pleasing to the man, even if they were accompanied by nasty insults.

    “Well, I’m sure you aren’t here to ask me how my day’s going.”

    “No one has fed you for three days,” she sighed, a hint of pity in her voice, “here.” Cecily pulled off a small water-pouch that had been slung over her shoulder and held it out to the man.

    “I sincerely hope you aren’t trying to hand me something.”

    Cecily sighed, slightly irritated by the man’s smart remark. She stepped closer to him, tilting the pouch’s nozzle toward his face, “Open your mouth.”

    The man took a sip, only to instantly cough and choke on the fluid he had been offered. He didn’t spit it out, but he had trouble finally swallowing whatever it was.

    “What the hell is that supposed to be?” he sputtered.

    “It’s soup, you ungrateful–” Cecily stopped mid sentence and pinched the bridge of her nose, “I… made it myself. It’s a little cold now, yeah, but you should have some anyway. You’ll starve.”

    “So, what you’re saying is… you made me some soup because you care about me?”

    “Axel, I swear to God, I will let you die. No one told me to do this. Personally, I’d rather see you suffer.”

    “That’s obviously not true,” Axel replied, grinning, “it may have been at first, but I believe I’m growing on you.”

    “No! God, get a grip,” Cecily blushed, a frustrated look appearing on her face, “I would rather be friends with a rock!”

    “I beg to differ.” Axel was no longer smiling.

    “What are you trying to say?!”  

    “Mind keepin’ it down? Hearing is one of the only things left I get to enjoy in this place.”

    “Whatever! I’m leaving.” Cecily huffed, dropping the pouch of soup on the floor; her heels clacked as she approached the exit.

    “I know you’re intelligent, Cecily,” Axel said, his voice becoming deeper with seriousness. Cecily stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

    “And that’s why,” Axel continued, “I know that, in the end, you’ll make the right choice.” The corners of his lips tilted up slightly.

    Cecily took one last look at Axel and then toward the floor. What could he mean by that, Cecily wondered, tugging the door open and letting the air from outside gush in. She knew better not to believe or listen to anything he said, but his words didn’t fade into distant memories this time, as they always have. This time, the words danced around in her head, digging up questions she had long ago buried in her mind. Cecily opened the door a little wider to fit through and then closed it behind her, finally sighing and leaning against the cold metal.

    Was there something more to what happened to Axel? Was he more than just some criminal who kills for fun, or did he have a reason? The more Cecily thought about it, the more she didn’t know about Axel’s imprisonment. He wasn’t given a trial, due to being a DPP, or a Dangerous Powered Person; in the law of the Zentique Court, it states that people labeled as DPP’s who kill another are imprisoned without a trial, whether it was self defense or even an accident. All she knew about Axel was that he had committed several acts of murder, and she automatically assumed the worst. The way he acted and talked to Cecily led her believe he was as evil as his crime, but was that really the case?

    Cecily sighed and moved to a pass code panel on the right side of the door, tapped five numbers into it, and listened until she heard a low rumble and a click. She pulled on the door handle to make sure it was locked, and turned to walk down a long hallway filled with doors to other prison cells.

    Screams echoed through the hall; some pleading innocence, others begging for a victim to kill. Cecily continued walking, her heels clacking; she was not phased by the torment of the prisoners anymore. She was determined to find out the truth about Axel.

END OF CHAP. 4 —————————— Click here for Chapter 5.

[neccaro-story]

Chapter 4: A,2

      A prisoner was centered in a circular room with one door placed in front of him, and a light shining down where he sat, motionless. He was in a kneeling position; a bar was cuffed to his ankles, his arms held up over his head by a chain that came down from the ceiling, and his hands completely encased inside a thick metal that was shaped like an upside-down V. The man’s eyes were shielded by a metal plate that wrapped around his skull and fastened in the back with something similar to a black belt. He wore nothing but a pair of ripped up jeans and a gray tank top, but what he wore didn’t matter to him anymore. The only thing that mattered to him now was his freedom, and he was going to do whatever it took to get it. The noise of scraping metal echoed through the room, and the prisoner recognized it as the door of his cell.

    “Hm,” he mused, a devious smile spreading across his face, “Is that you, Cecily? Have you come to tell me how much I sicken you again?”

    “No,” Cecily responded. The clack of the heels she wore were always pleasing to the man, even if they were accompanied by nasty insults.

    “Well, I’m sure you aren’t here to ask me how my day’s going.”

    “No one has fed you for three days,” she sighed, a hint of pity in her voice, “here.” Cecily pulled off a small water-pouch that had been slung over her shoulder and held it out to the man.

    “I sincerely hope you aren’t trying to hand me something.”

    Cecily sighed, slightly irritated by the man’s smart remark. She stepped closer to him, tilting the pouch’s nozzle toward his face, “Open your mouth.”

    The man took a sip, only to instantly cough and choke on the fluid he had been offered. He didn’t spit it out, but he had trouble finally swallowing whatever it was.

    “What the hell is that supposed to be?” he sputtered.

    “It’s soup, you ungrateful–” Cecily stopped mid sentence and pinched the bridge of her nose, “I… made it myself. It’s a little cold now, yeah, but you should have some anyway. You’ll starve.”

    “So, what you’re saying is… you made me some soup because you care about me?”

    “Axel, I swear to God, I will let you die. No one told me to do this. Personally, I’d rather see you suffer.”

    “That’s obviously not true,” Axel replied, grinning, “it may have been at first, but I believe I’m growing on you.”

    “No! God, get a grip,” Cecily blushed, a frustrated look appearing on her face, “I would rather be friends with a rock!”

    “I beg to differ.” Axel was no longer smiling.

    “What are you trying to say?!” 

    “Mind keepin’ it down? Hearing is one of the only things left I get to enjoy in this place.”

    “Whatever! I’m leaving.” Cecily huffed, dropping the pouch of soup on the floor; her heels clacked as she approached the exit.

    “I know you’re intelligent, Cecily,” Axel said, his voice becoming deeper with seriousness. Cecily stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

    “And that’s why,” Axel continued, “I know that, in the end, you’ll make the right choice.” The corners of his lips tilted up slightly.

    Cecily took one last look at Axel and then toward the floor. What could he mean by that, Cecily wondered, tugging the door open and letting the air from outside gush in. She knew better not to believe or listen to anything he said, but his words didn’t fade into distant memories this time, as they always have. This time, the words danced around in her head, digging up questions she had long ago buried in her mind. Cecily opened the door a little wider to fit through and then closed it behind her, finally sighing and leaning against the cold metal.

    Was there something more to what happened to Axel? Was he more than just some criminal who kills for fun, or did he have a reason? The more Cecily thought about it, the more she didn’t know about Axel’s imprisonment. He wasn’t given a trial, due to being a DPP, or a Dangerous Powered Person; in the law of the Zentique Court, it states that people labeled as DPP’s who kill another are imprisoned without a trial, whether it was self defense or even an accident. All she knew about Axel was that he had committed several acts of murder, and she automatically assumed the worst. The way he acted and talked to Cecily led her believe he was as evil as his crime, but was that really the case?

    Cecily sighed and moved to a pass code panel on the right side of the door, tapped five numbers into it, and listened until she heard a low rumble and a click. She pulled on the door handle to make sure it was locked, and turned to walk down a long hallway filled with doors to other prison cells.

    Screams echoed through the hall; some pleading innocence, others begging for a victim to kill. Cecily continued walking, her heels clacking; she was not phased by the torment of the prisoners anymore. She was determined to find out the truth about Axel.

END OF CHAP. 4 —————————— Click here for Chapter 5.

[neccaro-story]

Chapter 4: A,1

     A prisoner was centered in a circular room with one door placed in front of him, and a light shining down where he sat, motionless. He was in a kneeling position; a bar was cuffed to his ankles, his arms held up over his head by a chain that came down from the ceiling, and his hands completely encased inside a thick metal that was shaped like an upside-down V. The man’s eyes were shielded by a metal plate that wrapped around his skull and fastened in the back with something similar to a black belt. He wore nothing but a pair of ripped up jeans and a gray tank top, but what he wore didn’t matter to him anymore. The only thing that mattered to him now was his freedom, and he was going to do whatever it took to get it. The noise of scraping metal echoed through the room, and the prisoner recognized it as the door of his cell.

    “Hm,” he mused, a devious smile spreading across his face, “Is that you, Cecily? Have you come to tell me how much I sicken you again?”

    “No,” Cecily responded. The clack of the heels she wore were always pleasing to the man, even if they were accompanied by nasty insults.

    “Well, I’m sure you aren’t here to ask me how my day’s going.”

    “No one has fed you for three days,” she sighed, a hint of pity in her voice, “here.” Cecily pulled off a small water-pouch that had been slung over her shoulder and held it out to the man.

    “I sincerely hope you aren’t trying to hand me something.”

    Cecily sighed, slightly irritated by the man’s smart remark. She stepped closer to him, tilting the pouch’s nozzle toward his face, “Open your mouth.”

    The man took a sip, only to instantly cough and choke on the fluid he had been offered. He didn’t spit it out, but he had trouble finally swallowing whatever it was.

    “What the hell is that supposed to be?” he sputtered.

    “It’s soup, you ungrateful–” Cecily stopped mid sentence and pinched the bridge of her nose, “I… made it myself. It’s a little cold now, yeah, but you should have some anyway. You’ll starve.”

    “So, what you’re saying is… you made me some soup because you care about me?”

    “Axel, I swear to God, I will let you die. No one told me to do this. Personally, I’d rather see you suffer.”

    “That’s obviously not true,” Axel replied, grinning, “it may have been at first, but I believe I’m growing on you.”

    “No! God, get a grip,” Cecily blushed, a frustrated look appearing on her face, “I would rather be friends with a rock!”

    “I beg to differ.” Axel was no longer smiling.

    “What are you trying to say?!”  

    “Mind keepin’ it down? Hearing is one of the only things left I get to enjoy in this place.”

    “Whatever! I’m leaving.” Cecily huffed, dropping the pouch of soup on the floor; her heels clacked as she approached the exit.

    “I know you’re intelligent, Cecily,” Axel said, his voice becoming deeper with seriousness. Cecily stopped at the door and turned to look at him.

    “And that’s why,” Axel continued, “I know that, in the end, you’ll make the right choice.” The corners of his lips tilted up slightly.

    Cecily took one last look at Axel and then toward the floor. What could he mean by that, Cecily wondered, tugging the door open and letting the air from outside gush in. She knew better not to believe or listen to anything he said, but his words didn’t fade into distant memories this time, as they always have. This time, the words danced around in her head, digging up questions she had long ago buried in her mind. Cecily opened the door a little wider to fit through and then closed it behind her, finally sighing and leaning against the cold metal.

    Was there something more to what happened to Axel? Was he more than just some criminal who kills for fun, or did he have a reason? The more Cecily thought about it, the more she didn’t know about Axel’s imprisonment. He wasn’t given a trial, due to being a DPP, or a Dangerous Powered Person; in the law of the Zentique Court, it states that people labeled as DPP’s who kill another are imprisoned without a trial, whether it was self defense or even an accident. All she knew about Axel was that he had committed several acts of murder, and she automatically assumed the worst. The way he acted and talked to Cecily led her believe he was as evil as his crime, but was that really the case?

    Cecily sighed and moved to a pass code panel on the right side of the door, tapped five numbers into it, and listened until she heard a low rumble and a click. She pulled on the door handle to make sure it was locked, and turned to walk down a long hallway filled with doors to other prison cells.

    Screams echoed through the hall; some pleading innocence, others begging for a victim to kill. Cecily continued walking, her heels clacking; she was not phased by the torment of the prisoners anymore. She was determined to find out the truth about Axel.

END OF CHAP. 4 —————————— Click here for Chapter 5.

[neccaro-story]

WELCOME!

DON’T SCROLL DOWN THIS BLOG!

This is a pick your own path story! That means, the paths are all misplaced and I wouldn’t want you to become horribly confused!

Want to read my story?

Click here or click the “BEGIN HERE” link at the top of my blog!

Thank you! (:

[neccaro-story]

For easier blog navigation, I suggest reading it on a PC instead of mobile! Sorry for the inconvenience,, i hope to make it more mobile friendly soon

FOR FOLLOWERS: If you get notifications for my posts, please wait for this post to resurface or a small “chapter update post” before continuing your reading! ((:

[neccaro-story]

Chapter 3: C

     Jacob woke up in a sweat; the sun was shining directly into his eyes. Getting up in a panic, forgetting where he was, Jacob bumped Gracie, who was positioned a couple inches away, her back facing him.

     “Mm… what is it?” she said drowsily, rolling over to look at Jacob. Her eyes widened and her face flushed, quickly realizing how close she was to him. She sat up and tucked her hair behind her ear, folding her arms. “Ah, sorry… um, did you sleep well?”

     “Oh,” Jacob smiled, sitting up and rubbing his neck, “I slept fine. Did… did you?”

     Gracie nodded quickly and smiled, looking at the ground to avoid eye contact. The fact that she was embarrassed was extremely cute to Jacob, and he laughed.

     “W-what?” Gracie squeaked, her face completely red.

     “Nothin’,” he replied, Jacob’s grin slowly widening, “hey, we’ve got a bit of ground to cover yet. Why don’t we, uh, get a move on?”

     Though distraught by the way he was acting, Gracie complied, her face still tinted with redness, “I.. suppose so.” She stood up suddenly, making room for Jacob to stretch out. Turning around, she held a hand out for him.

     “Thanks,” Jacob said, barely using her hand to stand up. It was nice of her to offer some help, but he didn’t truly need it. Not only was he very strong, but she would barely be able to pull his weight off the ground. The two of them smiled at each other before shuffling out of the cave into the warm sun.

     For Jacob, walking across the sand was almost too much to bear. He felt himself start to sweat, and raised his arm to his eyes to shield them from the sun. Gracie sighed and wiped her forehead, revealing that she was feeling the heat as well. They came up over a hill, where the beginning of grass, plants and trees had started to stretch toward the beach. A couple yards ahead, a woman was sitting on a small table. Behind her was a large, square wagon that was painted a bright purple. Jacob and Gracie slowly approached, the sweat dripping rhythmically from Jacob’s chin.

     “Hello, travelers!” the woman beckoned. She wore a red blindfold, a sports jacket, shorts and a very revealing tank top. Dark brown hair curled down the right side of her face; the left side of her head had been shaved at one time, but it had grown out about a half of an inch. Her caramel skin seemed to glow in the sunlight when her pouty lips twisted into a smile. Slowly, she turned her head toward Gracie.

     “How did you know we were near?” Gracie asked, coming to a stop next to the wagon. Jacob folded his arms, not looking at the woman.

     “I’m blind, hon, not deaf,” the woman smiled, using the table to stand up, “I’m Jerelle. And where are you folks headed?”

     “Sorry! To, um,” Gracie paused, trying to remember where they were going, “oh yeah, Venara! I’m Gracie. This is Jacob.”

     “Howdy.” Jacob mumbled, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He didn’t want to hang around this woman, since he sensed something was off. What was this blind woman doing way out here by herself? And how did she get here with that giant wagon? Jacob forced a smile and looked back toward the sea. Jerelle chuckled.

     “Charming. Say, you seem like intelligent folks. How’s about trying your luck, hm?” Jerelle grabbed at the table and moved around to the back of it, finally coming to a chair. Reaching under the table, she pulled out three cups and placed them in a row. From her pocket, she pulled out a round, smooth rock, lifted the middle cup and then slid the rock under it.

     “Now, I’m sure you’ve seen this game before,” Jerelle continued, putting her elbows on the table, “but there’s valuable stuff in it for you. If you care to try, that is. Of course, it’s a bet system. I offer, you offer-”

     “I think we need to get going,” Jacob snapped, furrowing his brows.

     “Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to interrupt a lady?” Jerelle replied, frowning for the first time since Jacob and Gracie had arrived.

     “I’m sorry,” Gracie said, looking at Jacob and then back at Jerelle, “but we don’t have anything to give anyway. We really should be on our way-”

     “Now, now, hon, I’m sure you have something. Maybe showing what I’ve got will change your mind?”

     “I-I don’t think that will be necessary-”

     “C'mon!” Jerelle stood up and walked around the table, feeling the side of the wagon as she moved toward the back. Gracie shrugged, giving an apologetic look to Jacob.

     “It should only take a second! O-okay? You can wait here…” Gracie left Jacob, gave a smile to encourage him that everything would work out, and started walking toward the spot where Jerelle was waiting patiently. Jacob tapped his foot anxiously, knowing this whole thing was a scam. He had dealt with Jerelle’s kind before; they prey on anyone who happens to come by, whether it be the richest man within a thousand miles or the poorest. Jacob yawned and stretched, putting a hand over his eyes again to block out the overwhelming light.

     Several minutes passed, and Jacob had overheard Gracie giggle numerous times. What could they possibly be talking about back there? Whatever the case, It didn’t matter. Jacob thought it was totally adorable. Just when he was going to butt in and yank Gracie out of Jerelle’s clutches, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He quickly turned his head toward the side of the wagon that was nearest to him, and saw a hand disappear around the corner.

     “Huh?” Jacob questioned aloud, moving slowly toward the other side of the wagon. He inched closer and closer to the edge, preparing himself to attack, defend, or whatever else he might need to do. He suddenly sprung out from behind the wagon, holding up his hands in a kung-fu-like fashion, only to be greeted by a rock and a tuft of grass.

     “I could’ve sworn there was… huh.” Jacob scratched his head, dumbfounded. He knew he had seen something.

     “Jacob?” Gracie called from the other end of the wagon, a worried tone hanging in her voice.

     “Yeah,” he called back, bending down to pick up a rock, “I’m fine. Just checking things out.” Jacob studied the rock, turning it over in his hands. He needed to get Gracie to Venara, a place where she could experience something better than con artists and evil grandparents. Suddenly, a black drop of liquid landed on Jacob’s thumb. He stared at it for a minute, not able to recognize what it was just by looking at it. Another drop landed on the rock, and yet another on his prosthetic arm. Jacob spun around looked up toward the top of the wagon to see something looming up there, staring down at him. Only in this case, the thing wasn’t staring, or seeing anything at all. It did not have eyes; there was only smoothed skin where eyes were supposed to be. The thing smiled and leapt down from the wagon, landing right next to Jacob, almost knocking him over. Jacob stumbled backward, dropping his rock and falling flat onto his butt.

     “S-stay back! W-what the hell-” he shouted, scooting backward and scrambling to get back onto his feet. The thing towered over Jacob, easily a foot taller than him. It looked like a human, minus having eyes, and its skin was completely black; a liquid equally as dark as its skin leaked from its mouth, which was plastered with a grin. Gracie and Jerelle ran to the scene, Gracie screaming when she saw the figure.

     “W-what is that!”

     “He isn’t a ‘that’, actually,” Jerelle said, her tone calm and her arms folded, “his name is Void. Or, as I like to call him, Blackie.” Both Gracie and Jacob were taken aback by guilt.

     “I-I’m so sorry,” Jacob said, standing up and brushing the dirt off his pants. Gracie blushed, embarrassed for calling someone a “that”. Void responded by slightly hunching over, and raising his fists to his cheeks and pretending to cry. Almost instantly, he proceeded to throw his head back and open his mouth as if to laugh, but no sound came out. It was clear to Jacob that he was being silently made fun of.

     “H-hey, quit that!” Jacob whined, squeezing his hand into a fist. Void continued to laugh without noise, slapping his leg.

     “Is he…” Gracie started to say, but stopped herself. She wasn’t quite sure of how to word her question.

     “He is mute and blind,” Jerelle spoke, answering Gracie’s thoughts, “we make a good team, though. I’d probably like him less if he could talk back.” Jerelle laughed to herself.

     “I see.”

     “Well, what do you people do, anyway? Both of you are blind, and one of you can’t speak. How do you even get anything done?” Jacob wondered, keeping Void within his vision. As soon as this Void guy appeared, he felt even more suspicious of what Jerelle was up to. Whatever it was, Jacob thought it would be best for Gracie and himself to leave. Right now.

     “We’re just travelers, I tell him where to go and he pulls the wagon.”

     “Tell him where to go…?” Gracie questioned, putting a hand up to her chest.

     “I think it’s about time we get going. We have somewhere to be.” Jacob nodded at Void and turned to walk toward Gracie when something stopped him. He slowly turned and looked to see Void holding him by the wrist. “What…?”

     “We really can’t let you go,” Jerelle said, holding up her hand as if to look at her nails, “how fair would it be to leave us empty handed?”

     “I don’t understand…” Gracie said, tears welling up in her eyes. Jacob growled audibly, trying to get his arm out of Void’s grasp. Void spun him around and pulled Jacob’s other arm behind him, making it near impossible for Jacob to escape.

     “Everyone has something they can offer, y'know? Whether they know it or not.” Jerelle reached her hands behind her head and untied her blindfold, revealing two gaping eye sockets. Just below the holes, two slits appeared in her skin; two new eyes opened, one iris blue and the other purple, and blinked at where Jacob stood. A third, yellow eye appeared on her forehead, and looked toward Gracie.

     “You have abilities,” Jacob laughed, the anger in his voice apparent, “I knew it. There was something off about you from the start.”

     “Oh bravo, kid. Now, if you just let us search you, we’ll be on our way-”

     “No!” Gracie screamed, her eye turning black, “No… you let Jacob go. Right now.”

     “Gracie, they could be dangerous-” Jacob said, trying to calm her. He knew what Gracie was capable of, but he didn’t want her to get hurt. More importantly, he didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.

     “We aren’t looking for trouble, miss,” Jerelle said cautiously, realizing Gracie could have abilities as well, “This was just us havin’ a little fun, see? Me and Void’s bank is dry as a bone, and we just… you gotta do what you gotta do. I’m sure you can understand.”

     Void let go of Jacob, allowing him to get as far away from him as possible. He ran next to Gracie and grabbed her by her upper arm. Void still had a giant grin on his face.

     “Gracie, come on. Let’s get out of here.” Gracie’s eye changed to a dark red, though it was still focused on Jerelle and her partner. Jacob urged her again, and the two of them turned and started to walk away.

     “I hope we can meet again,” Jerelle called, the eye on her right cheek disappearing and another appearing below her collar bone, “under better circumstances. Come on, Blackie, we’ve got customers to find.” Void nodded and bounced toward the wagon, taking hold of two chains that were hooked to the front of the wagon. Jerelle climbed into the back and whistled, signaling to Void that he needed to start pulling the wagon. The wheels of the cart skidded in place until the earth finally gave way and allowed movement. Jerelle gave a final salute paired a smirk as they rode past Gracie and Jacob to their next destination.

     Gracie sighed, folding her arms and continuing to walk. Jacob stopped, reached his hand out and opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. It was probably better to let her cool off. Jacob shook his head and sighed, jogging to catch up to Gracie.

END OF CHAP. 3 —————————— Click here for Chapter 4.

[neccaro-story]

Chapter 3: B

     Jacob woke up in a sweat; the sun was shining directly into his eyes. Getting up in a panic, forgetting where he was, Jacob bumped Gracie, who was positioned a couple inches away, her back facing him.

     “Mm… what is it?” she said drowsily, rolling over to look at Jacob. Her eyes widened and her face flushed, quickly realizing how close she was to him. She sat up and tucked her hair behind her ear, folding her arms. “Ah, sorry… um, did you sleep well?”

     “Oh,” Jacob smiled, sitting up and rubbing his neck, “I slept fine. Did… did you?”

     Gracie nodded quickly and smiled, looking at the ground to avoid eye contact. The fact that she was embarrassed was extremely cute to Jacob, and he laughed.

     “W-what?” Gracie squeaked, her face completely red.

     “Nothin’,” he replied, Jacob’s grin slowly widening, “hey, we’ve got a bit of ground to cover yet. Why don’t we, uh, get a move on?”

     Though distraught by the way he was acting, Gracie complied, her face still tinted with redness, “I.. suppose so.” She stood up suddenly, making room for Jacob to stretch out. Turning around, she held a hand out for him.

     “Thanks,” Jacob said, barely using her hand to stand up. It was nice of her to offer some help, but he didn’t truly need it. Not only was he very strong, but she would barely be able to pull his weight off the ground. The two of them smiled at each other before shuffling out of the cave into the warm sun.

     For Jacob, walking across the sand was almost too much to bear. He felt himself start to sweat, and raised his arm to his eyes to shield them from the sun. Gracie sighed and wiped her forehead, revealing that she was feeling the heat as well. They came up over a hill, where the beginning of grass, plants and trees had started to stretch toward the beach. A couple yards ahead, a woman was sitting on a small table. Behind her was a large, square wagon that was painted a bright purple. Jacob and Gracie slowly approached, the sweat dripping rhythmically from Jacob’s chin.

     “Hello, travelers!” the woman beckoned. She wore a red blindfold, a sports jacket, shorts and a very revealing tank top. Dark brown hair curled down the right side of her face; the left side of her head had been shaved at one time, but it had grown out about a half of an inch. Her caramel skin seemed to glow in the sunlight when her pouty lips twisted into a smile. Slowly, she turned her head toward Gracie.

     “How did you know we were near?” Gracie asked, coming to a stop next to the wagon. Jacob folded his arms, not looking at the woman.

     “I’m blind, hon, not deaf,” the woman smiled, using the table to stand up, “I’m Jerelle. And where are you folks headed?”

     “Sorry! To, um,” Gracie paused, trying to remember where they were going, “oh yeah, Venara! I’m Gracie. This is Jacob.”

     “Howdy.” Jacob mumbled, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He didn’t want to hang around this woman, since he sensed something was off. What was this blind woman doing way out here by herself? And how did she get here with that giant wagon? Jacob forced a smile and looked back toward the sea. Jerelle chuckled.

     “Charming. Say, you seem like intelligent folks. How’s about trying your luck, hm?” Jerelle grabbed at the table and moved around to the back of it, finally coming to a chair. Reaching under the table, she pulled out three cups and placed them in a row. From her pocket, she pulled out a round, smooth rock, lifted the middle cup and then slid the rock under it.

     “Now, I’m sure you’ve seen this game before,” Jerelle continued, putting her elbows on the table, “but there’s valuable stuff in it for you. If you care to try, that is. Of course, it’s a bet system. I offer, you offer-”      “I think we need to get going,” Jacob snapped, furrowing his brows.

     “Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to interrupt a lady?” Jerelle replied, frowning for the first time since Jacob and Gracie had arrived.      “I’m sorry,” Gracie said, looking at Jacob and then back at Jerelle, “but we don’t have anything to give anyway. We really should be on our way-”

     “Now, now, hon, I’m sure you have something. Maybe showing what I’ve got will change your mind?”

     “I-I don’t think that will be necessary-”

     “C'mon!” Jerelle stood up and walked around the table, feeling the side of the wagon as she moved toward the back. Gracie shrugged, giving an apologetic look to Jacob.

      “It should only take a second! O-okay? You can wait here…” Gracie left Jacob, gave a smile to encourage him that everything would work out, and started walking toward the spot where Jerelle was waiting patiently.

     Jacob tapped his foot anxiously, knowing this whole thing was a scam. He had dealt with Jerelle’s kind before; they prey on anyone who happens to come by, whether it be the richest man within a thousand miles or the poorest. Jacob yawned and stretched, putting a hand over his eyes again to block out the overwhelming light.

     Several minutes passed, and Jacob had overheard Gracie giggle numerous times. What could they possibly be talking about back there? Whatever the case, It didn’t matter. Jacob thought it was totally adorable. Just when he was going to butt in and yank Gracie out of Jerelle’s clutches, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He quickly turned his head toward the side of the wagon that was nearest to him, and saw a hand disappear around the corner.

     “Huh?” Jacob questioned aloud, moving slowly toward the other side of the wagon. He inched closer and closer to the edge, preparing himself to attack, defend, or whatever else he might need to do. He suddenly sprung out from behind the wagon, holding up his hands in a kung-fu-like fashion, only to be greeted by a rock and a tuft of grass.

     “I could’ve sworn there was… huh.” Jacob scratched his head, dumbfounded. He knew he had seen something.

     “Jacob?” Gracie called from the other end of the wagon, a worried tone hanging in her voice.

     “Yeah,” he called back, bending down to pick up a rock, “I’m fine. Just checking things out.” Jacob studied the rock, turning it over in his hands. He needed to get Gracie to Venara, a place where she could experience something better than con artists and evil grandparents. Suddenly, a black drop of liquid landed on Jacob’s thumb. He stared at it for a minute, not able to recognize what it was just by looking at it. Another drop landed on the rock, and yet another on his prosthetic arm. Jacob spun around looked up toward the top of the wagon to see something looming up there, staring down at him. Only in this case, the thing wasn’t staring, or seeing anything at all. It did not have eyes; there was only smoothed skin where eyes were supposed to be.

     The thing smiled and leapt down from the wagon, landing right next to Jacob, almost knocking him over. Jacob stumbled backward, dropping his rock and falling flat onto his butt.

     “S-stay back! W-what the hell-” he shouted, scooting backward and scrambling to get back onto his feet. The thing towered over Jacob, easily a foot taller than him. It looked like a human, minus having eyes, and its skin was completely black; a liquid equally as dark as its skin leaked from its mouth, which was plastered with a grin. Gracie and Jerelle ran to the scene, Gracie screaming when she saw the figure.

     “W-what is that!”

     “He isn’t a ‘that’, actually,” Jerelle said, her tone calm and her arms folded, “his name is Void. Or, as I like to call him, Blackie.” Both Gracie and Jacob were taken aback by guilt.

     “I-I’m so sorry,” Jacob said, standing up and brushing the dirt off his pants. Gracie blushed, embarrassed for calling someone a “that”.

     Void responded by slightly hunching over, and raising his fists to his cheeks and pretending to cry. Almost instantly, he proceeded to throw his head back and open his mouth as if to laugh, but no sound came out. It was clear to Jacob that he was being silently made fun of.

     “H-hey, quit that!” Jacob whined, squeezing his hand into a fist. Void continued to laugh without noise, slapping his leg.

     “Is he…” Gracie started to say, but stopped herself. She wasn’t quite sure of how to word her question.

     “He is mute and blind,” Jerelle spoke, answering Gracie’s thoughts, “we make a good team, though. I’d probably like him less if he could talk back.” Jerelle laughed to herself.

     “I see.”

     “Well, what do you people do, anyway? Both of you are blind, and one of you can’t speak. How do you even get anything done?” Jacob wondered, keeping Void within his vision. As soon as this Void guy appeared, he felt even more suspicious of what Jerelle was up to. Whatever it was, Jacob thought it would be best for Gracie and himself to leave. Right now.

     “We’re just travelers, I tell him where to go and he pulls the wagon.”

     “Tell him where to go…?” Gracie questioned, putting a hand up to her chest.

     “I think it’s about time we get going. We have somewhere to be.” Jacob nodded at Void and turned to walk toward Gracie when something stopped him. He slowly turned and looked to see Void holding him by the wrist. “What…?”

     “We really can’t let you go,” Jerelle said, holding up her hand as if to look at her nails, “how fair would it be to leave us empty handed?”

     “I don’t understand…” Gracie said, tears welling up in her eyes. Jacob growled audibly, trying to get his arm out of Void’s grasp. Void spun him around and pulled Jacob’s other arm behind him, making it near impossible for Jacob to escape.

     “Everyone has something they can offer, y'know? Whether they know it or not.” Jerelle reached her hands behind her head and untied her blindfold, revealing two gaping eye sockets. Just below the holes, two slits appeared in her skin; two new eyes opened, one iris blue and the other purple, and blinked at where Jacob stood. A third, yellow eye appeared on her forehead, and looked toward Gracie.

     “You have abilities,” Jacob laughed, the anger in his voice apparent, “I knew it. There was something off about you from the start.”

     “Oh bravo, kid. Now, if you just let us search you, we’ll be on our way-”

     “No!” Gracie screamed, her eye turning black, “No… you let Jacob go. Right now.”

     “Gracie, they could be dangerous-” Jacob said, trying to calm her. He knew what Gracie was capable of, but he didn’t want her to get hurt. More importantly, he didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.

     “We aren’t looking for trouble, miss,” Jerelle said cautiously, realizing Gracie could have abilities as well, “This was just us havin’ a little fun, see? Me and Void’s bank is dry as a bone, and we just… you gotta do what you gotta do. I’m sure you can understand.”

     Void let go of Jacob, allowing him to get as far away from him as possible. He ran next to Gracie and grabbed her by her upper arm. Void still had a giant grin on his face.

     “Gracie, come on. Let’s get out of here.” Gracie’s eye changed to a dark red, though it was still focused on Jerelle and her partner. Jacob urged her again, and the two of them turned and started to walk away.

     “I hope we can meet again,” Jerelle called, the eye on her right cheek disappearing and another appearing below her collar bone, “under better circumstances. Come on, Blackie, we’ve got customers to find.” Void nodded and bounced toward the wagon, taking hold of two chains that were hooked to the front of the wagon. Jerelle climbed into the back and whistled, signaling to Void that he needed to start pulling the wagon. The wheels of the cart skidded in place until the earth finally gave way and allowed movement. Jerelle gave a final salute paired a smirk as they rode past Gracie and Jacob to their next destination.

     Gracie sighed, folding her arms and continuing to walk. Jacob stopped, reached his hand out and opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. It was probably better to let her cool off. Jacob shook his head and sighed, jogging to catch up to Gracie.

END OF CHAP. 3 —————————— Click here for Chapter 4.

[neccaro-story]

Chapter 3: A,2

     Jacob woke up in a sweat; the sun was shining directly into his eyes. Getting up in a panic, forgetting where he was, Jacob bumped Gracie, who was positioned a couple inches away, her back facing him.

     “Mm… what is it?” she said drowsily, rolling over to look at Jacob. Her eyes widened and her face flushed, quickly realizing how close she was to him. She sat up and tucked her hair behind her ear, folding her arms. “Ah, sorry… um, did you sleep well?”

     “Oh,” Jacob smiled, sitting up and rubbing his neck, “I slept fine. Did… did you?”

     Gracie nodded quickly and smiled, looking at the ground to avoid eye contact. The fact that she was embarrassed was extremely cute to Jacob, and he laughed.

     “W-what?” Gracie squeaked, her face completely red.

     “Nothin’,” he replied, Jacob’s grin slowly widening, “hey, we’ve got a bit of ground to cover yet. Why don’t we, uh, get a move on?”

     Though distraught by the way he was acting, Gracie complied, her face still tinted with redness, “I.. suppose so.” She stood up suddenly, making room for Jacob to stretch out. Turning around, she held a hand out for him.

     “Thanks,” Jacob said, barely using her hand to stand up. It was nice of her to offer some help, but he didn’t truly need it. Not only was he very strong, but she would barely be able to pull his weight off the ground. The two of them smiled at each other before shuffling out of the cave into the warm sun.

     For Jacob, walking across the sand was almost too much to bear. He felt himself start to sweat, and raised his arm to his eyes to shield them from the sun. Gracie sighed and wiped her forehead, revealing that she was feeling the heat as well. They came up over a hill, where the beginning of grass, plants and trees had started to stretch toward the beach. A couple yards ahead, a woman was sitting on a small table. Behind her was a large, square wagon that was painted a bright purple. Jacob and Gracie slowly approached, the sweat dripping rhythmically from Jacob’s chin.

     “Hello, travelers!” the woman beckoned. She wore a red blindfold, a sports jacket, shorts and a very revealing tank top. Dark brown hair curled down the right side of her face; the left side of her head had been shaved at one time, but it had grown out about a half of an inch. Her caramel skin seemed to glow in the sunlight when her pouty lips twisted into a smile. Slowly, she turned her head toward Gracie.

     “How did you know we were near?” Gracie asked, coming to a stop next to the wagon. Jacob folded his arms, not looking at the woman.

     “I’m blind, hon, not deaf,” the woman smiled, using the table to stand up, “I’m Jerelle. And where are you folks headed?”

     “Sorry! To, um,” Gracie paused, trying to remember where they were going, “oh yeah, Venara! I’m Gracie. This is Jacob.”

     “Howdy.” Jacob mumbled, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He didn’t want to hang around this woman, since he sensed something was off. What was this blind woman doing way out here by herself? And how did she get here with that giant wagon? Jacob forced a smile and looked back toward the sea. Jerelle chuckled.

     “Charming. Say, you seem like intelligent folks. How’s about trying your luck, hm?” Jerelle grabbed at the table and moved around to the back of it, finally coming to a chair. Reaching under the table, she pulled out three cups and placed them in a row. From her pocket, she pulled out a round, smooth rock, lifted the middle cup and then slid the rock under it.

     “Now, I’m sure you’ve seen this game before,” Jerelle continued, putting her elbows on the table, “but there’s valuable stuff in it for you. If you care to try, that is. Of course, it’s a bet system. I offer, you offer-”

     “I think we need to get going,” Jacob snapped, furrowing his brows.

     “Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to interrupt a lady?” Jerelle replied, frowning for the first time since Jacob and Gracie had arrived.

     “I’m sorry,” Gracie said, looking at Jacob and then back at Jerelle, “but we don’t have anything to give anyway. We really should be on our way-”

     “Now, now, hon, I’m sure you have something. Maybe showing what I’ve got will change your mind?”

     “I-I don’t think that will be necessary-”

     “C'mon!” Jerelle stood up and walked around the table, feeling the side of the wagon as she moved toward the back. Gracie shrugged, giving an apologetic look to Jacob.

     “It should only take a second! O-okay? You can wait here…” Gracie left Jacob, gave a smile to encourage him that everything would work out, and started walking toward the spot where Jerelle was waiting patiently.

     Jacob tapped his foot anxiously, knowing this whole thing was a scam. He had dealt with Jerelle’s kind before; they prey on anyone who happens to come by, whether it be the richest man within a thousand miles or the poorest. Jacob yawned and stretched, putting a hand over his eyes again to block out the overwhelming light.

     Several minutes passed, and Jacob had overheard Gracie giggle numerous times. What could they possibly be talking about back there? Whatever the case, It didn’t matter. Jacob thought it was totally adorable. Just when he was going to butt in and yank Gracie out of Jerelle’s clutches, he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He quickly turned his head toward the side of the wagon that was nearest to him, and saw a hand disappear around the corner.

     “Huh?” Jacob questioned aloud, moving slowly toward the other side of the wagon. He inched closer and closer to the edge, preparing himself to attack, defend, or whatever else he might need to do. He suddenly sprung out from behind the wagon, holding up his hands in a kung-fu-like fashion, only to be greeted by a rock and a tuft of grass.

     “I could’ve sworn there was… huh.” Jacob scratched his head, dumbfounded. He knew he had seen something.

     “Jacob?” Gracie called from the other end of the wagon, a worried tone hanging in her voice.

     “Yeah,” he called back, bending down to pick up a rock, “I’m fine. Just checking things out.” Jacob studied the rock, turning it over in his hands. He needed to get Gracie to Venara, a place where she could experience something better than con artists and evil grandparents. Suddenly, a black drop of liquid landed on Jacob’s thumb. He stared at it for a minute, not able to recognize what it was just by looking at it. Another drop landed on the rock, and yet another on his prosthetic arm. Jacob spun around looked up toward the top of the wagon to see something looming up there, staring down at him. Only in this case, the thing wasn’t staring, or seeing anything at all. It did not have eyes; there was only smoothed skin where eyes were supposed to be.

     The thing smiled and leapt down from the wagon, landing right next to Jacob, almost knocking him over. Jacob stumbled backward, dropping his rock and falling flat onto his butt.

     “S-stay back! W-what the hell-” he shouted, scooting backward and scrambling to get back onto his feet. The thing towered over Jacob, easily a foot taller than him. It looked like a human, minus having eyes, and its skin was completely black; a liquid equally as dark as its skin leaked from its mouth, which was plastered with a grin. Gracie and Jerelle ran to the scene, Gracie screaming when she saw the figure.

     “W-what is that!”

     “He isn’t a ‘that’, actually,” Jerelle said, her tone calm and her arms folded, “his name is Void. Or, as I like to call him, Blackie.” Both Gracie and Jacob were taken aback by guilt.

     “I-I’m so sorry,” Jacob said, standing up and brushing the dirt off his pants. Gracie blushed, embarrassed for calling someone a “that”.

     Void responded by slightly hunching over, and raising his fists to his cheeks and pretending to cry. Almost instantly, he proceeded to throw his head back and open his mouth as if to laugh, but no sound came out. It was clear to Jacob that he was being silently made fun of.

     “H-hey, quit that!” Jacob whined, squeezing his hand into a fist. Void continued to laugh without noise, slapping his leg.

     “Is he…” Gracie started to say, but stopped herself. She wasn’t quite sure of how to word her question.

     “He is mute and blind,” Jerelle spoke, answering Gracie’s thoughts, “we make a good team, though. I’d probably like him less if he could talk back.” Jerelle laughed to herself.

     “I see.”

     “Well, what do you people do, anyway? Both of you are blind, and one of you can’t speak. How do you even get anything done?” Jacob wondered, keeping Void within his vision. As soon as this Void guy appeared, he felt even more suspicious of what Jerelle was up to. Whatever it was, Jacob thought it would be best for Gracie and himself to leave. Right now.

     “We’re just travelers, I tell him where to go and he pulls the wagon.”

     “Tell him where to go…?” Gracie questioned, putting a hand up to her chest.

     “I think it’s about time we get going. We have somewhere to be.” Jacob nodded at Void and turned to walk toward Gracie when something stopped him. He slowly turned and looked to see Void holding him by the wrist. “What…?”

     “We really can’t let you go,” Jerelle said, holding up her hand as if to look at her nails, “how fair would it be to leave us empty handed?”

     “I don’t understand…” Gracie said, tears welling up in her eyes. Jacob growled audibly, trying to get his arm out of Void’s grasp. Void spun him around and pulled Jacob’s other arm behind him, making it near impossible for him to escape.

     “Everyone has something they can offer, y'know? Whether they know it or not.” Jerelle reached her hands behind her head and untied her blindfold, revealing two gaping eye sockets. Just below the holes, two slits appeared in her skin; two new eyes opened, one iris blue and the other purple, and blinked at where Jacob stood. A third, yellow eye appeared on her forehead, and looked toward Gracie.

     “You have abilities,” Jacob laughed, the anger in his voice apparent, “I knew it. There was something off about you from the start.”

     “Oh bravo, kid. Now, if you just let us search you, we’ll be on our way-”

     “No!” Gracie screamed, her eye turning black, “No… you let Jacob go. Right now.”

     “Gracie, they could be dangerous-” Jacob said, trying to calm her. He knew what Gracie was capable of, but he didn’t want her to get hurt. More importantly, he didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.

     “We aren’t looking for trouble, miss,” Jerelle said cautiously, realizing Gracie could have abilities as well, “This was just us havin’ a little fun, see? Me and Void’s bank is dry as a bone, and we just… you gotta do what you gotta do. I’m sure you can understand.”

     Void let go of Jacob, allowing him to get as far away from him as possible. He ran next to Gracie and grabbed her by her upper arm. Void still had a giant grin on his face.

     “Gracie, come on. Let’s get out of here.” Gracie’s eye changed to a dark red, though it was still focused on Jerelle and her partner. Jacob urged her again, and the two of them turned and started to walk away.

     “I hope we can meet again,” Jerelle called, the eye on her right cheek disappearing and another appearing below her collar bone, “under better circumstances. Come on, Blackie, we’ve got customers to find.” Void nodded and bounced toward the wagon, taking hold of two chains that were hooked to the front of the wagon. Jerelle climbed into the back and whistled, signaling to Void that he needed to start pulling the wagon. The wheels of the cart skidded in place until the earth finally gave way and allowed movement. Jerelle gave a final salute paired a smirk as they rode past Gracie and Jacob to their next destination.

     Gracie sighed, folding her arms and continuing to walk. Jacob stopped, reached his hand out and opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it. It was probably better to let her cool off. Jacob shook his head and sighed, jogging to catch up to Gracie.

END OF CHAP. 3 —————————— Click here for Chapter 4.

[neccaro-story]

Chapter 3: A,1

     Jacob woke up in a sweat; the sun was shining directly into his eyes. He clutched his side, feeling a dampness where the stab wound was. Getting up in a panic, Jacob bumped Gracie, who was positioned a couple inches away, her back facing him.

     “Mm… what is it?” she said drowsily, rolling over to look at Jacob. Her eyes widened and her face flushed, quickly realizing how close she was to him. She sat up and tucked her hair behind her ear, folding her arms. “Ah, sorry… um, did you sleep well? Wait…” she moved forward, squinting slightly, “what’s wrong?”

     “Oh, nothin’,” Jacob said behind clenched teeth, “I’m fine. Hah.. m-maybe we should get moving, huh?”

     Though disturbed by the way he was acting, Gracie complied, “I.. suppose so.” She stood up suddenly, making room for Jacob to stretch out. Turning around, she held a hand out for him, but he didn’t take it. She knelt down, concerned.

     “Jacob. What’s wrong? You look feverish…” she tried to get a good look at his face, but he turned his head away. Beads of sweat started to form on his forehead and trickle down his face.

     “I’m… fine. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he lied, feeling overwhelmingly dizzy. He knew he was losing blood, but he forced himself to stand, leaning against the cave wall. “Let’s go.”

     “Okay…” Gracie stood up next to him, holding out her arm. Jacob took it and put some of his weight on it, the two of them shuffling out of the cave into the warm sun.

     For Jacob, walking across the sand was almost too much to bear. He felt himself starting to slip from consciousness, barely able to keep his legs moving. Gracie clung to him tightly and slowly helped him along, knowing deep down that something was terribly wrong. They came up over a hill, where the beginning of grass, plants and trees had started to stretch toward the beach. A couple yards ahead, a woman was sitting on a small table. Behind her was a large, square wagon that was painted a bright purple. Jacob and Gracie slowly approached, the sweat dripping rhythmically from Jacob’s chin.

     “Hello, travelers!” the woman beckoned. She wore a red blindfold, a sports jacket, shorts and a very revealing tank top. Dark brown hair curled down the right side of her face; the left side of her head had been shaved at one time, but it had grown out about a half of an inch. Her caramel skin seemed to glow in the sunlight when her pouty lips twisted into a smile. Slowly, she turned her head toward Gracie.

     “How did you know we were near?” Gracie asked, coming to a stop next to the wagon. Jacob leaned on Gracie a little more, not looking at the woman.

     “I’m blind, hon, not deaf,” the woman smiled, using the table to stand up, “I’m Jerelle. And where are you folks headed?”

     “Sorry! Ah, to, uh, Venara,” Gracie said, “and I’m Gracie. This is Jacob.”

     “Howdy.” Jacob mumbled, a hint of annoyance in his voice. He didn’t want to hang around this woman, since he sensed something was off. What was this blind woman doing way out here by herself? And how did she get here with that giant wagon? Jacob forced a smile and looked down at the ground, focusing on standing. Jerelle chuckled.

     “Charming. Say, you seem like intelligent folks. How’s about trying your luck, hm?” Jerelle grabbed at the table and moved around to the back of it, finally coming to a chair. Reaching under the table, she pulled out three cups and placed them in a row. From her pocket, she pulled out a round, smooth rock, lifted the middle cup and then slid the rock under it.

     “Now, I’m sure you’ve seen this game before,” Jerelle continued, putting her elbows on the table, “but there’s valuable stuff in it for you. If you care to try, that is. Of course, it’s a bet system. I offer, you offer-”

     “I think we need to get going,” Jacob snapped, furrowing his brows.

     “Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to interrupt a lady?” Jerelle replied, frowning for the first time since Jacob and Gracie had arrived.

     “I’m sorry,” Gracie said, looking at Jacob and then back at Jerelle, “but we don’t have anything to give anyway. We really should be on our way-”

     “Now, now, hon, I’m sure you have something. Maybe showing what I’ve got will change your mind?”

     “I-I don’t think that will be necessary-”

     “C'mon!” Jerelle stood up and walked around the table, feeling the side of the wagon as she moved toward the back. Gracie shrugged, giving an apologetic look to Jacob.

     “It should only take a second! O-okay? You can wait here…” Gracie led Jacob to the chair Jerelle had set up and sat him down. She gave a smile to encourage him that everything would work out, and started walking toward the spot where Jerelle was waiting patiently.

     Jacob sat anxiously, knowing this whole thing was a scam. He had dealt with Jerelle’s kind before; they prey on anyone who happens to come by, whether it be richest man within a thousand miles or the poorest. The pain in Jacob’s side suddenly got worse, but he refrained from screaming out. He knew the two women were talking, but he couldn’t make out the words anymore. The harder he strained to hear, the more distant their voices sounded, and the more heavy his body felt. He might die right here, right now, right after saving Gracie, the most beautiful girl he had ever met; who knows if they were going to do what they were meant to in this world. But for now, he was losing to the pain.

     His body, unable to take the pain any longer, caused Jacob’s vision to blur and his body to go limp. Before he fell from the chair, he called out for Gracie, wishing he could see her one last time.

END OF CHAP. 3 —————————— Click here for Chapter 4.

[neccaro-story]

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[neccaro-story]

Chapter 2: C

     “We have to hurry,” Gracie shouted, “they can’t know which way we went!”

     Leading Jacob around to the back of the house, she continued, “When I was little and Virgil let me play outside, there was a cave on the beach he never knew about. We’ll be safe there.”

     “Lead the way, m'lady.” Jacob said, slowing to let Gracie catch up to him.

     Gracie quickly guided Jacob over a small hill and away from the house toward the beach. The night made the beach almost completely black, save for the little bit of moonlight, but Gracie seemed to know where she was going.

     They kept to the shadows, hearing the distant sound of Virgil calling out. Jacob stopped and looked back, unable to see the lights from the house anymore. He looked forward toward Gracie, who was still trudging forward through the sand. Jacob trotted forward to catch up with her.

     “Gracie?” Jacob asked, slowing to a walk.

     “Yeah?” she replied, folding her arms.

     “Are you alright?”

     “Oh. Yeah..”

     “Look. I know what you’re feeling right now. I’m sure Virgil will be fine, okay? It’s… for the best.” Jacob gave a forced smile, but Gracie never looked his way. He sighed, continuing to walk.

     “So… you have abilities?” he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Gracie nodded.

     “Ah, cool,” he smiled, “um… if you… tell me yours, I’ll tell you mine.”

     “You have powers?” Gracie asked, turning her gaze toward him curiously.

     “It’s… not really anything to gawk at, but… yeah. I dabble.” Gracie laughed at his statement, making him smile wider.

     “Well,” she started, “I… I can’t specify exactly what mine are, but… I can make myself… hot. Hot enough to burn things, as well as melt them. Um… what about you?”

     “I can stop time,” he looked down, examining a shell he was stepping over, “that’s my power.”

     “That’s… amazing.” Gracie said quietly, folding her arms. She looked toward the water.

     “Oh. Uh, thank you, but… what’s wrong?”

     “Your power. It isn’t… destructive. Like mine is.”

     “No, no. Woah. Wait a minute. You’re way cooler than me, Gracie. I thought that was obvious.”

     “What are you talking about?” Gracie asked, a smile appearing on her face.

     “You can melt stuff with your hands, man. That’s pretty cool.”

     “I… can fly, too.” Her eye sparkled a bright yellow.

      “What? Really? Do you… have angel wings or something?” Jacob’s imagination was brimming with images of Gracie sprouting angel wings from her back. Gracie blushed, her eye starting to glow brighter.

     “Not… exactly.” Gracie stopped and took a step back, the entirety of her eye turning a bright orange speckled with yellow. Suddenly, a burst of red, orange, and yellow light exploded from behind her, forming long strands that resembled feathers; glowing droplets fell from the tips of the strands, extinguishing once they hit the sand. Jacob stared in awe as the area around them was completely lit by Gracie’s wings.

     “You’re beautiful… I-I mean, they’re beautiful! Your wings, they’re, uh… they’re pretty great!” Jacob laughed nervously, running a hand through his hair. Gracie smiled and laughed.

     “Thank you…” She blushed and looked away.

     “Can I…” Jacob took a step forward, going to reach for her wings. Gracie jolted forward and grabbed his hand, frowning.

     “No! My… wings can’t be touched. They will burn you. I’m sorry…” she turned away from him, hurrying down the beach. A couple of feet away, a cave entrance appeared, and Gracie ran inside. The brilliant light from her wings began to fade until they disappeared completely, sending the cave into darkness. Jacob frowned, running after her and entering the cave slowly. Gracie’s eye had returned to normal, but still glowed in the darkness; the color of her iris had changed to a dark red.

     “Gracie…” Jacob said. Gracie’s eye looked up at him, shifting to a dark orange. He moved forward and felt for the cave wall, slowly easing himself down next to Gracie and laying his head against the wall.

     “I wish they were angel wings,” Gracie sighed, closing her eye. The two of them were now seated in complete darkness. Jacob sighed, unsure of what to say.

     “Well… I think your wings are better than angel wings, Gracie. They’re… unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

     “I know,” she replied, “I just… wish I was different.”

     “… Why?”

     “All I can do is destroy things, Jacob!” Gracie shouted, turning toward him. She had started crying, but instead of regular tears, a stream of glowing orange liquid rolled down her cheeks. Jacob frowned, reaching down to find her hand. Once he did, he squeezed it gently.

     “Listen to me, Gracie. I barely even know you, but already I… I think you’re perfect the way you are. Everyone has their powers for some reason or another. You shouldn’t be ashamed of that.” Jacob heard Gracie sniffle and the glow of her eye disappeared again.

     “You’re right… I’m sorry—”

     “Don’t be. You have a right to feel what you feel, Gracie. Being locked up all those years, being told that you’re dangerous… that could change anyone. But… I’m sure that someday, you’ll come to realize that your powers are just as useful and amazing as everyone else.” Jacob smiled, squeezing Gracie’s hand again. Suddenly, Jacob felt Gracie move next to him quickly, hugging him from the side. He jumped, but then blushed, feeling glad they were in complete darkness.

     “Thank you, Jacob.” Gracie said, looking up at him. Her eye was glowing a bright yellow. Jacob smiled and turned away, staring into the darkness.

     “You’re welcome, Gracie.”

END OF CHAP. 2 ------------------------------ Click here for Chapter 3.

[neccaro-story]

Chapter 2: B

     When Jacob felt they were a safe enough distance from the house, he fell to his knees, almost dropping the girl in the process. He had run a good distance, finally coming across a cave along the edge of the beach. The night made the beach almost completely black, save for the little bit of moonlight. He let his concentration slip, and set the girl down near the mouth of the cave. Soon, the waves started to move again, and the girl blinked up at him.

     “Hey. Uh.. it’s okay, now. We aren’t in the house anymore.”

     “H-How did you—” the girl trailed off, her eye glistening in amazement.

     “I can stop time,” Jacob stood up, brushing the sand from his pants, “that’s… my power.”

     “That’s… amazing,” the girl said, standing up slowly and folding her arms,

     “Um… what’s your name?”

     “Oh,” Jacob laughed nervously, “right. I’m.. Jacob. And you are?”

     “Gracie.”

     “That’s a pretty name.” Jacob smiled.

     “Thank you…” Gracie said, a frown touching the corners of her mouth, “but… why did you come here?”

     “Well.. I guess I came for you, Gracie. I traveled miles, away from everything I’ve ever known. All because of some… dream I had.” Gracie laughed, unbelieving.

     “A dream? You… dreamt about me?”

     “Yeah, it was weird. You looked sad and I tried to reach you, but… I couldn’t, like something was blocking my way. When you looked up at me, you were missing your—” Jacob stopped. He looked at Gracie’s eye, seeing it change to a dark red.

     “My eye?” she said, looking toward Jacob and turning away, walking into the cave. She walked until she was in complete darkness—Jacob following behind her—and they both sat down, sighing in unison. Gracie’s eye glowed a dark orange in the blackness of the cave.

     “I lost my eye a long time ago.”

     “How?”

     “Well,” Gracie sighed, her eye disappearing, “when I was little, two men came to my house. They dressed like regular businessmen, telling us they had some product to sell. Virgil let them in, but… they attacked him and knocked him unconscious. I screamed and ran to him, but the men grabbed me. One of them told me how pretty my eyes were—back then they were always yellow—and thought it would be funny to take one from me. So they did. I… woke up later that day in the hospital without my right eye.”

    “I’m so sorry,” Jacob said, sighing. He folded his hands, rubbing the cold metal of his prosthetic. He knew how it felt to lose something like that.

     “How did you… lose your arm?” Gracie asked, her eye turning a lighter orange. Jacob leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

     “I was stolen as a young child and put to work in a factory,” he said, his tone serious, “if you disobeyed or didn’t do your work, they… took something precious from you. I didn’t have a home or belongings anymore, so… you can fill in the blanks.” Jacob suddenly felt Gracie scoot a little closer to him.

     “I’m… sorry. I shouldn’t complain, really… you’re worse off…”

     “Are you kidding?” he laughed, “I can still use my arm, it’s just.. different now.”

     Gracie sighed, “I see…”

     “It’s alright. Really. Plus… I was planning on going to Venara. If we got there, I bet somebody could give you a new eye.”

     “Really?” You could tell by the sound of her voice that she was smiling.

     “Yeah, they have all kinds of new technologies nowadays.” Suddenly, Jacob felt Gracie move next to him, hugging him from the side. He tensed, but then blushed, feeling glad they were in complete darkness.

     “Thank you, Jacob.” Gracie said, looking up at him. Her eye was glowing a bright yellow. Jacob smiled and turned away, staring into the darkness.

     “You’re welcome, Gracie.”

END OF CHAP. 2 ------------------------------ Click here for Chapter 3.

[neccaro-story]

Chapter 2: A,2

      Jacob opened his eyes groggily and blinked a few times, trying to clear the blurriness from his vision. Turning his head and glancing around, Jacob realized he was still in the attic. This time, though, he was chained to the floor by his ankles.

     “Virgil—” he said aloud, sitting up quickly. Blood rushed to his head, giving him an instant headache.

     “Are you alright?” a female voice asked. Jacob turned his head and saw the girl from his dream seated next to him. She was wearing a light purple dress, like the one in the photograph in the hall, except it was torn and basically hanging off of her. She held it up so it didn’t slip. Chains shackled her to the floor by her ankles; the skin where the braces were attached was red and irritated. Her hair was much longer than in Jacob’s dream, as it was laying and curling around her on the floor. Her bangs covered the whole right side of her face, and her eye was just as red as it had been in the dream. He smiled.

     “It’s really you,” he said, laughing, “It’s really you!” the girl tilted her head in confusion.

     “Right, sorry, um. I’ll explain later. So… what was your name?”

     “I’m… Gracie. What’s yours?”

     “Gracie? Ah, a pretty name,” he said, bowing his head, “my name’s Jacob.”

     “Jacob,” she repeated, “okay…” Gracie still had a confused look on her face.

     “Look, all you need to know right now is that I came here to get you. I don’t know why or what for, but I did. Now, if we’re gonna get out of here together, I’m gonna need you to trust me.”

     The subtle noise of footsteps below them made Jacob freeze in panic.

     “Um, just lay down,” Gracie ushered quietly, “he’s coming to check on us.”

     He watched as the attic door swung downward, the stairs unfolding with it. Virgil’s head appeared at the top of the steps, a look of disdain on his face.

     “So, the little hero awakens? And what did you plan to do with my granddaughter?” Virgil suddenly laughed uncontrollably, stepping up into the room, “What, were you gonna save her and go on a date?” Jacob’s eyes narrowed challengingly.

     “Stop it, Virgil.” Gracie snapped. Jacob turned to look at her, noticing her eyes were now pools of black.

     “Gray, sweetheart, you know I only do the things I do to keep you safe.”

     “Safe?” Gracie scoffed, looking at her chains, “you think living with you is *safe?*”

     “Like there’s any place safer than here,” Virgil countered, keeping his distance, “what, did you think this boy was gonna take you someplace safer? Look at ‘im, Gray. He’s a defect.” Jacob rushed forward, his chains holding him back inches from Virgil.

     “Get these chains off of me and say that again!”

     Virgil sighed and continued, taking a step back and folding his arms, “You think this little boy could protect you from thieves 'n’ liars?”

     “If I go with him right now, he’d be taking me away from a thief and a liar.”

     “Gracie, you know I ain’t no thief or liar!” Virgil shouted, pointing a finger at Gracie.

     “To hell, you aren’t! You’ve lied about everything I’ve ever known! My parents, my powers… and not only did you lie to me, but you stole my whole life from me!”

     “Gracie—” Virgil furrowed his brow.

     “No, Virgil, I am sick and tired of this! All you’ve done is supposedly for my 'well being’, but do I look well to you? Because I sure as hell don’t feel like it!”

     Virgil frowned, shouting back, “Everything I do is for you, Gracie! And you better start learnin’, little girl, or things are gonna be hell for you!” Virgil turned around and started rushing down the steps.

     “My life is already hell!” Gracie screamed, the attic door shutting loudly. Jacob looked at Gracie in shock, not knowing what to say. That’s when his eyes caught her hands.

     “Gracie… your hands…” he whispered, slowly approaching and kneeling next to her.

     “My—” Gracie held her hands up and looked at them. They were glowing orange!

     “H-Has that ever happened before?!” Jacob gasped, reaching to touch them, but Gracie quickly moved her hands out of his grasp.

     “N-No, it hasn’t… but…” Gracie suddenly took one of the chains in her hands, watching it melt between her fingers. Jacob’s eyes widened and he laughed with excitement.

     “Yes! Quick, get them all, we can get out of here, Gracie! We can get out!”

     Gracie nodded happily and took each chain in her hands, one by one, until they were all completely separated from the floor. Gracie then stood up, the glow in her hands fading. Jacob stood up next to her, smiling.

     “Okay, so now,” Jacob held out his right hand, “all you have to do is trust me.”

     “Oh, is that all?” Gracie teased, looking down at his hand. Her eyes shifted to the metal forming his left hand.

     “Your arm…” she said, reaching to grab it. Jacob sighed, about to open his mouth, but was interrupted by Virgil calling from below.

     “Gracie,” he yelled, “I—I just wanted to… apologize…”

     Gracie frantically looked around, scrambling next to the attic door.

     “I—Just… I don’t want to see you right now,” she yelled, turning to Jacob with widened eyes and whispering, “if you’re gonna do something, you need to do it now!”

     “Okay, okay, just give me a sec,” he replied, sitting down in a meditative position and closing his eyes. Gracie looked at him with an utterly confused face.

     “Gracie, please, is it okay if I come up?” Virgil’s voice seemed genuinely apologetic.

     “Hurry, Jacob!” she whispered loudly, reaching forward and pulling up on the stairs to keep Virgil from opening the door.

     “You know I respect your boundaries, Gray, but I don’t like you alone with that boy in there. I’m comin’ up.”

     Suddenly the door was yanked open and the stairs unfolded, causing Gracie to scream.

     A bead of sweat rolled down the side of Jacob’s face. He opened one eye, seeing Gracie sitting next to the attic door. She was completely still. Jacob got up and walked over to Gracie, wiping the sweat from his forehead. He bent down and picked Gracie up. Jacob looked down the stairs noticed Virgil hadn’t started making his way up the steps yet. Jacob trotted down the stairs, squeezing between Virgil and the rail of the stairs. Glancing at Virgil’s face as he passed, Jacob noted how angry he looked. He hurried to the front door and struggled to turn the doorknob with Gracie in his hands, but he eventually managed. Jacob proceeded to carry her as far away from the house as possible, not once looking back at the building.

***

      When Jacob felt they were a safe enough distance from the house, he fell to his knees, almost dropping Gracie in the process. He had run a good distance, finally coming across a cave along the edge of the beach. The night made the beach almost completely black, save for the little bit of moonlight. He let his concentration slip, and set Gracie down near the mouth of the cave. Soon, the waves started to move again, and Gracie started screaming. Jacob frantically pushed his hand over her mouth.

     “Shh! It’s okay, it’s alright! We aren’t in the house anymore,” Jacob slowly removed his hand from her mouth, “we’re safe, Gracie!”

     “But… how did you—”

     “I can stop time,” he stood up, brushing the sand from his pants, “that’s my power.”

     “That’s… amazing.” Gracie stood up slowly, folding her arms. She looked to toward the sand.

     “Thank you, but… what’s wrong?”

     “Your power… it isn’t destructive… like mine is.”

     “No, no, you’re way cooler than me, Gracie. I thought that was obvious.”

     “What are you talking about?” Gracie asked, a smile appearing on her face.

     “You can melt stuff with your hands, man. That’s pretty cool.”

      “I… can fly, too.” Her eyes sparkled a bright yellow.

     “What? Really? Do you… have angel wings or something?” Jacob’s imagination was brimming with images of Gracie sprouting angel wings from her back. Gracie blushed, her eyes starting to glow brighter.

     “Not… exactly.” Gracie took a step back, the entirety of her eyes turning a bright orange speckled with yellow. Suddenly, a burst of red, orange, and yellow light exploded from behind her, forming long strands that resembled feathers; glowing droplets fell from the tips of the strands, extinguishing once they hit the sand. Jacob stared in awe as the area around them was completely lit by Gracie’s wings.

     “You’re beautiful… I-I mean, they’re beautiful! Your wings, they’re, uh… they’re pretty great!” Jacob laughed nervously, running a hand through his hair. Gracie smiled and laughed.

     “Thank you…” She blushed and looked away.

     “Can I…” Jacob took a step forward, going to reach for her wings. Gracie jolted forward and grabbed his hand, frowning.

     “No! My… wings can’t be touched. They will burn you. I’m sorry…” she dropped his hand and turned away, entering the cave. The brilliant light from her wings began to fade until they disappeared completely, sending the cave into darkness. Jacob frowned, walking into the cave slowly. Gracie’s eye had returned to normal, but still glowed in the darkness; the color of her iris had changed to a dark red.

     “Gracie…” Jacob said. Gracie’s eye looked up at him, shifting to a dark orange. He moved forward and felt for the cave wall, slowly easing himself down and laying his head against the wall.

     “I wish they were angel wings,” Gracie sighed, closing her eye. The two of them were now seated in complete darkness. Jacob sighed, unsure of what to say.

     “Well… I think your wings are better than angel wings, Gracie. They’re… unlike anything I’ve ever seen.”

     “I know,” she replied, “I just… wish I was different.”

     “… Why?”

     “All I can do is destroy things, Jacob!” Gracie shouted, turning toward him. She had started crying, but instead of regular tears, a stream of glowing orange liquid rolled down her cheeks. Jacob frowned, reaching down to find her hand. Once he did, he squeezed it gently.

     “Listen to me, Gracie. I barely even know you, but already I… I think you’re perfect the way you are. Everyone has their powers for some reason or another. You shouldn’t be ashamed of that.” Jacob heard Gracie sniffle and the glow of her eye disappeared again.

     “You’re right… I’m sorry—”

     “Don’t be. You have a right to feel what you feel, Gracie. Being locked up all those years, being told that you’re dangerous… that could change anyone. But… I’m sure that someday, you’ll come to realize that your powers are just as useful and amazing as everyone else.” Jacob smiled, squeezing Gracie’s hand again. Suddenly, Jacob felt Gracie move next to him quickly, hugging him from the side. He jumped, but then blushed, feeling glad they were in complete darkness.

     “Thank you, Jacob.” Gracie said, looking up at him. Her eye was glowing a bright yellow. Jacob smiled and turned away, staring into the darkness.

     “You’re welcome, Gracie.”

END OF CHAP. 2 ------------------------------ Click here for Chapter 3.

[neccaro-story]

Chapter 2: A,1

     Jacob woke up, but didn’t open his eyes. A throbbing pain radiated from his right side, causing him to groan. He felt his injury, noticing it had been bandaged; he was now only wearing his jacket. Jacob opened his eyes and blinked a few times, trying to clear the blurriness from his vision. Turning his head and glancing around, Jacob realized he was still in the attic. This time, though, he was chained to the floor by his ankles, just like the girl had been.

     “The girl…” he said aloud, trying to sit up quickly but cringing at the pain in his side.

     “You mean me?” a female voice said, and suddenly the girl appeared over Jacob. He smiled and raised an eyebrow.

     “Heh. Yeah, but… what happened?” he asked. The girl frowned at his question, turning away.

     “Virgil—I mean… my grandfather… he… stabbed you. I’m so sorry, I didn’t want this to happen. I should’ve said something, I—”

     “No, no,” Jacob said, smiling, “it’s alright. I’ve had worse.” He lifted his left arm, wiggling his metal fingers. The girl gave him a sad smile.

     “I’m… Gracie, by the way. What’s your name?”

     “Gracie? A pretty name,” he said, closing his eyes, “my name’s Jacob.”

     “Jacob,” she repeated, “we… we have to find a way out of here. But… Virgil will never let us leave…” Jacob sat up, making pained noises. Gracie put a hand on his shoulder, making Jacob turn and look at her. Her eyes were glowing orange.

     “I think I may know a way to get around Virgil,” Jacob said, placing a hand on his side, “but… we need to find a way out of these chains first.”

     The subtle noise of footsteps below them made Jacob freeze in panic.

     “Lay down,” Gracie ushered quietly, helping him back down, “he’s coming to check on us. Don’t talk too much, and act like you’re really hurt.”

     “I don’t think I’ll have to act,” Jacob whispered back, holding a hand on his side tenderly. He watched as the attic door swung downward, the stairs unfolding with it. Virgil’s head appeared at the top of the steps, a look of disdain on his face.

     “So, the little hero awakens? And what did you plan to do with my granddaughter?” Virgil suddenly laughed uncontrollably, stepping up into the room, “What, were you gonna save her and go on a date?”

     “Stop it, Virgil.” Gracie snapped. Jacob turned to look at her, noticing her eyes were now pools of black.

     “Gray, sweetheart, you know I only do the things I do to keep you safe.”

     “Safe?” Gracie scoffed, gesturing at Jacob, “he was trying to keep me safe. Trying to get me away from you, Virgil.”

     “Like he was gonna get you any place safer than here,” Virgil countered, kneeling next to Jacob, “this boy is just a defect. Look at ‘im, Gray, you think he could protect you from thieves and liars?”

     “If I go with him right now, he’d be taking me away from a thief and a liar.”

     “Gracie, you know I ain’t no thief or liar!” Virgil shouted, pointing a finger at Gracie.

     “To hell, you aren’t! You’ve lied about everything I’ve ever known! My parents, my powers… and not only did you lie to me, but you stole my whole life from me!”

     “Gracie—” Virgil stood up and looked down at her.

     “No, Virgil, I am sick and tired of this! All you’ve done is supposedly for my 'well being’, but do I look well to you? Because I sure as hell don’t feel like it!”

     Virgil frowned, shouting back, “Everything I do is for you, Gracie! And you better start learnin’, little girl, or things are gonna be hell for you!” Virgil turned around and started rushing down the steps.

     “My life is already hell!” Gracie screamed, the attic door shutting loudly. Jacob looked at Gracie in shock, not knowing what to say. That’s when his eyes caught her hands.

     “Gracie… your hands…”

     “My—” Gracie held her hands up and looked at them. They were glowing orange!

     “H-Has that ever happened before?!” Jacob gasped, propping himself up on his elbows.

     “N-No, it hasn’t… but…” Gracie suddenly took one of the chains in her hands, watching it melt between her fingers. Jacob’s eyes widened and he laughed with excitement.

     “Yes! Quick, get them all, we can get out of here, Gracie! We can get out!”

     Gracie nodded happily and took each chain in her hands, one by one, until they were all completely separated from the floor. Gracie then stood up, the glow in her hands fading. She bent down and helped Jacob up slowly. His face twisted in pain, but he managed a smile.

     “Okay, now we just have to—” Jacob stopped and almost fell over, using Gracie to steady himself.

     “What’s wrong? Are… are you too hurt?”

     “Seems that way,” Jacob said, holding his side again, “I’m not gonna be able to carry you.”

     “Carry me? What for?”

     “Gracie,” Virgil’s voice called from below, “I—I just wanted to… apologize…”

     Gracie frantically looked around, her eyes stopping at the small window on the other side of the room.

     “Jacob,” she whispered, “do you think you can break that window and jump out of it?” Jacob’s eyes widened in disbelief.

     “Are you insane?”

     “Gracie, please, is it okay if I come up?” Virgil’s voice seemed genuinely apologetic.

     “I—Just… give me a minute… I don’t want to see you right now,” Gracie yelled toward the attic door, turning back to Jacob and lowering her voice, “please, Jacob. Trust me.”

     “Well, I guess there must be something special about you,” Jacob said, letting go of Gracie and making his way toward the window, “otherwise I wouldn’t be here.” Jacob pointed to a loose plank on the floor and Gracie picked it up, handing it to him. Below them, Virgil was getting restless.

     “You know I respect your boundaries, Gray, but I don’t like you alone with that boy in there. I’m coming up.”

     “Quickly, Jacob! Hurry!” Gracie ran over to the attic door and pulled up on the stairs, holding the attic door from opening.

     “Okay, okay!” Jacob took the plank and thrust it through the glass, shattering the window. He dragged the wood around the window frame, removing excess shards. Jacob started to climb out.

     “Gray? Gracie, what was that?!” Virgil shouted frantically, trying to open the attic door. Gracie held it shut.

     “Jump, Jacob!” she shouted.

     “A-Are you sure? It looks pretty far—”

     “Jacob!”

     “Alright, alright! I can’t believe you’re making me commit suicide…” Jacob climbed into the window frame so he was in a crouching position, paused for a moment to collect himself, and then pushed his body out with his legs. He watched as the ground approached at an alarming rate, and he closed his eyes tightly when it looked like he was about to hit the ground. Almost instantaneously, Jacob felt arms embrace him from behind, and he wasn’t falling anymore. He groaned in pain from the sudden force on his wound, but he opened his eyes curiously, seeing the ground just in front of his face.

     “I’m… flying?” he said, suddenly face-planting onto the ground. He shouted in pain.

     “I’m so sorry! I’m so, so sorry,” Gracie’s voice squealed, and Jacob saw her feet touch the ground in front of him. He pushed himself up onto his knees, breathing heavily.

     “It’s… hah… fine, but… we’re not out of the woods yet,” Jacob stood up unsteadily, leaning on Gracie.

     Virgil’s head popped out of the attic window, and he screamed, “How the hell did you get down there?! Gracie, you get back here! Boy, you are gonna get it!” Just as fast as he had appeared, Virgil was gone. They could hear him screaming Gracie’s name from inside the house, along with cries from Beatrice.

     “We have to hurry, he can’t know which way we went,” Gracie said, leading Jacob around to the back of the house, “When I was little and Virgil let me play outside, there was a cave on the beach he never knew about. We’ll be safe there.”

     “Lead the way, m'lady.”

     Gracie quickly lead Jacob over a small hill and away from the house toward the beach. The night made the beach almost completely black, save for the little bit of moonlight, but Gracie seemed to know where she was going. They kept to the shadows, hearing Virgil’s calls growing distant. Jacob stopped and looked back, unable to see the lights from the house anymore.

     “Gracie?”

     “Yeah?”

     “How did you… catch me earlier?” Jacob asked, taking slow breaths. The pain was almost excruciating. Gracie stood up a little straighter, Jacob wrapping his arm around her to help him walk.

     “I… don’t only melt things, Jacob.”

     “So you can fly, too? Man, how am I supposed to compete with that?”

     “What are you talking about?” Gracie asked, a smile appearing on her face.

     “You can melt stuff with your hands, man. Plus you can fly? My 'coolest-person-ever’ meter is off the charts.”

     “Mhm,” she nodded her head, “I have wings.” Gracie’s eye sparkled a bright yellow.

     “Wings? Really? Are they… angel wings or something?” Jacob’s imagination was brimming with images of Gracie sprouting angel wings from her back. Gracie blushed, her eye starting to glow brighter.

     “Not… exactly. I’ll show you another time. Right now, we need to keep moving.”

     “Right…” Jacob paused, “So, uh, Virgil let you go out this far?” he asked playfully, trying to keep the conversation going.

     “Surprising, isn’t it? Virgil wasn’t always the way he is. Ever since I got my powers, he…”

     “He felt like he couldn’t trust you. Trust me, I get it. They were talking all about how people with abilities are… well, horrible. All because I said I was going to Venara.”

     Gracie nodded, “Yeah, I don’t get it. I mean… I guess my powers could be dangerous, but… it isn’t right to lock me up and never let me see the light of day again.”

     “Right,” Jacob laughed, “I think that’s the first time I’ve ever heard of an old man chaining his granddaughter up like a prisoner.” Jacob looked at Gracie and saw how sad she looked. His smile disappeared.

     “I—I’m sorry, Gracie, I wasn’t laughing, really, I was just—”

     “No, it’s okay. I know you were just… trying to make me feel better.”

     “Yeah…” Jacob trailed off. Silence fell between them; the only sounds were the shuffling of feet and the dragging of chains on the sand.

***

      “Here we are,” Gracie said, breaking the silence, “your injury slowed us down quite a bit.” Jacob walked into the cave and placed his hand on the wall.

     “Well, I definitely wanted to be stabbed. That was my intention all along.”

     “No, Jacob I—”

     “It’s fine, Gracie. I know what you meant.” Jacob walked farther, using the wall as a guide, disappearing into the darkness. He sat down and leaned against the wall, biting his lip to quiet himself. The pain was even worse than before. Gracie walked in, moving along the opposite wall. Jacob watched her glowing, orange eye search the cave.

     “Where are you, Jacob?”

     “Right here,” he called, noticing how tense he sounded. Gracie walked a couple more steps and sat down, almost straight across from Jacob.

     “Why did you come here?” she asked, her eye fixed downward.

     “I came for you, Gracie. I traveled miles, away from everything I’ve ever known. All because of some… dream I had.” Gracie laughed, unbelieving.

     “A dream? You dreamt about me?”

     “Yeah, it was weird. You looked sad and I tried to reach you but… I couldn’t, like something was blocking my way. When you looked up at me, you were missing your—” Jacob stopped. He looked at Gracie’s eye, seeing it change to a dark red.

     “My eye?” she said, looking toward Jacob and turning away again, “yeah, I lost that a long time ago.”

     “How?”

     “Well,” Gracie sighed, her eye disappearing, “when I was little, two men came to my house. They dressed like regular businessmen, telling us they had some product to sell. Virgil let them in, but… they attacked him and knocked him unconscious. I screamed and ran to him, but the men grabbed me. One of them told me how pretty my eyes were—back then they were always yellow—and thought it would be funny to take one from me. So they did. I… woke up later that day in the hospital without my right eye.”

     “I’m so sorry,” Jacob said, sighing. He folded his hands, rubbing the cold metal of his prosthetic. He knew how it felt to lose something like that.

     “How did you… lose your arm?” Gracie asked, her eye turning a lighter orange. Jacob leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

     “I was stolen as a young child and put to work in a factory,” he said, his tone serious, “if you disobeyed or didn’t do your work, they… took something precious from you. I didn’t have a home or belongings anymore, so… you can fill in the blanks.” Jacob heard Gracie shuffling around, getting closer to him.

     “I’m… sorry. I shouldn’t complain, really… you’re worse off…”

     “Are you kidding?” he laughed, “I can still use my arm, it’s just.. different now. But I bet if we got to Venara, somebody could give you a new eye.”

     “Really?” You could tell by the sound of her voice that she was smiling.

     “Yeah, they have all kinds of new technologies nowadays. And maybe, if it really is a sanctuary like they say… there’ll be somewhere you can practice using your powers!” Suddenly, Jacob felt Gracie move next to him, hugging him from the side. He tensed, the pain in his side growing worse and then dulling again. Jacob blushed, feeling glad they were in complete darkness.

     “Thank you, Jacob.” Gracie said, looking up at him. Her eye was glowing a bright yellow. Jacob smiled and turned away, staring into the darkness.

     “You’re welcome, Gracie.”

END OF CHAP. 2 ------------------------------ Click here for Chapter 3.

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[neccaro-story]

Chapter 1: A,2

Your choice: Jacob decides to find another way.

     The sound created by the attic door might prove to be too noisy, Jacob thought to himself, I’d better search for another way in.

     Jacob stepped carefully down the hallway, looking back every few seconds to make sure no one was sneaking up behind him. He turned the corner into the living room and stood there for a moment. Remembering that he had spotted a high window when he had approached the house, he guessed it was possibly linked to the attic, since the house was only one story. Jacob quickly walked to the front door, opened it, stepped outside, and started scanning the perimeter of the house. He finally saw the window, soon realizing there was no way to get up there without a ladder.

     “Damn,” he said under his breath, “Now what?” Jacob looked down for a moment, considering his options. When he looked back up at the window, there was a figure in it. Glowing orange eyes stared down from above, and Jacob gasped. Could it be the girl from his dream? A hand pressed up against the glass and disappeared, along with the glowing eyes.

     “I have to get up there,” Jacob said, starting to run back to the front of the house. He remembered that there was a garage attached to the building. Going there would be the best place to check for a ladder.

     A couple of seconds later, Jacob stopped in front of the garage door. Fortunately for him, it wasn’t a mechanical or automatic garage door, but one with a handle you had to hoist up manually. Jacob grabbed the handle and gently pulled up, but the door didn’t budge. He tried again, and though it did open, it made a loud, scraping noise. Jacob cringed at how loud it was, but continued to open the door until it came to a stop at the top. He had to be more quick than quiet now, since the noise from the door might have woken Virgil or Bea up.

     Jacob searched the garage, his eyes finally coming to a stop at the ladder. He sighed, noticing it was a little short; there were no other ladders in sight. He had to make do with what he had, so he took a step forward and reached for the ladder. Jacob stopped suddenly when he felt something sharp poke his back.

     “Hmm,” a man’s voice said, “and where did you think you were gonna take that?” Jacob tried to turn around and look at the man, but he felt the object press into his back harder, and a hand grabbed his shoulder. Jacob tensed in pain.

     “You just had to stick your nose where it don’t belong.”

     Suddenly, Jacob was yanked backward, and a cloth was placed over his mouth and nose. The more he struggled, the weaker he became, and soon, his vision faded to darkness.

END OF CHAP. 1 ——————------------- Click here for Chapter 2.