05-06-2015, 10:46 AM
Damn! Damn! Damn! Bas leaned against the brick alcove and his head dropped. The pain in his face and jaw were a dull ache now, underlying that in his heart. The cold sleet drizzle was lessened here in the trash strewn alley, the ice drops on his cheeks mingling with warm ones, the knife of betrayal and rejection buried deep in his heart.
His hand is on Roman's arm, his sight limited by one eye nearly swollen shut, his speech thicker through bruised lips and cheek. "Roman, you've got to help me! I don't have anywhere else to go."
Motya had told him he had to leave just this morning. Everyone in the family had started to turning him out. His friend looks at him, emotions warring. He turns his head back and there is his father standing there with a few other higher ups in the Mordvinov family. The man won't look at Bas.
Roman turns back to Bas. "I'm sorry, man. You've brought too much attention on us. We've grown fast too quickly. The police were already suspicious- watching us. And this?!" His voice grows heated. "What the hell were you thinking, attacking a cop in the middle of the day in front of everyone?
Bas shakes his head, trying to dispel the fog that seems to settle everywhere of late. His voice is weak, a whisper. "I don't know. Ever since that night at Kallisti's I feel like someone's following me. And he..."
. He drifts off. They don't know about his gift. Or hadn't. They wouldn't understand. That...cop? That was a cop? He had the power. It couldn't be coincidence. His voice becomes insistent. "Please, just let me go somewhere."
Roman shakes his head, not looking at his father. There is hard steel in the man's eyes. "I'm sorry Bas. Everything on the books is being watched. You're on your own."
The memory dispersed in his mind, leaving behind the dregs of betrayal and hurt. He remembered trying to go home. Already he could see his mom's house staked out. He'd met his brother in the culvert they used to hide in. He'd been brought in twice for questioning already. "This is bad," he told Bas. "They say your'e a terrorist. That you are dangerous. That you can do things. They showed..." The fear in his brother's eyes said that he was scared. It made Bas want to scream and call down fire and burn everything to the ground. His own mother and brother. He couldn't go to them.
Part of him understood. They were targets now, because of him. He clenched his teeth, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder. "It's up to you, now, ok? You take care of Ma. At least until this is over. You take care of her, you hear? No screwing around."
God was merciful, at least a little. His brother didn't flinch. Instead, he hugged him. Bas felt tears at the corners of his eyes. O God, why? Why have you forsaken me? Holy Mother, have I not served you? His brother's arms around him were sort of an answer.
The hurt and betrayal was mixed with love and concern. They would be ok. As long as he stayed away, they would be. Still, he had to go somewhere. His jaw clenched and unclenched, the sounds of traffic drifting through the alley, as he was remembering. Roman's words. On the books. Maybe it had been a clue.
He hit up Aurora and Nox's place. It was empty. He tried calling Nox but it went to voice mail. He texted. No response. The same with Aurora. He let himself in. They'd done some work on it. One of the rooms had a mural on the wall and for the fist time he had felt a glimmer of peace. He had laid on the bed for a while and must have drifted off. Whimpering had brought him out his strangely restful sleep. He went a closed door and opened it onto a very girly room. Must have been Aurora's. But he didn't have time to notice. A scrawny puppy escaped and bounded around his feet. He must have been cooped up for a while. His food and water bowl were completely empty and there were a few messes to clean up. Bas gave him food he found and some water but didn't bother with the messes.
He'd sat on the couch and the puppy had jumped up and sat in his lap. He just sat there. He could stay here. But for how long? Not on the books now. But how long to one of them remembered this place and told a particularly forceful cop. They didn't take kindly to those who attacked one of them. He couldn't stay here.
He'd cast his mind about. Sasha? No. Too airheaded and emotional. If she saw the news who knew what she'd say. Alex was a no go. She was a cop. He went through his other female friends until he found an answer. Tatyana, a dancer at Kallisti's. They were old friends, hooking up fairly regularly. One night, after, she told him her secret. She was hiding out, starting a new life. If anyone understood, it would be her. She would help him. His heart latched on to that hope.
He patted the puppy on its head. "I gotta go, guy."
He smiled weakly at the little dog, scratching it behind the ear. "I don't know where Aurora and Nox are but I hope they get back to you soon bud."
The puppy's eyes looked up at him with trust.
He got up and pulled on his jacket and then, checking to make sure there was no one outside, slipped out the door and made his way to Kallisti's, taking all the back ways he knew. He hoped she would help him.
Edited by Sebastian, May 6 2015, 11:11 PM.
His hand is on Roman's arm, his sight limited by one eye nearly swollen shut, his speech thicker through bruised lips and cheek. "Roman, you've got to help me! I don't have anywhere else to go."
Motya had told him he had to leave just this morning. Everyone in the family had started to turning him out. His friend looks at him, emotions warring. He turns his head back and there is his father standing there with a few other higher ups in the Mordvinov family. The man won't look at Bas.
Roman turns back to Bas. "I'm sorry, man. You've brought too much attention on us. We've grown fast too quickly. The police were already suspicious- watching us. And this?!" His voice grows heated. "What the hell were you thinking, attacking a cop in the middle of the day in front of everyone?
Bas shakes his head, trying to dispel the fog that seems to settle everywhere of late. His voice is weak, a whisper. "I don't know. Ever since that night at Kallisti's I feel like someone's following me. And he..."
. He drifts off. They don't know about his gift. Or hadn't. They wouldn't understand. That...cop? That was a cop? He had the power. It couldn't be coincidence. His voice becomes insistent. "Please, just let me go somewhere."
Roman shakes his head, not looking at his father. There is hard steel in the man's eyes. "I'm sorry Bas. Everything on the books is being watched. You're on your own."
The memory dispersed in his mind, leaving behind the dregs of betrayal and hurt. He remembered trying to go home. Already he could see his mom's house staked out. He'd met his brother in the culvert they used to hide in. He'd been brought in twice for questioning already. "This is bad," he told Bas. "They say your'e a terrorist. That you are dangerous. That you can do things. They showed..." The fear in his brother's eyes said that he was scared. It made Bas want to scream and call down fire and burn everything to the ground. His own mother and brother. He couldn't go to them.
Part of him understood. They were targets now, because of him. He clenched his teeth, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder. "It's up to you, now, ok? You take care of Ma. At least until this is over. You take care of her, you hear? No screwing around."
God was merciful, at least a little. His brother didn't flinch. Instead, he hugged him. Bas felt tears at the corners of his eyes. O God, why? Why have you forsaken me? Holy Mother, have I not served you? His brother's arms around him were sort of an answer.
The hurt and betrayal was mixed with love and concern. They would be ok. As long as he stayed away, they would be. Still, he had to go somewhere. His jaw clenched and unclenched, the sounds of traffic drifting through the alley, as he was remembering. Roman's words. On the books. Maybe it had been a clue.
He hit up Aurora and Nox's place. It was empty. He tried calling Nox but it went to voice mail. He texted. No response. The same with Aurora. He let himself in. They'd done some work on it. One of the rooms had a mural on the wall and for the fist time he had felt a glimmer of peace. He had laid on the bed for a while and must have drifted off. Whimpering had brought him out his strangely restful sleep. He went a closed door and opened it onto a very girly room. Must have been Aurora's. But he didn't have time to notice. A scrawny puppy escaped and bounded around his feet. He must have been cooped up for a while. His food and water bowl were completely empty and there were a few messes to clean up. Bas gave him food he found and some water but didn't bother with the messes.
He'd sat on the couch and the puppy had jumped up and sat in his lap. He just sat there. He could stay here. But for how long? Not on the books now. But how long to one of them remembered this place and told a particularly forceful cop. They didn't take kindly to those who attacked one of them. He couldn't stay here.
He'd cast his mind about. Sasha? No. Too airheaded and emotional. If she saw the news who knew what she'd say. Alex was a no go. She was a cop. He went through his other female friends until he found an answer. Tatyana, a dancer at Kallisti's. They were old friends, hooking up fairly regularly. One night, after, she told him her secret. She was hiding out, starting a new life. If anyone understood, it would be her. She would help him. His heart latched on to that hope.
He patted the puppy on its head. "I gotta go, guy."
He smiled weakly at the little dog, scratching it behind the ear. "I don't know where Aurora and Nox are but I hope they get back to you soon bud."
The puppy's eyes looked up at him with trust.
He got up and pulled on his jacket and then, checking to make sure there was no one outside, slipped out the door and made his way to Kallisti's, taking all the back ways he knew. He hoped she would help him.
Edited by Sebastian, May 6 2015, 11:11 PM.