The chapter's between the 1st and this 5th one are used for giving a stronger impression of who and what my characters are. This will be the first chapter through Laura's eyes, it takes you back to what happened to Magnis at the start of the novel. I wanted to share this chapter next because you'll get a first hand look at what a spark can do as well as meet a character that I absolutely love, Lazarus. (I'll post a picture of what I feel his attire looks like, at the end of this chapter)
As before, this is not a final draft, and may still contain some errors which I hope you can excuse and simply enjoy my work.
Chapter 5
Laura sat up in bed. Was there a crash downstairs just now? She waited and heard only her own breathe accompanied by the dancing gusts of wind in the night. I must have been dreaming. She looked over at the alarm clock and saw it was after two. Five hours before I have to get up. She looked over at her sleeping husband, smiled, yawned, and began to wiggle her head into that perfect spot atop her pillow.
Glass shattered moments later.
She gasped, opening her eyes wide. That sounded very real. Someone’s in our house! She shook Magnis gently and whispered in his ear, “Magnis,” no reaction. She repeated his name a little louder, “Magnis.” He stirred in his sleep and said a random jumble of words. She pushed on him violently. “Magnis wake up,” she pleaded.
He opened his eyes and stretched; the aggressive shaking seeming no different from the gentle one. He rubbed his eyes and looked like he was about to ask what was going on when another object broke downstairs accompanied by laughter.
“The hell?” he said too loud for her comfort. Please don’t come upstairs. Break stuff and leave, take the TV, my purse on the kitchen counter. I don’t care. Please don’t make it up here. He threw the covers off and jumped out of bed. The blankets covering her had also been thrown off and even though she wore sweatpants and a random t-shirt to bed, the change in temperature forced her to pull the top blanket up to her neck. She huddled under the blanket watching Magnis, ready to protect her with his life as any fine husband would.
“Why does the damn gun have to be downstairs?” He paced over to the other side of the room looking through some stuff.
Laura lowered the blanket, held it tight against her chest, and tucked her legs under her body. She breathed heavy and her heart thumped rapidly in her rib cage. Magnis continued to search for something to use as a weapon.
A groan from the old wooden stairs alerted them both. Laura yelped and Magnis went back to his side of the bed keeping an eye on doorway.
Magnis will protect me. I have faith that he can handle whoever it is. I just don’t want him to get hurt.
Magnis whispered over his shoulder, “Quickly, hide under the bed.” He turned back to the doorway and waited with clenched fists.
Laura no more than pulled the blankets off her when they both heard a woman calling out defending her actions, “How dare you call me a child!” Another muffled voice responds but Laura could not make out the words. Magnis turned back to her and motioned for her to hurry up.
Please be ok Magnis, you have to be. She nodded and looked down at the floor where she planned to crawl under the bed. She turned back to Magnis wanting to say something encouraging only to yell a warning too late.
“Magnis watch out!”
He turned back around in time for his face to meet a very large fist. His body flew backwards across the room into the nightstand.
“Magnis!” She jumped over to the other side of the bed and saw him face down on the floor. Please be alive! She saw his chest rise and fall; satisfied yet frightened she turned her attention to his attacker.
A burly dark skinned man stood relaxed with his shoulders back. He wore a long gray overcoat, heavy and wool, she guessed. He isn’t doing anything… just… looking forward, I’m not even sure if he is looking at either of us. Is he waiting for something? What is he doing? Behind the dark man, a pair of figures walked into the limited light, only their outlines were visible.
Laura huddled against the headboard on top of the pillows. I’m so scared but what can I possibly do against three people? The big guy looks pretty tough and I can’t see the other two yet… but why isn’t he attacking me after knocking Magnis out cold? What is going to happen to us? She tried hard not to scream fearing she may provoke them into attacking her prematurely.
Without further action or words, the dark man turned and strolled out of the room bumping the shoulders of the other two as he exited between them.
Laura remained motionless as the pair stared her down. Don’t scream. Don’t scream. The sound begged to be released.
The large man stopped just outside the door. He reached into his coat and pulled out a small object. Laura heard a click and saw a small light around him as he lit a smoke. He inhaled and blew out a large puff. In a deep voice he stated, “Kill the weakling,” and descended down the stairs into the darkness.
They’re going to kill me? Oh my God, oh my God, what can I do, what can I do? I can’t just sit here and do nothing. There has to be something I can get to quick, I’ll grab it and hit them with it, and then I’ll run downstairs. I’ll jump through the window above the landing if I have to get away. I can’t just let these people kill us without a fight. If they chase after me, I can circle around the house and get into the kitchen and get the gun.
A woman stepped into the light exposing an evil smile littered with mischief. She wore an auburn trench coat, probably leather, the tie circled loosely around her middle in a limp knot. She looks completely crazy and eager to do what the big guy said. What can I do? The urge to scream inched upward again. Don’t scream. I can’t scream. There may still be a chance to escape this fate.
The wind blew hard against the house. The woman cocked her head to the side and addressed Laura, “Too bad for you.” She slipped her hand into her trench coat grabbing onto something, Laura’s ears perked from the sound of a sword unsheathing.
Laura pushed back on the blankets with her feet, her back already against the headboard, unable to get any further from the pair.
Moonlight glinted off the slick metal of the woman’s long blade. The woman ran her fingers across the weapon in the same way a lover would caress their partner before making love. “Well, I guess you didn’t make the cut,” she laughed amused at her wordplay. “Hmm,” she smirked, “you look skinny enough. I wonder if I can chop all the way through that tiny little waist of yours with just one teensy slice,” she threw her head back laughing hysterically.
The second figure stepped into the moonlight, a man. He wore a unique charcoal gray trench coat, vacant of sleeves, wrapped around his trimmed frame. The top half of the torso laid over the rest of the garment with a long double-buttoned breastplate down the middle. The lower half of the long coat split on all sides down from the top piece onto the floor and even without him moving, it seemed to course impressively beneath him. Round mirrored sunglasses rested loosely on his face reflecting the shine of night. He tilted his head back and rotated it from left to right cracking his neck. The light in the room exposed shadows where his eyes should have been. The image of missing eyes spawned new fear in Laura. Tears ran steadily down her cheeks. Don’t scream. Don’t scream. She repeated the words over and over again in her mind.
He exhaled and with a calm voice said, “He was not talking about her.”
The woman gasped and jerked her head towards the man while simultaneously taking a step back. “Wha-?”
The word failed to fully escape her mouth before the man lurched forward and grabbed her by the throat crushing her vocal cords. He held her above the wooden floorboards for a lingering instant and dashed over to the exit slamming her into the door forcing the doorknob to indent the wall. She lost the grip on her sword once he placed his hand on her, it laid on the hard wood floor between them and the bed.
She choked as he applied pressure to her windpipe. He leaned in close to her face and spoke clear but quiet. “The Institution is through tolerating your childish behavior. The neglect of your gift alone makes you fit only for death.” Her eyes twitched rapidly as she struggled for air making frantic attempts to break his grip.
Laura relaxed her muscles and watched the scene curious from the turn of events.
He extended his right hand away from his body arching it upward. A pale blue flame exploded out from the center of his palm consuming his whole hand, it blazed brilliantly like fire illuminating the room. The hand around the woman’s throat mimicked the other. Mysteriously to Laura, the flames did not burn the woman or his fingers.
A bizarre excitement flowed through Laura in a place where terror should have been.
The silent blue inferno reflected in the eyes of the trapped woman.
The man turned his hand into a fist.
The fear that so recently left Laura held strong on the woman’s face, it appeared to tear at her every fiber. Her mouth twitched about to let out a scream. Before a pitch could spring from her throat, the light radiated brighter overpowering the moon’s glow in every corner of the room. “Now die,” he declared!
He let go of the trapped woman’s neck and before her body could move any closer to the floor, he struck with a tremendous speed that blurred his image. He pumped fist after fist he into her body. The doorknob hammered into the wall convulsing from the man’s assault on his companion.
He finished by seizing her again by the neck and throwing her headfirst out the bedroom. Laura heard the cracking of wood as the woman’s body collided with the stairs.
The man’s hands returned to their original state, the light in the room returned to normal. He sauntered out the room and lazily descended down the stairs.
He… he stopped her from killing me… I’ve never seen someone move like that before. And that light, how did he do that? Laura hopped off the bed. She knelt next to Magnis and put her hand gently on his face. She listened and heard movement from down on the landing. She looked at her husband and smiled. You were brave sweetie. She moved cautiously toward the bedroom door on her tippy toes. She got to the doorway and peered out, curious on what was going on. The woman lay motionless; the warmth from her body would already be draining away.
The man sat crouched over the body rummaging through her belongings. He had already taken her jacket off and proceeded to unbuckle the belt connected to her sword’s sheath. He stood up holding onto the belt letting the sheath dangle above the body.
What’s he doing now? If she was trying to kill me, and he stopped her, is he a good guy? That fire covering his hands was so amazing! What is he and what is this institution he spoke of? Why are they here to begin with?
She jumped at his voice. “It is natural you do not run,” he said with his head tilted down at the corpse.
Laura backed up hiding most of her body behind the doorframe, not realizing he already saw her there. How does he know I was watching him without eyes? How can he even do anything without eyes?
With the same cold tone as before, “What you witnessed is the power of the spark.” He sighs, “I do not expect you to comprehend the magnitude of this energy.” He gestured to the woman‘s body. “This fool deserved her fate,” he pushed on her body with his foot. “Breaking anything and everything like a mere child, humph.” He spit on her, “Useless.”
Spark? What is a spark? Is that how he made those lights and moved like that?
He turned to the stairs and began walking to where Laura was gawking. Up the steps he marched, making the sheath hit every step along the way. Every thud caused her to flinch, her guts twisted together.
She stood frozen in place and when he got halfway up the steps, she backed up into her room.
She bumped against her bed’s footboard and stopped.
He is moving so slow now. Is he taunting me or something? I… I thought he was a good guy.
She saw his form in the doorway. “You killed her when she was going to kill me… are… are you on my side?”
Stone faced he delayed answering, Laura’s insides tensed up.
“Are you—?”
“No,” he paused, “you are on my side. I am not on yours.”
Huh? “What does that mean?”
“We can do a lot of talking or you can shut your mouth and follow me. That is the easy way and it is the best way.”
“Leave with you? Why?”
The eyeless man sighs, “Why does this part always have to be difficult? I shall say it once more. Leave with me now.”
This is crazy! “No way. You think just because you saved my life I’m going to want to leave my husband here like this or even at all.”
He bent down and scooped the sword up by the hilt. He held it down at the floor a moment. Is he going to attack me now? Her lungs forgot their function, she gulped feeling her eyes well up again.
She yelped falling backwards onto the mattress when he raised the weapon but instead of striking her, he pointed it at Magnis. “He is not one of the chosen, you are.” The slightest smile showed on his face. “I shall make the choice easier for you by removing your attachments to this place.”
“No!” Laura screamed leaping off the bed to stand between the two men. He is definitely not a good guy at all.
“Then here.” He grabbed hold of her wrist and forced her hand around the handle. She dropped it and the weapon landed with a clang. As a reflex she leaned down to pick it up, she let out a low grunt as she held it with both hands to bear its weight. He snickered at her and she scowled back.
“Why are you giving this to me? And what do you mean I’m one of the chosen anyways?”
The eyeless man sighs for what she feels is the hundredth time, “You possess a spark, the same thing that allowed me to lay waste to that impudent fool with such ease. I do not expect you to fully understand.”
She cradled the weapon with her left arm and gestured to Magnis with her other. “What does having a spark have to do with killing my husband?” she laughed nervously without intending to. “This whole thing is crazy, I have to be dreaming,” she shook her head wildly and almost dropped the sword again.
The man turned back to Laura. “If you are to make progress with your spark you must rid this life of its distractions,” his voice trails off. He says it like it’s such an easy thing to do. Laura opens her mouth to speak and he cuts her off his tone and volume still the same as before, “Kill him and purge your old life.”
Laura yelled back not caring much about the reasons why she was to take Magnis’ life. “No! I won’t do it! You’re insane!”
Noticeably annoyed the eyeless man said, “You act like you have a choice if he lives or dies.” In a swift motion he snatches the sword from her and stepped forward knocking her over, he raised the blade high above his head. “If you do not have the strength to kill, I do, and your development will be slow and painful.” Intensity rings in his voice. “His death is the path, by my hand or yours. You will accompany me regardless.”
She acted without thinking. She bounded forward and steadied his hand, it ready to strike and take the life of her husband. I can’t stop this madness. I wish I had more time to think this all through and find a way to escape this but I’ve ran out of time. If you have to die, I want it to be with love not hate.
She speaks in almost a whisper, “I’ll do it. You have made it clear, there is no other way,” she shut her eyes and a single tear rolls down each side of her face. She turns to the man and glared, her eyes burned with hate. “If in fact there is a greater purpose for my life, a calling, something I’m meant to be a part of… I shall use it to kill you along the way.”
“Do what you must, “he exhaled aggravated.
Tears trickle down her cheeks as the eyeless man gave her the weapon again. “Do not dare turn the weapon on me, he will still depart from this world and you will still go with me.”
She hesitated, questioning why she agreed to do what she just stopped him from doing. Can I really do this? Is there any other way? Will Magnis forgive me in the afterlife when it is my time to join him?
“Do it now!”
Laura raised the sword as high as she is able, the weight prevented her from holding it properly and she stumbled back before maintaining her balance. “Magnis… I love you…” She choked back tears that came anyways, “I… I am so sorry.” She closed her eyes, I wish there was a way out of this.
She opened her eyes and with love, she slashed down at his body. He made no motion. No cry of pain as the sword tore through the back of his shirt piercing his flesh. I can’t believe I just did that. Oh Magnis! I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry, so very sorry. She backed up and threw the weapon to the ground with a clatter. The man picked the sword up and sheathed it. He looked over at Laura, his face detached of empathy, and she looked back at him, neither said a thing. He stepped over to Magnis and kicked him onto his back.
“Don’t touch him you monster!” she raised her arms to hit him.
He reached back and swatted her away. She toppled over to the ground bawling into the floorboards. I’ll never see your smile again or hear your laugh. I’ll never feel your touch upon my face. You’re just… gone now. A cold chill fills her and she stopped crying all together; she takes a final glance at the man she truly loved with all her heart. She got to her feet and drunken with emotional pain, she stumbled to the bedroom door.
The eyeless man, satisfied with the scene, turned and proceeded past Laura out the door. When he reached the bottom of the stairs he picked up the trench coat, positioned it and the sheathed sword under his arm, then grabbed the leg of his ex-partner and drug her down the rest of the stairs.
Laura followed him, her heart is now full of hate and resent for the people who have changed her life forever. She decided what her future held in a poetic manner. For now I will follow the path fate has laid out before me. When the time is right, I will relieve the weight from my heart on those responsible for tonight with the hopes that no other souls will have to bear this burden of sorrow.
She travels down the stairs and to the front door from memory. She does not see any of the destruction from the dead woman’s playing or the man propping her dead body up against the wall.
Laura opened her front door of what will no longer be her home; the wind her hit in face, making her hair blow uncontrollably in the moonlight.
An undefined chapter is ahead. Her old life had been exterminated, her hands playing their own role. What will be my future with this so-called spark? What are the goals this Institution has, and what do they wish to accomplish by collecting me? Collecting me for what? What is this Institution he spoke of anyways? A million questions flood her mind.
The wind stopped blowing her hair around and a heavy hand grabbed her shoulder from behind. A flash of light blinded her, when her vision returned she found herself far away from Lastville and her murdered husband.
Lazarus' Trench Coat *
*I'm by no means a very good artist and I made this with MS Paint after hours of fine tuning.
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