The LaChavr Family (Story)

Information:

The LaChavr Family Story was written by DemonOfVela of Quizilla (Ryan [Batyus] of OMGPOP), and was first published September 8th 2009. The first series concluded a month later, October 8th, 2009. The series produced a spin off story [Konniichwa* which is purposefully mispelled] which exploits the flawed logic of The LaChavr Family Story. A serious sequel also began Feburary 22nd, 2010, titled The Family Wars, and is currently unfinished.

[The story below is unedited and appears primarily in it's unedited form]

Chapter I

Note to the reader: This story comes in many different parts. Each person in this story actually exists in some sense or another. The raw parts of the story are played out in a chat room, while I, the dedicated writer (and one of the characters) writes out the story in a more dramatic and descriptive format. Understand that this is generally a stretched truth from the real horror which occurs in the chat room. People speak and scream and yell, and the raw version is extremely hideous to digest (most of the time). The first chapter was acted out a few nights ago, and each episode/chapter will be labeled based on this.

Episode one: Of closets’ and clubs

 The wind wasn't as warm when the giant van pulled up into the drive. Many eyes stared at the Victorian mansion parked in front of them. A still calm fell down upon the chattering van; as it quieted, the driver side door opened slowly, and a tall grim looking man stepped out upon the black rocky drive and a smile briefly crossed his face. "Well Kids...here we are, our new home." Likes ants on parade, they came from the van.

The first to come out was Ryan, the eldest of the children, with growing brown hair and a hat pulled over the bulk of it. His blue eyes scanned the area, intelligent and cautious, yet overpowering, dominating. He shoved his hands into his baggy pockets and shrugged. Another house, another hill.

The next to come out was a smug boy named Itachio. His eyes were low to the ground, and his hands were already inside his jean pockets, uttering something incoherent under his breath, feeling the cold wind caress his dark hair.

The third to remove themselves from the giant gray van was a fine young lady. Darker-than Ryan’s, but lighter than Itachio's, colored hair, curious eyes, with a sense of adaptation to her step. Keia, the oldest of the girls, and the only adopted child in the LaChavr family.

Fourth on the list of kids streaming from the van was Elizabeth, shorter black hair, a sharp calculating stare, giving the mansion a look from bottom to top, and scanning the surrounding area...follow her came two younger children, Courtney and Sarah. Both had lighter brown hair and were cheerfully giggling and laughing.

"Ah, the ignorance of youth..." Ryan stated turning back to see his younger siblings. "Come now Ryan, help me unpack..." the father stated reaching into the back of the van and removing a few bags.”The movers have already been here so the rooms should be set up..." he stated. Sounds of echoing laughter and the leaf ridden lawn resonated about the dead place, Courtney and Sarah made a break for the door, slowly followed by Keia and Elizabeth who were both carrying their packs on their shoulders. A grim Itachio remained, kicking the rocks idly off the drive and onto the lawn. "Don't do that Itachio! When I mow the lawn someone is going to get hurt..." the father stated from behind the van. "Yes sir..." the boy grumbled picking up the various rocks he had just kicked and placing them back onto the drive.”Hey father, when is Uncle Pyro coming?" there was a pause. Itachio sighed and skulked off towards the house. "He said he'd be here in a few more hours...come on lets unpack."

The house stood in a rather grim neighborhood. Quite a gothic scene and the family had just experienced a travesty. The mother of the children was missing, nobody was sure where she had gone, or why she had left, but even behind those whose faces are happy, and there is sorrow. A forest spans the backyard, in till a cold gray lake appears and stretches on for miles and miles. The closest neighbors also lived in big mansions, but generally were populated by one or two of the small town's citizens. Old rich people, who had nothing better to do than live in the days long lost...

"I AM NOT SLEEPING WITH THAT IDIOT!" Itachio yelled, standing on the dusty staircase. "Itachio! Calm down!" the father called back from the dining room, where an old chandelier hung. "HE IS A FREELOADER, A CRIMINAL!" he called back, and then the shouts of two young girls screaming as they ran through the rooms, opening and closing doors. "Well at least we have three bathrooms..." Ryan muttered placing a hand on the wall. A trail of dust came off, and he frowned. "I may end up sleeping on the roof..." he thought to tour the house, evading the two girls who were still rampaging about.

There was a main hallway, and a long rug which extended all the way to the window filled dining room, where a long wood table sat. Two, large closets extended followed the length of the hallway, and directly to the right was another hallway. Which, if one were to walk down it straight, would find the main stair case leading up, to the second floor. To continue down the hallway would reveal one of the three bathrooms, followed by a small storage room, filled with bookcases and a reading desk. If one walks the length of this room, and looks to their left, they will see the dining room. Walking straight, passed the wood table, and the antique chandelier, is a pantry, and the kitchen, with a stove and an oven...and right in between the dining room and the kitchen is another staircase leading down towards the basement. The basement was full of cobwebs, but there was a large open space, with a bed room directly on the right, and looking left, one could see the various play items any child would want for a rainy day. Televisions, gaming systems, a ping pong table, a couple of other play things...then there was another study, smaller in size, but more cozy. Another room revealed the laundry room. A soft memory of his mother came to him. He could hear the thump of footsteps dying, and he sighed. "Time to go back upstairs and see what rooms are left."

The upper floor consisted of bedrooms. There were two hallways, one leading left and one leading right, two bedrooms lined each hallway, with a bathroom at the hall. He could see Keia rummaging about her closet, and Sarah and Courtney were in a split room, lying on the floor panting. He smiled and then turned down the other hallway. There he found Itachio fuming in the bedroom, angry was evident on his face. 'I better not bother him right now...' Ryan thought turning towards the other room. He paused. It was empty. "I might as well use this one for myself then..." That was when he remembered: Father doesn't sleep in the house...he works late during the night... "Ever since Mom left, things haven't been very stable. We moved here because Dad needed a job..."He heard a strange noise coming from the basement. His bad slipped from his shoulder and he sighed. He quickly looked at the bed and the dresser and shrugged. "No time to personalize I guess..."

At the foot of the stairs, there stood a greatly tanned man who had a bottle in one hand, and a suitcase in the other. He was currently embracing the father of the house, speaking quite loudly about something Ryan wasn't too sure of. He noticed that the bottle wasn't open yet. "HOME SWEET HOME!" he yelled looking up at the stairs. "'Sup Uncle Pyro?" Ryan asked coming down the stairs, a smiling coming to his face. "EH! Nephew Ryan!" the dark haired man said as they embraced. "So, bro, where do I sleep?" he asked looking around for a moment. "HE'S NOT SLEEPING IN MY ROOM!" Itachio's voice echoed throughout the mansion. "Little Shit..." Uncle stated dropping his bags onto the floor, staring up. "Hey Pyro, let's go clubbing." Ryan said, turning the man around towards the door. "Yeah, yeah let’s do that..." they walked through the front door and out towards the rickety car that Pyro drove.”Good to have you back, how's it been?" Ryan asked. "Oh you know...same old same old..."

--

The father slowly walked up the stairs. The girls were quiet in their rooms. Elizabeth hadn't been spotted since they had arrived. Ryan, who was usually reliable, had a knack for going out with Pyro, too many things to worry about. He turned, and found Itachio lying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling. "Son." he echoed. "What?" the snappy tone came back fast, and the dad sighed. "Things aren't easy for any of us...please...I just want you to cut me some slack." as the words spilled out, Itachio slowly swung back onto his feet. "I don't like Uncle Pyro, and he doesn't like me. Why would you want us to stay in the same room?" he asked, his voice rising. "This has nothing to do with that...." the father stated taking a step forward.”What about me? What about my feelings? We've moved again, just when I was about to make friends! Elizabeth has Keia. Courtney has Sarah...and Ryan...all Ryan does is hanging out with him!" the house grew deathly quiet, in till a loud thump noise could be heard. "Not another word from you. Not tonight..." the father stated leaving the boy fuming in his room. "YOU JUST DON'T GET IT! NOBODY IN THIS HOUSE GETS IT!" the door slammed. The father turned to the other rooms. "I'm leaving now...be back in the morning..."

"Bye Father/Dad/Papa!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">--

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The car sped down the road, viewing the fading orange trees as August turned to September. In the distance the sight of skyscrapers and apartments came into view. "Welcome my friend, to downtown Lethbridge! There... the "A.K." Newest, hottest club there is..." he chuckled. "Jesus Pyro, we've only been in this town for three hours!" Ryan exclaimed looking at the coming night sky. "Best thing about the fall, night time comes early." The parked the car and slowly got out, hearing the heart of the club heart softly into the street. "A.K." appeared above the twin doors of the club, flashing in black and red colors, and a large black man stood at the entrance wearing a suit and a tie. "Who might you young fellas be?" the man asked and Pyro looked at the ground for a moment and shrugged. "Hot Taco and his buddy Paco..." the man looked at them for a moment.”Of course, Mr. Hot Taco, right this way..." he nodded to both of them and they went passed the ragged red curtain and into a sprawling mixture of half naked girls, dancing on tables, and the bar full of an assorted number of people. The echoing vibration of the music gave life to the party. A man threw his shirt off, and it sailed over Pyro and Ryan's head as they walked the length of the room to the bar. "Eh kiddo, you want a drink?" the uncle asked and Ryan shook his head. "You forget I'm not a drinker..." he tipped his hat a girl sitting by herself and came over to keep her company.”Eh, okay, Chico...knock yourself out!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The conversation was short, and simple. They didn't kiss or joke, but it was intelligent just the same. "Are you related to that guy?" she asked eventually, after an hour had passed. Ryan turned and looked, seeing his uncle draped over another woman. The woman wasn't really enjoying herself and Ryan shrugged. "I guess so, I'm his Nephew." Then the scream was heard. "Ah come on Bonita!" he screamed yelling at the girl who had slapped him in the face. A few guards had come to take him away. While looking, he had barely heard the girl telling him she was leaving now, and he looked around nervously. He could get kicked out the club if he was associated with 'Hot-Taco', so he nodded, and came out through the exit. "Thanks!" he stated quickly to the bouncer, and just as he reached the street, he noticed his Uncle getting taken away in a cop car. "Damn it!" he echoed looking around, when he saw Elizabeth walking across the street. 'What the hell is she doing here?'he realized that she was older now; it was okay for her to walk about the streets at this hour.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">---

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The door slowly opened. He was fully dressed, with a hooded sweatshirt, and backpack full of supplies. He slowly closed the door. He cloud hear Keia rummaging around in her room. Itachio smiled, deviously. Courtney was most likely doing the same thing. 'Girls and their materialism. What a family I've got. They all ignore me...and Ryan goes off clubbing with that idiotic moron...dad never listens and isn't home half the time anyway. Why should I stay in this shit hole? It hasn't gotten me anywhere. They don't love me, so why should I stay in a place where I am not loved?' he reached the staircase when he noticed Sarah standing on the front step. "Where are you going big bro?" she asked quietly, innocently and he paused. "Just for a walk..." he echoed.”Can I come?" she asked and he started down the steps. "Alright...come on...we can walk to town..." he paused.’Speaking of which...where has Elizabeth been?' He shrugged and took Sarah's hand as they walked out of the door. It was quite late, but Itachio had to think of a way to get Sarah to go back, he couldn't just take her with him, no that wouldn't work. The watched as cars slowly passed them by, their headlights getting brighter, and then they delved back into darkness. "Its cold..." the young girl stated staring up at the moon and stars, feeling the chill against her cheeks.”Indeed, you should've come more prepared..." he echoed kindly. Eventually they reached a gas station on the edge of the city. "I need to use the bathroom, so you'll have to wait out here..." he stated, entering the station and going into the bathroom. He quietly waited for her to look somewhere else, and when he got the chance he bolted. 'Sorry Sarah...I can't stay here any longer...you just got in my way...' he thought crossing the street and into the darkness.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">---

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"It is going to be alright Uncle Stephen!" Elizabeth echoed through the bars of the holding cell. The uncle stood on the other side, face drenched with cold water, and he was still too drunk to fully comprehend what was going on. "I need you to bail me out of jail!" he echoed, reaching through the bars lazily. "I can't stay in here niece!" he burped and then slouched back onto the stool. Entrance to the doors openly suddenly and Ryan came into the room, holding onto a bag of money. "Neph! Oh...sweet heaven...is that for me?" the man was hysterical. There was a man sitting behind the counter looking at them for a moment. "It's your own fault for leaving your wallet at the club...I had to go back there and retrieve it for you..." there was a pause, and Ryan put the money down on the counter.”Well I better go back to the house." Elizabeth said. "Bye sis~" Ryan stated, watching her go, with a confused look on her face. "Eh, she comes outta nowhere!" Pyro mumbled, as the receptionist counted the money in the bag. "Don't tell me...you took the money from my bank account?" he whispered into Ryan's ear. "ATM" the other replied. "Dan's gonna kill me...."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Itachio?" she was standing outside of the bathroom, hands clasped, staring as big, and trucker type men came in and out. She began to grow weary, tired and scared. Eventually the clerk came over to her. "The store is closing..." he stated and the girl turned around quickly.”But Itachio is still in there!" she cried and the man opened the door and looked inside. "Nope...sorry, he must have ran off..." he glanced back at the girl.”Eh, are you going to be alright?" he was a nice fellow, but the girl shook her head, and walked out of the station. "Big bro..." she echoed, pulling out a cell phone. A hand on her shoulder. "Sarah...what are you doing out here?" Elizabeth asked. "Itachio...is gone..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Chapter II

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Episode one: of Closets’ and clubs: Part II

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">It was cold, the moon shifted through the clouds, it felt more like October than September. The pale light fell upon the two siblings who stood under the flashing light of the gas station. The tears nearly froze against her cheeks as she looked up at her sister searching. "Chio..." she choked on her words, when Elizabeth lifted her up, and held her.”It will be okay, Itachio is just mad, he will be back." She whispered into her ear, stroking her hair, slowly they walked away. "Come on, let’s go home..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">---

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"It's finally finished!" Keia exclaimed backing away from the closet. A large mirror was placed against the back wall, and fair collection of clothes. It was a large closet, equipped with many various things. A lamp, a chair. She had been working on it all day, ever since they had gotten here, a bit strange, she was one of the few people in the family who did not seem to feel the tug of strain. Courtney came into the room. "Hey, where did Sarah go?" she asked, a sleepy expression marked her face. "I don't know..." Keia seemed to stop and think about what was going on suddenly. "Actually, is anyone else home?" she asked looking around. They stepped out into the hallway and noticed that it was awfully calm. She went down the hall. "Itachio...Ryan?" she looked into the rooms and saw nobody there. The door opened and closed. The two ran to see who had come back, to find Elizabeth and Sarah huddling through the door. "Hello you two..." Elizabeth stated quietly, dropping Sarah onto the steps like a duffle bag. The phone rang, and Keia picked it up. "Hello...? What? What the hell! What do you mean...? Hello?" she stopped, and slowly put the phone down. "What the hell was he thinking?" she muttered to herself. "Itachio?" Elizabeth asked and the other nodded. "What did Itachio say?" Sarah asked standing up. "He said he is leaving. He says he isn't coming back. Ever." The entire house grew quiet; the sisters all stood next to each and remained quiet. "I'm going to bed." Elizabeth stated walking up the stairs. "Yeah...I better go to bed as well..." Courtney yawned and Sarah and Keia just sat there the only light came from the lights of the room upstairs. The kitchen was lit by the ominous moon hanging behind it. "Everyone is tired..." Keia whispered looking down at her younger sister. "Do you want to see my closet?" she asked smiling, and the other smiled, just a little, but like all things, it starts small, and grows into something magnificent.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">---

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Uncle Pyro. You're drunk." Ryan echoed fingering the wheel as the older man moaned in the passenger seat. "Ah shit, Neph. That wasn't my money, it was...your fathers..." he rubbed his eyes. "Ah, get over it 'Hot Taco'." Ryan laughed and then his uncle got serious. "Don't call me that son; I stole that name from an old cuz of mine...that's a story for another day..." he burped and slouched back into his seat.”Relax we are almost home, and you're a resourceful guy so you can figure out something to pay back my old man..." Ryan turned down the drive and sighed. One light was still on. He smiled to himself. The moon shining behind the mansion made it look like your stereotypical 'haunted house'. Pyro stumbled out of the car mumbling to himself, and then he walked over to the tree hunched over. "Come on, five seconds to the bathroom!" Ryan uttered under his breath coming into the house and looking up the stairs. Keia was standing there waiting. "Itachio left home." she stated, and then the sound of a young girl yelling came from the background and the eldest sister was gone again. Ryan paused and looked around, a glimpse of worry crossed into his face. Then his uncle came into the room. "Eh, whats got you in a tizzy?" he asked. "Itachio ran away from home."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Good, that little shit was worth nothing!" he yelled loudly, and Ryan pushed him against the door. "Be quiet. I don't care if you don't like him, but think of Sarah, all she wants is this family to stay together." he stated quietly and Pyro nodded. "Yeah, whatever." he stumbled down towards the basement, and later, sounds of a toilet flushing could be heard. Ryan slowly climbed the stairs. It was a lot, he had just burned off a lot of stress, only to find even more of it waiting for him behind the corner. He stood in his room for a moment, and then he pulled out his cell phone, and scrolled down to Itachio's number and then he paused. He laid down onto his pillow and closed his eyes. Then, he closed his phone. "Jerk. Jerk. Jerk. Jerk." he whispered softly and eventually he fell asleep.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The first frost of winter came, coating the green grass with white tops, and the orange and brown leaves folded unto themselves. The windows fogged up, and a fierce wind brushed up against the large house. The gothic structure creaked and the morning began. It was Sunday. The sound of screaming soon followed. Ryan woke up with a start rubbing his eyes, and looking around, he hadn't set up anything yet and he sighed. 'I bet father doesn't even care...he has enough to take care of...' he thought slowly coming out of his room to see Keia running after Sarah with a brush in hand. He yawned, and didn't even bother with the bathroom. Oh how glad he was that he was out of school and College was impossible at this point in time. "Where were you last night?" the cold and grim voice came, and Ryan froze in his tracks. "I was trying to relax..." he replied as his father laid the paper out on the table.”No more. No more leaving when the going gets tough. You stay here, unless I say you can go." he stated and the young man nodded. "Sure thing pop. Like Itachio would listen to me anyway..." he seated himself and found that he really wasn't hungry. "He is still a minor..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"He left the country I heard..." he paused.”He left Sarah at a gas station; we just moved here for god’s sake how does he know it is safe?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"He was angry."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"And whose fault is that?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Yours."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The screaming stopped after a while, and then crying followed. "I don't care." he stated, and then he sighed. "Keep an eye on your uncle as well." then he stalked out of the house. "Yeah...just wait till he figures out about the money..." he paused.”I'm thinking cornflakes this morning."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Ryan. Take care of her." he felt thin arms wrapping around him. "Un. Lil' sis?" he grumbled, it was far too early for this. "Keia...why do I?" he thought. "She won’t let me into her room!" Sarah explained sticking her tongue out at her sister. "Ugh. Where is Elizabeth?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Probably in the attic?" Ryan suggested looking up. "Hm, well whatever. Courtney!" the two sisters came to the front door. "We are going out for a while, tour the city, maybe do some shopping. Take care will ya?" she waved and the two left. "She doesn't take me with." Sarah pouted. "Ah, well, that's life. I can't go anywhere either." Ryan said, delving into his cornflakes. "Let's go into Keia's room then!" she exclaimed. "It's locked." Ryan replied. "The doors don't have locks here..." Sarah trailed off. "Well our sister of ours has her way of locking it."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Let's go through the window."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"It's an entire floor up, if I climb up and break my back; dad is going to kill me. And if you fall and break your back, I am going to die just the same. Besides, nothing wrong with your room." Ryan drained the milk from the bowl and sighed. The basement door slowly opened, and a shirtless Uncle Pyro came up. "Hey Neph. Niece." he stated walking into the pantry like a zombie. "Fine then. I'm going to play outside!" Sarah exclaimed running towards the door. "Have fun." Ryan added smiling. "Is Keia here?" Uncle Pyro asked coming back into the kitchen. "Why?" the other asked wiping the milk mustache from his lips. "Just answer the question."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"No, she went shopping with Courtney, just a few minutes ago..." Ryan went to put his bowl into the sink. "Perfect."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"You are going to grow weed in Keia's closet?" Ryan exclaimed seeing the green plant sitting in the corner. "It's a big closest, and nobody will find in there." he stated slowly sitting up a light fixture at the top. "You are out of your mind." Ryan stated, but smiling. "Yep. That is what my bro kept telling me. That is why I don't have my own apartment or...well never mind." he shifted the clothes around it. "See, I put the clothes she is least likely to wear around the plant.”I don't think you know what you are doing."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Wanna smoke?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"No, I'm a straight edge virgin remember?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Oh that is right."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I'll sell."

"Heh, maybe when you are older."

"Now I know why they call you Uncle Pyro."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The door across the street slowly opened. "I could've sworn I hear the bell ring." the elderly woman stated looking around. She stepped out into the drive and looked across the street. "Maybe it was the postman..." she echoed smiling to herself.”Or maybe...it was a girl...who doesn't know her place..." the woman turned around slowly, staring at the bushes suspiciously. There was a shout, and the girl bolted. "Ehe. She'll be back...and when she is..." the old woman, who could have gone as a grandma, pounded her fist into her palm. Then she saw a car slowly pulling down the drive. It was that LaChavr father, he seemed upset about something. "What an odd family. Did he forget it was Sunday I better call Bernice, she always likes to hear interesting stories...?”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">...

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">He was inside of his study, he didn't bother coming out, he needed slow down when things got too fast. It was late now, the sun had already sunk behind the flat horizon, and the naked forest behind the house shivered in the coming cold. They were eating dinner, a family, bonded together, laughing and smiling, but it was all an illusion. The empty place. It grew bigger and bigger with each passing moment. Though nobody spoke of it, it became clear, when one piece of the puzzle is missing, it is gone. Ryan went to grab his jacket. "Where do you think you are going?" the father asked and Ryan stared at him for a while and shrugged. "I am going to find my brother."

"He left the country."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I know."

"So what, are you going to leave me here alone?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I'm not going to leave."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The room became silent. "No." he stated and Ryan took off his jacket. "He won’t answer..." Sarah mumbled looking down at the cell phone in her hand. Pyro stood up and went downstairs. "I've tried...so many times..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">...

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">He paced the halls of the motel. He looked at the people walking around, and wondering if they were like him. Alone, unhappy. He would look at his phone, and it was going off again. He had already hung up on everyone. The only person who had not called him yet was father and Ryan. The phone rang again. He answered it. "Hello." "Itachio!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Don't call me again."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">He hung up the phone. He put it into his pocket. There was a corporation here he had always wanted to try and join. He was the smartest in his class, he was going to go to a good college, he was going to become rich, and he did not need his family to drag him down. They had moved so many times already.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'Why should I go back to a place where I am not loved?'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'Because we miss you brother. Especially Sarah...I don't want to try and call you because....’

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'He doesn't even call me. Does he not even care if I am alright?'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'He doesn't want me to call. He would never talk to me.'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">He was staring at himself in an empty bowl of cornflakes. He felt a hand on his back. "How are you doing hun?" his eyes grew wide and a shiver pulsed through his body. 'Mother!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">To be continu ed

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Note to reader: Although the title says this is the third part, well it is. However, think of it like this: Episode one was a two part 'season opener'. NOTICE: THIS HAS BEEN UPDATED AS OF SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13th.There will be two episodes each week. Tuesday and Thursday.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Episode 2: Mom, where is the duct tape? I think we are falling apart.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Most of the children went to school today. Father was at work. The house was awfully quiet. He didn't move for the longest time, feeling the hand rub over his back, and then ruffle his hat from his head. "Mom..." he whispered quietly, shaking, it had been a while, and he wasn't sure how to feel. Then she embraced him fully. "It is okay...I know how hard it must have been..." she whispered and he could smell the same pleasant scent, the same feel, it had been years since he had been embraced. The walls of strength crumble at a single touch...the memories break them down. There was a picture in his head. He was standing next to father and mother, he was just a small boy, holding onto her hand with his left, Itachio was standing next to the father, and Keia was in between the brothers. Mother was pregnant again, and who would’ve guessed that it would end up being twins? Years would follow, and the pattern would continue...when the tension rose, a new child was born, in till finally...she ran away, and she took some of the pressure off of father. She even left the strongest of the children with him...yet still things hadn't gotten any better.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Is everything okay son?" she asked stroking his hair, this was for real, she was here, and he couldn't help but start to cry uncontrollably. He pushed the bowl away and crumbled before her. "I failed you...both of you...you and dad I failed you...both..." he mumbled under his arms.”That isn't true! Don't blame yourself for that!" she sat down next to him. "Itachio is gone! He left! I couldn't stop him. I was too busy worrying about myself..." he got over his spell and smiled. She was still the same. Still young and hardly worn from all that she had pulled herself through. They sat and looked at each other for a moment, wondering what would happen next. "I suppose, I should ask why you are here?" he looked down at the floor for a moment. Was she just dropping by? "I am here to help you. To help Dan-I mean your father." she stated. "What about Fencer and Emily?" Ryan asked and she looked out towards the drive. "They are waiting in the car...is anyone else home?" she asked suddenly, pulling her from daze. "I think Uncle Pyro is passed out again in his room...but other than that, no." he said, taking his plate to the pantry. "Can they come in?" she asked and Ryan looked at her strangely. "Yeah. I don't have a problem with them." he said slowly, and then stopped. "Fencer better be on medication."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Don't worry about it, he is fine."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I'm not worried about him."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">She got up and went out of the front door and down the drive. He watched her open the car door, and the two children got out. Emily was in theory, the twin of Elizabeth. For some reason, the two never bonded as most twins would, and he always doubted that they were actually twins--they didn't really look alike, and they certainly didn't act the same. Emily wasn't necessarily loud, but Elizabeth was more reserved, Emily was more social, and you had a pretty good idea of how she was feeling, most of the time. Fencer, in comparison was a maniac, he wasn't a puny kid, but he was hyper. He was the first to enter the front door, running into the kitchen only to find Ryan standing there. "Don't get excited kid." the elder stated coldly guarding the pantry. "BROTHER!" he yelled throwing himself at Ryan, who dodged by nimbly stepping backwards and tapping him on the forward. "Ow! What was that for? I haven't seen you in like, years and you aren't very cuddly." he rubbed his head and sat down onto the floor. "In your language, brother means ice cream. You aren't getting at my stash, no way. Besides, if you want to cuddle, you have a lot of sisters for that." he smiled to himself. 'I bet they'd hate me for saying that~' "Hello Ryan!" Emily stated stepping over fencer and giving Ryan a hug. "Why does she get a hug?" Fencer complained standing up. "Because she won’t eat all of my ice cream...be a good boy and take your medicine." he commanded and the boy skulked off to his mothers' side.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"How have you been?" the sister asked and Ryan shrugged. "Things could be better... Itachio ran away from home...and... Now we have two more kids to for Dad to worry about..." he looked around and then he shook his head. "I didn't mean it like that..." he clapped his hands together.”Let's figure out rooms." They toured the house real quick, and when they were done they found Pyro sitting at the kitchen slumped over a bowl of something. "Uncle Pyro, you are awake..." Emily stated standing at the doorway. "Ah. The nephew from hell leaves...so the niece can take his place." he mumbled. "Hey, what about me?" Fencer asked, and Pyro looked at him, squinting his eyes, chewing his food slowly. "Who the hell are you?" he asked raising an eyebrow. "Stephan!" the mother cried walking over to him and hitting him on the head. "Ow...Miyana, why don't you come back tomorrow?" he chuckled to himself wiping his mouth off and letting out a big sigh. "Tell you what," Ryan began, "Fencer, you can stay in Pyro's room." he smiled and the uncle shrugged. "Whatever, come on kid, you got a bag or something?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">. ..

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Okay, first things first." the uncle stated looking around the room. Clothes were all over the floor and the half of the dresser drawers were open. He closed the closet and looked around. There was a cot stuffed in the corner. "You will sleep on the cot." the uncle stated throwing the kids bag onto the cot and then he grabbed the young man around the shoulders. "RULE Numero uno: NEVER. Open. My. closet." he took a step back and pointed at the closed door with great emphasis. "Comprendo?" Fencer looked at him with a blank expression on his face, mouth open. "Okay...then...rule number two. Don't look under the bed, in fact...don't touch the bed at all." he put a blanket over it. "Any questions?" he asked. "Why does this room smell like barf?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Don't worry about it, you'll get used to it."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">. ..

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I don't know..." Emily was standing in Itachio's room. "Why here?" she asked turning to Ryan. "Because Itachio is gone, and if you don't like it, switch with Fencer." he smiled. "Um. No thanks." she stated placing her bag onto the bed. "Where is Lizzy?" she asked. "At school. Like everyone else. Next question?" she pulled back the curtains. "This place needs cleaning..." she frowned.”That is what mom is for." Ryan looked down the hallway. The mother was busy looking at pictures hanging on the wall, and a somber expression would cross her face, and then she would go onto the next. "I'll warn you, if you think Dad is hard on the rules, think about Mom. She is going to make this place into a prison camp."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"You don't know what a prison camp is like."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Neither do you." She shot back.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">. ..

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Shouldn't you be in school young man?" the man stated at his long wooden desk, filled with papers and a lamp. A large window was behind him and the carpet was nice. There was a fan blowing, the soft hum of the whirring blades added a pleasant field to the formal room. Itachio shook his head. "No sir. I graduated early." he stated folding his hands in his lap looking around curiously at the pictures on the walls and the metal case which held an assortment of fine looking pens. "So you want to work here, is that what you are saying?" the balding man asked, leaning forward, clasping his hands.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Yes, my knowledge of computers is excellent. I believe I am qualified for the position." he stated, and the man furrowed his graying brows, and he looked down at the resume. "No college education...where exactly do you live?" the man asked looking over the papers. "I am in a hotel at the moment sir, but, that is only because I haven't gotten the apartment figured out just yet." the man let out a sigh. "I'll look this over...and call you back." he put the resume into a drawer and the two shook hands. "Thank you, very much for your time."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">. ..

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The first ones to come home were Keia and Elizabeth. They strode through the door looking around, and the first thing they saw was Fencer sitting at the table eating ice cream. "What is he doing here?" Keia asked dropping her bag on the steps and walking forward, the young boy smiled at her. "A devious grin he's got." Ryan stated from the pantry doorway. "IT'S YUMMY YUMMY ICE CREAM KEIA SIS!" the boy screamed nearly flinging a spoonful of ice cream at the girl. "What the hell is wrong with you?!" She yelled back grabbing the boy about the arms and removing him from the table. "Any other surprises I should know about?" she asked, with a hint of exasperation in her voice. "Mom and Emily are here. Somewhere." he looked around, and then he noticed that Fencer was crawling his way back to the freezer when Ryan opened the basement door and threw him in. "Play Xbox or something." he yelled. "Really...wait, where did Elizabeth go?" she asked noticing that she had vanished shortly after arriving. "So did you make any friends?" Ryan asked. "Screw you." Keia stated taking some ice cream for herself. "I'm more worried about Courtney...and Sarah..." she stated, indulging into the tasty dish.”Wow, it's two thirty already...damn..." he replied looking at his phone. "They should be coming come around three..." Keia stated walking around the dining hall and into the hallway. "God, I don't know what to say...mom is back...'ALL OF A SUDDEN'." She waved the spoon in the air. "I know...I know... I cried all over the table." Ryan said, with a bit of sarcasm in his voice. "Just wait till father comes back tonight...tonight’s meal in one word: Awkward." She finished off the ice cream and dumped the dishes into the sink. "If only I could dip out..." Ryan looked around. "Don't be a pansy..." she stopped.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Oh, Keia...honey..." the mother stated coming down the hallway, and Ryan vanished into the basement.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Eyes watched the two girls walk down the street. The long curtains of the window were pulled back just a moment. 'There she is...the one...'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The two girls came into the house. Courtney went straight to her room, while Sarah looked into the dining room curiously. "Mommy?" she stated seeing Keia sitting across from her. "Oh...my little Sarah..." she replied turning around.”Come here right next to me...let’s talk..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Meanwhile, Ryan was upstairs fixing up his room. He had found a way to slip from the basement into the study. He had convinced Pyro to install a trap door underneath the rug, and it was quite effective. He had climbed up and into his room to set everything, and when he was done he had noticed Courtney go into her room. 'Did she even bother talking to mom?' he thought to himself hearing the soft murmur of voices below him. He crept forward and stopped in front of Courtney's door. He knocked on it for a moment. "What?" came the reply and Ryan could tell that she was not in a necessarily good mood. "Did you know that mom is here?" he asked for a moment, still standing next to the door. "I don't care!" she said, "Want to talk about it?" he asked slouching down. "Don't come in here!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I'll just wait outside here...everyone else is downstairs...don't worry about it..." he leaned against the wall.”I don't want to be here anymore..." he hear her say after a while. "Don't say things like that..." he echoed thinking of Itachio.”Our brother was right to leave. Nothing good can come from staying here!" she cried out. "If you leave Courtney...then I am going to go too..." he stated quietly, staring at the walls. Maybe it would be easier...maybe it would take the stress off of dad. "Really?" she asked there was a moment of pause. "That isn't right...we can't leave..." he realized that was true. If they left, there would be nothing left to hold everything together. There was a creak on the stairs. "I don't want to go back!" she cried out. "Sh...Someone is coming." Ryan stated and then he saw the mother finally reach up. "Where is Courtney?" she asked. There was a pause. "Mom, where is my--..." Emily came out of Itachio's room. "Maybe...I will come back later..." she walked away.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'Hang in there Courtney...' he thought to himself.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Dinner that night was quiet. The question of 'How was school?' was a death wish to any who asked it, and so it became a taboo of the LaChavr. Instead, it turned out that the father had planned on the mother coming back eventually. They were eating steak, and green beans, mashed potatoes...with corn and gravy for those who preferred it. It took a while, but after a while Emily spoke. "Something is missing here." The table was full, but it shouldn't be--there were three people missing from the room. Ryan suddenly became lost in thought.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Courtney...Elizabeth and Itachio are not present.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The meal was over. Father and Mother went into the kitchen to do the dishes. Emily went up to her new room, and Fencer was feasting on a massive bowl of ice cream, as was Sarah. Ryan glanced at Keia for a moment. "She isn't in her room." he stated quietly. He stood up, and walked over to Pyro, Keia went upstairs. "Your keys please." Ryan whispered into his ear. The man looked up confused, and then gave him the keys. "Be nice to my baby..." he clasped Ryan on the shoulders. Keia came back down stairs. In her hand were the keys to the van. "We'll split up." she stated. "Good idea."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">To be continued...

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The search for the lost siblings continues in episode three! And what about the new family members? The mystery behind Pyro's closet...and the mysterious eyes peering out from behind the curtains... keep reading!

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; "> Note to the reader: An update has been made to the release of episodes. There will be a new episode every Tuesday and Thursday. (They may be released very late on Monday or very late on Wednesday). Instead of the original plan of releasing episodes every single Friday. This change was made so that more episodes can come out in a given week. Thanks~ and enjoy!

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Episode three: A drop of water thinks it’s starting a flood.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The flatness, like tundra, cold heartless, desolate, malicious almost, but in the night, with the moon sharing a same paleness makes it a sane world, lacking in contrast, something warm and gentle from the inside out. If all things were naked in this world, to cover them would be a sin. The trees, the ground, the sky, all naked and bare, but loved and respected, that was how it was. The still land did little to calm his nerves, but he felt safe, knowing that his sister was driving the other way, towards the city, and not out into the country. A half frozen ditch of water appeared on the side, and then gone in an instant, his heart throbbed within his chest, a deep knowing, a better understanding was reaching into his eyes, and his mind pulsed. He repressed the memories that tried to surface; he knew what they were saying. He turned, and pulled the old car of his uncle onto a gravel road, hearing the crunching of rocks underneath him. He turned off the headlights and then stopped the car completely. He sighed; he did not know why it had turned out like this. This place was special; he could feel it, somehow within his very core. “No time for that now.” He whispered to himself, opening the car and stepping out into the cold night. He was wearing mostly black or gray, it was a purposeful thing too, and he did not want to be seen, or heard. He skulked through the darkness, and to the edge of a field of grass, unclaimed, unmoved. It climbed up to his chest, and he peered across the top, where he noticed a clearing. He came forward as quickly as he could, listening as opposed to seeing. He restrained himself from crying out for his sisters, he knew what could be happening, he would use stealth. He paused. He looked at the edge of the clearing and noticed a girl sleeping in the tall grass with a sleeping bag folded around her body.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">‘Courtney!’he thought coming forward slowly, and he could hear her even breaths as her chest rose and fell. A sigh of relief escaped him, and then another sound could be heard. The rustling of grass in the distance, and then shortly after, he noticed Elizabeth coming to him from the left. “Why are you here?” she hissed, and he looked at her for a moment, expression blank and then he looked down at Courtney. “I was going to bring her home myself.” She replied and Ryan nodded pulling down his hood. “Come on, let’s drive back.” He stated, as they helped Courtney back up and onto her feet. In a daze, she stumbled alongside them, unaware of what exactly was happening. They opened up the back seat of the car and laid her down, sleeping bag and all. The other two siblings got in and the drive home began on a quiet note. “Why did you come?” she asked and Ryan stared down the road, lost in thought and then slowly he spoke. “Both me and Keia went out to look for you guys.” Elizabeth let out long sigh. "Why Keia?" Elizabeth asked quietly. There was no answer. “Do you know why?” he asked, though the way he had said it, made her shift uneasily in her seat. “I don’t want to think about it.” She seemed uncomfortable. “You’ve been working too hard.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“I can handle myself” she stated coolly resting her arm against the window. The drove on for a while, the first of the larger houses came into view. “There is blood on your arm.” He stated quietly, without looking at her. He then heard her rubbing her arm, and wincing. They pulled up into the drive and he pulled out his cell phone. “Keia…I found them…come back home safe…” he closed it, and he looked, but Elizabeth was already out of the car and inside the house. He sat in the car for a moment, hearing the rhythm of Courtney’s rest and wondering what exactly was going on. His family, it seemed to lack stability, something he wanted desperately, a place and time where everything was going just as things should. He looked at his phone. It was almost ten. He saw the van pulling up behind him, and Keia got out and made her way to the house. He sighed once more, and opened the door, and slowly helped Courtney out and towards the house.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The father had taken the mother’s car to work that night, and so she sat at the table, with a cup in her hand, and her legs crossed looking out at an empty space which seemed to have more meaning than one might normally think. An empty space, nothing changes, nothing moves. It is all very comprehendible at any given time. She tapped her foot on the floor, and took a sip. The old clock on the corner of the room read twelve thirty, and she rubbed her eyes. “Get some rest, mom.” Ryan stood at the doorway, he looked worried and stressed and she slowly stood up and came to him. Giving him a kiss on the forehead and staring into his eyes. “My child, my son.” She whispered and he nodded. “Help Courtney, help Sarah. I am going to be just fine.” He stated, and she smiled. “You always did think about the others first. Except for your brothers…” she trailed off, and he smiled. “I used to think they were as tough as me.” The way he had said it, was directly in reference to Itachio. He hardly had a heart for Fencer, who had been missing from his life… “He couldn’t handle it. He was weak.” He paused, “Someday, he is going to come back. It will be my job to toughen him up.” The mother patted him on his shoulder, and then slowly slipped towards the study.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The next morning was hectic. People were yelling and screaming, the sound of bags being grabbed and people running out of the door and back in. The worn stairs were begging for the parade to stop, and as it were, three young children missed the bus, leaving Ryan the job of taking them to school. His eyes were half open, and his hair was all askew. “If I hit a pedestrian, it is your fault…” he mumbled, as Fencer screamed out directions from the back seat. Courtney, who was sitting next to him, was quiet. “Nobody is judging you Court…you’re a good kid…” he mumbled, but there was no response. When they reached the school he stopped. “Have fun kids, make good decisions, daddy loves you…” he laughed, with a sarcastic look crossing into his face. “If only daddy didn’t work nights, he could’ve driven you here.” He remained in the parking lot for a moment, and soon it grew empty. Then, he returned home.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Morning bro.” the words took him by surprise, he was wondering who it was, that did not have to go to school, and he found that it was Emily, who was sitting at the table eating breakfast, still wrapped up in a bathrobe. “Don’t you have school?” he asked, yawning, while raiding the pantry for his usual corn flakes. “Nope, mom said she wanted me to stay home this year, maybe help around the house…you know, do your job.” She seemed fairly cheerful, but then again, Emily usually was cheerful. The basement stairs then burst open, and there came Uncle Pyro, who looked well dressed, and not a complete and utter mess as he usually was. “One…two…kids home today. Oh sorry, neph, you really aren’t a kid are you?” he stated looking around for a moment. “Where is Miyana at?” he asked peering down the hallway suspiciously and Ryan shrugged. “She said she was ‘scoping’ out the town, whatever that means.” Emily stated sarcastically poking at her bowl of cereal tentatively. “Okay, good then.” The uncle replied, going back into the basement and Ryan finished off his bowl, and then followed him curiously.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The junior high school and the normal high school were a joint building, which stood relatively close to the outskirts of the city. It was supposed to be pitched as less of a city school, and taking more upon the “Suburb” standard school. Though the most of the attendees were from the city, it lacked enough daily turmoil to be anything more than a living hell. It was called Matte’ intermediate and higher level education school, or MIH Ed for short, and it wasn’t every year that you had a flock of new students, all closely related to each other, enter the system. The halls were tiled, the lockers made of a pale red metal, and various crafts and arts that nobody gave a shit about hung above them outside the classrooms. “Seriously, as if anyone really cared about this stuff. Go by a book and read about it…” Keia stated to a group of new friends who all thought it was true. The school was great at wasting paper, the bright long orange sheets stretched the length of the hallway, and in barely visible black ink were various bits of information. “A noun is a person place or thing…come on.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">It was one of those schools that had those annoying hard plastic chairs which squeaked every time someone had to stand up. Some of the older establishments had black boards. Overhead projectors were still a normal occurrence, the orthodox teachers, who somehow always failed to operate basic computer machinery, brought a sense of humor to the disease breeding facility that the school was well known for. Every teacher is the same; they just put on different masks to give the illusion of variety. A lesson few kids grasp by the time they are done with high school is, that the only time a teacher cares about the work you are doing, comes once you enter college. School is more like a prison, they need to keep the kids off of the streets, so they force them into a building, with a bunch of other kids, who may or may not hate them, and then teach them horribly boring things, which generally only apply to a select number of jobs. They say that a teacher must know basic algebra, even if they want to teach English. Strange, they say the same thing every single year, and then you realize, once you are a teacher of English, it is hardly true at all, you just got tougher because now you can suffer through a math class.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Lunch was another hell most of the kids managed to pass by. If you were new and approachable, you had a very good chance at making friends. Keia was launched into that boat, and having ample experience in the field of moving to a new place and making new friends made it easy this time around as any other. Elizabeth was the kind of person who you would see going to school, and you would see leaving the school, but you would never see her anywhere. A class perhaps, but in previous experiences, at other schools, she was established as the school phantom. Appearing here or there and it gave her a sense of fame. Courtney and Sarah, now accompanied by the hyper active Fencer, were braving the junior high end of the school front. The trio bonded together, like three survivors of a plane crash, floating in the debris, hanging onto whatever floats, but still, it came to be that they would make it here at this school. Finding people here or there to talk to and word of their elder sisters trickled down the grapevine, and seemed to go into their favor. A classical argument came down one day between a young man and Courtney about a sibling war. “My sister Keia says that if anyone messes with me at school, she will beat them up!” Courtney started and the boy smiled nodding, and then pointed at her. “My brother graduated last year, and he can beat up your sister!” he challenged and there was a pause. “My brother Ryan graduated too, so we are even!” she snapped back. They stopped for a moment. “Think you want to hang out sometime?” the boy asked and she looked him over. “Sure. Want to come to my house? It is huge!” she exclaimed and he smiled. “I wonder if it is a big as my house!” he challenged. A start of a friendship indeed!

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">It was the walk home, for the elder sisters, who preferred the long walk as opposed to getting a ride or taking the bus. The winter came early here. It was only September, and yet it felt like November. The sun hid behind a thin gray cloud and the wind picked up, sending a chilly breeze at the girls. “I didn’t know you were in all of those advanced classes!” Keia stated as they walked and Elizabeth nodded. She wasn’t too thick with books or studying, it was uncanny how she was able to know so much, and also how she vanished, the girl was full of mystery. “Someone in the family needs to make it.” She smiled, and the two laughed. When a man, wearing a suit and a tie came to them, he had some bulk, a scar ran down his the right side of his face, and his skin was darkly tanned. The two girls stopped, for he seemed to be coming right towards them, when he suddenly kept going, mumbling something under his breath. “That was really, weird…” Keia stated looking back at the man, but Elizabeth remained silent.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Do you smell smoke?” the mother was standing on the edge of the steps sniffing the air for a time, and Ryan was back in the kitchen, enjoying a plate of macaroni and cheese, and a glass of milk. Emily was texting somebody on her phone, absorbed into what she was doing. “Nope, I don’t smell much of anything.” Ryan stated, looking at the basement door from the corner of his eye.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">When the young ones had returned home, a half hour after their siblings, many of the family members retired to their rooms to focus on the dreaded school work. Most of the family did that, however…

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Uncle Pyro…can I come in now? I have to work on my school work.” Fencer complained standing outside of the door, his backpack strapped over his shoulder, and Pyro slowly came out looking at the boy with a bewildered look and then he nodded, slipping off towards the downstairs study. Ryan was already sliding under the trapdoor and letting out a heavy sigh. “So?” The uncle asked and Ryan nodded. “Yes! Success!” the man did a little dance in the doorway of the study. “There is a tiny shaft I have gotten into from our already constructed trapdoor here see?” he stated unrolling a parchment onto the study table. It was a general blueprint of the house. “Keia’s room is right here, and this is her closet.” Ryan pointed towards a small box on the top floor. “It just so happens, that you picked the perfect closest to store your plant, if you follow the coordinates down, you find that there is a hole big enough to fit a grown man through the shaft. You shimmy up from right here.” He stepped under one of the ceiling tiles and looked up. “There should only be venting problems, which wouldn’t make sense because the vents line the outside of the house, the bathroom pipes run down into each other, so we can cut a section right here…” Ryan traced the lines on the ceiling. “Okay, big boy, let’s get to it!”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Most of the week went by as the other days had, minus the ridiculous drama and hardship. Even the father seemed to appear less stressful, and talk of Itachio grew fainter, though it remained in the backs of their minds, they were survivors. Saturday rolled around, and many of the older girls went off to the city or were locked away in their rooms. Subconsciously, Ryan noticed that Elizabeth was following Keia around more than her usual self, and more often than not, Courtney would be in tow as well. “It is what you get for being born in a family of girls.” Pyro stated fiddling with the newly added trapdoor. “You don’t get to go shopping… and once and a while things seriously turn to hell.” He grunted as some debris came down on top of him. “Sorry about that.” Ryan called down the shaft. “Did you have any sisters?” he asked and the uncle nodded. “I think so. Not sure where she is… maybe she wasn’t my sister…” the two continued to work on the shaft. It came right up into Keia’s closest. A cleverly constructed carpet covering was installed on the door, so it blended in perfectly with the rest of the closet. There were many different shelves along the way, little pockets inside of the shaft. “If we got the electric outlet from a nearby room, we might be able to put a plant or two in here.” Ryan stated sliding down the shaft along the makeshift rope ladder they had, and he plopped down onto the study table. “Not too loud mate, the pretty lady already suspects me of being a criminal…” he stated slowly opening the study door. Fencer was mindless staring at the screen of the TV, controller in his hand, and Sarah was sitting pleasantly next to him. The uncle closed the door and nodded. “Kids gonna grow up to be zombies.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“I’d rather have Fencer a zombie than an atomic bomb.” Ryan mumbled installing the hinge of the door and swung it down into the study. “…Then with this pin here…you can secure the trapdoor in place, and with this tile cover, you can easily conceal it, just like the other trapdoor.” He pointed out to the uncle. “Great good man, you are truly amazing at helping a guy out.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“I’m bored. Nobody is around, this sucks.” Sarah stated as she watched her brother handle the control, staring mindlessly up at the screen. “Yeah…” he said, though he had no idea of what he was saying. “Isn’t there anything to do…like explore the rest of the house perhaps…” she stated and finally Fencer put down the controller. A zoned out-look crossed his eyes and he blinked a couple of times. Then he got really close to his sister. “We could delve into the mysteries…of the house!” he echoed softly, like a ghost story teller. He slowly stalked off towards his room, and she followed him curiously. Like a detective he slowly swung the door open. They came into the room, and Sarah covered her nose. “How do you sleep in here?” she asked. “You get used to it…” he replied, and then they came upon the closet. “This is the first of our mysteries… the closet we aren’t supposed to open…and late at night there is a ominous glow coming from it.” He looked around quickly, and then he slowly put his hand on the knob. Slowly he pulled back the door and he looked into the brightly glowing room.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“What is this?” he stated. “It looks like a garden to me.” Sarah replied looking at the array of lime green plants which were all sitting underneath the strange lights. “Here, I will get a pencil and paper, you are going to record all of our mysterious finding, and then we will try to solve the mysteries.” He fished out a notebook from his back path and handed it to Sarah. “Uncle Pyro…is growing a garden…in his closest…” she wrote down and then she nodded. “Got it.” The two moved from the room, and explored a few of the other rooms, and eventually they came to the study. They quietly listened at the door for a moment. “Ryan and uncle Pyro were in there…” he whispered and slowly he tried the knob. The door was unlocked and then he peered inside. The room was empty. They stood there for a moment, mouths gaping.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Looking for someone?” Ryan asked standing behind them. They turned around quickly, frozen in place by shock. “How did you do that?” he asked and Ryan shrugged. “I came back down the stairs because I forgot something…” he stated pretending that it was nothing. Fencer turned to Sarah. “Another mystery!” he whispered, and she wrote it down. ‘The vanishing basement study’

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Think of it as a way of working your way up our ranks.” The man stated looking at the young man with a gleam in his eye. “You hired me to be a cleaner?” stated, there was a level of anger in his voice and then man rubbed his chin for a moment. “Not necessarily…you will be working late nights… but during the day, we need someone who is a cleaning man.” He stated and the boy seemed to cheer up a little. “We investigated this record. We found out who you are. You are a minor who ran away from home. A missing person file was not reported…so we don’t have an obligation to report you to the police. Understand this: minimum wage. If you complain about your salary, even once, you will be sent back to your family in Lethbridge, understand?” the man stated and Itachio nodded. “Yes sir. I understand.” A dark cloud came over his head, but he felt like he had accomplished something. He would prove his worth, and eventually he would turn eighteen and no longer be a minor. There was a message on his phone and he saw that it was from Ryan.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Now he cares huh? Do you miss me bro? Huh? Too bad, I hope you suffer. You should’ve been there to stop me.” He smiled to himself. He would make them all suffer for what they had done to him. He left the message in the inbox and then walked out of the office building. He had a job now, a purpose, and he could live here. It was nice and sunny here in California. It wasn’t too far from the ocean, and it was the exact opposite of the cold climate of Lethbridge, gray and hostile. He put a pair of sunglasses on his face. ‘This is what he had been missing, a real life!’

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">A week had gone by since their gray arrival and miserable adaptation to this new house, upon this barren flattened hill. Every morning the kids would wake up, go to school, and come back. Each day, at the same time and hour, across from the LaChavr house, the eyes watched. She held a phone in one hand, and slowly brought it up to her mouth. “Everyday…three o’clock, it is the little one, we must have the little ones…they are weak…and easy prey… in two days it will be Friday…yes mister Ardock… Friday…my little birds will come to me…” the old lips parted and the sickly tongue emerged from the ancient maw. Naught of this was seen by the siblings, save for a pair of dark eyes from the mansion’s attic.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">To be continued.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Keep a look out for episode 4; coming this Thursday!

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Episode 4: The hammer falls [upon the anvil]

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Friday morning, the alarms didn’t go off at seven. His chest rose and fell, as he was sprawled out on the extent of the bed. Today, he would sleep.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“I don’t know why we are at the airport, Sarah, we just are!” Courtney stated standing next to her sister. There were many people running all over the busy port, wearing suits and ties, and wearing fancy hats, with briefcases and a low formal murmur echoed throughout the plastic halls. Newspapers folding, coffee brewing, the sights and smells were pleasant. The two girls looked around for a moment, when Courtney opened up a letter. “It’s from brother. He wants us to fly out to see him!” she said, reading the instructions. “Did he really send it?” Sarah asked jumping up to see the letter. “Un-huh, he even bought tickets for us!” she exclaimed showing the two tickets. “Oh wow!”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Reading the instructions they found the gate, and paused for a moment. They put their bags through the metal detector. They came to the plane, which was packed with grown people for the most part. “Won’t we get in trouble for missing school?” Sarah whispered and Courtney shrugged. “I don’t know, but Itachio is more important than that!” she stated. “Yeah, I guess you are right…” then the plane began to take off.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Sometime later in the day, shortly after lunch time, Keia was approached by two young boys. “Hey sis!” Fencer called running up to his elder sibling. “Huh, what is it?” she asked, and the two boys stopped for a moment. There was a look of slight distaste in their eyes, displeasure. “Where is Courtney and Sarah?” the boys asked in unison. The girl paused for a moment, and then she remembered back to last week when Courtney ran off on her own. ‘Can it be that…she has run off again?’She reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. No point in calling her directly, she went straight to Ryan who would be home.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Hello?” he asked sleepiness in his voice. “Are Courtney and Sarah at home?” she asked, tension rose within in her. There was a pause. “No…I don’t think so…why aren’t they at school?” he replied and there was a long pause. “Then…they…are gone…” she whispered and closed the phone. “Hm, who are you anyways?” she asked the other boy who was standing next to Fencer. “Deunte” he stated, “I am Courtney’s friend.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“What happened to Sarah and Courtney?” Fencer asked and Keia shrugged. “They didn’t go to school today. Go back to class.” She stated walking away. As she went to class she shook her head, there would be no stopping them from leaving.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“There is no way that they could’ve left…they wouldn’t get far without help.” Ryan said to himself lying on the back of the mattress and then smiling. “Ha, so that is how it is…well…I’ll trust your judgment for now.” He closed his eyes and fell back asleep.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“AH! Sarah look at how small it is!” Courtney said, pushing her face against the window. “Ah! Let me see! Let me see!” the two sisters stared out of the window in awe at the sprawling expanse of land beneath them. “California… have you ever been there?” Sarah asked and Courtney gave her an odd look. “When have I ever been to a place without you?” she asked. “Maybe before I was born I don’t know…” she stated. It wasn’t long before they made it to their destination. They stepped out of the port and looked around the sunny sky, noticing the buildings; the ocean…the entire scene was in complete contrast of their new home. There were a lot of people around, the two girls walked along the sidewalk. “Ah, Sarah, where do you think brother Itachio is?” Courtney asked looking up and down the various buildings and houses. “It says here that he is staying at the hotel…uh…isn’t that the one?” Sarah pointed towards a large building towards the ocean side. “Yes! He wouldn’t call us out here for no reason…ah…brother we are coming for you!”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">He stood in the hallway, pushing the large mop back and forth, staring at the water blankly. His hair was growing out now, his eyes looked different to him. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone. “Elizabeth…huh?” he flipped it open. ‘I have a present for you.’He smirked, and put the phone away. “They’ll learn to give up eventually.” He continued to clean, looking forward to another night. He had done a lot of work, as well as a little side project. He still did not want to be pushed around because he was a kid. He had gotten away from his family; he was clever enough to fool these people as well. It had been a while since he had actually gone to the hotel; he had been working so hard on the project. “Maybe I’ll go and sleep this night, after all it is Friday. They give me the weekends off at least…” he finished the hallway and checked his watch. “Ah, shift ends in four more hours…” he mumbled and then walked into the bathroom. He reached into his pocket. He walked into one of the stalls and slowly looked up at a ventilation box just above the toilet. He lifted the grate, and placed a small device into the box. ‘Stay safe in till later.’He thought stepping out of the bathroom.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Hey sis…why didn’t we been Fencer?” Sarah asked and Courtney shrugged. “I don’t know, the note only mentioned us, Itachio probably doesn’t know that Fencer came back.” She replied, the two were sitting down at the restaurant. “It was sure nice of brother to give us all this money!” Sarah stated munching on a basket of French fries. “He is walking home from school about now…” Courtney stated looking at her watch.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The golden brown leaves fluttered from the twigs, and onto the frozen grass. The young boy placed one foot over the next. His face was chilled, and his jacket was tightly wrapped around him. The sky had turned cloudy, and the wind ever so harsh. He grasped the straps of his backpack and looked down the long road to see the large houses and wondering what had happened to his fellow comrades. There was nothing there…without them. His expression darkened. ‘Why does brother always treat me so… where is everyone…where is mother…where is father…how come I don’t see them anymore?’he closed his eyes against the wind, feeling the leaves circle around him.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The old woman sat in her chair, looking out of the window. The old phone was clutched in her hand, her finger nails hadn’t been cut in weeks. The gnarled old face had lost most of its color; her physique in general was droopy, and poor. The old red sweater she had put on two weeks ago was still clinging to her frail body as her face curled into a smile, and then he slowly vanished. He threw back the curtains to see that there was just one of the small children there walking down the street and her mouth opened wide. “ARDOCK!” she screamed into the telephone. She slammed the receiver onto the carpet and clutched the chair that stood next to the window. Her fingers dug into the weathered furniture, and blood trickled down into the cotton itself. “Those…bastards….are…are they…mocking me!?” she placed on hand on her face, and began to breathe heavily. She was licking her lips and the blood vessels in her eyes began to redden. A string of saliva poured from her maw and onto the green carpet. “All for….you…mister…Ardock…” she wheezed, watching a duo of black vans pull around the small boy. She placed her wrinkled hand against the window pane and began to laugh. “Bring him to me when you are done… I want…I want…them all…” she laughed, tilting her head back, a grueling moan which pulsed from the depths of her throat. A bloody handprint remained on the windowpane. The mansion filled with her echoing screeches. An emptiness to her voice, her entire body shook as she crawled from the living room and up into the stairs.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">All was dark for Fencer, as a bag had been thrown over his head, and he could tell that he had been thrown against the side of a vehicle, which was now moving very fast. There were about five or so men who were sitting around him, he could hear them breathing, but all else was silent. His hands and feet were bound, and somewhere in there his mouth was gagged, it had happened so fast, he couldn’t even process it entirely. Then he could hear someone on the phone.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Old Bernice’s friend did it. She is waiting.” The man said, and then there was closing of the phone. “Did you deliver the message to the girl?” one of the men asked. “Yes, I did. LaChavr should be receiving it soon…” there was a pause, and then. “Why didn’t we just kidnap the girl, she is probably worth much more.” The other man asked and there was a murmur. “Jaque considered it, but, it was too risky.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Hey, didn’t Bernice’s friend tell us about two other girls? Three hostages are better than one…” a bored voice asked. “I guess they didn’t run the usual route today, lucky I guess.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Are there any black widows left?”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Shut up, you aren’t supposed to talk about black widows outside of the AK.” A low voice broke into the conversation. “Stop talking in general.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Keia had already been home for a while, and she stood outside of the Uncle’s room. Slowly the door opened, and the man looked at her curiously. “Oh, Keia…what is up?” he asked nonchalantly. She narrowed her eyes for a moment. “There is guy at the club, he calls himself ‘Damian’, he wanted me to give you this…” she handed him a piece of paper, and he looked it carefully. “Did you read it?” he asked quickly and she shook her head. “I am not a pry” she stated and then walked away. He slowly opened up the letter and then cursed softly. He took out a lighter from his pocket and burned up the small note and stomped it out. He kept cursing, closing the door and stopping. “So soon…too soon…”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The house was very quiet. Emily was texting at the table. Keia was upstairs doing homework, and Elizabeth was nowhere in sight as usual. The mother was sitting in the study, looking over various papers and shuffling them about. Her eyes scanned the various documents and she would smile occasionally and then it would turn dark and grim. “Mother.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">She turned to see Ryan standing in the doorway. “Yes, what is it?” she asked and his face was veiled in darkness, a seriousness never seen before was deep within him. She slowly stood up, worry crossing into her face. “What is it?” she asked again. “I am calling a family meeting.” He echoed and the words cascaded into the study, and she stopped dead in her tracks. “But…son…only…your father can…” she wasn’t sure what to say, he looked strong, bold, serious beyond compare. “Father would never make the call. I am making it for him.” He stated, and then slowly closed the study door, leaving her there in her thoughts. ‘What has come over you?’she asked sitting back down and pulling out her phone. “Daniel…I think…we need to talk…”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">It was getting late, and Itachio stood at the doorway of the company. He looked around the streets and sighed. He shoved his hands into his pockets and stared up at the stars. He thought back for a moment, wondering what Elizabeth’s text was about. She wouldn’t coax him home like that, if there was anyone in the family who was smarter than him, it would be her. He paused. His phone was vibrating. He pulled it out to see that it was a call from Courtney. His eyes narrowed. He answered it. “Stop trying.” He stated, and he was about to hang up, when he heard something strange, a lot of people in the background. “Brother! Open the door!” she yelled. He stopped dead in his tracks, and he slammed the phone shut. He thought about it for a moment. ‘It couldn’t be…’he thought to himself walking down the street and seeing his hotel in the distance. If he gave it enough time, he would be able to figure out a way to tell for sure without getting caught in an emotional battle. He pulled out his cell phone, and called Courtney.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">He stood waiting for a while, standing outside of the hotel. “Brother!” the excited voice made him scowl, but he kept still. “Where are you?” he stated quickly. “Outside of your room!” he could hear Sarah in the background now. “You are in San Diego?” he asked, knowing that if they were not, they’d be able to find him, yet if they were, it would mean that someone knew he had come here. “Yes, are you not home?” she asked suddenly. ‘So she figured out where I was; now I have to figure out how, and relocate.’He thought to himself. “I am working all night.” He stated, “Go back home.” He closed the phone, and then he slowly began to walk back to the office. ‘Was it my phone?’he thought to himself looking at the phone suspiciously. He smirked; it was good to know that at least one of the family members could get up with him.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">‘We traced it…they are in San Diego.’

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">‘What good is that, we don’t have enough people to cover all of that ground?’

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">‘Should we finish up our business here first?’

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">‘Send Paral to collect them.’

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">‘Yes, Ardock, as you say.’

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">It was after dinner, at one end of the table sat Ryan, dressed in his most elegant attire. His hands rested on the worn surface staring down the length of the table. At his left was father, his right mother, then, Keia sat across from Elizabeth, and Emily was across from Uncle Pyro. All eyes were on the eldest son, and his expression was blank he slowly stood up. As was tradition, the other members stood up after. All lowered their heads in respect. “It may be unorthodox for a son to call a meeting while the father still breathes, but allow the family meeting to commence.” Ryan stated outstretching his arms, and all seated themselves. He remained standing; his eyes stared down at the faces of his family. Somewhere deep within the core of his essence there was a smile, crossing an invisible face. “First order of business…”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">To be continued…

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Episode Five: Drawing first blood

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">He stood in the hallway of the house, looking down at the frayed rug, and the faded colors of the design. He thought of the person who had made it, it was old enough to be hand crafted to say the least. He pictured a woman with dark skin sitting at the loom, and thinking carefully, each strand of thread, to create the pattern he saw before him. He was wearing a white dress shirt, buttoned up entirely, and a dark brown suit. Black dress pants, and black shoes. His hair was combed and his hat was upstairs on the bed. This was tradition. A fond memory came to him as he stood in the hallway, looking up from the rug and up at the ceiling. His grandfather, the father of his own father, once stood in a hallway like this, in a different town, thinking over what was going to happen. There was a controversy between the marriage between father and mother. The family, once known as Chavair, had conjoined with the family Lavante, and so they created a bond between the families which went against the code. That is when the Chavair became the LaChavr, and from that meeting, there has been no word from either side.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Ryan did not know of the code, he was the eldest son of a mixed family, one that did not belong. It was all very confusing to him, and his father had vowed silence. Whatever there was to know about Chavair, or Lavante was irrelevant, they would never bother associating themselves; The LaChavr family is an outcast family, trying to fit into a society which naturally rejects them. They cannot stay still because they are hunted. They will eventually become bloodless, and when the children of Daniel and Miyana have children of their own, the tie will be officially broken. Those who break from the family are exiled. Those who continue to associate themselves with the exiled are also removed. To keep the blood pure, but Ryan knew what he could do. He had Chavair and Lavante blood inside of him, and he knew that LaChavr would not just die; it would be problem still for many years to come.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The door to the dining room opened. The father looked at his son with a deep glance. “Shall we prepare then?” the father asked and Ryan nodded silently without looking. “Am I doing the right thing?” he asked, and the father paused for a moment, and he sighed. “You are the only one of our children who has a vague idea of what our family is. You are clever, and a good leader. I know you would want to lead LaChavr to glory one day, but it won’t. It will die, and you will die with it.” He cleared his throat and began to walk towards the stairs. “I am still the father of this family. You do not tell them what is going on, even if you think it is best for them to know, you will not disobey me.” Ryan did not look into his father’s stare and he nodded. “I understand father, I will do as you say…” when he heard the footsteps finish their ascent of the stairs he smiled to himself. “You’ve slipped under his radar?” he asked nobody in particular. The hallway was empty, the dining room was empty, and it was dark outside. He slowly strode towards the door. “Don’t worry, we’ll go across the street later…just wait for the knock…” he paused at the threshold of the door. Pyro had just entered the dining room from the basement. He was in fancy attire as well. “Hello…Ryan…” the uncle nodded, his was very formal, and serious.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The father knocked on the door. “Keia…are you in there?” he asked and the door slowly opened. “I’m working on homework…” she stated, there were some books on the bed, the glow of a computer on the desk in the corner. “Change into something nice, and come to the dining room in fifteen minutes.” She gave him a strange look and then he closed the door and moved on. She heard him telling Emily the same thing a few doors down. Then he walked into the middle of the hall and paused. “Where is Elizabeth?” There was a pause, and then footsteps came out of nowhere. “I am ready father.” She stated quietly, “How did you know?” he asked baffled. ‘What is going on?’Keia thought slowly searching her closest from something nice to wear.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Now…the first order of business. Our dear, youngest brother Fencer has been kidnapped.” He said the words slowly, letting them sink into those who were there at the table. “What?! My precious little baby is…how can you act so calm during all of this?” the mother stated franticly, the father put his hands up to his head, and Keia did not seem to believe it herself. Elizabeth turned away from the others, and Emily was distraught. “Who kidnapped him?” Keia asked, finding herself and Ryan closed his eyes and sighed. “I don’t know who did it, if anyone has any idea, please speak now.” He paused and his father kept his hands up to his face. “Very well. Second order of business: Courtney and Sarah, our other little siblings, have flown out to San Diego…apparently they had the idea that they were going to bring Itachio back.” He stated, and there were more sounds of despair echoing out from the other family members. “How could this be happening to us?” The mother stated exasperated. “How…how could they just leave…without saying goodbye…why…why is our family destined to fall apart?” she crumbled onto the table. Ryan sighed scratching the back of his neck. “This meeting was called so we can take extra care of ourselves. It has grown dangerous to be here. At first I thought things would eventually turn out alright, but Fencer was kidnapped, and so the situation has grown dire. I believe that when I first called this meeting, we should come together as a family, instead of drift apart. Father spends his time at work, trying to help our family survive during this time of change. Mother has come back, for which we are thankful, but she too is working now, and it falls upon me, as the eldest son to call us back together. We have been trying to live the lives we once had…but those days are over. We must now face the new path before us, bond together, and defend ourselves against our enemies.” He clenched his fist, and looked down the table, all eyes were on him, and there was a mixture of confusion and sorrow. “What is going on, enemies, we have enemies?” Keia asked and Ryan closed his eyes and within himself he could feel an anger rising. Then the father stood up. “That is enough…a general association between a kidnapped son and the wealth of our family must have been made. We live in this large house after all…Ryan, you may seat yourself now…” the son did.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Why don’t we go to the police and get Fencer back?” Emily asked standing up as well. “No. We cannot go to the police. They will ask too many questions…” Ryan stated looking towards the front door. “What?” Emily exclaimed. “Me and your mother will look for Fencer…do not worry…” he said to Emily, and then he turned to Pyro and the other members. “Anyone have anything else to add?” he asked sternly. Nobody spoke. “Elizabeth, Keia, Emily. Go back to your rooms now. You have a lot of studying to do.” He stated and the three girls left quietly, slowly, and Ryan could sense bitterness coming from Emily especially. He raised his fist, and tapped it on the table a couple of times. “What is the next step?” he asked, and the father looked at him angrily. “You almost stepped over the line…” it grew still once more. “You guys need to go to the AK club. That is where they took Fencer.” Pyro stated slowly standing up and nodding towards Ryan and Miyana, and going back down into the basement. “You,” the father said turning to Ryan. “You will stay here. Protect the house. Don’t follow us. Don’t leave your sisters behind.” He patted his son the shoulder, and still dressed in their fancy clothes, the husband and wife dashed out of the door. There was no sign of a car starting, all was quiet. Ryan removed the suit, but kept his shirt on. He then slowly walked towards the door, and peered out. He looked at the house across the street and then he smiled. “I think it is time to go…” he echoed opening the door and stepping out onto the rugged drive. “Yes it is…” Elizabeth stated appearing next to him.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">All was dark for Fencer; he could hear the heart of a beat throbbing nearby. It was above him in fact. The veil had been lifted and his bonds were mostly untied. He could breathe normally. Yet he was tied to the wall or something very heavy, for he could not move from his position. Through the throb of the music he could not hear anything else, and for that matter nobody would be able to hear him. General shapes lined the walls that he could not see. Adrenaline rushed through his veins. “Fencer LaChavr…we have been waiting for you…” the voice was quiet, but he jumped just the same. He thought to speak, but fear drove the words from his throat. “There is a gun pointed at your head right now. So you best learn to speak very soon…” the man stated. “What…what do you want with me?” he asked struggling against his bonds. “Stop moving and we might tell you.” The man ordered and the boy stopped moving. “Good. We just want a blood sample, that’s all.” The man stated, and Fencer felt a hand grip his arm.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Ah…Sarah, brother says he is working all night!” Courtney complained leaning against the hotel wall. “Maybe we should get a room ourselves?” Sarah asked, and Courtney thought for a moment. “You know it is kind of weird, but brother did send us these tickets…” she slowly got up. “We should go to his work!” she exclaimed and Sarah blinked a couple of times. “But I’m tired Courtney…” she stated, and the two sat in the hall for a moment. “Ah, these tickets were only one way too…” she complained, looking at the remains of their tickets.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">They came down into the lobby, came to the counter. “Excuse me, our family came on vacation here, but our brother got mad at us, and locked us out of our room!” Courtney said at the front desk and the worker there frowned. “Is that so, what is the room number and name?” the man asked. “207, Itachio LaChavr!” the girl stated and the man looked it up. “According to our records…he paid for the room by himself… he has been staying there for quite some time now.” The man looked back at the girls. “It is a business trip our father is going on, he might make a deal here so we are temporarily living in this hotel!” Courtney stated. “It’s true!” Sarah added and the man smiled. “Alright then, I guess I will let you in…but just this once.” He led them back up the stairs and to the room. He inserted the key to the door and opened it. “There you go…” he then slowly walked down to the lobby. He paused for a moment. He picked up a phone and dial a number. “Paral, I have the location you need…”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Boy, Itachio sure is neat!” Sarah stated looking at the flawlessly made bed, and the neatly folded clothes in the dresser. “Oh! There is even a fridge in here!” Courtney stated opening up the fridge and taking out some food. “Don’t worry, we have plenty of money to pay him back…” she stated throwing some food into the microwave. Sarah jumped up and down on the bed. “Ah…look at the moon, so pretty!” Courtney stated seeing the moon through the curtains. “Ah….” Sarah sighed, resting her head on the pillow and closing her eyes.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">He had just left the bathroom, the device was back in his pocket, and he was now sitting in front of a computer. “You look tired Itachio.” An old man said sitting at a different screen. “I have a lot to do.” He replied not looking away from the screen. “Ah, I’m off then, don’t push yourself too hard.” The man left the building and the boy smirked. “Whatever.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">They ran quickly across the street, their feet pattering against the hard top, through the leaf ridden lawn. The skeletal trees, the full moon which was held above their heads, a net of clouds which watched over the scene below them, all was dark and cloaked in mystery. They could feel something behind the giant doors that was not normal. A tingling sensation filled Ryan as he approached the door. Yet he appeared calm, Elizabeth stood across from him on the other end of the door. He then tried the handle, it was locked. He looked at his sister for a moment, and she nodded, running off towards the side of the house, and moments later the door was open. The two siblings looked around the dark house. There were many pieces of furniture. The rooms were filled with elegant pieces, the dark wood table, the crystal chandelier, the soft chairs, and majestic portraits lined the walls. Then from the top of the stairs there came a strange rasping sound. A howling shriek came, Ryan entered the living room, and looking up the stairs he could see a strange deformed being standing atop the staircase. Maddening blood shot eyes stared down at him. The weathered face twisted into a smile, as a long red tongue rolled from the crusted lips. Like a beast, she was hunched on all fours, the gray hair was falling from her head and there were holes in the red sweater. In her right hand there was a long spear, an antique no doubt, but it struck the young man as odd to see the grotesque figure standing at top of the stairs with a medieval weapon.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Then she dove, launching herself from the top of the stair with her hands, arcing down the steps and right towards him. Her speed was uncanny for her age, but her appearance would suggest that something else was at hand. He could barely see the attack, and yet he managed to pull back, jumping away from the sharp spear as it left a hole into the green carpet. The spear was quickly uprooted, and it swiped out towards his face, but he ducked, and rammed forward, throwing a fist at her stomach. One punch, two, three, four. The elderly woman had reached the far wall, when she jumped, Ryan’s fist hit the wall straight on, and blood came from his knuckles. She came directly down with the spear, he leaned back, as the spear skimmed him, landing into the floor once more. Then Elizabeth showed up from above, kneeing the old woman in the face, sending her back into the wall. Blood poured from her nose and she moaned gasping for air. Her hands and body shook and her eyes rolled back and out of sight. Her skin rolled, and the two siblings backed away slowly staring at her. “What is this?” he asked and his sister shook her head. The old woman moved again, screaming as she charged the two siblings. They dodged in opposite directions, her speed had increased, and she twirled the spear behind her back, advancing upon Elizabeth this time, which either would go up the stairs or into the dining room. She dodged back, avoiding the spear attacks with ease. The sound of a lamp being torn apart broke out. An end table shattered, the woman advanced upon the youth. Elizabeth jumped over the table without looking back, keeping her eyes on the opponent. She was back against the wall, and her hands reached for the knives, which were in a wooden holder on the counter. The spear came, and the girl jumped, falling down the length of the spear, she stuck the knife into the woman’s throat. The house grew quiet. The woman convulsed only once, before falling onto the carpet. The blood ran all over the floor and the two siblings looked at each other. They closed their eyes, in the silence, and then they slowly walked out of the house.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“You just killed an old lady…” Ryan stated and they stopped. “She was suffering…” she replied, and Ryan nodded. “I know… you are better than I remember.” He added and then they came into the house. Keia was standing in the dining room with a bowl of ice cream, when she saw them enter the house. “There you are!” she stated, walking up to them, and then she stopped. Ryan’s hands were covered in blood, and Elizabeth had more than her share of blood on her as well. The other sister stared at them wide eyed and Ryan placed a hand on her shoulder. “Rest easy, it isn’t our blood…” he stated, and then thinking of how absurd that must sound. “I am really, sorry Keia.” He said then, walking towards the first floor bathroom to clean off the blood. Elizabeth stood in the doorway, looking at her sister. She glanced up the stairs, and Emily was standing there, with a dark look in her eyes. “Keia…Ryan will explain everything to you one day…” she stated, and then she slowly walked upstairs.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">‘What is happening…do I even belong here?’she thought, and then Ryan came back. “I am going to bed.” She stated, and then she walked up the stairs, and the eldest brother went to the kitchen, he sat down and he stared at his hands. He opened up his phone. “Third time this week I’ve thought to text you…” he muttered.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The cold steel rubbed up against his arm, and the boy cried out in pain, he could feel the liquid blood running down his arm and off of his hand. He held back the tears and winced. “Why don’t we just kill him?” one man stated, and the other shrugged. “We have orders. If we can bargain for the elder son for the younger one…” the other stated placing a cap on the jar. “I am going to give this to Ardock now…” light filled the room, and then two figures walked out, and then it grew dark once more. Nobody had bothered to clean the wound; blood was still dripping from his arms.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Two figures appeared at the entrance of the club. They were wearing fancy clothes, and they looked at the two bouncers who were standing there. When they approached they were stopped. “Who are you?” one asked, and the man looked up at him. Then, in a instance later, the man was on the floor, the other bouncer came up to see what the hell had happened, but the woman came up to him and kicked him in the crotch, he fell forward, and the man slammed his fist into his gut.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; "> The father then removed the guns from them, and gave one to his wife. Then slowly came into the club, and looked around, everything was as it should be people were at the bar drinking, lights were flashing, people were dancing. Nothing was out of place, or suspicious. Then walked from the exit quickly, not wanting to be found out so soon, the blended into the crowd to search for anything else. Then, the music stopped, suddenly. People stopped dancing, the couple looked around. Two men at the bar held semi-automatics, a few more men wearing suits came through the crowd, holding handguns. The couple was surrounded by guns. “Everyone else get out!” one of the men yelled, and people quickly hurried towards the exit. It didn’t take long in till everyone was gone. “Well, well, well…Daniel Chavair…and Miyana Lavante… the diabolical architects of the LaChavr family.” A man stated walking up to them. “We have a proposal to make…if you care to listen…”  

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Episode six: Nostalgia

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">There was a sandy beach not too far from the old rickety shack. The call of the gulls lined the shore, and the quiet and the silence, a young boy standing on the rocky lava flows examining the endlessness of the lake. He wore khaki shorts, and was bare foot, looking at white caps as the crashed in a grand finale. He was smiling; it was going to be a good day. “Ryan!” a voice called out to him, and he turned to see his younger sister running towards him, her flip flops nearly slipping off of her feet. Her hair was bright in the sun and he smiled as she came closer to him. “Whoa! Is that the ocean?” the girl asked and Ryan shook his head patting her on the shoulder. “No, that is lake superior. This where I was born.” He told her and she stared out in awe at the lake. “Guys!” another voice called out and the pair turned. “Itachio!” the girl called. The three stood on the rock, listening to the gulls crying out, a pleasant breeze brushed against their hair, and the beach was vacant. The three siblings eventually came down to the shore and touched the cold waves.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“That is really, really cold!” Keia exclaimed running from the coming waves and Ryan laughed as he dug into the sand, slowly making a miniature puddle on the shoreline. “This is an artificial beach, a bunch of people had to move the rocks away and place sand here so people could enjoy the lake…” Ryan explained as he continued his work. “Such a big lake…” Itachio echoed, digging his feet into the sand and then laying on his back, staring up at the vast blue. They could hear the sounds of a baby crying. “I wonder which one it is.” Keia stated looking at Ryan’s growing basin of water. “Probably Emily, Elizabeth never cries….” Ryan stated dipping his feet into the pool. “Keia…Ryan…Itachio?” a voice called from the small house. It was the voice of the mother. “Come in and get some lunch…” she sounded happy, and the three children ran from the beach. The perfect day….

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">His eyes snapped open. He had fallen asleep at the kitchen table, his head wrapped up in his arms and there was a bowl of empty cereal next to him. He had taken off his dress shirt at some point, for it was nowhere to be seen. He looked down at the black socks and blinked a couple of times. He slowly looked up at the window looking into the backyard. There were many trees huddled together, trying to keep each other warm, and their leaves were on the ground. The gray sky, the sunless horizon, his expression reflected the day suddenly. Empty, dead, he could not explain what it was; he looked back at himself and realized that he had been hiding the entire time. The only time this week he felt alive was when he was in that old lady’s house…and when he was out hunting for Courtney and Elizabeth. Sitting around did nothing for him, he wondered if Keia had slept in her or had already left. As he walked from the kitchen table to head upstairs, and perhaps try to capture the dream he had lost, he saw Emily coming down the stairs, fully dressed, and a collection of bags were with her. She stared at Ryan through a pair of sunglasses and smiled half-heartedly.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“Take me to the airport.” She stated quietly, and Ryan nodded. “Can do…”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">In a few moments they were driving down the road, and he quietly stared down the empty road wondering where Emily was going. They had never been close, she had practically raised Fencer, he could have guessed. They were almost there when he heard her sigh heavily and he turned to look at her. “Are you alright?” he asked and she nodded. “You are kind.” She stated after a few more minutes. “How do you reach that conclusion?” he asked, curious as to how it would come about. “I was trying to slip out without notice. I thought you might ask questions… but you are letting me go…at first I thought it was because you don’t…you don’t care about me or Fencer.” She echoed quietly, and then Ryan remembered something, she had been the closest one to Fencer, had something happened? He kept driving, and eventually they reached the airport. “Can you help me?” she asked, and then they slowly walked out of the car and headed towards the port. There was a man wearing a suit and a fedora style hat. He slowly stood up and handed her a ticket. “You can give me those bags.” The man said with a smile. He was young, and looked charismatic. “I’ll look after your sister, don’t worry.” He stated and Ryan nodded. Ryan, who was still tired from last night just slowly, began to walk towards the car. “Goodbye Ryan…and I am sorry…” she stated, he didn’t even bother turning around. The car was gone. Emily was gone now too, the man in the hat was with her. Where had the car gone? He could see the street sprawling out endlessly and he thought if it was another dream.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">He slowly removed his shirt and threw it onto the ground. He didn’t know why he did that. Then he began to smile. Then he began to laugh, and he fell to his knees. He couldn’t see them, because he was laughing so hard, but there were many of them with suits and ties. They threw a bag over his head and they placed a knife to his neck. He felt himself being dragged, but he continued to laugh, they had forgotten to gag him. He was thrown into a van and then it was closed behind him. They started to move. He kept laughing. “Did you drug him?” one of them asked. “No…I don’t know what the hell this kid is about…” the other replied.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">They were walking home in the bright morning, even though clouds blocked the sun, they could tell that something bright was waiting for them around the corner. The rough street reminded them of skinned knees and training wheels. The young boy when walked between his parents held onto his arm, his eyes were full of tears, the wind whipped at his face. An experience no child should have to bear. A gun pointed at your head, what do you do? Die and live the children in the hands of the inexperienced? Do you let the youngest of your family die? When you are to blame…what can you do? Weak, pathetic, they tried to rationalize their actions, wondering what the gods above them thought. The mother and the father cradled the boy with their arms, rustling his hair, and kissing him upon the face. They would walk up the length of the drive, and see everything as normal. They couldn’t help but cry, they knew it had happened.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The attic was quiet. The rooms were quiet. Only one sat in her room fast asleep. There were tears upon her face even though they were invisible and unfelt. Things had happened too fast, life would slow down again from this point on. There would be no more crazy ventures, everyone would be safe. Maybe their son would return home. Nobody greeted them as they entered the house. The young boy walked slowly towards the table. The father brought him ice cream in a bowl and the mother whispered into his ear. There were many tears, but they didn’t come, they were help within, away from the eyes to see. Every word spoke was an apology to the nonexistent. They would look up sometimes while still looking down, and they would say sorry without even realizing they were saying sorry.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“It is going to be okay…” was another way of saying sorry, that they hadn’t made it okay, they had done wrong. Everything was going to be okay. I am sorry. Sorry that they had lost two of their children, the children who were going to execute the family order. They were designed to continue the family history, and now they were dead. The sister came downstairs and saw the family there conversing and they smiled when they saw her. They told her to sit down and they shared their lies with her, as they had done for many, many years. Yet the only witness was no longer with them. They spoke of things that made her smile, but behind her smile there was something. It was too quiet, what was going on, she might have asked them. The basement door opened and the uncle came up, with a box. He handed it to the little boy, and patted him on the head. The boy opened it and looked at the figurine of Poseidon inside. He spoke words of happiness to him. The father handed the daughter a handful of money, and a pair of car keys. She looked at him for a moment. Everything seemed so unreal. The girl slowly left the house and got into the car and she opened up her phone, wanting to text her older brother.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">She found that there was a message on her phone from him; she must have missed it while she was sleeping last night. It was a voice message so she held the phone to her ear and slowly listened to it. ‘I thought last night, while eating a bowl of cereal, how it would feel someone walked into my house, covered in blood. I thought… how it would feel if I was brought into a family, who loved me very much…how it would feel to be lied to…and to figure it out ten years later. Somehow, this made me think of you. I was thinking of telling you in the morning, but I wanted to tell you in a phone message… I don’t know what they are going to tell you tomorrow…I don’t know what father is going to tell you… if he says anything to you at all. Don’t hurt yourself…Keia… I don’t want to think of your sad face, sitting in your room, holding your phone to your ear… I don’t want to see your tears falling onto the pages of a notebook. Remember the first time we played on the beach together as kids? We were so happy…that is what I want to see when I think of you… you may not share my blood, but…you are my sister, I was unfair to you… forgive me… I love you.’She paused, looking at the purse, and the keys, and the car she was sitting in. She closed the phone, she placed her hands on the steering wheel, and they were shaking. She then shoved the key into the ignition and put the car into drive and backed out, and began to drive, towards the city, anywhere but home. She had been so strong before. He had destroyed her entirely…he had unleashed what was inside of her. Itachio was gone. Courtney was gone. Sarah was gone. Elizabeth was gone. Ryan was gone. She didn’t know where she was going, or what she was going to do.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The father was in the attic, and he noticed that there was nothing in there. He sighed, placing his hands onto the wood of the doorframe and he looked at the dusty floorboards. He was perplexed. He had thought she had been sleeping in here the entire time. He had an idea that she had been up to something, she was never around when he was, it was uncanny, and he thought that she was up in this attic, the entire time. He clenched his fist. Whatever secrets she had they were gone with her, for she had shared the same fate as her brother. He hated to think of it like that, but the wise face stared down the road, and saw the path that Ryan would follow, and like the pied piper, he was going to lead all of the LaChavr to utter ruin, and his general, would no doubt be Elizabeth. No doubt the son would defy the father, it was natural. They had made many mistakes in the past; he did not want to think about it anymore. He slowly left the room and back onto the second floor. Emily was on her way to Mexico. He sighed, she wanted to leave, she was old enough to survive, besides, Miyana’s sister was a good person. Jonathan was strict, but he loved his daughters, and his daughters loved their daughters. He sometimes wished that his own father could be like that; perhaps Itachio would still be here, the better choice as the family ruler. He lived by rationale. Ryan was a leader, who was strong in spirit, but his ambitions overrode his reason from times, he had seen it before, especially when it came to his siblings, he was very protective of them.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“What kind of daughter ships her two sisters off to San Diego?” Miyana asked stepping into the hallway looking at Daniel and he shrugged. “We rushed into things too quickly I think, but things will start to slow down, I promise you.” He came up to his wife and kissed her. “We age slowly…” she whispered. “I think that ended up being our downfall…” Daniel murmured back.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Uncle Pyro was sitting on the stairs; a notebook was in his hands. The sounds of Fencer running around the basement throwing punches and kicks echoed throughout. The uncle flipped through the notebook. He paused on a page. “The garden inside of Uncle Pyro’s closest…” he read the words, and slowly looked up at the boy. Then he looked towards the study. “Time for you to go upstairs…I need to do some work on the carpet…” the uncle stated and the boy stopped what he was doing. “Can I have some ice cream?” he asked and the uncle nodded. “Have as much as you want.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The boy ran up the stairs and into the kitchen and he looked around. He heard a sound coming from the first floor study. He ran towards the door and slowly opened it. What he saw on the table made his jaw drop. He quickly closed the door and thought to run back downstairs. Instead he ran into the pantry and hid behind a shelf. Then he began to smile to himself. “Another brother…please…another brother…” he muttered to himself.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Keia had reached the end of the city base, and stopped in the middle of nowhere. She had split her tears. She just slumped over and stayed there.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Morning in San Diego, Itachio was sitting in his hotel room, looking through the fridge. ‘They ate my food…’He thought staring at the empty fridge darkly. He was glad that he had come back when he did. The door was left unlocked; anyone could have just walked in here. Two young girls who were out of their league, he smiled. They were still asleep, and he was thinking of what he should do next. There were heavy bags under his eyes, and he looked ill. He drank a glass of milk and let out a deep sigh. It had taken many, many times, but he had finally looked at those annoying little messages that Ryan kept sending, and it had done much good for him in the end. They told him to be careful. All of them told him that something was coming, and there was a feeling to the urgency of the message, he felt there might be some truth to it. Especially something else on the last message: “Father always wanted you to be the leader.” The boy who had grown to up smart, who had learned to think, his only weakness was himself. That was how it had come to be, and Itachio wondered why Ryan would ever say such a thing. Leader, was there need of one? Was the family falling apart back home? Was there need of him to come home? He thought as he looked at Courtney and Sarah resting on the bed next to each other. It was all to grandeur to be a trap. Father would never send the two young girls to San Diego. That was Elizabeth entirely. Still, the family he cared about was right here… of course Keia and Elizabeth and Ryan could handle themselves. He would keep Courtney and Sarah here, and he would try his best to take care of them. It was a test, a test! He could be their father, the right father, he could prove it. He began to think of enrolling them into school, and then he began to think of how expensive it would be. Just a little while longer and he wouldn’t be a minor anymore, and then he would be able to work full time at his job… he could support them if he got an apartment. He could even ask father for money. Yes, it was all starting to work. He was heartless; he cared about his family, sure, the ones who cared about him.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Courtney slowly opened her eyes, and she saw Itachio standing there, smiling to himself. “Brother?” she asked and he looked at her, his expression lessened a bit, but he nodded. “Good morning.” He stated, fatherly. “I have to go to work soon, sorry that I could not stay much longer.” He said fixing his dress shirt just a little bit. “Ah, when are you coming back home?” she asked and he looked back at her. “There is no going back, we are going to stay and live here in San Diego. Where the sun shines brightly, and the ocean…and the beach…” he paused for a moment, staring off in the distance. He thought he had heard the sound of a baby crying in the distance, and the smell of watermelon. He shook his head. “Now, I want you to look after your sister…” he kissed her on the head, and then he adjusted his tie and grabbed a suitcase and walked out of the door. She stared after him for a moment, speechless, and she turned to Sarah who was already awake. “We aren’t going home sis…brother has lost his mind…” she stated quietly, and Sarah nodded, hugging the pillow.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">As Itachio walked down the stairs, he felt a feeling tugging in the back of his mind, when he stopped. There was a man standing in the lobby, holding a gun. “Mr. LaChavr I presume.” The man stated, there were no other people nearby. The clerks who were usually standing by were nowhere to be seen. Itachio backed away slowly. “Now, now…come with me quietly, and there be…” the man was cut off, for the boy had darted back up the stairs. He dropped the suitcase and found the man following him, aiming the gun, and firing. Shots whizzed by him. He dove left into a door, and it opened under his pressure. Two of the residences were lying on the bed naked.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">“What the hell!” the man asked flinging off the sheets, but Itachio knew that he had made it to the second floor. He came to the balcony and leapt over the railing. He rolled over his shoulders, and he continued to run. If he was lucky, Courtney and Sarah wouldn’t be captured. Much to his dismay, the man had also made the jump, and was still chasing him. He jumped through some bushes and found himself on the side of a busy street.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">‘Oh god, oh god!’he thought to himself evading cars, zooming around him at forty miles per hour. Horns honked, and people yelled. He slipped into an ally and stopped. He was out of breath. The man did not appear, the man was gone, and so he pulled out his cell phone. His chest heaved, and his heart throbbed within his chest. “Courtney… don’t leave…the hotel…barricade the door…don’t let anyone inside…” he heaved between every word, and she seemed worried. “What is going on?” she asked. “Just do it…there are some people who are trying to kill us…” he stated placing a hand on the wall. He could hear her moving a chair, and then he sighed. “Goodbye…I’ll call you when I come back…” he stated, thinking of going to the police, but if he did that, then they would surely bring him back. His entire plan of escaping from home for good was foiled. A plan slowly started to form, he would have to go to the work, and execute his plan, and then… he had no time, he began to jog swiftly to work.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Even as they threw him into the room, he was still laughing hysterically.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Episode seven: Memories

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">While sitting in her car on the outskirts of Lethbridge, Keia noticed something outside of the windshield. It had gotten fairly dark outside. Clouds skirted over the sky, and glimpses of stars shimmered through, the endless plain expanded before her. She slowly opened up the car door and stood in the cold breeze. Staring out at the road as it extended out into the darkness. Against the horizon there was a hollow form, an image of something. The moon slowly broke the cloak, and gleaming eyes stared back at her. A whirlwind of leaves passed between them as their stares locked. Beneath the hollow cloak there was a man, bald, with a scar running down the right side of his face. At his side there was a broadsword, wrapped in black chains. His tattered black cloak flowed as one with the wind, and his dominating appearance froze the girl in place. Drops of rain came from the thin clouds pattered against the street, and the man slowly took a step forward. It had been the same man who had bumped into her on her way home from school. Malice was deep within his eyes as he came. There was nobody here to help her. The wind passed through her veins and struck her bones. She tried to move her hands, her feet, but nothing responded. It was difficult to move, or to even to think. The closer her came, the more dominating he became, the more frightening his presence. Images of blood cascaded into her mind. Closer, closer, he came in till the sword tip was placed right upon her chin. His right eye was sightless, but somehow she could feel it gazing upon her. Boring into her very mind, an entire day had passed away since she had left the house, and now this, this nightmare, was upon her so fast so quick? Would there be death now? The blood rushed all around her body, there was something arising. So indistinct, it was hard to tell what it was.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">A vast array of thoughts came to her as she stood in place with a sword against her chin. It had stopped, and that is when she began to think about things. There was a hall full of red banners, draped over golden railings. Her father was laid into a coffin. He was young, probably twenty five years or so. Her mother was even younger. There were tears in her eyes, unshakable tears, which overflowed onto the dead man’s face. Then her mother was gone, she did not leave a notice or anything. It was very odd, to Keia, to see such a thing at this point. The memory was there. It was a few days later that he was laid unto the earth. There were only a few people there. One in particular was awfully strange. She remembered him, he was young too, and he looked as if he was nineteen years old, but his eyes, they shimmered with an uncanny oldness. He had come up to her and asking her what her name was. He placed his shoulders on her hands. She was so young; it was hard to remember everything. His name was forgotten, but his face was clear in her mind.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">“Come now young Keia, let me show you where my niece lives, I think you will like her very much…” he stated. She remembered falling asleep in the back of the man’s car. She was too young to know what she was actually doing. Then after that she remembered Ryan, she remembered Itachio. She was there when Elizabeth and Emily were born. Then from there it all came to her, and she opened her eyes. The sun was about to begin its descent. The night had not yet come. She started the car; it was cold, very cold. She had slipped into something. She began to drive home. She would not forget anymore. Her mind was numb, where did the sword go? Where was that man? A dream, so real, so alive, it could not be. Unseen they watched, carefully, carefully.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Throughout the rooms, the laughter echoed. There was an empty cell, and she curled up into a ball. Her had had grown since they had arrived in the big house, it was noticeable now, that she was alone and could not move. The dark strands nearly reached her back. Her dark eyes stared at the small light coming from underneath the door. All that had happened; she wondered where she had gone wrong. She had been so calculating, so precise. It was torture now, hearing her older brother laughing, as if possessed by some demon, some nameless spirit had entered him, somehow. There was a point when he was screaming to nobody. Yelling to end his life, to come, and bring vengeance upon him. She could not bear to hear it, but every word breached her mind and settled there. A festering miasma growing within her mind, she even wondered if it was real. The room she was in was empty, there were no winds, there were no benches stools, or anything. Just cold concrete, she thought back to when they had snagged her.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The empty house, the dead lady on the floor, the blood was red and black; she needed to turn on a light in order to see it properly. She looked at the twisted woman, and she noticed something on the back of her neck. Ryan was not included in this venture, for he was unsafe. The father had his opinion about his eldest son, and Elizabeth needed to be on top, oh what a foolish thought trend that was! If she had not fallen into that trap, she would have escaped. She could’ve even taken Keia away from that wretched house. Now empty, she figured, where Fencer would be parading about, the child of the LaChavr family. They had come from all directions, when she was in the house. Wearing the black ceremonial cloaks, they didn’t bother with guns, their goal was capture. They had already taken Fencer. Chances were, the blood of the family had been diluted that far down the line, that it would result in nothing. There were so many things that she wanted to do, that she still needed to do. The laughter began to die down. She pressed her ear to the door and listened. There was chanting, what were they planning on doing?

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">“Ryan LaChavr, the eldest son of Daniel and Miyana.” A voice, cold, spoke staring at the gagged boy. The man unveiled his hood. The sightless eye peered down at the others. Only madness returned the sightless stare, bloodshot eyes. Blood ran from his gagged mouth. “I will have much pleasure in extracting your blood with my method…” the man stated, removing a ceremonial dagger. There was a golden and silver line running through the center of the blade. An emerald was embedded into the handle. A guard grasped the young man’s hair, and held his neck open. “You will surely die by this dagger.” The man ensured him coming forward slowly. Ryan was on his knees; his body was bent backwards, almost to the point where his neck was nearly snapped. His hands were behind his back, firmly tied, as were his feet. “The only one you have to blame for your death is yourself.” The man echoed.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Every word was clear to Elizabeth. She tensed, and tried to open the door, to enter the room. She tried to kick it with all of her might. Blood was coming from her knuckles, tears fell from her eyes. “STOP!” she screamed. Then there was silence. She felt something against her bare feet. It was coming from the crack of the door. The red tint was unmistakable. She froze in place. She shivered for a moment. Then she collapsed completely. Feeling her sibling’s blood fill into the room she stared up at the ceiling blankly. Would they kill her to? She thought they might, and then she hoped so. She did not want to be kept alive knowing how he had died. Though she did not really know, there was no gunshot, it must have been torturous. She closed her eyes, thinking of death, and then she fell asleep.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">It was much later, that they would be standing on the edge of a rocky cliff. The five children of the LaChavr family. Ryan was at front of the group; his legs were dangling over the edge, staring out at the vast lake, with unyielding brightness in his eyes. He was smiling, and his arms were over the shoulders of Itachio and Keia. Emily was behind Itachio a ways, a bit scared. Elizabeth was in between Keia and Ryan, trying to see what was at the bottom of the cliff. They had called her fearless when she was young. She did not grow up the same as the others, it was strange. Yet here, they all seemed happy. The father and mother were not around. Ryan was the designated leader. It would be a few more years before Courtney came into existence, and a year after that for Sarah and Fencer. Only the five shared the memories of the lake, and the three cherish it the most.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">“Itachio.” The words echoed from behind him. He had just made it to his workplace when his name was called out. He turned around quickly, paranoid. “Come with us.” The three men were wearing suits, he thought to run inside and escape, but they were upon her already. How could he win against them? He gave up. His plan of escape had failed. He made the mistake of going to work, a place where they would follow him. “Don’t worry, we aren’t the ones after you.” They said, taking him to a large van. As they rolled down the road one man who sat in the backseat turned to Itachio. “We are envoys of high Mark Talmus. We are going to bring you to Mexico and leave you there. Never come back to the states, do you understand?” the man said and Itachio was not sure exactly what was being said to him. He nodded; to agree at least was his first move. He needed to go to Mexico, and he knew of the relatives that lived there. Yet he would have to remember this order, Mark of Talmus? “Why are you doing this?” he asked and the man sighed. “That is not for you to know. Itachio LaChavr. This is the turf of the Talmus.” It didn’t make any sense to him, but he kept it in his mind. He pulled out his phone. “Wait.” The man said. “Don’t make any calls in till you are in Mexico.”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Slowly, the pendulum came down. The old clock in the dining room, dust in the attic. They were memorable things. “Memory…” whispering, whispering throughout the halls. The sleeping child in his own room, the room of his brother, who would bleed, and he would bleed.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Two other children, hours later, being picked up by the police, and sooner or later, being sent back home on an airplane.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">A girl came home and went to the room of her brother to find a stranger sleeping in his bed. She threw him out, onto the floor. She locked the door, and she stood in his room. She stared at the things, which were set upon the dresser. Antiques he had collected. She traced her fingers across the dusty frame, hearing the tears of the stranger outside of the door. “Memory…” she whispered again, looking up at the ceiling and then she stopped. She was awestruck. There was something there. A piece of writing, she had to stand on the bed to read it.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Delve into the depths

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The chasm churns

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Learn of the given note

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Struck between the hours twelve

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Hear the bells chime

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The saints will chant

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">When upon bloody threshold come

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Bearing the weight of evil upon his shoulders

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Evil bears upon his stare

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Stare into the light

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">He stares into the light

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The rain must come

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">She makes the rain

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The last heir falls

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The last heir kills

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The darkest recesses of our veins

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Lies the lies of our fathers time

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The chorus of saints calls…

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The coming of he darkest most

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">It sounded like something Ryan would write. Most likely ambiguous in nature, and there was that throbbing at the door and Keia looked at the door. “Go sleep somewhere else.” She called and he slowly slumped away. She did not know where Ryan was, the message he had left on her phone might suggest that he was in danger or something weird; it was all very weird and spasmodic. It had not pattern, life did not follow the river. She sat on the bed, and then she looked out of the window. “Where are you?”

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The dagger came down swiftly. He leaned forward quickly, and he caught the blade between his teeth, cutting the gag from his mouth. He stared at the man darkly; there was something invisible that surrounded him. Some people who had seen it once, they see it in the heart of warriors, a demonic aura that once brought ruin to entire armies. They called it bloodlust.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Episode eight: The Saint

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The black van continued to roll down the street. They picked up speed as the drove down the highway, heading south. "Tomas." the man sitting in the passenger seat suddenly said without turning back, and the man sitting next to Itachio looked back. The man was on a motorcycle, he was speeding up behind them. "One of the Ardock assassins!" the man, Tomas, spat reaching into his suit and pulling out a handgun. The man turned to Itachio. "If you value your life, keep your head low." Tomas stated and he shifted to the far back of the van. The young man did as he was told, slowly sliding down and covering his head. "It looks like he has some friends of his own!" Tomas yelled back to the front of the van. He pressed against the back window of the vehicle and slowly poped it up. There were about five other motorcycles now, chasing after the black van and Tomas smirked. He placed the gun on a firm surface and fired. The bullet hit the front of the bike, but did not deter the rider. He began to fire more radily. The target began to sway making it hard to hit. A biker was coming from the side of the van, and Tomas turned and fired, hitting the back tire with a stroke of luck, causing the man to fall and later, run over by another vehicle. However, the man on their tail had brushed into the shoulder. "Brian!" Tomas yelled closing the window as a few bullets came against them. The driver nodded. Turning the steering wheel towards the shoulder, he threatened to run the biker off the road. Much to their surprise, the man jumped from the bike and landed on top of the van. They could hear a thump ontop of the roof. Tomas aimed up, firing through the ceiling when out of the corner of his eye he saw a man riding along side them with a sword. "To the left Brian--" it was too late. The blade struck their own back tire and they began to slow down.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">From the top of the vehicle, a blade came down suddenly. Itachio looked up and saw the people who were after him were indeed absolutely crazy. "What is this, the middle ages?" he shouted, wondering if this was really happening. "Kid! Get the gun from underneath the seat!" Tomas yelled, while shooting out the left window. More shots were fired. The man in the passenger seat reached under, and pulled out an automatic. Itachio did as he was told, and he found a silver case under the seat and he pulled it out. 'How did it go now...' he took the clip, and inserted it into the bottom. He pulled back the top and aimed up. The kick was a bit surprising. Tomas grunted from the back. "Ah shit! Fucking bastards!" he cursed grabbing his shoulder and sinking down out of range. It was then that their second left tire was placed into peril, and the driver, Brian, slowed them down to avoid a turnover. The man in the passenger seat opened up the door and the automatic began to fire over the top of the roof. Sirens echoed in the distance. Tomas was on the phone with someone. "Those damn Ardocks! They came onto our turf and attacked us!" he was yelling, while fidling with a med. kit. The van had stopped completely. "Johnny, take care of them." Tomas instructed quickly, and the man with the automatic nodded. More shots were fired. "Brian, take the kid and lead him to the Marina" Tomas yelled and the driver nodded, looking back at Itachio. "Come on, we wont let them take you without a fight." Itachio shoved the gun into his own pocket and then exited the van carefully. They ran down away from the highway as the sirens got closer and closer.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">It didn't take long for them to be out of sight. They were in some sort of suburb, but there was still quite aways till they reached the border. The two were silent for a long time, and Itachio thought of killing him and fulfilling his own plans, but then he decided that making enemies with these "Mark of Talmus" people was not a very good idea. "I bet you are wondering what exactly this is all about?" Brian asked as they walked through the streets. Itachio did not reply. "You should thank Keia sometime, if not for her, we might not even think about helping you out." the man said and Itachio suddenly grew interested, these people knew who Keia was, which was odd, because she wasn't a LaChavr by blood. "Honestly, I don't know anything about these family things..." Itachio stated, it was odd for him to be so honest, but for some reason he liked this Brian character. He was kind of tall, with curly brown hair, and green eyes. He was a quiet fellow, who wasn't too bulky, but not entirely weak looking either. "We of Mark kept our turf right here in the Marina as we like to call it. West coast....it all happened a long time ago, during the days of the mafia. Some people think that it went even further than that. Still, you should hear the story from the head of your family. The LaChavr family is something new to us, sure...we have heard of Lavante...and Chavair...even Ardock and Siphers.... but you guys are entirely new, somehow it is all related..." Brian did not seem to be like Tomas, he was more willing to share information it seemed, Itachio thought at first it was the classical, dumb subordinate slip of the tongue, but Brian seemed wise, he was telling this to him for a good reason. "As far as I know, my family is completely ruined...these guys...the 'Ardocks' who exactly are they?" he asked and Brian looked up at the bright blue sky for a moment, thinking back on something. "Who really knows... a familial cult, who has a deep grudge." he eventually stated when they stopped. There was a single docking area in front of him. On all the ships there were various names painted.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; "> "Alexandria"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">"Markus Talmus"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">"Virdia Ammoria"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">There were people wearing work clothes, all about the docking area, checking crates and walking aboard various ships. The ocean was vast, a sparkling endless blue below the brilliant sky. They walked through an archway of trees, and found the guards standing near the thick, metal plated fence. "We need to take this boy here to Mexico." Brian stated to the guards, and they nodded looking at Itachio curiously. "Right away sir...by the way, Miredy is looking for you." the guard said, and Brian paused. "I guess it wouldn't hurt to stop by her office..." he stated, leading Itachio through a maze of crates and boxes, and eventually onto a boat named "Karia Miredy Talmus" and just below deck they found a woman, who was leaving her youth, and entering the gray area of the mid thirties. She was slouched in a chair, looking at the television screen in front of her, sipping on a lemonade of some kind. She turned and looked at Brian curiously. "Oh, right, hello. Who is that?" she asked looking at Itachio and Brian shook his head. "Not this time, you are supposed to be dead." Brian echoed to her and she rolled her eyes and looked up at the ceiling. "I am supposed to be dead, why now?" she asked and Brian sighed. "Do you have anything to say to me, ghost?" he asked and she thought for a moment. "I want to see father." she stated and Brian laughed, short and clean. "What is so funny?" she asked and Brian shook his head smiling. "Go see him then. He lives in San Diego." he stated and the girl sighed. "Nobody will tell me where in San Diego." she echoed and Itachio felt really awkward standing there, he fidgeted slightly, and the woman instantly focused on him. "Who are you anyway?" she asked staring the boy down. "Don't answer her." Brian quickly interjected. "Why are you being like this?" she whined and the man came up to her and whispered something into her ear and her expression collasped into a sorrowful whine. "That bastard is still alive?" she wailed, knocking over her drink and it spilled all over the floor and Brian backed up. "Ghost. Go and die. Go live with mother or something. Stop trying to get revenge." he said, taking Itachio and leading him up the stairs. When they reached the deck, Brian stopped him. "If you repeat this, and it comes back to haunt me. There will be problems." he stated clearly, firmly, and Itachio nodded. He wasn't scared around Brian, but he felt that if the man wanted to, he could rain hell down upon all who opposed him. The walked about the docks for a while, talking to a few of the shippers, and sailors, and seeing how the sea was treating them, and mostly small talk, in till finally, a tiny speedboat came rolling into the docks.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">"It's been an hour almost." Brian stated calmly, and the driver nodded. "Tomas got hit pretty bad, Johnny got lucky getting them out of there." the driver stated and the other nodded. "Paral was with them. Bastard must of gotten shot fifteen times before he vanished again, I swear that man is a devil."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">"Name an Ardock affliate who isn't." Brian chuckled, placing Itachio on the boat. "Take him now. I'll see you when you get back...and...Itachio of LaChavr, please be careful on your journey." Brian tipped his hat, and walked away. "Thanks..." the other replied sitting down on the boat. "Off to Me-hi-co!" the driver yelled, and the boat roared away.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Meanwhile, miles away, in a hotel in San Diego, the two girls sat on the floor. They had already eaten breakfast and they were huddled together. Too afraid of turning on the TV. They had heard the gunshots of course, and it wasn't by chance that they had come moments after their brother had left for work, and it wasn't by chance that moments later he told them to barricade the door and never open it. Courtney had dragged a chair, and placed it over the door. Followed by the matress whiled leaned over the chair in a lopsided manner. Then a desk was tipped upright by the power of both sisters, followed by a few other mentionable pieces of furniture. "I am begining to think that Itachio might be dead sis..." Courtney stated looked down at the floor, with a sad expression planted firmly on her face. "Don't think like that!" Sarah stated slowly taking her two index fingers and flexing them against each other. It was quiet, and they began to play a game, which involved remembering things of the past, it wasn't much of a game, game, but more of a ritual. "Remember when Emily broke her leg?" Sarah started, and there was this nodding and laughter. "Yes! yes, she blamed Elizabeth for it...they were climbing that big tree in the backyard, remember that tree in our backyard?" she asked and Sarah nodded. "Yes! yes, but Elizabeth was always kind of shy then, so it was like....really sad." Sarah replied and then they stopped for a moment. "I remember going to the hospital, and she was eating ice cream..." Courtney stated quietly, wishing that they had some, it was the perfect feel-good food. "Ice cream..." Sarah echoed slowly looking towards the window. Then something quickly came to her mind. She slowly turned towards her sister. "What if...what if they climb through the window?" she asked, and they both ran towards the balcony and they looked around. They could see at lot from where they stood, but then things frightening and astounding dragged them back to the depths of the room where they sat once more. A few hours passed. It was nearing four or five o'clock when one of the Girl's phones rang. Sarah picked it up and answered it. "Hello?" she asked and there was a pause. "Sarah, is that you?" it was Itachio's voice and the girl smiled brightly. "Brother! Brother!" she said full of delight and Courtney looked up, smiling as well. "Yes, in a few moments the police are going to arrive at your room. Don't open the door, let them do all of the opening. You are going home now..." he trailed off, sounding a bit sad. "Ah...brother, when will we see you again?" Sarah asked and there was a long pause. "I'll come home...once I get things figured out...don't worry..." he said, and he began to break off. "Goodbye...I love both of you..." he said and then he was gone. "I love you too, brother..." Sarah echoed hanging up the phone. "So?" Courtney asked and Sarah closed her eyes. "We are going home...what a shame...isn't it Sunday?" she asked and Courtney shrugged. "I thought it was Saturday..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">As true as Itachio's words were, the door slowly caved in, and a group of armed policemen came into the room and escorted the girls out. "Don't worry young ladies...you are going to safe..." the man stated. They got onto the first flight back, with a personal escourt to make sure that they would make it back home safely. It was nearing midnight, when they finally arrived at the front door, greeted by their father and mother, who were surprisingly home at the same time, and uncle Pyro even was there to greet them and hug them. Then came Fencer and Keia and suddenly it stopped. There was no more welcome homes, and then their smiles began to fade, ever so slightly. "Where is Elizabeth?" Courtney asked looking around, and it came as it had many, many times before, the horrible, reaching silence, which stole the expressions off their faces and Courtney began to feel the blood draining from her face. "Where is Ryan, where is Elizabeth?" she asked looking around. "Are they out shopping, or running errands?" the questions grew more and more frantic. "Courtney, calm down. Ryan and Elizabeth are off at college. We were hoping to tell you--" the father began.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">"How can you say that to them?" Keia yelled suddenly. Everyone stopped. "You and your lies. Filthy filthy lies!" she screamed. "Nothing...nothing has changed..." Sarah echoed, tears coming to her face. "You seemed so happy...but... you are all...still fighting." the words were soft and mellow. It washed over the hallway, and Keia bent down and placed her hands on Sarah's shoulders. "I've had a rough week... I am sorry..." she stated slowly standing up and then she smiled. "I am going to my room now father, please, don't let...my words cause any more harm." she slipped up the stairs and he stood there, stroking Courtney's hair. "It is alright...they will come home...it was just a little trip..." he whispered softly. "I am here now. I am going to make things right for us." he said. "Is it true, are Ryan and Elizabeth coming back home?" Sarah asked and the mother smiled. "Of course they are...now...why don't you sit down and tell us about San Diego..." she lead the children into the kitchen and began to discuss over a bowl of ice cream. "When you guys were gone, I was kidnapped!" Fencer exclaimed licking his spoon. The father and mother looked at each other for a moment. "Really, that is so cool!" Courtney stated, "Was it scary?" Sarah asked and Fencer shook his head. "Naw, I dealt with it!" he stated revealing the bandage on his arm. "See, they cut me up!" he stated. "Well...we almost got shot, someone was trying to kill Itachio!" Sarah added, not wanting to be topped by Fencer. The father looked at his daughter carefully. "Wait, there were people shooting at Itachio in San Diego?" he asked and the two nodded. "We didn't actually see them because Itachio told us to stay inside of the hotel." The two parents looked at each other. They went into the pantry then, keeping on a happy face. "They said they would cut it off with Ryan and Elizabeth. Why are they going after them?" he asked and the wife shook her head. "Maybe they thought we wouldn't figure it out...they were all the way down in California after all..." she stated. They paced around the small room for a while. "When are we going to look for Ryan and Elizabeth?" she asked and the father sighed.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">"I don't know if they are even going to survive...we have to pretend not to care...it hurts...sometimes..." he stated. "Yes, yes it does..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">The dagger slashed out, but he had moved forward, cutting into his gag, and stopped the blade with his teeth. He twisted his body, to disarm his opponent. There were five others in the room. The man who was behind him tackled him, the dagger came free from his mouth, and he coughed. His mouth was already bleeding from before, and he could tell that his arms were near the breaking point. Tears of pain filled his eyes. He took his bound hands, and clutched the man on top of him and squeezed. He had nothing else to do, but continue to place pressure upon the skin he had clutched. The man grunted, Ryan could hear a motion behind him, a dagger or a point, something, was going to be driven into his head. He could tell that the others in the room were all about, watching carefully. Ryan lifted his feet up, and hooked the bounds on his feet over the man's face, slaming him back down into the ground. Two other men came, and lifted Ryan back up, and stabbed him. It stung, and it make him cringe. He slammed back into a door, looking at his blood flowing down. The tall man, who was going to initially take his life came through the other men and punched him clean into the stomach. There was noise all around him. He could hear pounding behind him. There was a door there. Another assautl against him came, but he twisted away, catching an attacker's arm inbetween his. He bent forward cutting the bounds on his wrists. The larger bald man responded by kicking him square in the face. Ryan fell flat onto his back. He turned slowly, looking through the door, it was dark...there was someone in there screaming to stop...who was it?

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">"Now...you lucky, insolent shit...you shall...taste death..." the man took a large broad sword out from underneath his cloak. This was all so strange, men with swords, in this era? The large blade was raised up, and then, quickly, the large blade came down. It was aimed straight from his face. Ryan used both of his bare arms. The blunt weapon did not cleave them entirely, but it hurt worse than any hell. He screamed out, but he could not quit now. He began to raise himself up, grasping the brunt of the blade, which bit into his fingers. He pulled, and blood poured from his arms, and onto the floor. He was not able to pull the large man, but rather he was able to pull him up, reaching out with his pain ridden hands, to the point of numbness. He grasped the man by the throat, with both hands. He was not even thinking of anything, but kill. Kill this man, kill his followers, kill all who try to kill him. The big man knocked him back with his free hand. As the young man flew back, he dug into the man's neck, leaving a bloody trail. "FOOL! I SHALL END YOU!" he screamed, the others in the room had long backed off from the two fighters. The man came forward now, cutting the blade from the side, it was quick, but Ryan went low, aiming for the knees he tackled the man. The free hand came once more, this time, grasping Ryan's neck, while Ryan needed his hands to stop the blade from beheading him. He could feel himself looking, his windpipe was snapping. He tried to shift his body, and his knee came down, more accidental than anything, upon the bald man's crotch, and the grip lessened. Ryan rolled out of it slowly flopping onto the floor. He gapsed for air wondering if the others would come at him now. It took a while, but the bald man got up onto his feet once more.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">"If you were a girl, you would've won there..." Ryan sputtered, standing up as well, he knew he was going to die here. He had lost too much blood. His arms were about to fall off, or at least it felt that way. He noticed that the room was empty now. There was an escape route. The man came quickly, he threw the cumbersome sword towards Ryan barely dodged it, and then he was caught by the others fist. More pounding, he was unable to react. "Killing you with my bare hands is going to be more spectacular!" the man shouted, slaming into him over and over again. Then he was grasped by the shift, and the mangled body was throw across the room. Ryan could hardly think. At least this guy didn't punch him in the face, but his stomach was empty, all was dripping from his mouth, his arms, only his legs were spared of spouting out blood. He slowly reached for the handle...there was a door here? The man came at him now with a fist, Ryan slipped down by his own weakness, and the fist smashed into the door. There was a pause. The door was nearly unhinged and then it fell down, and there came a fierce stare. She flew out, and there was a weapon in her hand.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">'Too fast!'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Blood dripped down the bald man's face, as the tiny needle had crossed over his nose and right cheek. He smirked. They had gotten lucky this time. He quikcly turned and ran. At least the boy was dead, the girl would not pursue him. As he fled, the others did as well, coming from various rooms and doors, and up the stairs. "Burn this place, they will not find it." he ordered, and a few men began to pull out gas cans. They were in the middle of a field, the rains had yet to come full force, and it would all cave in, it would destroy the bloody mess below.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">She stood over his body for a moment, his chest rose and fell, he looked horrible. She did not think of anything else. All of her actions came from instinct. She removed her garb, and wrapped it around his arms. She slung his limp body over hers and she ran, it was hard work, but detirmination filled her, she would show her strength now more than ever. Blood was everywhere, blood, blood, blood, blood. She climbed the stairs and smoke filled her lungs. She coughed violently, jumping through the trap door, which was on fire. There was fire all around them. 'Hang on, hang on...' she thought, running towards the flames. She was nearly naked. She slipped quickly, the flames would not touch her. She came to the edge of the field, there was nothing around. It would take forever to get back home without a vehicle. Would this be the end....? Not for her, she was mostly well, but her brother, he who had been in that other room, dying. She had been helpless, in till a stroke of luck saved them both. If not for that, they would've both burned alive. Her chest heaved, she stopped for a moment and laid him down. It was very cold outside, she would freeze out here if she did not get home soon. She had lost her garb though, was it wise to cling to hope? It was not something she did often, cling to the hope that he might live. She could die, she had a better chance of survival, but he, he was the one who was going to lead them to glory, he was a general, like her. A warrior at heart. She felt, that she had excluded him too much, they were begining to kill together, the bloodlust that followed their family line, it was their duty to shed blood so that the others could live peacefully. She realized that she would not be able to do it alone, that was her mistake, she got it. "Live!" she cried out, quickly pouring dirt over her brother. Taking various forms of grass and covering his body. She worked quickly, and soon he was was nearly all covered in a case of dirt and grass. It would keep him warm, it would help stop the bleeding. He opened his eyes slowly, it was dark, then he closed them again.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">"Damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it, damn it!" she cried. She came to the street. Were there any cars rolling by? There sirens coming in the distance, and she waved her hands, she danced about the street. She felt out of character somehow, but she needed help now, she couldn't be independant...she needed help... a bunch of policemen came out looking around for a moment. There was an ambulence, and a fire truck was trailing behind them both. "What happened out here?" the man asked, but Elizabeth had no mind to tell him. "Help! My brother he is very badly wounded!" she said, leading them to the half burried man. "Oh my god..." the man said, and there were medics. "I must go with him..." she said, confusion, chaos... the ambluence quickly zoomed down the street. In the back, he was hooked up, Elizabeth sat looking at him, thinking, of things.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">'A family is not a tool...you don't use them to get what you want. They are there to help you when you are down, when life is not treating you well. We should not drift away from each other...there are times...when we may have our differences, but we are... we are...together. We are in this fight...our entire lives... this night...the horrors...the... screaming words.... they remain, echoing inside of my head. Yet there is hope...hope that he may survive. I had turned this life into a game...to get what I need...always trying to figure out what the other peices are going to do...I should try to live anew...a new life...the demon...becomes a saint...'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">Alone in her room, Keia was thinking what had happened to her father. She was torn between trying to keep this new family together...but she did not want to let Ryan and Elizabeth go. They were family. They thought of her as family, they had always thought of her as family. Then, she felt a vibration. She checked her pockets and noticed that her phone was going off. She didn't feel like talking, but it was a number she was not familiar with. It was very late too, it was nearly one thirty. She flipped it open. "Hello?" she asked, sounding tired. "Keia...come...come to the hospital quick...just you...just you..." it sounded like Elizabeth. "Sister?" she asked standing up, trying to keep her voice low. Her heart thumped in her chest, she was alive! She was calling! "Come...quick..." her sister echoed. "Ryan is dying..." she added and Keia closed her phone, and grabbed her keys and slowly came out of her room. She could not see where she was going, her eyes were looking forward but they were staring off into a space unknown. She had to be there, she needed to see them. She got out of the house and into her car. She knew that father and mother would not want her to leave, but that was below this. This was absolute, she would see them. She would see him before he died, if he did. No, he would live. She had never heard Elizabeth sound like that before, she seemed worried, almost scared. It was enough to make her scared too.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; font-style: normal; ">"Don't die...brother..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 1em; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Note from the author: This chapter may come off as confusing to the unaware. Also, the series has taken such a drastic turn of events. It started out like a normal family with problems, following a similiar style to the show 'weeds' from my point of view anyway, and it sort of turned into this unnatural bond of blood, and families and gangsters and wild hard to believe things. It is hard as the author of this little series here, to review all of the details. Sometime in October, there will be a pause in this 'season' of episodes. I will collaborate the entire thing into one document and read through it to see if it makes sense. I do not review any of these chapters after I post them so they are not in their best quality. Season one will end at the end of October, and there will be at least a one month pause in between this season and second season with the coming of a full length novel. Which will provide backstory, depending on how the collaboration of this story goes. Thank you and enjoy this 'unique' chapter.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">Episode nine: Two years ago...

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'Huh...wow, this song is pretty good. Sometimes I wish I could visit Japan, but I really should think about finishing high school... which reminds me, isn't it time to go to class soon? Ah, but this Hitomi person sure knows how to make music...it is so mellow and beautiful. I wish I could draw characters like that...but the music is just brilliant.'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Ryan, you better get to class or you will be late!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'That's right...Keia is starting high schol today...I should set a good example, shouldn't I?'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Right, lets go...wait, where is Itachio?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"He left ten minutes ago!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"What, really he always leaves me behind..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Thats because you are always busy thinking about other things all the time!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Really?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Yeah, come on come on!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Shouldn't you be nervous?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'I was nervous when I first started high school...'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"No, no, come on!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'You are strong, maybe you could really lead the family...they don't need me to do it...'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"The fall is so beautiful, don't you think brother?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Yeah...everything turns golden... say, um...there is something I wanted to ask you."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"huh, wow that is kind of out of the blue."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"What do you...think of father?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"What do you mean, I love father just like you...is something wrong?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Um... nevermind, forget it."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Oh come on, you always do that!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Do what?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"You avoid getting into awkward conversations...like you can't trust me or something..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Hey, hey, that isn't true. On the contrary, I trust you the most."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"What, really, why is that?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Think, Itachio and Elizabeth are so...distant all the time... and Courtney and Sarah...they are too young to understand. That leaves you, you are everyone's friend."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"...is this about mother?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I don't know what I am thinking about... something...someone told me about a long time ago..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Wow you sure are strange sometimes, all mysterious like!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'I am sorry, I can't tell you right now...Keia...even now you are falling right into their hands...'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Is that the school?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Oh, yeah, that is the school..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Wow...it is kind of big isn't it, compared to junior high?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I suppose so, it has been almost four years since I have been there..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Just think, next year you are going to be off at college!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"...Yeah, that's right...college..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'I don't think I will be able to make it...'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"See you after school bro!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'Right... be safe...my little sister...'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Your brother is such a brianiac... always in the computer lab working on something or another!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"What a loser..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Hey, don't say things about Itachio."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Huh, whoa, calm down dude!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"To me, there is nothing more important than my family. When you call Itachio a loser, you are calling me a loser as well."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Ugh, can't take a joke."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"It isn't even't a joking matter...just let it drop..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Fine, fine...hey, I heard Janice is having a sick party tonight."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"...Janice...?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"What, don't tell me you have something against parties as well."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I-- oh, nevermind."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'Why should I bother telling them? I have learned that when you try to educate people, they just get angry. They don't deserve the knowledge... so I wont give it to them.'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Are you gonna show up?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Yeah, I might just for kicks."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Jesus, you are should a weirdo...go get all serious in one moment, and then you look all laid back the next moment!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Ahaha, deep down inside I am just a lazy person..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Yeah, but last year when you picked that fight--"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I didn't pick that fight, that man was full of shit."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"But you look so scrawny..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Hey! ah whatever..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The school day had continued as per normal. Morning Wood High, they called it. It wasn't too far from the Missippi river, it was a perfect Minnesotan fall. The trees lining the street were dancing in the chilled breeze, the air was fresh and the rush of air upon the throat, was refreshing. Droves of kids were packed inside, talking laughing, and thinking of how this school year would turn out. When the day ended, some kids would get onto the yellow school busses lined outside of the school and go home. Others would get on their bikes...and some walked. The sun was begining to descend, the air was filled with cars zooming about. This was suburban life.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Brother!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Ah, there you are sis, how was your first day?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"It was...wow...I don't know."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Hahaha, you'll get used to it eventually... hm, is something wrong?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Where is Itachio, doesn't he walk home with you?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"He likes to stay after, for whatever reason. He comes home late sometimes..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Oh...I was hoping that we would get to walk with him..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Yeah... he really has changed since those days by the lake, I think it was after mother left."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"With Fencer and Emily?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'Yeah...I wonder what the reason is..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Isn't it because of legal matters...like father and mother aren't going to stay together?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I don't believe that for a second."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Wow, that was bold of you!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Someday, you are going to have a family of your own. Learn from the mistakes that father and mother have made."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"What?! I don't want to think about that right now!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Ahaha, sorry, I am not your gaurdian or whatever, I am just your brother, I should act more like your brother."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Yeah, but everyone else has mean older brothers who do stupid things. You act more and more like a parent...maybe because there are so many of us..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Hah, maybe you are right..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'I don't tell lies to my children...I wont tell lies to my children!'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"...those eyes..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Did you say something?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Oh, nothing...I was just thinking of something...it was a week before we moved..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'Shit...could she be figuring it out...what if I-- no, don't worry about it...I think...'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"You tensed up there for a minute, is there something you aren't telling me?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'This attack, it is so quick and sudden...I can't conceal my emotions like Itachio or Elizabeth... what do I do...father...'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Huh, what are you...?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Keia... Father...he... he adopted... you...because..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"You...you are crying?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I...look there is our house...go home...be nice to your sisters..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Ryan! Wait! Where are you going!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'I am sorry...I can't...I can't tell you...not now... not ever...not as long as he...is still alive!'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">* * *

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"His name is Grislor...what a weird guy...seriously; .. Yo! Ryan, what is up!?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Hey...what were you guys talking about before?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"There is this Grislor guy...I think that is his name, he is like a super tall freak..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Mimi saw him carrying a giant sword around last night!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"She was drunk!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"No I wasn't!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"So uh, Ryan... Kristy saw you talking to Keia all serious like earlier today on the way home, like what is up?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Forget about it...it is nothing to worry about... I am curious about this Grislor fellow..."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"No, please don't talk about him, they say he appears out of nowhere...and chops you in half!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I have met people who fit that description before."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Oh my god oh my god, you have?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"With like a giant sword?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Where is the booze at?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I want to get wasted."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'Jesus, I bet he'll come here just to shut them up. What a spoof, I have met strange men with swords before, my grandfather for example.'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The door of the house suddenly opened, and gust of cold air quickly flooded into the room. A bunch of half drunk people moaned, and the heart of the party was ripped asunder. A tall man appeared in the doorway with a giant sword in his hand and he looked around at everyone in the room. Ryan looked down at his arms and found them bleeding. "What the hell is going on?" he screamed looking at his arms and then back at the man. "You...I know what you did! You tried to kill me!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The man was silent.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Damn you, you bastard! You took advantage of my sister, and my younger brother in order to take me! But why?! What have I done to you?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The man kept his silence.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"You bastard...wh.."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">His mouth was bleeding, there was blood all over him. Then there was a bright light in front of him.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'What...what is all of this?!'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"It is a memory you had...back when you were almost eighteen years old. You almost told your sister the dark secret you swore you would protect. The truth about her existence...what purpose she serves in this world, the world that your forefathers helped build."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'Who is that...can they read my thoughts?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"You think those are thoughts?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Who are you then?!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"I am one who is akin to the Fourth Genus."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"The Fourth...Genus?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"That is correct...of the bloodline of creators, we of the Genus are the most powerful, you too are akin to the Fourth Genus, as if most of your family."

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"The way you say...it, what of Keia?!"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Ryan...did he just say my name?"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">The hospital was nearly empty, it was...very white. There were machines humming idly, and there were people talking softly elsewhere. Elizabeth was standing next to Keia and they both looked at Ryan quietly. Then his eyes opened. 'Damn it.'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">To be continued...!

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; "> He sat in his bed, thinking, not really seeing or feeling. It was odd, how he had come so far. He felt like he could live, but what would happen? They would come again, that is what would happen. They would hurt Keia, they would hurt Elizabeth, they would hurt...Sarah....Itachio....Courtney... Fencer...everyone...they would just keep coming back. Was this neccesary?

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Bro...what are you thinking?" Elizabeth asked, holding his hand, as he laid there staring up at the ceiling. Keia had gone somewhere, it would be alright. "D...did--"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Don't speak!" She commanded, looking at him. He had never seen her like this, but it made him happy. This is what was needed to make her understand. The pieces of the puzzle were in place. "You...f...i...gure...it...out?" he asked mumbling. His speech was a bit slurred, he had trouble focusing. "Figure what out?" She asked quickling. "Keia." he said, and she stopped, she looked towards the door and she nodded. "I will protect her...don't worry...and you will too...when you--"

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">There was a soft whirring noise, and then he blinked a few times, looking up at his sister again. He raised his left hand slowly, and she grabbed it as well. "No, rest. You need to rest." she said keeping his arms on the bed. He smiled, and then he opened his mouth. "Kill me." he said, quietly, looking at her. She took a step back, surprise in her eyes. He raised his left arm again, and then she understood. She took his hand, and held it against her forehead. An image or two appeared in her mind, a few things that weren't too important, then...she began to see what he was thinking of. Flashes....words....

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">"Fourth...Genus?" she asked quietly, letting his arm drop onto the bed. She stared at him, and he stared back. Then. He closed his eyes.

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">'I can't feel...anything....weird...I wonder if sis is crying...what will Keia do when she comes back...I didn't want her to be there... ah...well... I didn't want anyone to be there...I guess it is fine...Elizabeth will remember for me... besides...I think...I think I left something behind. Damn it...why is it so bright?'

<p style="margin-top: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', Trebuchet, Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-style: normal; line-height: normal; ">And so. He died.