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Authors: Kyle Thomas Miller

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BOOK: Original Souls (A World Apart #1)
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"Cris, talk to me here," she called out."I can't do the thinking all on my own. Yo
u’
re his father for goodness sake!" she shouted, in a last ditch effort to agitate me into a conversation.

 

"I know that, obviously," I tried to sound aloof, but I was still annoyed from earlier, "but what your purposing is too much."

 

"How can it ever be too much for a mother to want to protect her child at all cost? Ther
e’
s no way around the fact that Corinth is wanted. They are probably looking for him as we speak. And considering you, nor your Squadron 'elites
,’
" she barked at me sarcastically, "could do anything to stop the Peligrosos the first time around, I feel that there's no real solution to Corinth's safety. There's no other way." She had a point. A point I didn't want to hear, but a point nonetheless. They are likely still looking for him. From what that old shriveled up grape said back in that dusty coffin room, they needed Corinth for something. Something important to him.

 

"We can protect him here in Draconia. Now that we know, we can make adjustments and maneuvers to ensure that he's always safe."

 

"Maneuvers!" she echoed back to me. "Look at yourself, Cris. You sound like a cop. This is our son. The light of our life. We can't maneuver around his childhood. He won't have one unless we undo all this. It won't just be a little sit down father and son talk to put this one away. He can't grow up in fear. He could be recaptured by only heaven knows who, and for only heaven knows what. If he stays here we might as well hand him over to them now!" she shouted out of frustration. But what she didn't know was how badly my frustrations had built at this point too.

 

"How dare you!" I scolded, pulling myself away from her warm embrace. "People died back there, Julia. People with families just like ours. They died for our boy just like I would have and will if need be."

 

She didn't back down, she was too amped. We both were. "No one else will have to die if you just do what we need to do, Criston!!
!

 

That was as loud as her voice could go. I had heard her go there before, and I'm sure this won't be the last time. But the expression on her face. The anger. That's new. Either the North and South poles had just switched or Julia is coming out of her character. Better, her own skin and bone seem to be radiating, echoing this mantra she's been peddling to me since I woke up. She was uncontrollably loud and just plan hysterical in a public place. For a moment, I suspected the cheetah girl was really behind those eyes. But I know my wife's touch like the back of my hand. This is Julia, but a new side of her I've never seen before. She is willing to break the most principle law of the entire 8ights Council to ensure Corinth's recovery goes smoothly. Creating a new World of our own.

 

<*>

 

I tore my hospital robe off right after I closed the bathroom door. Julia brought me clothes from home. I bent down to grab the knapsack she put them in, and went through it to get a closer look. She knew me well. My favorite navy blue shirt, my dusty black boots, that are starting to look more gray these days, and a baseball cap to top it off. But I tossed that aside for now. Of course, there are some denim jeans, socks, the whole nine, but she truly knew what I felt most comfortable in overall. After I put on my clothes, I stepped out of the bathroom to a very different scene. Julia up and left on me!

 

I peeked outside the hospital room door and saw business as usual. Doctors and nurses buzzing about, taking patients from room A to room B, for reasons unknown to me. It all seemed to be going off without a hitch. The fluorescent ceiling lights on the other hand, weren't so hitch-free. My head started to pound. My eyes were still adjusting to the difference in the lighting between my room and these busy halls. The docto
r’
s white jackets. The white nursing uniforms. The patient's white & green polka-dotted gowns. All this reflective material wasn't doing me any favors. They weren't only ugly to look at, they were giving off so much light that they made the halls appear as one white blur to my retinas. My body was still suffering from the blast. Well, at least we know that the guns get the job done. I have a new found respect for criminals knowing they readily suffer hits from them daily.

 

I was starting to get some sense of sight back, when Evan suddenly grabbed my arm. He began pulling me back down the hall in the opposite direction I was headed, which was toward Corint
h’
s room. While he held onto my arm, like a schoolchild being dragged out of class for punishment, he turned back to me. "You've got to see this!" his tone was so grave that it chilled me to the bone.

 

"See what?" I said. "Why are you walking so fast and where the heck are you taking me?"

 

I had questions that he didn't seem to want to answer. He was walking so fast down the corridor that we nearly knock over an old lady clinging to her cane. I brushed up on her left side as Evan was tugging me toward the right, in order to get out of her way, but it surely didn't work. My eyes weren't fully adjusted. She had no idea we were coming, because her back was turned to us. "Oh, dear!" she screeched in horror. "Hey, watch where you're going, you could kill somebody!" I apologized as graciously as I could. But as we were walking away, I'm sure I heard her mumble. "Jerk-idiots." She did have a point.

 

Evan is nervously rushing toward something, but I have no idea what. So, I decided to change that in one simple move. I stopped! He turned abruptly, "what are you doing?"

 

"I've got the same question on my mind!" I snapped back. "Yo
u’
re leading me down this crowded hall like ther
e’
s no one in it," people began to turn and watch as my voice elevated. "You won't even tell me why, nor where we're going? Give me something go on, bud."

 

Evan was standing a couple of yards in front of a Plexiglas window that extended down from the ceiling to about where his waist is. The rest of the wall was sheetrock down to the floor. I noticed through the glass window behind him, people gathering around the mounted television on the wall toward the far left of the room. Patients and medical staff alike were herding inside, like cattle to the slaughter. It seemed to be some kind of recreation room. Some had 'Aw!' stricken looks about their faces, and others appeared rather suspicious of whatever was coming from the TV mounted above. The looks on their faces alone told an alluring story. I couldn't imagine what was fascinating them so. I started to walk past Evan, toward the entrance of the room, when he placed a shaky hand on my shoulder.

 

"I wanted to tell you first," Evan put his head down and let his hand drop from my shoulder, like it was the end of an era. He seemed so dramatic and out of touch that I had to inquire.

 

"Please," I started out, "I need to know what's going on here. People are looking downright crazy in there." I gestured toward the people crowding inside the recreation room. "What is it exactly that you wanted to say?"

 

"You're not going to like this, Cris." Uh-oh, I thought. Nothin
g’
s ever good when the icebreaker to bad news is ... bad news. He continued, "but Julia, she's done something. Something that I can't even explain. I don't know how she managed it. She couldn't have possibly been powerful enough to make it happen on her own. And so fast! I just saw her with Corinth, in that other room, a few moments ago."

 

I knew exactly what he was talking about when he said Julia's name. I couldn't even sugarcoat it inside my own mind. She had disappeared and went ahead with her plan, like she never even considered any other option as viable. She must have been testing me. She must have been trying to gauge whether I'd be of any help, or just a hindrance to her. I took a few steps to Evan's right and collapsed into the row of chairs lined up against the wall just beneath the Plexiglas window. Unlike the doctors, nurses, and patients, I didn't need a breaking news update to tell me what was going on. The entire planet changed in a matter of minutes. "Figured that," I muttered aloud.

 

Evan sat down next to me and scared me half to death. I completely zoned out. I had forgotten he was here that fast. "Did you know, Cris?" he asked with a patient tone. I was glad he sounded rather patient. I hadn't fully finished processing what Julia had done to be able to answer his question just yet. A few moments of silence went by before I cleared my throat and tried to take a crack at responding. But before I could, he asked again, sounding a little less patient this time around. "Come on, Cris! I need to know if you knew about it," he pressed on.

 

"Why does it matter?" I asked.

 

"It's not me who wants to know," he said while pulling his signature staring at the ground act. "The Chancellor called in to, Chief Ray, and they want to question you. Technically speaking, I'm no longer here as your friend. I'm here as a Squadron member and I've been instructed to bring you in.

 

<*>

 

How do things happen so fast? Just hours ago, I was lying in a bed with my wife, whom I hadn't seen in weeks, and my long lost son was recovered from only god knows what tortures. Now I'm headed toward a police station.

 

Squadron is the elite force of the 8ights Council. Composed of trained specialist set to patrol, police, and investigate anomalies in the city centers of Draconia and the other seven Worlds. So much more went on in the capital city, Broaden. Which isn't so far from my house in Graysonville. We were here not only to keep civilians in check, but more so to protect the 8ights Council members from rouge attackers. They weren't always the most popular guys and gals in town, so they formed this elite force chiefly to investigate and protect their interest as they saw fit. We were assembled from all around Draconia's police stations. Taking only the brightest and best that managed to keep their butts out of hot water at the local stations in our hometowns. But it seemed there was no safety net for a member like me.

 

I'm being called in on two counts o
f‘
Malicious Act
s
’ against the State. First, my failure as a commander for the death of three of my Squadron members. And now, for my wife's frantic actions, which can get even the highest of officials locked up and the key thrown away. Executed even.

 

I glanced at Evan, sitting in the backseat of this official state vehicle with me. We were driving down the main road, passing gray building after building. The occasional pop of color coming from a restaurant banner or department-store sign, but
mostly gray, dreary tones. I glanced to Evan again. He was barely breathing, he looked so tense. The two guys in the front seats were stooges I had never laid eyes on before. They must be the private transport of one of the 8ights members.

 

When they hustled me in, I noticed that this car is
n’
t even marked with the eight tiered Squadron seal. The same insignia that is on my, and all other, Squadron members police badges. It's a government vehicle for sure, but what department I can't say. In fact, it seemed like a piece of government crap. Nowhere near as sturdy as the standard issue patrol units that are manufactured from Valid steel, which is the strongest stuff around. The exterior of the car was gorgeous, but the building concept seemed farfetched at best. Design wise, I couldn't tell this thing from a tin can. It most likely belonged to, Sebastian, the Chancellor of Draconia. I'm sure he'd want to question me himself, as Evan mentioned he'd placed a call. And he is known in Draconia for his dreadfully, dreary stylish flare. But style doesn't equate quality. This car is a colossal piece of crap for security, which is something the acting Chancellor would normally need much of. And considering his connection to the steel industries, he'd have access to the expensive stuff, easy.

 

While my mind drifted in thought, I surveyed my friend, as we're buckled into this shuttle driving me toward my ultimate fate. His chest, still so tight and his face was as white as a ghost. He's a rather dark-tan skin fellow, but he didn't even seem to be breathing. No air must have meant no color.

 

I tried to catch him off guard amidst the eerie silence. "So the day's going great so far, don't you think?"

 

He turned to me, but didn't let out near a chuckle or even a sympathy smirk. His face was stone cold emotionless. I had never seen him look so out of it before. Since he was a kid, he never processed emotion well, but I'm sure he has it. He never quite knows what to say or how to respond, but in his own awkward way he usually gets the job done. But today he looks so serious, he almost looks brain washed. He turned his head so that he was facing forward again, and started to slowly open his mouth to say something. At first, he spoke so softly that I couldn't make out what he was saying, but I started to catch on.

BOOK: Original Souls (A World Apart #1)
6.69Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
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