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 Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:38 pm
He flipped carefully though the pages of his notebook. The curious 'short hand' notes of his own devising had taken on a far darker relevance now that he had 'extracurricular' duties.
But he also had to be more careful. Picking the worst of the offenders to 'dispose' of and in far more elaborate means to lure them in lest -anything- point back to him or his room mate.
He was pondering the viability of using the last of the cold nights to set up a senario that might appear to be over exuberance of teenage drinking vs a late evening chill for death via exposure when the phone rang.
He answered a little distracted, but never the less surprised to see his cousin's number flash across the screen.
"Hello Beth..." he started, and then frowned at some sound from the other side of the conversation.
"What's wrong..."
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 6:58 pm
"Can you... help me?" She sobbed into the phone softly. Beth was now not in her fuku but her normal civilian garb. She was curled up against a bench on the street side deep into the city. It was growing dark in the evening and it was growing progressively colder. The noises he heard in the background were probably cars and people chattering about in their daily lives.
"I... have no one else to turn to." She said in a hushed tone, it probably sounded like mumbo jumbo to Z as she could barely talk while she cried. In reality- she had forgotten where he lived. Z was the one whom normally came over her house, she had not been over his house since she was 3 years old. Z was also her only family left.
She wrapped her arms around her legs tighter. The photo album was tucked safely between her torso and legs. The last memento she had...
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:02 pm
"Of course..." the answer was immediate, he was already closing his note book and putting it away with almost mechanical movements as he listened. A prickle ran down his spine, he had to get to her, he needed to get to his cousin before one of...well one of them did.
"Where are you, what happened... no...tell me where you are first."
He grabbed his jacket and headed out the door without even waiting for an answer. Voices.. people... could be anywhere but he hazarded a guess "Are you at the park? the Mall? I'm On my way just tell me"
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:12 pm
no...tell me where you are first
Where was she again? Beth blinked while she realized that she hadn't really paid attention where she was walking. Green eyes looked around at her surroundings attempting to pin point a street sign post. The slight pause was probably note able to Z while she figured it out. "In front of the fruit drink shop on Reed Avenue." She wasnt really that far away as she first thought. Her house was maybe a 10 minute walk from here... She must have walked around in circles.
"I'd rather tell you when you got here.." She said at the same time as she lowered her head into her lap. She was a mess... plus she was a easy target. For the moment though, she didn't care.
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:15 pm
"You Go inside that drink shop...ok?" He ordered... "It's still open right? Go inside... I'll be there in... In 10 minutes" He said and she could almost defiantly hear that he'd started to run.
"You hear me Beth? I'll be right there, you get inside... ok?"
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:23 pm
Beth wanted to question the order but she decided it was for the best. He was probably concerned that some rapist would target her- but beth was more worried about even more sinister night prowlers.
"Yes its still open- Alright.." She unfolded her legs and stood up to go into the little drink shop. The workers eyed her curiously- but like most humans these days they did not get involved. Smart people.
Feeling bad about sitting in the shop she bought a simple bottle of water and sat in a corner near the glass windows. She set the bottle and the photo album on the table. The water bottle went unopened.
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:30 pm
The trip, seemed like an hour, he was out of breath when he arrived for running so fast, and he hadn't dared 'change' though he knew it would have been easier.
He stumbled in the door and spotted her immediately and went to her, putting a very tentative hand to her shoulder.
"Beth..." he asked his brow furrowed as he looked her over. she looked like..well she looked like Hell.
He wanted to ask for names, faces, anything... but the only reason he had to ask was his own 'assault' that had landed him in the hospital.
"What happened..." He glanced at her un-opened bottle, and tried to get a look at her face. He was betting shock, but he wasn't sure...
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:38 pm
Once the call ended she closed her cellphone and put it back into her purse. Being the thin thing she was she pulled her knee's up again and hugged herself into them. She felt safer in this position- less vulnerable. Her chest and foot should have been hurting worse but as it stood nothing hurt more than the needle in her heart. One of the workers was still staring at her as she continued to cry into her knees. After some time one of the braver ones has come over and handed her a little pack of tissues- which she took with a nod of thanks.
Finally her cousin had arrived after what seemed like an eternity. She felt his hand touch her shoulder, for some reason he still seemed so far away even though she was staring right into his eyes.
"She's gone.."
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:43 pm
How odd... he'd started to assume the only thing that could make that distinctive 'fist in chest' feeling -was- a first in your chest. Yet there it was, anxiety making a tight knot as he struggled to grasp the significance of her words.
'she's gone'... the cat? that was the first thought to surface but that utterly wrecked look on her face.
"Beth... Who's gone..." He asked as gently as he could, he even reached to put a hand on hers.
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:49 pm
Beth scooted over a little bit so he would have enough room to sit if he wanted. The hand on her shoulder was removed- was it ever there? She felt so numb all over she was not sure if she was dreaming as she sat here.
Her eyes looked towards the wall of the store. To onlookers it would look like she was admiring the painting- but if they had paid attention to her they would have known better. She could still see the workers eying her- trying to find out what happened. This made her hug her legs tighter. Flipping her hand over she involuntarily wrapped her hand around his. "My.." She sobbed again. "Mom.." And your aunt... went the wordless end to that sentence.
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 7:53 pm
There was a confused look that flickered over his face, his eyes darting over her features like there might be written some explanation.
He swallowed hard, gulping down the tangle of emotions that gripped him. He had to keep still, had to keep sane for her. He needed answers before he could react, that was the -rule-.
"What do you mean gone Beth..." he asked barely a whisper.
"What happened, can you tell me? Do we... do we need... to call anyone."
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:02 pm
She shook her head at the last question. She was pretty sure that the police and fire department were on the scene soon as her house had exploded. The happenings were not exactly subtle- and a neighbor would have seen the colorful flames right afterwords.
She gripped his hand harder once she was forced to recall the events. Beth would of course have to sensor a few of the major details... he could never know she was senshi.
Grabbing a tissue she wiped her eyes with it- only to have the tears quickly replaced. Her eyes were red and puffy- a sure sign she had been crying for quite some time. "She was on the floor... when i got home. She was cold. Things were tossed around the house..." She coughed again- trying to make her voice sound more 'like her'. Only to have her voice sound worse. "Stove was..on. Caught fire." She bit her lip- the whole scene playing back in her head in vivid details.
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:09 pm
Hugs, were not his forte, but there was no doubt in his mind that was just what she needed. They'd be looking for her of course, eventually, she'd have to talk to them. But for right now, at least he could try and comfort her.
If he ever found the b*****d... god...why not -his- house. At least he wouldn't have cared. He felt himself shaking slightly as he reached out to hug her, pulling her close and rocking her gently as best he could in the confines of the booth.
"It's ok... it's gona be ok, not your fault... " He murmured to her. "They'll find who did this, they'll find them... and they'll be dealt with." He hadn't meant to but his voice hardened just for a moment, his hug tightened just a little as he held her and then eased once more.
"Your freezing..." He added realizing how chilly she felt against him... shock for sure.
"Here... here... put this on." He said slipping out of his jacket and jostling it about her shoulders. "I'm... going to get you a juice... I want you to drink it.. ok?" He said resting his forehead to hers so he could stare closely into her eyes.
He was also going to text Dem to let him know he was out... explanations could follow later.
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:23 pm
If only he knew, if only he knew this was exactly her fault. She did not know how the other Lieutenant found her house- but it was all her fault. "I wasn't there... i wasnt there to protect her."
The fight that herself and Scheelite had around a month ago... it brought it down her her family. A sudden thought had her on edge. If they had found her mother, would they find Z? Would they do the same thing to Z? She could never let that happen. The thought was distant in her mind- but she made a vow that she would protect Z with her life. She knew the police would never find Scheelite- but this was fine... because she would find him first.
The hug had still felt so distant- was she looking at the scene before her outside of her body? Warmth soon engulfed her even more so as the jacket was draped over her. The warmth was partially the reason she started to feel less numb and more responsive - more in-tune with her body. If she was acting like herself she would have given him some money for the juice he was going to buy her. She would the next day for sure slip him some money when he wasn't looking.
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Posted: Wed Apr 07, 2010 8:33 pm
He rubbed at her arms like he was trying to warm her from the winter cold before murmuring that he would be -right- back.
He made his way to the counter shooting a few looks that were far colder than the weather outside at the people who -dared- to stare. If they wanted to stare, they should have acted. He bought a mango-mixed thing, she liked mango, and he was hoping the sugar would do her good. With a few long glances from the barista he returned and slid it to her before sitting again and offering her the thick pink straw they had offered.
"There...try and drink some alright? You'll feel better... and its -not-...your fault" He said firmly. "It's not your fault."
He should have accounted for this, he should have thought to...
To find out if there was some way to mark a home as untouchable, to mark its inhabitants as such.
He could think of only one thing just at the moment that might help, but it was out of his hands tonight.
All the same, his head was realign, the information he had been given refused to be processed.
The stove was on, caught fire... my god... he'd heard fire engines not so long ago and thought nothing of it. Nothing at all... such things always happened to 'someone else'. Never to someone you knew. Never to someone as sweet and kind as his cousin.
"It's not your fault..." he said again shaking his head softly.
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