Too simple my ass

Blood....and a pounding headache. That's all I can remember. I woke up in a dark room, my hands bound, and lying on a hard...cold...cement ground. I sat up with some difficulty feeling particularly weak. Looking down I took note that it was rope tying my hands. I pulled on them experimentally, testing the bonds, and grimaced as they dug painfully into my wrists. I wouldn't be breaking those with my own strength. And without my hands I wouldn't be drawing any runes. I glanced around the room, trying to find any escapes.

I found a door, but that was it. The room was dark and my eyes were having trouble adjusting. I leaned against the wall and began to slide up it only to collapse as my legs failed me. They felt weak. I sighed and tried again, this time with success. Though my legs were still shaky. The door was locked of course. Didn't know why I thought it wouldn't be. The click as the door opened made me take a few steps back, stumbling and falling on to my butt with a sharp intake of breath.

Light flooded the room and made me squint my eyes. All I could see was a silhouette. A deep chuckle filled the room, and for some reason it filled me with fear. I scooted back to the wall as fast as I could with my hands bound.

"You're awake...." She began, her voice smooth and elegant. "That's good, I was beginning to worry." I could hear her words dripping with amusement and my brain registered the words, but they were the last thing on my mind. My mind was working on overdrive trying to figure out how I had got here. The woman in front of me was only vaguely familiar. But it wasn't her features, of which I could barely see. It was something else.

"I will let you know though, I was disappointed in you little boy. I'm not sure of the difficulty I expected, but it was not a challenge at all to capture you." She sighed in an over exaggerated way, letting me know she was mocking me and I took a deep breath, remaining silent. I was racking my mind for details, any details of the events leading to this point.

A letter.

A plane.

A cafe.

And then waking up here.

My thoughts were interrupted as the room lit up, as the man hit a switch. The room was cement, bare of anything except for the single light bulb and a mirror on the far side of the room, that I noticed with slight interest. But my eyes finally settled on my captor. Black shoulder length hair, green eyes that were strangely dull and glassy looking. They reminded me of the eyes of one who has been long dead. Her skin pale, white as a ghost. Her smile was wide, one you would expect to see in nightmares on the face of death himself. What she wore was simple, a white dress that stretched down to her shins.

She took a few steps forward and it felt as if the room was growing colder. "What's wrong, do I scare you?" I didn't answer. I was having trouble even processing the situation, it left me at a loss of words. The confusion that overtook me, and the fear that slowly entered my body, as I finally realized the situation I was in. This woman, was not normal, her appearance alone was enough to figure that out.

It took me a moment to register that my other was screaming in my head, as I desperately tried to think of my next course of action. It had been a while since I had heard him so livid. I jumped to my feet and lunged forward, sinking my teeth into her throat, feeling the warm crimson splatter on my face as I ripped her throat out. Salty and....I blinked. I was back at my previous position, cowering against the wall.

Go then. What are you waiting for? 

I can barely even stand, you expect me to rip her throat out?

SHE IS ARROGANT! 

and at the moment, has a right to be.

This silenced my other. It would seem even he can see logic. "The silent treatment? Is that it?" all she got was a blank stare in return, as I calmed myself. There wasn't anything I could do at that moment, and I knew it. She chuckled darkly, "Fine then." Without another word she walked over to me, reaching down before I could make any movements and grabbed me by the hair roughly. I resisted the urge to scream in pain as she dragged me across the room by my hair. She dragged me through the door and out into a hall, she continued to drag me until we ended up in another room, similar to the room I woke up in. The only difference being a single chair in the center of the room. She shut the door behind her.

What happened next, I don't wish to describe, and I won't at least... not right now. I don't think I've ever experienced such pain and it'll haunt me for years to come. This went on for the next week. By the third day, I was broken completely. I didn't speak a word, and was then that I gave up any hope of escaping with my life. After that, she even stopped binding my hands. At the end of each of these "sessions" I would pass out, only to wake up in the same room I had the first time. I also asked her about the mirror, she had only giggled at that and told me that it was so I could admire her handiwork.

Each time I would wake up, there would be new cuts, usually fairly deep, and usually along my torso. Each of the incisions would be sloppily stitched up. The most noticeable had been the slash mark on my face, extending from one cheek to the other, across the bridge of my nose. I asked her over and over why I was here. She said that her boss, had ordered it. I proceeded to ask who her boss was. She only responded with a laugh.

It was after the eighth day that she finally slipped up. She somehow didn't notice the scalpel I grabbed when she dragged me back to my room after another "session". As weak as I felt, I knew that I would only have one chance at this. When she entered my room to retrieve me the next morning, I pounced on her. She seemed surprised, her initial shock was enough to end it. I lifted the scalpel into the air and stabbed downwards into her chest. I felt her blood stain my clothes but I didn't care. I felt her weakly struggle, but I just kept stabbing her over and over again. After she finally stopped moving, I fell off of her and crawled away as far as the room would let me.

I didn't feel sadness, or regret for the life that I had just taken. I didn't feel anything that I thought I should. I just felt, indifferent. I felt nothing. Which worried me. But later I would come to find out that this was due to shock. I scoured the place that had been my prison and found my bag. I took out my cellphone and took a few deep breaths to calm down as I heard it ringing.

"Hello? Skye?" The voice sounded slightly panicked.

"Hey Tori.....yeah, yeah I'm okay...." I slid down the wall, I didn't feel okay in the least. "You think you could come pick me up? Yeah...Germany..."

Just too simple

You know what I find funny about you "runners"? Well #1 half of you stay in the same place for long periods of time. Yet you proclaim to be "runners". You stay in that place, not even thinking about the consequences. The other thing though? That you seem to lack common sense. Some of you may seem smart, such as my red haired friend here. Who thinks that his weak glare is actually intimidating me from the chair he's ... "situated in"....glares are much less intimidating when one of the eyes is swollen shut, imagine that. But anyways, Skye was supposed to be smart. Little bastard got cocky just because he took on a couple of Rose Brides as if that would stop HIM. Smart because he can use a couple of parlor tricks, lot of good they do him with his hands bound. 

But no, he was supposed to be smart. Yet nothing about his situation is rational. First of all, he lives with a proxy. One that claims to have good intentions, one that he has a little crush on. As cute as the whole "star crossed lovers" thing is, won't matter when she kills him in his sleep, because Tall and Faceless decides to hollow her. While I don't claim to understand the suited bastard, I do have a vague knowledge of some of his tactics, at least when it comes to causing pain; usually of the emotional kind. So really I'll be doing him and his little girlfriend a favor when I end his pathetic life. Damn, I keep getting off topic. So no, he's not as smart as he claims. 

You runners....I set the most obvious of traps, and yet you still come. All it took was letter saying I had Roy, and Skye came running. All common sense went out the window. 

He's been here for exactly one week. It's been fun and I'm sorry to see it end. But I won't kill him, not yet. I'll take you all on a walk down memory lane, and at the end, Skye will be dead. 

Oh would you look at that, he passed out again, I thought he had learned last time, looks like he needs a refresher. Guess that's my cue to leave then. 

Goodbye, for now.

-L

I'm off to Europe. I have something to take care of there. I'll post details later because my plane leaves in 20 minutes.

Tori if you see this, I left a note in my room explaining everything, and I'm sorry.

Goodbye

I heard a yawn and the quiet noise of footsteps as Alice walked into the kitchen. I continued to watch the pan, waiting for the perfect moment to flip the pancake I was making. "Good morning...." I heard her say with a sigh. I looked over my shoulder to see Alice sitting, her head resting on the table. I flipped the pancake, and heard someone running down the stairs. I saw Tori walk into the kitchen dressed for work.

I smiled, "Tori, you're just in time for breakfast." I set a pancake on the plate and poured more batter into the skillet. I turned to see Tori sitting in one of the chairs, quickly tying her shoes.

"Sorry, Skye I don't have time to si-" She began to say before I set down a bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich, wrapped in a napkin on the table. She finished tying her shoes and stood up. She gave me a peck on the cheek with a quick "thanks" before grabbing the sandwich and her car keys, she went for the door and rubbed the top of Alice's head. "See ya kiddo." and with that she left.

I set down a plate of pancakes in front of Alice who mumbled something that I assumed was thanks. I sat down and took a sip of my coffee as I watched Alice slowly begin to wake up as she ate her pancakes.

"You're leaving already?"

I saw Roy fasten the straps on his backpack. "I have to Skye, I already told Alice goodbye."

"If you're ever back in town...you know you're welcome here." He smiled sadly at me. 

"Skye, this is goodbye. I'm afraid we won't be seeing each other again." To me he sounded defeated, as if he had simply given up. I found myself growing slightly angry.

"So that's it? You've just given up? Your just going to go find somewhere to die quietly?" I look back at it now and realize that this sounded harsh. 

He chuckled, not the reaction I had expected. He grinned at me, "Of course not. I'm going to fight until I can't anymore, and when I go, I'll go swinging." 

I looked at him in disbelief. "Aren't you scared?" 

"Honestly?" I nodded, "Fuck yeah I am. But that doesn't mean I'm going to spend the rest of my life hiding. Would that increase my life span? Maybe. But that's just not my style." He had accepted it, he was accepting the fact that he was going die. Yet he kept walking, moving forward. I looked down trying to hide the tears building in my eyes.

"What about us?" It came out slightly choked. "You're just going to leave us behind? The rest of us runners?" It sounded selfish, and I knew it was, I could tell that he was tired.

He chuckled, setting a hand on my head. "Skye, it's because of runners like you, and Med, and all the others, that I can keep moving. I'm not afraid to leave this fight to all of you, because I know that you're all strong, and smart." He laughed again, "Hell of lot smarter than me." He lifted his hand and turned to walk away. I watched through blurred vision as he kept walking, he stopped for a moment. "Take good care of her alright?" 

I nodded even though he couldn't see me, "You got it." 

He lifted his hand "Goodbye." 

"...Skye?" I blinked and looked at Alice who looked concerned. I reached up and felt that my cheeks were wet. I shook my head, feeling embarrassed.

"It's nothing, sweetie." With that she went back to eating her pancakes, glancing up at me with concern every now and then. I simply stared at my coffee.

'I'll do my best Roy, I promise you that.'

Surprises are usually bad

"Skye, I hate asking you to do this." I stared at Roy who looked quite uncomfortable. It wasn't hard to see why of course, this was a rather big request. It had been a week but he had dropped by like he had said he would, seemingly unharmed to my relief. At the moment we were sitting in the living room, a cup in front of each of us. Tea for me and coffee for him.

I sighed and took a sip of my tea. "Roy, you drop by and ask me to do this, but you still haven't told me why. Roy that girl would be crushed if you just left her like that. You can see it in her eyes that she loves you. You're all she has." I was referring to Alice, the girl Roy had taken and was raising, who at that moment was in the backyard with Tori, who said she'd entertain the girl while we talked. "Roy I'm fifteen! How am I supposed to raise a child? I'm still just a child myself..." I nearly whispered the last part, not sure of my choice of words.

"Skye I know it's a lot to ask of you, trust me I know. I just didn't have anyone else to turn to...." He looked away, frowning to himself. Looking at him, he seemed just as tired as he had before, as if he hadn't slept for a long time.

"Look I'm sure Tori wouldn't mind you staying for awhile bu-" His eyes widened and he looked slightly panicked.

"No! Just....her...." I raised an eyebrow at the outburst. He looked at the ground, his eyes no longer visible, hidden beneath his hair. He continued to stare at the ground as he spoke. "Skye, please...." I stared at him for another few moments, the room silent as I thought.

"I'm not agreeing to anything, but if I'm even to think about this, I need to know one thing." He looked at me hopefully. "Why? Why can't you take care of her anymore?" He smiled sadly.

"Skye, the path I walk, is not one I chose. But it is one I must continue to walk. This path though, it's coming to an end. I'm not going to be around for much longer, and I refuse to drag her down with me, I care for her too much to do so." My eyes widened for a split second, trying to take in what I had heard. He was saying...he was going to die soon. But....

“You had been visiting Wolf right? How was that?” His smile became slightly strained at the question.

“It was nice, really nice. But there were things I wish I would have said. To each of them... I just...” He sighed.

I smiled at him. “Hey don't worry you can tell them next time.”

It's why he had seemed so sad.....there wouldn't be a next time. "Roy how can you be sure, I me-"

He chuckled. "Skye, you saw him didn't you? He's been following me for weeks now, I can't go more then an hour without seeing him. Honestly, I'm surprised you haven't noticed." At that moment, he appeared, standing right behind Roy, his faceless head tilting as he observed me. Everything had froze, Roy was still smiling and I felt all of the color drain from my face. As fast as he had appeared though, he had vanished. 

I let go of a breath I hadn't realized I was holding. I regarded Roy. He still smiled and yet, in his eyes I could see how desperate he was. I took another sip of tea and shut my eyes. How could I deny a dying man, his last request? I didn't open my eyes as I responded "Fine." Was all I said. I would of course talk to Tori about this later and hope she understood. 

I guess I was right, things had gotten a lot more complicated.

Surprise, surprise!

As I cracked open my book I realized with a sigh that it would be another boring night at work. I felt like I wasn't pulling my own weight, with Tori working now, and also her going on missions, I finally decided that I needed something to occupy my time. I had been hired at the library, I worked the late shift, anywhere from five or six until closing at midnight. It was usually after ten that I wouldn't really see anyone come in. So I would spend my time studying my book until closing.

I glanced up at the clock and sighed, ten thirty. Another hour and a half to go. I glanced up at the ceiling my mind wandering away from my book. I wondered how Tori was doing, she had been busy, busier than usual. I was worried but whenever I'd asked about it she had simply smiled that disarming smile of her's and told me that she would be fine, but she appreciated my worrying. I would trust her, but make sure that I was keeping the house clean and always had a nice dinner ready when she got home, that is if I wasn't working.

I chuckled as I remembered what she said the night before during dinner. She had smirked at me and commented that I would make the perfect housewife one day. I hadn't trusted myself not to stutter so I had simply continued to eat silently, my face aflame. The thought went through my head that she would make a great wife one day. Though having a wife that could kick my ass would be troublesome.....I blinked and shook my head. My mind was moving way too fast. As it usually tended to.

Just as I went back to read my book, I heard someone clear there throat. I had been so absorbed in my thoughts that I hadn't seen a man walk up to the counter, a large book in his hand, strangely enough the cover was bare of any words or even colors other than black. He had a hooded cloak on, his face barely visible. His green eyes, looked tired as if he hadn't slept for days, but as tired as they looked they were bright and piercing. But the smile I could see was kind, it put me at ease. The strangest thing was his posture, while seemingly laxed, was anything but. If one were to look closely enough they would notice that his muscles were tensed, like a coil snake ready to spring.

“Uh, did you want to check that out?” I asked hesitantly. I already had mixed feelings about the man. His smile was kind, but he stared at me intently, studying me, like he was sizing me up.

“Yes.” Was his simple reply, his voice calm and quiet. I simply nodded and took the book from him, not even glancing at it.

“Do you have a library card?” He shook his head, indicating that he didn't, I sat down at my computer and brought up the registration page. “Name?”

“Roy Carson.” My eyes widened and I looked up. I stared at the man, a wide grin now gracing his face. “Hey, Skye. How have you been?” Roy and me had been talking for a while. Even though I'd never met him in person we became fast friends. We had been shooting emails back and forth and chatting. But I hadn't heard from him in months.....

I smiled at him. “I've been okay. But what about you? I haven't heard from you in months! Where have you been?!” I had been worried. I didn't have many friends, and thinking he had died had not been a pleasant experience.

His grin turned mischievous. “You've been more than okay, if what I read on Tori's blog is true.” Cue my embarrassing blush. He chuckled, “and from the color on your face, it must be.” He frowned for a moment, a very tiny moment that if I hadn't been paying close attention I wouldn't have noticed it. But his smile was back on his face before I could say anything. “I was visiting a friend was all.”

“You had been visiting Wolf right? How was that?” His smile became slightly strained at the question.

“It was nice, really nice. But there were things I wish I would have said. To each of them... I just...” He sighed.

I smiled at him. “Hey don't worry you can tell them next time.”

His eyes suddenly had a far away look to them when he replied. “Yeah.....next time.” and he was all smiles again. Like he was slipping on a mask.

“So what are you doing here?”

“Just thought I'd come through time and visit you. There's also something I wished to speak to you about. Just not here.”

I frowned at the response, I went to say something and a shiver went down my spine. That feeling....he was here...but...where? Glancing at the window I saw him. Even without eyes, or a face for that matter, I could tell that he was staring at Roy. “Roy-”

The smile never left his face. “Yeah, I know. He's been following me for awhile now.” He glanced out at Slendy and then made his way towards the door. I went to say something but he raised his hand. “I'll come and visit you sometime soon.”

“But Ro-”

“Don't worry about me, I'll be fine.” He walked out the door after that. I saw him walk past Slender who remained for a moment before vanishing. I sighed and fell back in my chair. I had a feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated.