The Ones Who were Chosen
omfortably, but no more than his new injury, which now became nothing more than a dull throb. The strange being was running his hands along
much anymore, in
emoved his shirt on command and the stranger began to wrap around Lucas' waist a roll of bandage. He wound it around and around his torso until he cam
feel?' Cul
d' Lucas replied
anger g
is mostly healed. I suggest you keep discrete about it until it's healed fully. You would have a hard time I'm sure explaining to others how you got
r and to the skate park around them. Despite all that had happened
as thought
ve not often met a guardian so young.' He g
I assume
hospital. He studied the black skinned man before him, and saw that his wings were folded n
y. 'Where did you get these?
bjects from afa
od of you
is pace, continuin
d have done the sa
are you?' Lucas said.
rrant p
of them look a lot like myself, like a human. Others look like beasts,
ny aberrants?
ulture rep
nterrupting them. 'I froze up, it was weak of me...you
, speaking in a calming t
pid' Reube
mistakes' his b
at could have
a verbal attack. Reuben forced himself
ng to be ok?
ben. 'Just take it easy' he said to Luca
turned
ing now; I've got t
nded on him. 'You mean
group' the abe
exchanged a gla
e there?' Re
luding myself' Cultur
Lucas
ng away before Lucas had another
erstand Luc
f any bird, he soared over the town, quickly growi
me' Lucas trailed off i
n turned to him. 'Are you
e. And don't
er slow breath. '
hink
s brother, helping to su
be f
euben retorted. 'You have t
slowly and carefully, and putting most
you're rea
and laughing. His mirth quickly subsided into tense moans as h
sing?' Reuben asked, giving him a
tures in this world now, and we'
ed shaking
y were doing wheelies on their skateboards and sp
with a glare. 'After all that and
ng' Lucas replied. 'We wouldn't wa
think though
es
aberrants?' Reuben voiced aloud. 'They must
after all' Lucas sighed as they shuffled along, so
uess
his shirt, reluctant to be seen with these bandages on, especially by somebody he knew. Loo
on't want to be seen walking around bleeding ev
walked very slowly back home. Reuben
ow with the aberrant and the mother. All four of the guardians were present now. The aberrant seemed to be telling the other two a strange story, of two young guardians he had met
d he noticed Siren. The mother and the abe
her head r
oke in a gentle vo
r. 'We have her trapped here.
for it though?' Si
for w
pped for a moment......she had
escape?' Cult
; she used some of her magic on me. I remember seein
uldn't use her ma
But only in very small amounts co
mirth. 'Having so much power and not even being able
ill be caught. It's only a matter of time. Let's
snacks as well as little gifts and trinkets, and one was selling masks made of the most fabulous and colourful designs. Lauralie danced past stall after stall, eyeing up its merchandise, skipping past a figure wearing a plague mask, and sparing it only a glance. There were dream catchers and candles on one stall, another that sold all
el!' Lauralie suddenly
, amazed by her sho
every year' he said i
weaving in and out of the crowd of people. 'I keep forgetting how busy it gets' Laural
ook at everything. Her excuse was that she was attracted to things that shine. Little trinkets, cut glass in the shape of tiny animals, earrings with too many digits, she even found a silk scarf that sadly didn't match her hair colour. Drake
uralie was saying. 'She should be there somewhere. Bu
heel were tents of red and yellow, blue and white, and green and white. Some of them were hosting sid
with its insufferable and repetitive music. They paused a
said at last when they had finished.
get a better view of the town from the Fe
u'd say that' Drak
had finished, Lauralie leapt from the carriage and ran to meet her. She was greeted by several other friends that Alice had brought with her. And
ons were over, Alice led the group
e show's nearly sta
with smiles and winks. Drake came after them, moving
ood in a row side by side as the perform
r the performa
ollar. His ears were pierced and on the left side of his neck, was a tattoo of a beautiful rose with its petals unfurled. His hair was spiked downwards
o the side, sliding his whole body, arms and legs and head and neck in perfectly graceful motions, moves perfectly co-ordinated. Then he suddenly turned stiff, robotic. He pushed himsel
ed, clapping
admitted to Lauralie
hed position, holding a comical face, his body slow
d back, not entirely impressed
ite simple, the music
ey began, it was at that moment; her heart was taken, beati
st a boy-Lolita look about him. He had blonde highlights in his light brown hair, w
ssive as his brothers. Lauralie was fixated on him, taking in his every f
others, using their arms, using their legs and moving their heads, they t
beautiful, but all t
had been holding. She gathered herself again,
in love
about?' Lauralie flu
nudged at her arm playfully
ed, and was surprised at what she felt. Was it perhaps because s
r that she didn't quite hear; then he left her side. Lauralie craned her head,
aky littl
t her th
ow' she said as the brothers mov
od' Lauralie answere
. 'Let's go look at
walking with Alice before they had left the town. He didn't say where he went or why, which annoyed Lauralie
an hour she g
Lauralie sighed, sitting on a low wall
more beautiful by night. Multicoloured electric lights on strings, the dim lights of the stalls, the tents now silent and desolate for the most part sat with the
rising and pulling her with her as they wa
ff the wall, following
h the empty town square, heading
led up to the base of the Ferris wheel, which now sat st
said glumly, taking a seat beside Alice. 'It would
s tomorrow' Al
em. 'It's getting late, we had better
teased nudging Lauralie's arm. 'I don
rate voice sharper than she intended. She had had qu
eel?' Reuben
ht I g
behind his head. It was the first place he chose to rest as soon as they got back. Reuben proceeded to bo
taking the bowl of steaming soup his brother handed him. A
, I'm sorry I ju
et it' Luc
d have died b
ld have, bu
the soup from his bowl. After a while Lucas
day.' Lucas began to laugh. He tensed suddenly, holding his side. Im
taking the bowl back. The two of th
ying but what if'' Lucas began. 'N
kno
ght hit him. 'If you want to do something fo
en nodded eagerly. 'Wh
know...just
O
ther' Lucas went on. 'I think i
off, I mean fly off
euben a scep
't anything
kno
ing different and living half a life in secret. We need to convince
uben said rising. 'Are you sur
as droned in
itated; and then m
n...um.
ed again;
brother's foolishness. He sat back against the
he received a call on his mobile. Not re
el
female voic
l to hear his girlfriends voice.
another. Anyway I just thought I'd check on
ver forget
ot' she answered.
m f
ng to r
op
n are you coming
s admitted. 'I have
about I come d
ay
t like th
ing a bit
I'll speak to you later then. Don
n the clingy type, most of the time if anything she was
pping it back into his po
Reuben had still not returned. Lucas sat there growing bor
ng, catching Lucas by surprise. Its call wa
towards the phone, holding his side and moving gin
re it, and pick
el
' a female voic
es
Golden Heart Hospital, your
crowd in the town centre had begun to break itself up. He wandered now through one of the parks on the edges of the town, thinking he would never find
still fairly busy. The sun was beginning to dip, and the park was gr
eve I actuall
were stupid enough
e of bread and turned on
you going?' Reuben
t continued to walk,
ai
an to ca
e me
e that, I just wa
, pausing only briefly an
. 'Well there's
atch up wit
this' Reuben demanded,
well I
tated; he struggled to keep up
you're upset and confused
her head towards him i
sure you kno
ed her marc
don't have to talk just listen ok,
ng. 'I'm perfectly fine on my
th us, my brother is a guardian as well, l
d again, con
I'm a different spe
didn't mean
nybody.' She ma
dy needs
fuming and puffing her
need anyone else and I certainly don't need these worthless powers!
back as hard
ad no time to stop, and Reuben h
ht into him, screeching
disinfectant and emptiness. Its hallways and floor wer
puter; she was pleasant but stiff in her words, point
painful
he building of sickness, keeping his head straight and not lo
device on the wall extracted a tiny squirt of some strange soap that r
of which were elderly. Lucas felt apprehensive as he approached Reuben, who lifted his head as he came closer.
.1
-past' Lucas told him. 'I'v
d you came' R
his bed, pillows stuffed
d in bad
s cheek, and all over his left shoulder. His left arm was in a c
Lucas replied, '
ng hours, they wouldn'
of pansy nurses and doctors st
always count on his brother. Lucas had a
e bed, watching his brother
dy aw
himself higher
to where it is.' He touched his cheek tenderly, then his bandaged head. 'And I've got a concussion;
ened?' Luc
ushed me int
ntion. 'This bed isn't
going to do?'
to find her
didn't
g something out of his
partially squashed,
....wha
Miners apparently used to take it down when they worked. It's like a whole meal in one, meat
you get fo
' Lucas
ly eaten today'
aten anything at a
s. I'd offer you something from here, but
han eat from this place.' Lucas sigh
if the tingling in my fingers stops I
re
open this
d tore the packet open,
s Reuben began to eat. 'He
es anybody
N
th relief. 'I'd hate to
ning why you have a ca
a feeling of dread slo
cas reassured, 'don
ng me someth
y I f
gged. 'It's just that it'
back to
dden sound of a
said rising from the bed,
obile open and quic
are almost over and the nurses get really ratty if
button and snapped
his brother. 'I'll be back again tomor
rnoon, then after that six
s at him. 'I'm going to sell the TV tomorrow
ou tom
the hurt of his brother, and the thought of having to leave him here. He realised how
have asked
fell asleep, waking several hours later in the early hours of the morning,
on the sofa, waking this time when Drak