#24

“You can’t even let her see your goddamn face!”

Chapter 16: His Outburst

“Sources told me she disappeared into the darkness,”

Kendrick’s voice kept on repeating in his mind, as though it’s been burnt in his mind, permanently.

Morgan, where are you?

He felt worried and paranoid. What if an Enormph got her first? What if he was too late? What if he was wasting his time, waiting for someone who might be dead already? But like the same instinct he has for Michaela, he knew somehow Morgan is still alive, somewhere. He just needed to be patience and wait for her return. Yet he knew his patience was running thinner and thinner.

“I knew you’d believe me. After all, I’m telling you nothing but the truth,”

I started to breathe heavily and I looked up at Lune, wishing so much that he would just burst out laughing and say, “Gosh, Morgan, this is just a dream!”

But it was all true and it was happening right before my very eyes.

“I don’t want this!” I screamed as I went hysterical and stood up so hard, the chair fell on the floor with a loud bang. I brought my hands to my head and shut my eyes. “I don’t want this, I don’t want this, I don’t want this, I don’t want this,”

“Estrella,” I heard Lune said with a soft tone as he cupped his hands on my shoulders. “Someday, you’re going to regret saying that. After all, your power saved you a couple of times,”

I snapped my head up, turned around and looked at Lune in the eyes. His citrine eyes were serious, “A couple of times?”

“Too many times to count but this is one of mom’s favorite story,” Lune’s lips were twitched slightly as though he remembered something funny. “Mom told me what remarkable powers you had, a complete opposite of mine. I was around 6 at that time and you were 4. She told me once that you were playing with candles in your room; carefully controlling the golden flames with your fingertips. An Enormph then suddenly attacked both of you through the open window. The Enormph knocked mom out and it tried to take you away.

“Upon seeing mom falling on the hard floor, you were shocked and started to ward off the Enormph using your fire. Mom woke up when she heard the Enormph screaming and the house was set on fire. Not just any fire, but blue fire. You body were covered by tongues of flames; licking your bare skin. Yet you weren’t hurt or burnt. Mom tried to control the fire, to extinguish it. But she wasn’t as powerful as you, ‘Your sister was one of the most amazing thing that I’ve ever had, aside from you, darling,’ mom said to me.”

I started to tear up. I remembered my mom tucking strands of stray hair behind my ears when I was younger.

Lune walked towards the door and said, “Tonight we shall enjoy the moon and tomorrow; you’ll have to learn to control your powers,”

My mouth hung opened.

“Don’t, you look like a fish gasping for air,” Lune giggled. His laughter sounded like bells; tinkling in the dark night. I closed my mouth and felt heat rising up to my cheeks.

“How do I get back to my world?” I asked Lune.

“You are in your world,”

“I meant to the world I’m living in. What’s this world called anyways?”

“Skia,”

“Skia?”

“It means Shadow in Greek. This place was originally found by the Greeks and since sunlight has never shed here before, they called it Skia, the world of Shadows.”

“So you mean this place has never touched sunlight before?”

“That’s it,”

This explains why Lune’s skin was so pale.

“All you have to do is to think of the place you want to go and walked through the door. Here, let me guide you.”

“Wait! But how come I fainted before coming here?”

“Your body was trying to adapt, but your mind wasn’t powerful enough,”

“How come I know this place?”

“You felt left out and alone. You were scared and frightened and so your mind was thinking about somewhere where you feel safe and wanted. Thus, a door was formed beneath you as you fainted from the power,”

It was true that I felt despair and I felt like a freak. Maybe, maybe it was true after all.

“Come, shall we?” Lune stretched out his left hand towards me, offering me to place mine upon his. I hesitated for a while and I finally placed my hand upon his. His fingers laced with mine as he held my hand tight. The coldness of his palm swept into my trembling hand. I wasn’t trembling with fear; I was trembling with excitement as I thought of home. Lune twisted the door knob and a dark passage was revealed.

He saw fingers reached out towards the dark sky; fingers out of nowhere. He scrambled to his feet and took out a gun, pointing towards the weird fingers. He then heard voices and a soft laughter.

Is this some kind of new power an Enormph has obtained?

His breathing deepened as he once again heard laughter. An arm revealed itself which followed by a leg and another, a head was then revealed but it’s hair was covering it’s face.  He quickly jumped behind the roof and from there he peeked at the weird creature. Finally, the whole body emerged but what is this? A hand was linked to the creature and another creature came out. He stood up, gun pointing at both the creature. He knew he was half hidden in the shadow that was provided by a tree. A soft laughter once again rang through the night.

It sounded familiar. Red Rose?

“Put the gun down, my friend, I’m your alley,” the creature then looked at his direction and a soft smile.

The creature’s eyes were color of citrine; like a pair of wolves, hunger in the winter. Morgan then stood next to him and he saw her gripping tightly on to the creature’s shoulder blade.

“The name is Lune. I know you’re Estrella’s protector since young,” Lune’s lip tugged as he couldn’t help but to smile as sarcasm dripped upon the word ‘protector’. “Your mother and everyone that stayed in your house were massacred by your dad, I supposed. Which I’m pretty sure is an Enormph. Ironic isn’t it? You killing Enormphs now as you, yourself, is half Enormph.”

He gripped his gun tightly, wishing so much to pull the trigger. But he can’t he won’t. Well, not when Morgan standing so close to Lune.

“I’m pretty sure the whole thing was traumatic, after all, having your own mother being killed by your father. You, my dear friend, are an abomination.” Lune gave a smug smile as he tilted his head a little higher. “No human has ever had an affair with an Enormph and worst off, have an offspring. You’re neither human nor Enormph, you’re an abomination which is dangerous to be around Estrella. Ever since you’ve poked your way through Estrella’s life, more and more Enormphs have laid their goddamn eyes on her. When they found out what she is, her life will be at risk! And you, you are the cause of it,”

“Lune,” Morgan said as she pulled Lune’s shoulder back. But instead of taking a step back, Lune took a step forward, towards him.

“You’re the whole reason why she is suffering in high school. Do you actually think her life will be safe within your hands as you tried to protect her? What about her friends? What about her father that she is living right now? Do you think you can protect everyone she has come in contact with when you can’t even protect Michaela let alone your own mother?” his smile became more and more menacing.

He heard Morgan gasped as she placed her hand upon her lips. He refused neither to back down nor to hang his head in defeat. But doubt began settling in his heart and he felt heavier and heavier as words of Lune sunk in his system.

“That’s right; you stood by the side when you saw your mother being slapped by your father. Those nights when you heard sobbing from the hallway to your room was your mother’s. The loud thumps you often heard was none other than your mother being punished by your father, your ruthless father. But what did you do? Did it ever occur to you to call the police or something? Have you tried protecting your mother? No! You pretended to not hear a thing and carry on with your simple life of toys and games!

“If you were to do something about it, your mother might still be alive right now and you won’t place Estrella’s life in danger.”

“I was just a kid!” he shouted across as he placed his hand by his side. He no longer could hold back. He dropped his gun as he lost his grip. He saw Lune smirked with pleasure at his outburst. He saw Morgan cringed with fear from his voice. Morgan… His shout turned into an echo which then faded along with the night breeze.

“Oh? Being a kid has no excuses. I’ve seen many abused kids took opportunity to call the cops or to have someone to help them, to save themselves as well as their family. But you were stuck in a delusion where you think you have a prefect family,”

“Lune,” Morgan’s voice called out timidly, “Lune, I think it’s enough,” she tugged Lune’s sleeve.

“Estrella, I’m trying to let him know his mistakes. After all, I’ve been watching him and better yet, I know his past. Don’t you think it’s safer for you to stay in Skia where you’re unable to place your friends and father’s life in danger?”

Morgan looked uncertain.

“Maybe not tonight, I’m tired, Lune, and I need some rest. So much have been going on today,”

“Goodnight, Estrella. Remember, all you have to think of is me when you need to find me,” Lune smiled as he guided Morgan to her bedroom window. “Sweet dreams, I’ll see you later,”

“You’re wrong,”

Both Morgan and Lune stopped in their tracks. Lune then turned to face him and walked a couple of step towards him, fearlessly.

“I’m wrong? Point me out at the point where I’m wrong,”

“I… I tried to save my mother. But I was threatened by him,” his whole body shook with anger.

“Being threatened has nothing to do with it. Are you sure you want to continue? I mean, you’ve been keeping your background from Estrella here and maybe I could just tell everything to her about her protector,”

“Being threatened is a serious thing,”

“Oh? I’ve been threatened by many and here I am, still alive,” Lune’s arms were outstretched.

“Maybe the threats you were given was taking away your candy. But when I threaten people, I’m being serious about it,”

“What can you do, abomination?”

“I’m warning you,”

 “All you can do is just sit at the corner and watch the people you’ve loved die right before your eyes. You can’t save, you–”

Morgan gave off a shriek when she saw Lune’s head was violently pushed to a side and as the impact was so great, he fell to his knees. She quickly ran to Lune and placed her arm around him.

“Lune! Lune! Are you okay? What happened?” she then saw Lune coughed out a few mouthful of blood and a thin ribbon of blood was running down his nose. “Oh, Lune!”

“You’re fast, I’ll give you that,” Lune said and coughed.

After coughing, Lune used the back of his hand to rub off the blood from his nose. Morgan then used her thumb to wipe the blood off his lips. The way she looked at Lune hurt him deeply. He was just a few feet away from both of them. His right fist was covered with ribbons of blood. Small droplets dripped off his knuckles and landed on the roof. His fury and frustration has yet satisfied. He wanted to beat this punk’s face until his own mother couldn’t recognize him. His breathing deepened.

The night air was still and damp with nothing but crickets singing with happiness. He then heard a soft giggle which turned to laughter, laughter coming from Lune. Morgan then helped Lune get to his feet and he quickly walked back in the shadows. Lune’s laughter rang louder and he kept on laughing even when both his knees buckled.

“Lune, let’s go in and get you washed up,” Morgan began to bring Lune to her room.

“You can’t even bloody let her see your goddamn face! She doesn’t even know your background until now. But then again, it’s only 10%! She doesn’t know your previous name and your current name!” Lune was shouted hysterically at him. “You made her promise never to do things she wishes to do! You’re holding her captive! You’re hypnotizing her with your petty words! Have you ever considered how the hell she feels being cooped up and do nothing but to think of you!? You’re nothing but an inconsiderate bastard who can’t even protect his own mother!”

Lune was then pulled out from Morgan’s arm and she fell heavily on to the roof. He held Lune by his collar and brought him close to his face.

“Shut the hell up,” he whispered quietly yet deadly.

“Or what?” Lune smirked in front of his face.

He then swung a punch at Lune’s abdomen, causing Lune to choke up all the breath in him. But despite being out of air, Lune then grabbed on his collar and pulled him closer.

“The reason why I didn’t fight back was because Morgan asked me not to. Seeing how violent you are, I doubt that she wants to see you anymore,” Lune whispered softly in his ear. He then pushed Lune with all his might and Lune fell on the roof, laughing.

He then walked towards Morgan and held out his hand, wanting to help Morgan to her feet.

“Get away from me!” she screamed at him when his shadow overpowered her. “Get away!” she raised both her arms to shield her head, as though he was going to hurt her.

“Red Rose-”

“Get away!” she shrieked.

He was taken back and he redrew his outstretched hand. “I’m sorry,” he whispered and he walked away, into the dark where he once belonged.

Morgan lowered her arms and saw him for the very last time. Tears flooded in her eyes and streamed down her cheeks.

He walked passed Lune and stopped when Lune grabbed his right leg. “Good luck coming back,” he heard Lune sneered and he continued his journey to his home. Just where the hell did Morgan find Lune? Why is she so attracted to men like Lune and Leon?

I quickly got up to my feet and ran towards Lune as I wiped my tears away. I heard Lune whispered something to him but what?

“Lune? Are you alright?” I asked as I knelt beside him.

I then helped Lune got up to his knees and brought him to my room, to wash away the blood on him and put some medication on his bruise.

“Can you walk?”

“I think so,”

He turned around and saw Lune lean closely on Morgan as they made their way to her room. He sighed and knew everything Lune said was the truth. He hit Lune for he did not want to hear any more painful truth coming from a jerk like him. But with that action caused his great regrets. Morgan was now afraid of him.

“Red Rose…” he muttered and tears slowly made their way down his cheeks.

What have I done?

You didn't expected that did ya? haha.