*Daphne*
The wind and the rain slashed against the front of as we dashed through the dark forest towards the Selenite Pack. I leaned forward to keep from getting bushwacked, but the rain pelting my back stung.
I clung to his torso with my arms and thighs, his clothing underneath the only dry, warm part. He galloped through the forest, maneuvering around trees with the agility of a skilled runner who had seemingly done it many tis prior.
I hoped that the trip wouldn’t last long. The rain was making it almost unbearable at the speed he was going.
I closed my eyes, trying to ignore the rain pelting my back and running down my spine like cold, wet fingernails. As we went further into the woods, more of his mories seeped in. I should have known that touch instigated them.
This vision was imdiate, though... powerful. It distracted from the inclent weather and forced deep into his mories, away from the stinging cold of the rain, and into the dreadful world of his past.
I flew over his shoulder, a bird’s eye view of his life, again. He was still young, maybe a year or two older but I couldn’t be sure. He worked too hard for a boy, or anyone, his age.
He worked the alleys and side streets picking up one odd job after another. There was a job dealing drugs to junkies on the street corner. It made him streetwise really quick.
But it also got him into fights.
It was a cloudy day and he was on a street corner waiting. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, his breath ca out in crystalline puffy clouds that glittered beneath the street lamp light.
He glanced around but tried to not make it too obvious. A car drove up to the side of the road. An older man leaned out the passenger side, the side close to him, with his grubby hand out. Rion cupped his hand and dropped sothing into the old man’s hand.
The old man handed him a paper bag and drove off with a shriek of the tires.
Rion looked into the bag, too distracted as he counted his money to see the shadowy figure looming from the alley behind him.
I couldn’t do anything. All I could do was watch the crowbar co down on the back of his head and see him fall forward onto the sidewalk, where he cut his head on its edge. The shadowy figure dove for the paper bag and ran off with it.
Rion lay there for what seed too long but finally got up. He searched for the bag, but it was gone. I watched his wounds sew back together as he looked for his belongings as if he had not been hit by a tal bar.
The vision blurred and we were in a different location. It looked like a boxing ring. The stands were all made from tal high school bleachers stacked on top of each other. The box ring was flimsy and the floor shone from wear and tear.
People scread and cheered from all around . The sll of popcorn, hot dogs, and sweat perated the air. I was a bird’s eye over Rion’s shoulder again as he walked to the ring, wearing a tattered robe.
Once he entered the ring, he took off the robe and the bell rang. He collided into the body of a much bigger boy. They both seed to be in their mid-teens, but I couldn’t be sure. Rion swung hard punches into the opponent’s face and vulnerable areas.
He punched like he ant it.
I watched as he dodged hits or got up from deep blows. He never surrendered. He laid one final blow, sweeping his knuckles across the other boy’s chin so it yanked to the side.
I cringed as the boy flung back and landed on the ring floor, then lay there in a daze. I wondered for a mont if he was dead, but while a couple of guys grabbed him by the shoulders, he blinked, stunned.
The referee held up Rion’s hand and the crowd went wild. Rion walked up to the nosebleed section, where he t an older man with wiry muscles who slapped a fat wad of cash in his mitten and ruffled his hair.
“You’re doing good, kid. Keep it up,” the man said.
“Thanks, Sal,” Rion replied, then he began to count his earnings.
I learned then that Sal had raised Rion and that he’d retired, though that detail would happen years later. It was a short thought, but I could feel the bond between them, like father, like son. Rion fanned his cash and counted.
For , it was a normal amount of money, but I knew that Rion considered himself a king at that mont. He left the boxing ring and took a taxi back to an apartnt complex in the capital’s seedy underbelly.
He entered the apartnt, and I recognized the young man nad Jasper. I imdiately felt their deep connection.
I also realized that Rion had no other friends. Most of his associates were just a ans to an end. But I didn’t bla him too harshly.
My vision ended abruptly. I was standing on damp earth. The sll of rain and wet soil wafted up, bringing back to the present mont. I saw we were in front of a cozy looking cabin and I assud that it was the safe house.
Rion stood over . He was naked with one hand over his privates and the other held out toward .
“Clothes?” he said, snapping his fingers.
I fumbled and looked around to find that his clothes were stuck to my thighs. I hurriedly tossed him his clothes and turned around to give him his privacy.
I thought about the visions and wondered if they would continue to persist, and why I was seeing them in the first place. It seed that so unknown force was leading to help him, but I didn’t know why.
He turned around and I saw he was fully clothed.
“Co on, let’s get out of the cold,” he said, and he led to the house’s veranda.
The sll of pine wafted in as the door opened and we saw an elfish-looking woman with a pointy nose, freckles, and bright red hair.
“Hi Diane,” Rion said.
She smiled at him and went in for a hug. “Hello, Rion.”
“She’s sick. May we co in?” he said hurriedly.
Her expression changed, and she quickly motioned for to co in.
A fire crackled in the fireplace the mont I entered. There was a rug surrounding a cluster of soft couches with the rest of the crew sitting on them, as if they had been waiting for us this whole ti.
“Co with ,” Diane said, taking my arm gently and pulling down a hallway lined with family photos and a long rectangular rug.
We ca to a small bathroom. It looked more like a closet than a bathroom to , but the candles and potpourri were inviting.
She opened a dicine cabinet on the side and filled up a cup of cough syrup, then handed it to .
“There you go, hun,” she said.
I took it. “Thank you.”
“Don’t ntion it. What’s your na?”
“Daphne.”
“Well, Daphne I’ll fix up a bath for you and you can soak for as long as you need to. Once you’re done, you’ll have so hot soup waiting for you in the dining room.”
She bustled past in that tiny bathroom and turned on the water.
“Holler if you need anything,” she said before leaving alone with the water still running.
I drank the cough syrup and gagged a little. It was not flavored very well, but it would probably do the trick. I had to trust that it would.
I sighed a deep, relaxing, cleansing breath as I settled into the hot water. The heat soaked down through my pores and helped soothe my aching muscles. It was very much needed.
I let myself soak in the soothing waters for what seed like hours, but I didn’t want to leave. I scrubbed myself clean and decided it had been more than enough ti, and I got out.
I noticed a pile of clothes on the counter that were not mine and wondered if Diane had slipped in while I had my eyes closed. I had probably fallen asleep in the bath water. I certainly needed it.
I stepped out of the tub and dried off, then put on the clothes provided, a sweatshirt and sweatpants, a cozy and comfortable outfit that fit loosely. I was feeling grateful to be clean and out of the dirty cargo pants and T-shirt I wore.
When I returned to the dining room, the sll of chicken soup filled the whole room. The crew talked to each other on the couches, but I found Rion on his own sitting on an armchair, his eyes glazed over, deep in thought.
“Hey hun, are you feeling better?” Diane’s voice startled .
I turned to find she had already served up a bowl of soup and a thick slice of homade bread.
“Thank you so much,” I said, and I ant every syllable.
She smiled warmly. “It’s nothing, enjoy.”
I took the food, walked over behind the couches, and pulled up a chair next to Rion.
“Oh, hi.” He shook his head and smoothed his fingers over his face like he had just woken up from a restless night.
“Hi,” I said, and I pulled a small table in front of to set the food on.
“Did you eat?” I said after a short pause. I cooled the spoonful of soup before taking a sip. The salty chicken flavor and crisp carrot and celery slices were inviting.
“Everyone ate,” he answered.
I was quiet as I slurped a few bites and dipped the bread in the soup. I was halfway through the bowl when I decided to speak again.
“So I was thinking....”
I trailed off. Maybe it wasn’t the best ti to bring it up. But maybe it was. I was on that path for a reason, I was sure of that now. The visions happened way too often for to consider them coincidences.
He waited for . I watched him from the corner of my eye, his chin resting on his knuckles.
“I understand why you’re doing this.” I looked up at him. “I understand why you kidnapped .”
His face was unreadable.
I continued. “I promise to go willingly and pay for what my parents have done to you and your sister.”
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