Renatus Chapter 2
#2 of Renatus
"Well" alright then. Ember said "First things first if you're going to stay here, since you really have nowhere else to go, you'll have to meet Marcella first. its been getting real crowded down here lately and you'll have to get her ok She's the top dog around here. Basically built it up to what it is now. You think living here is bad now? You should have seen it before she came along."
Nervous and concerned I looked to her. "What happens if she doesn't like me?"
"Then you're SOL and you'll have to leave resources are a bit tight lately. so there is a fairly good chance she won't be too keen on the idea of having you around ." She shrugged and began walking down the tract. sighing I could just feel that this wasn't going to go well for me. Dragging my feet I followed her to where my fate awaited me.
As we past shaks full of men, women and children all of them disparaged and broken. Some of them seem to have not seen the surface in years. Many of their faces gaunt and ghostly. Their eyes sunken and empty. The atmosphere pulsated with hopelessness and despair. Depression saturated the area in a heavy tidal wave. Looking at them I couldn't help but feel grateful for what I had and pained that this is what I had to look forward to for my immediate future.
as we walk there was a woman distributing food and water amongst the peoples huts' she was older than i expected mid fifties with an angled face and short hair. she didn't carry herself the same way the others did there was some kind of dignity to her that in this setting seemed misplaced, she radiated power.
she looked up as we approached. "Ember how are you. i do hope today was a productive one?" she asked with genuine interest. Both Ember and Marcella clasped each other's hands and their eyes met.
"Well... thats what im here to talk to you about. you see there were these men and they attacked Jack and..." she was cut off by the look in Marcellas eyes.
this woman's eye fell on me with a burning malice. "Jack, and you chose to bring him here? what you even thinking? you know how hard it has been keeping up with all the new poor souls. for Gods sake he doesnt look very bad off to me," as she turned back to Ember,and released her hands. a look of disappointed on her face.
"He has nowhere else to go, and they were trying to kill him" she retorted calmly. "i felt that it was the right thing to do, I still do"
"do you see him, he doesn't belong here" she answered "he would be more at home on a field trip. Who were the men you spoke of?you do know this is New York correct? people are constantly getting mugged here. that is none of our business."
i finally got fed up of being ignored by them "I don't know who they are or what they wanted.i couldn't have gotten out of that situation without Ember." i broke into the conversation.
Marcella looked at me "I will adress you when i mean to. you need to receive an education in respect as well as manners."
"ha i'll take an education as soon as you acknowledge my existence." i watched her eyebrows furrowed and her eyes burned as her lips made a paper thin line.
"you will just have to take what you're given down here. now leave before i take you down to size." she said turning from me and walking away. i noticed my hands were in tight fists as my breath slows.
"let's go before you make a bigger ass of yourself" Ember turned and walked back to her hovel. "I can't believe you just pissed her off that much and you still have balls."
"she was way out of line" i said
"NO, you were the one out of line. i told you she runs this place don't act like you're better than her" she spat out at me.
"fine i'll be her dog but I do need to be acknowledged" i felt myself losing control.
"whatever" was her simple retorted as she flopped into her bed. a minute of awkward silence passed between us. then out of nowhere a thought hit me.
"I need to go home and get my stuff" i blurt into the silence.
"the men after you looked connected this sounds like a terrible idea" Ember sat up looking at me in bewilderment.
"I'm not asking you to come with me. Just show me how the hell to get out of here." i reached down to help her up. she took my hand.
"Where do you live" was her response.
Turning the corner to get to the apartment the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. Looking around I saw nothing. Taking the key out of my pocket I slid it into the lock walking inside my eyes went wide. Papers littered the floor, debris everywhere, the hall closets contents obviously thrown around, shelves torn down, and cupboards and cabinets annihilated. The whole apartment was in shambles.
"Well aren't they subtle. Can't tell they were looking for anything... nope not at all." Ember mumbled. I could only nod.
"Any idea what they thought they would find here?" I asked.
"You mean besides you? Probably nothing I think they are just trying to make a point." I looked at her for elaboration. "They know you're a dumbass and would come back. Way to go Jack."
Deciding not to piss off the known crowbar wielding crazy psycho I only walked to my room to gather some of my things. Unfortunately she was right and I wouldn't be coming back here for a while. Necessities packed and money collected I decided we would have to get out of here quickly. Last thing I needed was Ember on my back when we get captured. It might just be safer to surrender than deal with her.
"Ready to go?" At her affirmative nod I walked out the door. The door unlocked after all what was the point.
Making our way back to the sewer entrance I still couldn't shake the feeling we were being watched looking at Ember I noticed her own behavior seemed off. Her eyes darting all around but her head straight ahead. Clearly I'm not alone in my discomfort. Moving faster we darted forward and banked a left into the alley way. We weren't fast enough though. Turning back I saw him at our heels. Knife in hand, I could tell this was going to be a fight. As I turned to look ahead there he was. Right in front of me. Skidding to a stop I threw myself to the side. Now why I threw myself onto the sidewalk I had no idea until I looked back up. Needless to say a missing chunk of hair was preferable to the knife that would have been protruding from my jugular. Yeah I'm going to have to say a few scrapes and a bad haircut was the better option. While I brushed myself off and got back to my feet Ember had him fully occupied. Apparently she can dodge and stay on her feet. A mental note to work on later.
Despite her more advanced experience in fighting she wasn't having a lot of luck. Though even my untrained eye could tell that this was not a normal man nor your average street fight. She was fast but he was faster, trying to find an opening I was distracted at her short sharp cry of pain. As I looked at her I saw the blood soaking the front of her shirt. She looked more surprised than hurt, I had no idea how we were going to get out of this one. He eyed us both a smug and extremely creepy smile pulled at the corner of his lips.
"Well I was hoping that this wouldn't be quite so easy. You brats were supposed to be a bit of fun. Oh well."
As he brought the knife down Ember stared him in the eye. she didn't blink, she didn't look away. Next thing I know she's on the ground. Having been distracted with staring I didn't actually see how. There was a clang and I watched as the knife our would be killer held skid on the ground landing at my feet. Standing in front of a now snarling assailant stood a very unimpressed Luke. Coming out of his stance he relaxed and folded his arms.
"Since a couple of kids aren't enough entertainment for you perhaps you can entertain ME." Before the other man could retort or make an attempt at a witty comeback he promptly found himself on the ground. Several feet away from where he once stood.
Rubbing his jaw he stood back up and with a roar he charged. His fists flew in a whirl-wind. Luke dodged them all. His opponent quickly losing ground as well as his balance. Luke growing bored sent out an attack of his own. A series of jabs to the abdomen left his target breathless. Angry and humiliated I could tell he was getting reckless his movements were sloppy and slow. His left leg shot forward and managed to make contact flames shot from his foot. Luke was dealt a blow to the jaw knocking him head first into a nearby brick wall. Mild burns covered his lower face and blood flowed everywhere. head wounds bleed heavily but i'm still pretty sure this wasn't normal. however as Ember has pointed out before i can in fact be wrong as Luke did. standing straight and clearly pissed he threw his own leg into a high kick hitting him in the jaw, then quickly he grabbed him and threw him head first into the wall clearly attempting to bash his brains in. Soon his blood was flowing and then shortly went limp. dropping the nearly lifeless body to the ground he kicked it.
luke turns and look back and forth between us "which one of you drew him in" he asked "he was after something and neither of you seemed very capable of landing a blow on him so whats up.
we look at each other and start trying to scoot away from this man covered in blood "we don't have anything that man just attacked us for no reason and is he...dead' Ember said slowly luke looked at us with disbelief then he wiped his hand on his shirt trying in vain to get the blood off his hands. then he stuck his right hand out to me "Luke i'm Luke"
i let him pull me up then i shake his hand "Jack" i respond. then without warning he rips my jacket sleeve up and looks at my right forearm. i tug away to no avail a Luke curses under his breath.
"Jack you really should be straight with people who save your life" Luke growled at me. "things would move a lot smoother than they seem to" Ember jumps quickly and lunges at Luke. he grabs her wrist and twists it. "chill bitch nether of you are going to get hurt on my account." he pushed us back and pulled his sleeve up to show a matching tattoo.
"what the hell is this?" Ember asked "are you friends or are you working together" she looked at me with so much disdain that i wanted to hide in the dark of the sewer.
:"i have no clue who he is i just got his name and now he's showing me i don't know what." i look at him for an answer and he relaxed. "so spill Luke and it had best be really damn good."
Luke looked down at me " you really have no idea what you are do you?" He stated. i shook my head waiting for an answer to the one question that might solve so many problems. Luke took a deliberate breath and began to speak. "You as of whenever you got that tattoo are part of an ancient right of warriors that are charged with the fight between ultimate good and evil and you are in way over your head."
"well then what am i supposed to do about it. go into police custody or some shit" i bark at him "cuz im really at a loss as to how to handle this situation" i looked straight into his eyes standing just a little taller than him.
"you need to come with me to some place safe" he motions in the direction of the street "you have no choice"
"why in God's name should we trust you" Ember stands and picks up her tire iron "you aren't exactly my idea of a friend"
"and i didn't invite you did i so get out of here. Luke said with a glare and returned his attention to me as Ember poised herself for attack.
"well i'm not going without her so you're going to have to deal with that fact. plus i don't trust you because you have the same tattoo." i said skeptically. "and your gona have to tell us where we are going, and why we should trust you."
"I have a vow to help with this endless and pointless war and you are fucked if you don't come with me." Luke looked at both of us in turn then stepped back toward the street. "and as to where we are going to Virginia. both Ember and i look at each other and come to an agreement. we both ran to catch up with Luke.