Gundam Wing Fan Fiction ❯ Haunted Essence ❯ Taking Over Me ( Chapter 1 )

Haunted Essence
By Praevisum

 

“You don't remember me but I remember you

 

I lie awake and try so hard not to think of you

but who can decide what they dream?

and dream I do...”

 

 

Chapter I: Taking Over Me

 

“Heero, really. You're not very good at jokes.”

 

Duo Maxwell stood in the stained oak doorframe, leaning his forearm against the hard wood for support as one leg was crossed over the other. His bright, and signatured, violaceous eyes bore into Heero, who sat on a very old Victorian styled chair carefully packing away dusty antiques. Duo's small, yet round, mouth was not in its usual smiling pose as seriousness graced his jovial features.

 

Puzzled, Heero Yuy looked up from his half filled cardboard box; his own perse eyes met with Duo's and, instantly, he knew his partner was ridden with agitation.

 

“What are you talking about?” Heero shook his head in a futile attempt to remove his coffee coloured hair out of his eyes.

 

“This.” Duo reached for a painting that leaned against the wall next to him. Holding it up, and walking into the library towards a very confused Heero, he turned it around so the painting was visible.

 

“Holy shit.” Heero slowly stood from the floral-patterned tapestry-like Victorian chair and gently pushed the cardboard box away with his foot. He gapped at the painting Duo beheld as he continued towards it for closer inspection. No closer inspection needed; it was unreal.

 

The strokes of the paintbrush left the slate coloured background with an almost scratched effect; a possibility it was done in acrylic. The white lines contrasted with the slate effectively, like a backsplash. However, it was neither the beautiful strokes nor the colour that caught Heero's eye. Someone, for whatever reason, had painted a picture of Duo! It was an unmistakably, and unremarkably, well done painting of the braided boy who stood in front of him. The cocoa plait, that was Duo's, was draped across the boy's shoulder, hanging down his chest. The hue of those majestic eyes, liked Duo's, changed at every angle, adding depth to their rareness. Even the paled heart-shaped face rosed at the same spot on the cheek, and the rouge lips were of the same roundness and softness. The only difference between the painting and Duo were their garb. The Duo in the painting was adorned in a white doublet, that hung loosely, and the real Duo wore a simple pair of blue jeans and a black T-shirt.

 

“Don't `holy shit' me, Heero. This isn't funny.”

 

“You think I did that?”

 

Duo just stood there, his lips pushed tightly together in a scolding scowl as he held the painting in the air. Something caught his eye, something reflective. Duo brought the picture frame closer for inspection and noted a rectangular tarnished silver plate fastened onto the bottom of the frame. Engraved, though barely visible through the scratch marks, was the name Kallias Tyrrell.

 

“And you're not very good at making up names, either.”

 

Heero snorted. “Yeah? And I'm not that good at painting, either. Duo, I didn't do that. When would I have time to paint that and hide it wherever you found it? I've been down here the whole time packing up those.” Heero pointed to the box beside the chair he was previously occupying, and two other boxes near that one, packed with books and such.

 

“Whatever.” Duo, propping the painting against the doorframe, rolled his eyes at Heero's back as the Asian boy retreated to the chair to finish his work. “When are the others going to get here, cuz I'm not doing this house alone.”

 

“Dunno.” Heero looked to his wristwatch. “They're late, and that's very unlike them.”

 

“Thinking something happened?”

 

Heero nodded. “It's possible they've broken down. After all, Trowa refuses to trade in that beat-up jeep of his.”

 

“Want me to call?”

 

Heero leaned backwards in the chair, grabbing and unclipping the cellar phone that was attached to his belt. Tossing the phone to Duo, Heero reached for the antique clock that was on the stand next to him, wrapped it in newspaper and placed it in the box.

 

Duo caught the phone with ease, and stared perplexly at the display screen.

 

“We're not that far away from town, are we?”

 

Heero looked up from the crystal vase he was wrapping and darkened his perse eyes at Duo.

 

“No. Why?”

 

“Oh…cuz, it's roaming…and out of service area.” Duo shrugged, tossing the phone back at Heero who caught it with fluid graceful movements. “That's probably why the guys didn't call us—”

 

“That doesn't make sense. We're only five minutes from town.” Heero stood from the chair, staring at the display screen of his cell phone. “It must be all the trees here. Well, go put that creepy painting away and we'll go for a drive, see if maybe they're on the side of the road somewhere.”

 

Duo sighed and nodded, picking up the painting and disappearing down the hallway. “I still think you did it.”

 

Heero rolled his eyes at his insufferable braided partner. Duo was the type to be adamant in his convictions and it didn't matter what evidence disputed his convictions, he thought they were right regardless.

 

“Whatever!” Heero retorted, his echo traveling down the hallway Duo had vanished into as he approached the doorway.

 

Vanished. Where did he go, anyway? There were no doors down the section of the hallway Duo had traveled down, so where did he go? Heero furrowed his brows as he stared at the vacant hallway, as if expecting Duo to materialize out of thin air. With a shrug, Heero returned to the library and grabbed his coat off the small couch near the bookshelf.

 

“Ready?”

 

Heero jumped slightly as he whipped around to face Duo's somber expression. Frowning, Heero nodded.

 

“Yeah, but…where did you say you found that painting, again?”

 

“Upstairs,” Duo stated as they walked into the hallway. “Right up those stairs there.” He pointed to a little niche at the end of the hallway Heero hadn't spotted before.

 

“Why? Gunna admit you did it?”

 

Heero rolled his eyes. “No, because I didn't do it.”

 

He stared suspiciously at the stairwell. He was positive that, when he looked down the hallway just seconds before, it hadn't been there. Nothing had been there. Shaking his head of his thoughts, he proceeded to the door, reaching for the handle.

 

“Shit. I forgot my keys.” With a sigh, Heero returned to the library, Duo in tow. “Where did I leave them?”

 

“There.” Duo pointed to the ledge of the large bay window on the left side of the room.

 

Frowning, Heero walked over to the ledge and grabbed his keys. He couldn't remember placing them there, however. Shaking his head again, he turned to Duo only to hear a loud tang come from behind him. With a sharp turn, he swiveled on the spot to find a lightly shaking window, as if it had just been hit with something.

 

“What was that?” Duo assumed a position next to Heero, staring out the window, looking for the culprit of the noise.

 

“Don't know.”

 

XX

 

“All the doors are locked.” Wufei Chang, or rather, Chang Wufei, rounded the corner of the house, his short raven pony-tail flat against the middle of his back, and approached his two coworkers, his coal eyes looking them over.

 

Trowa Barton stood tall in front of the large bay window as his emerald green eyes glazed over the two figures inside the inaccessible mansion. He quickly glanced at the puzzled Wufei, seeing the boy through his dark brown hair that hung over one side of his face.

 

“It's as if they can't see us.”

 

Trowa pointed to the two almost frightened figures of Heero Yuy and Duo Maxwell standing inside the library of the house of which they were desperately trying to find an entrance into. Reaching up, Trowa tapped on the glass pane once more. Inside, Trowa could see Duo and Heero jump and stare wide-eyed at the spot where he had tapped.

 

“I don't get it, either.” A small blond piped up.

 

Standing next to Trowa, Quatre Raberba Winner stared up at the window just as perplexed as the boys with him. His azure eyes landed on the figures in the window, wondering why he seemed to go unnoticed by his friends.

 

XX

 

“You know, Heero, they say this place is haunted.” Duo took a few tentative steps away from the window that seemed to be moving of its own accord.

 

“Normally, I'd laugh and ask who they are…but right about now, I'm starting to think they were right.” Heero assumed a spot next to Duo, who was still backing away. “Want to just forget about this assignment?”

 

Duo nodded as he quickly glanced at Heero before refocusing his gaze upon the middle pane of the big bay window. “And, ya know what? I'm startin' to think you really didn't do that painting.”

 

“I didn't!” It came out more frustrated than Heero had wanted, and he quickly glanced at Duo hoping the boy realized he hadn't meant to snap.

 

“Okay, okay. I believe you. Sheesh.”

 

XX

 

“HEERO! DUO!”

 

Startled, both Wufei and Trowa turned to their petite friend who stood on tiptoes, hands formed around his mouth like a megaphone.

 

“What? I thought that, if they can't see us, maybe they could hear us.”

 

Shrugging, Trowa turned back to the window where neither boy inside made any sign of having heard Quatre's bellowing call.

 

“Didn't work, Quat. What if…” Trowa bent down where a large stone was by his shoe, and picked it up.

 

“I don't think they'd appreciate—GET OUT!” Suddenly, the blonde's azure eyes rolled into the back of his head as his fine features paled. His voice, which was no longer his, deepened greatly and sounded angry.

 

Fearing for Quatre's safety, Trowa dropped the stone and caught the boy as he began to sway to the side. Confusion and fear gripped both Trowa and Wufei as all they could do was stand helplessly by as Quatre, having broken into a cold sweat, began sputtering more words.

 

“Leave now, before it is too late to save your souls. You have reached an outer realm of destiny that you could not even begin to comprehend. Take charge of your own fate, and leave these grounds immediately. Tonight, at the peak of the full moon, no soul shall escape the web of which they have found themselves in.” The voice became raspy, then, and Quatre's shuddering became more violent. “I beseech you to leave these grounds. Save your souls, leave the others. They are beyond reaching.”

 

“Quatre, Quatre, snap out of it. Quatre!”

 

Slowly, Quatre's trembling quelled and his eyes refocused, locking onto a panicked Trowa. He could feel himself sag into the boy who held him, and the weight of his almost feather light body actually caused both boys to tumble to the ground.

 

“What the hell is going on around here?” Trowa held tightly the boy who shook in his arms. “Are you alright, Quat?”

 

“I..f-ffeel s-sso c-ccol-cold.” Quatre's jaw began chattering as he wrapped his arms around his upper torso trying to bring upon some body heat. “I…I f-felt s-ssome-one…ins-sside of m-mm-meeee.”

 

“I know, Quatre, but it's alright now. We'll figure this out.” Trowa softly began to caress the side of Quatre's face, trying to calm the boy. Turning to Wufei, concern gripped his eyes.

 

“We need to get Maxwell and Yuy and leave.” Wufei looked down at the rock that Trowa had dropped and picked it up. Standing away from the window a few feet, Wufei launched the stone and smashed the window.

 

XX

 

“AH!” Startled, Duo screamed as the window shattered and a rock flew into the library, landing on the floor a foot away from Duo's shoe. “Heero, let's get the fuck outta here, quick!”

 

Heero, however, was too busy staring puzzled at the figure standing outside the window to follow Duo's advice of leaving. For a moment, he swore Wufei, one of his fellow coworkers and friends, was standing outside the window staring at him. However, Heero didn't have time to dwell upon the image as the glass shards on the floor quickly vanished, and the window began to grow, sewing itself back together until it was one solid pane again.

 

“H-heero…did…did…the window…do what I think…it just did?” Duo stood, flabbergasted, staring at the previously broken window that appeared as if it were new, which in a sense it was.

 

Duo knew what he just witnessed was impossible, but he also knew that his eyes didn't deceive him. On the floor near his foot still sat the rock of which had flown into the window and he slowly bent down to pick it up. Turning to Heero, mouth open and eyes bugging, he slowly shook his head.

 

“This is un-fucking-real, man. Let's go…now! Heero? Heero!”

 

Frightened out of his trance, Heero turned to Duo who stood at a quarter turn, facing him but obviously eager to leave the room.

 

“I saw Wufei. He was standing right outside the window before it…before it did what it did.” He marched towards the windowpane in quick strides and examined the glass.

XX

“What the fuck?! Trowa…did you see…shit. What the hell is going on around this place?!”

 

Wufei and Trowa both stared at the window, jaws dropped and eyes disbelieving. The window that Wufei effectively smashed into pieces was now whole again, as if he never touched it.

 

“I-it'sss haunt-ted,” Quatre informed, still shaking in Trowa's arms.

 

“I gathered that, Quatre.” Wufei remarked snidely, still gaping at the window. “I think they saw us.” Wufei tapped Trowa's shoulder as Heero began to approach the window. “Heero saw us.”

XX

 

“Heero, I'm not sure that's a good idea. I don't think it's safe. I'm pretty sure—”

 

“Shut it, will you? I saw Wufei. He was standing right there.” Heero pointed to the spot where he had seen the raven-haired boy as Duo took a stand next to him. “Maybe…” Looking around the room, Heero caught sight of a wooden candleholder. Grabbing it, he cocked his arm back and threw it at the window, smashing it again.

 

Instantly, the figures of Wufei, Trowa and a trembling Quatre took form in front of the broken window.

 

“Heero! We can't get inside. The door is—”

 

Wufei's words were cut short as the windowpane began to sew itself back together once again.

 

“The door is…what? Duo, did you lock the door?”

 

Shaking his head, Duo spoke, “No. But, I'll go check, just in case I did.”

 

Turning, Duo darted out of the room and entered the hallway, only to stop, still visible by Heero. His eyes flew open and his rose dusted cheeks drained of all colour as his mouth opened and closed, as if trying to sputter words. Stumbling backwards a few steps, his panicked voice was a high shrill. “HEERO!”

 

Quickly, Heero turned and ran to the doorway where Duo stood, almost trembling with fright.

 

“What is it?!”

 

Duo didn't speak, just pointed to the door, or rather, where the door would have been. In its place was just wall, as if the door had never been there. Heero's perse eyes flew open as an icy cold flooded his body.

 

“What's going on? What the fuck is going on?!”

 

“I don't know but…I just wanna get outta here.”

 

There was a knocking on the window once again, and, jumping, Heero turned and realized his friends were still outside. Running back to the window, he looked around for something else to smash it with. Finding a paper weight (which wouldn't serve much purpose anyway) he again threw it at the window, successfully shattering the entire pane.

 

“THERE'S NO FUCKING DOOR! It's gone!” Heero stared at his friends.

 

“Jump out!” Trowa commanded. “Get out of that house, now.”

 

Suddenly, Quatre grew very rigid in Trowa's arms and began to quake once more. His eyes rolled backwards, and he once again began to sweat as his voice grew deeper and raspy.

 

“Leave the two trapped souls be. The powers have destined for them to stay where they are. There is no escaping what shall transpire during the full moon. I command thee to leave!” As if mentally snapping, Quatre turned to Trowa and reached for his neck. Thin, ivory digits wrapped themselves around tanned skin and squeezed as his mouth opened once again. “Blood will be shed when the moon peaks. LEAVE THOSE TRAPPED SOULS AND FLEE!”

 

Carefully prying Quatre's icy fingers from his neck, Trowa managed to free himself from their tight grasp as Heero stood by shocked. Slowly, the window began to sew itself back together. It seemed the more damage done, the longer it took to repair itself. Reaching for a book that was on the shelf next to him, Heero whipped it at the window and once again shattered the glass that was repairing itself, the book narrowly missing Wufei's head as it sailed through the air.

 

Quatre had once again been reduced to a sagging mass in Trowa's arms, trembling and stuttering.

 

“Forget this. Duo, let's go.” Heero grasped the side of the glassless windowpane and placed his foot on the bottom ledge, preparing to jump, when he quickly recoiled, a look of pain gracing his features.

 

“What is it?” Duo asked, stepping towards Heero and placing a shaking hand on his shoulder.

 

“My hands and foot! They burn!” Heero brought his hands out in front of him and saw they blistered. He could only imagine that his foot now bore the same wounds as the pain seared through his body.

 

“We can't leave, can we?” Duo's voice sounded choked and hollow as he stared at Heero's wounded hands. “We're trapped. WE'RE FUCKING TRAPPED!”

 

Staring at his two friends, the wheels in Wufei's head turned as he then surveyed his surroundings.

 

The autumn leaves had fallen from the trees and covered the ground in a light brown, red and topaz patterned quilt. The trees above swayed in the light wind, leering ominously. A chipping fountain of Diana posed in a pit of cement (the water had long since dried up) in the middle of the walk in front of the large wrought iron gate behind them. A chill crept upon his spine as he shuddered involuntarily, dodging another flying book courtesy of Heero's new window smashing habit. Wufei would've very much liked to leave, but refused to leave without his coworkers and companions. A man of integrity and justice, Wufei decided that there was no way to devise a plan to help Heero and Duo escape if they were divided. So, testing the plan that was brewing in his brain, Wufei grabbed onto the glassless windowpane and waited for a second. When no burning sensation gripped his hand, he hoisted himself up and through the window.

 

“WUFEI!” Duo shouted as he launched himself at his friend. “What are you doing? You'll get trapped too!”

 

“Five minds are better than two. You're staying, we're staying…or, I'm staying.” Wufei turned back and gave Trowa a questioning glance.

 

With a nod of understanding, Trowa managed to pick up the trembling lump in his lap, and stand Quatre on his feet. It took a great effort to get the thin and lightweight boy through the windowsill, but Trowa and Wufei managed it. Then, as Trowa began to climb in, the window suddenly began to repair itself at a rate much too fast.

 

“Trowa!”

 

Heero didn't have time to reach for another book and smash the window before the glass began to close itself around Trowa. The glass dug into his shin and cut downwards as Trowa quickly pulled himself through the window, landing on the floor of the library with a loud thud.

 

Rushing over to the aid of his friend, a shaken Quatre (who was still pale and sweaty) squeaked in worry as he examined Trowa's damaged leg.

 

“A-are there any-any m-medical supplies?” Azure eyes scanned the faces of Heero and Duo, who shrugged their shoulders.

 

“I'll go check, okay?” Duo turned on his heels and, walking towards the doorway, disappeared down the hallway. He was only gone for a few minutes when he returned with a white box marked with a large red cross. “Found this. Here.”

 

Quatre took the offered box with shaking hands, and fumbled with the safety before snapping it open.

 

“Maybe…maybe I should do that, Quatre.” Wufei kneeled next to the blond, gently but firmly taking the box from his hands. “You should relax after what…what happened anyway?”

 

“I…I don't know. I still feel…so shaken. It was so…so cold.” Quatre nodded his head in appreciation as Duo draped a blanket, one that had been on the back of the sofa in the corner, over Quatre's shoulders. “I felt, as if someone was inside me. I know it sounds stupid, but I think I was…possessed.”

 

Heero gave a light snort. “Nothing sounds stupid right about now, Quatre.”

 

Just then, a sudden chill consumed Heero and quivered down his spine. He trembled slightly before regaining composure, but the hairs on the back of his neck were on end. Slowly, he turned around and stared at the doorway where he swore, for a split second, flashed a man in a brown corduroy vest and caramel slacks. However, within a blink the hallucination vanished and Heero was left staring at the spot where the man stood.

 

“Have you forgotten all I know

And all we had?

You saw me mourning my love for you

And touched my hand

I knew you loved me then…”

 

TBC.