Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Metamorphosis: Genesis ❯ Chapter XI ( Chapter 11 )

Author's Note:

First off, let me just say how sorry I am for how long this chapter took to turn out! I was floundering through term papers and had zero free time. So, for those of you who have stuck out this outrageous wait time—you're awesome! And this chapter is for you! Seriously, if it takes me this long to get the next chapter out, someone please pester me. Email, IM, Facebook, whatever. You guys deserve chapters! Enjoy~

 

 

Chapter XI

 

Nothing. How could there have been nothing? Not the tiniest scrap of anything? Kaya fumed in the living room, pacing back and forth across the carpet in front of the television set. Really? Nothing? She mentally screeched, turning sharply on her heel to begin another round of furious pacing. A set of lazy silver eyes watched the scene from the moderately safe distance of the couch.

“Keep that up and you'll dig a trench in the floor,” Sano said offhandedly as the Witch rounded again, snapping her head in his direction while clenching her jaw. He held his hands up defensively before they fell back into his lap. Kaya paused in her silent tirade and moved to the window. Her face's proximity coaxed the glass to fog and sweat from the angry heat permeating from her reddened cheeks.

“Nothing!?” She rasped and her fists balled up into tight fists, shaking with the pent up control it took for the blonde not to go stark raving mad and scream through the apartment. She turned the azure storms raging in her skull towards the clock on the far wall.

“She's still asleep,” Sano said, lounging on the couch. “It's late for her.”

“Yes, thank you, you creep for knowing her sleeping patterns,” Kaya retorted but the young man rolled his eyes in response.

“It's two in the morning. You should be in bed as well, little girl.” Kaya let out a slow, practiced breath, creating a new smoky design against the glass of the window as she turned back to look through the glass at the dark winter street below.

“Learn to hold your tongue, Vampire, or I shall be forced to separate you from it,” she said carefully and could feel Sano shifting on the couch from his laissez-faire position to a more guarded one. He scoffed lightly at the threat but no longer splayed himself out so vulnerably along the sofa. He knew better than to tempt Fate more than necessary but that did not mean he would surrender completely to the unreasonable woman who had impeded on his residence at the small flat.

“Promise?” he asked before running his tongue suggestively over his upper lip. He saw the Witch's shoulders tense and Sano could almost feel the tension boiling over. That's it, he thought as the blonde turned around to lock her frustrated azure eyes with his, get angry. A smile dragged the corners of his mouth upwards and his iconic canine teeth were revealed for all their dangerous glory.

“Go swallow a crucifix, will you?” Kaya said and turned her nose up, looking back out the window and resolutely deciding to ignore any more attempted banter from the Vampire. The creature had to learn that she would not and could not be baited by such petty tactics. That is, at least, what she thought was the case.

 

Thump, thump. Thump, thump.

The sound came from the living room but in her sleep dazed state, Lyrial could only sit up and stare uncertainly towards the closed bedroom door. She sat a moment longer, her curls a mess from sleep, and he listened. Again the thumping came and then a louder scraping sound followed in its quiet. Lyrial rubbed her eyes and pulled the cover back. She swung her legs out of bed and hurried to the door where a small nightlight glowed proudly, warding off a little bit of the darkness with its gentle illumination. Her hand grasped the doorknob and she hesitated, swaying lightly. Sleep still had a good hold on her brain as she mustered the coordination to pull open the door and peek out into the dim living room. A muted television set cast a bluish light across the couch and the two people in the room. Lyrial stood a moment attempting to make sense of the scene with her brain functioning at a subpar slumber induced level.

“Can you guys keep it down?” She asked, mumbling over her words and looking confused. Her doe eyes were unfocused and would drift closed at every other syllable before flickering open again in alertness.

“Or at least,” She added, wobbling forward and leaning on the back of an armchair for support. “Play at a more reasonable hour?” the suggestion fell onto equally awestruck listeners. Sano lay on his back, pinned against the carpet of the living room with Kaya astride his waist, her hands around his throat. His own hands were gripping her wrists tightly in the middle of trying to pry them off. They stared horrified at Lyrial as she spoke before swatting an arm dismissively at them. Neither of them breathed until the sleep drunk girl, then defeated by their surprised silence, waddled back into her bedroom, closing the door and collapsing back in bed. It was not long before Lyrial was snuggled back up under her covers and asleep.

When the door clicked shut, Kaya snapped her attention towards Sano. The perch she had made of his abdomen was bouncing as he laughed.

“What?” She hissed, trying to keep a hushed tone as not to alert the mortal girl now in the grasps of unconsciousness again.

“Hah, nothing, but you can get off me now, you horse,” Sano replied. Kaya growled and attempted to strangle the Vampire again. His laughing continued as he pulled back on her wrists, his unnatural strength bringing her hands away from the slender column of his throat.

“I'm not that heavy!” Kaya replied and pulled one of her fists back quick enough to astonish Sano's grasp and escape it, before punching him in the chest. “You're just weak.” Sano grunted from the blow but laughed again.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” he replied and sat up abruptly, pushing the Witch into his lap. “And unless this is where you intend to do it, I suggest you get off.” They glared at one another, like two alley cats about to brawl—fur puffed out and tails erect. However, neither moved a muscle. Kaya's legs were on either side of Sano's waist and she was leaned back, her arms behind her and braced against the floor to keep her from slipping into the prone position Sano had previously occupied. Silence flooded between the two supernaturals and the tension rose with the tide of muted emotion.

Kaya's azure eyes narrowed dangerously, daring the Vampire to make the first move of retreat. When Sano did not so much as even flinch, a frown settled on her features. She regarded his motionless form with distaste and lackluster concern; the only thing unnerving about the living statue was the cheeky grin plastered on his face. What was he thinking? What awful ideas were being churned out of the vat of ill-will towards her? Kaya did not have to wait long to find out. Her cry of outrage was muffled into the surprise kiss. The contact caused her eyes to widen in horror and surprise; the tepid lips which pressed against her own were a sensation too alien to be appreciated by the Witch. She flailed and managed a drunken escape from the trapped position. She stood up, moving away from Sano, and glaring back at the young man with vengeful ire.

The object of her anger sat where he had been left, the same mocking and cheeky grin on his face. He rested his hands on his knees and the smile widened, showing off the sharp ivory in his mouth.

“Like I said, one kiss and you fall all to pieces,” he said off-handedly and Kaya rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand.

“I've just been tongued by a corpse,” she groaned and did not let the disgusted shiver go unnoticed.

“Oh, please. There was no tongue in that one,” he replied. Kaya shot daggers with her eyes and Sano laughed guiltily. “Okay,” he conceded, “Maybe just a little tongue.” Kaya's cheeks burned red and she looked ready to burst into shouting and possibly attack the Vampire but when his cheeky face turned towards Lyrial's closed bedroom door, suggesting silently that should the blonde go on her tirade that the mortal girl, all ready once disturbed, would reawaken. She exhaled slowly, shoulder shuddering a bit at the control needed to restrain her vocal chords. Sano's grinning mocked her fury and she marched with purpose past the young man, avoiding all eye contact. She could hear him starting to laugh under his breath as she stalked away and entered Lyrial's room, closing the door behind her. His laughter grew more open when the lock clicked.

Alone now in the living room, Sano rubbed the back of his neck, letting his silver eyes fall on the closed bedroom door. Making Kaya angry was becoming more and more fun as time went on. He liked the livid look that permeated her sharp eyes; he liked how flustered she got when he was too close; irritating her was becoming his purpose. Although the contact had been brief with the Witch, it had been very different from Lyrial. The girls were very different physically. Kaya was very tall with muscles hewn beneath her skin which a little worn; it was working flesh, flesh that had seen long, hard days during its short existence of twenty some odd years. Her build was not exactly what one could call feminine; Sano shrugged his shoulders and laid back against the carpet, staring up at the ceiling. She was a pitiful excuse of an hourglass, with small breasts and barely curving hips, but her Amazonian shape did have a weird yet exotic flair to it.

Lyrial on the other hand—Sano's grin grew once more and he closed his silver eyes in order to better imagine the girl. She was younger than Kaya, late in her teens or barely twenty, he guessed. Modest in height though anything but modest in build; a woman of true curvature and shape, Lyrial possessed an ample bosom and soft skin which was ideal. Even the kisses—though brief—compared as starkly to one another as their bodies. Lyrial's lips were full and gentle while Kaya's had been drawn tight and with the faintest hint of dryness. Sano was scarce to believe a woman's mouth could feel like that and had he not been the taster himself he would not have believed such a thing.

The Vampire's eyes opened and he rolled to his side, looking at the window where the night sky no longer seemed as pitch as before. He sighed and propped himself up with an elbow.

“So soon? Oh, mother, I don't want go to bed,” He pouted. “Five more minutes?” he begged the lightening sky before sighing in defeat. He pushed himself upwards and stood, giving another fleeting look to the near-morning sky. Every fiber in his body tensed as he felt dawn approaching with the swiftness only light possesses.

“Fine, fine,” he said in defeat and moved to the guest bedroom which no belonged to him. He pulled the door shut and moved to the bed, collapsing onto it with a groan. Mornings were painful in this place; a heavy sleep would overcome him and for the long hours of the day he could neither move, nor think. It was scary the first time it had happened, but that was such a long time ago Sano scarcely remembered such a time.

“Long ago…” he mused and rolled onto his back, tucking his arms behind his head. As soon as the rays of the sun peeked over the horizon and began to bathe the earth in its glory, the Vampire would lose consciousness and for all intents and purposes become the corpse he was alleged to be. Only when the sun hid back behind the horizon at twilight would he be released from the frozen state of sleep. It was downright inconvenient, in Sano's opinion, but trying to fight the natural workings of his body in the world was futile. Even one as haughty as Sano knew that you could not go against the natural law. When the sun comes up, creatures of night disappear. They were shadows, figments of mortal imagination. In the light, they did not exist; they were stories to frighten children and those that would cause mischief in the dark. Imaginary and nothing more, Sano scoffed.

“A figment with feelings, now that's just silly,” he murmured to himself before yawning and curling up on his side. “Just a figment of her imagination…the monster under her bed…”

 

Ring. Ring. Ring.

Lyrial rolled over and put a pillow over her head.

Ring. Ring Ring.

As the sound persisted, the brunette growled and sat up, the pillow rolling over her shoulders and landing behind her on the mattress. She rubbed her eyes and looked to her side to see Kaya's bag on the bed. She must have come in to get things before going back to Alan's old room for the night.

Ring. Ring. Ring.

“For the love of God, what!?” Lyrial growled and turned to the bedside table where her cell phone was lighting up and nearly dancing off the surface. She snatched up the device and flipped it open.

“Yes?” She asked, in a tone more ferocious than she had intended.

“Uh, sorry! Did I wake you up?” Lyrial hesitated allowing the male voice to register. For a brief moment she had thought it was Alan, or his boyfriend, calling to check up on her since their abandonment of her.

“N-No, no, I'm sorry. I couldn't find my phone,” she replied then paused. “Chris?” She asked, vacillating a little bit on the name. Laughter replied and Lyrial smiled.

“Hey, I know it's kind of last minute, but I'm going out to Juniper today. Do you want to go with me?” Lyrial looked around the room frantically, attempting to get out of bed meanwhile entangling her ankles in the sheets and nearly tripping on the way over to her dresser where a small clock rested.

“Y-Yeah! Sure! When are you leaving?” she asked, reaching down with her free hand to pull her legs out of the sheets which trailed behind her like a bad wedding train.

“Well, I'm actually on my way to Mr. McArthur's grocer. You live around there, yeah? I could come pick you up and we can catch the train into Juniper from the station nearby,” Chris replied through the receiver. Lyrial's jaw dropped as she examined the clock.

“Chris, what time is it?” she asked and she heard him pause, presumably to check his wristwatch.

“Almost twelve thirty. Why?” he asked. “Do you have somewhere else to be? I mean, we can do this another time if you want.”
“No, no. Um…” Lyrial looked at herself in the mirror and made a face of shock. Did she really look like that in the morning? “Give me half an hour, okay?” she said and smiled, moving to the door of the room. She opened it and entered the living room.

“Okay. I'll just hang out with Mr. McArthur, but do me a favor and make it fast. I'm not sure how much of gramps I can take,” Chris admitted and laughed. The sound made Lyrial smile; it was a light and carefree sound as if it came from a child who knew nothing of the cruelties of the world. It was nice to hear—Lyrial used to laugh like that and hearing Chris made the tinkering silver bells that dwelled in her throat ring out joyously once again. A giggle escaped her and she nodded.

“All right. I'll see you soon,” she said and closed the cell phone. Lyrial squealed excitedly and dropped her phone onto the kitchen table before dashing towards the bathroom. She turned on the shower and all but jumped out of her clothes. She didn't know why but Chris' voice made butterflies in her stomach and giggles in her throat. The girl slipped into the shower and pulled the curtain closed. As the hot water ran over her face and front, Lyrial smiled. She reached up to rub her face and run her fingers through her hair, making the curls heavy water. They began to straighten from the strain and fell around her shoulders, curtaining her middle back in chocolate satin.

She reached for a bottle of shampoo and lathered, beginning now to fully wake up. Her ringing phone had caused such a start and the conversation, though pleasant, had not been fully absorbed until this moment. She squealed happily again in the shower and stepped under the fall of water to rinse the suds from her hair. As she scrubbed, the curious feeling of remembering began to filter through her mind. Something had happened last night but she could not quite recall what. As she thought on it, Lyrial recollected hearing a weird thumping from the living room late at night and getting up to quiet the sounds. What she had witnessed still confused her, and as she turned off the tap and wrung out her hair, she frowned a little. It had looked like Kaya and Sano had been wrestling almost—on the floor, clothes a little askew, angry faces—but then horrified and surprised look they gave her upon her entry into the living room is what really befuddled the girl.

If they had been arguing and the argument had become physical as she suspected, what reason would they have for looking so embarrassed? Lyrial laughed as she wrapped a towel in her hair and another around her body.

“What am I thinking?” she asked to her reflection and laughed again. She rubbed her palm against the foggy glass so that the image was no longer impeded by the humidity. She reached for her toothbrush and coated the bristles with helping of paste before beginning to brush her teeth. The whirling sound of the fan venting the steam echoed in her ears and was the only side from the scrubbing of the brush in her mouth. She spit and rinsed her mouth before returning the toothbrush to its resting place. She opened the bathroom door and peered around before walking back to her bedroom. It was well into the day and that meant that Sano was sleeping and would not stir. She felt better somehow knowing that he could not appear in her threshold at any moment and remark on her toweled appearance. It was in a strange way flattering to be doted on like that by Sano. Even though his advances were much more forward than what Lyrial was used to, the attention had been….nice.

“Hmm, nice,” she scolded and unraveled the towel from her hair. Sano was not what people would consider a `nice guy'. No, Chris was a `nice guy', she concluded and Sano was the bad boy you hung out with but didn't bring home to mom. She shook her head lightly to bring the curls back to life before setting the towel on the edge of her bed. Lyrial moved to her dresser and hesitated. She stared at the tightly packed drawer and bit her bottom lip.

“What am I going to wear?” She asked and started to panic. She looked at the clock again and started to rummage through it frantically. After trying on several choices, Lyrial finally decided on something simple. She pulled on her jeans and then the red v-necked sweater over her head. She then ran her hands through her curls and smiled at her reflection.

“Good enough,” she concluded and grabbed a purse, slipping her phone, keys and wallet into the bag before moving to the living room.

“Are you going somewhere?” Lyrial looked towards the couch of the living room where Kaya sat reading the newspaper. Her blonde hair was back in a messy looking bun and she seemed to be wearing men's clothing, pants that were not fitted and a button down blouse that was open to reveal the shirt beneath.

“Yeah, I'm going into Juniper with a friend,” Lyrial admitted then hesitated a little when Kaya looked over her shoulder at her. “You didn't want to go did you?” She asked as follow up and Kaya shrugged her shoulders.

“Not particularly,” She replied with little enthusiasm before circling something in the paper with a marker.

“Oh, are you looking for a job?” Lyrial asked while putting on her outer coat. Kaya nodded her head and went back to reading the fine print of the paper.

“Attempting to,” she said and turned the page of the classifieds. Lyrial buttoned up her coat and slipped her purse over her shoulder.

“Well, good luck! Jobs are kind of hard to come by nowadays. Y'know, I think the elementary school is looking for help though. Probably just to monitor the playground or something. There's so many kids and not nearly enough adults,” she replied and smiled, opening the door. Kaya looked back at the brunette as she spoke and her usually stern face melted into a gentle looking smile. The corners of her mouth turned up in a warm gesture and her hard azure eyes softened considerably.

“Really?” She asked with a bit of hopefulness in her voice.

“Of course! You could stop by there later today. It's not all that far but you should probably take the train,” Lyrial added before waving and departing. Kaya closed the paper and folded it neatly, setting it on to the coffee table in front of the couch. She hugged herself and continued to smile.

As the front door closed her expression changed as suddenly as it appeared.

“Wait!” She gasped and jumped up off the couch, running to the front door and wrenching it open. Lyrial, however, was all ready gone from the corridor. “Shit!” Kaya remarked before hurrying after the younger girl. The Witch could only conclude that from the deliriously happy demeanor Lyrial was now sporting that it was the mysterious Chris she had mentioned the other day that she was now going off to spend the day with. This was Kaya's chance to find out more about him and see exactly who he was. There was something distrusting about the overly polite and friendly boy that Lyrial had described to her. No one was that nice.

As Kaya ran out of the apartment, the sudden blast of winter wind brutally reminded her of her forgotten jacket. She shouted at the cold assault and hugged herself tightly.

“Oh my--!” she gasped and shivered before shaking her head. “Grr…no time for going back,” she grumbled and looked left and right down the avenue, hoping to catch a glimpse of the retreating Lyrial. In the distance she thought she saw the girl heading towards the grocer owned by the religious old man. Her information network headed by Alex had contacts in that area and regularly patrolled undercover there. She trudged through the snow while rubbing her arms with her hands furiously. Instead of following Lyrial to Mr. McArthur's grocery store, Kaya turned the other way and ran awkwardly through the snow towards the Slums. The opportunity was greater now that Lyrial and Chris were going to Juniper and proper surveillance could take place. She would ask Alex to lend a few pairs of ears to the task and find out about Chris.

“This guy had better turn out to be an axe murderer or something for all the trouble I'm going through!” she panted out as she ran down the street towards her destination. The city around her started to change, noticeably fading from pleasant to worn down and tragic. She had become familiarized with the route to the Slums and found herself there quickly as she battled against the elements. When Kaya reached the street corner where her redheaded companion usually lingered, she noted his absence with distaste.

“Alex, where are you?” She hissed under her breath and rubbed her arms again, trying to keep the weak circulation flowing against the cold.

“Mmhmm, they dun got him, yes ma'am, they did. Dun got him and took the redhead away. Ain't gonna be seein' him no mo' on that corner, ma'am, no mo', no mo'.” Kaya turned sharply over her shoulder to see a homeless man huddled by a metal trashcan that had been converted into a fireplace. She recognized the old and withered face from her previous time in the Slums.

“What do you know?” Kaya asked and moved towards the man. “What do you know about the man that stands on this corner? The man with red hair,” she pressed and stopped in front of the trash can turned fire pit. The homeless man turned his whitened eyes up towards Kaya and huddled closer to his fire.

“Ain't gonna be seein' him no mo' on that corner, fer sure,” he replied and tugged his ratty coat tightly around him. “They dun got him, yes ma'am, they did. They dun tooked that fella away. Lil Red gave `em a struggle, but in the end they dun took Lil Red away. Ain't gonna be seein' him no mo', no mo',” he prattled on and Kaya let out an aggravated sigh. She moved quickly to stand closer to the trash can fire pit and reached out to touch the homeless man's arm firmly.

“Who took Lil Red?” She asked, digressing to the term the beggar had used. “Who took Lil Red? Where did they take him?” she urged. “What did they look like?” She gestured to her eyes to make an emphasis but the homeless man shrugged his weak looking shoulders.

“Young fellas took off with Lil Red. Came outta nowhere, jus like ya did that day. Quick as a whip, they was. Stole Lil Red off the corner a'fore he could do anythin'. Them fellas looked mean. Big coats and metal—them fellas had a lot of metal on `em. Coulda been from that thar Cathedral. Gots lots of them mean lookin' fellas out in the back. Seen `em on the off side been beggin' thar,” the homeless man replied and rubbed his hands together, holding the calloused and dry looking palms over the fire to warm them.

“The Cathedral?” Kaya whispered in response and her grasp fell loose on the old man's arm. She shook her head. This old man was crazy and partially blind. Even if he had seen Alex abducted by men in coats, how could he have known where they had come from?

“Are you sure?” she asked looking urgently into the withered face of the homeless man. He grumbled to himself, scooting a little away from the blonde who asked so many questions.

“Don't ya hear good?” he asked in return and huffed a little, hot bursts of humidity escaping from his lips against the cold air. “Lil Red's been got. Been got by men in coats and metal, lots of metal. Now get yerself gone before you get got too, girl. They gonna be after the likes of ya next if ya scurry too long `round here.” Kaya looked uncomfortable, partially from the numbing feeling she now experienced in her limbs from a lack of coat, and partially from the unexplained absence of her informant.

“Well…if you see Lil Red,” Kaya said, straining herself to use the childish phrase instead of the young man's name, “Tell him I was looking for him. Tell him Kaya was looking for him,” she said carefully, slowly pronouncing her name so as to leave an imprint on the homeless man.

“Yeah, yeah, I ain't deaf. Kayak wanna be seein Lil Red. I heard ya, I heard ya. Gonna tell Lil Red to find his kayak. Dun know why he'd be needin' a kayak in all this snow. Ain't a river for miles…Lil Red and his yellow kayak…” the homeless man mumbled as he rubbed his hands together furiously to invigorate life in them once more. The blonde groaned and waved her hands dismissively.

“Forget it,” she puffed before moving away from the trashcan fire pit. She glanced up and down the avenue carefully, as if expecting every inch of snow for a sign of struggle or shred of proof to the old man's words. With nothing but concrete and white to be noted, Kaya gave up and marched hurriedly back down the way towards better parts of the city. She had a plan to return to Lyrial's apartment and sit on the stove defrost. After regaining a more appropriate body temperature, she would bundle up before venturing out again to the elementary school Lyrial had spoken of; there she would hope to attain some kind of job.

“Then maybe I can finally get this over with,” she said to herself as she entered a more familiar part of the city. Though thoughts of Alex's disappearance weighed on her mind as she implemented her plan, bundling up in multitude upon returning to the apartment, she set the event in the back of her mind. Alex was a grown man and would be all right. The homeless beggar was old and blind and probably a bit crazy, too. For all Kaya knew, `Lil Red' was some lost kitten that had been snatched up by an animal control officer and taken to a pound.

“That would explain the men in coats and metal,” she reasoned and let out a sigh. She could feel the circulation picking up once more in her fingers and the flood of warmth traveled up her arm slowly. The sense of foreboding began to fade from her mind as the cold did her flesh.

 

Far from the events in the Slums and unaware of the concerns that had permeated the Witch's mind during her coatless outing, the city of Juniper was a bustle of noise and excitement despite the winter weather. Juniper was always busy, it seemed, and so much more full of life. The people in Juniper were wealthier—they had better jobs, better apartments, better standards of living in general—and they enjoyed exploiting their elevated statuses by shopping, dining out, and spending a great deal on other forms of entertainment. During the spring time, the beautiful botanical gardens opened and people came from miles around to see the Juniper orchids in blossom. Lyrial had gone to the botanical gardens once with Alan; she had been a bit of a third wheel among her roommate and his boyfriend she thought, but the two men had assured her that her presence was a welcomed thing.

But now it was winter and the dirt beds were blanketed in snow; the hibernating orchids were kept warm and alive in a greenhouse along with a myriad of other fauna. It was now the city itself that attracted visitors. A primary attraction was the park. The lake froze over in the winter and was perfect for ice skating. Venders set up to rent skates to young couples, children, and the elderly while others pushed their carts through the snow to offer hot coffee and rolls for when the skating came to an end. There was no shortage in things to do in Juniper and even though the city was only a twenty minute train ride from home, Lyrial always felt like it was an entire new world. It had been a long time since she had gone to Juniper for some fun, Lyrial thought as she glided with uncertainty over the ice. Her skates were far apart, trying to keep herself balanced. Her arms flailed about as she suddenly found her feet moving too far in front of her, threatening to topple her over.

She squealed and braced herself for the uncomfortable impact of her rear with the solid ice, but no such collision ever occurred. Instead she felt the sturdy warmth of a pair of arms around her waist. A hand was curled around her wrist while another rested helpfully on her waist.

“You okay?” Chris asked and Lyrial laughed. It must have been quite comical to see her flapping about like a lame bird that could not catch a wind in flight.

“I am now,” she replied and watched the color fill Chris' cheeks in response. He cleared his throat and gently propelled them into movement once more, joining the community of skaters that traveled in a circle on the lake. With Chris' support, Lyrial managed to stay balanced and moved along the ice with the other skaters. As they came around the bend in the lake, Lyrial leaned into Chris to aid in the turn. One of her arms hooked around his back and the other clung loosely to one of his arms. His abdomen tightened to support the turn on the ice and Lyrial allowed her hand to discreetly feel the tensing of the muscles. Even though the sweater Chris wore, she could feel the distinct iron patterns. It surprised her that the meek young man would be so well-built but that just reinforced the fact that you can't judge a book by its cover.

She wondered briefly what Chris would be like the in summer, no longer bundled up in sweaters and thick denim jeans, but bare chested in some swimming trunks. The image sent a warm flutter through her stomach as her imagination filled in the hazy zones of flesh that were concealed by his clothing. Lyrial bit her bottom lip and giggled.

“What's so funny?” Lyrial looked up at Chris who bore a confused look on his face.

“Do you work out?” she asked suddenly and the young man shrugged his shoulders, dethatching himself from the girl. He moved to the front, turning then to face her and skate backwards. He grasped her hands in his own and proceeded to guide her around the ice that way.

“What makes you ask that?” Chris inquired and Lyrial shrugged, looking down at her skates to hide from his gaze under the false pretense of eyeing the distance between her feet.

“Just curious. I like to run a lot, so I was just wondering if you worked out,” she concluded, hiding the innocent fantasies she had been envisioning after coping the feel of the muscles concealed beneath his unshapely sweater. Chris raised his brows as if nothing the fact carefully before he smiled.

“A runner, huh?” he asked and grasped her hands more tightly as they rounded the next bend. “I guess a little,” he replied before pulling Lyrial closer to him. No longer did he hold onto her by her hands; his fingertips curled around her waist to close the distance between them. Lyrial looked up at seeing the tips of Chris' skates so close to her own. Their faces were closer than she thought and a blush sprang back into her cheeks. A smile was on Chris' face and at this proximity Lyrial could see the thin scar that ran diagonally across the bridge of his nose and between his eyes. It was a fine white line that rudely divided his features but did not detract from them. So focused on the decorative wound was the brunette that she did not take notice of Chris leaning forward to whisper against her ear.

“If you want to see them, I'll show you,” he said and the blush on Lyrial's face darkened, her doe brown eyes a little wide. He pulled back with the disarming smile that had become his signature. Had her admiration of his body been that obvious? Her thoughts reeled in panic as she considered that her sneaky exploration of his hidden muscles had not been all that stealthy. The smile didn't leave his face and it retained its ever innocent and boyish flair. The brunette struggled to find her voice and answer the unexpected question but Chris laughed, drawing back to arm's length as he had been before. His hands held hers as they rounded the bend in the lake together.

“Come on, let's get something to eat,” he said finally and released one of her hands so he could skate beside Lyrial. The young woman nodded her head in a daze and followed Chris' lead to the edge of the lake. They glided to the stall where they rented the skates and he carefully helped Lyrial off the ice and into the snow. She found it difficult to wobble on the thin blades in the snow and sat down finally on a bench near the stall to untie her skates. Chris found his place beside her after retrieving their shoes from the vender and began to undo his own skates. Lyrial struggled to slip her foot from the tight encasement of the boot and let out a little grunt of success when she was finally free. The second foot was easier to emancipate since she was armed with the method from the first. Chris seemed to have much better luck with his skates, taking them off with practiced hands before pulling his own shoes on.

“Where do you want to eat?” Lyrial asked as she pulled her shoes back on. Chris shrugged his shoulders, picking up both pairs of skates and returning them to the vendor.

“Oh, so I get to pick?” he asked after returning to the brunette's side. Lyrial giggled.

“Only because I don't really know Juniper that well. I've only been here a few times with Alan,” she replied and Chris' head tilted to the side.

“Alan?” he asked as they began walking away from the lake, taking the sidewalk to the park that would ultimately lead the couple back downtown. “Old boyfriend?” Lyrial shook her head.

“Old roommate,” she responded and reached out in a moment of braveness to grasp Chris' hand in her own as they walked. He seemed surprised for a second but then squeezed her hand back happily. Their trek ended at an intersection where the sidewalk from the park met the busy streets of Juniper city.

“Food, food, food,” Chris mused, looking up and down the avenue. Lyrial looked as well before pointing something across the way.

“What about there?” she asked and looked up at Chris. Her companion squinted his eyes to make out a small neon sign designed to look like a maki roll next to some lettering.

“Blue Chopstyx…Chopsticks being spelled with a `y'…” Chris shrugged. “Why not? Their food's probably better than their English, right?” he remarked and looked back down at Lyrial with an adventurous smile. “Come on!” The two of them hurried through a cross walk as the light began to turn red, their hurried stroll turning into an outright run as the traffic began to roll. They laughed, out of breath, as they reached the edifice of the little restaurant. The part of the duo pushed open the door and a bell sounded their entrance. Lyrial slipped inside and looked around at the cliché and gaudy Asian décor that littered the establishment. She rolled up the sleeves of her red sweater, warmed by their near-death experience in the street a moment ago.

“Hello, hello. Welcome Blue Chopstyx. Seat two?” a small Asian woman in an apron said, approaching them with menus. Lyrial nodded her head, giggling as Chris closed the door, moving to her side. The hostess led them to wooden stools in front of a sushi bar where the glass display of cuts of fish could be seen. Lyrial sat on her stool and leaned forward to inspect the pieces of octopus, shrimp, and salmon sitting delicately on wooden plates. As the hostess departed, a young Asian girl came forward. Her hair was back in a tight ponytail and she too wore an apron around her waist. Her English was substantially better than the woman Lyrial and Chris presumed to be her mother.

“Hi guys, what can I get you to drink?” she asked, taking out her writing pad. There were a few other diners in the restaurant, all enjoying their food—a mix of cold cut sushi and hot yakitori. Chris scanned the menu as Lyrial replied to the waitress.

“Just water, please,” she asked before Chris looked up.

“The same, please,” he responded before looking back at the menu.

“Would you like any starters this evening?” the waitress inquired and Lyrial dove into the images of the menu. While she explored what she would ultimately want for dinner, Chris closed his menu.

“How about some dumplings?” he suggested and Lyrial nodded. The waitress recorded the order before departing to retrieve their drinks.

“You know, this is going to sound crazy,” Lyrial began with hesitance, closing her menu as well. “But I feel like I've met you before.” Chris smiled gently and propped an elbow on the bar, leaning his cheek against is hand.

“You have: yesterday,” he replied and they both laughed. “But seriously, we've been in class all semester together. It's inevitable that we've met before and just…well, you know how college is. You meet so many people all at once that you can't possibly remember the unexciting ones,” he concluded and Lyrial's face saddened.

“That can't be right,” she debated. “Because I know I would have remembered you. You're not one of the unexciting ones.” Chris smiled, a shy kind of smile, losing all sense of the bravado he had displayed earlier on the ice. Quiet passed between them as the waitress returned with their drinks before bustling off again to attend a different set of guests. It was a kind of quiet filled with unasked questions and over-anxious thoughts. It was a quiet that continued throughout their meal and was broken only by the polite `thank you' parted from their lips as they left the little sushi bar. It was not an uncomfortable silence but one that left Lyrial wondering as Chris grasped her hand in his when they headed back for the train station that would take them out of Juniper.

“Is it really that late?” the brunette asked as they stood on the platform, waiting for the train. Throughout the day, it had been overcast with the snow bearing clouds, but it was still quite light. Now, however, the sun had either vanished completely or was fighting the losing battle against the turning planet.

“I guess time really does fly when you're having fun,” Chris replied. Lyrial smiled and nodded, leaning her head against his shoulder while they stood on the platform. Evening was waning into night and as the train whooshed past them, pulling forward to stop and collect passengers, Lyrial and Chris looked at one another, the former's curls whipping about their faces from the wind created by the rushing train.

“I want to see you again,” Chris said over the roar of the breaking engine. Lyrial bit her bottom lip before nodding her head quickly. Her eyes fell closed and through the darkness she could hear the stopping train, the grinding of the metal wheels against the tracks and the whirling wind it tunneled through the platform. Her heart sped up in her chest when she felt the timid brushing of Chris' lips against her own. In an instant the vision of the happy, tan skinned young man vanished into that of the deathly trite and silver of Sano. She turned her face to the side quietly, ending the contact. Her eyes opened and her chest rose and fell quickly in a disturbed pant.

“I-I'm sorry,” she replied, embarrassed. Chris shook his head, taking a step away to create more room between them.

“No, I apologize. It was too soon?” Lyrial bit her bottom lip and rubbed her forehead with her hand.

“No,” she replied and felt herself beginning to cry. “It was perfect.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Metamorphosis: Genesis