DK ~ Chapter One

A young woman heard a scream coming from a distance then all the sudden quieted. “Comet, did you hear that…scream?” she asked quietly while listening intently for any more sounds. Her companion turned her head in the direction of it came from. “Ooo, somebody is dying. Let’s go watch, Aikou. I’ve been waiting for awhile to see something like this.” Aikou shook her head then pulled her night hair up while leaving the white streak down. “Well, let’s go then. I am rather bored.” Comet hopped down from her perch in a tree.

Moments later they arrived in a grassy clearing and found what they thought was the source of the noise. “Aww… They’re already dead,” Comet said disappointedly. Aikou knelt down beside the lavender haired man and studied him closely. She was almost afraid to touch him because he seemed like a delicate porcelain doll that would break under her touch. She wouldn’t dare call him an angel. They were forbidden in her realm. Aikou placed a bronzed hand on his pale cheek and found it to be soft and smooth. She moved her hand to his hair and ran her fingers through it. It felt like the finest silk she had ever touched.

“Aikou… Hello!” Comet said while waving a hand in front of her face. “Hello… Earth to Aikou!” She pretended from a moment not to hear Comet. She looked over at his friend and was satisfied enough to see him breathing then looked back at the man. Aikou saw something sticking out of his back pocket and took it out. She flipped it open and found something that had his picture along with a bunch of other information about him. “Alex…” Comet snatched the wallet out of her hand. “Yay! Stuff!” Aikou looked at her hand then Comet then back at her hand again. “That is not yours,” Aikou said stiffly. Comet shrugged her shoulders. “So… It’s mine now. Plus why does he need it…he is already dead.” Aikou shook her head while wagging a finger. “Quite the contrary. Comet, they are still very much alive.” Comet groaned. “First, I thought they were dying then I am disappointed when I get here and they are dead. Now you’re telling me they are not. Well, if you want the job done right you are going to have to do it yourself.”

Aikou stood up and said, “Don’t you dare!” Comet backed away only slightly while Aikou sat back down beside Alexiel. “If you are in that kind of mood then just go kill a demon of no real importance,” she said in an off-hand manner. Comet plopped down beside Aikou while keeping her arms crossed. “That gets so old,” she said with a sigh then groaned again. “It is rare to kill something different and steal from them.” Aikou’s brow furrowed as she looked at Comet. “I don’t see why. You should know as well as I do that our world coexists with the human world quite often. A few are misplaced here and end up in their death during that time. Very few ever make it back because of certain demons like you, but I’m surprise you want to kill them when you are a third yourself.”

Comet looked at Alexiel beside Aikou and became skeptical. “Well, I’m not too sure on purple boy. He almost looks like…” Comet didn’t get the chance to finish her sentence for Aikou had forcefully placed a hand on Comet’s mouth. She in turn bit Aikou’s hand till blood was drawn, but Aikou kept her hand there. “Don’t you dare speak that word. You know it is forbidden, that we would have to fend the demons that heard you to protect these two humans,” Aikou muttered in a harsh tone. Comet glowered at Aikou while she ripped Aikou’s hand from her mouth. “And yes, Alex is a human.”

“Alex is purple boy’s name?” Comet asked while her friend merely nodded. “Hmm… Strange name. ” Aikou looked at her bleeding hand then clenched it close. She pulled the ribbon out of her hair then wrapped it around her hand and tied it tightly. She glanced at Alexiel again. She couldn’t help it. She was captivated by his beauty. “Comet, I suggest we take them back to your home because… What are you humming?” Aikou said. Comet put her arms behind her back and tried to look innocent. “Nothing,” she answered. Aikou narrowed her eyes. They glinted with suspicion under the metallic red sheen they held momentarily. She had this feeling deep inside that Comet was testing her. “What are you humming?” she demanded while standing up. She had Alexiel half way off the ground when Comet answered in a shout. “Angel!” Aikou dropped Alexiel then jerked Comet by the arm. Comet may have been taller than her by a long shot, but to her size did not matter. She wanted to beat Comet senseless, but decided that may not be for the best.

“What the hell is wrong with you?” she inquired. Comet threw her arms up innocently and shrugged her shoulders. “Well, you know you told me to go find something else to kill since you forbid me from Alex and his little buddy so…I made it easy for myself with your help.” Comet chuckled as Aikou’s face turned a faint red color. “My…help…” Aikou said brokenly. Comet nodded. “Yeah, see I knew you would ask me what I was doing so I started humming and when you asked I made up that I was humming the word.” Aikou glared at Comet then shoved her away. “User,” she muttered. Comet laughed.

Aikou ran over to Alexiel while pulling out her sword. She knew she made it just in time when she heard a clang. She rested her head on the hilt and let a breath out slowly. “Aikou!” Comet ran over then narrowed her eyes at the new arrival. Aikou lifted her head and saw her ’suitor’. “Hiroshi!” she breathed. He knelt on one knee then said, “My fair Lady, had I known it was you I wouldn’t have dared attack.” Comet glared at Hiroshi with a certain loathing feeling. Hiroshi held out a hand, but Aikou smacked it away. “I can get up by myself perfectly fine,” she muttered then stood up. She slipped the sword back in its sheath then looked at Comet. “We need to get Alex and his friend to safety before anymore unwanted company comes,” Aikou said while eying Hiroshi with disgust.

“My Lady, allow me to offer my services,” he said. Aikou had Alexiel on her back then turned toward Hiroshi and said, “I do not need your services, Hiro. Not now…not ever.  Now leave me be.” Her voice was cold and stiff with the authority she held over him. He may be a prince of his clan, but he was weak when it came to his feelings for her. She walked away in the direction of Comet’s home. He rather disdained the use of his nickname. He found it to be disrespectful even through the very few times he heard it, but Aikou was the only one that spoke it. He never understood why she did. He figured she knew it bothered him.

He wanted to disregard her order, but at the same time he wanted to serve her. He bent down and picked up the other human then threw him over his shoulder. “What part of she doesn’t need you help, don’t you get?” Hiroshi left her standing there without an answer. “Hey! I am talking to you! Don’t you dare walk away from me! You come back here or I’ll gouge your eyeballs out!” Hiroshi didn’t stop for one moment. “Should I care?” he asked. “Without Aikou as my wife, my life is pointless.” His voice sounded defeated.

Comet couldn’t figure him out. She couldn’t understand why he persisted on pursuing Aikou after the many rejections she has given him over the past five hundred and twenty-eight years. “Hey, wait for me!” she called after him then ran after him. “Explain something to me.” Comet looked up at him. He did not avert his gaze in her direction. “What must I explain to you?” he asked gruffly. Comet’s brow furrowed while she grew frustrated. At one point in time she thought she had him figured out, but she just now discovered that she didn’t. She hated him and wanted to kill him, but couldn’t. There was a certain code that all clans had to follow. Once you were in a treaty then you had to remain in it and that meant you could not kill their leader. “Why do you continue to pursue Aikou? She has refused you at every corner yet you keep holding on, why?” She stopped while he took a few more steps then stopped as well. Hiroshi turned around and looked at her straight in the eyes.

He let out a breath slowly. “You want to know why I have persisted on never letting up on my proposals?” Comet nodded while he set Toku down. “My feelings for her are genuine. I wish for her not to fall into the wrong hands and what I mean by that is the one that does not love her, the one that would hurt her. I would protect her in anyway I could. I do respect her in the highest degree,” he said. “Her power amazes me so, impresses me. She is so…so beautiful. Her skill an art for many to envy. She is the only demoness I desire and I will never stop until I have her. The feelings I have for her I guess you could say that… I love her.” He whispered the last three words. “You know what?” she said. He gave her a puzzled look. “You’re gonna die.” She walked off while he merely shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t care. You could go ahead and try,” he muttered. He picked Toku back up and placed him on his shoulder again then continued on.

A Game?

 “You know it is a dire shame,” an angel said. He sat down while keeping his eyes on his friend from across the room. “Whatever do you mean, Gabriel?” His friend seemed tense yet relief flooded out of him. “Alexiel is gone,” Gabriel said. “So who are we going to play our little games with, Aro?” The other angel directed his gaze toward him then walked over and sat down in front of him. He leaned forward while wearing a twisted smile. “Now who said our games with Alexiel are over? I surely didn’t,” he said in an amused tone. Gabriel was now intrigued. “What are you scheming, my friend?” he asked while trying to contain himself from the overwhelming joy he felt. “Well, it will be more fun if it was put into action later when ‘he’ll’ least expect it. I’ll tell you the details at a later time. For now let us celebrate our victory over ‘him’.” Gabriel nodded then laughed silently to himself in glee.

 

Years later…

 

Alexiel sat at his work desk thinking of how to finish the assignment his boss gave him. He stared at his computer while he had his head resting in his hand hoping that the headache he had would go away. He shifted himself in the chair while running his fingers through his silken lavender hair. He felt something rest on top of his head. Alexiel reached up then brought it within his eyesight. “Demonic Kingdom?” he muttered under his breath. “Yeah, it is the brand new and the most awaited for RPG game of the year. You are looking at the only one in America to possess one. You can thank the game creator for that and he so happens to be my brother so I was wondering if you were free tonight for a little test drive,” came a familiar voice.

 

“Toku?” he said as he swiveled his chair around. “The one and only.” Alexiel looked up into Toku’s eyes then said, “I am.” His friend had a wide grin on his face. “Alright then,” he said. Alexiel glanced at his watch then back at Toku. “I have ten minutes left of my shift, but I want to finish this assignment before I go anywhere.” Toku shook his head while he made a tsk noise. “Did you know you work too hard?” Alexiel’s face broke out in a grin for the first time that day then chuckled. “It is part of who I am also I’ve procrastinated a lot today. Mainly because I couldn’t focus so I did my work in increments.” He then handed the game back. “Yeah…well don’t work too hard, alright man?” Alexiel nodded then said, “I’ll try not to.” Toku left while Alexiel returned to his work.

 

After about an hour or so of forced focusing and hard work he finally finished it. He felt satisfied with it and saved it then went out to his car. Moments later he pulled into the Toku’s driveway then walked up to the front door and dinged the doorbell. “Finally, Alex, you’ve been killing me man. I thought you were going to be at that office all night,” Toku said as soon as the door was opened then pulled Alexiel by the arm into the living room. Toku shoved him into the couch then grabbed the game and slipped it into the console. “Let’s get this party started,” Toku said while fiddling with his stereo system. “But before we play this thing there are a few things my brother told me. This apparently is the most realistic game you could ever play. It honestly makes me laugh, but he says it is actually like you are there in Demonic Kingdom. Many have thought him as crazy because he kept claiming for years that it actually exists. When he was close to being committed he basically kept to himself and created the game.” Alexiel nodded as he picked up a controller off the coffee table. You would be surprised about how right your brother is. The Demon realm does exist sometimes coexists with the humans, but no one would ever know it unless you were the other species. He thought.

 

When it finished loading a lone figure appeared on the screen. “Hey, that’s my brother! What is that nutter doing?” Toku said while backing up to the sofa. “Welcome to the portal of the Demonic Kingdom. Prepare for the ride of your life…Toku.” They exchanged confused glances. “What the… AHHHH!” Toku fell through the floor which now had a black hole. Alexiel jumped in after him while he made himself speed up. Once Alexiel caught up to Toku he gripped his friend’s wrist. “You know, Alex, I don’t believe he was kidding anymore,” Toku shouted.

 

Alexiel relaxed himself. He was use to transversing to different realms, but had never made an effort to go to the Demon realm. Strictly on the record angels and demons were not the best of friends not unless things have changed since he had last been to the Upper realm. He had wanted merely to experience their portals because he had heard they were different than the average and so far that has been proven.

 

At the end of the portal there was a blinding light. Toku’s screams ceased as soon as they hit the ground. Alexiel’s vision was blurred and could barely distinguish his surroundings. He let go of his consciousness and blacked out.

Fallen Angel

 

 

 

Fallen angel

Listen to me

I know you’ve been hurt

Like you fly with broken wings

But it is actually

A broken heart

 

I could not begin to fathom

The pain you felt

Not even half

Not even close

But if I could

I would take your place

So you could be free

 

Fallen angel

Allow me to heal you

From inside out

I promise you

From deep within my heart

That I would never hurt you

 

I know you doubt

What I say

But please believe it true

And if I have to

I’ll prove myself to you

I know…

 

I could not begin to fathom

The pain you felt

Not even half

Not even close

But if I could

I would take your place

So you could be free

 

Fallen angel

Listen to me

I know you’ve been hurt

Like you fly with broken wings

But it is actually

A broken heart

 

I promise you

That your heart is…

Safe with me

Chapter One: Summer End Bliss

 

The summer has been long and blissfully boring especially in the sleepy, little town of Eagle Point, Oregon. The weather has been unpleasantly hot and humid with the occasional welcomed rain. Even through the glass window after it had rained you could still feel the heat radiating. But yes, aside to seeing a couple of friends and a few day trips here and there…the summer had been just that, boring. Today is just going to be another long day just like the rest.

 A teen-aged girl closed the journal then opened one of the nightstand’s drawers and placed the book inside. She closed her eyes and collapsed back on her bed. She laid there for a few moments in the quiet of the latter morning. She opened her eyes then glanced around her boldly red-colored room. The blinding sunlight was streaming through the white sheer curtains onto the warm cherry hardwood floor. There beside the window seat was a bookcase crammed full of books, her prize and joy. It was her way to escape the present world into an unknown one. Hours on end she spent in the window seat reading. It was the only time inside the house that she felt at peace. Not too far away from that there was a small, cluttered desk with a computer sitting on top. While on either side of the bed was a pair of nightstands of an oriental style. They too were cluttered with stacks of paper and a few pens.

 She rolled out of her bed onto the floor and stretched out her body. She stood up and made her bed then walked over to the full-length mirror near her bookshelf. Her mother had given it to her one Christmas out of hope that Ashe would take a glance at herself for her mother’s reasons, but Ashe held her own. It was to remind her who she was. She looked at herself within the mirror. When it came to her mother’s reasons, this was something she didn’t do often and that lied purely in the fact that she could care less. To her it seemed pointless unless she had a special reason in doing so and those were far and few in between.

 She pushed her long, reddish-brunette hair that was covering part of her slim, pale face behind an ear. Her head jerked in the direction of her bedroom door when a faint knock came from behind it. “Come in,” she said then sighed lightly. She sat down on the large trunk at the foot of her bed as the door was opening. It revealed her mother leaning in the doorway with her arms crossed. “Good morning, Ashe,” she said cheerfully. Ashe grumbled back a ‘good morning’ while crossing her arms and wondering how it is a good morning. She at the moment had a lot on her mind and probably will have more when her mother left.

“I just came to remind you that we were shopping today.” Ashe merely nodded to show her acknowledgment. Caroline paused long enough to study Ashe with her mint green eyes in a reproachful manner. She shook her head in a disappointed fashion while her voice reflected the disappointment on her face. “Honestly Ashe, why can’t you be more like your older sister and take some pride in yourself? I can’t seem to figure out why you are not open with me. I feel like I hardly know you. You never open up to me or your father and that is rather shameful that you don’t come to us.” Her mother sighed. Ashe glared at her mother with an agitated pair of golden hazel eyes. “I do have pride, but that pride is reserved for my mind. You don’t seem to realize that is where my pride lies and always will. I am sorry that I am such a big disappointment, but the primping you wish me to do just holds no importance to me. I just am satisfied with how I am and where my pride is,” she said unemotionally. She was trying to keep the agitation she felt out of her voice, but it was very difficult for her to do. “I’ll get ready whenever it is time to go.” Caroline nodded curtly then left without saying another word while leaving Ashe in a resentful mood. She could hear her mother talking to someone outside her room then tuned it out after a moment of listening.

Ashe’s feelings of impatience for school to begin began rising in her again then she felt dread sit in once again. Every time she had these feelings it wasn’t because of what she had to do it was who she had to see. She couldn’t bear the thought of going back because of her ex-boyfriend and having to see him. Certain points in time it made her quite reluctant towards going back to school. The memories of the past two years resurfaced within her mind causing old wounds to reopen. She didn’t want to remember them. She thought she had forgotten them, but she had thought wrong. The summer had not been long enough to forget. She still felt the pure hatred that she held for Steven coursing through her veins. He dared to ask her to take him back after all he had done to her. In essence she told him to go screw himself and find someone else to fall for his trickery. She had hoped and prayed that Steven understood that she wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. I swear that I will not be liable for whatever might happen to him if he does not grasp the concept of stay away. Leave my memories…please. She thought bitterly while staring blankly at the floor.

Her thoughts then turned its attention back to what her mother had said. There was one thing that her mother did that she hated more than anything and that was to compare her to someone else. She would always hold a sisterly love for Star, but it was not enough to get over her being compared to her older sibling. Ashe could not even begin to comprehend why their mother did that to her. She no longer wanted to burden her mind with it. If she honestly wanted to wrestle with that she would be doing that for hours on end with no results except for the already thought of reason.

Ashe jumped out of her thoughts and off the trunk when her bedroom door flung open. She wasn’t surprised at Star once again barging into her bedroom unannounced, but it was actually her mind not being partially focused on the surroundings. Speak of the devil. “You know it is polite to knock on the door before coming in.” Her feelings of annoyance were displayed clearly on her face. No one seemed to have gotten the hint of leaving her alone. “Ashe, I don’t want to hear it. I just-” Ashe cuts her off by holding up her hand then speaking in a careless manner. “My dear sister, if Mom sent you to tell me it’s time then don’t waste your breath. I was just about to get ready. Now if that is all,” she said while sitting down in her computer chair. “You know where the door is.” She leaned back as if she were reclining and pointed toward the open door.

Star did not budge a muscle from where she stood. She wasn’t going unless she was forced to. After a moment had gone by Ashe got back up on her feet and walked over until she was standing a few inches away from her sister. “Get out!” Ashe growled while Star shook her head. She then grabbed Star’s arm and began dragging her out of the room while Star tripped over her own feet and landed in the hall with a dull thud. Before Star even got the chance to stand up Ashe pressed a foot on Star’s shoulder. “Pay some respect to me if you want any for yourself. A tiny bit of advice for the future is…knock,” Ashe said in an angry hiss then turned around and slammed the door.

Later on Ashe went downstairs ready to leave the house. Well, I guess it is time to feed myself to the lions. She thought while dreading the very moment she left the sanctuary of the house. It was days like this she hated leaving the house mainly because of the usual pattern it took. She came into the kitchen and found her mother tying her shoes. “Oh good, you’re ready. Why don’t you go on ahead to the car and wait for us there then we’ll go,” Caroline said while handing her the keys. Ashe shrugged her shoulders then left the room.

She squinted her eyes as she walked over to the car. The sun was shining brightly overhead making it quite warm. It did not have to fear having its blazing fury covered because there was no clouds. Just a solid, clear sky. She unlocked the passenger door then sat down inside. She left the door open because it felt like an oven inside. She inserted the key into the ignition and started the vehicle. Ashe felt the cool air pour out of the vents then relaxed in the seat. A little while later Caroline and Star come out, got in the car, and drove off.

Ashe stared blankly out the window as they headed down the highway to Medford. She saw clouds looming in the distance and had hoped it was a sign for a rainstorm. Moments later, they pulled into the parking lot of the mall. Ashe hopped out of the car and waited for the other two. “Ashe, did I put the break on?” her mother asked about halfway to the building. Ashe shrugged her shoulders, unsure. “I think so…” she said numbly. “Well, will you go check?” She knew this was not a question and turned around. She looked inside quickly then ran back to catch up with the others.

Throughout the entire mall Ashe felt as if she was in a fog. She was barely focusing on what she was doing in the stores. Ashe aimlessly walked through the racks of clothes. She froze for a moment because she felt as if she was being watched. She looked around while walking around, pretending to be searching for something in the racks.

A short distance away was a man leaning against a wall. She stopped at a rack and began searching through them for no particular item while keeping her eye on the man. She was uncertain of if the man was looking at her or not for he had a pair of sunglasses on. She walked to the shoe department across from where she was and noticed that his head followed her. She ducked down in the shelves of shoes and around a corner into the men’s department. Ashe peeked her head slightly above the shoe shelves and saw that he was gone. She started to feel a bit silly and stupid for this imaginary paranoia.

When it was all over Ashe was beyond thankful. She was exhausted when they eventually got home. Her head was pounding with a headache she had received that day. She had very little energy for anything else because after she took her shower she collapsed into her bed and instantly fell asleep.

The last day before school had to start Ashe had decided to take a trip to her secret getaway place. It was her sanctuary away from the world. She could already tell that it was going to be a slow day. She left a note to her parents saying that she was going for a hike and for them not to worry. Ashe walked down the long pathway beneath the shady canopy of trees. Normally she would take her time in getting there, but today she ran to it. Ashe slowed down when she saw the start of the rocky cliff approaching ahead in the sunlight. Every time she came here it brought back the memory of the night she first discovered the place, but it made her stronger each time. The memories may have pained her, but she no longer had to fear the past.

The night she came here it was raining and the sky was black with storm clouds. She felt blind from the darkness and her tears yet she did not care. She kept running until she could no longer feel the rough ground beneath her feet. As she was falling she thought that it was her final moments and strangely enough she welcomed the idea. She tried to take her last breath of air, but ended up swallowing water instead. Ashe shook her head to rid her mind of the memory.

Ashe stood under the sunlight welcoming all of the warmth that it had to offer. She looked up to her left at the cascading water onto the rocks and lake below. Even after the many times she has seen the waterfall, it could still take her breath away. She sat her backpack down then took off her clothes till she was standing in nothing but her swimsuit. Ashe stood at the edge of the precipice then glanced at the cool, crisp water. She closed her eyes and lifted her head while she raised her arms high then dived down into the lake.

The water rushed against her skin after she broke the lake’s surface. A few seconds later she resurfaced for a breath of air. After awhile she climbed onto a small rock and stood a top it. Ashe made a quick glance at the cliff and found someone there. He was kneeling on the edge while his long hair covered most of his face. Her thoughts rushed through her mind in fear then wonder. She felt something grab her ankle making panic wash over her like a huge wave. Without thinking she tried to yank her leg free and fell back into the water. Ashe could feel her consciousness slipping as her vision blurred then all went black when she felt something take hold of her wrist.

Ashe awoke and found herself snuggly wrapped in a few thick blankets near a blazing fire. She sat up while trying to figure out where it all came from. “You’re awake.” The voice sounded relieved. A man came into view. The very same one that was watching her earlier. “Don’t be afraid,” he said when she started to crawl away. “Who are you?” she asked. “Haven’t I seen you someplace previously?” He stuffed his hands in his pockets as he walked closer. “A friend and yes, you have.” She didn’t like how vague he was being about himself and stood up. Ashe picked up her backpack then started running. “Where are you going?” She did not answer him and continued running without looking back until she arrived home.

She entered the house through the back door then ran upstairs and took a quick shower. Afterwards she felt clean and free from the previous events. The man in the woods may have meant well, but she couldn’t trust him for he could have been holding a cover. Masking his true identity from her. She slipped on a black, kimono-like robe and pulled her hair up into a tight bun as she headed back down to the kitchen. Ashe picked up her cookbook from a shelf and started flipping through the pages until she found something that looked appeasing to her hunger. She then began searching for the various in the pantry and spice cabinets. “I’m glad to see you got home safely.”

She froze and dropped the spice container that she was holding. Ashe grabbed a knife out of the cutlery block and hurled it in the direction of the voice. She wasn’t sure if she had got him because her eyes were closed tight. “Well, I must say that has got to be the most interesting way to say hello I have ever had the pleasure of encountering,” he said in an amused way. Her eyes snapped open and glanced over to see him still standing unscathed. She cursed herself for not aiming correctly.

He studied her from head to toe noting the angry look on her face. Ashe stood there with a hand on her hip while staring at him in disbelief. He pulled the knife out of the wall and said, “Now remind me not to ever give you any sharp objects if anyone wants to keep their head.” He placed the knife in the sink and moved his gaze back on her. A humored smirk slid onto his face while her face turned from anger to annoyed. “Alright, I want you out of my house this instant!” she said while stomping her foot. “Hey now, is this honestly the thanks I get for saving your life?” he asked in a somewhat serious tone. “Yes,” she said. “Wait… You’re the one who saved me?” He nodded once. “You were that guy at the mall… No wonder you look so familiar.” His smirk turned into a grin. “So you do remember me…”

“Wait!” she said. “How the hell did you find out where I live?” His grin disappeared. “Honestly, is there a reason of why you have to question everything that happens? Can’t we just leave things alone that do not need to be known?” he said. Ashe frowned then shook her head. “Let’s just leave it at I’m your bodyguard.” Her frown deepened. He sighed softly then looked off to the side. Ashe jerked her gaze away from him and stared blankly at the floor. A long silence passed between them then she looked back at him.

The way his hair was pulled back made it see like he wore a golden halo. His eyes unknown for the slim, rectangular sunglasses. Ashe reached toward his face for them as he to step away he ended up tripping over a small stool. His glasses slipped off into her hand while he flipped to keep himself off the floor. After a small metallic noise she looked at her feet and found a flat, round, silver object. She picked it up then pushed the tiny button at the top. It opened. The numbers were silver in a decorative Roman numeral script. The face of it was a black degrade until a crimson center.

 She turned her attention back to the man. His face was a bit flustered as he straightens himself. “Can I ask about this?” She waved the pocket watch in front of his face then looked into his eyes and found they were an ungodly dark brown. A color that you could never fathom as possible. His facial features she could see that they were predominately Asian. He took his glasses then slipped them back on, but left them halfway down his nose. “Not again,” he sighed. “This relic has been doing this for quite sometime. Since my pants often don’t have pockets I’ve had to clip it to a belt loop. The clip has been falling apart and I have been meaning to get it fixed, but time has been an issue. Anyway, can I have it back now?” She smiled as she moved it out of his reach. “Ashe, give it back…please.” Her smiled faltered. “How do you know my name?” He took his watch and reattached it to the faulty clip. “Ashe, for now it would be best that you do not know unless a change of events were to occur. I told you just to leave it at the fact that I am your bodyguard. Another factor always seems to be time. Your parents will be here momentarily and if I did start explaining now I’d leave you in a more confused state than I already am. Just promise me that you’ll never speak of my existence to anyone,” he said softly. Ashe nodded and before she could say anything else he was already gone.

She decided against having anything and started to put everything away. Ashe jumped when she heard the doorbell ring causing her to drop another spice container. She picked it up real quick, threw it back inside the cabinet, and rushed to the front door. Her eyes widen out of surprise when she opened the door. There were her parents standing before her. How did he know? She stared at her parents in bewilderment. “I was on my way to bed,” she said while stepping aside to allow her parents entrance. They stepped in while Ashe tried to close the door behind them, but her sister kept her from doing so. “Thanks for holding the door open for me, sis,” Star said. Ashe rolled her eyes at this. Why doesn’t she have her own place yet? She thought then sighed.

Ashe shut the door then turned to go upstairs. “Ashe, is this all I get to see of you today?” her mother asked her before she even got one foot on the bottom step. Ashe heaved a heavy sigh silently then turned back around. “I’m sorry, Mom, but it’s just that I have to go to bed now for me to get enough sleep to get up early for school.” She hoped that her mother would let her go. She wasn’t in much of a mood to talk to anyone. “Can I at least have a hug?” Ashe walked over to Caroline then hugged her. “Goodnight Mom,” she said then left.

 Ashe tossed and turned restlessly in her bed for the couple of hours she had been lying in bed. She got up then sat on the window seat. She looked out the window while trying to push her thoughts from her mind. She took a folded blanket and wrapped herself in it. Ashe couldn’t stop thinking about what the future held in the coming year. It felt ominous. After sometime she had lain down on the cushioned seat and forcibly told herself that everything would be fine. Yet she couldn’t believe it and the one reason why was in her house several hours before. She couldn’t believe that he was the one keeping her awake.

 She had kept her promise to him and for some strange unknown reason she would continue. Ashe could not get the nameless wonder out of her mind. He was such a mystery then it dawned on her. “He’s not human,” he stated the three words with a certain simplicity. “There is no way he could be…for all that I’ve seen…” She decided that she would wait for him, wait for him to return and possibly explain to her his presence in her life. She would find out who and what he was no matter what she had to do. Ashe went back to her bed curled up underneath the blanket. She told herself once again that everything would be fine. She finally ignored the nagging feeling in the back of her mind and nodded off into an uneasy sleep.