Dying Fire

Chapter Ten

“I think something dark

Is living in my heart.”

~Brand New~

Ondine runs furiously. Calex, at his heels the entire way, ensures Araine doesn’t fall too far behind. He doesn’t quite understand why she’s following as well, since there’s little to nothing she can do, but that could apply to the two boys as well.

            Could.

            Running through the maze of alleys, they land on the main street, the marketplace, running through without pause until they round a corner. Ondine comes to a stop at the bottom steps of a high, skinny building made of brick. Breathing heavy from running, he only stares as Calex pushes past him and takes the four steps up to the door.

            His first instinct is to heave the door open almost violently, but his body jerks upon finding it locked and not budging an inch. Anger swells as his fist connects with the wood, then his entire body is slamming against it in near desperation. Distantly, he feels Araine’s hands on him, her calling his name and pleading with him to stop.  He goes on, falling into a rhythm. With each pause, he breathes, “Open… The… Door… You… Damned… Whoremonger…” After several minutes of no response, he starts shouting without break, “Give her back!”

            A crowd gathers, steadily growing, onlookers trying to decipher what’s happening. Others continue to walk, shaking their heads in sadness or disgust at the scene.

            “I know you’re in there!” Calex shouts, pounding his fist against the door one more time and then resting his forehead against it, breathing heavily and aching all over.

            “Calex…” Araine whispers behind him. She rests a hand on his shoulder, intent on comforting him, but the tough only causes him to spring into action again.

            Eyes bulging, he surveys the front of the building, spying the windows and their locations, determining whether they’re locked and if he can reach them or not. He doesn’t take notice of Ondine finally mounting the steps to stand behind Araine, staring at him with a mixture of awe and terror. Araine and he watch as Calex beings a knee to his chest, placing the foot of that leg on the highest rung in the railing of the stairs as he can reach. In one solid movement, he steps up his other foot to the top rung, and jumps slightly to grasp the top of the doorway. Shifting his hold until he’s nearly hanging off the far edge, he reached out one hand to the nearest window, skimming the sill until he can reach the glass itself. Pushing on it, trying to lift it, break it from this awkward position, something. Nothing works.

            “If he sees this…” Ondine mutters, staring at the ground and shaking slightly, obviously scared of the consequences Calex’s actions could bring on them.

            Calex’s leg swings out at his statement, slamming into the door with as much force as the young boy can muster. “You’re nothing but a coward!” he screams, moving to have a better handle on the ledge above the doorway. Planting both feet against the wood of the door, Calex pushes off, fingers digging at the wood to keep him stable, and slams back, causing the door to shake from the force.

            “Calex!” Araine shouts, surprised and shocked. As he repeats the action, growing in speed and hitting the door with more force every time, she surveys the people watching. “Please!” she pleads with them. “He has Annora! Help us, please! We can’t let him…”

            At her words, the people had begun to disperse, looking away in shame or apathy. Araine watches them walk away, searching to meet their eyes but failing, mouth agape in disbelief. Tears do not come to her now, but she feels a pain in her chest as something breaks inside her. No one will help them. None of the populace will aid Annora. The world seems to shrink for Araine, closing in, as the realization of just how far the people have fallen away from Fire, how far they had gone from being simply human.