Anette Liliane Desrosiers.
Eighteen years old.
Senior.
Worker at Off the Page.
Eighteen years old.
Senior.
Worker at Off the Page.
It was that feeling as if someone had a hard girp on Aleyna’s heart, but it wasn’t knew to her. After being diagnosed with the heart defect that feeling always crept behind her everywhere she went.
Clenching her chest, Aleyna tried to regain her composed self, Anette…
After taking a sip of the water, the cool water, as if it refreshed her. She answered Anette’s question, “15, I’m fifteen.” She watched as a few people rushed by, hoping to see any sign of her mother she was waiting on. ” I was supposed to come here to find my mom, but than all I saw was fire and destroyed- well basically everything. Still waiting on my mother, I’ve been trying to call but cellphone service isn’t very peachy at this moment. I’m actually quite worried now, wasn’t so before.”
Aleyna’s eyes darted to every direction, hoping to see her mother, but to no avail.
She sighed theavily, “Your leg still in pain?
So young, so pure… And now, so tainted. This girl had been through so much at such a young age that it hurt Anette’s heart. Despite that sounding cheesy, it was horribly unfortunate that such a thing happened, and, to such a sweet girl at that…
“My Mother… She… She passed, unfortunately… I hope yours is still alive, I really, really do…” Anette whispered, hesitantly resting her hand on top of one of Anette’s as if to provide a sort of comfort.
Her eyes flashed down to her leg and nodded in reply. “It does… I’d reckon it’ll be in pain for quite some time.”
(Source: cali-anette)
Aaron couldn’t help but let out a low chuckle at that.
“I’m sorry…” he apologized and almost choked on his tea. “It’s just…that’s what I needed right now.” he put down his cup and smiled at her. “Thanks.”
He wondered how he saw her, he did remember that they worked together although the riot separated a lot of people and he wondered how she escaped.
“After the riot, the protesters weren’t enough so they started attacking innocent people.” he paused. “Do you remember anything that happened to you?”
A small smile played on her lips, pleased with the fact that he found some humor in that. “It was intended.” A playful comment, as if to say that it’ll be okay was something that was well needed in this situation.
It’s funny how, a few days ago, Anette would have never imagined that she’d speak to him. She’d just keep to herself, like always, and simply work with him as she had to. Funny… Funny how things worked out.
Anette paused, a haunted look in her eyes as she took another sip of the tea. His question echoed in her ears, making Anette take some time before she thought she could answer it.
“I… ran away from the town square, off to a this little spot on the edge of this town. It’s my little place I’d go to… for sanity, for peace, inspiration… I guess somebody saw me, though… A few people, struggling to walk a few more steps came - not to mention that they were on fire. Their whole bodies… just… fire. One collapsed near me, a tall man, which resulted into my burn on my face. The rest fell into the ocean, in the path, and on my little place.”
“A man was yelling after them, quite angrily, from what I can recall. He saw me - alive, and clutching my face, then shot at me. I tried to run, and, when he shot, he was hit with an arrow… Goodness, I don’t even know where a person would get such a thing - a bow and arrow at that… In this situation, too… A-Anyway…”
“Due to being shot while, well, shooting me, it only hit my calf. I limped into the forest and pulled out the bullet and then… That’s… really all I remember… I’d say I passed out then and made myself over to the town square to check the damage.”
(Source: cali-anette)
Anette! You’re—you’re alive…I’ll…text message them. I know, it’s terrible of me, but I…don’t think I’m able to talk to them. I’ve been downright terrible to them when it comes to keeping in touch, I don’t want to suddenly drop this onto them….
Are you all right?
M-Mm, I am… I’m refreshing to see you are, too…
Please just remember that they care for you, and… And it’ll just make them so happy to hear from you. You can say not to come, but… I don’t want them to go through any pain or worry.
Alright? I guess as alright as a person could be right now, honestly… Got quite a lovely burn on my face and a bullet hole in my leg… Plus, I found my mother’s corpse, but… I… I think I’ll make it through it… I hope…
A-And you, Asa?
“Anette.” Luke watched her and felt a sting in his chest. He shouldn’t have said anything. He never knew and he couldn’t possibly understand how she felt. He rubbed her back and gently, trying his best to comfort her. “It’s okay Anette, it’s okay…you can cry…” he said and tried his best. He knew it wasn’t okay, it was far from that but he didn’t want her to feel all alone.
She continued to twist the fabric around her fingers until the point of numbness, resulting into her switching fingers and repeat the action. She bit harshly on her lower lip as the tears, once again, trickled down her cheeks and curved around her chin. Small gasps came from her mouth as her eyes shut tighter, all feeling that was left in her disappearing.
“W-Why?” Anette whispered, the handkerchief tightly wrapped around the tips of her fingers. “W-Why did I-I live?” She questioned, her words muffled against her legs as her voice cracked.
It was that feeling as if someone had a hard girp on Aleyna’s heart, but it wasn’t knew to her. After being diagnosed with the heart defect that feeling always crept behind her everywhere she went.
Clenching her chest, Aleyna tried to regain her composed self, Anette asked if she was hurt but Aleyna only brushed it off with a wave of her hand. “Heart problems.” Was all Aleyna said, her worry still on Anette. “Seems the bleeding has lessened a bit.” Aleyna said, the grip on her heart softened. Anette still looked unconvinced, but Aleyna gave her a smile of reassurance. She needed to help others, and her problems weren’t getting in the way of that.
Her confusion passed off quickly upon seeing Aleyna clutch her test. Alarmed, Anette quickly offered up the water. She was familiar with many home remedies to cure things, but nothing this severe. What if something horrible happened here and nobody could help her?
Anette eyed the girl up and down, unsure if she was just saying that the bleeding began to stop for reassurance or if she was being serious. A small sigh came from her upon the smile the girl gave, leading Anette to taking another sip, but, regardless, offered the bottle to Aleyna after her sip.
“How… old are you?”
(Source: cali-anette)
“We’re not people to them.” he said honestly. “I don’t even know if this is business or some other tactic but all I know is that they’re not after people but after power.” he sighed and took another sip. “I’m Aaron by the way…” he said and offered a hand to her. “Your old workmate. Bad introductions, I know.”
How can a person be that way, though? Anette was normally one to understand both sides, yet… It wasn’t possible right now, perhaps never. They ruined her life and scarred her for as long as she were to live. How long have they had been planning this? Would there have been a way to stop it? So many questions, yet, so little answers.
Anette looked at his hand and nodded, hesitantly taking it in hers, shaking it for a few seconds before letting go. “Anette…” She looked into the tea, seeing an unclear reflection of her face. From what she saw, it was heavily dirtied and the burn popped out quite well against her pale skin. “Suppose neither of us need the monthly discount now, huh?”
(Source: cali-anette)
Luke nodded and sat down next to her. His eyes grazing over to the woman who was lying in bed. He looked just like her and he realized that this woman…could she be…
“She looks just like you.” he whispered and blinked quietly.
Anette took in her sharp, yet beautiful features. Even dead, she was still beautiful. Her hand rested upon the woman’s face, her fingers curving around the shape of her face. “I’d hope so… She is - No… Was… She was…”
Crap. She quickly stopped short of her sentence and squeezed her eyes closed, feeling the tears build up and her throat grow tight. Sniffling due to the previous moment of crying, Anette leaned forward to rest her forehead against her knees. How she didn’t want to cry, to try and be her happiest around her passed mother, yet… Yet it was so hard, close to impossible.
She quickly regretted even mentioning anything when she saw the hurt in Anette’s eyes. She couldn’t help but feel sorrow for her, not even knowing what had happened.
Noticing a toppled over vending machine, Aleyna quickly ran to it, hoping to any bottles of water there. Thankfully, one was found. She gave her the water, she refused at first but Aleyna pressed the topic. After crying that much, she surely had to be thirsty, Aleyna innocently thought. But surely enough, she finally took the water.
Anette followed Aleyna, entertained, even in this state, of her will to help others. There was also a small feeling of envy, if you’d put it, upon her healthy state. She didn’t seem to be in any condition like Anette was.
Upon returning with the water, the girl assumed that she had gotten it for herself. However, seeing it held out to her, she finally wrapped her fingers delicately around the water, thankful to have such a thing she always took for granted. Weakly, Anette removed the cap and raised the bottle to her lips. The liquid fell into her mouth and down her throat.
Removing it, she ran her tongue against her chapped lips and looked at her feet, careful not to spill any water. “Are you… hurt? Anywhere?”
(Source: cali-anette)
Aaron looked around first and nodded. “Just please…stay here first…while I tell you.” he said and assisted her back inside. He hadn’t slept, for fear of knowing another sneak attack could happen but he was calm once more when he realized they were left alone. He allowed her to sat on a mattress they somehow brought in from one of the houses.
He poured some tea for her and sighed. “Well…” he started. “I don’t know much but I heard that they wanted to close West Coven down.” he said and added milk and sugar to his own cup. “I didn’t live here long but I remembered that the men who wanted to take this town wanted to turn it into something like the next Las Vegas or a huge corporation which means that schools, buildings, shops and other places of the like were going to be shut down. I joined the protest but then we realized that peace was the last thing on their minds.” he stopped stirring and looked up at her.
“They took the place by force…no warning or anything.” he said finally and took a sip. “They wanted everyone gone, they didn’t care…I don’t think they’re regular businessmen miss but they’re less than human if they could easily kill and not feel a damn thing.”
Anette followed him to the mattress and simply fall upon it. A groan of pain rumbled in her throat as her leg felt absolutely useless at the moment. She lifted it up with much difficulty to rest on the mattress before taking a cup for tea, thanking him softly upon him pour ing it.
And like that, story time seemed to begin. Her hands curled around the cup as she raised it to her lips, taking small sips at a time. Absentmindedly, she looked at the mattress, his words supplying the scene to form in her head. Gradually, it all began to make sense, her eyes clouding in disrespect for those men.
“But… why? If only… If only they could see, if they could feel…” She whispered, tightening her grip on the cup. “Why us?”
(Source: cali-anette)
Luke nodded in acknowledgement the moment he realized it was Anette within the room. He wasn’t sure what to say, provided he never met her mother and he never had parents himself but something within him told him that he shouldn’t interfere until she was done.
He allowed himself to walk towards her and handed her a handkerchief.
“Hi…” he said, mentally kicking himself for not saying anything else.
She gratefully took the handkerchief, nodding in thanks as she rested it against her eyes. It was embarrassing enough that he had seen her crying for who knows how long, so was sure to end her tears.
A hiccup came from her lips as she wiped the tears dry from her face. Beginning to twist the handkerchief around her fingers, she looked down at the face of the lady - her mother. “Hello…”
