Four

She gave herself a moment to shed the sleep from her brain, to allow the visions of the night to give way to the day, to move from that which she created on a whim to things more fixed and real. In a few minutes she'd flutter open her eyes and be able to greet the sunlight, to see the colours as bright as the backlit images of holographic screens.

Now lazily awake, she tried her best to adjust to the light and the foreign arms tightly encased around her. In his arms she was held closely by the bizarre green eyed boy who had previously taken her as a slave. Silla thought him to be asleep but when she inclined her head back to look at him her eyes widened realizing that he too was awake. He hadn't slept.

In his arms Silla did her best to stay still but for a split second she swore he had taken a deep inhale into her side. The poor girl didn't think anything further of his strange tendencys and ignored it, playing it off as her imagination. He had been socially isolated for so long so he was deprived of any affection. The closeness was a bit unnecessary but by now, she had become accustomed to his mannerisms and they didn't make her as uncomfortable as they used to. In a twisted sense of pity, she just figured he was touch starved. Deep down she knew this pity mentality could end in her downfall.

Meanwhile behind her Phanes stared down at the girl with sleepy emerald eyes looking into her own, he didn't sleep a wink last night as was per usual for him. He had this constant innate desire to see her beautiful face, her marvelous and soothing existence, even to the point he refused to sleep. What if something happened to her? What if he missed something important? He'd never felt these emotions in his life. The only similar feeling was when his mom was still alive. This girl had awoken something he thought he would never feel again. Every second he could he had to reassure himself that she was still there.

Slowly in a strangely affectionate way, he leaned into her, brushing his fingertips against her wet rosy cheeks as his shaggy blonde hair slightly fell over his eyes. Finally touching her, he lightly smiled. "Hmm... V'hat should I do v'ith you?" Phanes softly murmured while snuggling into her shoulder, his nose tickling her neck. Previously he didn't believe in reincarnation but now he was starting to think such things were plausible. She was so much like his mother. Her voice, her actions, her appearance. The only difference between them was that she was completely free of the darkness that had shrouded his mother and everyone else.

He didn't want to be separated from her. She was too much like him. He couldn't bare to loose her just like he did his mother.

The large metal door slammed open, startling them and loud clattering followed a clanged rush of footfalls. From the door came two burley frightening men. They both had greasy hair and rotted out teeth. Along with sprinkled blood stains on their clothes like they were meat butchers of some sort. One of them went up to a woman situated on the floor and roughly grabbed her arm. "They've sold this one," he said grinning with yellow teeth.

Phanes knew these men all too well. They ate like kings from their profit and he had survived off their scraps for years now. They knew naught of his existence, despite the fact that he had been watching them all along. The boy lived beside them through the walls of the warehouse and it was because he did, that he knew that they liked to sell already purchased slaves. Silla was not safe here. He could hide himself but not another person. The scraps weren't going to be enough for the both of them. He could no longer stay here.

A woman shrieked and thrashed around as they dragged her out the door. The small girl immediately stiffened as she watched, her body wanted to run fast but her mind made her stay. Phanes subconsciously sensed this and let his hands slide up to her shoulders, giving the girl a reassuring squeeze. Thankfully she remained where she was, not drawing any unwanted attention to herself. Once the man and woman left the boy behind her sat up and looked over at Silla with sharp eyes scanning the area. "V'e need to leave. Now," he spoke demandingly as if he knew things she didn't.

"What?" She questioned confused and shocked. He stood up and took her with him and when she realized he was heading for a cracked window on the other side of the warehouse, she completely panicked. What if they saw them? What would they do? What if they got in trouble? "Nes? What are you doing? What if they see us?" She asked him panicking. Phanes ignored her pleas and held onto her hand tightly as he led them to an exit. He knew the warehouse in and out so finding an exit was no problem. The only thing they had to worry about was how fast they could get there. Slowly they snuck over to one of the high windows that had no jagged glass in it. It was high so only one of them could get through at a time. They had to be fast.

Gently the boy lifted her, ushering Silla out to freedom. She had to use all the muscles left in her body, and she struggled to get her grip as the boy could only reach so far to help her. At first pulling herself up to the edge was painful but just as she was through the exit a loud gravely voice resonated throughout the warehouse. It was loud and it shocked them both into a fleury of panic at getting caught so early on.

They must have mistaken them for escaping slaves.

Silla knew that they could try to explain themselves, but these men were the violent type and likely wouldn't listen to reason. Shuffling their limbs as fast as they could, the gruff man yelled at them practically zooming through the door, "HEY! THEY'RE ESCAPIN'! Panicking Phanes hurried her through the window but before he could follow, the same vicious man grabbed onto his leg, pulling him back through the window. His green eyes bulging in shock, the cold air leaving his lungs as he fell backwards. In a split second he was pulled back into the darkness where Silla couldn't see. She gazed into the pitch black endless hole as she thought of what to do. She could go back in to look for him or end up captured again.

Damn...

The silence was eerie as lightning came, a brilliant shock of white in the graphite sky, forking silently to the unsuspecting ground- the thunderous boom always following. She became even more panicked by the coming storm. As the clouds gathered, the air electrified as it anticipated the storm. Each small raindrop that slowly started to drop from the sky in a mist burned everything it touched. A soft sizzling on the ground with each drop as what was left of the drop evaporated into the air.

The acid slowly eroded the pavement in front of her. The only thing protecting her now was Phanes jacket over her head.

She headed to the broken window stealing her nerves as she got ready to go back in after him. She prayed to the Gods that the burley man wouldn't suddenly pop out at her as she slowly approached the window. It seemed that the closer she got the more intense the storm became. In mere seconds it was pouring and acid mixed with water washed over her so strongly that it felt as if she was in the flow of a river rather than a rain shower. She's careful to cover her skin and hair as to not get burnt. Part of her just wanted to leave him behind and take off but her morality knew better.

He had selflessly pushed her through the window and led her to safety before even himself. As much as she hated it, she was now indebted to him not only once but now twice. He had fed her, bought her, and pushed her out the window. In her entire lifetime Silla never felt the warmth of having a family that genuinely cared for her and thus far the only person who showed her even just an ounce of sincerity was Phanes; even if it was just a little.

No one had ever done so much for her. She now wondered what he would want in return for such acts.

Close to the edge Silla jumped in surprise from a spontaneous movement from the window. A fairly calloused hand slowly reached out and latched itself onto the edge of the window sill. The glass cutting into their skin. Realizing who it was she ran over to the edge looking down seeing a slightly battered boy. Relief streamed through her body as she helped lift her new companion through the window. The blood trail from the boys escape let directly outside and most of it was not his. Inside the girl was unaware of the bloody beaten mass back inside where an obvious struggle had taken place.

The second he was standing in front of her Phanes swiftly latched his long arms around her not letting go the moment he was out of the crevice. The sudden warmth shocked her. It had been so long since she had received any kindness at all yet reluctantly she too returned the gesture, slowly putting her thin arms around him. The oncoming storm didn't cause the two to move apart. Even when the rain and lightning came like a rip in the inky sky, behind a dark canvass that was the night a brilliant light flooded through the cracks. They still held onto each other tightly. After meeting each other neither thought they would be able to tolerate the unbearable loneliness and solitude that came with being separated. Even after a few weeks, they had started to rely on each other physically and emotionally.

It was a known fact that human beings were social creatures and without human interaction they wouldn't last long. For Silla this was an innocent reaction any normal being would have, however, for Phanes his response was a bit darker. His emotions were amplified beyond that of what would be considered normal and it made perfect sense as he had never had any sort of love or attention in his life. As a trans-human he was different, even though they were similar he would always be the outlier between them.

It was loud.

The screams.

They were almost completely drowned out by the rain but not quite.

Next to them high pitched shrieks reverberated from the darkness of the window. It sounded more like the wind howling rather than actually humans. It was chaos inside the warehouse because of the immense disturbance that they caused among the workers. Hearing them Silla winced only her imagination could keep up with what was probably happening back inside.

Phanes had them leave the area as soon as possible. By now it was likely around midnight, when they finally stopped for a break. For hours she followed behind him like a lost puppy not quite sure what else to do. The strange orange lights of the lamp posts reflected off their skin, as the wind blew through her black locks. Their clothes were both soaked, and they were cold from the rain. After a few hours of relentless running Phanes finally decided to slow their pace as they were almost at the location he was leading them to.

He knew Silla needed a break, or she would completely deplete her energy. While it was dangerous to be out in the open the way they were, they didn't have anywhere else to go...

And much to his anticipation it wasn't long until they heard the quiet footsteps of someone behind them, probably looking to rob them or worse. It was better to outrun them than to confront them, so they did just that. Phanes picked up their pace again until it turned into a full on sprint. His profane exhaustion didn't let him think clearly and this was what probably led him to forget that his physical body was much different than others.

He ran and ran as Silla tried her best to keep up. At this point she was partially left behind, her small form eventually only dragged on by their entertained limbs. But even then her soft hand slowly slipped out of his own without his notice; her thin fingers eventually slipping through his completely. "N-Nes! W-Wait," she softly cried out after him not wanting to get separated, panting with each breath that left her soft lips. But it was too late, he didn't seem to hear or notice that she wasn't behind him. She tried once more to call out for him though before she knew it her arm was suddenly yanked back.

When she turned, Silla came face to face with a scruffy drunk old man. "Let me-go!" Silla yelled weakly trying to yank her arm out of his grip, clenching her teeth til her gums bled. Her arm felt like it was going to be pulled out of its socket as she violently pulled. Yet he held stead fast- his nails digging into her skin. She screamed but the man only chuckled, his breath reeked of liquor and cigarettes, his teeth were stained yellow and his eyes were red as if he hadn't slept for days. Pushing her forward the man was able to back her into a corner, the girls small figure shrinking in inescapable fear.

"You look delicious~" He spoke licking his thin crusty lips. All she could do was cry for Phanes hoping he would hear her this time; though he seemed nowhere in sight. She closed her eyes blocking out what was happening but before he could get any closer bright green eyes suddenly came out of no where. Glowing an eerie green in the dark, pupils thin and slitted like a beast.

When he had turned and realized that she was no longer behind him his heart dropped and an unbearable pit formed in his stomach. He ran back miles trying to find her and when he did, he was horrified to see the result of his thoughtless actions. He pushed her behind himself causing her to collide with the pavement and punched the dirty man straight in his face out of pure rage. His eyes turned a darker shade of green and his knuckles bloodied. The man shouted out in pain as he fell to the ground and at a speed unseen to the human eye Phanes crawled on top of him and repeatedly punched him in the face as if he was in some sort of animalistic frenzy. The mans blood splattering onto his face and the concrete making her stomach drop.

By the time he was done only bones and flesh were visible. The body no longer looking like that of a human. "N-Nes," she called out his name meekly. Hoping that he would stop before he killed the guy. His green eyes were glazed over with crazed blood lust. The look on his face making a cold shiver go down her spin. Slightly afraid, she slowly approached him putting a small hand on his shoulder. At the slightest of touches, he whipped around so quickly she retracted her hand. When he finally stood up from the ground his eyes were wild. Yet after seeing her shocked and afraid face he seemingly snapped out of whatever daze he was in as he shook his head back and forth wildly trying to fight whatever instinctual urge he had.

Without thinking her body moved of its own accord; self-preservation if you will. She wrapped her arms around him while she burrowed her head into his chest ignoring the flesh and blood attached to him. Silla tried her best to sooth him by rubbing circles on his back. She didn't want to be next...

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Leaving the bloody unmoving mass of pulpy flesh behind they continued scurrying along the deserted alleys until Phanes found the place he was looking for. He led them behind a garbage bin and lifted up a piece of tarp to reveal a secret entry way. As they traveled down the dark hallway loud voices could be heard. Like a crowd of people chanting something. At the end of the dark tunnel, they came upon a ring filled with two buff men beating the ever living daylights out of each other. All the while a crowd of people surrounded them cheering to the point she felt deaf and betting ridiculous amounts of money.

The men in the ring seemed to be severely scared and had missing limbs that looked to have been purposely amputated. They were like vicious gladiators out for each other's blood. In place of the flesh was pure metal. One of them sported a high-tech metal arm that could move around the same way an actual arm would; except for the fact it was much stronger than flesh and bone. "You stay v'ith me tonight. Especially in the crowds. Okay?" He told her seriously and she nodded understandingly.

"I have some quick business to do here. Z'en v'e'll leave," Phanes tells her whispering in her ear. But before she can decide anything he grabs her hand and leads her towards a room in the back.

Inside a dimly lit room was a simple desk, a few maroon couches, a love seat, and a fancily embroidered fur carpet adorning the floor. The large room didn't have any windows but was lavishly decorated. Even with a simple concrete floor, they'd made it look five star. Though, she couldn't enjoy it for long because of the loudly blaring music and thick fog that caked the room as an old man puffed smoke from his metallic glowing pipe. The scruffy looking person blew rings of smoke, some in odd shapes dissipating in the air around them.

"Knock next time." The man who sat in front of them was a short, bulky, pale guy with tattoos and short brown hair. He must've been at least 5'1, a bit taller than her but he looks to be in his mid to late twenties. Yet what caught her eye the most was the large tattoos visible on his skin; she had never seen so many on one person before. In the past tattoos were just a form of body modification where a design is either purely decorative, symbolic, or pictorial. But nowadays tattoos had much more meaning than simple art. Sometimes they glowed or moved across the skin on their own as if magic. The amount of ink you had showed people where you ranked in the City Of Bones social hierarchy. Which went to show neither Phanes or her had any tattoos; telling everyone that they were barely bottom feeders.

"I noticed our last shipment at the slave market was missing a rather valuable specimen. It was to be sold in the upper ring... Where you're from, yeah? Quite a ruckus was caused tonight." The man spoke handing the boy some currency continuing to blow smoke in their faces. Phanes was from the upper ring? This was quite a shock to the young girl. If he lived there why was he down here in this junk yard? He could've done anything he wanted, but he stayed in the lower ring, there wasn't anything special about this place. The lower ring was basically a giant slum. Most streets were covered in trash and graffiti and housing was practically stacked on top of each other.

Silla tugged on his shirt with the hand that's resting on his back beneath his jacket, trying to signal him to explain. Though he continued to ignore her. "So... Who's that with you," The man suddenly questioned making the young kids freeze in their tracks. Phanes suddenly looked over at her silently telling her with his eyes not to speak. A worried look starting to form on his face.

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To be continued...