Fallon

Chapter 14 part 1

This can only be a part one because it's so pathetically short. But there shall be more! I promise! If you read it that is...Fallon is Back!

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They were stupid. I wanted to go home. I wanted to be normal again. I wanted to be able to convince myself this is all a dream, but every time I pinched myself my eyes open to the same old scene.

On a positive note they hadn't caught me yet. A negative one is that they were probably looking for me and I had the lovely experience of being found ahead of me.

I crouched in the far corner of the living area, hidden by a low bookshelf and the arm of a cream leather sofa. I was proud of my own hiding place. They'd been in twice already and failed to spot me. Stupid Saul, stupid Diego, and stupid Rupert. I hoped they all went outside and froze in the December winds. Only it wasn't winter here. Stupid alternate reality.

Fallon plopped down onto the sofa I was hiding behind but didn't spare me a glance. “We all know you're hiding here by the way.” He murmured, reaching forward to pick up a magazine off the coffee table.

“Then you know i don't want to be found and that you should leave.”

“Doesn't mean i will though.”

“I'm not nuts.”

“I never said you were.”

“It was implied.”

He shrugged. “I'm your guardian, I'm here to keep you safe.”

That seemed to have no link to our prior conversation so I brushed over it. “What are you?”

“A mage. A guardian. A guy. A very bad chef. A brilliant chess player-”

“Yeah, okay I get the picture. What are you trying to keep us safe from?”

“Those who would try to hurt you.” he replied curtly and flicked the page of his magzine so overzealousy it ripped.

“Are there many?”

He nodded, finally sparing a glance my way. “A great many. You could say a majority.”

“Majority of what?”

“Classified information reserved for people more mature then yourself.”

“I'm mature!”

“Says the girl hiding behind the sofa.”

“You think I'm nuts.”

“I never said you were.”

“It was freaking implied!” I huffed. Any conversation with him seemed pointless, he just led me in circles. But i had to ask one more question, because quite frankly the skirting board was digging into my spine and i was in a very uncomfortable position, wedged in between walls and furniture. “If i come out are you going to get me?”

“I could get you know if i truly wanted.” He pointed out, shooting another look at me.

With a great deal of effort on my part and a hand up on his i was free again, sitting on the other end of the sofa to him. He flicked through his magazine restlessly, which he could not have found much interest in because it was mostly made up of knitting patterns, until i confiscated it. Forcing him to look at me.

“I am mature.” I repeated. “Now tell me some god damn answers.”

The black shapes swirled at the edge of my vision, just to the left of his ear. I refused to look at it. I was beginning to find it more comforting then scary anyway. Seeing it was there meant knowing that i was awake and or alive.

Fallon sighed deeply, swiveling to face me in one smooth motion. “The majority of people in this realm would wish to harm you.”

“Which realm?”

“This realm. It's called Albyn, if you really must know.” His eyes darted round the room as he spoke, as if he were wary of a second audience. “There are many who disagree with the very concept of changelings.”

“Kidnapping isn't too popular in my world either don't you know.” I said wryly.

“There not against the deed, their against humanity.” He said earnestly. “You must understand how atrocious your-” He stopped himself. “I mean, their race is. The things they have done, the crimes they have committed not just against others but against each other. The Holocaust, the slave trade, the oppression of women, world wars...they haven't exactly made a good case for themselves.”

I was perplexed, unable to see how that in anyway affected a parallel realm, but i let him press on. He was already rushing, as though he expected us to be disturbed at any moment. That again was confusing, surely this was all common knowledge here.

“There used to be a bridge between the two realms...well, there still is. But humans used to know about it and when they did they did terrible terrible things Evie. Crimes that should never be committed, or even spoken of again.” He exhaled deeply, shaking his head. I wondered if he knew about this on a first hand basis. If there was one thing I'd begun to realize about Fallon is that he acted far far older then he looked.

“Albyn is an old world, people are still healing from old wounds. If knowledge of the humans presence, of any of your presences spread, there would be uproar, anarchy, war and murder. Your murder.”

I swallowed. “Sounds like fun.”

He didn't smile. “Do you understand what I'm telling you? I'm trying to help you, we're all trying to help you here.”

“Perhaps you should never of taken us in the first place.”

My words hung in the air between us like a shroud.

The dark cloud that lurked at the edges of my vision crept closer. Feeling for the corners of my mind i tried to push outwards and deflect the tendrils that were clawing their way toward Fallons face. Whatever it was plunged backwards like an elastic band stretched to far and began seething in the far reaches of the ceiling corner.

Madness should not be tangible. Malleable. Manipulable.

I was not mad. I was plenty in control.

I shot Fallon a stern glance. “What am I then, what race am i. If you tell me I'm a troll I'll slap you.”

He smiled, stood and began to walk away. “You are far from a Troll Evie.” he called.

I rolled my eyes, for my own benefit as his back was turned. “Weren't you supposed to give me tour.”

“I did, you ran away.”

“Then it wasn't a complete tour then.”

“Better hurry up then.” He turned and beckoned. “I guess i have time to show you to your sleeping quarters before the wolves descend.”

I hurried over to him, frowning. “What the hell does that mean.”

But he never replied.