Souls of Bygone Scars

5. Warm Up

There are plenty of times in your life when you feel hopeless. Trapped. As if nothing in this world will be there to save you. Because, actually, you stuffed up. You lied about not eating the last gingerbread cookie. Or you slapped your brother and and there's still a bruise to prove it. 

This is almost one of those times.

Almost.

The thing is, this time, you did nothing wrong.

Yeah, maybe you could have brought a pen to the appointment. Or maybe you could have just told him your email and he himself could have written it down. But, no. You picked up the pen, and stabbed yourself in the heart.

You got yourself in this situation, doing anything any normal human would do. You were just in the wrong place, at the wrong time.

Gosh, it really does suck to be you.

"Tessa?" The woman questioned you after a long moment of silence. Of thought.

"Yes? Oh, sorry." You looked around nervously. You were afraid of saying the wrong thing and digging yourself into a bigger hole.

"Speak the truth, we'll believe you." Chad said kindly.

"Well, I had to write my email address down so that he could send me my Recipis results. I didn't have a pen so I asked if I could use his." You tried to sound innocent, but it only made you feel all the more guilty..

"Cool, that's all we needed to know." Angela spoke as soon as you were finished speaking. " Now, let's get to the juicy stuff." She started rubbing her palms together in excitement.

Her actions reminded you of the times when you'd join an elite athlete in training; you'd be totally out of breath and ready to call quits and they'd say "right! That was a good warmup!" Meaning there would be more to go, that this was the easy part. 

It meant that all this cautiousness and fear was only just the beginning of a long battle with your brain.

"Right. So, Tessa, do you know who we are?" Chad asked and rose an eyebrow.

"Ahh, police officers?" You swear you saw Angela role her eyes.

"Well obviously, duh!" She exclaimed, but it was almost in a friendly banter way. "No, but, seriously." She deadpanned.

You were confused. Had you met them before or something? "No, I don't know who you are."

"Good, that means no one else should." Chad spoke and Angela nodded her head in agreement. "As you know, the information you've been exposed to is not known to the public. Doctor Kim thought you deserved the right to know, and allowed you to have access to the report. Now, I want you to understand something. There are three people in this world: The oblivious ones," You nodded, understanding this must've been you, "the knowledgeable ones, and the people fighting the knowledgeable ones. This-"

"We're the knowledgeable ones." Angela interrupted, causing you to giggle.

"Thank you, for clarifying that, Angela." Officer Chad glared at her but continued. "This applies to everyone. Over the years, especially with the police department, there has been some corruption. People who mess with everyday life to create fake evidence leading away from what the knowledgeable people believe. What they don't understand is that we aren't people who try to force our beliefs on others. We just live by them. They just struggle to understand this concept. So they are pointlessly ruining and harming others' lives. So instead of minding our own business, we are obliged to protecting others so that they don't end up like Doctor Kim." You frown at this. This information means that they are trying to protect you. You never asked for their help. You just want to be normal.

"Has anyone ever actually wanted your help before?" You question as you are a person who likes their independence. You're sure there are others who haven't wanted random people to barge into their lives and tell them everything they've never known and that they need to be protected.

Angela nudges Chad with a knowing smile on her face. "This is what I first thought of the whole thing, too. But here I am, working along those who've allowed me to make it this far." She smiles up at Chad. A hint of affection can be seen in her eyes, as if her story holds a lot of meaning to the both of them. 

"Okay," you say as you begin to feel a little intrusive in their moment, "but what is this 'knowledge' that you guys know and others don't?"

"The answer to all reasons." Angela says in way that sort of freaks you out. "To all religions. To all illnesses. To all the happenings in this world -- including, the fire." Your eyes widen at that. Your burning desire to know more is eating away at you.

"What happened? What caused it? Where is the person who survived the fire?"

"Woah, hold up stalker." Angela flashes you a smile as she knows what you are trying to find out. 

Him.

"At least tell me his name." You pleaded, your desperateness was way too obvious, but you couldn't care less.

"Sorry, sweetie. We can't do that. But we can guarantee that you will meet him one day." 

The sweet, sympathetic voice of Angela is slowly starting to annoy you. The frustration of not knowing the answers, of not being able to find the answers, it is boiling up inside of you. You're afraid of the future, and you just want it to be here already so that you can get it over and done with. Your patience is running out, and sooner or later, you're going to need to let everything out. 

"Well, what's next?" You distract yourself by continuing the meeting.

"You need to move."

"Pardon?"

"We need you to move to another country, away from here. Take your family and your belongings. A house and jobs are guaranteed, all granted by us of course." Chad speaks calmly, but his eyes tell you that he knows how your going to react. He knows you'll argue. That you'll refuse and say you don't need them to prodect you. But you don't.

Out of pure stubbornness.

"Okay." You say through gritted teeth, trying to make it seem like it's no big deal. "When do we go?" 

"Tonight. You'll fly first class on Bangtan Airlines at 2 o'clock in the morning. The house you'll stay at should have all the necessary furniture and equipment that you need, if not more. All you need to bring are clothes and any home decor if need be. Your staying at a safe house. And don't worry, it is safe." Chad finished off as your jaw dropped open.

"We really appreciate your cooperation here. It will make it easier for everyone." Angela pleads and you give a curt nod.

"Okay, but you tell my mum. You'll be better at influencing her than me." You say and Chad seems to understand.

"What about your father?" 

You scoff at this. "What father?" You murmur quietly, but you're sure they heard. "He won't be coming." You speak up, confidently. You notice the two officers exchange glances. "Anyways, let me get this straight. There are corrupt police who are out to kill me?"

"Not quite. There are people to do with the fire out to kill you." Chad says, again, emotionlessly. "The police just create or hide evidence that leads away from them. Therefore we can't arrest them. Especially since the Chief is one of them."

"Well, shit." You say, realising the situation your city is in. "We're stuffed."

"Which is why we need you to move. It's for your safety, we hope you understand." 

"I do, but you need to talk to my mum."

"Okay then, let's go." Chad says as he gets up and heads back towards the vehicle.