Starfire Ascension

Chapter 3 - Showdown

Cyrus took the rifle from Holly after the contest was officially over. He congratulated her on her perfect performance. He saw dad walking up looking pleased. "How is my favorite daughter," he said. "Your only daughter," she teased poking him in the ribs. Cyrus laughed, along with the others. Then after the conversation wound down he let them know he would return the rifles and be back soon.

Cyrus made it to the booth to drop the rifles off. Just as he was returning the rifles Cyrus saw Kimberly walking away looking dejected. Part of him felt bad and wished he could help her. He just was not sure how anymore. They had been growing apart for so many years now. As Kimberley rounded the corner Cyrus heard someone call her name. Then as she turned Cyrus saw something he had never seen in her before. Fear. Fear and, terror gripped and contorted Kimberley's face. He saw her disappear behind the lean-to building. He could not see who she was talking to. He heard some talking in muffled tones for a while, then a loud slap rang through the air. Cyrus then saw Kimberley's older brother Travis who was no small guy, just a little bigger than himself in terms of strength and height. He was walking away. Cyrus walked around the corner slowly. He turned to see Kimberly sitting. Her back was slumped against the wall of the temporary building with her right hand on her cheek and her knees were drawn in close to her chest. She was shaking and sobbing quietly, the tears rolling down her cheeks as she stared at the ground ahead with unseeing eyes. The sun was just slightly in front of her now, and it made her elongated shadow a silhouette, outlined against the brightness on the building wall. He could see her eyes for the first time this closely. At least this closely when he was paying attention. Both eyes had two colors; one color circumferencing the outside and the other occupying the inside. Cyrus believed it was a rare trait they call centralized heterochromia. He had remembered her eyes were uniquely pretty from when they were younger, but he had never observed them as he had now. They were blue-gray-like labradorite or sodalite on the outside. The inside just around the pupil was another color. A copper Starfire gold. Her eyes looked like an ocean with the sun first rising upon it.

"Kimberly", he said softly. She jumped like she had been hit by a live wire. She scrambled to her feet looking instantly angry. "What do you want!" she shouted acerbically her fists shaking and her lips quivering. Then she turned around to wipe the tears from her eyes. She turned back around her eyes puffy and still wet. "I'm sorry," Cyrus said looking at her with strength and sincerity he felt from deep within. He put his hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry." She broke down crying as she reached forward pulling herself into his chest quietly sobbing. Cyrus put one hand behind her head and the other behind her shoulders. "It's OK," he said softly. "It's going to be ok." Her hair smelled faintly of lilacs. She shook and trembled as she cried silently. After a minute she stepped back and looked at him with a look he had never seen before. She was observing him. It was like being x-rayed. Cyrus smiled at her. She observed him tentatively at first, then optimistically she smiled back at him. Then he heard a voice behind him.

"What the &#@% is he doing here." Kimberley's face became sorely afraid again. She began to stutter. "He-he-he was j-j-just talking to me Travis nothing happened." "Nothing happened," He said looking at Cyrus with a sneer taking a step closer to Kimberley menacingly. "You talk to this trash and tell me nothing happened." Kimberley's face waxed bolder now as she found a remnant of confidence. "So now I can't talk to people," she said with a modicum of fire holding her head high despite that Travis towered well over her. He raised his hand to hit her as she shrunk back in apprehension her hands covering her face defensively. Cyrus shouted aggressively, "Hey!" Travis turned to look at him menacingly. "Travis is a real big man," Cyrus said mockingly. "Oh yeah, he can beat up little kids, and his sister who's half his size." Cyrus stepped forward towards Travis clenching his teeth as he drew himself taller. "How about you pick on someone your own size," he said with more daring than he truly felt. The strength came from somewhere but he knew not where.