The Six

Aw nevermind. Scarlett can have the spot.

-Moo

:O

Does that mean we can start now?

*crosses fingers*

Why yes...yes it does!

Zabriel

Zabriel stood on the top of the hill, arms crossed over his chest as he gazed at the sleeping city. The City of the Walkers was nothing like this one. Zabe's city was carved into the hollow mountain in the center of the Togiels, the largest mountain which was assumed by all others to be a volcano. It was lit by light-walkers, such as Zabe, and the light was enough to provide warmth and a false sun. But this city was so open, so...vulnerable.

Zabriel sighed and turned his head slightly to face Lulu. "So my friend, I do believe it's time to lure six Walker descendants tino the forest." He grinned, eyes flashing mischteviously.

"This should be a fun trip," Lulu whispered, hardly audible above the slight breeze.

Zabe's smile softened and he turned quickly away, gliding down the hill and into the forest that stood 100 yards, give or take a little, away from the city. He heard Lulu following not too far behind and he spoke without turning. "Strange city. So much different than our own."

"Very different," Lulu answered, sighing.

They went on in silence, slipping into the forest. Zabe was already creating the nightmares that he would use to rouse the possibly-sleeping-six. He hated to do this to them, but it was the easiest way to wake them. Once awake, he would use his telepathy to guide and lure them into the forest. Fun night this was going to be.

Lulu

"Have your fun out here. I'm going in." I ran up into the village, watching as the heat patterns changed around me. I really wished to really see. I shook the thought out of my head and searched for the six. Their heat patterns are slightly different. It took a trained eye to see it though, my trained eye. I found the first one, and ran in, poking her and running out. Increasing her curiosity, so she would follow the mysterious blur, a.k.a. me, into the woods. Then I ran to the next house, none of them in here. I ran off to the next one. There was one in here. I poked him, but didn't run out. Why wasn't I running?! OK, how do i get out of here. Zab needed to have one of those moments where he came and saved my butt.
"Um, hi?" So what now, just be all like, you special and need to come with me right now? Ya, I don't think he'd believe that after I broke into his house.

Cypress

I twitched in my sleep. Images flew across my mind, images that I shouldn't be able to remember. A young man, looking fearful, holding me to his chest and running through the streets at night. My mother, screaming as I was shoved into the young man's arms. My first memories- running from a man with a bloodstained knife, holding a loaf of bread. I was six.

A group of boys pushing me around, jeering and laughing as I fell and ripped my shirt, scraping my knee badly. Someone jabbing the base of my neck. Immeasurable pain, and then black. The scenes got choppier- a thick striped snake. Black. Pure black, in the middle of a tight grouping of trees. Black. A snake like creature, sloping through the water. A cloaked figure, swooping towards me, mouth gaping.

I shot up, eyes wide and breathing heavily. I stared at the bricks in front of me and realized I must've fallen asleep in the alley. Fear still gripped my heart, smothered me.

I had to go to the forest.

So I ran for the forest.

Barke

"Um, hi?" squeaks the mysterious blur that appears to be a girl.

"Hey," I mutter groggily. "Why the hell did you disturb my sleep?" The girl looks at me with a quizzical expression.

I have got to get out of this. Why can't I run? She thinks in a panic.

"Relax, I'll let you go in a sec, but who are you, why did you run in here and poke me and try to run out? There has to be a reason." I narrow my eyes at her. Honestly, I'm just trying to get her to think the answers. I pick up "Lulu", "Walker" and "Zabe come, please help".

Zabe, Zabe...I probe the minds around the area, looking for the one thinking similar thoughts. Many minds fly through my own; ...I miss him when he isn't home... ...The cat needs water... ...Why can't I have a turn with the toy... (One a little too inappropriate, but I admit my mind lingered there a bit long) ...The old man doesn't know what he's in for... ...she's taking longer in that house than she should be. The walker descendants... That's the one.

"So, tell me Lulu, why are you and Zabe looking for me?" I ask her. A shocked expression crosses her face.

"Just...come to the forest okay?" she manages. I feel the urgency in her voice, so I nod.

"Okay," I mutter, releasing her. Relieved, she darts out. Her retreating silhouette is beautiful.

ZABRIEL

Zabe frowned. Had Lulu gotten herself caught already? They were supposed to remain unseen, unknown of. I'll make them believe it's a dream. Just get them to the forest.

A twig snapped and Zabe spun around quickly, pulling up his hood and slinking behind the trees. It was one of the girls, Cypress. She looked afraid, and Zabe was guessing that had something to do with his nightmare... he felt guilty, but it was unavoidable. Be still, you're safe for now.

Zabe blew a slow, warm breeze around the girl, and it seemed to soothe her slightly. He scaled a tree quickly, being sure not to make a sound. Lulu had already gotten herself caught, and Zabriel wasn't willing to make the same mistake. Thinking of Lulu... Are you doing alright?

I-I think so... he's coming with me anyways. Lulu's voice filled his mind, and he let out a silent breath of relief.

Good. Keep coming and we'll think of something. Zabriel cut her line of thought off and turned his attention back towards Cypress, creating a small ring of light on the ground, just to see how she would react.

Audrey~

"And they all lived happily ever after," Audrey smiled and stood up, kissing the two twin girls on the cheek. They looked up at her, yawned, and settled into a blissful sleep. She laughed softly and walked down the hall, to her own room. As the older, and longest residence of the orphanage, Audrey was given that present from the nuns on her sixteenth birthday. Audrey sighed, slipping under the covers, and closed her eyes, ready for the sleep to overcome her.

"One, two, they're coming for you," the singing voices spun around Audrey's head as she slept, evading her head. A hand shoved her into a coffin, shutting the lid.

"Three, four, they're not just lore." The singing continued, drowning out Audrey's hopeless screams as she pounded on the door of the coffin. Dirt began to pile atop the coffin, Audrey screaming louder. A woman stood beside her grave, laughing loudly, insanely. Her brown hair and eyes that seemed to match Audrey's own wild and full of insanity.

"Five, six, they'll pile the bricks." Bricks laid themselves over the grave, and Audrey's screaming could be heard no longer, rather, she was running out of oxygen.

"Seven, eight, they'll decide your fate." Audrey choked, her breathing stressed, raggen, and simply not there. She couldn't breath.

"Nine, ten, you'll never wake again."

Audrey screamed, falling out of her bed. She was closed in! The walls were closing in! Audrey screamed again, and burst out her window, running for the forest. Her breathing was ragged, and struggled. She couldn't get a breath. She ran for the forest, blindly flailing her arms as she ran, scared out of her wits.

She collapsed, in the middle of the clearing. She, once again, couldn't get a breath. She was choking. She was dieing. Audrey sucked in a breath of air, but it left her just as quickly. She writhed in pain, gripping her throught as she tried to breathe.

Cypress

I saw a ring of light start to shine on the ground. I narrowed my eyes. I held my hand up over it- no shadow. I jumped back, making the air slow my fall. I didn't like things like this, unexplainable. I swept my hand forward, and the ground the light was on lurched up- and took a nearby tree with it. I groaned. I really had to get that down.

I swiped at the podium I had made with lashes of air, using them like whips. Finally, I had cut straight through, I checked inside- no glowworms. No tainted soil. I sighed. I didn't like this. I felt like I was being set up... watched...

I whipped my head up to see a foot escaping my vision. I snapped my arm up, pulling the invader down. That was what was supposed to happen- I ended up pulling down a cluster of branches. Growling, I ran down the aisle, ripping apart the canopy of leaves.

"Show yourself!" I finally shouted. My voice echoed.

There was no one here.

I shivered and curled up at the trunk of a tree, trying not to whimper.

ZABRIEL

Another of the six was in the forest, choking and the other was whimpering. Zabriel panicked, knowing full-well that he must have over-done Audrey's nightmare. He surrounded her in warm wind and soft light, trying desperately to comfort her. Hush now. There's nothing to harm you here, you're safe.

Not waiting to see if Audrey had calmed down or not, he turned his attention back to the younger Cypress, who was still whimpering to herself. They weren't that far apart, but the forest was thick and they couldn't see eachother. Cypress hadn't appeared to have heard the gasping, which didn't surprise Zabe.

He created an arrow of light next to Cypress, leading her to Audrey. For a moment she just stared blankly at it, obviously needing some encouragement. Go, follow it. No harm will come to you.

Cypress blinked, taking a few hesitant steps forward and Zabriel returned to comforting Audrey, who was at least breathing, however raspy, at this point. What had he done? And he couldn't even help her, it would be up to Cypress... You can trust this girl Audrey, it will be okay.

And then back to Lulu. This was maddening, so much to do.... How close are you?

Close enough I suppose. Lulu didn't sound happy, and Zabe hardly blamed her. This was absolutely maddening.

Does anyone mind bringing Kassie in...unless they have and I haven't read it...if so, let me know! I might have missed something..

LULU

I ran around, poking the others and increasing their curiosity, so they would follow as well. Every Time I stopped at a house, I saw that boys heat pattern, following me. I groaned and kept running. I thought I had told him I needed him in the woods. I finished up, I hoped the villagers wouldn't mind waking up to discover all their houses had been broken into and six teens disappeared. It was starting to rain. I smirked, not on my watch. I stopped right where I was, holding my hand up to the sky. The clouds deteriorated and disappeared. I felt a slight breeze. Zabe... I suddenly heard his voice.
Yes? Nothing, I'm almost done, on my way. The six should be together soon. Just got to shake one boy off my tail, and get him into the forest. Since when do you have a tail? I don't, dont be an idiot! I thought at him. I looked back, I could see the patterns of heat in people sleeping, and the 'special' patterns of the six, following me. I turned and ran up into the woods, right by the two. They turned, looking for whatever ran by them. As soon as the others came, I would drop their curiousity. I ran up beside Zabe.
"Back." I whispered.
"For someone with super speed, it took you long enough." He joked.
"Don't push it." I warned.

Cypress

I looked at the girl, miffed. What in good god's name was going on? First the nightmare, then the light, then the girl? Too weird. I started braiding my hair, which had come loose in the run. I slapped myself for thinking the forest was a good place; I hated the woods. The city was my home. But I was very drained, and it would take me an hour to get back to the city at my energy level.

I tilted my head up. "I'm Cypress."

"Cypress who?"

"I don't have a last name." I said flatly. "You are?"

"Audrey Wilson."

"Nice to meet you," I replied. Honestly, it wasn't, but manners got you everywhere, right? Well, everywhere legal. And not all I did was legal, per se. Just bending the law a little.

And I was extremely flexible.

Audrey~

Audrey soon caught her breath, her voice still a little croaky from the recent accident. What had happened? Usually, someone had to forcefully stop the asthma attacks, but Audrey had seen nobody come to her rescue. Though... when that masculine voice sounded in her head... it was as if everything stopped. Hush now. There's nothing to harm you here, you're safe.

The voice replayed in her head the more Audrey thought about it. She took a deep breath and stood up, her eyes closed. She could hear Cypress's eyes boiling into her skin as she took deep breaths. Finally, Audrey opened her eyes, letting out a deep breath. She had to find the owner of that voice. Maybe that would explain the dream, and the whole saving of Audrey's life.

A squirrel ran down the tree to Audrey's left, running up her leg, and sitting up on her shoulder. Cypress was still staring. "Hello little one." Audrey smiled, the squirrel jumping to her open palms.

'Hello.' The squirrel squeaked, gazing at Audrey with wide brown eyes.

"How are you fairing this fall?" Audrey smiled, starting up a trust and friendship.

'My family and I are doing great actually! Many, many nuts to feed each of us. We will all make it this winter!' The squirrel chattered on.

"Well that's great! Can you do me a favor? There are sunflower seeds in it for you." The squirrel's ears pricked.

'Sunflower seeds! Of course! What is the favor?' His tail twitched and Audrey smiled, pressing her finger to the squirrel's small head. 'You want me to find the owner of the voice?' Audrey nodded and handed the squirrel a couple of seeds, which were hurridly packed into his cheeks before he shot off.

"It's nice to meet you as well, Cypress. Where in the city are you from?" Audrey grinned sweetly, attempting a conversation.

Cypress

I raised an eyebrow. Hippie.

"Depends on what I need."

"Pardon?"

"If I need meat, I'll live in the meat district for a while. If I feel like living it up, the inner city. That's where I usually am." I thought I heard a voice chuckle in my head, but I swatted it away, along with a mosquito that I smothered with a rope of wind.

Did I mention that I hate the forest?

I do.

I sat back, making myself a little hammock of air. Air manipulation wasn't very energy consuming, you see. I put it on autopilot and started swinging on what appeared to be nothing. Maybe I could get some sleep now... mm...

DON'T YOU DARE GO TO SLEEP!

I shrieked, accidentally letting the hammock evaporate. "Good god!" I squeaked, glaring above me. "Get a grip, mystery voice!"

"So you hear it too!"

Great. Another psycho.

Like me.