Young Writers Society

I opened the door of my pickup truck. I stepped outside into the frigid air. I adjusted my hood so that my face was hidden. I took several strides. It's still odd to me that when I walk or move I make no noise. Or at least no noticeable noise. I exhaled. A puff of steam revealed my breath. I looked around and saw no one suspicious. I suppose in this situation I'm the one who looks suspicious. I had parked a few blocks away so I had to find my way through the "haunted" back-alleys. The townies call them haunted because they know there are people living there, but because they are so silent and hidden, they are referred to as ghosts or phantoms. I was one of them, a phantom. I lived in the ghetto. Before I escaped I had to live as one of them. Almost like a prehistoric hunter-gatherer. Anyway...I wove my way through the alleys. I was soon confronted by a group of goons. They're the worst. They think they're so tough, but they aren't. So a couple of them came up to me, mocking me. They saw my mask. Soon they stopped laughing. They knew who I was...or rather, WHAT I was. One of them had the bright idea to launch himself forward, towards me.
"Bad idea, my good man." I said while simultaneously lunging towards him and cracking his skull with mine. Blood made its sweet way out from between his lips. I looked at the others. They all ran.
I finally made it to the bar. I opened the door. I didn't order a drink. I don't typically drink alcohol. I scanned the room for any signs of Rebel activity.
That's when I saw her. Her wavy hair, her white clothing, her dark eyes. It had to be her. Miranda. The one who I let slip through my fingers. I didn't know what to do. I was paralyzed. With fear. With love. I looked at her one more time, just for confirmation. It truly is her. I slowly walk over. I sit next to her and she turns. Her eyes meet mine...

The White Queen, Miranda

For a moment I just stared. I couldn't believe what I saw, who I saw. Next thing I knew I was holding my knife against his throat, forcing him to lean backwards, almost tipping his chair. He looked slightly startled, but oddly composed at the same time. He could have defended himself if he wanted to, but he didn't.

My whole body was shaking, it wanted nothing more than to kill him but I knew I couldn't. Not until he tells me the truth. I looked him in the eye and hoped that he would see the hatred that burned within me. Hell hath no fury, like a woman scorned. The old saying just popped into my head, and it made me smile viciously and press the knife a bit harder against the throat that was so delightfully exposed.

"Give me one good reason not to kill you," I hissed through my closed teeth.

In my rage I was completely oblivious to the fact that he could barely breath without the knife cutting through his skin and I didn't realize this until I saw a few drops of blood trickle down his throat. At the same time I realized that everyone in the bar had gone silent and was watching us, ready to defend me if I needed help.

I eased the pressure on his throat slightly, just enough to let him speak. The slightly lost look in his eyes annoyed me, and the fact that he hadn't tried to kill me immediately nor tried to defend himself made me even more so. My rage was settling down, and I didn't like it. If I wasn't angry then I felt something else, and that something made me weak, and if I was weak I would get hurt. Again.

"Talk, or you die." My voice had lost it's edge, and I could see in his eyes that he had noticed it.

I looked at her in dismay. I couldn't figure out what to say. What to do.
I slowly moved my hand to my mask. I pressed the release on it and removed it. I met her stony gaze once more.
"I'm sorry, Miranda." I whispered barely audibly. The look in her eyes seemed to soften.
"I should have fought for you. For us. I was wrong." I don't think she cared. She was just looking at me. Through me, almost. She glanced at the blade in her hand. She saw the blood on it. So dark that it was almost black. I reached for her hand. She recoiled a bit. I continued. I took hold of her hand, gently opening the vice of her fingers and took the knife. I saw someone's glass of clear, pungent, alcohol. I sniffed it. I took a sip. Then I dipped the blade into it and rinsed it off. I took the blade out, dried it on a napkin, and handed it back to her. She looked at me in horror, or awe. I couldn't tell. She was hard to read. As was I. But then she did something that amazes me. She leaned forwards her head coming directly to where her knife had caused blood to flow. Then she kissed the wound. A ripple went through my body as I went rigid. She was the one thing that scared me. And she knew it...

The White Queen, Miranda

"You betrayed me," I mumbled while looking up at him again. "You let my parents die and you would've let her kill me if I hadn't escaped, and now you expect me to just forgive you?" My voice sounded numb, just like I felt. The rage was long gone, leaving me empty.

I turned back to my drink and sheathed my knife while absentmindedly licking my lips. I had tasted his blood once before on a sudden whim, and it hadn't changed much. Not at all actually. I felt his eyes on me, but I refused to look up from my drink.

It was so odd. I had loved him once, enough to let him go, and then I had hated him for years. Until just a minute ago I had hated him, but now when he was here I found that I couldn't anymore. I couldn't hate him, I couldn't even fear him. If he wanted to kill me he would've done so by now. Maybe he wasn't here by he order of the queen. The other rebels were slowly going back to their conversations, while still keeping a watchful eye on us. They hadn't recognized James. If they had, they would've attacked at once.

He took hold of my hand, slowly, as if not to scare me. He gently held it, palm up and looked at the thin scar that ran across it, with its corresponding scar running across my fingers. I had grabbed hold of his blade when he was going to kill my parents. That time I had managed to stop him, unfortunately I had been stupid enough to believe that that was it, that no one would attempt to take their lives again. I had been such an idiot. And I was still an idiot, for I liked the way that his hands were so much bigger than mine.

I looked at her. In what way, I do not know. I wanted to shout. To yell. To break my composure. But against my will, I held it in.
"Mimi, I didn't want to kill your parents. I didn't want to marry Yamani. Your sister singlehandedly stole from me the one thing that I love. She knew that if I followed her rules to get to you, you would hate me, but if I willingly married her, your reaction would remain that of hatred." I sighed. "You have no idea what she is inside. She is black and red and sharp; like the blade that you had, not too long ago, had me facing. However, her cuts cannot be mended with just a kiss. Yes I fight for her. Yes she is the queen. But YOU, should be the queen. I have questioned my alliances for quite some time. If Yamani is overthrown, I might have a chance at turning this hell-hole around. But I would never have any of these thoughts, this mortal hope, if it weren't for you. I know my crimes against you are, simply put, unforgivable. I can't even forgive myself. I never will. I was taking a chance. My odds weren't favorable in the least. I guess the only ace I had in my hand was the ace of hearts, which now lays in pieces at my feet." I ordered my first drink in years. I looked at it. I sniffed it. The aroma enveloping my frost-licked cheeks. Then, I drank...

The White Queen, Miranda

Mimi. How long had it been since the last time someone called me by that nickname? I couldn't remember. James was one of the few who had ever used it.

"I don't hate you because you married her," I couldn't bring myself to actually use her name. "I hated you because you stood and did nothing, but that passed as soon as I was safe because I thought that you would leave her side and return to me, fight for me, but you never did so I started hating you again. If you want to prove that you are not as despicable as I think, then fight for the rebels, for me." I turned and looked him in the eye again, to show him that I really meant what I was going to say next. "I'll even forgive you if you do."

There, I said it. I got my hopes up just so that he could crush them and make me hate him all over again. But this would be the last time. It definitely would. I had been humiliated enough by this man.

Forgive me? How long has it been before that has happened? I wanted so desperately to say yes. To betray my wife.
"Yes. Mimi, yes. I will fight for your cause. I must however, make the sides even. In exchange for my service and participation, one must be traded WILLINGLY to the queen. I may hate her, but I wont let her fail without a chance. I was never given a chance and if I lower myself to that level...well let's just say I would rather die." I turned away from her to wipe away the almost inevitable tears. Tears that would feel like ash. Tears that would feel like liquid mercury. Tears that I haven't shed in years. When I turned to face her, she was crying. The dagger jammed into the weathered wood of the bar. I tilted her head up towards mine and looked into her eyes...

Luna

I looked down at Alex where he lay in bed. He looked so peaceful. So free of worry.

Stay with him, a voice whispered in my head. You know you want to.

I did. So much it hurt. I shook my head. What was I thinking? I should never've come here. I took a step back. How did he do it? I'd built up so many barriers I lost track of them, and he comes in and knocks them down like they're a castle made out of cards.
He was dangerous to be around. I should stay away from him. But just one more kiss.

"Luna," Alex said my name drowsily and turned toward me.

I held my breath. Had he woken up? Alex shuffled restlessly in bed before settling back down. I gave a silent sigh of relief. I need to leave now. In spite of every fiber of my being telling me to leave, I moved towards the bed and crawled closer to him. I laid a hand on his cheek and ran my thumb along his jaw. This low grumble of approval vibrated through his chest and he pushed his cheek further into my hand with a sigh, his lips gently brushing the pad of my thumb. Why did it hurt so much to look at him? I didn't know a damn thing about this man. But despite that fact, all I wanted to do was get back under the covers and fall asleep in his arms. I leaned down slowly and brushed a soft kiss against his lips before backing out of his room. As I closed the door softly behind me, I turned and ran into the solid mass of a chest. The action would've throw me back, but I was caught by the waist and steadied. I looked up at the man Alex had been with at the bar. Alec, I believe his name was. He was tall. At least 6'4. Black hair, tanned skin, broad shoulders and powerfully built. I put my hands on his chest to push away, but he tightened his hold on me. I looked up at him. He had a strong jaw with stubble on it and a scar that ran from his right cheek bone to the corner of his mouth, and these cold black eyes that would make any man wet his pants.

"Um," I looked down and then back up at him. "is there something you wanted?"

His silence was quite eerie. "Alex is a good guy."

Uh oh. I could see exactly where this was headed. "Look, this was just a one time thing-"

"Just don't hurt him," was all he said.

I looked away from him as the guilt began to really set in. "You don't have anything to worry about. It's not like we're an item. I'll probably never see him again."

For some reason the thought made my heart hurt. He looked at me again. "Who are you trying to convince? Me? Or yourself?"

I glared at him. His lip twitched as if he was fighting a smile. "I'll show you to the door."

The White Queen, Miranda

My heart jumped with joy. I had been so sure that he would say no, that he had only been teasing me before and would say something cruel, but he had actually said yes... He had said yes, but he had a condition. The sudden realization that even if he said that he hated her, he still held he in such high regard that he wanted our sides to be on equal terms, hit me. My rage flared up once more, just for a second, and I jammed my knife down into the counter, and then I cried. I couldn't help it. The whole situation made me so confused. I didn't know if I should be happy or angry or just sad.

He tilted my head up so that i had to look him in the eyes, and for a moment I lost myself in them. They looked happy and warm and all of those nice things that I remembered from the past. I closed my eyes and when he kissed me I didn't pull back, but I didn't respond either. Not even when he put his hand at the back of my head and his finger slipped through my hair. He knew I loved when people played with my hair, I had told him so before. But I didn't want to give him something that he hadn't earned, cause if I did I might stop caring about him switching sides.

He pulled back just enough to look me in the eyes again. "What's wrong?" He gently wiped the tears on my cheeks with his thumb.

"I don't know where to find someone who'd actually be willing to serve her." And I really didn't. Who'd be stupid enough to serve someone who'd stab you in the back just for the fun of it?

Jubiah

As soon as I cut one of the heart cards down, two others, Malichai and Victor, grip my arms, their hands like steel, cold nd painful and unrelenting. "You're going to pay for that Jubjub bird." another card says, standing before me. The other two force me to my knees, and I stare down at the stone floor.

The card in front of me, Derrick, crouches down, a viscious, bloodthirsy smile on his face. "You know," he says, gripping my chin, forcing me to look upward, to look him in the eye, "I've always wanted to kill you. Ever since we were boys. But, of course, I couldn't until now. The Queen would have my head. But now... Any last words?"

And with that, I spit in his face, square in the eye. When I know he can't concentrate, I start to struggle out of the cards' grasp with all my might. Finally, I break out of their grip, and stand up and turn around in one practiced, fluid movement. While I am turning, I whip out another two daggers, one in each hand.

Before Derrick knows it, he is o the ground, both of his hands impaled. To make it personal, I grab the gun that he was about to kill me with. It feels strange in my hand, heavy and cold. But it will get the job done. "Any last words?" I mimic, taunting him the way he taunted me.

He doen't believe I'll actually do it. "Like yu've got the guts, birdboy." I check the barrel of the gun, all five slots filled. I click off the safety. His eyes grow with with fear. "Please, please don't kill me. Please, Jubiah, don't kill me!"

"Who's the coward now?" I growl, and throw away the gun, disgusted.

As I walk away, Derrick calls out behind me, "I knew you didn't have the balls."

I walk back, pick up the gun, and unload all five bullets into his chest. I pocket the gun, my face blank. "Like hell I don't." I whisper.

I see the other two gaurds, standig still, too shocked to do anything else. Against my better judgement, I do nothing to them. I only say, my voice menacing, "Don't tell anyone. I will fid out if you do. And you will be sorry you did."

They nod, panicked. I calmly put on my flying appuratus. It is a simple, yet ingenious mechanism of my own invention. I could do without it, but itis much harder to fly that way. And I need tobe fast.

Without another word, I run up to the edge of the building and jump, my appurattus catching the wind as I fly off into the distance, toward the rebel camp. I want to help assassinate the Bloody Red Queen.

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

"Well I guess..." Alcander began.
"Alright then, let's be on our way." I said as I made my way out of the door.

I had to lose him. I made turned into every hallway I could find, hoping he wouldn't find me. After a making my way through a few corridors, I found myself staring into two large doors. I could only assume I'd found my way into the Queens throne room. I guess I'd give her an early visit.

I put my hands onto the door and pushed them open to see... nothing. The room was definitely the Queens throne room, I knew because I'd been here before, but there was no one inside. I stepped up to the throne and decided to do the most genius thing I could think of, sit in it.

I guess I'd give the Queen a surprise when she showed up. It'd be fun, after all.

Yamani (Queen of Hearts)

"I will not be one of your pets," Minerva snarled.

I laughed at her- the most scornful, mocking sound I could make. "You aren't worth the effort to keep...perhaps I should have made myself clearer. Your choices are death, right now, and don't think I can't do it- or you give me a little, teensy bit of information."

She rolled her shoulders and glanced to the side. I watched her coldly, carefully. She was thinking about running, and I wondered if I could keep up if she did. I'm not above sticking that knife in your back, cousin dear.

The moments stretched into minutes, as the silence went unbroken.

"I will only give you seconds more before I decide to do away with you," I stated sharply. I had places to go, and people to see myself. There was Lord Lordshire, and Alcander to deal with, maybe James, depending whether or not he was in the mood to pretend to be faithful tonight, and, of course, Barrett. I still wasn't sure what she had done, but she'd been acting guilty all afternoon.

Minerva sighed. "I don't have any girls in your castle." She raised a hand. Silencing me? "I do know... one... though who's liable to do some damage...Jubiah Roost."

I laughed at her. Jubiah Roost. It was ridiculous.

"Jubiah? No. You can try again." The kid was likable. He was even useful sometimes. But he wasn't smart enough to be a spy.

"We've already gotten him to kill one. It wasn't a big guy, but just think about it. It will only be a few more kills before he's ready to do some real damage." I narrowed my eyes at her, finally starting to take her seriously.

"You know best, of course..." She bowed. "Your Majesty."

"It's not too late for me to knife you." I growled.

She smirked. She had landed a solid blow- we both knew it.

I growled at her. It was too late to knife her- I had made a deal with her, and, regardless of my reputation, I never went back on my word. I glared at her, desperately wanting to punch her.

"Now what, Your Majesty?" She asked, digging just a little bit deeper.

I brought my fist down on her neck, making her black out. "Good luck, dearest. I sure hope that no one finds you here, while you're so vulnerable, and all." I knew they wouldn't.

Sighing, adding Jubiah to my mental list of people to visit, I returned to my castle.
~~~

"I believe you're in my seat, Lord Lordshire." I spat venomously, as I stood in the shadows of my throne room.

He started, and his head whipped from side to side. "...Your...Majesty?" He asked hesitantly.

"Who else would be annoyed that you're sitting on the Queen's throne?" I growled, as I stepped from the shadows. "Move it, Lordshire."

He stood. I stode across the stone floor briskly and sat on my throne. "You've come to see me, why?"

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

"You've come to see me, why?" The Queens asked, putting a strange emphasis on the word why.

I guess it was never too late to act like a kiss up.
"I believe you're mistaken, Queen, Alcander had brought me here under the impression that you wanted to see me."
Her face was impassive. She was one of the few people I couldn't read easily.
"But then again, what reason other than to feast our eyes on the beauty that is our Queen would be needed?"
She could tell I was bluffing. She was good. This genuinely made me want to work with her, to get close to her.

I tapped my stick on the floor and folded my hands on top of it.
"But if this was a misunderstanding, then it happened at the perfect time. I feel I may just have an offer for you..."

Yamani (Queen of Hearts)

"I believe you're mistaken, Queen, Alcander had brought me here under the impression that you wanted to see me." Lord Lordshire said, bowing humbly.

I kept my face decidedly void of emotion. He backed down the stairs to my throne.

"But then again, what reason other than to feast our eyes on the beauty that is our Queen would be needed?" He smiled.

I nearly rolled my eyes. He seemed somehow flattered that I didn't cave into his flattery. He was quite a character.

He folded his hands across his staff. "But if this was a misunderstanding, then it happened at the perfect time. I feel I may just have an offer for you..."

I decidedly refused to let him see me get excited. I rubbed the bruise on my left hand, hoping he didn't notice as I did so. I saw his eyes wander to my hands. I nearly cursed his perceptiveness. "Proceed, Lord Lordshire."

"If it please your majesty, I would like to tell you about a plan that I have divised."

I gestured flippantly with my right hand, to draw attention from my left. "

Lord Lordshire (Knave of Hearts)

Though I wanted to further investigate what was troubling her left hand, there were other matters to attend to.

"As we should both know very well, I've never been a man to choose sides. I'd like to consider my self... free," she said nothing, so I continued, "But I think I've watch this war unfold long enough. Yes, it's not a war now, but trust me, it will be before long, and you won't be on the winning end of it."

I think I had her. I saw just the slightest twitch in her eye.
"What is it exactly you want, Lordshire?" She said, trying to hold back her anger. I assumed that was a good thing, since it wasn't the smartest idea to make a Queen mad in her castle.

"I know the rebels better than you know the hearts. While you live with the thought of spies all around you, the rebels are roaming carelessly without a second thought. They have people turning on your kingdom everyday, turning your back on you like it's nothing."

Now she was angry. She brought her fist down onto the handle of her throne and said in a voice that was struggling to remain clam, "I'll ask you one more time. What is it that you want?"

I put my hands up in defense. "I want to help you. I will officially renounce my position as a free man and take on the title of a supporter of the Queen. But under a few conditions." She raised one eyebrow and I continued, "One, I have complete control of the hearts army. Two, I'm to have a few servants from this castle as well as my own room. That way, you can keep an eye on me, and I'll be comfortable. And three," I looked at the throne next to the Queen's and my eyes lit up with excitement, "King James will be declared a free man."

Before I could give her time to think, I added "And trust me, with me on your side, people will think twice about turning their back on you."