Chapter 3: Through Ezekiel's Eyes; Not the Last

Chapter 3: Through Ezekiel’s eyes

Ezekiel stared at the place where Rae had vanished, his pale green eyes wide, his mouth a dark ‘o’ of surprise. No. He turned his head away and looked at Darren, anger filling inside him.

“This is your fault.”

Darren’s light green eyes flashed slightly. “You’re forgetting that Emmany is gone too.” He added after a pause. “As is Garren.”

Ezekiel stood slowly, his eyes darkening with a smoldering fury. “No!” He yelled, walking up to Darren and shoving the boy’s chest. “No Darren! You're the one who delayed the attack! You're the one who  had to come up with a damn plan! Look where it's gotten us!” He took a deep breath, the air shuttering out between his teeth. “Rae is all that I have. You don’t understand that. You have Sienna still. Rae is gone. We can’t leave the compound. She’s gone forever and it’s your fault.” Even as he said the words he regretted them.

“Do you think I wanted to see her go?!” He yelled back, his voice raising and his hands shaking. “Do you think I wanted Rae and Emmany both gone?! Do you think I wanted either of them to be taken?! I didn’t know Emmany was in here Zeke! We all thought it was just Rae and Garren! I was trying to get your sister out alive. You’re the one who had too get attacked by that Mutant. If anything,” He spat, “It’s your fault.”

“You could have saved her.” Ezekiel’s voice was oddly quite. “If you would have shot that Mutant, she would still be here. You’ve never cared about her. You wanted her to be taken.”

Darren lunged forward, grabbing Ezekiel by the front and shoving him back against one of the ruined walls of the building. “You know, man.” He hissed. “You’re a real piece of work sometimes. I didn’t care about Rae? I wanted her to be taken?” Ire filled his voice and his eyes. “I’ve been in love with that girl ever since we were in grade school, and you know it. Other than my sisters, there is nothing I care about more in the world than Rae. How dare you say I don’t care about her.”

Sudden remorse flooded his eyes. “I know. I’m sorry.” He whispered.

Darren held him against the wall, his breathing hard. “’I’m sorry’? That’s all you got? You better do a lot more than that.”

Ezekiel pushed him away gently. “Get off Darren. I didn’t mean it. I know you love Rae. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said what I did.”

He crossed his arms, nodding. “Damn right you shouldn’t have.”

A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. “We good?”

“We’re good.” Darren replied. He sighed heavily. “Zeke what are we going to do? No one’s going to go look for them, and…you were right about one thing… we can’t leave the Compound.”

“They might send a party into the Outcasts.” Ezekiel’s voice held doubt. “Rae is the last of the Wind Elementals. Emmany is the only winged Fire child the government has found so far this century. There would be a scandal if they didn’t try to do something.”

“Not a lot of people care about Rae.” Darren said his voice hesitant. “Sure she’s only a child, but that isn’t the way people see her. They think her family had something to do with the down fall of the Wind Elementals.”

“The Dares?” Ezekiel’s voice held more curiosity than anger. “No, not them; maybe one of the younger families, but not the Dares. Rae’s father was the Doyen of the Elementals, after all.”

“Maybe your mother can put in a good word for them.” Darren’s voice held a twinge of hope.

“Maybe.” He sighed heavily.

Conversation ceased between them as they started at the ruins around them, ignoring people as they began to bustle past them, pulling away debris, trying to clean what they could. Ezekiel sighed heavily, walking to a dusty plastic gray chair and sinking down into it. His put his head in his hands, closing his eyes and trying to fight back the first flood of tears that gathering there. His mind flashed to the last time he saw Rae, her brown hair messy around her head and the fury that had radiated from her.

It was Visiting Day, the one day all the students in the Compound were allowed to return to their birth homes; or in Rae’s case, adoptive home. Ezekiel and Rae were curled up the timeworn sofa, listening to music through worn black earphones. Her olive skin shone against his tanned arm, her fingers clasped in his hand firmly. Light gray eyes wandered around the once-familiar household, her lips a pale rose in the fading light. A bookshelf stood against a black-washed wall, filled with photo-albums and Rae’s books. A NewsCaster stood on an ivory-white chest, the black screen dusty and blank. Ezekiel remembered how fascinated Rae had been with the moving pictures when they were younger, convinced it was magic. Pictures hung from hooks on the wall, and an oaken coffee table sat in front of them. Ezekiel could hear their mother moving about the kitchen, humming softly to herself as she prepared dinner. In his hand, he held a small gray device known as a Silver Disc Player (SDP for short). The disc spun beneath the cover, a small projection screen showing the song number and name. It hummed softly against his rough palms, sending small vibrations through his arms. He once again marveled at the technology, wondering how the ancient people had captured sound onto a disc. There were precious few of them left, and many considered the device to be junk, but it was one of very few things that he treasured.

“Zeke?” Rae said quietly, pulling her earphone from her ear and looking up at him.

Ezekiel sighed softly, turning the device off and setting aside regretfully. “Yes Rae?”

“What do you think happened to them?” Rae’s gaze shifted to the black screen, a glass film hiding her emotions.

“Who?” Curiosity hung in his voice.

“My family.” Her voice was as silent as the night.

The humming from the kitchen stopped as Ezekiel shifted to the mindset that had been drilled into him as a child, before and even after Rae came to him. “They died protecting Amora.”

“From the mutants.” She finished.

“From the mutants.” He agreed. “Don’t you remember that history lesson?” he poked her side gently. “‘…The Wind Elementals were attacked in the dead of night. Winged Mutants snuck into their sky-bound home, slaughtering all but two in their sleep. Doyen Dare’s children; seven year old Sebastian and five year old Rae Dare...’”

“Sebastian…” Rae breathed. “My brother... What happened to him?”

A new voice entered the somber atmosphere. “He vanished.” Her voice was quiet and gentle. She came around the edge of the sofa and perched on the coffee table, a wash cloth hiding her hands. Her face held soft features, her eyes matching those of her son’s. She looked upon her adoptive daughter with a slight pity.

“I was supposed to wait until your father got home.” Her voice held guilt. “But I can’t keep it from you anymore, darling. You and Sebastian both came to us the day after the attack on your Element. Your mother had listed your father and I as godparents, should anything happen to them. As I’m sure you know, your mother and I were best friends when we were in school…” she trailed off, wiping a tear from her eye. “Sebastian…he was a troubled kid, Rae. You’d been wounded in the battle trying to escape, but he refused to let anyone near you. And…”

“And what.” Rae had stiffened against Ezekiel, her body taunt and her wings tight under her black wind breaker.

“Your father was killed in front of him. He could never get that image out of his head. We woke one morning to find you both gone. We searched the house and found that Sebastian had left you asleep in Ezekiel’s bed, wrapped in a black wind breaker. All of Amora must have searched for him Rae. He was nowhere to be found.” The words tumbled out of her mouth in an ungraceful rush.

Rae turned slowly to Ezekiel. “Did you know about this.” Underneath her voice was a hidden and dangerous fury.

“Rae…” Ezekiel began.

She snatched her hand away from him, her eyes flashing with betrayal. “Get away from me.” she hissed. She rounded on her adoptive mother, ignoring the sorrow in her eyes. “You should have told me!” She screamed. “I had the right to know!”

“Your father wanted to tell you…” her green eyes pleaded with her to understand. “But I thought you were just too young.”

“Is this his?” She pulled hard on the sleeve of her windbreaker.

“Yes.”

Rae tugged it off and threw it to the ground, fury in her eyes. “He’s no brother of mine. He – he – he abandoned me.” She stumbled over her tongue, vehemence raiding off her in waves. “I hope he’s dead.”

She turned, racing for the door. Their mother sprang to her feet, trying to catch her as she ran past. Rae ducked under her arm easily, throwing open the door and thrusting herself into the air. Ezekiel sat there staring at his hands, regret filling inside of him. Rae was the light of his life. And he had betrayed her.

He remembered now the look in her eyes when she’d vanished, regret but as well as a stubborn, Rae-like determination. He thought guilty of Garren, wondering if his parents had yet herd the news, thinking of the little sister that would be missing him. I have to find them. Getting too his feet, watching as members in black clothing filled the ruins of 7-C.

“The Winter Council.” Darren muttered beside him.

The head of the Winter Council walked slowly towards them, his sweeping black trench coat fanning out behind him. “You two!” He barked, his brown eyes glinting. “State your names!”

Ezekiel stood slowly, remembering Rae’s contempt for this man. “I am Ezekiel Dare, brother to Rae Dare-Thorn, head of G block.”

“Darren Fall, brother to Emmany Fall, head of the archers.”

The man nodded, motioning to the two Council members beside him. “I trust you know who we are.”

Ezekiel forced himself to bow. “Yes Council Zayne.” Darren bowed beside him, shaking slightly.

“I am very sorry to hear about your sisters.” Council Zayne began, his bald head shinning as the sun broke the clouds. “I can assure you that Ms. Thorn and Ms. Fall will be brought hom-”

Ezekiel sighed in relief, unintentionally cutting Zayne off. “We were unsure if you cared enough to search for them.” He said truthfully.

The Council beside him, a young women with slick black hair, nodded enthusiastically, sweeping her black dress to the side with a brush of her hand. “Of course we will search for them! They must be brought to justice!”

A chill settled inside Ezekiel, deep-rooted and infectious. “W-What? ‘Brought to justice’?”

Darren narrowed his eyes as the Council to the right of Zayne spoke, rolling his pale-blue eyes. “Councilwomen Octavia is correct. Ms. Thorn has committed treason against Amora, Mr. Draken and Ms. Fall are being considered accomplices at this point.”

“Now now Council Sage. According to eye-witnesses Mr. Draken appeared to be a hostage, not an accomplice!” Octavia objected.

Sage opened his mouth to reply, but a raised hand from Zayne silenced them. “What my fellow Council members are trying to say,” he said. “Is that Ms. Thorn comes from a line of traitors and has expressed many strong views against Amora and the Compound. Until we have further evidence, we must assume that Ms. Thorn is responsible for today’s attack on 7-C.”

Darren’s eyes were wide with disbelief. “R- Rae? A traitor?!” Ezekiel hissed, stepping forward even as Darren grabbed his arm. “Her family died fighting your war. Why would she betray Amora?! And Emmany a traitor?! That’s not even a possibility!” He threw his hands up in the air in frustration. He stabbed the Council in the chest with his finger. “You Council members are so ready to blame anyone but yourselves for what happens. Have you even considered the possibility that the Mutants and the M.R.s planned this attack? Have you thought about why they would take Rae?! This is not Rae’s fault!” He spat.

The Council’s eyes darkened slightly. “I would have expected more from you Mr. Thorn. Your father is the Doyen of your Element after all.” He motioned Octavia and Sage. “Arrest him for assault of a Council member.” He turned to Darren, his eyes deadly. “I suggest you keep silent if you wish to be of any help to your sister and Ms. Dare.”

Darren opened his mouth to object but Ezekiel silenced him with a glare. He fought back as Sage seized him, his hair flying around his shoulders. A dark shadow passed above them and all movement ceased as they looked to the sky. A vaguely humanoid shape circled them, light silver wings sending gusts of air around down. Darren threw up his hand to shield his eyes as the sun came into full view behind the figure. By the time a cloud had covered the bright star again, it was gone. Quiet footfall sounded from behind the Council members and Sage released Ezekiel as he turned around, reaching for the hilt of a barely visible knife. Walking towards them was a young man, presumably eighteen or nineteen. Shaggy brown hair fell into his face, and silvery-gray eyes stared back at them. Ezekiel’s breath caught in his chest as his mind flashed.

A young boy hovered over Rae, eyes more silver than gray staring back at him. A hand rested on her quivering shoulder, his lips pulled back in a snarl. A short black knife was clutched in his hands, his gray wings fanning out behind him…

“What is this I hear about my baby sister?” The boy’s voice held a strange, unsettling calamity.

“I think you’re mistaken.” Zayne said, his voice strained and kind. “Mr. Darren Fall here is Ms. Fall’s brother and Mr. Ezekiel Thorn is Ms. Dare-Thorn’s brother.”

He threw back his head and laughed uproariously, his hair falling back and exposing a pale scare that stretched across the side of his face. “You Council members are so ignorant!” He turned to Sage, eyeing him with disdain as he grabbed Ezekiel once more. “I suggest you release my brother.”

“Brother?” Zayne echoed, his eyes growing wide.

He shrugged, “Brother, not brother. Doesn’t matter. The Councils stuck us with the Thorns after…” He trailed off. “He took care of Rae. So he’s family to me.”

“State your name.” Octavia demanded.

The boy looked bored. He flapped his dappled gray wings, meeting Ezekiel’s eyes. “Ask him.”

They all turned to Ezekiel as a small smile tugged at his lips. “Sebastian.”