Ravela woke up in bed, the mask on her face finally visible.
The delight of not having to endure any more of the glittering light show she was subjected to just the day prior was hard to describe.
She took off the protection mask and stretched.
The days were getting shorter, and Ravela lost no time before getting ready for her day. She did her morning run and training with the girls, and after a brief breakfast, Ravela was off to the library to dig into her new learning materials, but after just three hours of studying somebody knocked on her door.
Ravela got up and to her surprise sheriff Thorn and doctor Han stood outside her door. “Um, blessed morning. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
Sheriff Thorn dipped his head and returned her greeting as did doctor Han. “I promised to bring you the results of your eye exam, but doctor Han here wanted to bring them to you in person, so I gave her a ride and showed her where you were hiding.”
Ravela lifted an eyebrow at that remark. “So you came along to see how bad my eyesight is, is what you’re saying?”
The sheriff grinned. “You are right. After all, you said you had the perfect vision. Just want to make sure it wasn’t just some boast.”
Doctor Han smiled her signature bright smile. “I have the results right here with me,” She said holding up an envelope in her hand. “I’ve included the officially needed document and your current eyesight pass.”
Ravela received the envelope, and her confidence in her results was unbroken. Ravela opened the envelope at her desk and pulled out the folded paper. A small cardboard booklet slipped out and fell. Ravela caught it quickly. She turned to the Sheriff and said, “This is the moment of truth. It is your last chance to lose 50 bucks.”
The man pursed his lips for a moment, but then he smiled, “Told you yesterday, I am not a betting man, and I would keep it that way.”
Ravela laughed and unfolded the paper. “Hm, what do 0.00 left and 0.00 right mean? Surely my eyes can’t be that bad, right?”
The doctor laughed, and so did the Sheriff. “No, no, Ramiel. The closer the number is to zero, the better your eyes are,” Doctor Han said, still grinning.
Ravela’s ignorance on the subject made her feel ashamed. She should have inquired the day before how the results would be displayed. Ravela nervously laughed. “I should have asked about that before I left yesterday.”
Doctor Han and the sheriff had followed her into the room. The woman looked like she had another purpose here than just to bring over the results of the test.
“So, Ramiel, are you coming to the game today?” Doctor Han suddenly asked.
Ravela had no clue what she was talking about, “What game?”
“Oh, so nobody told you? Today we have a friendly game with Core Valley, a town from one of the other counties. It is the last game of the year, a big deal.” Doctor Han intoned what Ravela realized to be a sales pitch.
Ravela felt that Doctor Han brought it up specifically to her. “Is it? Hm, I see. Maybe you can accompany me to the game, and I would have someone by my side who could tell me what is happening. I am sure you’ve heard by now that my memories aren’t quite with me.”
Doctor Han beamed, and Ravela got the feeling that was exactly what she wanted to hear.
The sheriff chimed in, “How wonderful. Since the game is in roughly three hours, we could all eat lunch together.” He turned around, made a few steps, and in what Ravela recognized as a horrible display of theatric skill, snapped his fingers and held the bridge of his nose. “Argh, I forgot. I got more work to do. There are still two jailbirds on the loose. I am so sorry. I can’t join you, but maybe we’ll meet later at the game.”
Ravela waved him goodbye knowing that she had been set up with the good doctor. She wondered if this was what people in small towns did to their young and handsome singles all the time.
Ravela looked back at the doctor who had a cheeky smile on her face. “So where should we eat, Ramiel? I am starving.”
Ravela laughed nervously. She hadn’t noticed that Chi Han fancied him like that. “Let me pack my things and bring them back to my room. Maybe you know a good place where we can eat?”
She packed her learning materials, and together with doctor Han she left.
“So, doctor Han-” Ravela started, but Doctor Han interrupted her.
“Please, Ramiel. Call me Chi.”
Ravela squirmed under her disguise. Maybe she was the one behind their orchestrated date, after all. She would have to come up with a good excuse to not have this happen more often from here on out.
They slowly walked through the park toward Ma Stone’s house. There Ravela stowed away her learning utensils. Afterward, Chi Han guided her to a restaurant close to the central marketplace but on a side street.
It was a beautifully decorated restaurant. The wooden finish and furniture with its thick reddish brown invoked in Ravela the wish to carry it all with her once she left.
Many older couples and locals were sitting together, and it took the waiter a moment to seat them. Chi Han was a forceful woman, she led Ravela after the waiter by his hand, and it wasn’t just her imagination that people took notice of that detail.
She was marked, Ravela thought. She was unhappy about her current male appearance for the first time. She didn’t know how she felt about this. Her male outer appearance now truly felt like deception. Keeping her distance from the doctor after the game would be necessary to ensure her sanity.
“So tell me about yourself, Ramiel.” Chi Han inquired after they had ordered their food.
“There isn’t much to tell yet. I arrived on the train without memory, then I spent the spring and summer learning the language and trying to get a certificate from school. I think I am on a good way to getting certified by the school and as I understand it, my odds in court to recertify my citizenship aren’t all that bad. That is what I can tell about myself which isn’t much so far, but I am sure there is more to come.” Ravela rattled off the short story she had so far.
Chi Han smiled warmly. “I am sure Detective Thorn Jr. would disagree with the notion that that was all you did.”
Ravela sat back in her chair. “You’ve heard about that. I admit that was my finest hour so far.”
Chi Han laughed and put a rouge strand of hair back behind her ear. The woman had a wonderful smile, it was infectious. “Of course, I heard about that. That incident was the talk of the town. In these parts, the bus incident already made the headlines for 2 months. You know it still gets mentioned in the paper in entirely unrelated news. For example, that part of the lake where you reside is picking up a reputation for attracting trouble. Folks around here are fast to pick up a new superstition.”
Ravela laughed at that. “Well, I will probably never be forgotten for being part of that incident in Ma Stone’s house. I suppose that is not a bad thing.”
They continued to talk while waiting on their orders about the town, the people, and the country. Chi Han glanced at Ravela’s ring from time to time and started wondering…
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Akai Kordo sat in a barn deep in the woods exhausted. It had only been a day since they had fled the courthouse. They had come this far, but now his twin brother sat dead beside him. He had stepped in front of the bullet meant for Akai. His little brother, his mirror image was gone from this world.
Tears ran down Akai’s cheeks. He was alone. The world felt cold and empty. It wasn’t the damp windy barn or the autumn weather. No, it was the realization that he was, for the first time in his life, well and truly alone.
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He turned his head from his brother’s corpse. They reached their hideout, but for his twin, it had been too late. His closed fist crashed into the lower part of the semi-truck door beside him. All their plans were ruined.
If only he hadn’t thrown that stupid bottle at the bus, they’d have got the truck and could have moved on to their father’s plans. His head jerked back again, bumping the wooden crate behind him. “Stupid, Stupid, Stupid,” Akai repeated with every thump of the wood.
Those kids had ruined their lives! The drug he had used to numb the pain in his shoulder made him more furious than usual. He pushed himself to get up again. He ignored the strain he felt in his arm and moved the crates into the semi-truck.
All but one crate. Akai cradled the head of his brother. “I will make them pay for what they did to you. You’ll see, you won’t have to wait long for the tributes to join you on the other side. Whatever is left from this rat nest will rue the day they crossed you,” He swallowed hard, he couldn’t bring himself to say his brother’s name, ”brother.”
He started to open the crates, Akai’s movements were impeded by his shoulder wound but he felt nothing, nothing but the loneliness and the pain he wished to pass on to someone else.
Akai erected himself to his full height and stretched his neck. He was a particularly tall man just like his twin brother had been. Towering over most, he was a unique lineage from a single tribe that had to build an alliance with the swaddy people when they first arrived in their ancient lands.
He was far from his kin's dwellings and he was now on a mission. He began connecting wires to sticks of mining explosives. Akai knew this town region like the back of his hand. He had worked with the clans of the East Coast hand in glove for years now. The time he spent in this rat nest full of clanless mutts had taken its toll. His twin had for years kept him sane, but now? No more.
He found the many packs of nails in the cupboards for repairs to this barn. Akai thought with grim confidence that the next member of their organization would have to make a shopping trip if it came to it. After all, this was done he would take his brother’s body back home to rest with his family. A whimper escaped him as more tears streamed down his face. Here nobody could see him fall apart. When the time came to face his parents he would have to be strong. They would need him strong, unbroken…whole.
The world began to sway as the emotions forced him to his knees. Leaning his forehead again the cold rear bumper of the semi-truck, Akai fought down the hollow feeling grasping into his stomach.
Slowly he got back up and once he made it inside He just ripped open the big boxes of nails and sprinkled them into the crates. Eight crates of explosives filled with nails.
After connecting the timer on the passenger seat to the wired explosives, Akai dragged himself into the driver's seat. Today was a good day to take revenge. He couldn’t have picked a better day.
He had half a day before he’d need to leave. Akai closed his eyes and sleep claimed him that very second.
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Ravela sat down with Chi in the ranks. The field was illuminated by a bunch of floodlights. The music the home team’s marching band played. The mood among the spectators was enthusiastic. The guest team's parents came in huge numbers. Their half of the spectator ranks were packed but so was the Gradjia’s portion.
Ravela estimated that old and young came together here for this game from the entire town. She looked over the crowd and spotted Safora and Laena in the crowd. Laena sat together with Safora and their parents. Ravela followed their general trajectory of view and saw that they were focused on the cheerleaders and their performance.
It must be tough to one day be part of a team and the next day have to quit on them without a good explanation. Ravela hoped they wouldn’t be shunned for their decision. She decided on the spot that she’d have to make it worth the sacrifice they made.
“Does this awaken any memories in you, Ramiel?” Chi shook Ravela out of her thoughts.
Standing in an arena holding a huge trophy with her team flashed before her eyes the thunderous applause washing over her a thousand cameras flickering her….her face on all the big screens. Ravela smiled like she just tasted her favorite liquor. “Yes, actually this feels very familiar.”
Chi Han leaned in excitedly. “Any direct memories that came back to you? Maybe a mascot or something?”
Ravela shook her head. “No, not really. Just feels…nostalgic.”
The two teams enter the field, and the spectators let them know that they were excited to see them.
Ravela applauded with the others although she didn’t holler like the rest.
“You know,” Chi explained while the teams did their warm-up, “now that I think about it, did you always wear your ring on that finger?”
Ravela looked down at her left hand. Ramiel’s ring sat at the base of her middle finger. “Yes, why? Is something wrong with that.”
Chi tilted her head. “If that’s the case then I am sorry to say but you may be a widower.”
Ravela looked down at Ramiel’s ring. “Hm, that would explain why I don’t want to take off the ring.”
Chi Han shifted in her seat, turning more toward Ravela. Her hand comfortingly touched Ravela’s shoulder as she said, “I am sorry for your loss. It doesn’t have to be a bad thing though. If you hadn’t worn the ring anymore you probably wouldn’t even know you ever were married.”
Ravela felt the soft press of the doctor’s hand and suddenly felt there was a deeper motive for her to cast this information in a certain light. Ravela had to make serious efforts to keep her distance from the doctor in the future before Chi focussed too much on her. “Yes, you may be right about that.” Ravela looked at the field where the game was about to begin. “Looks like it is about to start. Let’s see if I learned anything you taught me today during lunch.”
Chi Han retracted her hand and Ravela hoped that she hadn’t offended the woman by not leaning into her gestures. She didn’t need to draw the ire of one woman and maybe her circle of friends.
The cheers and chants made Ravela’s heart pump in excitement. She could feel it hammering in her throat.
The ball got kicked off and the game began. Ravela soon realized why the whole town gathered here and why everyone from the rival team’s town made their way to Gradjia to watch their team play.
Markus played precise passes as did the opposing, these two quarterbacks, as per Chi’s information, were the first and second picks of the state’s high school team. Which was an enormous pool of potential.
Both teams went all out. And the Gradjia team, despite their valiant effort, went off the field after the first quarter 9 - 12. They were down by four points. Ravela watched as the teams gathered around their coaches, huddling around them as they gave instructions.
While Ravela was focused on the game a woman sat down beside Chi. “Why hello Chi. Who is your handsome friend?” She made her introduction. Two other women sat down in the row behind them. “Yes, darling do tell. Have you been hiding him from us?”
Ravela turned her head and saw that Chi was slightly annoyed by the women who had joined them. “Ramiel, meet my good friends, Banh, Cama, and Anais. Girls, meet Ramiel.” Ravela noticed that Chi was not too pleased with her friends seeking her out right now and she suddenly felt like a honey pot for single women.
The second quarter began and Ravela made sure to keep the conversation very focused on Chi and not fall for the baiting of the other women. Her hope was that they’d lose interest in Ramiel and Chi would relax again.
To Ravela’s annoyance, this tactic seemed to have the opposite effect on Chi’s friends.
In the second quarter, the game gained even more steam and by the end, Markus managed a brilliant run-through after a fake pass. The tensions ran high and the spectators were excited for the last two quarters.
Ravela took the chance to get some refreshments and let Chi have some words with her friends. The noises of the crowd kept her from listening in on their exchanges while she was walking away, she imagined however that Chi would have some choice words for her friends butting into her date.
A sly grin shot over Ravela’s face as she made her way down to the snack booth. Everybody wanted new refreshments and snacks, and Ravela was a bit late to the line. She threw a glance at the scoreboard.
The last touchdown had put both teams at 21 points for the third quarter. Everybody in the line was discussing the game with sporting enthusiasm. There was no bad blood among the spectators. Ravela held this civility in high regard.
“Hello, Mr. Roice,” Safora greeted him from behind in the line. Cheekily and with a smile she slipped past two people in the line to join her friend further ahead. ‘Sly girl getting her way. I should be careful not to let her get away with too much.’ “Safora Pontis. Here to get drinks for your friend and family? You’re lucky these people are so kind, others might scold you for your ruthless abuse of your charms.” Ravela heard someone chuckle behind her. Someone was glad that the teenager got at least some pushback.
Safora made a pouty face. “I am sure everybody will make it back before the next quarter, despite my shameless abuse of our friendship,” she said while linking her arm beneath Ravela’s arm. “Besides, I really want to know what you think of the game so far. You’re so lucky most games end with that kind of score. What do you think? My brother is a great quarterback, right?”
Ravela smirked. “I enjoy the game. It is true, your brother is quite the playmaker. His passes seem to be tailored to their receivers, but I think the defense of his opponents is catching on fast. This might become a game that isn’t decided till the last second.” Ravela shrugged and added, “At least that is what it feels like.”
Safora crossed her arm. “I think the Ravens are going down. Our Bulls will bury them in the third quarter.”
A girl’s voice chimed in from behind, “Oh, I don’t think so.”
A Cheerleader in Raven’s colors walked up beside them. “Safora, I think the Bulls will be the ones getting stomped, and here you are not cheering them on. Is it true? Did the captain and you quit the cheer team?”
Safora’s expression soured. “Beth, shouldn’t you be busy cheering on your team instead of being wrong on sports and all up in other people's business?”
Ravela looked at the girls verbally clawing at each other for a while. A smile formed on her lips. They seemed to have genuine fun bickering with each other.
Ravela also noticed that Beth now was moving along in their spot in the queue. The girls clearly understood that while they were rivals, they were still friends.
“So spill it. Did you and Laena quit the team? Or are you just on a break? I heard about an accident. What’s up with that?”
Safora made a face. “Yeah, the bus crashed down the mountain road near the clearing. We are lucky to be all alive. That is why Laena and I quit. Doesn’t mean I will be rooting for our team any less than usual though. Just that my priorities….changed a bit.”
The girls slipped in front of him when they were finally first in line. Ravela let them since one had to make it back to her team on time and the other back to her family.
Safora ordered a bunch of snacks and drinks, then loaded them onto a tray and escaped with her haul.
Beth got a bunch of drinks and some light snacks and hurried back to her teammates.
Ravela stepped up and ordered the soda Chi requested without ice and her favorite fuzzy blue soda. Feeling a bit of appetite welling up, Ravela ordered some fries too.
The break was almost over when Ravela returned to Chi. The friends had scattered long before Ravela placed her order. Doctor Han smiled broadly as she received her iceless soda.
The teams returned to the field shortly after. There was a fierce resolve in their steps, and Ravela couldn’t help but be excited.
The third quarter began with a run-through touchdown by the Bulls thanks to a trick play. The crowd cheered for their team and the uproarious atmosphere was infectious.
Ravela was soaking in the crowd's joy like a sponge. But nearing the end of the quarter something in Ravela began to feel restless. She began to look around confused. The pleasure of the crowd felt tainted. She got sudden goosebumps and her eyes wandered through the crowd searching for the cause.
“I am sorry Chi. I will be right back. I have to use the bathroom,” Ravela said, making up an excuse.
Ravela made her way down the spectator ranks and walked toward the side where the parking lot and restrooms were. She made her way past one observer in a winter coat feeling almost physically ill.
Once inside the restroom, Ravela splashed cold water on her face at the sink. She felt goosebumps creeping up her back. Looking into the mirror she felt that Ramiel’s face looked paler than usual.
After a few more splashes of cold water on her face, she walked out of the bathroom again.
Walking through the parking lot, Ravela spotted the man jumping down from a rolling truck. Ravela stopped and walked toward the man. The truck slowly rolled in direction of the field.
Ravela’s eyes met the man’s gaze. He abruptly turned and ran away from the field. Ravela made a few steps attempting to run after him, but the crowd booing got her to turn back to the field.
The truck reached the middle of the field. Players stood around it in confusion. Ravela slowly walked toward the edge of the parking lot. She felt foreboding doom like ice in her stomach.
“No.” She channeled her powers as fast as she could. She felt the excess power from the crystal streaming through her body. Her eyes sought out Markus on the field. Ravela layered invisible walls around the players, the referee, the cheerleaders, the coach, benched players, and the truck itself, and built up a barrier on the spectator ranks.
Ravela glanced over her shoulder, and the man was gone. She felt a void sucking all energy out of her body before she heard the explosion. Her own shield shattered the moment the shockwave rolled over her.
Turning her head she saw a black object flying toward her, and before the impact, it dawned on her that she had been too careless with the shielding of the one person she had to save first and foremost.
Herself.