Shatter .:6: War:.

That morning I rush off to work singing and laughing. I greet everyone with a hug and a friendly smile, sometimes a happy chuckle. They all find it contagious and soon the entire place is full of smiling people. The day flies by without a single downer. My mom texts that she loves me and will be back soon. I tell her I love her and no need to rush, rushing leads to accidents.

A large crowd of people come to get that new, popular tattoo of nothingness. I don’t even care that they’re stupid for falling into such a pointless fad. I’m having a fantastic day.

Halfway through my shift, a guy walks in who’s age seems to fluctuate between the ages of 17 and 23. One of the oddest things I’ve ever seen but it’s really not affecting me. His hair is a reddish brown color and his eyes are soft and sorrowful.

“Welcome to Isaac’s Ink. Do you have an appointment?” I ask, trying hard not to be affected by another’s powerful emotions.

“Trinity, I believe I’m supposed to take matters up with YOU.” He says. His professional tone makes me believe he’s “in line” with Dash. I pout out my bottom lip.

“Where is Dash?” I ask, pretending to be sad he isn’t here.

“Hurt. He’s in our form of a hospital getting better.” I’m suddenly on my feet, purse slung around my shoulder as if I’m leaving. I blink a few times before sitting back down.

“What happened?”

“Fight with a demon of a man.” The new person says. “My name is Kieran. I’ll be taking over his duties for the time.”

“Duties?” I ask. He smiles.

“Making sure you’re alive and that you stay that way.” He says. His smiles is genuine and friendly. The silence between us, the meeting of personalities is interrupted as Anne walks by and slaps me upside the head.

“WHAT?!” I snap, looking at her confused.

“YOU get all the fine men in town!” She complains but walks away. She’s in the middle of a portrait of a tattoo, stunning really, so I motion for her to shoo. Kieran chuckles, amused. I look at him and study him a moment. I suppose Anne is right, he is handsome.

“Are you going to play the same horrible games as Dash?” I ask, taking on a laughable professional tone.

“I don’t believe so. My style is much....better for you.” He tells me. I pause a moment, trying not to sound too desperate but I really am desperate to know.

“Is....Is Dash OK?”

“Of course. Minor flesh wound.” Kieran says in a way that I have to believe it’s more than he’s making it out to be.

“You know, if someone gets their heart ripped out that’s a bit more than a flesh wound.” I inform him. He laughs freely and I notice his looks aren’t the only attractive thing about him. He’s got a beautiful smile, a charming laugh, and his energy is just pleasant to be around now that the sorrow has left his eyes.

“Nothing as serious as that, love. He’s simply....in need of some rest.”

“UGH!!!!” I groan. I will admit I was being completely dramatic but still, I just had my happy mood ruined and my plans nearly destroyed because Dash is hurt.

“Care for the old charmer?” Kieran asks, amused.

“Not at all! But now when he DOES come back he’s going to be a complete show off and tell me a dramatic story of how he was almost killed defending my honor or some crap!” I ramble. Kieran laughs again.

“Yes, I suppose that sounds like him.”

“Indeed,” I say, studying him a moment. “So, are you really going to protect me or just blackmail me?”

“I’m more of a protector than a criminal.” I smile.

“Good news for me. Now I won’t have to blackmail you.” He looks at me curiously.

“Oh?” I nod.

“I’ll save that for Dash. Tell me, what exactly do you consider ‘protecting’?”

“Certainly not waiting until the very last moment to save your life just to look like the dramatic hero.”

“That would be very helpful.” I say. “Umm...do you know Dash well?”

“Very.”

“Would you mind answering a question for me, I mean....if you know the answer.”

“Of course. I’m here to help.” He says, checking his very nice, expensive looking watch.

“Who’s Emma?” He stares at me, the only movement from him is when he blinks. I gulp. “Is that a bad thing?”

“How did you hear about Emma?” He ask, the friendly tone lost. I look at him, confused and a bit worried.

“He called me Emma.” He coughs to cover up the startled gasp, I assume it to have been a gasp.

“You have...nothing to worry about. I shall see you later today.” He says abruptly and leaves.

The rest of my day goes pleasantly well despite the minor hitch. Everyone seems to be in the best of moods and it’s contagious to those who began the day bad or simply apathetic. The whole world seems to be cheerful and for the first time in a long time I’m not plagued by the grief of loss. I miss my granny but she wouldn’t want me to roll through life depressed or upset. She’d want me to live, laugh, and love. And that’s exactly what I’ll do.

On the way home, I pick up the first three Harry Potter movies and licorice, gummy worms, and salty chips. When I arrive home my mom’s on the couch, tears staining her cheeks though she hasn’t been crying for a while. I smile at her, putting the first movie in the player.

“What’s going on?” She asks. I simply motion for her to stay. I make us both root beer floats. I put the chips in a bowl and simply open the bags of candy. The credits roll and my mom watches for any clue of what’s going on. I sit next to her and smile.

“Let’s be happy, mom.” She stares at me a moment and then smiles.

“Ok honey. What movie are we....” She stares at the screen “HARRY! You look SO YOUNG!” She says excitedly. I laugh and pull the bowl of chips in my lap. We watch all three movies before it’s time for her night shift. She kisses my forehead and gives me a loving hug. “You’re my saving grace, Trinity.”

“I know, I’m great.” I say jokingly and she smiles.

“I’ll be home around the time school starts.” I nod.

“K. Love you.” She leaves and I find a movie on TV. I lie down, pulling a blanket over me and close my eyes for a moment.

“You look very serene.” I gasp and choke on my saliva as I push myself up. “I didn’t mean to disturb you. I just knew you weren’t asleep and wouldn’t be sleeping.” I sigh.

“Sheesh! You scared the bajeebers out of me.” I say, turning around to see him on the staircase. He smiles.

“Do you often make up words?”I pull the blankets over my shoulder and make room for him on the couch.

“I feel it saves time when I don’t know a real word.” I tell him.

“You’re very sweet to your mother.”

“Of course. I love her.” He nods.

“Yes, I can tell. It’s very sweet of you to take care of her.” I nod. “But I do have a question, Trinity.” I look him in his softening brown eyes.

“Yes?”

“Who’s taking care of you?”

“Me.” I tell him. “And Ami and Lira and my mom. Are you going to be doing this often?”

“Doing what?”

“Breaking and entering.” I tell him. He shrugs.

“You can expect me to always be near you.” I look at him.

“Who’s protecting Ami then?”

“A man named Jadus.” I look at him, confused.

“We’re....we aren’t going to have a normal life again, are we?” I whisper. He smiles.

“You never did, Trinity. Of course, with the death of your only protecter you’ve been ignored. And Ami has never truly had anyone strong in her family. You two are an important piece of warfare.”

“What do you mean?” I whisper.

“Nothing, Trinity. You have nothing to worry your pretty little head about.” Anger flares up inside of me.

“Don’t demean me! If I’m a nuclear bomb I want to know! I want to know how I can be used and...” I stop. “War? You mean....OUR war? The one our soldiers are dying for? The POINTLESS war?!” I ask angrily. “How the HELL am I a piece of weaponry to that kind of war?!” He laughs.

“That’s not the war you’re a part of, Trinity.” I blink.

“Is there a secret government type war?” I whisper, knowing the answer.

“No.”

“An underground war?” I ask, feeling the blackness of any answer he could give me. I feel the world caving in, the demons coming out at night, the darkness spreading, the malicious intent, the pure evil that will become of the world if something is to go awry. 

“No.”

“A...A TV war?”

“No.”

“A fake war?”

“Certainly not.”

“What happens if you win the war?”

“Absolutely nothing to you.” He tells me. Staring into his eyes, I dare to ask,

“And if they win?” He stares at me, not flinching in the least.

“Life as you know it is over.”

“My life?” He looks around, as if staring at all people and creatures of the world, then back to me.

“All life.” It was a simple statement for him. There was silence.

“What would be the wrong choice?” I ask.

“To go with him.”

“Dash?”

“No. You know who.” Each answer was simple and common knowledge, it seemed. Everything he said was so sure and not bothering to him. Though, for me, my entire world is crashing down around me.

“I can’t escape?”

“Nope. And Ami will die trying.”

“She WHAT?!”

“She’s going to die trying to run away.” He tells me. “It’s an inevitability we’ve found.” I gulp.

“No, you’re a liar.” I hop off the couch and run out to my car, barely managing to grab my keys off the table. I start the car and drive off maniacally to Ami’s house. When I get there, I run up to the door and start pounding.

“COMING!” I hear Ami yell. When she sees me she smiles. “HEY LOVE!” She says, tossing her arms around me. “Want to see my sexy protector?”

“Ami, listen, I need you to promise me something. If you break this promise I swear I’ll never ever, EVER talk to you EVER! I swear to God, I swear on my father, my grandma’s, my MOM’S grave! I swear! You need to listen to me NOW.” Her eyes have grown wide. I take her hands in mine and bore my eyes into hers.

“What is it? I’ll promise you!”

“You can’t run away. Don’t ever run away, you’ll die.” She stares at me. “Unless I tell you it’s OK, you have to STAY! Don’t ever run away.” She quickly pulls me into her arms.

“I promise, I promise.” She coos to me. “Come on, lets get some sweets in you before you fall apart.”