Part Nine: Flux

Drake closed his eyes and sighed as he thought of his past- the things he'd done. The memories flickered through his mind leaving dirty stains, the echoing voices of those he had hurt pierced his ears like thorns. He opened his eyes, saw the hate standing in front of him and the knife that glistened with malevolence. He closed them again, and waited for the blade to pierce his flesh.



On the wall a clock pulsed out a dull rhythm, each second like cruel laughter. Drake felt like he was holding his breath for too long, and then he realised that he'd been holding it for years now, and a bit more couldn't make a difference. Just a bit longer now, just a few more moments until the pain and the relief. One more second.
Drake opened his eyes again, and saw that the knife was not heading for his vitals like he expected, in fact it was much further away, in fact it was lying on the floor. He had been so tense he hadn't even heard it drop. Over by the doorway Glade consoled his friend.



Kale was not a murderer. He'd had his chance to wound before and he had let it pass him by, for Heather. Now she was gone he didn't think he'd be able to resist a second time, but as he'd thought of his son he realised that he could never be a demon. Kale felt like a coward for not having the strength to kill- to seek revenge for his wife- but deep down he knew it was what Heather would have wanted.
Turning back to the vampire Kale left with a warning. This was not over, and if the vampire did not cease to exist in Riverview then he would find a way to end him, that was a promise.



Back at the house Lexie and the newly grown-up Maia awaited the return of the others. The initial shock of seeing Maia transform like that had deeply distressed Lexie; really it was just a step too far in an already disturbing day, but after a short while she managed to calm down and control her panic. Lacking understanding of the whole situation was hard, but Lexie still thought of Maia as a little girl despite her current predicament, and so she did her best to care for the child; getting her some clothes to wear and making her some food. In time the two women were settled, and as the sun began to announce the beginning of a brand new day they heard the sound of voices, and footsteps on the stairs.



As Glade entered the hallway he balked at the sight of Maia. His heart lurched and his throat grew dry, because to Glade this was a stranger- a stranger. Given recent events even the most steadfast would be prone to panic when coming across an uninvited visitor, and as Glade stared at the girl his first thought was of Maia. What if this was another cruel trick? What if something had happened to her?
Glade gulped in oxygen in alarm as he thought of his little sister. If anything happened to Maia he thought he'd die and if this stranger had done something to her then she'd die too and ohmygod it's not a stranger at all it's Maia- it's Maia. Glade didn't know how or why, he only knew that looking into her eyes told him all he needed to know. Maia was safe and oh-so-alive. He hugged her close to make sure.



Later that day the parts tried to pull themselves together as they said goodbye to Heather. It was a quiet affair, only leaves rustling in a cool breeze and the occasional sound of hacked sobs shaking Kale's body as he mourned his wife. The others tried to be there for him but there was nothing they could do- his heart was broken.



When his friends were gone and Kale was alone he revelled in silence. All day long they'd pleaded with him to let them stay- to let them help- but the assistance Kale needed could not be provided by human cause. What Kale needed was something more; something mystical.
As a ghost he knew that life did not necessarily end with just death, and he hoped desperately that he could prove that now. It wasn't possible though- the sad irony was that the only person who could have saved Heather was herself, but Kale had determination on his side. Now was not the time though, and it couldn't happen in Riverview. Kale needed to give himself and his son a better life, and to do that he would have to leave.



In Glade's house ignorance was bliss. After the horror of the day Lexie couldn't face going home alone and Glade wouldn't let her anyway, so as the sun began to sink into the earth the couple crawled into bed together, and tried to forget.



Maia, now much too large for her crib, was resigned to the sofa, and she scrunched up and tried to make herself as small as possible; uncomfortable in her new form. Yes she had wished for it, but she didn't really expect it to happen- and even as her bones had begun to crack and twist she hadn't expected it to happen, and even after it was over she hadn't expected it to happen. Now though she was in a state of flux, stuck between being a child and being a grown-up, and clueless as to what to do next. All she knew now was that, should a vampire ever try to mess with her again, she could most certainly defend herself.



Across town Drake was still alone. It had been nearly twenty-four hours since Silver had left, and with the night now creeping across the town once again he knew he could begin to look for her. Something made him resist though, something like fear.
Drake's fear stemmed from knowledge, an understanding of Silver that went beyond normal human connection. He knew her because he had made her, and so he was only too aware of what she was capable of.



Hurting others was of no consequence to Silver, in fact she revelled in it, and so when she decided to play a visit to her King she knew where it would lead, and she did not care.



Later that night, satisfied in their seduction, Avalon and Silver discussed future plans. The war with the others was far from over, and Avalon was confident that this recent casualty was to be the first of many. And of course there was that other matter to consider...
In a town like Riverview gossip is everything; rumours were often more a warning than a pasttime, because with so much to hide there was always someone after you. Lately talk had been of The Shadow. People said he was coming, and he would tear the town apart as he searched for the one he'd lost. No one knew who he was, only that they should fear him.
Avalon and Silver were not afraid.



In the days that passed sadness clouded the world. Heather's death still burned like sickness, and the sheer absence of her spirit was a constant reminder of everything they'd lost. Perhaps the only one immune was Maia.
Following her transition Maia had struggled to find her place. No longer a child she longed to greet the world and be part of it, but the mourning of the others was a constant cloud, and she couldn't get out from under it's shade.



But although Maia was trapped in her existence, Kale had other plans. When Heather had brought him back it had been a miracle, but one purely of her own design. Now he knew it was no accident, and that Heather had learnt the methods she'd utilized somehow.
He remembered the room where she'd spent her life up until she became his; there were always so many books there. Kale was willing to bet that some of those books were about the very thing he needed, he only hoped that they had remained intact all these years.
When the time was right, Kale gathered the only belonging he needed anymore- his son Cayden- and left the house.



As Kale slipped silently out into the night he of course thought of Glade, Lexie, and Maia. He despaired of leaving them, especially given the current tensions arising in Riverview, but he knew it was necessary. He left a note on Glade's doorstep, and hoped his friends would be okay.