The Kind

Chapter Eight

Viralynn was lost in a room of endless darkness. There were no doors, and no windows. There was one light, but it did nothing to reveal anything of the people she was speaking to. Then again, she doubted she wanted to see their faces. They would probably try to kill her if she did. And strong though she was, she knew they could do it. The masters of the Kind, ancient and powerful, were not a force to be defied lightly. 
“You attacked him?” a voice shot out from the darkness.
“Yes,” she answered calmly.
“Directly?” came another voice, as cold as the first, but slippery like ink.
“No. He lives with a woman, a human. She was my first target.”
“To kill the witness?” The third voice belonged to a woman.
“I don’t believe she knew what he is.”
“That is not important. If he has become involved with a human, then she must die as well.”
“How did the human escape?” the inky voice asked.          
“Silas interfered.”
“You assured us that would not be an issue. Go back, kill the traitor, and any humans he has become involved with.”
“It will be done.” Viralynn held her chin up against the darkness.
“You understand the penalty if you fail?” the first voice asked.
“I do,” she answered.
“Then go.”
Viralynn immediately left the door-less room the only way she could.

“More bruises?” Dr. Carlisle had moved the pen-light from her eyes, but Sarah still blinked twice for the moment.
“I… tripped,” she replied, knowing he would never believe her. But there was no way she could explain she had been training to use telekinetic fight moves, instead of recovering from her fight with Viralynn.
Dr. Carlisle raised an eyebrow. He knew a lost cause when he saw one. At least, he knew a career-fighter when he saw one, and was thankful she gave as well as she got. “Please, try to rest. I can’t guarantee you won’t be back in here soon if you’re not careful.”
“I know, Doc,” she said, pushing up from the bed. “I’ll take it easy.”
There had been no sign of Viralynn – or any Kind – for a week. Sarah had spent nearly every day of that time training her new-found abilities, although by her judgement they still didn’t amount to much. She wasn’t pulling up lamp poles any time soon, that much she knew.

Silas was waiting for her outside, leaning against a wall.
“Hi Viktor… I mean… sorry. I’m not used to your real name yet.”
He regarded her with pained eyes. “I told you, I don’t mind. ‘Viktor’ was my real name for a long time, and it was my name when I met you: that’s all I need.”
Sarah put one hand on his shoulder: her fighter’s stance for talking. “I know, but it was also the name you used when you were in hiding. I don’t want you to hide anymore.”
He brought her in closer, speaking softly. “You’re sure?”
“Absolutely,” she smiled a wide, infectious smile. “Besides, you’ve shown me a whole world since that day: a whole new life. Everything’s changed now, we can go anywhere, live anywhere, do anything! What’s a name compared to all that?”
Now it was his turn to smile. “Ok then.” He glanced quickly up and down the hall. “You ready?”
She nodded excitedly: “Do it!”
A rush of wind and they were gone.

Sarah never fully accustomed to the rush of sights and sounds that came with teleporting, but at least her legs didn’t go weak when they arrived anymore. Silas didn’t have to hold her so tightly when they travelled either – it was enough for him to just hold her hand.
The sounds of bird calls greeted them. All around were tall trees and a hundred shades of green forest. Silas waited while she looked around – not at the trees, but at the grass below, until she found what she was looking for: a hairbrush, very old and missing several teeth. After about three days Sarah had decided to begin marking her favourite places with small objects, things she wouldn’t miss. ‘Markers,’ she’d called them: little guides to tell her exactly where they had arrived each time they travelled.
“Ok,” she called, replacing the brush. “We can start now.”
When no reply came she tried again. “Silas?” Still no answer. Something tapped her shoulder. Sarah spun but still she saw nothing.
“Silas!” she yelled. Another tap, another spin. Again nothing, just endless forest.
“Damn it, Silas.” she felt the frustration building. The tap came again and she spun faster than ever, this time tripping over his outstretched foot. She fell flat on the grass, or would have, if he hadn’t caught her in mid air. When she was back on her feet she pounded her fists into his chest.
“That’s… not… fair!” she yelled between strikes. He was laughing now, and took her wrists in his hands.
“Of course not: but you asked me to train you, and that’s what I’m doing.”
“But jumping around and tapping my shoulder?” She pulled her wrists free and looked at him. He was trying to keep the air light but there was tension there too. The amusement from before was gone, and fear had found its way home.
“You’ve spent you life training humans to fight, but the Kind are different. They’re dangerous: they move differently, fight differently, and because of that, they start to think differently. They won’t come at you face-to-face.”
Sarah thought for a moment, letting the words sink in. “Viralynn did, at the house. She stood right in front of me.”
Silas fell silent. Some thought or idea seemed to be choking him.
“What?” she asked. “What is it?”
He ran a hand through his hair before answering. “She wasn’t fighting then, she was playing with you. You weren’t a threat. To her, killing you was a game.”
Sarah had suspected as much from the beginning, but the words still hurt.
“That’s why you need to train me, so I can show her I’m not just a game!” She moved her feet into a ready pose and raised her fists. “Let’s go.”
Silas smiled a very tight smile. It was her determination that gave him hope. The smile fell away as the fear returned. The smile fell, and the training began.