4At a time when our city was in peril, wars between races, wars between sexes, wars between families, we had only one hope. He went by Obsidian. Who really knew his real name. He had no true identity. He didn't need one as long as he kept doing what he was best at. Keeping the peace (as well as anyone could given the circumstances), keeping the innocents safe, and being the invisible light in the darkness.
I remember the first time I saw him. Well, I didn't see him. I only saw his eyes. Oh gosh, his eyes. They were more than just eyes. They were endless pools of blue, so dark it was hard to tell if they were blue or as black as his name. It wasn't the color really that got to me though, no. What really hit me and made my heart yearn for him was that he was crying. And he was crying for me. Silent tears slid down under the mask he was wearing and he didn't try to hide it. I've always believed that eyes can reveal so much about a person. This man showed who he really was through the tears and the emotions spilling through his eyes. He was sad, there was loss mirrored in his eyes. I knew he had seen a lot and I can imagine it had not been easy.
He rescued me from a mob of men who were going to rape me. All of them were bragging about it, after they beat me, I was laying on the ground in loads of pain and they were discussing who would go first. And then, they weren't even going to kill me. That was the worst part. I wouldn't want to live with the memories. They were men who loved to drive people to suicide. But before they could even begin, Obsidian swept in like a storm and took down all of them; they didn't even have the chance to fight back.
That's when he looked at me. He knelt down by my already bruised body and touched my hair with a gloved hand. I wasn't with him for over a minute, but I felt the connection. I knew I had to meet him again. I needed to be with this man. I couldn't find my voice or I would have asked for his true name, or asked him to take me with him or something. But no, I stared helplessly into his grief stricken eyes and made the mistake of blinking. When my eyes were open again, he was gone. I didn't even get to thank him.
I lived in a city, whose name I don't even say anymore. It was caged in and always dark. Nobody could leave, and I assume nobody would want to enter the great caged city. The mayor dictated everything. His cruelty is what started the wars. He manipulated people and fed on their fears and weaknesses. He turned everyone against another person while he sat up in his mansion, loving his power. The people who listened to him, who fell into his lies, loved him. They became like mindless zombies when asked to do something by him. There were very few who saw him for what he truly was.
I was one of the few scattered throughout the city known as 'innocents'. We were the ones who didn't fall prey to the mayor's evil ways. None of us lived together, it would have been to obvious that we were innocents when none of us started killing each other. We did have a way of communicating though. We had a gadget installed in all of our houses that we could talk to each other, but we never were seen together. We wanted peace and normalcy. We wanted that devil off of his throne and where he belonged… I would have just preferred to escape, but that was impossible. Anyone who was caught trying to leave were executed, no trial was given to them. So we lived in the darkness, hiding from the authorities, acting mean in public whenever we had to brave it to get things like food. It was a lonely, hard life being an innocent. But at least I didn't have blood on my hands and guilt in my heart.
Cooped up in my apartment with nothing else to do, I decided to find a way to get Obsidian to come to me again. But I didn't really have to. I was standing at my open window when he landed on the ledge by it, seemingly falling from the sky. I backed away from my window eager to let him in. He came in and quickly shut it behind him. Now that he was there, I had no idea what to say to him. He spoke first, in a calm deep voice that gave away his sorrow, just as his eyes did.
"It's not safe for you to stand at your window, Regina," he said. My eyes widened. He knew my name? "Yes, I know your name," he said. I hadn't realized I had said my thoughts out loud. "You didn't say them out loud Regina. I can hear them," he said, closing the blinds and turning away from the window, yet still away from me.
"How is that possible?" I finally breathed out.
"How is it possible that I know whenever an innocent is in trouble? How is it possible that I can appear in one place to another just by thinking about it? How is it possible that I have more strength than any man should?" He asked. I assumed it was rhetorical, or just trying to get his point across. "Are you still so fascinated by me now?" The pain in his voice was overwhelming.
"Do you even need me to reply?" I asked softly. He gave a humorless laugh.
"Just because I can read your thoughts, doesn't mean you can't talk. I prefer real conversation, though I haven't had one since the mayor came to town and began spilling lies to everybody," he said bitterly.
"Why did you come?" I asked him, sitting down in a very old, very uncomfortable couch. It was the only piece of furniture I had besides a mattress in a separate room.
"There are many reasons, most of them I don't want to give to you," he said quietly. He still hadn't turned to me and I wanted to see his eyes again. As I thought that his posture got even more stiff, if that were possible. "It'd be best for you to forget about me Regina," he said softly. "Whatever you think of me, and remember I know everything you do think of me, is false. I'm not somebody you want to be obsessed with," he said. I was going to argue with the word obsessed but decided against it, because that's what it was bordering on if I was honest with myself.
"You do so much good though Ob-," I stopped myself. I wanted his real name, not an identity that others gave to him. "What's your name?" I asked. He didn't answer for a long while.
"Caydum is my birth given name. And as for me doing good, if I have these things that I can do, things that can help, it's my duty to. It's not because of who I am as a person," he said, finally turning to face me. I was still stuck on his name, I had heard it before I couldn't remember where or why it was so familiar to me. I looked him over from head to foot. He was extremely tall and built with long legs, narrow hips and broad shoulders. He was dressed in all black and the only visible parts of him were his mouth and his eyes. I tried not to think about what looking at his frame did to me as a woman, instead going back to the subject and forgetting the block in my brain and why I couldn't place the name.
"But you could have used it to help the mayor, instead you're using it to help people like me. I don't believe that you can be all that bad. You're like a hero to the innocents," I said. He scowled.
"I am no hero. I'm just doing what any good person would do if they had my abilities," he paused. "I have to go," he said.
"Wait! Wait, give me at least one of the reasons that you came to see me," I pleaded. He looked at me through narrowed eyes, scrutinizing me.
"You intrigue me," he said simply, and then he was gone. I fell back in to my dilapidated couch and sighed. I hoped he would come and see me again.
Despite what he said, I could not get him off of my mind. Who was that man really? His answers to my questions just made me think about him more. I barely paid attention to the fact that he had powers that no normal human had. It didn't matter to me. It didn't catch my interest, only the man himself did. I was thinking about doing something stupid, getting caught by a group of guys at the risk of Caydum not coming, just so maybe he would come. I needed to see him.
There was a knock on my window after I had that last stupid thought. My heart started beating faster, but it was just a gentle knock and I was on the fifth floor. So who could have really gotten up here except the object of my obsession? I ran over to the window, peeking through the blinds first, just in case I was wrong. I wasn't. I quickly opened the window and let him in. He shut it like last time before turning to me and pushing me against the wall, hard.
"Don't think things like that Regina. Don't. I can't be there for everybody and I do not want you hurt. If you wish to see me that bad, that you'd actually risk your own life or dignity, I'll come to you. But don't ever do what you were just planning!" He wasn't yelling, but he was talking in a stronger voice than I had heard before. I nodded, a little shaken by his sudden violence. But I saw the fear in his eyes. He couldn't hide his emotions from me.
"I- I'm sorry," I said meekly. He sighed and ran his gloved hand down my face.
"I haven't come, hoping you'd forget about me. But I've kept tabs on your thoughts, it's much easier now that I've met you," he said, pulling away from me and sitting on my couch. He said a word under his voice that sounded like 'again' but I figured I was imagining it. I went and sat next to him and saw him stiffen.
"Does being in this close proximity with me make you that uncomfortable?" I asked quietly. He relaxed slightly, but I could tell it was taking a lot of force.
"I haven't been this close to somebody in a very long time, besides when I'm fighting. Forgive me if it takes awhile to get use to it," he said with pain in his voice. I wanted to rub his back or something to try and comfort him, but if he was that uncomfortable just sitting by me, I could only imagine his reaction to me actually touching him. "Go ahead," he whispered. I had forgotten momentarily that he could read my thoughts. I slowly brought my hand to his back and began to rub it. At first he was stiffer, but he slowly began to relax. I felt him sigh completely getting rid of all the rigidness. I smiled.
He turned his head and looked at me then with tear glazed eyes. I had never met another person who wore their heart on their sleeve as he did. "You would think that this city would have hardened me by now," he started, "but every day it just gets worse. I see horrible things. I witness murder and rape, I see the innocents crying and the rest of the city uncaring. It tugs at me and makes me able to do what I keep doing, but I can't stop the crying, nor do I want to. I don't feel like it makes me less of a man," he said.
"I don't either Caydum. I believe that a person who can show their emotions is much stronger than someone who doesn't. You don't see the others crying or showing anything besides anger and greed, and they are not good people," I agreed. We were silent for awhile, I continued rubbing his back. I could feel the toned muscles under his black jacket.
"I'm trying to figure out a way to get the innocents out of here. Between rescuing them from the others and doing things necessary to keep living, like eat and drink, I haven't had much time. I've gone along the whole north side of the city and there's no break in security. I'm starting on the west side later," he said.
"Can't you just think about the outside of the city and go there?" I asked.
"I've never tried it with another person. I know I can do it, I've never had a reason to go out of the city because the innocents need me here. But I'm not sure it would work, trying to transport another person," he said.
"You can try with me," I offered. "Not outside of the city, but just to the other side of the room or something."
I didn't think he was going to do it. He just sat there for a long time, letting me rub his back. I didn't push him, I didn't want to. I figured the longer he had to think about it, the longer he would be with me. I was so lonely, but I hadn't thought about that until I met him. It didn't matter that I had no one until that one fateful night that he had saved me.
"Alright," he finally said. "Let's try it," he said standing up. I followed his lead. He turned toward me nervously. "Um, should I hold you or how do you want to try it?" He asked, looking at me with those eyes I loved.
"Sure," I said, stepping close to him. I hugged his torso, realizing just how tall he was at that moment. His arms hesitantly wrapped around me. I looked up at him as he closed his eyes. Suddenly I wasn't in his hold anymore and he was standing over by my door. He heaved a defeated sigh. "Let's try it again," I offered. "This time I'll think about the place too," I said and he walked back over to me. He wasn't as hesitant this time as his arms went back around me. But he was too quick. I wasn't thinking of the spot before my door and he was already there. "Maybe you should use your gift of mind reading to make sure I'm ready before you go again," I said with humor in my voice. "Does it make you that nervous to be holding onto me?"
"No," he paused. "And yes. Like I said, it's been awhile since I've been this close to somebody."
"Just relax, it's been awhile for me too. I rather enjoy it," I said blushing. I didn't need to say that part out loud, even though he knew because he could read my mind. He sighed again and came over to me, not hesitant in the least to put his arms around me. He held on tighter too. I gave him a squeeze just basking in the feel of another human. I made sure to think about where he had landed the last two times and closed my eyes. I didn't feel anything, but I was still in his embrace. I opened my eyes and we were standing in front of my door. I let out a laugh.
"It worked!" I yelled and squeezed him tight before letting go reluctantly. He had a small smile gracing his lips.
"Good, then I can get you out of this hell hole," he said firmly. I shook my head.
"No, I'm going to be the last innocent. You get all of the others out first," I said. He glared at me.
"You are the only one I would truly feel a loss for if anything happened to you. I want you to go first," he argued. I walked up to him and put a hand on his face.
"And I don't want to go out into the world by myself. I'm going to be the last one and then you can come with me," I said quietly. "I'm also the one who came up with the idea so you should do as I ask," I added with a small smug smile. He sighed.
"Fine, but I don't like it. I'm going to go and find a safe place to go outside of the cage, somewhere far enough a way that the guards won't be able to see us."
"Come back when you find a spot, I want to know you're okay too. Even if I'm sleeping, wake me up," I told him. He nodded and then stared at me for a moment, longing in his eyes before he disappeared from my sight. I hoped he would be okay.
I was sleeping when he showed up. I felt his gloved hand caress my face, waking me from my slumber. I opened my eyes and smiled tiredly at him. He seemed calm and he kept his hand on my face. I cleared the sleep from my throat.
"Did you find a place?" I asked. He nodded.
"I'm not sure how I will get everyone there though," he said quietly. "We had to be thinking about the same place for it to work, and no one has ever seen the outside of the city, so it could be difficult."
"What's it like?" I asked almost desperately. He sighed.
"Beautiful. I saw the sun for the first time in years. You'll see it soon. I promise," he said sincerely. I put my hand over his and saw his eyes go to it. "Would you believe me if I said there was one beautiful place still left in the city?"
"Is there?" I asked. He slowly nodded. "Then yes, I believe you," I said.
"I want to try something, it could be the answer to our problems. But you need to get some warmer clothes on. It's chilly out," he said softly. I nodded before stretching. I watched his eyes as they looked over my body. He shut them tightly and took a deep breath. I smiled to myself. He thought I was pretty, when was the last time someone thought I was pretty? Never really. I'd always been too large and my teenage years had been awkward.
"I don't just think you're pretty Regina. You're beautiful. I've always thought so," he said with so much sincerity I wanted to cry. "Change your clothes and we'll try my idea," he said before leaving my room. I sighed before putting on all the clothes I had which weren't many. But if I put them all on they blocked out most of the chilly weather that we always had in the city.
I walked out into the living room after putting all my clothes on and found Caydum staring out my window. "So what's your plan?" I asked quietly. He turned to me.
"When we do the traveling thing, I want you to think about being with me. I think that if you're concentrating on going wherever I am, it might work," he said. I nodded. That'd be an easy task seeing as he was all that was on my mind recently. I stepped close to him and he wrapped his arms around me. I closed my eyes and thought of him. I thought of going wherever he was going, thought of looking into those blue eyes of his, thought of seeing his soft, barely noticeable smile. I thought of never leaving his side again. And when I opened my eyes I was on top of a building.
This wasn't just any building. It was the tallest building in the city. It was so tall that when you looked at it from afar, the top wasn't visible through the clouds and smog. It had worked. I was deathly afraid of heights, but the surface was fairly flat, so I felt kind of safe. I looked around me and could see the tops of the clouds. It was as if I was literally sitting on clouds, and when I looked up tears came to my eyes. I could see the stars. Oh, they were beautiful. The moon was out too, full and shining. I reached one of my arms up, taking it off of Caydum's torso. I felt as if I could touch the moon I was so close. Of course I couldn't, but the kid in me still tried.
"Wow," was all I could breathe out. I stared at the moon for another minute, letting a few tears freely fall down my cheeks. "I've always loved the moon," I told him.
"I know," he said quietly. It was almost as if we were afraid to talk too loud or the spell would be broken.
"Right, the whole mind reading thing," I said. He shook his head.
"No, that's not how I know," he said sighing. I looked up at him as he let go of me, sitting on the edge of the building. I sat on the cement floor, not daring to get that close to the edge. "The old man warned me against this, but I'm going to do it anyway," he said. I looked at him, confused.
"The old man? What did he warn you against?"
"Telling anybody who I am. He said no one's to be trusted. But I've known you, well…" He stopped, scratching his head. "I wasn't always like this Regina. I was made this way," he said solemnly. "You don't remember me. He said no one from my past life would unless they saw my face. But I found you again, and I want you to know. I know I can trust you," he said slowly. I was so confused.
"So, show me your face so I can remember you," I said. I was anxious now. He sighed and nodded. He slowly began to unwrap his head covering. He was doing it too slowly and my nerves were jumping all over the place. Finally the last piece was off, but he had turned his head away from me. I stood up and walked over to him, even though it was too close to the edge for my liking. I grabbed both sides of his face and gently turned his head towards me. Suddenly it was like I was shot back in time.
He hadn't grown out of his baby fat yet, neither had I, but I guess I never did. We were sitting in a sand box, having a castle building contest. I was always a sore loser and when I saw all the detail in his castle I got angry and smashed it to the ground. "Hey!" He exclaimed. "I worked hard on that!" His pout was adorable.
"Yeah, well now you lost, cause it's gone. I'm the winner," I said in a snotty tone.
"No fair, you're a cheater!" I saw his eyes, so innocent just like we were, they started getting wet. My younger self frowned.
"Hey, don't cry. I'm sorry. We can build a new one together," I offered. He sniffed and wiped his nose with his sleeve.
"Alright," he said in a small voice. "Hey, do you wanna be my friend?" He asked shyly. I smiled at him.
"Okay."
"Caydum! Quit being such a tease!" A seventeen year old version of myself said as he slowly worked his shirt over his head. Even then I was impatient and ran over to pull it over his head for him. But he was running away, dropping his shirt back over his body in the process.
"Gina! Patience is a virtue," he said with a laugh in his voice. "I thought guys were supposed to be the horny ones," he added in an amused voice. I growled, speeding up and jumping on his back. I loved how he could hold my weight because I was a big girl.
"Come on," I whispered in his ear. "If you keep running away I'm just going to say no to the whole thing," I threatened. He turned his head towards me.
"G, we both know that's an empty threat. You can't resist my bod," he said and kissed me.
"Regina, I need to do this, our city is going to hell and if I can help stop that from happening I have to," he said with sadness in his voice. He was kneeling in front of me as I sat on a couch in my parent's house. I wouldn't look at him.
"What about all our plans? We're going to get out of here, we're going to see the world Cay," I said desperately. "You promised to take me to Germany!" I looked up at him finally and saw the sadness etched into his beautiful face.
"When I come back, we'll do all that. I promise. But first I need to do this, and then I want you to marry me," he said. My eyes widened. "Yes Gina, I'm asking you to marry me when I get back," he said softly, cupping my face. "Please, be my wife?" He pleaded with me. I brought my hand up to his face, tracing every line, from his forehead to his brow to his cheeks, where he had a scar going along the left one from a fishing accident, and then his lips which were so full and soft, and then his nose which had been broken once but it added to his ruggedly handsome appearance. I cupped his face and kissed him lightly.
"I'm worried you won't come back," I finally whispered, tears falling from my eyes. He wiped them away.
"I'll always come back for you Regina. I love you," he said and sealed it with a kiss.
I was launched back to the present time and found that Caydum was holding my arms tightly and my hands were still on his face. I remembered everything.
"You never came back," I whispered. Tears were falling down my face.
"I wanted to. I always wanted to. But I met a man. He told me that the innocents would need me. I thought he was crazy G. Back then there were no innocents. I thought he was on crack. But he put his hands on my head and suddenly I was thrown into the future and I saw everything he was talking about. I knew I had to do it, even if it meant losing you. Once I made my choice, I guess that all of the powers he had went to me. He showed me that you would be one of the innocents that I saved. I always knew you were good Gina. I looked everywhere for you. And one night I found you and you were beaten so bad. I wanted to stay and help you more than I did, but I knew I couldn't. I just can't hold back anymore. I need you to know who I am if I'm going to do this. You've always been my strength," he said. I heard the intense emotion in his voice.
I kissed his cheeks, his forehead, his chin, his eyes and nose and finally his lips. It was like coming home again. He returned my kiss with passion. It was so familiar, yet so new. Everything was different and still the same. He wrapped his arms around me and I clung to his neck. He pushed himself off the wall and we ended up on the cement roof. I instantly reached for his pants, undoing them quickly. I felt him smile against my mouth. "You still can't resist my bod," he said cockily and I saw some of the spark back into those brilliant eyes of his.
"Shut up," I said before covering his mouth with my own. "We don't have time for patience right now Caydum and I want you," I added before continuing my assault on his pants. He did the same to me. Quicker than I could of imagined my pants were off and his hand was caressing me with one hand while he put my pants under me with the other.
"Sorry we don't have more time for foreplay love, I know how much you like it," he breathed out and then he was in me. It was the fastest, roughest lovemaking of my life and it was absolutely perfect. At the end of it all he was collapsed on top of me breathing heavily. He pushed himself up on his elbows and kissed my forehead. "I still love you Regina. And when we get out of here, I still want to marry you," he whispered. I smiled.
"Good, cause I'm not letting you get away," I replied. He smiled at me and kissed me softly.
"As much as I'd love to bask in the ambiance, we need to get started on getting the innocents out," he said before standing up and pulling up his pants. He gave me a hand and I stood up, bending over to grab my jeans and slipped them on quickly. He held out his arms for me after he put his wraps back on and in the next instant we were in my house.
I ran to my only link to the other innocents, talking in code, telling them I had found a way out. There were immediate responses from the other twenty-two. They gave me their locations. I offered to write them down, but Caydum as Obsidian didn't need to. He remembered all of them. Once everyone had given their location I turned around and he was already gone. I furrowed my eyebrows. Way to let me in on his plan. I sat on my couch and waited anxiously.
One hour passed. Then two. It shouldn't have taken that long. There were only twenty-two people and it was a quick pop and they were at their destination. So where was he? I paced my living room impatiently. I was afraid, so afraid that someone had been caught. That Caydum was hurt, that he- no I wouldn't think it. He was strong and smart. He could do it.
Another agonizingly long hour later he showed up. He was bleeding from his arm, and he walked to me with a limp. "G, we have to go now," he said urgently. I didn't argue. I just ran into his arms. "Concentrate on me love, with all your might, okay?" He said. I nodded and closed my eyes. Reliving all of the memories that played in my head earlier. Focusing on being with Caydum forever. "Open up your eyes," he said softly. I opened and immediately shut my eyes. The sun was blinding. My body stiffened. Sun? I slowly opened my eyes again, squinting. Tears welled up in my eyes. Sun! It had been so long since I'd seen it. I looked around me. We were hidden in trees and I saw the large cage of the city. No sun shone over the city, it was ominous and large and I was so glad to be out of it. I squeezed Caydum and he flinched.
I took notice of the blood again. "Caydum, honey what happened?" I asked. "Sit down," I added. He slowly sat.
"I got all of them out without problem until I came to the fifth to the last. They caught us and started to shoot. I got the last five out okay, trying to get further and further away from the view of the men guarding the walls, but the further I got away from the city, the weaker my powers became. So I told them that as soon as we were out they would have to run. I appeared on all sides of the city, so they weren't sure where to look, and I think everyone made it okay. But they got me in the arm and leg.
"I'm guessing I won't be able to do this anymore, now that I'm out of the city. It makes since considering I was just supposed to be there for the innocents. Since they're all out and don't need me anymore, I'll probably be pretty normal again," he said. "I hope that doesn't bore you," he tried humor but his flinching ruined it.
"We have to get to a hospital Caydum. I don't want to be out of the city without you. I can't let you bleed to death," I said and stood, pulling him with me. He leaned heavily on my shoulder and we began to walk away from the city, away from the greed, away from the pain, and into the sun.
"Everything's going to be okay now Regina. I'll get all fixed up and we'll find a way to Germany," he said, kissing the side of my head. I smiled at him as we got closer towards the town and further away from what was once our prison.
"We don't need to go anywhere Cay, as long as your with me I don't care where I am."
Right, soooo that's just something I came up with watching a movie and it didn't end up how I originally planned, but I like it. Except for the ending. I wanted to do something different, but this is what I came up with.
Anyway my new chapter of Sweet is Revenge will be up as soon as I finish it… Which will happen only if I start it. Which means I need to stop being a slacker. Reviews are nice, they give me faith in my writing. So if you'd be so kind. I'd really appreciate it. It wasn't really well thought out, but I might go back and edit it, so if you have any suggestions I'd be happy to hear them. Thanks.