Chapter 12 (redone)

CHAPTER 12: CAUGHT

The snap resonated throughout the empty theatre. A chair placed itself in the center of her back, pushing it up quickly, breaking her back nearly instantly. Her breath came in sharp, painful gasps. She closed her eyes, remembering the kiss once more. How similar both instances were. She turned her head up and screamed, blood staining her lips as it rose in the air, only to fall back down upon her face. Her body quickly reacted, the change taking place first in her bones. The pain ripped at her very soul as the bone broke into vines, winding together. The vicious, loving vines pushed their way through her body, over taking every inch. Soon it was possible to move, Katara turning onto her stomach and pushing up and away. She scurried her large frame out of the alley of seats, into the pathways to break the chairs apart. Another wolf-like creature was upon the balcony, where she had been moments before. Horns perched up from behind its ears, following the path of its snout. It barked out orders to the creatures in the air, and Kat, figuring it was time to leave, turned tail and thew herself through the doors. Her shoulder threw the doors open with enough momentum to land her atop a woman, who screamed, beating Katara with her purse. Kat quickly pulled herself away and swatted her nose. Vines upon her back snapped suddenly, a long, curved blade ripping through them with such ease. Katara howled, grimacing, the creature who attacked from the sky flying to its sanctity above the ground. She staggered forward, the woman she had fell on quickly getting to her feet, running, screaming, protecting her head. Vines regrew and attached together once more upon Kat's back. Her ears pricked up, her senses screaming. She leapt away, the other wolf-like creature jerking its horns into the air, attempting to catch her mid-leap. She landed several feet away, lips curled up to show off gleaming white teeth. The wolf before her pulled its lips up to reveal a smug smirk, creatures from the air screeching, reminding Katara she had to move. She darted away, the beast behind her howling, then pursuing her. Katara spanned out her senses, trying to figure out how long the beast's strides were; maybe she could out-run him. She pressed on, attempting to avoid creatures in the air by skidding into an alleyway, narrow enough to make her pursuer slam into the wall upon his left shoulder. He scowled, running after her as a mess of bodies slid into on another as they followed her. The creatures were small in body, wings expanding from their small frames and crowding the sky. Small, two fingered arms were perched at the center of their bodies, slightly larger legs with two toes landing themselves at the end of the ribcage, a tail branching out between them. A large, curved knife was sharped to a deadly point at the end of each tail, large, circular mouths with teeth lining every angle let out screams as more of them landed upon the other. Their eyes were large and took up most of their faces, and were curved in the shape of a piece of rice. Their numbers hit twenty before they managed to untangle themselves from one another and pushed forward after her. Katara turned a corner, jumping up and gripping the ladder of an apartment complex. The metal against her teeth screamed within her head, but it came loose and fell nonetheless. Her paws broke off and pushed her up through the small space, Katara clambering for the top of the roof. She heard screams from within opened windows, people scurrying their children away from the windows. The screeching beasts flew along side her, following her hurried path. She clawed her way to the roof, rewarded with bombardment of attacks from the sky. Suddenly, just as she was to leap off to the city below, the horned beast came to, growling and snapping at the sky. The attacks stopped, Katara at the edge of the building. Not much further till she could make it to the park. The park had trees, if she made it there, she could be safe from the sky. One leap off the building would give her enough distance to be at the park's border. The beast before her grinned at her, “Katara. Why are you running?” It's voice was raspy, deep. Kat scowled, her ears going back, a growl crawling from her jaws. The beast before her let out something between a cough and a laugh, the action shaking his body.
“Katara, you have nothing to fear from me. Don't you remember? I kissed you. Doesn't that mean anything to you?”
Katara took a step back as he approached but found her back paw hit bare air, Katara quickly bringing her foot back. He noticed and used the little space to his advantage, his face nearly against hers, both of them sharing the same breathing space. Suddenly Katara barked, snapping at his snout, blood painting her lips. Jerry pulled back, howling in pain, blood trailing down his nose, into his mouth. He glared at her, jaw set, growls exchanged between the blind and the vicious.
“Is that what you think of me now, Katara? Do you hate me so much that you'd cause me pain?”
Katara's back paw split into many vines, gripping the window below, giving her more space to back up. She didn't say anything, the growl still breaking her composure. He grinned, giving the odd laugh once more. “You can't speak in this form, can you? Shame. Shame, girl. I guess you're screams will have to do.” Instantly he leapt at her, and Kat, stuck in shock, managed to get thrown off the building, Jerry's jaws deep in her neck. Jerry clung to her neck, his paws against her chest, a grin evident on his face. Katara howled a pain struck howl, her voice barely making it out with Jerry's teeth deep in her neck. Her vines then split, her side ripping open, her tail's vines sharpening. Then, all at once, her body retaliated without her consent, the vines nearest to Jerry cutting through muscle and bone alike, piercing directly through him. Jerry's eyes widened, his jaw coming loose, frantic eyes scanning his body as he fell away from her, her vines recoiling. They both hit the ground but only one snap resonated loudly. Katara stood on her feet, the vines soaking up the impact, recoiling back into paws. Her senses ran over Jerry's body as he struggled to stand. Several holes had made themselves through his body, though none of them kept him off his feet. A gaping hole bled in each leg, several lined along his spine. He spat blood, managing a grin, Kat stepping back in horror.
“Didn't think you had that in you.” He spat, then howled, attacks from the sky bombarding her once more. As she turned and ran, Jerry managed to make it in front of her, his speed incredible. He catered one leg more, but it didn't hinder his speed. Kat stopped short, nearly hitting him, stepping back. He grinned, “You're still coming with us.”
The cowards in the sky then dropped down upon her once more, gripping her legs, wrapping her snout shut in several tails, closing up her way of breathing. They pulled her slowly off the ground, her only way of sight flickering off. She wished she knew how to separate her vines into violent weapons like she did moments before, but with little oxygen making its way to her lungs, she could barely even stay conscious.

****

Samuel sat in the tree, his legs up on the hard branch, his blonde hair ruffled and teased by the slight breeze. His back was leaning against the trunk of the tree and he was, of course, playing with fire. He opened his hand and let the fire travel across his fingers and up his arm so it sat inches away from his shoulder. He had already burnt his shirt, thus causing it to be tossed to the ground below. At the thought of it, he glanced down, his blue eyes searching over the yard to where it had landed. The red shirt was now covered in splotches of black as if he had painted and the words that were at one point clear as the moon in the starry sky, were now unreadable completely. He spied a car heading down the street towards his house, his flame, now unattended, spreading up his shoulder and perching as a bird. He blinked and closed his fist, the fire vanishing in a puff of foul smelling smoke, smelling much like burning skin. He leaned forward, his back arching and his muscles tensing with the movement. Soreness still took him from the last run in of training with Captain. The black, sports Porsche had the windows down and rode low to the ground, hugging it tightly with thin tires and sending a thick, violent beat flowing from it. It pulled smoothly onto the gravel of his farm house, cracking the small rocks and popping a few under the tires. The engine died down and the boy with a white jacket hood pulled up over his greasy, brown hair that held a bang that covered one eye, honked the horn and shouted at Samuel to get off the tree and get on a bloody shirt. The kid in the passenger seat laughed and made a teasing joke the was awarded by a laugh from the entire car. He leapt from the tree, his legs bending to take the pressure and spread it, then picked up his burnt shirt and slipped it on.
“You can't put that piece of crap on!” Shouted the asian behind the wheel, shaking his hooded head.
“Why not? Mom, I'm leaving!” He walked up next to the car and the passenger got out, pulled the seat forward, and Samuel slid into the middle seat. The passenger then got back onto the leather seats holding the heat from the sun and warming quickly when a Fotia, the official name for walking flamethrowers, settled into the back seat. The asian shrugged and laughed, “Your loss, Sammy boy. None of the girls'll go for you if you wear that.”
Samuel shrugged, exchanging hellos to the black kid next to him of strong, bulky build, a fighter, or Stratiotes, the boy to the other side of him, olive skinned with large wings now folded into the crooks in his back, an Adler, and the passenger, a pale, black haired kid, part of the few ice-wielders, or Pagos. Together they formed an odd looking group of all different specialties, all different colors, and all different secrets.
“Nah,” the Pagos teased, “he only needs to impress one girl, isn't that right, Sammy?” The Pagos let the last word slip into a high pitched 'girl's' voice, smirking wickedly. Samuel rolled his eyes, “It ain't like that, Nyne.”
“You wish it was!” The driver pitched in, looking over his shoulder and backing up steadily. Samuel didn't respond and just grinned and shrugged. The road become cracked pavement instead of gravel and they slipped off towards the town. Samuel's mother waved goodbye from the wooden porch, smiling kindly and Samuel smiled back, rewarding her with a slight wave. The boys around him thought nothing of it and the ride was mostly silent as they drove the few minutes back into the city limits.
“What's this one about?”
“It's bout us, Sammy. It's like Sky High, except better.”
“And who told you that, Aros?”
The asian kid shrugged and smirked, “Internet helps a ton.”
The Adler glanced at his watch and raised an eyebrow, “Man, we're twenty minutes early. What the hell are we doing till then?”
“Beat someone up?” Jokingly added by the gruff voice of the Stratiotes.
“Oh? Like who? This place is a ghost town.” Nyne inputed. They pulled smoothly into the theater parking lot, coming to a stop and Aros killing the engine.
“C'mon, let me out, it's cramped in here. Why couldn't Graves just fly us over?” Samuel said, grinning over at the Adler who gave him a look, “Ha-ha. Very funny.” Sammy grinned and shrugged. He motioned for Nyne to move but he didn't. Instead he twisted in his seat and looked back at Sammy.
“Why would you fall for a blind girl?”
Samuel stared at him, his blue eyes blazing and flickering a warning. Then they narrowed, the Pagos' lips twitching at the corners.
“She's an amazing person. Let me out.”
“But she's blind. She can't even see you. How's she supposed to kiss you?”
Sammy glared at him, “Don't make fun of her.”
The car had went silent, fire and ice raging war against each other in the air. Aros broke in, “Alright, um, let's get out of the car, huh?”
The other boys quickly agreed, Aros opening his door and pulling the seat forward for the Adler to get out, and all but pulled Samuel out from the glare that held poison he was aiming at Nyne. Nyne then got out his side and pulled the seat forward for the soldier to get out. The stood and stretched, shut and locked the doors in the empty lot, the massive theater towering up into the sky directly ahead of them. They headed to the doors when Nyne glanced over at Samuel.
“How you supposed to-”
Sammy knew the sick remark he was about to make, along with the other boys, wincing, expecting the remark. But Samuel's fist shut Nyne up real fast.
“Don't you ever talk about her like that you sick jerk.” he snarled, his eyes vicious and narrowed, the smell of burning flesh wafering into the air. Nyne rubbed his jaw and looked at Samuel, “Ouch. Would your parents even agree? Do your parents even know?”
Samuel snarled as Nyne cocked his head and crossed his arms. “They don't, do they? What are they ganna say when you get a blind girl pregnant, hm?”
“That's enough!” the soldier snarled, moving to come between them. Nyne moved his hand and ice swirled up the legs of the teen, freezing him to the spot. Samuel took a step forward, “I would never. I am not some jacked up jerk who thinks of girls like that. Get the hell outta my face.”
“Aren't you though? C'mon, don't tell me-”
“I said shut up!” Sammy collided with the boy, fire engulfing his hands and burning through Nyne's clothing, the ice-boy shooting ice against Samuel's chest. Samuel pulled back, the soldier breaking through the ice and putting himself between the two of them.
“Knock it off. Now.”
Nyne smirked at Samuel, “Does she even like you back?”
Samuel turned away slowly. “I'm going home.”
Nyne laughed, “You're pathetic.” Within that instant Samuel turned on his heel, his hand ablaze, a long, whip-of-flame entangled in his hand. He brought it down against Nyne, and the soldier, understanding Samuel's rage, stepped back. Nyne shot ice to dull the edge of the fire, but fueled by rage, Sammy pushed closer, his fist colliding with Nyne's head, knocking him out cold.
He turned and started walking, no one arguing. As Samuel turned a corner he spied the boys pulling Nyne off into some bush and taking to the car. They pulled up beside him.
“Get in,” Aros said. He gratefully accepted the front seat.
“What that jerk said was nasty.”
“Yeah.” Sammy replied, looking out the window. He tried not to think about what Nyne had said, focusing his thoughts else where. They pulled up silently around the corner, stopping at the beginning of the gravel road.
“Sorry Sammy. Truly am.”
“Thanks for the ride.” Samuel pushed his door, got out, and slammed it shut more violently than necessary, walking down the street to his home. The black Porsche flipped around and went back to town.
Samuel walked up to his house, hesitated on going on the steps, then headed around the back, wanting to slip quietly into his room. No need to make a bigger issue than there already was, he figured. He walked around the small, wooden, white painted house. The paint was peeling away and the gutters were filling from the large oaks and pines surrounding them. Horses neighed and pawed the ground when the saw him coming, but he put his finger to his lips and the beauties quieted. He ducked under the window when he caught his name from an strangely familiar voice.
“...Samuel's well being is resting on this, Susan.”
“But to hurt that girl? We could never ask him to do it.”
“Then don't ask,” the forceful voice growled.

Inserted Chapter (before chapter 12)

Inserted Chapter~

In the moments in which she fell, time seemed to slow. She reached for the balcony with no avail. Memories flashed through her mind's eye. The moment in which she came home. She closed her eyes in a desperate attempt not to remember, but it rushed upon her ever so quickly.
Katara walked up the steps to her home, brow furrowed as she sensed the door's hinges broken. The door swung lifelessly on the slight hinge it still embraced, swaying with every breath the wind breathed. She slowly walked up on the porch, touching the door. Something wet was upon it and she pushed it open even more. The hinge snapped, the door fell to the floor and leaned against the wall. Glass was broken and the small table by the door which held pictures was now overturned, pictures flung to all ends of the house. She walked carefully further, a smell flooding her nose much like a copper. She clamped her hands over her nose and mouth, the smell of blood overpowering.
“Mom? Dad?” she called, with no response. She started to panic, walking quicker through the house now. She rushed through the kitchen, the living room, finding the furniture ripped, pictures broken, utensils thrown through the house in places which they did not belong. She started to head up the stairs and froze. They were slung over the bed like useless toys, discarded. Dad lay before mom, as if he a tried to protect her. A picture was broken before them, crushed by an angered foot. The window was open, but she could go no further. She sat on the stairs, head in her hands, her senses reading the note engraved on the wall.
Do Not Trust The Man You Trust The Most

Katara now wondered exactly who that meant. She wished whoever had written the note would have been more clear. She saw Jerry look over the balcany, his eyes blood-shot, reaching down to grab her. His hand touched her foot but did not grip. She slipped through his fingers.

“Hey, you're Katara, right?”
Kat looked up, her face blank, a brow cocking over her sash. “Depends.”
The girl laughed, “Well, I'm Alex. I sit next to-oh, right, sorry, I guess you wouldn't know that. But anyways, I'm in most of your classes.”
Kat let out a weak laugh. “Oh, cool.” She continued gathering books from her locker, put down on the page in brail.
“Do you actually need books?” Alex inquired as Kat shut her locker, Alex's arms crossed, a question in her voice.
“Yes.” Kat groaned, sighing. “I'm going to class.”
“Oh, right, I'll come too.” Alex grabbed her bag and ran to Kat's side. “Not much of a talker are you?”
Kat coughed, shaking her head and shrugging. Alex laughed, nudging her, “Hey, you wanna go hang this weekend?”
Kat cocked a brow, stopping and facing Alex. “What?”
Alex stopped as well and shrugged, “Well, ya know, there's a park over by my house. I could come get you after school and we could chill.”
Kat couldn't speak for a moment, then managed, “Why me?”
Alex smiled broadly, “Why not you? You seem all broody and moody, thought I'd cheer you up some!”
Kat grinned, managing a laugh, “Sounds cool. Get back to me on times and stuff, alright?”

Kat grimaced, glancing over her shoulder to see the oncoming chairs and unwelcoming floor. She willed herself to changed, but time was against her. She was falling to fast and the change would take too long.

“Katara, focus, you need to remember how you change.”
“Why? Is someone trying to kill me, again?” She crossed her arms, groaning. “My head's killing me. Can I get advil?”
The man sighed, passed her a glass of water and advil to accompany it. “Katara, all shape-shifters must know how to change.”
“Yeah? Then how come the rest of my class doesn't know how yet either?”
“Katara, they don't even know what they can change into yet! You however, do. Your life is also at danger. You need to be able to protect yourself. Again.”
Katara gave him her empty glass, focusing on the feeling in which she's changed before. The anger, fear. She felt an overwhelming sense of her blind sight overtake her, allowing her to see further than she had before. She felt things crawl within her skin, breaking through it, covering her skin-or what was left of it. Her legs collapsed, snapping backwards, her fingers molding together, forming a small paw. A tail broke her skin, looser vines making it up, swinging back and forth. Her ears pointed and shifted up on her head, her face elongated, fangs lined her gums. Her sash remained behind her ears, as tight, if not tighter, than before. She growled, foggy knowledge flooding her mind. She faced the man, vines bristling, moving unsettling upon her body. She barked and the man grinned and clapped, “Very good. Now change back.”
Inserted Chapter 2

“Kat? Katara!?” Jerry shouted, the massive crowd hindering his sight. He rushed through the crowd, pushing past masses of people. He spotted her brown hair and her thin frame, standing near a shooting range. She was facing the range, the man, a large, slobbish man, looking awkward with her blind composure. Jerry came next to her, holding a swirled mess of cotton candy with a handle too tiny to do any real good. He touched the small of her back, his breath leaving him as if he had held it when he couldn't find her. She turned her face in his direction, the smooth, brown sash covering her eyes mingling with her hair, making the two almost indistinguishable. She smiled at him, “A shooting range, right?” She turned and faced the direction of the target, the man, dirtied with his poor eating habits, eyeing the blind girl. She sighed, the smile never leaving her lips. “I wish I could play. Bet I could beat any boy here!” She laughed, resting her elbows on the counter of the stall, her chin in her hands. Jerry chuckled, “You know, you win prizes if you hit the target.”
She grinned, “You know, I would be rolling my eyes. I know that.” She chuckled, shaking her head. Jerry shrugged, taking a bite of the sticky mess in a cone. He placed the candy near her lips and she recoiled, causing him to laugh. “It's not poisonous.”
She grinned, shaking her head, groping for the handle and finding his hand instead. He carefully slipped the handle into her hands before a blush could betray them both. She cautiously placed it against her lips and took a bite, making a face.
“Why's that so sticky?” She wiped her mouth on her sleeve, chuckling, “Cotton candy, am I right?”
“We have a winner! You should really get a prize, you've gotten good at this guessing game.” He smirked and she shook her head, taking another bite.
“Hey, don't eat it all!”
“Oh, you don't need it.”
He reached to swat it away from her, but she skillfully pulled away, grinning as he reached past her, his face near hers.
Katara could smell his musk, feel his breath against her face. Just as he almost gripped the cotton candy she switched hands, smirking. “C'mon, aren't you supposed to be nice to a girl? Go win me something!”
“Oh, win it yourself! I payed for that!”
“Well, you're a gentleman.”
The crowd pushed around them, ignoring the two teenagers who were barely touching noses, Jerry reaching behind her to try and get the beloved food. Silence pressed over the two teens, Jerry looking at her with a strange gleam in his eye. Katara got nervous, feeling his shifting weight in his feet. He was no longer trying to reach for the candy, but something entirely different. Before she could gather her thoughts on such an oncoming advance, the man behind the stall grunted.
“Do your lovey dovey stuff away from my stall. You're scaring away my costumers!”
Katara cleared her throat and shoved the candy back into his chest. He fell back on his heels, gripping the candy, smiling at her, if a bit sheepishly. He, too, cleared his throat.
“Well. Uhm. There's a sweet roller coaster over here. C'mon, let's go.”
He took her hand in his and she felt his warmth travel up her arm, adding to the bright red wave against her cheeks. He was facing away, luckily for her, allowing her to rid herself of such a humiliating emotion. He pulled her strongly through the crowds, offering the cotton candy mess to her after nearly every bite. After passing the large, rushing crowd towards the food stands he brought her up next to him, an arm around her waist. She swallowed hard, was she okay with this?
“Katara,” Jerry started, interrupting Kat's thoughts, “you know, this is the most fun I've had in a while.” He looked over at her, a small smile on his lips. “All thanks to you, Katara. We should do this again sometime.”
Katara smiled up at him, unable to hide the blush that bombarded her with such fierceness; she found her face ablaze. “Well, wise guy, we've got a date for that play you're taking me too.”
“Date?” he cocked a brow, his smile growing. Kat quickly looked away, clearing her throat. She realized they were still holding hands and her face blushed brighter.
“Well-I mean-I guess I-”
He squeezed her hand and turned her towards him. Her face remained straight; her ability to see him without staring up at his face gave her no reason to tilt her head upwards. He, however, took her chin between his thumb and forefinger, the cotton candy discarded. She swallowed, “Hey, what if I wanted the rest of that?” Her voice was small.
“I can get you more later,” he breathed, his forehead against hers. Both hearts bet as one, Katara unable to find the will to detach herself. What of Sammy? What about-
The kiss was something she knew was coming, but shocked her all the same. His lips were tender; quickly questions wove into her mind. How was she supposed to react? Wrap her arms around him? Or was he supposed to do that? How did she tilt her head, how was she supposed to kiss back? Before any of the questions were answered he pulled away, both too stunned to say a word. Kat smiled, “So, that roller coaster?”

Lies, breathed the thoughts within her mind. All of them. Lies.