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The Blossom in the Snow Pt. 01

By: Happyfeet141097



I hope to expand this into a much longer story, please bear with me. Feel free to message in the comments in any way I can improve the writing for you ^ ^ otherwise I hope you enjoy!

*****

The icy chill of the winter air bit harshly into my skin as a small gust of wind blew across my face. I pulled up the collar of my coat closer to my cheeks before crossing my arms over my chest in a vain attempt at keeping out the cold as I made my way home from work. I kept my eyes on the frozen pavement just ahead of me, a small mist fading in and out of view with my breathing. Cursing the flurry of snow, I shivered as I shimmied down the path until I reached my apartment block, the old brickwork and faded graffiti giving it a worn and run down look.

I stepped inside, tapping the toes of my snow-clad boots against the mat at the entrance before pacing over to the other side of the small entrance hall. 

"Looks a bit nippy, eh?" I heard a familiar voice. I turned and looked at the plush face of Stuart, the desk attendant that was just running through the books at the front desk. He looked up at me and smile.

"'A bit' would be an understatement." I replied, pulling my coat tighter around me. 

I turned back to the entrance corridor and made my way towards the stairs, pulling off my hat and gloves and shoving them in my pockets. I shook my head to loosen the brown hairs that were tucked underneath and into the collar, tucking my hands underneath and pulling them out to sit down my back and shoulders more casually. I continued undoing my coat, brushing off the snow and reaching into the pocket for my keys. After a moment of fumbling around with them I opened up the door, hung up my outdoor ware and tucked my keys in a small desk draw by the entrance. 

I took a quick glance in the mirror, tutting at my hat hair, red-ringed eyes and rosy nose. I spent a moment fixing myself up for no real reason, before taking off my boots and heading into the kitchen. I put the kettle on and, after quickly getting changed, wrapped myself in a blanket, pulled on my slippers and made myself a quick cup of hot chocolate with cream on top, before curling up in front of the television. I turned it on and with a sniff took a sip, slurping up as much of the cream with it as possible. 

News on the weather forecast and later a couple sports reviews lolled on, nothing interesting really catching my eye, other than a message or two being shown as 'breaking news' in the red banner that scrolled along the bottom. I shuddered at reading that another body had been found mutilated and dumped in some god forsaken corner somewhere in the city, making it the 9th one this month. 

Recently, bodies had been found, torn, shred and quartered in random allies and ditches about the city. No evidence had been found, indicating the killer, and anyone thought to have had any information on the killer ended up on the missing persons list, and more often than not, soon after found in the same state as the rest of the bodies. It made me cringe, knowing that someone was doing something so monstrous to people, people not too far from me, and that it had been going on for nearly 5 months now, the death toll raking up to almost 40. 

I turned off the TV and sat there silently for a few more minutes, staring out the 3rd floor window, watching the flurry of snowflakes dance and scatter across the frost-framed window whilst I finished my hot chocolate. A few minutes later and I groaned sadly to myself as I took a sip to find an empty cup, so I got up, washed the mug, and as I was putting it away, heard a buzzing from the intercom by the door.

Who would be calling at this time? I thought, looking at the clock just above the counter, reading 9:48. I walked over and pressed the response button;

"Hello, Stuart?" I said, leaning against the wall to the side. 

"Hello, Mr Buvelle? There's someone here who wishes to speak with you." I raised an eyebrow in surprise. I rarely had visitors, probably because I rarely spoke to people. 

"Who is it? Do you have a name?"

I waited for a moment before getting a response, much quieter this time though, partly muffled, as if hiding the mouthpiece.

"No, he won't tell me, only that he must speak with you urgently." 

I sat there for a moment before huffing lightly, "Fine, tell him I'll be down in a moment." and with a quick 'very good sir' on the other end, the conversation ended.

I clad myself in a thick light blue dressing gown that hung against the bedroom door just next to me, I made my way to the buildings lobby. I walked in, looking around momentarily before my gaze was set on a mound of black cloth. The door shut automatically behind me as I looked at the bundle, and as the door closed with a small click, the bundle rose, turned to me and strode forward. I felt my chest tighten as a mountain of a man hulked up to me, his chest inches from my face, but despite the intimidation, I steeled my face as best I could, putting on a small smile, that I feared appeared more sarcastic and forced than intended, "Uh, I'm sorry, but have we met before?" 

The man just stood there, wrapped heavily in a thick black coat that ended inches from the floor, his collar stood tall around his neck, a scarf tied around his neck and a black flat cap that shadowed his entire face. Whether I knew him or not I couldn't possibly tell, but I his hulking figure made no resemblance to anyone I immediately recognized, and his shadowed face made it impossible. A chill ran up my spine, making my arms pull out in goose bump. I felt him stare at me and I fell away meekly, with which I saw a him smile. 

Though I couldn't see the rest of his face, I didn't like his wolfish grin, it was unsettling, creeping me out. I was about to back away when his hand rose and cupped my cheek, his thumb lightly brushing a hair out of my face. I whimpered unintentionally as I saw his grin widen, a growl rumbling from deep within his chest. I quickly pulled away and what sounded like a chuckle slipped his lips. I felt another shiver run up and down my spine. I quickly turned, feeling him staring holes into my back, keeping on his chilling smile. I closed the partitioning door behind me and almost running up the stairs back to my apartment.

When I finally got there, I locked the door, leaned against it, and slumped to my knees, panting as though I had just run a marathon. Confusing thoughts reeled through my mind, I felt scared, panicked. Nothing had even happened and I didn't want to spend another second near that man. Something was terribly off with him, and I didn't want to stick around to find out. After a few minutes, I sat up and peeled myself away from the door, hanging up my dressing gown and settling down into bed. I tossed and turned restlessly for what felt like hours, thinking about the man downstairs before I finally fell asleep.

I woke up the next morning with the grace of a hippo in heels, and with a stretch, and a few minutes of sitting on the edge of the bed as the last few wisps of sleep faded away, I got up and groggily made my way into the kitchen, turned on the kettle and went to the toilet. After washing my hands and turning on the hot water tap for the bath, I returned to the kitchen and made my tea before jumping in the steamy hot bath.

After getting washed and cleaned, I got dressed in faded boot cut jeans, thick snow boots with a red t-shirt I quickly found before zipping it all in my thick white coat and leaving the apartment, making my way down to the grocery store a few blocks down the road. The thick hail of snow from last night had stopped, leaving a thick, crisp and even blanket of white down the street. I smiled inwardly, just barely containing myself from jumping into it like a child, before I heard the gentle scrunching of footsteps in the snow behind me. 

I unzipped my coat and pulled out my phone, pressing the home button to show me the time. I was a little confused as to why anyone else would be out and about, considering it wasn't even 6am yet. The only reason I myself was out at the time was because I wanted to get a bit of shopping done before my favorite pastries were taken later on in the day. I paid it no more thought until I noticed I couldn't hear the footsteps anymore. I turned my head slightly to peak over my shoulder, to find no one there. 

In fact, there wasn't anything. The snow lay untouched, other than my own set of small footprints, and I felt a similar chill run up my spine. I turned fully, looking out for anything that could be that man from last night, but with no avail, I turned back, before a large hand clasped over my mouth and around my waist, pulling me into the dark confines of a nearby valley.

I panicked and almost scream when the hands twirled me round, holding my arms above my head and against the wall with an iron grip, a few inches off the ground. My heart sank, as I stared at eye level into the dark face of the man from last night, his haunting grin baring out at me, like he was pleased with a catch after hours of waiting. I opened my mouth to scream, before he held his finger to my lips. 

"Shh..." he hushed in a deep voice, resting his hand under my chin, before tilting his own head up to look me in the eye so I could see his. My own widened in fear as deep brown, almost black eyes stared directly into my own with an intense desire so heinous, it felt like it was forbidden, and it was horrifying. "Don't scream, not unless you want your pretty little arms torn from their sockets." He said almost nonchalantly.

I tensed with fear, my eyes and mouth wide, before biting my lip against the pain as he crushed my sleeved hands against the wall, before loosening his grip again. I bit my lip to hold back the whimpers that threatened to escape, looking at the floor, the side, even the sky, just not at the man that held me against the wall.

I herd his him chuckle again, his eyes running up and down my body with wanton desire, running his hands up and down my waist, pulling himself closer in between my legs. His mouth was open and panting almost animalistically as he came in closer, before biting and sucking the soft tissue of my neck, causing me to cry out in pain. "mm" he chuckled, breathing against my neck "delicious." I stifled back tears as I looked into his eyes with fear, my stare met his own, one of intense want, lust and desire.

Fear flushed through me, giving me a moment of strength as I thrashed around in his strong grip, which simply made him hold me tighter to the point of which I could no longer feel my fingers. I sobbed silently as he returned to the nape of my neck, his free reaching up under my coat and shirt, feeling my bare skin as I trembled and writhed against his touch. I felt my heart sinking and tears ran silently down my cheeks as his hand reached around my back and into my pants, plying one of my cheeks. 

In a last ditch effort, I wrapped by legs around his waist for support, before yanking my arms downwards with as much force as I could. Thought my hands came free, he still had hold of my coat sleeve, so with a bit of wiggling, i folded my legs tightly between us with my knees to my chin, before thrusting against him as hard as I could. His body edged from mine for a split second, and that was all I needed. I dropped out of my coat and to the snow below me with a quiet thud, and with frantic haste leapt to my feet in a moment, and the next I was out of the ally and running as fast as I could down the road back towards my apartment. 

I heard him roaring with anger as he skidded out the alley. I heard his heavy pound against the snow behind me, and quickly gaining on me with what seemed like inhuman speed, roaring and spitting at me as we both sprint through the snow. I looked down slightly, catching his shadow quickly rearing up to mine, before leaping at me from behind. Without a moment to spare and lightning fast reactions, I turned on my heels, ducked down like a sprinter at the start of a race, and headed in the opposite direction as his body tumbled through the air just above me. 

I heard him snarl angrily as he crumpled in a heap in the snow just behind me. Without turning back, I ran back the way I came before turning down another alley, and leaping behind a small bin about half way down, hiding myself in the pitch black. The smell of rotten trash was disgusting, but adrenaline pumped through my bloodstream and my heard beat like thunder in my ears. I panted silently, holding my knees tightly to my chest as I stared at my feet in anticipation. 

I heard him panting angrily, just behind me. I turned my head slightly, his shadow looming at the entrance of the alley. I begged silently to myself that he doesn't find me, repeating it like a mantra in my mind. He stood there for what seemed like forever, before huffing angrily and running off down the road in his chase. I sat there sobbing silently into my knees for a few more minutes, before taking a deep breath and sitting slightly taller, looking out over the dustbin. 

When I felt the coast was clear, I carefully left my hiding spot, wrapped my arms around myself and slowly plodded through the snow back home. I sniffed back my sobs as best I could, trying not to think about the whole situation that had just occurred. 

Snowflakes began to dance around me, settling onto the already snow-covered pavement. I walked for what seemed like hours, shivering against the quickly thickening snow before I reached the front entrance to my apartment block. Before I went inside, I leaned my forehead against the glass doors, trying to even my breathing, my teary eyes burning against the icy cold. I opened the door, and as I turned to close it behind me, I noticed, out the corner of my eye, the silhouette of a man, hulked over in the falling snow, and though I couldn't really see, I could still feel his glare, his wolfish grin hidden beneath the shadows. I shuddered with another whimper, before quickly shutting the doors, and rushing back up to my apartment, locking the door behind me and curling up in my bed covers, sobbing quietly to myself for hours before falling asleep from exhaustion.

The Blossom in the Snow Pt. 02



I was snapped out of my stupor, looking out the window as I sat on the windowsill of the main room, by a gentle knocking on my door. I walked over and sat on floor with my back against it with a small thump. "Mr Buvelle, I have your order. May I come in?" I heard Stuart call from the other side. I opened the door a crack and took the bags from him. His blue and gold trimmed suit a nice reminder of outside formalities, after being locked away in my apartment since the event in the alley.

I shivered at the memory and opened the door slightly wider, walking over to the kitchen to put the shopping away. Stuart followed me into the small apartment and closed the door behind him, looking at his hands almost nervously. "Mr Buvelle, if there is anything you need, even if you just want to talk, I'm always at your beck and call, you understand, don't you?"

"Of course I do Stuart, thank you for bringing up my groceries as well." I said with a fake smile. I didn't turn to him, not wanting to look him in the eye. The man in his early 30's had looked after me since my parents left me. They divorced just after I was born, and I lived with my father. We moved into apartment 4C when I was 4, Steward himself just starting there. My father was almost never home, and my mum wouldn't even call, not that I knew her well, so Stuart had always looked after me, keeping an eye on me whilst I played in the lobby, or ordering food for me when my dad was out late, a better father than my own.

One day, when I was about 11, my dad went out, saying it was for a business meeting, but he never came back. He left me alone in the apartment, and only Stuart was there to care for me anymore. He let me stay at the apartment for free until I was old enough to get a job that paid well enough for the rent. Almost 8 years after my dad left, and here I was, Stuart still looking after me like a lost child. 

I offered a drink which he politely refused, still concerned. "Stuart, please. You don't need to worry, I'm fine-"

"No, Ashley. You are clearly not fine!" I turned to him in surprise at his sudden outburst, having not said my first name in a long while. "Just look at yourself! You're a mess! Even when your father left you never got like this!" I looked from him, to my reflection on the stainless steel draining board. My hair was a ragged mess, flicking and curling uncontrollably, red rings and small bags hung under my eyes and the blanket I wrapped around myself made my already small form look tinier. I was a mess, I admitted to myself. 

My eyes started to burn as tears began to form at the edges, my lip quivering before I full on sobbed like a child. Stuart pulled me close to him, rubbing my back and whispering reassuringly as I cried into his chest. A few minutes passed, and my tears had stopped. I pulled away with a sniff and wiped my nose with the corner of my blanket. "You go sit over there and I'll pop the kettle on for you." 

I nodded in comply as I shuffled over and slumped into the nearby sofa. A moment later he came over, handing me a mug of hot tea, and sat just opposite me with his own; "Now, can you please tell me what's wrong? I've never seen you like this. I really am worried" He looked at me with concern.

"That man. The one from before..." I whispered, looking across at him, seeing him nod.

"You mean the large man, the one with no name?" I nodded myself and continued,

"H-he scared me. He kept looking at me, watching like I was dinner or something" I whimpered. "Anyway, I made my way over to the shops the following morning, and I thought I was alone" I choked, trying to hold back fresh tears as I continued on "I wasn't. He was there, he must have followed me or something, because I turned to see if he was there and he wasn't, then he grabbed me and pulled me away" I said, stuttering my words as the memories came flooding back. "He held me against the wall, he touched me, trying to take off my clothes. If I hadn't been wearing the coat you got my Steward I don't know what I would have done!" I choked before crying.

He simply sat there, watching me with concerned eyes as I calmed myself down before continuing "He, He was going to do things to me Stuart. I didn't know what to do. I managed to slip out my coat and get away, but he was snarling and roaring, chasing after me, I... I don't know anymore. It was all just so horrifying." I said, shacking as I stared wide eyed into the cooling tea in my hands. I sniffed and took a sip and he stood up, walked over to me and knelt beside my chair. 

"You should have told me sooner. Why didn't you call the police?" I shook my head. Ever since that day I had been asking myself the same question, why hadn't I? I didn't know, I felt like there was nothing they could do to help me. I never even saw his face properly, just a grin and his malicious stare, boring straight through me. 

Stuart pulled me closer and gave me a quick hug, before standing up and straightening out his uniform, "I'll see what I can do, otherwise, have a good day, Mr Buvelle." I turned to him as he bowed politely, and I stood up with a warm smile, the first one in a while now. He left and I followed after him, ready to close the door when he turned back to me, "Oh, and Mr Buvelle, promise me you will be out of here soon, you are getting so crammed up in here. I couldn't possibly understand how you feel, but I think it would be better for you to get a bit of fresh air." I looked at him for a moment, before nodding. With a quiet thank you, I closed the door behind him. 

The next morning, I felt much more at ease. Having the relief of telling Stuart did a world of good. I felt much more at ease. I got up and turned on the tap to my bath like any other morning, but rather than making a cup of tea, I did some tidying up, wiping down the sides and dusting and polishing everywhere until the apartment was its usual state, before I got in the bath. When I was out and dressed, I made myself a small lunch and flask, and wrapped myself in a woolly jacket and gloves. 

I decided to follow Stuart advice, and took a small stroll down through the park and walking down the road, trying to find my coat. It was nice. There were parents sat at benches and their children running around gleefully throwing snowballs and making snowmen, making snow angels in the frozen fields. I sat and watched them quietly, sipping on my flash and eating the sandwich I had made, when I felt someone else staring. I scanned the edges, looking into the thick brush that ran around the park, turning behind me to see if anyone was there. I couldn't see anything and played it of as my imagination, but my heart began to beat faster and my hands became clammy in fear. I knew someone was watching, just please for the love of god, let it not be him. 

I turned back having noticed the quickly emptying park, and decided to leave myself, before I get caught out alone again. I decided to take a different route to one I would normally take to go back home, and went through the town square. Safety in numbers, right? Either way, I decided to walk through the people gathering around, the bright lights of the Christmas tree illuminating the windows filled with toys and assorted goods for the festive season. I weaved through the bustling people, having lost the feeling of that anonymous glare at my back a little while after having left the park. 

I did a little more shopping, buying a few decorations, though I didn't really feel in the mood to start throwing tinsel up around the apartment. I made my way down various other streets, people thinning out until it was just me on the road leading up to the apartment block. I fumbled around in my bag, trying to find a small tree I had found for Steward, when an icy rush shot through my spine. I looked up when I saw him standing in the lobby.

My heart leapt to my throat and I whipped my head round and hid with my back against the wall just beside the door, heaving heavily. I calmed my breathing and peaked my head round. I saw the mystery man hunched over the desk, his body shacking as if he were yelling. Yelling at Steward. My eyes widened in panic and was about to whip out my phone for help, but decided against it; Steward simply stood there, his hands crossed over his chest with a stern look on his face. 

What the hell is going on? I thought to myself. A few minutes of the two of them simply talking, I saw Steward huff, before going into the back room, with the mystery man straightening himself out, then reappearing a few minutes later in a large jacket, change of clothes and a large rucksack. I gasped when I saw him cocking a small silver pistol than he then stuffed in his pocket. They both turned towards me and I just whipped my head back behind the wall, hoping they didn't see me. I jumped round a corner and hid behind a couple steps leading into the side of the apartment block. I sat there silently, peeking over the top until I saw them walking past

"I can't believe I have to do this for you, think I'd prefer the mess instead" I heard Stuart say. Mess? What does he mean? I heard the other man grunt distastefully as they both came up to the alley. I held my breath as they stepped into it and out of the street, only a few meters from my hiding spot. Stuart hushed to a whisper, "I've had it up to here with all the attention you're drawing to yourself, I'm wearing myself thin having to cover your little escapades. Do you know how close you were to blowing it last time?" 

I had my hands clasped over my mouth to stop my whimpering, tears streaming down my cheeks as I continued to listen silently. Stuart sighed, "Just remember; 4C. I won't be telling you again. Can't believe he got away from you, fucking moron."

I gasped silently and my heart sank at hearing my room number. The mountain of a man growled angrily and I heard a heavy smack and Stuart gasping and grunting. I turned my head, peaking over the top slowly, seeing the mystery man holding him by the throat a few inches off the ground. I almost cried out to get him to let go, when I remembered my current situation and simply sat silently, watching in horror.

"Say that again. I dare you." He growled in his face. When the struggling man said nothing, he huffed and dropped him. He coughed and rasped before getting to his feet and walking out of the alley. The taller man stood there huffing. He turned his head deeper into the alley, his near black eyes glinting in the darkness, slit into a frustrated scowl.

I bit my lip, making sure not to make a noise, when I heard Steward shouting back; "Rae! Get a move on!". He stood there for a moment longer, staring into the darkness with a scowl, almost as if expecting or looking for something, before turning after Stuart. After a few moments, until I couldn't heard the snow crunching under their feet, I took a deep breath, quivering and shacking at this sudden revelation. I got to my feet, staring blankly out the mouth of the alley, thinking about what I had just heard. 

Stuart? With him? Why? And why my apartment? Oh god, what do they want with me? My chest tightened like a rough knot pulling at my heart and lungs. It was hard to breath as I gasped, sobbing between breaths. This creep, Rae, knew exactly where I live now. My exact room, and worst of all was that my only family was helping him with whatever he had planned. 

I struggled to pull myself up the stairs and opened my apartment. I couldn't stay here. I had to leave, stay somewhere else for a while. I grabbed a bag and started stuffing things into it, thinking about where I could possibly stay. For the next few hours, I was sorting bags and making calls, calling colleagues in hopes of finding somewhere else to stay, somewhere far from here, but luck wasn't in my favor and turned up with nothing. My heart sank as hopelessness settled in. I looked out the window at the setting sun. I had to get moving, and now. Rae would be in here tonight and there is nothing I could do about it. Stuart wasn't going to help me, and there was no one else I could contact. I was on my own, and I was scared. 

I watched the purples reds and blues as the sun set behind the horizon, over the buildings and with one last look at the apartment, my home for as long as I could remember, and closed the door. I made my way down the stairs, the lobby still empty. I thought about leaving a note on the reception desk saying something like I was staying at a colleagues, but then again, he was working with Rae, so decided against it.

I made my way to the door, dragging my bags behind me in haste. As I held my hand out to open the door, a shadow befell me. I looked up, gulping in horror as I came eye to eye with a mountain of a man, dressed in black, his wolfish grin and permeating stare drilling straight through me. 

I gulped and my breathing became shallow as my chest began to tighten again. I backed slowly away from the door as he opened it and came inside. "Hello, Little one. I hope you weren't going to leave" he said with a small chuckle resonating deep in his throat. I whimpered and stumbled backwards further. He simply kept strolling forward as if he had all the time in the word as he slowly backed me against the wall. My eyes widened in fear,

"W-what are you going to do to me?" I stuttered, barely above a whisper. I choked back tears as I could tell the answer. He chuckled to himself and his grin widened.

"I'm going to use you. Make your pretty little body mine, and when I get bored with you, well..." He passed off with a slight shrug, before leaning in, inches from my face, "You better hope I don't get bored, because you won't be given another chance."

My heart was beating so fast and hard I felt like it was going to burst, his intentions made clear, I couldn't even cry anymore. "But first, you're coming with me, Little one." I was frozen stiff, wrapped an arm around my waist and hoisted me over his shoulder with ease. I was petrified. Images of the slaughtered bodies from the news flooded my mind. Is that what he was going to do with me? Would he slaughter me when he was done? I asked myself, my vision fading to grey as he carried me out of the building. 

That's when it hit me, a blast of cold air. It bought me back to reality, suddenly my whole body trembled and I scream. I screamed as loud as I possibly could, trying to wiggle out of his iron grip, hopping someone, anyone, could hear me, help me. The icy cold of the winter air burnt my throat and lungs as I inhaled to scream more, I leaned up beating against his back, when I heard him growl impatiently when my world went into a spin and he pinned me by my throat against the wall causing me to splutter and choke, clawing at his hand, trying to break free. 

"Why? Why me? Why are you and Stuart doing this?" I cried in his grip. He came up close to my face again, smiling with his demonic grin as usual, and whispered into my ear.

"You found out, huh? Well, Steward has nothing to do with it, other than clean-up duty, Little one. You're all mine to play with for as long as I like" He said, breathing against my cheek. My mind flashed back to a week ago in the alley, the pain when he bit into my nape, the chill of his hand feeling under my top and trying to go further before I got away, and I whimpered.

I lost the tension in my body, still clinging to his wrist. His hand shifted down, clenching my shirt, his other hand caressing my cheek, wiping a tear. "Don't cry, Little one." He whispered, making me shudder. "You don't need to cry anymore. This body belongs to me now, and I will take extra special care of it." I screwed my eyes shut in hopes it was all a dream, when he stopped. 

His eyes widened and his grin disappeared. Keeping his grip on me, he suddenly pulled up straight, his chest rumbling. Then next moment, his head snapped to look to the left when he went tumbling backwards. I screamed as he went, wrestling with a bundle of black on top of him. I looked over and saw another man on top of him, struggling with holding him down, the two of them thrashing about. Rae's face with pure hatred, his eyes darting to mine, then back at the man on top of him, before roaring in his face and throwing off and into the road. I watching, awestruck and horrified, tumbling back wards as I watched these two impossibly strong and face men brawling in the middle of the street when I heard my savior shout in my direction from the whirling mas of black leather, "Run! Get out of here! Move!"

His voice shook through me, and on its own, my body picked itself off the ground, and without another thought, I ran in the opposite direction, running through the darkness as night fell, Rae's monstrous roaring in anger filling the air. I ran as far as I could, stopping when I finally reached the park. I panted unevenly, walking wearily to the bench at the edge of the park, under a street light that lit up the path. I sat down, and in a few seconds, the grip of the cold, the shock of this evening and the stress my body had been put through suddenly hit me, and I was out like a light, my last conscious thought being a flash back at my saviors face, and hoping he would be OK.



The Blossom in the Snow Pt. 03



Hi everyone! Thank you so much for the feedback so far, sorry about the whole name business, it's meant to be Stuart but I'm oblivious ^ ^' sorry. Anyway, I hope you enjoy!

*****

Late in the night, gentle swaying mixed with the gentle crunch of snow underfoot stirred me away. I opened my eyes slowly, looking up the arm of a leather jacket, until I met his eyes. The shine of moonlight and streetlamps against the snow gave his tan face a slight silvery glow, glinting against his hazel eyes. His square chin was dusted with stubble that looked to be a few days old, with a faint scar that ran down his cheek. I didn't recognize him, but he wasn't Rae, so I felt a little more at ease. 

The ease was quickly replaced with worry. I don't know this man. He could be anyone. I recognized the jacket as the same as the man from before, otherwise, I hadn't met him before. Just before I could protest or try getting out of his arms, He looked down at me, unable to read his emotion, he began to talk; "Can you walk?" He said, his voice deep and sultry. I stared a moment longer before my face flushed warm, and with a nod, he let me down. I followed behind him, keeping my head down by senses on high alert in case Rae showed up again. "He won't be around here, not now."

I snapped my head to look at him, but he continued walking onwards. Though I raised an eye brow, I didn't say a word. After a few minutes, I opened my mouth to ask where we were going, but before I could say anything, he already had an answer, "We're going to my car. I'm going to escort you back to the station so they can deal with you." Again, he seemed emotionless, almost like he couldn't care less about it. I understand that he doesn't know me, but the fact that this seemed so small to him as to simply dump me somewhere hurt. I didn't know what to say, so simply responding with 'oh', I looked to the floor and continued walking, almost running into his back.

He was stood still. I couldn't tell what he was doing, or where he was looking, but his muscles were tense and his fist clenched so tightly his knuckles were white. He gripped his hair, tugging heavily before dropping his hands to his sides, turning round and lashing out, "What do you mean, 'oh'?! You got yourself in this mess! Why the hell did you go out in the first place? If you knew he was coming for you, why didn't you just leave? Why did you stay behind? What the fuck were you thinking?!"

I felt small, tiny, ground into the snow like another snow flake, forming tears burning the edges of my eyes, blinked a few times to keep them back. "I don't know." I whispered. "I don't know why. I... I never really did think, to be honest. I guess, deep down, I really wanted him to catch me. I've only ever had Stuart in my life to care for me, and now that he's with that Rae guy, I guess nothing really mattered to me anymore. I have no one to care about me anymore, no family." I looked up at his softening face, a stray tear edging down my cheek. "I'd imagine that, if he just took me away, whatever happened to me would be better than being alone anymore, right? Of course he scares me, I don't really want anything bad to happen, but I imagined that him taking me away from here would be better than nothing at all. I mean, he'll kill me right? Slice up my body like in the news, then it will be over with. If not, and he does do what he said..." I sniffed, thinking about our earlier encounter. "I guess I'll actually be of use to someone."

An uncomfortable silence settled between the two of us. I didn't know what I wanted. I felt so alone since what I heard between Stuart and Rae that I couldn't care what happened anymore. He stood up straight, his fists still tight fists. "'Be of use?'" I heard him say, the words detached, as though it pained him to say so. "Do you have any idea what he would do to you?". I turned away, his flushed face and stoic expression sending chills up my spine. Just before I responded though, a thought jumped into my mind.

"Wait, how would you know? In fact, how did you know about what happened before?" I looked at him, rubbing the tear from my cheek. His eyes went wide for a moment, before returning to normal. With a huff, he turned and continued trudging through the snow. I jogged after him, "Hey! You didn't answer my question!"

He turned impatiently and snarled, "And I'm not going to. You don't need to know, other than the fact that this isn't the first time this has happened, and I intend to make it the last. Now keep your mouth shut, and follow me." His sudden likeness to Rae caused me to catch my breath, before nodding. With that, he turned and continued walking, myself silently following behind until we got to the car.

I began to slow down, dragging my feet along the floor, slumping over and frequently yawning. It became nearly impossible for me to even hold my eyes open, never lone walking in a straight line. The last thing I remember of that night was when I saw his hulking figure stop momentarily, before turning and walking over towards me. My eyes finally closed and I fell asleep, falling into his arms once again.

I woke up in a dark room on a leather seat up against the wall. Along this wall, and the one just opposite me were lined and filled completely with books papers, a few miscellaneous objects dotted about the shelves. On the back wall, a large red and gold trimmed drape was hung on the wall, too dark to make out any other details. Just in front of it was a large, probably wooden desk and small lamp, with a seat tucked in neatly just behind it. The desk faced the front-most wall, which had a large double door that was slightly ajar, a golden strip of light between them that stretched along the floor. 

I quietly sat up, the rustling of fabric the only noise in the room. It felt unfamiliar, and I looked down at myself. Instead of my jeans, top and coat that I wore the whilst I was awake, I was in a just my boxers and large white gown that reached just above my knees. I blushed slightly, realizing how small the gown was as I stood up, especially considering how little I was actually wearing. I stretched the hem down as far as I could, before tying it around my waist.

I made my way over to the door, and took a peek into the other room. Half a dozen people, silhouetted against the lamps on the other side of the room. I could hear the murmur of their distant chatter, but not enough to make out any actual words. After a few minutes of nothing different happening, I stood up and started squinting into the dark, wandering over to the desk. I felt around before successfully turning on a desk lamp. Assorted papers were scattered about. Though I knew better than to pry, I couldn't help but read some, especially since one of the top papers had a small picture of my face attached to it. 

I heard some footsteps and a couple raised voices from the other room, and stood there silently for what seemed like hours, before letting out a breath I didn't know I was holding, and continuing reading. My picture was attached to the top corner of the papers with a paperclip, and my personal information listed bellow, followed on the next page with detailed descriptions about my body, social details and everyday life. 

My heart felt heavier as though it trying to burst through my chest with each beat. As I continued reading, it had different details, about other people, but rather than their personal details, it looked like results or a persons profile that you would find in a hospital. It had pictures of different bodies, malformed, discoloured and some that didn't even seem human anymore. 

I felt light headed; was this what was going to happen to me? These 'experiments'? How many people have they done it on? I continued reading, before I recognised one of the pictures. It was of a young woman with black hair and dark brown skin. Her body was torn and sliced extensively until more of her insides were visible than her outside. It made me sick. I covered my mouth and swallowed, trying to keep the bile down. She was one of the resent bodies found, thought to be a victim of the resent sling of murders. Sifting through more, I found more photos of torn, sliced and ravaged bodies, each paper detailing information about condition, often referring back to something called 'subject 02'.

I put the papers down, backing away from the desk, my chest heaving as I fought from being sick and cry. My back pressed into something. I turned to face a broad chest. Without even looking up I I asked the first question that had been reeling in my mind since I woke up; "Where am I?"

I looked up to see his hazel eyes looking at me, for a moment he looked almost endearing, before quickly steeling himself; "That is confidential. As was that paperwork, what do you think you're doing?" I looked up at him, anger quickly boiling inside of me, but I forced myself to speak calmly.

"I want to know, where am I? And what exactly is going to happen to me?" There was a long silence, before I noticed more people coming over from the other room, and I simply stood there, as a man in a white coat came over with a cheery smile. It was warming, seemingly genuine, as he held his arms open walking over to me, before placing them on my shoulders.

"You, my dear boy, will be the master grade of our development!" He said with a big smile. I simply looked at him in disbelief. 

"what?.."

"The master grade is the final stage of our developments, the very best, my dear boy! None will be better than you." I still didn't understand, what developments, the same as this 'subject 02'? How many others are there? 

"What is it? And why me?"

"I'm afraid I cannot tell you until you sign our disclosure agreement to take part, otherwise its all classified. I can tell you, however, is that it will be life changing! We have done this many times before with almost 100% success rate. I can assure you it will all go by quickly and smoothly. As for the later, after our agent bought you in, we needed to do a background check for security purposes and such. After what we've heard from his debriefing, we decided you would be the perfect subject, with your current, rather dire position of course." I stood t here silently, before he quickly continued "I'm sure the whole endeavour sounds rather overwhelming, especially considering you can't really know any of the details until you agree, but the whole situation is under control, and with virtually 100% success rate, it is sure to go on without a hitch."

"What, like subject 02?" I snapped, looking at him. His expression quickly changed as him and the agent looked between each other. "That's who's committing all the murders recently, isn't it? Was he part of your 'development'?"

We simply stared at each other for what seemed like hours, until finally he spoke, this time in a tone much less cheery and more demanding than before, "Young man, this is a very serious business, and if you don't wish to partake in something so ground breaking, we must ask you to be on your leave. Otherwise, you will have to spend the next lengthily period of time under our protective custody until we sort some things out, or you can accept our offer. It is your choice. Otherwise, until then my agent here will handle you."

"Your agent? Does he not have a name?" Again, more silence. This time, I wasn't even given a reply. He simply turned out of the room and left. "I take it that its classified then?" I said, this time talking to the first man. He simply stood there without a response, turning his head away as to not look at me. The whole situation hit me. I'm alone here. At least at the apartment I could go out, had work, I could still talk to people, but here I couldn't even go outside. The anger welling up inside me suddenly burst forth in a flurry of red.

"For... Uh! You know what, fine! If you aren't going to tell me even your name, how am I supposed to trust anything any of you say!? How am I supposed to handle all of this!? Do you know what its like having some psycho coming after you!? DO YOU?" I scream at him through tears. Other than a moment of shock, he seemed unfazed. I huffed to myself before collapsing into a heap on the floor. "Of course you don't."

I simply cried there, not knowing what to do. The other man scooped me up and hugged me, sitting me in his lap as he gently rocked, slowly rubbing my back and murmuring apologies. After a few minutes, my crying died down and I simply sat in his lap with my head against his warm chest, feeling it gently rise and fall against my cheek. "Are you OK?" He said, thought this time, he sounded much more caring, almost like he was concerned for me. I looked at him and found his hazel eyes again staring back at me, and after a brief moment, I turned away and smiled, pulling myself off his lap, his grip momentarily tightening as I moved around before letting me go.

I stood in front of him, staring down at my feet, not really thinking about anything in particular. "Thank you." I said quietly, before turning towards the door and walking out, leaving him on the seat on his own. I pulled on the door, taking one last peek into the room, seeing him clenching his fists into tight balls on his legs again. I sighed inwardly, and pulled the door closed.

In the room were a couple men and women in suits as well as the man from before talking quietly amongst themselves, having either not seen me, or just ignoring me. I took in a deep breath, and avoiding eye contact, I walked over to the man in the white coat. I cleared my throat to get his attention, and he looked at me, a small smile playing on his lips, before excusing himself from his conversation and we walked over to a quiet corner of the room.

"What's the catch?" I said bluntly.

"Catch? My dear boy, there is no c-"

"Don't lie to me." I looked at him, unamused. I wasn't in the mood for games. I wanted the details, and I wanted them now without any fuss. He simply looked at me before talking.

"You will have to work for my superior, much like my client." he said simply.

"Will I have to do the same thing?" I couldn't help the twinge of fear in my voice, thinking about having to face more people like Rae

"No, no of course not. Its much too dangerous for you, right now at least." he say, a smile edging his lips.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"what I mean" he started, "Is everything is complete and you have made a full recovery, you will not only be safe, but you will be untouchable in such a situation." He said, his smile widening.

I still don't know what it means, but I could only imagine that it was a body augmentation of sorts, and that this 'master grade' was putting a bunch of different augmentations into one super upgrade or something. It scared me, knowing that that sort of thing would probably be what he was talking about, but with it, at least I wouldn't have to worry about Rae anymore, I would be safe. I mean, he said himself. Right?

I stood there for a minute thinking it all over before he asked again, "So, will you sign the contract?"

"No." I turned around to the ever growing familiar voice of the agent, walking over, the other people quickly moving out of his way, his eyes dead set and burying themselves onto the doctor. He simply stared back, anger quickly spreading over his own face. Tension between them grew to the point of which I could practically see the sparks between them as he drew closer. The anger slowly melted away into fear as the huge man towered over the doctor, who quickly turned away, clearing his throat and the Agent smiling slightly. 

I felt small, and not just because the agent was once again looming behind me and the doctor, also taller, was staring at him in front of me. After witnessing the intensity the two silently compared just a moment ago, it took a lot of will power to stop from whimpering and walking away. "This is not your opinion it is his decision to make."

"and he has made it. No, and that is final." I looked up at him quizzically, him still staring maliciously at the doctor. I turned back to the doctor who looked down at me. I stepped to the side, not wanting to be between the two of them, and quickly decided. "Give me some time to think. In the mean time, you said something about protected custody or whatever?"

"Yes." He responded "You will be put into a protected out station and housed with one of our security officers for your protection." He looked out the corner of his eye to the leering agent. "As of now you will be stationed with Agent Makarov. He wi-" He was quickly cut off with guttural growling. We both looked stunned at the Agent still standing uncomfortably close to me. The doctor pulled out a small device that reminded me of a pager, and pressed a couple of buttons. A moment later, a woman came through a door on the opposite side of the room, walking over to us quickly.

She wore a black pencil skirt with matching blazer and heels, and a crisp white shirt underneath. Her slender face was framed with red-rim glasses and silvery hair that was kept up in a neat bun. A sense of authority seemed to emanate from her, and I couldn't help but stare as she came over to us. "You paged, Doctor Lane?"

"Yes, thank you Lindsey. Would you be so kind as to escort Mr Buvelle to sanction E please."

She simply nodded her head, and with a smile, held her hand out to me. I looked between her, Doctor Lane, and the Agent, who was scolding so much his face was turning red, before turning back to the lady and taking her hand. As we walked off, I heard the doctor talking to the Agent, "What was that Chris?"

"The hell you mean?! Under Makarov's custody?! Are you insane!?"

"Of course not. I know exactly what I am doing."

"Sure you do! You and I both know that he'll be ten times safer with me. Even if that wasn't the case, You know exactly what would happen if Makarov got 5 seconds with him!"

"What in heavens do you mean?" I heard the doctor reply sarcastically.

I could hear the anger in his voice, but I didn't turn around or slow down to hear the rest. I was already dreading the situation, and I hadn't even left the room yet. As we walked through, I caught curious glances from the others in the room, some of them talking quietly so I couldn't hear. I could tell they were about me, but I didn't know what, or even who these people were. It irked me to no end knowing these strangers were judging me, but there was nothing I could do, but shy away from their glances as best I could. 

When we left the room, Lindsey let go of my hand, and we slowed down, me walking down the corridor just beside her. "There's no reason to be concerned." She said soothingly. I looked at her and she had another small smile. Despite her official appearance, she seemed much more informal, almost motherly for the situation. I took some comfort in that fact, and took a deep breath.

"The doctor is a the best in his field, so you shouldn't have a doubt in your mind about that." We continued on in silence, the clop of her heels against the laminated flooring the only sound echoing down the empty corridor. "What's the problem? You seem tense."

I forced myself to relax. "I... I just don't know what I've gotten myself into. Like, tell me a week ago that I would be put into protective custody of some weird corporation - that I still know nothing about, might I add - and being subjected to some sort of test."

She chuckled quietly, "I see your point, but just so you know, it isn't a test."

"It's an augmentation?"

"mhm." She smiled with a small nod. It didn't make me feel any better. At least now I knew what it was, I guess. A few minutes passed, twisting through a few corridors, walking past a few people in suits or lab coats. We eventually turned off into a garage of sorts and we both got into the back of a lavish Rolls Royce, before driving off. 




The Blossom in the Snow Pt. 03



"Excuse me, Miss, but-"

"Please, just call me Lindsey." She interjected cheerily. I smiled slightly at the informality and nodded before continuing.

"Lindsey, who is Makarov? And why does Chris not seem to like him?" I asked. Her face sullied for a moment before her reply.

"His name is Viktor Makarov. He is, Like Chris, one of our top agents, and have as such, taken these necessary actions that your are being decided upon."

"You mean the augmentation?" I said in surprise. I don't know why, I couldn't imagine anyone being so well build as him, other than Rae.

"Well, your augmentation would be for different characteristics, considering theirs was in maximizing their functionality as an Agent as well as other things." She said. "But you can't tell anyone I told you that" she said with a wink.

I giggled, similarly to a child who was just told a secret. I nodded before she then continued. "As two of the best agents our facility has, they obviously tend to compete to see who is the more outstanding agent. They are both better than each other in different areas, but that never stops them."

I didn't understand. Sure, he may have some kind of rivalry with him, but what did they mean? What would happen to me if Makarov guarded me? Since he first heard it, he was trying to think over the different things he could mean, and some of them made him shiver. He wouldn't, it would be so unprofessional... Of course though, it was just an excuse I made up in my mind to try and reason against it. I looked down at my small frame, and wondered what exactly would make him want me like that. In my eyes I was a meek little man that wasn't exactly a catch, looking more a good 2-3 years younger than my actual age, that and the fact that my hair ran just above my shoulder blades meant I was easily mistaken for a girl. Thinking about it, that's probably why.

After about 20 minutes of driving, the car pulled to a stop and the blacked out window rolled down to show an intercom attached to a smooth white stone post. Looking out the windows, I saw that the same sort of stone post were set up at regular intervals for several meters, connected together with black fencing. When she verified herself, she rolled up the window again and the car continued forward, up a long straight road and pulled round to the side. A few moments after we parked, the car door was opened by the driver, and I got out, almost collapsing under myself.

There was a huge beautifully decorated garden, with a ornately decorated fountain and neatly trimmed hedging. A gravel path lead round the garden, weaving in and out of hedges and trees, dipping down to a picnic area to the left and again on the right, facing a small pond. "What the hell is this place, a palace?"

"See for yourself." A heard Lindsey say. I turned to face what must have been the largest house I had ever seen. With crisp white marble steps leading up to the elegant entrance way, large windows lining the delicately carved stone walls, it was one of the most extravagant homes I had ever seen. "Welcome to the Varien Estate."



The Blossom in the Snow Pt. 04



Sorry about the wait, I've been a little busy recently. Thank you for the patience, and I hope you enjoy.

*****

The picturesque gardens, ornate hand carvings in the delicate brick work, each lain perfectly with each other to tessellate and coordinate with each other to near perfection. I hadn't heard of Varien Estate before, but I sure as hell wouldn't be forgetting it any time soon. I was taken from my stupor by a small figure at the entrance. A person, about my height jumping up and down, waving their hands around frantically like a lunatic, and from the distant cries, I could only imagine them calling out to us at the car.

Though slightly puzzled over the random excitement to small man was showing, I followed Lindsey over to him, as he then leapt down the steps and ran full speed at us. As he quickly approached, I braced myself for the oncoming impact and shower of pebbles as he would slide to a stop just before us, but when nothing happened, I opened my eyes to see him having stopped and just staring wide eyed at me with a huge grin on his face. 

I blushed at the attention, and turned away, before his grin grew ever wider and he started giggling like a child with a new toy "Ooh! Are you Mr Buvelle? Are you? Are you? Are you?" He quickly asked, brimming on the edge of exploding with excitement apparently. I looked at him for a moment before nodding. My response didn't help, and he started jumping around and spinning about on the spot like an excited puppy. 

A few moments later, he stopped bounding around, and reached a hand forward, standing still and proper, but still a huge grin on his face. "Nice to meet you! The name's Viktor, but you can call me Vick" he said with a little wink. I was shocked, not knowing how to respond.

"Viktor? As in, Viktor Makarov?" When he nodded in response, I was even more confused. I must have shown it in my expression, that and not actually taking his hand as quickly as he had hoped, because he dropped his hand.

Lindsey walked past us and into the estate, talking to someone else on a phone, and meeting up with someone in a similar uniform to hers at the entrance. I imagined Vick as a much bigger and scarier looking person, like Chris or Rae, but he wasn't much different from me, his short blonde tousled hair and green eyes seemed to gleam whenever he looked at me, glimmering with interest and intent. He looked much friendlier than I had anticipated, and felt that, other than his bubbly and hyperactive nature he seemed to show so evidently, he probably wasn't as bad as they made out.

"I guess you heard of me, are you surprised?" He seemed slightly calmer, though still had his big smile.

"Well, after things I overheard, I imagined someone, more... Well..."

"More?" He finished, still smiling at me. I nodded looking to one side, slightly ashamed of jumping to conclusions. He giggled to himself; "Well I can BE more if you want." I looked at him quizzically, before seeing him puffing out his cheeks and pushing out his chest to be as big as possible. We both laughed at the act and he simply smiled again at my show of ease around him. I put my hand out and gave him a warm smile, and he gleefully took it, shacking vigorously with a surprisingly tight grip. After a few moments, when normally we would have let go, he didn't. "Uh, can I have my hand back please?" He simply stood motionless, before giving me a crooked smile that sent a chill up my spine. 

"This is going to be so much fun." He said, this time in a much deeper, almost sadistic tone. I was instantly scared and tried tugging my hand away, but to no avail. He giggled to himself before pulling me along the gravel path and up the stairs. Though his grip wasn't tight, nor did it hurt, it was still vice-like, and it made me feel incredibly uncomfortable being held and pulled along like that. I continuously asked for him to let go of me, but he never let up, pulling me into the estate, and into the main entrance hall. The marble floors gleamed as white pillars reached up into the ceiling high above our heads, a large glass dome refracting the light every which way and through different colored panes resulting in a gorgeous array of oranges, reds and blues that shone faintly across the tiled floor. 

Large red banners with golden trims, much like the one I saw in the dark office a little over half an hour ago, only the inside had a beautifully intricate crest; A tribal design of what looked like the head of a lion facing the right, with a wreath that curled round from underneath it like a 'U'. I hadn't seen anything like it before and it was magnificent. I noticed then that Vick had let go of my hand and was once again staring at me intently with a huge smile. "That's the company insignia."

"Company? You mean the one that had me brought here?" I asked, looking down at him momentarily, before continuing to look around the hall, spinning about on the spot and trying to take it all in.

"Yup, Serion. Considering you're here, I thought you would have understood the details."

I looked at him, him looking at me with a raised eyebrow, quickly turning to shock when I shook my head. "You don't?!" I shook my head again with a shrug, looking back at him. He beckoned me into another, this time smaller room. Its red walls and near black carpets matched the golden hues of a gentle fire going in the fireplace. He sat on one chair and nodded over to the other as I sat down on it.

"Right. First things first, I don't really care what they've said, Ima tell you, I mean, how can you make such a decision when they wont tell you anything? Are they retarded? That's a yes, but you didn't hear that from me." I giggled slightly at the comment, before he continued. "Ok. Serion Is a big government funded company that focuses in the development in human and trans human genetics. You get me?" I nodded and he continued in response; "OK, well, they recently started running tests on developing trans human qualities via bio engineering normal humans with certain traits, i.e., intelligence, strength, agility, you get the idea." 

I looked at him, listening intently, "Well, they recently had a bit of a break through in the early developmental and compatibility stages of their experiments, and decided to finally run human trials." I continued listening, nodding slightly as I listened to the story, slightly scared and a little awe0struck, "They have been successful, and now with multiple subjects successfully attaining trans human characteristics, its time to move onto the final stage of the program."

"Wait, what do you mean by the final stage?" I asked, leaning closer to him as he continued explaining.

"Well, so far, they have only adjusted specific characteristics to the subjects, and now, after further testing, they believe that they can create a modular trans human, a 'complete' subject. A super human, if you will. Where previous subjects, myself included." He said, gesturing a hand to his chest. "were only augmented with no more than a couple different characteristics, they believe they have finally reached the final stages, and can implicate more, including greatly improving the subjects senses, stimulating dormant neurological centers of the brain, and all that science-y stuff, creating a kind of superhuman." 

I began to panic. "Why on earth would they want to do that? I mean, wouldn't they just get out of hand?"

"I don't know, would you go berserk?" I looked at him momentarily, before remembering what Dr Lane had said to me previously, about how he was going to be able to make me better, and that all I needed to do was sign his contract. He leaned back in his chair as I came to the realization.

"I don't imagine that will be happening too soon though, they want to finish their trials before moving onto humans."

"You mean to tell me they haven't even successfully done so yet?!" I looked at him, nose flaring and my cheeks feeling flushed as I began to boil with anger.

"Of course they have, but... Well..." He turned away, going quiet.

"He got away." I finished. He looked at me quizzically, but before he could ask how I knew, I answered. "Well, for one, that kind of thing is to be expected, I mean, if anything goes wrong like that in the movies, the subject escapes, wrecks havoc on an unsuspecting populous, before finally being captured and detained again, or killed. That and the fact that I think I've met them."

"Wait, you met subject 02?" He looked at me astonished.

"Well, I don't know really, either way, I don't like the idea of this 'subject 02' being out and about, but I feel like the guy I met most certainly fits the bill." I said in response, shuddering at the memory. "Wait, does this mean I have to take part?" I said, feeling more worried about the whole 'experiment' they wanted me to take part in.

Vick opened his mouth to answer, but closed it, and with a stern scowl, he looked behind me. "And what are you doing here?" I turned around to find Chris walking towards us. I shrunk a little in my chair at his imposing figure and almost angry leer. Vick got up and met him half way and for a moment they both just stared at each other, before talking quietly between them. Though Christ has a head or so taller than him, Vick still stood his ground.

The silence between them was broken when my stomach growled. I hadn't eaten in a few hours and only just realized how hungry I was. They both looked at me and Chris' face softened. Before anyone could say anything though, Vick was already next to me and pulling me out of my seat. "Aww, honey, you should have said you were hungry! Come on!" With that, he was pulling me out my seat and exiting the room, looking shyly at Chris as he watched me pass him, his face sour, almost angry still.

"What was that all about?" Vick turned to look at me, walking backwards, continuing to drag me by my wrists, though he had slowed down now. He had a big smile plastered on his face still which quickly disappeared when he looked behind me to see Chris following closely behind, keeping an eye on us.

"Nothing overly important, just-"

"Business." Chris finished, eying Vick. He bit his lower lip teasingly and Chris blushed. I was greatly confused about the both of them, but didn't say anything. Vick let go of my wrists and I continued following behind them, though I walked slower through the halls as they created distance, once again talking about something they probably didn't want me to hear. Was it all true then? Was I going to be part of some experiment? And when talking about these, 'augmentations', he said that he was part of it, is he another subject? Perhaps one from an earlier experiment?

All sorts of questions were running through my mind, and before long, I realized I had stopped walking, and the other two were a small distance ahead, looking back at me. I blushed and jogged up to them, keeping my eyes downcast. We continued walking until we got to the kitchen. With gleaming tiles lining the walls and floor, polished granite worktops and an inset stove in the island in the middle of the room, it was like a dream kitchen from one of those TV adverts. 

Cupboards and shelves lined the walls with assorted tools, ingredients and dishes, a couple draws with the cutlery, and a large fridge-freezer to one side. Finally, there was a small doorway that lead through to the pantry. "With all the glass doors and everything, you can probably guess where everything is, otherwise the rest of the food is through that door, in the pantry. Just choose whatever you would like, we still need to talk." I turned to Chris' gruff voice looking at Vick out the corner of his eye who seemed to smile back at him.

Between Vick always smiling and Chris' insistent tone, I couldn't really tell anything about either of them. I looked at him for a moment longer before nodding. I needed time to think, and perhaps being alone right now would be a good thing. It's not exactly like either of them would be able to help me in this situation, not unless they could tell me more about this whole procedure. 

I sighed and walked off to the pantry as they left the room. I took out a couple things and began cracking a couple eggs to make some omelettes. I remember when I was younger, and Stuart first showed me how to make omelets. I followed along with his instructions as I remembered them, slicing up mushroom, cutting ham into small squares, grating some cheese and flipping it all over carefully. I got three plates and carefully dished an omelet onto each of them, before putting them all on a tray with a couple other things and walking out with it all.

The cheesy smell wafted through the air as I walked down the corridor and by the time I returned to the living area where the other two where I was all but drooling over them. I stopped dead in the doorway and simply listened to them as I heard them talking.

"Well you're just going to have to deal with it! Besides, it's not my choice!" Vick's voice was shrill, almost frantic, like he was defending himself.

"I never said it was." Chris' own voice deeper and restrained, spat through gritted teeth.

"Besides, what's it to you? Its not like you own him. I don't see why its a problem, he doesn't have much a choice anymore anyway."

Chris' body went tense for a moment before his nose lifted to the air and a slight smile momentarily played his lips. I shuffled forward quietly and his face instantly steeled, looking directly at me. I blushed again and looked at the floor just ahead of me, putting the tray on the table between the two of them. My eyes began to prick with tears. I don't have a choice? Is that why I was brought here?

Chris clenched his fists against his leg. I put his omelet in front of him, before taking mine and the tray back, turning to leave the room again, not wanting them to see me like this, I didn't want them to know I heard them talking. "Hey, Ashley, Why don't you sit down with us?"

I put the plate on the table and rubbed my eyes before responding; "N-no, I'm fine thank you. I will just... I..." I paused for a moment, took a deep breath and faced them both. "I'm fine. I'll just go find out where Lindsey is. I need to talk to her about a few things." I said with a weak smile and turned around. I walked normally, making sure to try act normal, before it turned into a into a run through the estate, myself in one, leaping up the stairs, crashing into the first room I came across and closed the door, falling to the floor with my back against the dark oak door.

I felt so alone, with nothing to really go back to, I was now in a random house with random people, and stuck in an undesirable situation, to say the least. I had quietened down, but i still sat there, hugging my knees to my chest with my head against them, rocking gently, when I heard a knock at the door behind me.

"Ashley, can I come in?" I heard Chris on the other side of the door. I was surprised, was he worried about me? He seemed so inapproachable that I didn't really care what he thought of me. I got up and, after whipping my eyes again, I opened the door to him, a mug in each hand. He looked me up and down before smiling gently. I opened the door wider and let him in.

He came in and handed me a mug before taking a seat at a small table set against the wall. I walked over and sat just opposite him. We both sat there silently for a little while, sipping on my coffee quietly every now and then, noticing him watching me over his own drink. I didn't understand the sudden pique in interest, but he never said anything. 

"Thank you." I said quietly. I didn't want to look up at him. I felt childish, running off and crying to myself like that, I should have just gone to talk to Lindsey like I said.

"You should have, Lindsey needs to talk to you and Makarov is throwing a fit trying to find you, haven't you heard him calling?" I looked at him completely dumbfounded, had I said that aloud? Did he just guess? He opened his mouth to say something, quick shut it again and got up. "When you're ready, Lindsey would like a word in her office."

"Is it about what Vick was talking about earlier?" He simply looked at me, expressionless and unreadable as always. Silently sighing to myself, I simply look down at my coffee, my reflection dark and wavering, rippling as i tapped the side of the mug lightly. "I'll be there in a moment."

With that, he turned and quietly left the room, the door clicking quietly behind him. I sat there in silence for a few minutes, before getting up to find a bedroom to sleep in. A few minutes of knocking and looking into different rooms, I found a fairly small one on the first floor. The large queen sized bed had silky red bed sheets, decorated with black and silver spirals that ran along the bottom of the quilt and pillow cases, matched with the dark wood bed frame.

I opened a dresser beside the window, looking for something else to wear. I took out a large blue t-shirt that hung baggily on my shoulders, the hem ending half way up my thighs. I took everything else off, leaving me in the t-shirt and boxers. I folded up my clothes, put them on the dresser and made my way over to the bed. I didn't take the time to appreciate the rest of the room, flopping onto the bed first and, with my face buried in the pillows, I quickly got comfortable and fell asleep. 

The afternoon sun slowly set, giving way to the rising moon that shone brightly with the stars. I woke up at some point in the middle of the night, bleary eyed and yawning. I was about to settle back to sleep when an elegant whisper of a tune reached my ears. I sat silently, listening to the different notes as the weaved themselves into a wonderful melody. I slowly got up, and followed my ears to the source of the strangely familiar sound, the only thing I could hear other than the quiet patter of my bare feet against the wood paneling. 

I held onto the stairs' banister, making my way back into the main hall. The music was slightly louder now, and I could hear the notes with more clarity. I made my way into the main living area, where Vick had first taken me. It was empty, and the curtains drawn, the soft melody lingering quietly in the air. I looked across the room to see Chris sat at the piano in the corner. As he continued, I found myself captivated by the alluring harmonies. The sleek black of the piano shone with a silver rim from the moonlight bleeding into the room through one of the curtains.

Chris himself was captivating. His large form given a brilliant halo of white, the crescent moon settling behind his head through a fine line between the curtains, whilst at the same time, his body and the piano barely illuminated. The picture was perfect in every way and I could have stared at him playing the piano all night, but it wasn't to last.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" I heard. I was pulled from my stupor by his voice, followed by the light scrape from the piano stool being pushed back. He got up and walked over to the window, pulling the curtains closed.

"N-no. That was beautiful, how long have you been playing?" I asked, walking from the doorway to the soft seat in front of the fireplace, him seating himself on the other side after lighting the fireplace.

"A few years now. I'm glad you liked it." He said quietly, a small smile playing his lips. We sat there silently for a second, moving myself to the carpet just in front of the fireplace and turning round to face him so I could see him better. "Do you play?"

"Play what? The piano?" He nodded, leaning his arms onto his knees and his hands clasped together, simply staring. I adjusted the t-shirt over my folded knees and put my hands in my lap. "Well, no. I've always wanted to, and I tried for a little bit, but there is no way I could do that in a million years." I said with a slight chuckle. "You must have had a lot of practice."




The Blossom in the Snow Pt. 04



"You could say that." He said quietly again. 

"I.. I want to thank you." I stammered, keeping quiet. When he didn't say anything, I continued, "For saving me, back then. In all honesty I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't shown up." He continued to sit there silently watching me. I felt exposed, as if he was judging me, leaving me unsettled. "Please say something..." I whispered, turning as to not look at him. I hated it. It didn't feel right being here, him just watching me like that. I was uncomfortable. It made me feel like he was judging me, because I was so much weaker than him. I couldn't handle myself. Hell, my choices so far have gotten me in more than one terrifying situation, and now look where I am. Whatever he was thinking, it was probably more than true.

He got up and took the three steps needed to get over to me, where he sat down in front of me, and pulled me easily into his lap, wrapping his arms around me and resting his chin on my head comfortably. I simply sat there, unknowing how to react. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you are so alone. You have no idea just how..." He stopped talking, but squeezed his arms around me with a small sigh. 

We simply sat there, silently curled in his lap as he stroked me hair in front of the fire. As romantic as it sounds, I was more crept out than anything. I mean, sure he was, well. You can imagine, but still. I don't actually now anything about him. Then here we are, hugging in front of the fire? I didn't want to move but I would have to eventually. I squirmed slightly and got out of his lap. Though at first he resisted, holding me tighter against him, he let me go. I stood up and turned to leave the room. "Thank you Chris, but you don't have to be sorry. I don't know where I would be right now if it wasn't for you. So I should be thanking you." I said with a smile. He lent back on his hands, and was about to speak, but decidedly kept quiet. He sat in front of the fire as I walked past him and out of the room, not wanting to look back and regret leaving him there.

- - - - -

I didn't remember going to bed. Didn't remember walking up the flight of stairs back to the bedroom I was using that night, I didn't even remember what I had done after leaving Chris. It was just blank, as though I had been sleep walking. Well, with the time, and as tired as I was, that's probably all that happened. I stretched my up against the headboard and legs out under the red quilt. I slowly sat up with a yawn, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes and twisting the over-sized shirt I was wearing so it wasn't wrapped around me like a corkscrew. I heard rustling and a yawn. I snapped my head round to see a large bundle under the quilt. A shiver ran up my spine, and I slowly reached over, before quickly yanking the quilt back, revealing a small pile of Vick who then began writhing against the cold morning air.

"VICK!" I yelled in surprise. He jumped up instantly as a response, hands instantly curling to fists and his body locked in what I would imagine being a combat stance. 

"What? What's wrong? Where are they?" He quickly said.

"What?" 

He looked at me, then around the room and down at the two of us. He quickly relaxed and laid back down on the bed with a flop. "Jesus man, you can't go along scaring me like that!" 

"Scaring you?! What about me?! Why are you in my bed?" 

He looked to one side, humming as he remembered, "well, I found you asleep at the base of the stairs and didn't know what else to do, so I bought you over to my room for the night!" He said with a smile. I looked around the room, noticing the differences between this room and the one I was in initially. For instance, furniture positions and the windows were different, and the curtains were white rather than red, as well as a couple other things that I imagined were his own things, such as a couple suitcases, probably filled with clothes and personal belongings, a suitcase on his bedside table, and a small rack with assorted shoes and boots.

I got out of bed, put on a robe that Vick handed to me and walked drearily to the kitchen on the ground floor. Finding it empty, I made Vick a cup of coffee and grabbed myself a glass of water, before heading off back to his room, when I heard the piano playing, its gentle melody pulling me back to the living area, just like last night. I walked in, put the cups on the table, and sat down, listening to the music as it played. A few minutes passed by and it came to an end. 

I watched with a small smile as Chris came round from the other side, and with a bow, came over to me, taking the coffee from my hands with a 'cheers'.

"Wait, that's for-" though my protest was useless as he drank the whole lot in one. "Hmm. You know that wasn't for you." I said with a pout. He looked at me with a wolfish grin.

"You sure?" I nodded and he chuckled, "Well if that is so, why were you in here with it?" I was about to moan at him but he put his hand underneath my chin, holding it so I looked at him in the eye. "You know, you're kinda cute when you're flustered" he teased. I pouted again, before I continued talking.

"Hey, I have a question though. Why do you not like Vick?" He looked at me questionably at first before realizing that I was talking about when he spoke to the doctor yesterday. 

"He's, well..."

"Eccentric?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. He rubbed the back of his neck in thought, probably thinking of a better word. Before he could however, we both heard footsteps across the room from the hall.

"Well, speaking of the devil." Before I could even completely turn to the doorway I was assaulted by a sprinting Vick, crumpling to the floor in a heap with him on top. 

"H-hey Vick..." I wheezed underneath him. He got off of me, picked me up and dusted me off before talking to me.

"Where did you run off to? You kept me waiting." He said with a pout. I started to explain before he looked at the empty cup Chris had just been using. "You made him coffee and not me!? Favoritism much." I sighed, and began to explain, as I had done a moment ago to Chris.

"Well, it WAS for you, until I heard Chris on the piano. I heard it last night as well, which is why you found me on the stairs. As for the coffee, Chris drank it when I came in here a minute ago." I looked between them, each mocking a hurt expression at each other. 

"You mean you didn't actually make me one? And after I saved you n'all. Gratitude much." He said with a wink.

"Chris you're such a dork! You shouldn't just take things that aren't yours!"

"Well since he was in here, I figured that it was."

They continued arguing between each other, before I simply sighed and walked away. "Hey Alex, where are you going?" I heard Vick call after me.

"I need to go find Lindsey. There's something we need to talk about." Yeah, like what the hell Vick meant by me taking the program. 

"You won't find her, she left last night just after I found you." I turned to him, shocked at the development.

"What? Why did she leave?"

"Dunno, but whatever it was, she never told me. Either way, I'm sure she'll be back later."

I took a seat in front of the fireplace, "When's 'later'?" I asked.

"Like I said, I don't know, a few days, week perhaps. She comes round every now and then, but now that you're here I'm sure she will be here more regularly to check up on how you're doing, that and they'll be starting your program in a few da-" He was quickly hushed by Chris he walked towards me. I didn't really like where things were going. OK, I REALLY didn't like it, especially considering why I was brought here in the first place, and now that I've been left alone like that, It means not only do I now know where exactly I am, but also what I'm supposed to do.

My head began to fill up with ideas as to what she would return with, WHO she would return with, and when. I was panicking, worrying about what would happen to me. What if they don't find this 'Subject 2'? Is it Rae? What if he found me? No, he wouldn't, besides Chris is here.

Thinking about Chris made me feel a little more at ease, knowing that he was living there with me, at least for the moment, which meant I was still safe, at least from Rae. This ease was short lived, as I noticed a shadow loom over me. I looked up, to see Chris looking down at me, before taking a seat beside me, looking me in the eye; "You don't need to worry, Kid. You'll be fine here. Someone will be back later. I neither of us know when exactly, but I'm sure it won't be long."

I relaxed into the seat with a small sigh, before hearing Vick; "Oh, Alex, before you get comfy, there are a few things I need to show you." I turned to him, beckoning me to follow him out the room. I grumbled to myself, before getting up and hurrying after him. 

When we were out the room, I heard Chris' footsteps on the wooden floor behind is, the soft tapping of his bare heel quickly turning into slapping against the tiles of the kitchen. "What is it you wanted to show me?"

"Well, for one you haven't seen the rest of the house yet, have you? I'll just show you around." I followed him about, him leading me into another room, small, with bookcases along the walls, a small table in the middle, with a couple chairs around it. He pulled one out for me and sat in the one opposite. "OK, now what did you really want?"

He looked at me with his head resting in his arms, propped up on his elbows against the table as he leaned forward slightly. He looked silently at me, before he smiled his crooked grin again. All at once I felt uneasy again, a chill running up my spine, and when he started chuckling to himself, I pushed my chair out, intending to leave.

But I couldn't. The chair didn't move, like it was stuck to the ground. I pushed against the table as hard as I could, but nothing would budge. There was a slam behind me as the doors shut. I looked at the now silent Vick, still smiling at me, leering at me, making me shrink into my seat. I strained to try and move, but its like my body was stuck to the seat. I couldn't move, and I couldn't make a sound. My cries and pleas getting caught in my throat.

He got out of his seat, walking around the table, before standing behind me, whispering in my ear. "Are you scared?" I strained, trying to pull away from him, but I couldn't move. He laughed again at my struggle, before leaning close to my ear again.

He ran a hand down my front slowly, stopping on my chest, feeling my heart beating hard and fast. "I knew you were." He taunted in my ear. "You know, when I was talking about those 'augmentations' yesterday? Well, mine is all about the mind, controlling things with it, or tapping into others'. I can read you like a book, and I almost cringe whenever I see you with HIM. The way you always relax into him, the way you smile. Even your thoughts are consumed with him." He started saying. 

I tried calling out for Chris, but I couldn't utter a sound other than the heavy panting of my struggles against Vick's invisible grip. "Then there's the worst part, the fact that he is exactly like you! You may not see it, but I do. He's been exactly the same since he first brought you into the office. Well I'm sick of it! Why you? I've been working with him for so long, and yet he doesn't even give me a second glance when I enter the room, but you, he can't keep his eyes off you!"

I distantly heard a heavy beating against the door, but I was far more preoccupied with Vick at that moment; "Well, it won't be like that for long. I'll have him sick of you soon enough, I will have him, you can't take him from me. Not after I've been waiting so long." His hand in front of my heart then squeezed, and i caught my breath. I could feel my chest tightening, my head pounding like it was being hit against a wall. I wanted to scream, cry out against this excruciating pain. It felt like a rope was twisted around my heart and ribs, and someone was pulling hard against them. My vision began to blur as the pain increased, Vick's laughing and taunting, the crash from the edge of the room, all drowned out by the thumping in my head.

My ears were ringing and my vision went black, my whole body went numb and I fell forward, limp against the table as he let me go.