ROYAL BLOOD

LETTER

Wisteria replied, "what do you mean?'

"I mean everything feels so strange. Rufus took us to Scott and somehow Scott had met Urbane and now the bartender here? I am having doubts. This looks like a trap. I say we should run."

"Run and what? Have people look for us? Because if we run then we'll have nowhere to go. People will have doubts and look for us. It's best if we stick with Rufus if we want our lives saved." Wisteria whispered.

Jackson didn't speak further and Lore agreed with what Wisteria said.

"Kids-" Rufus addressed them showing the key, "let's go."

They looked at each other and followed Rufus. He turned left from the main bar and escorted them upstairs. The narrow stairs led them to a small corridor. The pub wasn't maintained. The corridors were dirty, plasters were coming of the walls and nothing was clean.

Wisteria exclaimed, "This is so disgusting." while stepping on algae.

The floors were wet and the place smelled horrible. Rufus turned right and opened a room's door. The room was cold and horrible.

Lore scanned the whole room and questioned, "Why did the man just give us the key?"

"Quite strange" Wisteria replied, "There is nothing particular here, though."

Jackson coughed and said, "Maybe Urbane left us a clue or a note and told the bartender to give it to us if we come looking for him?"

Wisteria interrupted, "But he could just wait for us here instead of leaving a clue."

"Don't be silly." Lore told Wisteria, "how long would he wait here? With no money? No protection and Scott looking for him? I agree with Jackson. He must've been on the run so he left us something. Let's search this room for something."

"Just be careful of insects." Rufus said. "This place hasn't been maintained for long."

"I can see that." Jackson said moving towards the left.

Lore looked here and there not knowing where to start from. He moved towards a small table and saw a paper lying there. Not knowing what it was, he picked it up and soon realized that it was important.

"Hey-" he shouted "It's a letter."

Jackson cried running towards Lore, "Like I guessed. What does it say?"

Before reading the letter, Lore saw something familiar. The handwriting. It was very familiar to him. He had seen it before in the past but he just couldn't remember whose it was.

"Lore?" Wisteria shook his hands.

Lore got back into his senses and read the letter,

"Lore Augustin, Wisteria Joseph, Jackson Slander, if you're reading this then voila! You have successfully followed my clues. You reached here looking for Urbane Wilson and it's time you know where he is. I had captured him knowing his whereabouts. He told me about how you'll come looking for him and I executed this plan to bring you here. I knew Rufus would go to his dear friend, Scott who unfortunately works for me so I included Scott in this plan but he only has a small role, to guide you here which I believe he did successfully. I killed Urbane Wilson this morning. But I'm not so cruel. I gave him a proper burial to have his lovely friends pay him last respects, in the graveyard. You won't leave this place alive.

Gary C. Magbla."

Lore looked up in shock. Wisteria dropped on a chair behind her. Jackson stood still like a pole. Rufus pursed his lips and showed grief. No one said anything for a minute. Wisteria started sobbing and said ruefully, "If only we hadn't played the game."

Jackson said, "I couldn't even look at him the last time."

Lore was sad but furious inside. He wanted to kill Gary and have him pay for what he had done. Lore clenched his fist tightly crumbling the paper and he threw it away in anger. He got up and said, "Rufus, take us to the graveyard."

Rufus said, "Are you sure?"

Jackson helped Wisteria get up and said, "Urbane is not dead. This must be a trap. We'll find out what's true and what's not only after we visit his grave."

Lore didn't say anything. He was traumatized. At this point, he was hoping it to be a trap and not the truth. Rufus felt bad for the kids as well as for himself. He didn't expect Scott to be a part of Gary's work. Although Scott had done no harm to their friendship, Rufus still felt guilty of taking the kids to him. He feared that they would doubt him and he didn't want to lose Lore without telling him something.

They got out of the room and went down to the pub. They went towards the bartender to give him the key and Lore saw the man who was talking to Rufus the other night, sitting there. Jackson elbowed Lore and coughed.

"Ah! Rufus, we meet again." The man opened his arms and Rufus ignored it. The man frowned a bit and looked at the kids and continued, "Well, well, it's a bit odd to bring kids here unless… you have something to snoop about."

"None of your business, Ryan." Rufus told him.

Ryan knew that the kids were from the other side. He was just trying to help someone by playing along.

Rufus handed over the key to the bartender and walked out of there giving Ryan a furious look. As they were going back, Ryan caught Lore's arm and pulled him towards his face. Lore didn't utter a single sound as he looked at Ryan's eyes. They were fierce and dark. Lore started noticing ever little detail his face had. He could smell beer in Ryan's breath. Lore tried to get out but Ryan was stronger.

"Let me go" Lore cried and Rufus turned back.

"RYAN! Let go him." Rufus cried and tried pulling their arms apart but Ryan pushed Rufus to the ground and looked at Lore. Jackson and Wisteria went towards Rufus and tried making him stand. The people at the pub were now looking at the commotion without moving a thing. Lore grunted and tried freeing his arm but was overpowered by Ryan. Rufus got up and tried pulling Ryan.

Ryan shook Lore and pulled him closer and whispered, "I have my eyes on you. If I get any hint of you and your friends being a part of the other side then Beware you'll have your heads cut off." He spat on Lore's face and let his arm go. Lore stood there closing his eyes and clenching his fist in anger.

Rufus yelled, "RYAN!" and punched Ryan's face. Ryan looked up and laughed. He grabbed his jaw and gave one more look at the kids and walked out of there. Wisteria pulled a cloth from the bartender's hands which was being used to wipe glasses. She grabbed Lore's shoulder and wiped his face. Lore hadn't felt this disgusted in his life ever before.

"Are you alright?" Rufus asked Lore with full concern.

"Let's get out of here." Jackson said and Rufus nodded.

Wisteria still kept her arm on Lore's shoulder while moving out and Rufus apologized to the people in the pub for making a chaos. The next thing they knew was, walking towards the cemetery with hope and fear. Lore was feeling so angry that he didn't say a single word on the way. He wanted to hit Ryan and make him pay for what he had done.