IGNATIUS The Colors of Rage

Chapter f Reflex

Nansen directed his index finger at Emi. “Ask her about that.” 

Her smug attitude and lack of eye contact reflected her care. She was a princess and she knew it. Safer than anyone because of it. “Yep, it’s true.” She shrugged. “I found him on his bed. He was there the entire time.” 

Baine and Nansen glanced at each other. “I know full and well that we searched every corner of the house, including his room and his bed.” Baine stepped toward her and pointed his finger at her chest. “And you’re telling me that he was in clear view the whole time and we couldn’t see him?” She nodded once and grinned. “But you could see him?” Again, another nod. 

His pointed hand spread open faster than she could see it. He swung back and slapped her across the cheek. She gasped and covered her reddening cheek with her palm. Nansen pursed his lips and winced for her. 

Just as big wet tears filled her eyes, Baine pointed at her again. “That means that you knew where he was and stood by as we wasted our time looking for him! Don’t ever waste my time like that again! For this, you’re getting off extremely easy.” His hand jerked down to his side and he turned his burning glare back onto Nansen. “Go on. Tell me what happened. Undoubtedly, you have a hit coming, too.” 

Nansen exhaled and shrugged his arms down to his sides. “Well, if I know it’s coming, then it won’t be so bad… So, what happened-” his hands breathed life into his story “-I was sleeping. Emi shows up at my door…” He paused and leant in closer to Baine, his voice lowered to a whisper, “I shall add that I don’t know how she knew which door was mine, because I’ve never invited her there. Since, I’m staying true to our agreement.” A look of pride washed through his face and he nodded once sincerely. Then the enthusiasm picked right back up. “She had Iggy thrown over her shoulder.” He flicked one finger up on his hand. “Paralysis. And he had a super dark shadow around his eyes.” He flipped up another finger. “That’s the two symptoms of stage two. So, if that’s not stage two, then I don’t know what is.” He lowered his chin and shook his head side to side. “The poor kid.” He swallowed and waved his hand toward Iggy in a gentle swinging motion. “Well, we took him downstairs, and at first he just laid there. He wouldn’t go for the feed on his own. He just needed to see it, I guess. Because then… He went at it! He was out, completely!” 

Baine waved his hand dismissively and turned a cheek. “Oh, that’s normal, and you know that.”

Nansen laughed maniacally and laid a hand over Baine’s shoulder and continued, almost boasting. “You don’t understand! His thirst reflex would have kept him there all night. I hate to say this… but I think it could be even stronger than our father’s reflex.” 

Baine peeled his hand off of his shoulder disdainfully. “That’s nonsense,” he hushed. “If what you’re telling me is anywhere near the truth, Iggy had resisted. Our father? He doesn’t resist.”

Nansen stomped his feet and captured Baine’s shoulders in a tense grasp again. His eyes spread back and a malicious smile crossed his face. “You’re not listening… We had to pry him off of the bodies, all three times.”

“Three… times?” Baine interrupted. “Are you saying that he killed three people tonight?” Nansen nodded rapidly. “So, that’s the bad news.” He swallowed hard and turned his head toward the reflection in the mirror. His voice became a low rumble. “You killed three people?” 

A silent moment passed. He balled up his fist and threw it right into the mirror. The glass shattered easily, falling to the ground in shards. Emi shrunk against the wall still shaken, and Nansen stood with his hands raised and his strange crooked smile. Baine’s face burned bright red and he came face to face with Iggy, glaring right through him. “Three times?!” he shouted. “Three f*****g times?! Three people?! That’s enough for nine of us to eat in one night. You’ve caused me a big problem with the others. They’ll be asking me soon enough where the feed is.” He grinded his teeth and stood up straight. 

Iggy spoke with a voice that was still too deep to be his own. “Baine,” he said. “I’m sorry. I don’t remember it… I…” He dropped his face into his hands. “I don’t remember…”

The heat seeped out of Baine’s skin and his hardened expression softened. He melted like ice. He transferred his balled hand to Iggy’s shoulder and laid it gently across. He sighed and nodded forgivingly. “You phased out. I get it.” 

Iggy looked up at him with his hands still held up. “I did…?” He looked down at the ground searching for what might have happened. “I can’t remember anything. It’s scary… I’m scared. Please, tell me that this won’t happen again.” 

Iggy felt Baine's fingertips grip his shoulder. “Every night.” 

“I feel… so empty,” he confessed, dropping his chin to his chest. “Like, there’s nothing inside of me anymore. Like, someone else is driving me.” He looked up at Baine again, feeling the warmth under his palm soaking into him. His eyebrows lifted. “Is it you… are you the one driving me now?” 

Baine quickly shook his head and looked over his shoulder at Nansen. “Cut his hair, clean up the mess, and after that I’ll take both of them.”

Emi pulled herself away from the wall and stood upright. Her voice shook with nervousness. “Me, too? To where?”

He drew his hand away from Iggy’s shoulder and spoke slowly to the both of them. “I will show you what’s on the outside of the walls, and if you’re good, I’ll let you come back inside.”

Her arms wrapped around her torso. “I already know what’s out there.”

Playfully, as if he had already forgotten everything that had happened, he elongated a finger over his lips, making a symbol of shhh. Then he shook his head and whispered, “nope. You don’t know anything.” A little grin appeared and with the power of just one look, the entire atmosphere shifted. The altercation was done. Intrigued by his confidence, Emi’s arms loosened and she leaned backwards. Baine turned and gazed into Nansen’s eyes. His grin widened. “He looks like Firmin, doesn’t he?”

Nansen loosened up and chuckled. “With the black hair?”

“His body type, too.”

“Yeah, he looks a lot like dad. Have you seen his eyes closely?”

Baine grinned and nodded. “Yes, I did. More than one color is a bad sign. Did you count how many he has?” Nansen held up three fingers and Baine lost his breath. “Holy s**t… I’m missing Revpora more and more by the second. We better find a way to contact him, or else we’re going to be drowning in problems.”