THE EMPATH

RED

I had never been to the big city all by myself and I wouldn't even know where to begin. I could already feel my heart throbbing when the driver announced that we were only thirty minutes away. I had never made such a stupid decision in my life and I was beginning to regret it. However, the thought that every minute I didn't do something was a minute Anne could sell out my secret was pushing me so hard. I could never turn back if I wanted to. I held my backpack closer and tighter as we approached. The stories dad had given me about the big, big city were still fresh in my mind, and I feared someone would snatch away my bag as soon as we arrived.

"This is the last stop, thank you for choosing to travel with us," the driver said. The doors opened and the noisy crowd went out. I hesitated for a while but upon seeing the look on the driver's face, I pushed my way through the seats, completely forgetting to ask the question I needed to ask him. There I was, in the middle of the city and in the middle of the night. All I could see left and right were the tall buildings with blinding branding lights all around them. I could read but that wouldn't help as I had no idea which building was which. The night was cold and the streets were by then almost clear. A few wines and spirits shops were still open but apart from those, only the music from "Ross House Club" could be heard. I was so totally lost even before I arrived. The big question was, how was I to find myself? "Guardian, I hope you do come with an installed map or directions at the least," the shaking in my voice was clearly visible. "Are you shaking from the cold or the fear Victor?," he asked, I knew now I was not totally alone. "A little bit of both maybe," it was the most genuine answer I had given him ever since I had first known that he lived in me.

"Well, you need to get someplace warm, and what warmer than a club?" he laughed a little. "Now son, now I teach you how to live in the streets because this is where you belong. Let's go," he added and this time he actually laughed out loud in my head. I was about to shoot a question his way and protest but I saw this shady-looking guy coming my way so I just started walking towards the club instead. "This is not the club we are going to Victor, we are going to the one he is going to," he said and told me to look to my three o'clock. There I saw a much cleaner guy with the swag of a teenager but from my newest and stronger abilities, I could tell that he was well into his seventies. I went a bit closer for a better look and to my surprise, his face was that of a teenager too. "How?" I couldn't help but ask.

"He is like you son, but he is a bit advanced so that he can shape shift into whatever he wants. You don't possess that ability but you have others that make you stronger and more equipped than him. Now that you are almost a protector, I will be telling you more about yourself. For now, keep following him from a distance. If he is out at this time of the night looking like that, it means that he is on a hunt and he could lead us to one of the cleaning crew members and then we can follow them back to their den," the way he said it, made it sound as if it was the easiest thing in the world. I had never heard him talk that much before and I was scared so I kept listening to distract myself from the immense fear inside. I lost myself in listening to his stories that I totally forgot to be careful.

"Who are you and why are you following me?" the voice asked. I could smell him, the old guy I mean. He smelled like a mixture of dried tangawizi leaves and menthol. I tapped on his hand that was wrapped around my neck such that I couldn't talk. He let go of me but he immediately reached into his pockets and took out a knife. "My name is Vicky, my guardian asked me to follow you," I said hoping he would understand what I was saying. He had my bag with him and I needed that if I were to stand a chance against the Cleaning Crew. "I don't mean you any harm. If you just...please give me my bag," I added. The thought of being robbed was still circling my head and seeing that I didn't know this guy, my fear that he could just turn around and walk away with my bag was growing really fast.

He opened the bag, went through its content, closed it, and then threw it at me. "If you are going after the people I think you are, nothing in that bag is going to be helpful," he said then walked on. I followed him, this time reaching to him to ask for help. "So, what can?" I asked amidst all his ignorance. "It's called Red, a weapon strong enough to kill the destroyers with only a single cut," he said and reached down to his pocket once again and took out his knife. He handed it to me and my hands shook a little as I picked it up. "It is heavy for its size," it was the only thing I could come up with. The ten inches curved blade felt nice on my palm. It was almost as if it could talk to me or something. "Why is it called Red?" I wanted to know all about the damn thing. Hell, I needed to own one of them if possible.

"Because its natural color is red. It is forged from a very rare metal, rare in that no normal human has ever come across it. The metal is usually black but once it turns red during the forging, it stays red. It contains a poison that kills the destroyers," he answered and took the blade from my hands. "You know he was actually testing whether you are a protector...," my guardian started. "Destroyers can't stand the metal, it burns through their flesh," he finished and went quiet again."Your guardian bitching in your head?" the other guy said. "Yes," I said and a conversation started there and then. "My name is Maurice by the way, but you can just call me Mory, that is what I like to be called. It makes me feel young. You know," he said and smiled exposing his unusually white teeth.

"So, how do I get my own Red blade?" that was what seemed like the most important thing to ask. He had mentioned that we were only a few meters from the club and he had asked me to drop the conversation about the protectors as soon as we approached the doors. That meant that I only had one more question to ask. "Well, nobody forges them anymore, not anyone I know or I have ever heard of. I inherited mine from my grandfather, however, I hear they are sold in some of the antique shops that are owned by protectors. They say that for every protector who ever lived or will ever live, there is a Red. I know yours is out there somewhere and it will find a way to get to you," he explained. I could then hear the music coming from the club where we were headed. "How do I know if the blade I get is mine?" it seemed like a rather stupid question but I just had to know. "The moment you hold it for the first time, you just know it. You can feel the connection between you and the blade and it even feels like the blade is whispering to you. Of course that applies to every protect but one," the story was getting even more interesting. "Did yours talk to you?... I mean did you bond?" I asked that because earlier when I touched his blade, I felt exactly what he had just explained. "Also, who is the exception and why?" there were so many things I would have loved to know about Red but unfortunately there was no time as we were only meters away from the club's main entrance.

"Yes, I bonded with mine. In fact, we still talk to this day. I know it is going to be someone else's someday, but before then, it is mine and we are both comfortable. Now, no more questions. Once we get in, you stay close and try not to look so village-like," he said and signaled for me to follow his lead. At the entrance, two huge guys were standing with their hands folded onto their huge chests. Their faces looked like they were curved of stone or something, not even a smile seemed possible on them. I had never seen people so big. Mory took out his ID and showed it to them, he then explained to them that I was his brother who had just turned eighteen and he brought me to celebrate. One of them leaned in, looked at him straight in the eyes for a moment, and then let us in.

"How did you know I didn't have an ID? Even better, how did you know I just turned 18?" I still thought that his abilities had helped him know that but the awkward smile on his face followed by a burst of forced laughter seemed to indicate that he thought my question was dumb. "Are you kidding me? you still have your high school chemistry book in your bag, you are dressed like a kid who still relies on Mummy to pick his clothes for him, and you seem to be new to the city. Need I say more?" of course, he had learned it all from the I behaved. "Just so you know, I am the most smartly dressed kid where I come from," I felt insulted and I needed to say something for myself. He smiled and nodded his head in agreement and we started on the stairs leading up to the club. Once we got there, Mory took his time to choose the perfect spot. He wanted to be someplace close to a group of young lads who seemed odd and I think I knew why. I could tell who they were from their looks only Apart from that, Mory wanted us to be safe too so he chose some seats behind the group where we could always see them. I could count at least six of them. "There is their target," he said and pointed to this beautiful girl on the dancefloor. I looked at them and sure enough, they all seemed to be focused on her. "What do they need her for?" I asked hoping to get an answer that could help me understand why they were going around taking girls and what they did to them afterward. "Well, they have been planning something big for quite some time now. However, with us being a little bit more than them, they know they can't succeed and their way to up the chances is to try and bring more destroyers. What is the best way to do that than to try and sire the kids? So, they have been going around picking up the most beautiful young girls they can find and forcing them to have kids with them," Mory's face darkened and I knew they had taken something or someone from him as well. "Did they...," I looked at his sad face and decided against my question even though I had the urge to ask. "They took my granddaughter. They thought she was perfect but what they didn't know was that she had just recovered from a surgery that had seen both her ovaries being removed. Cancer, damn that cursed disease. When they found out that she was no good, they killed her because she had seen them and they didn't want her going to the police. They have people in the high places all over and believe it or not, the police reports said that my sweet Gena had committed suicide. Her mother tried every government office in the city but nobody listened. That was three months ago. Now, I have gone back to work even though I had retired for the sake of my family. There are no more protectors being born these days and the one that had been born, they killed about four months ago. We can't let those heartless beasts multiply,"

There was a hint of anger in his voice. I watched as he clenched his hands into fists and I had to tap on his shoulder to remind him to keep his calm. "We are going to get them or die trying," I said as I watched his face slowly get back to "normal". A cute waitress in a super short black skirt and white shirt came up to us and I felt things that I am ashamed to explain. She bent over the table to ask us what we were taking and her boobs came out to say hello. Mory kicked me under the table and I closed my mouth. I had never seen a girl this close to n***d before in real life. I mean forget the magazines and those naughty profile pictures and f*******: posts, a girl was bending right opposite and I could see almost everything they had deemed as private. "I will get a Guinness, cold, and my friend here will have to deal with a coke," he looked at me for a moment expecting me to protest or something but when I didn't, he turned back towards the waitress and continued with his order.

We waited for about ten minutes before the drinks were brought and we both went down to enjoy them. The only thing going through my mind right about then was how I was supposed to go fighting without my own Red now that I knew that it was important and I needed it. On the other hand, the only thing that seemed to be going through Mory's head was revenge for his granddaughter. I knew his guardian was probably against his course of action but Mory had chosen to ignore him like I always did. Now I knew that nothing good ever came from it and I wish I could do something to help him change his perspective. We were in this war together, but our reasons for fighting were different. I wondered what his next move would have been but whatever he chose, I was going to be there to back him up if it meant doing something that could help free the girls. "She is about to leave, they are going to follow her, and we, are going to follow them and make them bleed," he said with a scary smile and I saw him hold on to his Red.