Away from Home » Places

         

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Really, Asher wasn't a sad type of person. He smiled, he laughed, he looked at the bright sides of everything and ignored the bad downer stuff. After all, if one always stayed positive about things, they would have an easier time finding the good in them. But if they stayed negative, the bad is all they'd ever see.
Negativity was like the fog in San Francisco. There would always be so much to look at, but the stupid low clouds always got in the way.
Today was a day Asher was finally seeing the fog that everyone else was. His family was probably dead. The last thing he said to his dad was don't forget to buy peanut butter. He hadn't finished writing his part for the school newspaper. He didn't even know Logan's favorite colour, what Matt's middle name was, or if Argus was still dating that Lucy girl he had been so fond of.
When was the last time he told his mother that he loved her? How many times had he gotten mad at her an never apologized?
Asher's life at the moment seemed to be a brew bubbling with regrets. He was a bad brother, a lousy son, and all that he had achieved in sixteen years was nothing compared to anyone else his age. Now that everything was gone... well, looks like this was where things would end for him.
Empty. Useless. Incomplete.
Asher opened his bedroom door, picked up a shopping bag off the floor and began randomly shoving clothes into it. He only needed... what? A couple pairs of pants? A few shirts? Maybe a jacket.
The shirts didn't fit with the pants in the one tiny bag, so Asher dumped it all out and dragged his old suitcase out from the pile of papers and clothes that was located in his closet.
He packed, zipped up the suitcase, and went back downstairs to where he had left Krysta.
"As for the nickname situation," Asher said out of the blue, but he was referring to when she had announced that her name was, infact, Krysta and not Doll. "It suits you. You can call me Tomato or something like that, if you want to be fair about it."
Suddenly the smile reappeared on Asher's face, "Doll and Tomato, the fantastic mystery solving duo!"

         

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Krysta's decision to run back upstairs confused him. Really? Now? The TV literally just blew up in the living room and the girl thought there was something more interesting to do, even after the screen had showed them other humans?
Asher folded his arms when Krysta came running back down, the girl really needed a talking to.
"Well then, now that you're back-" The redhead was saying, just as Krysta began talking as well, "I think we should leave now. I am . . scared." she admitted. Asher frowned at her. Was she not having fun with this? Sure, everyone disappearing without leaving behind the slightest clue of where they went was a little bit of a downer, but hey, there were still silver linings to smile at! They could head on down to the mall and take whatever they wanted! That was a bright side. Wicked deals on clothes? Krysta would probably like that... hopefully. He liked to think so, anyway. Really the boy had no idea what else to do if she started crying again.
"Alright then," Asher agreed happily, giving a nod of approval, "You said it, Doll! Let's get outta here."

After quickly stuffing the snacks he had found earlier into a few shopping bags that had been left on the floor, Asher and Krysta headed out.
The first stop was back at his house, obviously. He figured that since Krysta had brought some of her own stuff, him bringing along an extra pair of clothes and maybe his notebook would be okay, too.
When he swung open the front door, though, Asher immediately realized how the girl beside him must have felt only a few minutes ago.

He wasn't one for breaking down into tears, but the complete silence that filled the house was like a huge slap to the face. You can't do anything that will help them, anyway. A little voice reminded him, but instead of making him feel better it made him feel worse. Why? Because it was right.
You don't even know where they are! The little reminders continued, making Asher wish he had a mute button for this thoughts. But it's not like you'd be much help even if you did, huh? You'd probably mess everything up.
His shoulders sagged and he dropped the bags full of delicious yet unhealthy food.
"I'll be right back." He promised Krysta, trying to not to let his voice sound as pathetic as he felt at the moment. He began walking towards the stairs, but his shoes crunched on the shards left by the now broken TV that was just a few feet away in the kitchen.
Sighing, Asher marched up to his room.

         

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Yori stepped down the sidewalk with Izumi holding on tight to his hand. they had been walking around for a little while now, whistling and enjoying the lovely lights quietly. He bringed hope to the heart of Izumi, that she would get to see more humans soon. Yori was quite happy about that transmission too, but maybe a little more than he should have. More humans? Didn't that mean more troubles? Oh no, more humans were good news to him! It meant he was right, and Ivory was wrong. The more humans he could find here, the more he could restore them there! Simple, right? All he had to do was convince Jesi that he was right, and Ivory was wrong. Everything would be alright if he convinced Jesi.... If he... Oh Jesi... I... miss you...

Yori was long lost in brokenhearted thought as the sound of rustling came from inside a shop. Yori flinched at the noise and regained his awareness, senses quickly becoming alert once again. Elegant dolls swung in the display windows, showing warnings of tempering. Glass shattered in the back. The smell of rotting was becoming strong on this side of the street, but it smelled the strongest once he realized what it was.

The answer ran across Yori's mind faster than a coin could hit the floor. He suddenly looked very afraid and uncomfortable. "Quick." He whispered to Izumi, grabbing hold of her hands and leading her into the ally beside the building. He crouched down with her, with just barely enough shadow to hide the two. Yori's eyes were shut and he began breathing shakily. Is it true? He thought to himself, holding Izumi's precious little hands tighter. An eerie noise came from the front of the building, like a whine that grew louder with each step it took. It grew nearer as the scent of Human and Relici's sweat grew stronger. I was wrong. I was so wrong.... I... I..!

Yori stood up and ran. He let go and ran from denial. Izumi stumbled a little behind, trying to keep up, but Yori just ran. He didn't want to face it again. The eerie noise turned into a solid figure, a tall and shadow-like beast emerged. It grew taller, and faster. Izumi was no match for both of their speeds, she was just a little Human. The shadow grabbed hold of her emotionally, causing immense pain as she fell. Yori ran into the building across the street and hid from the window's view. He didn't want to, but he looked back. He looked back from behind his cowardly hiding place and saw poor Izumi mentally leaving her body. She looked so afraid.. That was the closest it could be described as without going sour. Yori literately saw her consciousness for a split seconds, the light of her soul screaming out in rejection to what the Beast was... was.. well, Yori turned his back on the gruesome scene before it could play. He held his hands over his head and closed his eyes, shaking from fear.

He didn't want this. He never did. He didn't like to see people dying. Though he could not see now, he could still hear both Izumi's and the beast's screams as if they were merging into one. Yori sat there in fear until it felt like he had just woken up from a bad dream. Everything held still for a moment. He opened his eyes and waited for a few seconds, hoping Izumi's voice would return to him once again. But there was nothing but the sound of the beast merging back into sound as it sobbed it's self away, sounding as if it didn't get what it wanted. Yori slowly, fearfully crawled to the door of his building. Izumi's body was gone, and all that was left is ash.

Yori wondered for a moment, Why doesn't it come after me now? Why does it only devour.... Human?