Viola Blackheart's Story

Viola crouched down in the bushes next to one of the community roads’ waiting for the men in their buggy’s to pass. The cold winter air surrounded her, freezing her breath and nipping at her exposed face and hands.This is such a bad idea. I should not have gotten this close to a human community. She thought as she looked down at her map trying to see where she had went wrong. Sighing in defeat she shoved her map back into her bag and glanced back at the road. All clear. She thought to herself as she forced her legs into action, ducking her head down and staying low, she dashed across the road to the other side and kept running until she had been swallowed up by the forest.

Once she had gotten a good distance away from the road Viola slumped down to her knees to catch her breath. This had been the third night she had gone without sleep but, it was not without good reason. She had known that she was cutting it close these past few days because she was so close to one of the three Community's that resided in waterloo Isle and as a result she had been going nonstop, without sleep, trying to get as far away as she could but, somehow she had gotten closer to the community rather than farther. Rising to her feet with some new found energy she looked around trying to get her barring’s. Viola pulled out her compass and started going south counting each step she took in her head to pass the time.

Six hundred fifty-six, Six hundred fifty-seven, Six hundred fifty-eight, Six hundred fifty-nine, Six hund- *Snap* Viola stopped dead in her tracks when she hear the twig break. It hadn't been cause of her footing which meant that she was not alone. She turned slightly looking behind her when she heard the distinctive pang of and arrow leaving a bow. Wiping back around Viola ran for the tree line that stood in front of her but, she was too late for the arrow had lodged its self into her right shoulder followed by a second arrow to her thigh. Both sent an immense wave of pain through her body making a blood curtailing scream pass through her lips. Viola dropped to the ground holding her shoulder as she cried out in pain.

"Well, well look at what I've caught." A man with greasy brown hair and a stubbly face stepped out of the trees and started heading toward his pray. His voice sounded like gravel and he smelled like alcohol and reeked of rotting food. “Look at the poor RAD. Not so strong now are you!" He yelled, his words slurring together from the alcohol he had obviously consumed. Viola just shook her head tears falling down her face. "P-Please don't hurt me. JJ-Just take whatever you want." She shook in pain knowing she couldn't heal herself until she had pulled out the arrows. "I don't want your stuff!" He yelled. "I want you and the rest of your people dead!" He screamed as he raised his bow to her face and pulled back a third arrow. Viola took a deep breath clearing her mind as best she could in the condition that she was in and hoping that what she was about to do would work, thought about the man in flames burning from head to toe and screaming for mercy as he burned, and just like that her very thoughts came true. The man dropped his bow, completely forgotten, as he burst into flames. Running in a drunken stupor into the forest he started flailing his arms around and screaming in pain. Only when his voice faded did Viola feel slightly safer but, that didn't seem to last for long because all the commotion that the two of them had been making must have alerted a hell hound that there was someone in the area and before Viola knew it she heard howling. "WELL MY DAY JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER!!!"She screamed to the sky sarcastically as she silently cursed herself for even going across the road that had landed her into this mess.

Alec’s eyes flew open, his heart pounded against his chest. He had been sleeping in a tree as far away from the human community as he could get that afternoon and had stopped figuring he could take a quick nap then get on with the rest of his day because the further away he got from the humans the better. He glanced down at the frozen earth below him frowning his brow in confusion. I could have sworn I heard someone screaming. He thought to himself.

After sitting there for a few minutes longer listening for any other sounds to come to him he shrugged it off as his imagination and went to work untying himself from the tree so he could get down. He swung his legs over the side of the large branch he had perched himself on and purpled himself away from the tree and down to the earth, his boots crunched in the snow as he planted his feet firmly on the ground, bending his knees to take the impact of his jump to the ground.

When Alec rose brushing the snow off of him he heard a cry of pain for the second time that day. This time I know I’m not hearing things. He looked behind himself where the sound had been made. Alec watched as a man in the distance who was obviously on fire came closer and closer with every second. Wait was he seeing this right? Some man had caught himself on fire out here in the tundra? “How talented must you be to do something like that?” he mused to himself chuckling at his dark sense of humor. “SHE’S ONE OF THEM! SHE’S ONE OF THE RAD! THEY KILLED MY FAMILY AND NOW SHE IS TRYING TO KILL ME WITH HER POWERS! BUT IT WON’T WORK BECAUSE THE HOUNDS ARE COMEING FOR HER NOW! HAHAHAHA!” The man flailed his arms as he ran past Alec laughing like a mad man and running further into the forest. “What the hell?” Alec questioned as he watched the man disappear.

“WELL MY DAY JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER!!!" Someone shouted in the direction that the man had appeared from. Alec contemplated whether or not he should check out what was going on over in that area when him mind was made up for him because just then he heard the howl of a hellhound. Turning toward the community he ran for the voice stopping short when he saw a girl on the ground bleeding out from both her right shoulder and leg where arrows had struck. “Are you okay?” he asked as he ran to her side.

Waking, Kairos hissed to himself. The sun was further down than usual, which meant he slept for too long. No he was at least twenty minuetes past his drop-off point. He swore to hiself and stood, getting ahold on balance before he lost to it. Then he reached up, took hold of the hole in the top of the cart that he'd made earlier, and hoisted himself upward. He concentrated on another hologram, and made it appear a few metres away from the cart. It was foaming at the mouth, and it's skin was grey. A classical version of the steryotypical RAD. The driver swore in frustration, and pulled out his weapon. Kairos used this time to jump off the cart, and bolt into the woods. He hid there and made the hologram fall, aiting a few seconds before the driver got going again. Eventually, the trading card had gone, and he was free to walk. Something was itching at his ears, so he shut his other senses off and listened.

Screaming, painful screaming... Words...

"WELL MY DAY JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER!!!" His eyelids flickered, and he could see her, a girl who was bleeding by the leg and by the arm. He winced a little. There was a man, on fire. It must've been his screams of pain. She was a RAD. He focused more, and he'd only have a few seconds to pinpointe her location... (Seventy feet...seventy feet west?) Before-

He gasped for breath. He'd stopped breathing in order to find the girl. Once he'd caught his breath, he began to walk to the source.

Eventually, he came upon her, but he was stealthy and quiet. He'd gotten himself up in the trees, and now he was looking don at her. He wasn't sure why, but he felt sorry for her. Maybe it was the tear stains on her cheeks? The blood on her skin? No matter. He needed to help her. But only if she would accept it. Suddenly, a boy approached the girl, and Kairos froze. He was ready to defend her if this person was hostile. Still unsure why. He listened intently, and his headache begun to kick in.

Viola whipped her head in the direction that the man on fire had just disappeared in a few minuets ago. In the place of the burning man now was a new man. His black hair was was sticking every which way and from the dark stubble on his face it was obvious that he had not shaven in weeks. His blue eyes were filled with concern as he opened his mouth to ask, "Are you okay?" With those three words Viola lost her wavering patience and became extremely annoyed as she retorted sarcastically. "Oh no I'm just fine what would make you think I wasn't fine? Maybe the arrow sticking out of my shoulder? Or was it the arrow that is in my leg?" Viola stopped to look at the man daring him to asked another stupid question but, that was cut short as a second howl from the hell hound was made much closer to where they were than before. "Ugh! Just great!" She mumbled under her breath.

Kairos hesitated, not sure if he should jump in. He shrugged, and shok his head. Obviously this girl was hurt, and the other male in the area would help her. It was none of his buisiness how this happened, but he lost the subject and crossed his legs, watching for a few more seconds before searching in his backpack. He pulled out his compass, and slung the backpack back over his shoulder. He looked down at the compass and 'tsk'ed silently. He was way off track. If he stayed with these people, he could either loose his way, or bring them back to raid the carts with him. He had to make a decision. Hiding in this tree may make it so the girl and the boy below didn't notice him, but the hell hound and it's enhanced scent system would surely give his position away. He rolled his shoulders, and bit his lip, waiting a few more seconds to see what the two would say.

Alec watched the girl, waiting for an answer, when she shot him an aggravated look and replied with a sarcastic tone, "Oh no I'm just fine what would make you think I wasn't fine? Maybe the arrow sticking out of my shoulder? Or was it the arrow that is in my leg?" He stopped short a girl had never talked to him like this before and he couldn't wrap his mind around why she was so pissed at him. "Do you need help?" He tried again. She ignored him turning her head instead in a different direction as a hell hound made his call. "Ugh! Just great!" She mumbled.

When Alec heard the hell hound his heart jumped into his throat. He had never encountered a hound before but, he knew they would rip you to pieces when they got a hold of you, and he didn't fell like sticking around to find out how that would be. Not waiting to see if she had heard him ask her a question or not and if she was going to answer him, Alec reached down to his left boot and pulled out his hunting knife putting it between his teeth, then approached the girl dropping to his knees when he reached her. He grabbed her shoulder in one swift motion and held her tight as she screamed in pain and struggled against him. "Hold still!" He growled as he grabbed the back of the arrow and snapping it off throwing it aside then reaching to the front of her and ripping it out of her shoulder. "One down, one to go." He said going for her leg.

He watched silently, golden eyes lighting up in amusement. The girl really didn't like being touched, and she was in such a bad mood. He leaned back, and decided on it. He jumped down, beside the two. Kairos arched an eyebrow at them, seeing their expressions. "Do you two even knwo where you're going?" He asked, and tilted his head. "Follow me if you want, unless you'd like to be found by the hound." He said, turning on his heel and looked down at his compass. He looked up, and started to walk further West, thet's where one of the Camps were supposed to be. He'd lead them there, and come straight back to the Trail. Looking over his shoulder at them, Kairos sighed. He set the two backpacks on the ground and dug through them, searching for the blanket. Once he found it, he made a swift movement of his left wrist and held out a knife, cutting a corner off of the blanket. He cut it in two and walked over to them, setting the peices of fabric down. "Hurry, we don't have much time." He said, tapping his foot.

She jumped. The man that use to be a few feet away from her was now behind her grabbing her injured shoulder in a death grip. Then she knew nothing but the searing pain that was coursing through her body. Viola tried to pull away from him but, her attempts were feeble because he was so much stronger than her. "Hold still!" he growled into her ear as he snapped the back of the bow, then ripped it out of her. A wave of nausea washed over her as her ears started ringing and stars shot into her vision. She was going to pass out or throw up or both but, she really wasn't sure which was going to come first. "One down, and one to go." He mumbled. Holding her breath she watched as he moved around her and did the same thing he did to her shoulder to her leg cursing at him when he was finished.

Just then another man fell down from the trees landing beside them. "Good god!" she shouted shooting her good arm up into the air, "Now their raining from the sky!!" The blonde man arched an eyebrow at them as he spoke. "Do you two even know where you're going?" he asked tilting his head."Follow me if you want, unless you'd like to be found by the hound." And just like that he turned on his heel and started walking west. Viola looked at the first man wondering what he was going to do when she heard the second man sigh and set the two backpack he was carrying on his shoulders on the ground rummaging through them until he found what he was looking for. When he had returned he was carrying two pieces of fabric in his hands. He set them down tapping his foot impatiently as he said,"Hurry, we don't have much time."

Viola lifted her bright green eyes with gold flecks in them to the blonde mans face and smiled slightly. "Thank you." She said grabbing the fabric with her good hand and handing it to the first man, waiting patiently as he finished tying the cloth around her leg and arm. Then she looked at the both of them and said, "If you two can get me far enough away from here I can fix this so I won't be a burden." And reached her hand out.

Kairos was surprised by her appreciation for the fabric. "If you two can get me far enough away from here I can fix this so I won't be a burden." He stopped tapping his foot when she'd held out her hand. He took it, and helped her up off the ground. "There's a camp not far from here. You have to go a few miles West to reach it." He eyed the girl cautiously before taking out his map and handing it to her. "The black splotches on the paper are the camps. We're closest to-" He paused, and brough his finger down on a oddly shaped splotch. "That one." He said, and took his hand away. "Just a second..." He moaned, and closed his eyes. He listened for a couple seconds before seeing the Hellhound.

It's large paws thumped against the ground as it thrust it's head in every which direction to find their scent. It howled again, raising it's massive snout into the air and opening it's mouth ever so slightly. It was south of them....

He gasped for air and opened his eyes again, shaking his head. "The Hellhound it South of us... I couldn't see how far, though." He said, and picked up his backpacks. "Can you hold one?" He asked to other boy, shoving the backpack with the clothes and blanket at him.

Alec never talked but, rather watched this new stranger observing and assessing him on whether or not he would be a potential threat. When the new stranger brought cloth over for the girls wounds he lessened the protective stance he was holding but, never let he guard down. The girl handed Alec the cloth and he hurriedly tied off the wounds, just like he had seen doctors do when he had visited the community's, stepping back when he was done. "If you two can get me far enough away from here I can fix this so I won't be a burden." She said when he was done, then out stretched her hand to the stranger. The man took it pulling her up. Then he said, "There's a camp not far from here. You have to go a few miles West to reach it." eyeing the girl before he pulled out a map giving it to her, she opened it as he continued. "The black splotches on the paper are the camps. We're closest to that one." he said pointing to a spot on the map, "Just a second..." he said closing his eyes and moaning. How strange, it looks like he's holding his breath, i wonder if this is he RAD power. Alec thought. When the man opened his eyes up he gasped for breath before saying, "The Hellhound it South of us... I couldn't see how far, though." How could he know that?He thought, as the man shoved a backpack at him asking, "Can you hold one?" "Sure, why not." Alec responded looking at the man with questioning eyes. "I don't mean to be noisy but, how do you know that?"

The Blonde man grabbed her hand pulling her off the ground and steadying her, she balanced all of her weight onto her good leg. As soon as she had skin to skin contact she felt the hazy dull ace of pain wash from him to her though she couldn't pin point where it was. Viola looked at him as he started to speak "There's a camp not far from here. You have to go a few miles West to reach it."He said as he pulled out a map, giveing her a wary look before he handed her the map. When she opened it she was odd splotches on it. She looked a him questioningly as he pointed to one saying,"The black splotches on the paper are the camps. We're closest to that one." "Okay." She said nodding her head in understanding as he took his hand away.

"Just a second..." He moaned, and closed his eyes. It looked as though he was holding his breath when he gasped for air and opened his eyes, shaking his head. A second wave of dull pain washed over her as he spoke again. "The Hellhound it South of us... I couldn't see how far, though." Her head turned so she could look at him.How does he know that? She thought. He picked up a bag shoving it at the other man as he asked, "Can you hold one?" "Sure, why not." he grumbled back. Viola had almost forgotten he was there because of how quiet he had been but, then he spoke again asking,"I don't mean to be noisy but, how do you know that?"

"Don't you think that's a little rude to ask?" She sniped at the man. Then, not waiting to hear what he had to say for himself, turned to the blonde man saying, "I can't help but, notice that you are in pain. Maybe I can help some?" She removed her hand from his placing both gently on ether side of his head. Before she closed her eyes she told him, "This won't hurt." Then she concentrated on relief and peace. She thought of it as an ocean wave washing up onto the shore. Just wave after wave, as it came in it pulled away the pain and in its place it left relief and a seance of peacefulness. Before she knew it the pain she felt for him had subsided. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked him in the eyes. "There hows that?" She asked smiling as she said, "By the way my name is Viola."

Kairos looked at the boy when he'd asked his question, raising an eyebrow. "Don't you think that's a little rude to ask?" The girl said, shooting a glare at the boy. Kairos raised his hand sightly and shook his head. "No, It's fine. I use my other senses to see scenes. But I have to close my eyes, or else my vision will be clouded with what I see right now, and what I see when I'm veiwing." He replied, shrugging. "It comes in handy." He said, and almost jumped when the girl layed her hands on him, and was subsided from using reflexes against her, by the slight releif of his headache.

He closed his eyes, resting them as she gave him an image of waves. Kairos reopened his eyes to see hers flutter open. "By the way my name is Viola." He relaxed, and nodded. He'd forgotten to tell her his name, and looked bahind them in panic. "We'd better get going." He said, and began to walk south.

"We'd Better get going. He said when he looked behind them. "Okay." Viola said nodding. She limped forward, grinding her teeth against the pain that shot through her leg, feeling sightly dizzy from the amount of blood she had lost but, she kept up not wanting to come off as weak and determent to stay strong. To keep her mind off of the pain she looked sideways at the boys speaking. "So I never did catch you're names. And I never did get to say thank you for helping me. I'm not sure what you were doing out here but, what ever you're reasons I'm happy both of you were around because I would probably be a goner if you hadn't come when you did." The last line made her think of what just might have happen to her if they hadn't been around and it sent a shiver up her spin. She shook her head to rid her of her troubled thoughts and looked ahead into the frosty forest.

Kairos watched as the girl sped up, feeling guilty for making her walk so fast. But if he didn't then they'd probabaly be devoured by the hellhound.

"So I never did catch you're names. And I never did get to say thank you for helping me. I'm not sure what you were doing out here but, what ever you're reasons I'm happy both of you were around because I would probably be a goner if you hadn't come when you did."

"My name... I'd rather not give it out but my name is Kairos Chekov." He paused, shaking off the feeling of suspicion. "I've been living the trails for the past little while, since I had to run from the city, where I'd been staying with my family. Just raiding and tracking carts, making landmarks, and living off my supplies. I was actually just coming from a cart that I'd gotten that fabric and some clothes from, and I'd heard your calls from a mile away." He said, shrugging. "I was debating wether or not to help." He admitted, looking ahead of them.

"My name... I'd rather not give it out but my name is Kairos Chekov." He said pausing and shaking his head a bit before he picked up again. "I've been living the trails for the past little while, since I had to run from the city, where I'd been staying with my family. Just raiding and tracking carts, making landmarks, and living off my supplies. I was actually just coming from a cart that I'd gotten that fabric and some clothes from, and I'd heard your calls from a mile away. I was debating wether or not to help." He finished with a shrug as he continued walking ahead. "I like you name." She said when he finished. "And I'm happy you decided to help too. Thank you Kairos." She looked over at him, saying his name for the first time, and smiled before she looked ahead and took another painful step.

The silence between the three of them hung in the air and while Viola waited for one of them to say something. She tried desperately to shove the family bit of what he had said to the back of her mind because the last thing she needed to do was think about her dead parents and the death that she has so nearly meet up with herself. A shiver went through her as the thought skidded through her thoughts before it was swept away by another thought. "Ummm...." She said trying to form a sentence. "How far away is that camp? You don't think the hell-hound will follow us there do you?" She finished, as the fear of endangering more people ran through her.

(Been away for a while)

Kairos aknowledged her with a slight nod as she thanked him. Silence hung for a while and he'd regretted sharing so much information about himself with them. But she was only a girl, right? What could she d with that information? Shaking the feeling off with a shrug, he listened to her question. "How far away is that camp? You don't think the hell-hound will follow us there do you?" She asked, and he shrugged. "The camp should be near. And about the hell hound..." He paused, considering it for a second.

Making the decision rather easily, he brought his map out and stopped in his tracks. He held the map out to her reluctantly. "Here. You take it and find your way to the camp. I wasn't planning on staying anyways. I am more of a one-man-band. So I'll distract the Hellhound while you guys continue on your way. The camp is in the direction of where we're going, so you don't have to worry about direction." He paused again, looking at the two worridly, hoping that he could make one more hologram for the day for this last trick. "Don't worry I'm an expert at distractions." He said, raising a finger to signify he wanted her to wait one second.

Seconds later, three figures appeared beside him. Three replicas of themselves stood in plain sight. He turned 45 degrees west and looked over his shoulder.

"I should hope to see you later. Good luck."

With that he began to run, purposely kicking up dirt and leaves and everything to ensure the hound would follow him. The holograms looked at the other two and raising hands to wave goodbye, then followed behind him liike obedient puppies.

(Wow sorry its been a very long time)

Viola took the time Kairos gave her and grabbed her leg concentrating all her energy on the wound pulling each muscle back together until there was only a pink scar, the only evidence that she had ever been hurt. Her adrenalin was rushing when she grabbed her shoulder biting down in pain as it mended. Now fully mended she did the only thing she knew was right. She shoved the map into her bag and instead of going the way Kairos had told her to go she ran the way he went pumping her legs and following his trail.

She was annoyed to begin with, who does he think he is running off like that in the condition he is in trying to get himself killed. He was such a stupid headed man who needed to be hit. It wasn't right and she knew that she could never live with herself if he died to save her.

Slowing her running and dropping to a crouching position she saw him surrounded by a group of people. She didn't know how to approach this so she climbed up a tree to observe the situation. Viola knew he would sense her and know she was there to help him all he had to do is signal her and the calm day that graced them now would turn into hell. She just hoped that he knew what she was doing.

Viola waited until Kairos ran under her tree then slipped out of it and ran after him. Her feet hit the ground soundlessly as she slipped through the woods and the chilled air rushed into her lungs with every breath she took in. Her body was worn out and she had had a long day but, she still had enough energy in her to run after the person that had saved her life.

She pulled to a stop when he started to walk and not wanting to startle him she spoke after he muttered,"That can't be good." "Whats wrong?" She asked in a soft voice, as she walked up beside him taking in his worried face and tired eyes. Viola was intantly worried for him. How odd.She though. I barely know him and yet I feel like I've known him my whole life. She shook her head of this thought and looked at him waiting for him to respond.

Kairos nearly jumped when he heard her speak. "I thought I wouldn't be seeing you for a while. Low and behold, here you are." He said, not wanting to bring up how delirious his holograms made fim look. "So, I take it the hellhounds weren't on your trail if you've made it this far with this much ease." He paused to look around.

"We're close.." He muttered, and continued to walk. He then glanced at her and asked; "How long have you been following me? Did you see anything back there..?" At this point he wasn't afraid of being judged by his previous actions, but afraid she might try and do the same thing to him.

. "I thought I wouldn't be seeing you for a while. Low and behold, here you are. So, I take it not hellhounds were on your trail if you've made it this far without ease."Viola smiled, "Your not getting rid of me that easily and as for the hellhounds I haven't seen any. I think you lead them off, I just hope they stay away... for good." She said as she looked around her as if the mention of the hellhounds might make them magically appear. They walked a whille in silence until he muttered "We're close.." "What was that? Close to what?" she thought. As her thoughts tumbled over one another he looked at her and spoke breaking the silence that hung between them. "How long have you been following me? Did you see anything back there..?" As Kairos spoke Viola could have sworn that there was a flash of fear in his eyes but, she wasn't sure what for so she shrugged it off as her imagination. " I didn't catch most of what happened but, I figured you were in trouble when I saw you in pain on the floor so I climbed a tree so you knew I was there if you needed me. Once you left I followed to make sure you were okay. Plus I wanted to give you your map back" She said with a shrugging.

As they kept walking Viola glanced over at Kairos and though he looked warn out. She had only ever seen this look on one other person in her life and she knew what he must be going through. "You look hungry here just a moment I think I have something in this bag...." Viola swing her bag off with a grunt and plunged her arm into its contents until she came up with a half a loaf of bread, a small block of cheese, a cold rabbits leg and less that half an apple. "Here it's not much but, you need to eat." And with that she shoved the food into his hands. Then something else slid into her mind and she turned to him. "Do you know where we are by the way? Because I have no idea."