Chapter 4:
Beneath the Blue Moon
Aoi arrived at the Lances house after the sun had departed to pick up Jonathan.
"Please put him in the car; then you can have your money." Aoi was all business.
"NO! Dad! What are you doing?" Diana began to cry, "You can't sell Jonathan! No! You've all been so cruel to him and now you are just going to treat him like a slave?! I won't let you! Slavery is illegal! I'll call the police!"
"No you won't!" Micah Lance was angered by her threats, "Synthia, escort Diana into Jonathan's old room."
"Wh-what? Dad? You can't. Wh-wh-why would you d-do t-this to me?" Diana bewailed in-between sobs.
Aoi paid no attention to the girl's cries, intent on getting Jonathan into the car. As soon as he was loaded into the backseat Aoi handed Mr. Lance a bag full of money.
"Enjoy your money," Aoi's cold words echoed through his mind as he entered the house.
Aoi drove away.
—
*Knock Knock*
"I wonder who that could be," Mr. Lance wondered as he went to answer the door. "Maybe Aoi changed her mind."
Synthia shook her head, "That's unlikely, it hasn't been anymore than a half hour since she left, he probably hasn't even waken up yet."
Mr. Lance opened the door and was stunned into silence at what he saw.
A beautiful woman stood at his door, her pupilless cream-colored eyes and jet-black hair grazing her waist matched her obsidian jumpsuit with milky white straps. Her onyx boots raised her to his height and as he admired her flawless face he realized her midnight eyeshadow was a part of her skin. Her coral lips twisted into a smile as she gazed at his face.
"You're Micah Lance I presume?" Her voice sounded heavenly, perfectly smooth and crisp, it rung in his ears captivating his mind.
"I, uh, yes," He stuttered in incoherence.
"Charming. May I come in?" The sound was dulcet, causing Micah to smile.
"Yes, of course," Micah answered, "Right this way please." As she walked beside him, the scent of her hair filled him with warmth.
"What I wonderful little home you have. Are these your daughters? They are gorgeous, they look just like you." Micah blushed at her compliment.
"You should see the youngest, she's the most beautiful of them all," he offered to Myra and Synthia's disappointment.
"I would love to, I'll wait here why you go get her." The attractive woman waited, sitting on the couch without another word.
After a few moments Micah Lance returned with Diana, pulling her by her wrist down the stairs. "Isn't she beautiful?"
The woman smiled at the young girl, "Hmmm, it's hard to tell since she's crying. What is the matter little one?"
Diana hiccupped while crying, choking out words under a fresh wave of tears, "He-he's g-gone. T-they s-sold him."
She traced soothing circles on Diana's shoulder as she cried. "Oh Jonathan? Don't worry about him, he's in good hands."
"How can you say that?! You don't even know him." Diana's lower lip trembled as tears flowed from her eyes, but she was able to speak clearly now.
"Mmm, that is true... but I do know Aoi, so I know he'll be fine."
Diana looked up, "You, you know Aoi?"
"Of course, she's a sweet girl, went through a lot of trouble with the Elders to get permission to keep him. She probably tricked your parents into selling him to her." The beautiful woman suggested. "That reminds me, I didn't come here to chat. Aoi sent me, she said she needed me to do a favor for her, do you think you can help me?"
"What is it?" Diana asked anxiously.
"Aoi asked me to escort a poor little girl to her friend Damian's house, where she would be safe until she could find a new home. The little girl belongs to a man by the name of Lance, Micah Lance I believe it was. After dropping the child off at Damian's, Aoi wanted me to deliver her two older sisters to an orphanage since their parents will no longer be capable of caring for them."
Diana considered her words for a moment, "I suppose I'll go, unless Damian is a cruel man."
"Worry not little one, he is very gentle. He would never intentionally hurt you." She smiled warmly at Diana.
Jenifer Lance walked into the room, angered by the sight of her husband so close to this mysterious woman. "And who might you be?"
"Chizuki, third sister. You must be the mother?" Chizuki stood tall looking down on Mrs. Lance.
Jenifer Lance glared at her, raising her voice, "That's right, stay away from my family!"
"I'm afraid I can't do that." Her gentle smile turning into a cruel sneer when she met Mrs. Lance's eyes.
Chizuki turned away from Jenifer Lance to face Diana. Once again her voice became layered with a sweet gentleness, "It's time to go, please pack anything you wish to bring. You will not be returning here. Clothes will be provided, but if you want you can bring some of your favorite things to wear."
"Now wait just a minute, Diana, if you take another step your fate wont be so different from Jonathan's. You are not going anywhere except for your new room. Micah! Say something!" With every ongoing minute Mrs. Lance's anger grew.
Diana froze in place at her mother's words, but a reassuring glance from Chizuki gave her the courage to continue. "Touch the girl and you will never see your hands again," she threatened. Putting a finger to her lips she added, "Your husband is very tired, let him rest." As she spoke Micah Lance collapsed on the floor.
"What did you do to him?" Synthia screamed, panic packed in her voice.
"Speak when spoken to, girl!" Chizuki's voice boomed throughout the house. Myra fell to the floor and began crying in fear, it didn't take long for Synthia to join her.
When Diana returned she took with her only a small bag of belongings, consisting of every present Jonathan and her real friends had ever given her, a pair of bed clothes, a summer outfit, winter outfit, and her favorite swimsuit— a yellow bikini with strawberries in the upper left corner of her top. "I'm ready to go," Diana smiled at Chizuki.
"Alright, lets be off then." Chizuki lead Diana out the door.
—
Mr. and Mrs. Lance decided to retire to their beds when Chizuki left, feeling quite perturbed.
The sound of sirens in the distance woke Synthia. Frightened by the harsh sound, she wandered over to her bedroom window overlooking her neighborhood. Sparkling lights danced upon the city, drawing Synthia's attention to the stars above her.
Opening the window to observe the constellations, a blast of brisk night air chilled Synthia. As she gazed upon the stars she noticed the moon had stepped out of its lunation. Only a few days ago there was a full moon, Synthia wondered how it could be followed by a harvest moon so soon. She was charmed by the luminous scarlet light being released from it, unaware of the sirens getting louder.
A knock on her front door brought Synthia out of her daze. Still in her night shirt, she hurried downstairs to see who could possible arrive at her home during such a late hour of the night.
Opening the door Synthia met the concerned gaze of a police officer. "How can I help you?" Worry layered her tone, wondering why he could possibly be here. Looking through the door behind him, Synthia saw a large group of firefighters standing beside two other officers.
He frowned, "You called us about a massive fire?"
"What? No I didn't, I've been in bed for a long time." Synthia was distressed by the misunderstanding.
"Yes, it was you. I remember your voice, you said your house got burned down and you needed somewhere to stay the night," he argued, frustrated by the phony report.
Synthia, beginning to get frustrated by the entire situation, started whining, hoping to drive the officer away, "I didn't call you! Its all probably just a bad joke. There's no reason to be here, there isn't a fire anywhere." After bowing, Synthia shut the door, turning towards the stairs to go to bed.
Two ominous white eyes peered at her from the bottom steps. Synthia debated screaming. If she screamed one of the officers would surely hear and come to save her. "One can never be too sure." Something about Chizuki's presence was strangely soothing, but Synthia couldn't figure out what it was.
All Myra's fear and anxiety melted away when Chizuki spoke. Taking a deep breath to help relax her body, she inquired, "Why are you here?"
"I haven't fully fulfilled my duties." Chizuki replied softly, her tone changing constantly. "You see, I wasn't just sent to pick up Diana— I am supposed to deliver you and Myra to the police to help you find a new home."
"Why? I don't need to find a new home, I have my family and house, why would I go to an orphanage," Synthia argued, still whining.
"What about the fire?" Chizuki's voice was so gentle Synthia wondered if she was hired to sing lullabies.
"The fire? There is no fire!" Synthia was so confused, why do both the police and Chizuki think there is going to be a fire?
Chizuki's sharp features twisted into a contorted smile. Synthia noticed she was soaked, from head to toe, dripping in some clear liquid. As if performing a magic trick, Chizuki pulled a small box out of thin air. The shiny metal had a glass window showing some kind of liquid trapped inside. A small nozzle at the top and some sort of button on the other end led Synthia to believe it was a lighter. Chizuki tapped the box three times with her middle finger and warned Synthia, "You can never be too sure."
Realizing what Chizuki was about to do Synthia ran up stairs, attempting to get her family out of the house before it was too late. She shook Myra ferociously, trying to slap her awake but she was in a deep sleep. In an act of desperation Synthia grabbed her sister and began dragging her down the stairs and out the door.
Synthia deeply regret sending the firemen and law enforcement away, wishing they would show up to help her. Racing back into the house she almost bumped into Chizuki, "Times up." Chizuki giggled flicking open the little box and igniting it in one swift motion.
Synthia didn't have time to react as Chizuki dropped the lighter to the floor, igniting not only herself, but also the puddle of what smelled suspiciously like moonshine. Chizuki became engulfed in flames, her hair began dancing in the fire, as if it was playing in a strong wind. Synthia noticed the flames leaving Chizuki unharmed, but didn't have time to think. In a panic Synthia sprinted up to her parents' room. Although she tried hard, the thick cloud of smoke quickly filled her lungs, stopping her before she could get there. As she sank into unconsciousness she saw Chizuki disappear, leaving behind only a trail of sparks.
Myra awakened from her slumber when Chizuki left. Feeling the cold, damp grass below her, she jolted upright knowing she was no longer in her bed. Unsure of how she got where she was, Myra looked up in time to see the burning house cave in on itself. As the nearby shrubbery was swallowed by the fire, Myra discovered she was now an orphan.
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