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Howie groaned softly as the new rays of dawn began to peak through the dusty curtains of his housing unit. He yawned, turning over onto his back and stretching his arm across the bed, hoping to hit Ana and rouse her from her death-sleep. Only, his hand brushed against the softness of the mattress. Howie’s eyes immediately opened as he looked to his side – Ana was no longer in the bed. Fear began to race down his spine, indicating that Ana was in trouble. Howie’s heart began to race as he sat up from the bed.

Her voice suddenly echoed, “YOU CRAZY BASTARDS! STEP BACK UP OFF ME BEFORE I OPEN A GIANT CAN OF—!”

Howie felt his stomach twirl with sickness as he tumbled out of the bed. He struggled to his feet while he felt his legs get tangled within the sheets. His head pounded with intensity while Ana’s raging voice grew louder. He looked down at the bloody mess that was yet to be cleaned, fearing that she might do the same again. The musty smell of death invaded his nostrils. He heard the sharp sounds of swords bouncing off one another. Howie cursed as he reached down to untangle his legs and went running into the sunlight.

“ANA!” he screamed out in fear.

He was prepared to raise his gun and shoot whatever was attacking Ana, but the sight before him was too much. Ana had swept her sword to the throat of a young guard, slicing the flesh and letting his head fall to a growing pile. Blood smeared upon her tank top and boxers. Her hair was dried with blood as the tips were drenched with freshly spilled blood. She slammed her sword into a pile of torsos, arms, legs, and other body parts. Her ocean eyes swirled with intense darkness of the stormy nights.

“Ana,” Howie whispered in shock.

Ana’s head turned toward Howie as she stood among the carnage. Her eyes glittered with fresh tears as she stared at him. Her ocean eyes suddenly calmed into the natural blue-green-gray mists that Howie often gazed into. Howie’s heart grew numb as Ana released the crimson sword from her grasp. Howie watched her tumble through the carnage into his arms. He heard shouting.

“What did you do?” he asked with agony.

Howie groaned with anger as Ana went silent. Ana couldn’t form the words as she nestled her bloody face into the crook of Howie’s arm. He could feel her trembling against his bare chest. Howie immediately scooped the woman into his arms as several men came running into the picture. He quickly ran back into their bunk, letting the first man at the scene claim the victory of the slayings. If the army knew of Ana’s skilled fighting, they would draft her into the head of the army – Howie feared that consequence.

He slammed the door shut to their room. He fiercely grasped Ana’s shoulders, shoving her back into the door. The door slammed as dust flew about the room. Ana’s eyes grew wide in terror as she saw the simmering rage within Howie’s usually kind brown eyes. His face contorted into a look of pure bitterness and irritation. Ana felt her throat close with fear – he had never been so rough with her. “Anastacia, you are going to talk to me, now. There is no backing out. You’re seriously putting yourself at risk, and I can’t stand it any longer!” Howie whispered, his voice tight with rage.

“I… Love, don’t do this,” Ana whispered as his fingers coiled tighter around her arms.

“Ace, you need—”

“I’m just as scared as you are,” she whispered, bowing her head in shame. She gazed at the bloody heap in the corner of the room. Pictures of her adventure blurred against her eyes. She could see the torture and pain she had inflicted on each guard. Her eyes wetted with tears. She hadn’t killed a person in all her life, but within two days, she had managed to slay hundreds. She felt Howie’s fingers release as she wilted to the floor.

“Just, tell me, Ace. That’s all I ask,” Howie pleaded as he crouched down to her height. Ana ran her fingers through her bloody hair. She made a face as she examined her fingers – they were tainted with the blood of others. She gazed up at Howie, finding that his eyes returned to the normal soft brown. His features were flaccid, and concerned. He placed his hand upon her knee. “You know you can tell me everything, kid.”

“I got up this morning and heard something outside. I went to check what it was, and those guys just grabbed me. They held me in this death trap, talking in this strange language. But as I struggled, I began to understand what they were saying. They wanted to kill me, but someone wanted me worse. I could actually see what they feared as I screamed for them to let me go. One guy was deathly afraid of bugs, and his stomach exploded with all kinds of creatures. He fell to the ground as the bugs ate his flesh. When the dead man loosened his grip, I grabbed another’s sword and just started swinging. I didn’t even get slashed with a sword, and when I finally looked up – they were all dead…” Ana whispered, explaining as best as she could.

“How did you learn to fight like this, Ace?” Howie asked softly.

Ana shook her head. “I don’t know. Once a sword, blade, gun, or any sort of weapon slides into my fingers – I just have a feeling. I let my body move where my subconscious decides.”

Howie nodded, knowing very well that she had no understanding of her abilities. He looked at her, sensing her anxieties and pains. Howie hadn’t a clue how to react to her killings. He wanted to support her, and tell her that it would be okay – but he didn’t know. He couldn’t possibly know. Howie glanced back at her, leaning into kiss her bloody cheek. “I really don’t know what to say, Ana. I mean, you’re scaring me. I want to help you, but I feel like this is your own battle… It makes me feel helpless.”

“I don’t know what to tell you.”

“Then what can you tell me, Ace?”

Ana glanced down at her bloody hands. She felt tears burn at the back of her eyes. She looked up at the old ceiling, submersing the tears. She glanced back at him, letting him rub the few stray tears upon her cheeks away with his thumbs. Ana glanced down at the necklace dangling from Howie’s neck – her mind began to whirl. “I can tell you things that don’t make sense to me,” she answered.

“What’s that, Ace?”

“My bracelet—”

“The one I gave you when we graduated?”

“Yes,” Ana replied, producing the small silver chain that lay gently against her pale wrist. She never took it off. It was a token of Howie’s affections, and that meant everything to Ana. She loved the design upon her bracelet. The design was of a blazing summer sun with a chain of stars and hearts resting upon its forehead as its crown. Within the middle were Howie’s initials, or so Ana assumed. “Howie, my bracelet is the same as the tattoo on your left shoulder.”

“I guess I got it to match my tattoo,” Howie stated, instantly bringing his hand up to cover the tattoo upon his left shoulder.

“That’s not just it, Love. Those guys that I killed from the Darker-Elitions – they all wear an emblem across their swords and chests,” Ana explained as she reached behind her and lowered the thick strap of her tank top from her right shoulder. Howie nodded at the exposed tattoo on her right shoulder. The tattoo was a black bleeding heart with a sword piercing down. Ancient lettering crossed the sword’s handle while a dark moon rose slightly above the bleeding heart. Howie stared blankly, instantly remembering the necklace he held. “Howie, this is the same picture on the dead guys, and it’s on my shoulder! Plus, you have it on that necklace you wear.”

Howie reached up and touched the necklace that Ana had given him. He knew the exact markings upon the necklace. Ana had told him it represented that she would never leave him until death took her. Howie fell silent as he stared at her tattoo. He was completely and utterly confused. He blinked rapidly as Ana shook his shoulders. Howie stuttered, “W-W-What?”

“What does that mean, Ace? Am I evil?” Ana asked, her bottom lip quivering.

“No! No! No! You’re not evil!” Howie burst, tucking her into his arms. He felt her shaking as he rocked her gently back at forth. He cared for her so deeply. He kissed her bloody curls. She was his Ana, and that meant she was the sweetest person in the world. She killed those men to defend others and herself. That’s why she killed. That had to be why she killed. She wasn’t evil, and she wasn’t a part of those horrid beasts. “Don’t ever think you’re evil, Ace! You’re the most loving person I’ve met. Never evil. Never!”

“I get so angry, though. The anger just consumes all logic in my soul. I want to kill. I liked killing those men! I wanted to see them die! I was so mad, and the rage bubbles inside me. Even when I hurt someone, the rage continues. There’s no satisfaction, and it never burns out! It just gets hotter and hotter. I feel like some kind of monster! I’m so scared, Howie. I don’t sleep anymore at night. I just lay there in wonder. I fear the morning. I fear the new emotions that come with the dawn. Howie, I’m scared of myself,” Ana whispered in his arms, staring at the wall.

“Don’t think about it, Ana. It’s going to be okay,” he soothed softly. He didn’t know what to make of the rage growing inside her. He knew she would get better – she had to get better. His Ana always bounced back. She wasn’t evil – she was his Ana.

“I’ll make it better, I promise,” he whispered.

*~*~*

“BRIAN! YOU ARE SUCH A WEASLE!” Alison shrieked as she ran into Kevin’s backyard, soaking wet. Brian had decided to attack his favorite cousin with a water balloon. Kevin and Kimberly roared in laughter as they watched Alison chase Brian out of the door. Brian giggled with a fierce passion as Kevin shook his head.

It felt good not to care about the war. It felt even better that Alison was back home. Brian had begun to feel the same again. Kevin noticed that his male cousin’s perky nature was back. He was always scooping up Alison and covering her face with kisses. He teased her mercilessly. Alison took the lashings, but loved every minute of it. She knew that Brian would never hurt her. It made Kimberly and Kevin happy to watch the younger cousins play.

“COME AND GET ME, ALI!” Brian cackled, jumping off the porch and running down the large backyard. Kevin lived in the country with Kimberly. They liked the solitude it provided, and it was the perfect place to house Kevin’s horses. He prided himself on having the best thoroughbreds.

“BRIAN THOMAS!” Alison shrieked.

“TOO SLOW!” Brian cried out, creeping down toward the car garage. His heart began to beat furiously as he looked around, searching for a place to hide. He could hear Alison screaming his name. She was only a few feet away from him. He took a deep breath, feeling the winds about him pick up. He needed a place to hide. Before he could give himself up, he felt his feet being lifted from the ground. Brian screeched in surprise as he flew through the air.

“BRIAN!” Alison called out as she ran out to the garage. She looked around, finding Brian nowhere. Alison pouted, crossing her arms across her chest. “This isn’t funny, Bri! Not funny at all! You always do this to me!” Alison squealed. She felt Kevin and Kimberly lay their hands upon her shoulders.

“Did you loose our cousin?” Kimberly teased.

“NO!” Brian’s voice carried.

“What?” Alison immediately searched about the cars. “WHERE ARE YOU?”

“LOOK UP!” Brian shouted. Kevin, Kimberly, and Alison immediately looked up, finding themselves drawn toward the large basketball hoop that Kevin had erected. It was several feet up, no one could make a slam dunk without a large box. Everyone’s jaws dropped when they saw Brian clinging to the rim of the hoop, several feet in the air. He held a wicked grin upon his face.

“HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!” Kimberly shouted in shock.

“I don’t know!” Brian called back.

“You’re crazy!” Alison growled.

“No, I’m just going to have one HELL of a jump-shot!” he laughed.

*~*~*

Nick pulled on Rose’s arm, racing up the steps of the apartment blocks. He searched for the right number, urging to keep Rose at his side. There was so much to tell. So many details that he and Rose had sorted out. Life seemed empty without his older sister. He longed for her to be by his and Rose’s side. Nick pounded his fist upon Jamelet and AJ’s door. Rose grabbed his shoulder. “Ice, they’re not going to believe us,” she whispered in fear.

“They have to believe us,” Nick growled.

“But—”

“You’ve always trusted me, haven’t you, Rose?” Nick asked, still pounding on the door.

“Yes.”

“Then, let me be the older twin, and trust me now,” Nick urged as the door opened.

AJ peered out at the anxious twins. He yawned, scratching his shaved head. He gave Jamelet a puzzled look as she wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, resting her chin upon his shoulder. AJ rested his head upon Jamelet’s head. “What are you two doing here at five in the morning? You guys are supposed to be home resting!” AJ scorned, narrowing his eyes at the younger adults.

“We couldn’t sleep,” Rose blurted.

“Still, you guys did have surgery. You should be at home,” Jamelet agreed.

“Can you just let us in?” Nick pleaded.

“What’s wrong?” Jamelet asked as she broke her and AJ’s embrace. She pulled her boyfriend back, allowing the twins to hurry into the living room. They immediately sat on the couch, resting their hands on their knees. Jamelet walked over and sat down in the lazy boy with AJ resting on the arm. She eyed each twin with fear. “What happened?”

“There’s a lot we need to explain, but you guys might think we’re crazy.”

“Why?” AJ asked in utter confusion.

“Well, we need to leave right now,” Nick answered, glancing at his watch. Rose had pleaded that they go back to the war-camp and rescue their sister. Rose and Nick both feared that she would be dead within a matter of hours. They had so much to tell her and needed a long reunion. He hoped that Jamelet and AJ would agree. “We need to take the first flight back to the war-camp.”

“WHY?!” AJ screeched, standing up. His dark eyes turned almost black with rage. “I just got out of that place, I’m not going back! It was Hell there, and you two are injured. There is no way that Jamelet and I are allowing this. You’ll get hurt, and I’m not leaving Jamelet’s side, EVER.”

“No, no, no! We don’t want to go there to enlist again,” Rose answered shakily. She wanted her older sister. Through the night, she had so many past dreams invade her soul. She felt the embraces, the tickles, and long talks under the many moons. Ana was the sweetest big sister, and Rose longed to have her near. Ana was wise, and knew exactly how to charm the twins. “We need to get our sister out of the army.”

“You don’t have a sister,” Jamelet stated carefully.

“Yes, we do,” the twins insisted.

“Who?”

“Anastacia, the Para-Surgeon that rescued us,” they answered together.

“Now wait a second—”

Nick stood up and grasped Rose’s hand. He stared at the older adults, praying that they would help him. His eyes watered with tears as he gazed at Rose’s frightened face. He had to protect her, and he needed to get their older sister back. Rose needed her. Nick needed her. Nick spoke softly, indicating the fierceness of his wanting: “We wanted you two to go with us and help us. She is our sister, and we know that from the bottom of our hearts. If you want to come with us and hear the rest of the story, fine. If not — whatever. But, her and her partner are in danger, and they need us. We’re going to get them discharged from the military work. She NEEDS us as much as we need her. So, are you going, or not?”