Chapter 29: An unexpected journey (1/2)
Foggy clouds wallowed past Sophie's view. Calm, like a mountain spring, swept the white wool around her, casting diffuse shadows on light that lacked a definite source. With her own feet hidden below the cover, and no ground to follow, came the only sense of direction from an ominous melody, whispered from deep within the thick, almost solid clouds.
Curious, and bound by fading memories of uncertain frustration, continued Sophie to drift through the mist. Guided by the music's promise of insight.
Her mind, reaching closer to what the wooly cover claimed its own, grasped the umbra of distant secrets inside the haze.
Yet, despite their mysterious allure, there was no urge inside her, no curiosity to breach through this concealment. What slumbered beside her path towards the goal, got brushed aside by a gathering motion of the once tranquil sea of clouds and her own focus.
While continuing, she could feel the mist before her pushing back, the untainted white fleeing from a stormy grey, soft fog joining with the obstacle in front of her.
Clouds condensed into a wild, torrential stream, their winds slowing her further down. Without solid ground to stand on, she struggled to continue onwards, only more discouraged by the sky above, forming slowly a giant whirlwind.
Arms raised in defense of the hurricane winds, their muscles bitten by cold teeth, which sunk deep into flesh. A shadow loomed above her, the vortex towering over everything, while the melody hastened its rhythm and volume.
Edged outlines emerged from within the tornado's midst, like a baleful presence reaching out towards her.
Then… As if summoned by that thought, grasped claws around her arm.
Faded into being by a source outside her view.
The tune drowned even her own panicked heartbeat out, as she struggled to escape the grip. Desperate to have the truth revealed before her.
Only to be pulled away from whatever hid before her, the music abruptly gone…
… her view back in Felix's stuffy living room, and on his unmistakable impish grin.
"Now, if that's not the nightmare of any aspiring musician, the audience, lulled to sleep by his own work."
Still somewhat dizzy from the unwanted waking call, Sophie wriggled herself out of his hands. Before throwing him an unsatisfied glance.
"You're the one talking. Leaving me here to wait with your mom, only to ditch me!"
Fragments of the dream still echoed in her head, just in reach for her to hold on to, yet impossible to retrieve. To close her eyes again only brought another question into focus.
"What time is it even?"
It was impossible to judge by the dim lighting alone, considering it remained the norm at all times. Sophie pinched her eye to find a clue, grasping her head and the disheveled hair on it to come to senses.
Sweat covered her palm and forehead. Two indicators that made her fear she might have slept through an afternoon perfectly suited for video games. And that for nothing…
Wood hit the carpet as his mother rearranged herself on the sofa, putting the remote control back on the table, while using her cane as support.
"You've only slept around five minutes, dear. It was like I hit your light-switch when I fast-forwarded to one of Felix's pieces. How curious…"
The words of his mother turned Sophie's attention to the still running, but now muted, television, which did indeed display her tone-deaf son, of all people, playing the currently covered piano in this very room.
As if not already enough of a curiosity, kneeled Felix down on the carpet, in one of his usual spleens while parading just why she couldn't take him seriously. Sophie didn't even try to hide how she rolled her eyes in response.
"Oh, forgive this simple servant his insolence, dear gracious lady. My judgment has failed to account for Sir Warren's watchful gaze. I sure hope waiting inside my humble abode has not eroded your patience too much. Especially after being bewitched by such a malicious spell from this old hag."
In defiance of all her injuries, Felix's mother swiftly swung her cane after the idiot, just as he waved a diminutive gesture towards her and finished his last two words.
"Who's an old hag here? You were the one playing!"
"Ouch. Mom! Not the cane!"
Multiple strikes hit outside of Sophie's field of view, while she turned to pick her backpack up. Felix triumphantly captured the fast stick mid strike with a loud laugh as she left for the floor. Her mind still stuck where the dream left off.
She threw a glance back at her supposed friend, witnessing his short-lived victory falter with a kick against his shin.
'As good as any time to take a bathroom break…'
Sophie nodded, agreeing with the spark of thought. Her backpack dropping to the floor so she could search her way through the dark hallway.
[---][---][---][---][---][---][---][---]
Sunshine blinded Sophie as she finally escaped the stuffy hallway, and she drew a breath of fresh air through clenched teeth. Her injury stung, incited by the reflexive reaction to squeeze her eyes.
What hurt more, though, was the gaze she threw at Felix under her raised hand. Cast in shadows by it, she could now see him follow suit, closing the front door behind him, before taking the lead.
It was no surprise that he wouldn't acknowledge the fight with his mother.
'More like a one sided batter…'
Or that, but she still felt her jaw cramping, eager to voice her now reignited frustration. The whole day was for the bin, even if it wasn't freezing cold, and he had done his due duty to attribute to it. A bitterness she was more than happy to express in her voice.
"You two are really something…"
"You think so?"
The smirk he threw in response infuriated her only more, and in retrospective saw she the same smile looming behind the shadows over his mother's face as well. Enjoying to annoy her all throughout her visit.
"Yes… on days like these, I wonder how your father is putting up with the both of you… even I can only tolerate so much…"
"Ha! Says the right one. I've seen you and your father. You're like cat and mouse, too."
Sophie ignored his playful push and opened the gate, albeit that she struggled with staying on her feet by all the force he had.
"That's different…"
Felix's eyebrows wagged smoothly with a smug attitude, while he looked down at her.
"Don't look at me like that! It is."
Further goaded by his antics, Sophie slapped her palms against his back, attempting to push him through the gate. Fortunately for her lower back, he played along, giving Sophie's legs almost the feeling they'd actually contribute to this feat.
"We're just arguing. The first instinct anyone would have, seeing you two, is to call the cops for child abuse."
Felix's own feet, haphazardly stumbling across the paving, came to an abrupt stop, as he grasped for air. A genuine cough escaping his composed facade, while Sophie finished her thought.
"Or for abuse of the elderly… depending on whoever of you two holds the upper hand in that moment, I guess…"
"Hold on! Aren't you exaggerating a little? That's all just in good fun. I'm more worried about what's going on between you and your father."
Nervous laughter accompanied his response, while they took a left turn to thread into the sparse traffic within the pedestrian zone. An uncharacteristic reaction that baffled Sophie almost as much as his baseless comparison.
"My father never hit me."
"Wait, you think her strikes really hurt? I'm just being a little dramatic."
Unimpressed by his excuse, and the hysterical laughter sprinkled throughout, Sophie took a little distance to her expressive friend, as he wailed his hands to emphasize his next point. Also, to some extent, to disassociate herself from the attention Felix continued to draw.
"Mom might be a little rough, but her arms are like roasted pudding. No strength whatsoever."
One of his limbs, certainly not lacking in that department, caught her shoulder, pulling her back to his side. Which didn't help to convince her anymore than his words.
'Whyte that with the roasted part? Sounds anything but appropriate… and no strength? Ha! Did hurt quite the number when she poked me…'
Perhaps not painful, but inconvenient, was also the weight Felix put on her in his attempt to get her approval about his perception of the situation. Until the wistful look in his eyes drove fingernails into her palm and she wrestled herself free of his grip.
Something felt familiar about the reaction she had incited, and it wasn't a liking she found comfortable.
"Whatever, the morality of your weird relationship is not for me to unpack. Saying that, what did you mean when you mentioned Warren? What has he to do…"
Before being able to complete her question, seized Felix once more a hold on her. This time, picking her up like a pot from the stove, just as she wanted to turn right into the side alley that lead to their usual hangout place.
Her autonomy taken, Sophie resigned herself grumpily to the swift turn he took her on, her body limp until she felt the ground back below her shoes.
"What's that now? Kickboxing is the other way."
"We're not going there. Wednesday is the only day Melanie's time schedule allows us to meet."
Under the curious eyes of the passersby and her friends' guidance, she stumbled towards a small coffee shop, her mind trying to sort the name into the right drawer.
That topic change, though, seemed to be appreciated, judging by his change of tone. Still, just in case it might prove useful later, she made a mental note while recalling the name.
"Melanie… I see."
Felix had mentioned the girl who could supposedly put up with him, yet Sophie still kinda doubted the truth of that claim, especially since she knew just how annoying he could get in high doses. Which also meant that she knew there was no way he'd have enough patience to try getting away with anything shady, like passing someone off as his girlfriend, but considering it now, his relationship would explain some odd things.
'Aye, like why he would try to set you up…'
While they drew casually closer to the outdoor seatings of the store, she let her view swiftly wander across the guests, hoping to catch a look of the mythical creature.
"Is that why you tried to couple Marcus and me? So we could still hang out together? Like such a lame double date thingy?"
"Don't look at me like that! That wasn't my intention. "
A part of that response caused Sophie's ears to perk up, diverting her attention away from her search at the other tables and towards the one he was heading to. There, with the back towards both of them, sat a young woman, a hat covering most of her profile.
Before explaining any more about his actual master plan, sat Felix down beside what didn't seem at all like an imaginary girl.
"Anyway, may I first introduce you two?"
With the upper body still turned away from her, Sophie didn't get a good look at Melanie. A situation that might have normally elicited some curiosity, also, since Felix hadn't really told her much about the girl, yet something made her hesitate.
A shadow lingering just outside her view.
There was something so different about the situation, but to focus on it only left her mind feel tired. Like she had spent the better part of a whole day trying to solve math questions without a calculator.
In an act of resignation shook Sophie her head.
'It couldn't be that important, could it?'
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Verhygo
Verhygo 25. March
Wednesday
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone