I burst through the door, it wasn’t noon yet, so mom shouldn’t have left for work. I hurried into the living room, I ran to her room. She wasn’t there, and the bathroom was empty when I passed.

“Mom?!” I called out, scared of what I might find if she didn’t respond. Her not being in the apartment was somehow worse.

“Huh? What? Finlay are you home already?”

I let out a relieved sigh. I forgot to check the kitchen, like an idiot. I forced myself to calm, and walked through the doorway. She was standing at the counter with a bowl of oatmeal and coffee, one of her ear buds was in her hand. She must not have heard me come in.

“Hi, yeah. I already knew the stuff in today’s lectures so I decided to come home early.” If I sounded out of breath it’s because I was. I had just done a lot more running than I was used to, even after yesterday.

“Oh, alright, up to you.” She walked passed to leave the room with her food, she brushed some invisible dirt off my cheek as she went by. She also fixed me with that smile that I was afraid I wouldn’t be seeing again for a moment. I followed her out to the table, and sat down across from her. I was about to start talking, when she interrupted the silence.

“So. Something going on? You’ve seemed skittish since yesterday.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry. Probably just stress…” I had no idea how to broach this subject. I wanted to just come out and tell her everything, but I couldn’t. Not when I knew that she would get defensive, or claim that this was all the devil’s work and all that needed to be done was pray. Even more than myself, I think she always desperately wanted to be normal. Which was why I couldn’t tell her.

“Alright kiddo. You take care of yourself. Maybe a day off would be good for you.” She went to take a drink of her coffee. She still called my brother and I ‘kiddo’ despite us both being in our 20s.

“Yeah. You too.” I tried for a smile, but it was hard.

“You know they’re in danger, right?” He heard from his backpack. Suddenly I had an idea.

“Oh, my phones ringing.” I said, acting like the phone was buzzing in my pocket. I pretended to hit accept and hold it up to my ear, while standing away from the table.

“Finlay. Yes.” I said in response to the sword, followed by, “I know.” The sword seemed to catch on.

“Then you know you can’t stay here.” I quirked an eyebrow while I walked toward the hall leading to my room.

“No. Why?”

“Because you’re practically a beacon. If you actually knew how to protect yourself it would be one thing, but the last time you were in a fight you closed your eyes and hardly moved. That’s pretty useless if you ask me.”

“So what’s your point?!” I asked, this sword seemed to get a kick out of offending me.

“My point, Fin, is that you can’t protect them. So it’s better to keep them out of it.” The sword had a point, I glanced behind me down the hall. I couldn’t see her from where I was standing, but I’m sure she was listening to what I was saying.

“... So what do you suggest?”

“Go back to that old guy and the lady. Take them up on their offer. It’s the best thing you could do to protect your family.”

“The antique store.” I told him. It didn’t seem like it knew who they were, or even where it was. I sighed. The way today had already begun, it didn’t seem like I had much of a choice. I desperately wished I could go back to yesterday... no, the day before. Before anything got even slightly out of place.

“Alright. Fine. I’ll talk to you later.” I dropped the phone back into my pocket. I walked back out, and sat back down in front of mom.

“So who was that? Friend of yours?” She was already halfway finished with her oatmeal, she was probably going to be heading out as soon as she was done.

“Yeah, they actually need help with something really bad. They weren’t sure who else to ask but it’s a bit aways from here so…” I had to think of something, and quick. I had no time to worry about the amount of lies i’d been telling the last 24 hours.

“Oh? Are you planning on staying over there or something? Helping out with an antique store?” She asked, rather conveniently.

“Yeah! Uh, I think so. They’ve got a spare room they’ve offered to me. So I was thinking I’d go ahead and take them up on it. It uh, sounds like they need the help.”

“Well, it’s nice of you to help out then. Do you know when you’ll be back? Will it get in the way of school?” darn it, mom.

“Not yet, no. I’ll try to keep you updated.” I scratched the back of my head, and decided maybe I should just start packing or something. “It shouldn’t get in the way, don’t worry about that.”

“Alright. You better call me whenever you hear anything!” She leaned back from her food when I got up and started walking past. I bent down to give her a hug, it might have been brief and awkward because of the angle, but I tried to put my heart into it. She gave me that smile again when we parted, I finally gave her one in return, one that was genuine anyway.

I went to my room to gather clothes and things into a duffel, making sure to fit my laptop on top of everything before zipping up and standing. I looked around my room, worried that this might actually be the last time I see it if I don’t survive this. I closed my eyes, refusing to let the stinging sensation in them build back up. I finished gathering things with my charger and my headphones being shoved into my pockets, and I heard my mother’s voice call out.

“I’m off!” I dropped my bags for a moment and ran back out, and stopped her by the doorway for one more hug. She uttered a surprised laugh, and pat my back a few times before I let go.

“Have a good day at work, stay safe!” I tried my best to sound cheery, even if I wouldn’t have normally. She returned the sentiment with a cheer of her own and I watched her leave. My face went blank as soon as she was out of sight. I left the door open as I turned and went back to grab my bags again.

“Finally. Are we done with the waterworks yet?” Came the snark from my bag.

“Shut up.” Was all I responded with as I shouldered the backpack and returned to the door, shutting and locking it on the way. The sword continued to try and chatter at me, and before I even exited the building I ended up pulling my earbuds and phone from my pocket. I proceeded to walk as if I was on the phone with the sword again.

“Look, Star-crossed Wrath, I kind of have a lot on my mind right no-”

“Jett.”

“What?”

“My name is Jett.”

“Since when?” I blanked, the sword had a name now, like an actual name and not a title. I couldn’t tell if it had just decided this or if it was always that way.

“Um, since always? Really, you’d think someone would know that Star-crossed Wrath is just a title.” The disembodied voice sounded annoyed, at least it wasn’t totally directed at me anymore. “And I don’t care. I have a lot on my mind too. Do you think I even had anyone I could talk to over the years? The answer is no, not since like… Several generations ago.”

“Fine. Talk.” Anything to keep it, him(?), from bitching at me.

“Thank you. As I was about to ask. Who was that girl from before?”

“My mom? Or Emma.” I quirked my eyebrow.

“Obviously not your mother, dipshit.” I made a noise of disgust at his rudeness. “Emma, then. You gonna tell her about all this?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want her to get hurt.”

“No offense, but she’s probably better suited to fighting than you.” I sighed. He’s right about that. The memory of her flipping their teacher over her shoulder to the floor repeated itself in my mind.

“None taken, I guess.” I only moped a little. I really wasn’t suited to this at all.

“Hmph.” Jett finally went quiet for a time. I was able to walk the rest of the way in peace. Sort of. I was thankful that it was the middle of the day in a crowded street, it made creeps less likely to attack, if anything. The destination was what had me shaken up, it felt like a huge blow to my pride to be walking back up to the store front after I had left so rudely yesterday.

It was open when I arrived, which didn’t surprise me. A couple had just walked out of the store, the woman carrying a small gift box in her hand. She seemed happy. It was almost normal. I hovered outside, reluctant to take that step and go inside.

“What are you waiting for?” Jett sounded impatient.

“Nothing. I just feel bad, I don’t wanna go inside.”

“Just man up and do it, they knew you’d come back anyway.”

“Shut up, Jett.”

Before Jett could snap back, Camilla was suddenly in the doorway. She didn’t say anything, and neither did I. She looked down at the bag I was carrying, and back up to my face, when suddenly she turned around. I almost thought she was disregarding my presence, when she moved to the side to hold the door open all the way.

“Hurry up. It’s cold.” She sounded bored despite her complaint. I heaved a frustrated sigh, and bit my tongue while walking through the door.