Safe Place

I put my hand comfortingly on her shoulder and smiled at her as I leaned up again, regaining my full height. "It's okay.." I trailed off. "Alice.." I then asked and looked at her. "Why are you afraid of blood?" I asked gently, with a kind voice. "You don't have to tell me now if you don't want to.. if you're not ready.. but we would like to know, we're worried.." I said, including Ace, because he was pretty worried also.

(yep )

Alice nodded and gave a light smile. She felt better now....well, as much as she was going to be in this situation. Hiding underground with two people she barely even knows while trying to figure out what was going on with the rest of the world wasn't all that great.

Alice... She wasn't going to ask about her blood-phobia, was she? Alice gulped a little. She really didn't want to answer if that was the question.

Ace put a few dishes in the washer and then halted and looked over at the two girls: he wanted to hear the answer. Alice knew that they both just wanted to help, but she couldn't answer now.

"I'm sorry once again, but I don't feel like talking about it." Her eyes fell sullen.

"I think I'm going to take a shower." She knew that she probably needed to tell them eventually what happened to her parents, but now just wasn't the time.

I sighed and let my hand fall off of her shoulder. "Okay.. " I said and turned away, feeling like she would never tell us. Strangely. I felt like a Mom.. For some very odd reason, she was a little girl, living with me basically, oh and Ace.. and we had to look after her and all, and I just felt like a Mom. I looked over at Ace, smiling lightly then turning towards the living room, walking over and absently tidying up the video games, fluffing pillows, dusting a little. I even got out the vacuum and cleaned the carpet. I then walked over to the bedrooms and tidied them up, making beds, sweeping, organizing. All the while I was on autopilot, not even thinking about what I was doing.

Ace gave a smile that said 'Oh well' and went back to work. Alice felt bad for disappointing Julia; she was being so nice to her. Julia ha walked off and Alice went up to Ace.

"Hey Ace." He turned off the faucet and turned to face her.

"Yes Alice?"

"Where are the towels?"

"Oh, right over here. I'll get you one." He dried his hands with a nearby dishtowel and went off. Alice wondered if he was only being nice to her because felt he needed to or something like that. He quickly came back and handed her the towel.

"Here you go." He smiled lightly while giving the towel.

"Thank you." He nodded and turned back around.

"Hey Ace." He turned back around once more.

"Yes Alice?" She felt a little nervous asking him this.

"Are you angry with me?" He sighed.

"To be quite frank with you Alice: yes, but I'm sure you have your reasons for not telling us." He was calm: almost as if he wasn't angry at all, but one could hear the angered undertone in his voice.

"Oh." She didn't know quite what to say to that. She was hoping that he would say no and smile at her. A pause wrapped around the two.

"Well, you better go take your shower." Ace said so he could go back to working. Alice was glad that he said something and happily nodded.

"Yeah." She quickly darted to her room and undressed.

(Is there a shower in her room?)

(Lets say there is xD)

I finally made it to my room and closed the door, leaving it open just a crack. I walked over to my bed and flopped down onto the soft comforter, all the rooms were nice and neat. Everything was in place. And I was exhausted. I yawned and kicked off my shoes, pulling my feet up and curling my body up onto the bed, letting my eyes drift shut, I wasn't sleeping, and wasn't planning on it, I was just resting for a moment. My thoughts fluttered back to the kiss with Ace, and I felt butterflies in my stomach a smile pulling across my lips. I laughed lightly and then turned and laid on my back, staring at the grayish ceiling, there was a little light coming from a little night light, because there was no natural light down here, because there were no windows. So we used night lights.

She wrapped herself in a towel and headed into the shower. How she has waited for this moment to wash away all the dirt and grime. Never once in her whole life has she felt this dirty. Her parents always made sure that she took a bath every night before she went to bed. She didn't like it a whole lot, but they always threatened her that they wouldn't give her weekly allowance of fifty bucks if she didn't bath every night. She stepped into the shower and paused. Wait, how did someone operate this thing?

Ace put the last dish into the washer and found the dish washer soap to put in. What now? It seems like Julia pretty much covered everything else, though perhaps he should ask her. He close the dish washer and remembered seeing her go in the back. Did she go into her room? Well, only one way to find out.He came upon her door and gave it a knock.

"Hey you there?"

I was in a very, very light sleep, when I heard a small knock on my door. I was slightly startled and jumped a little, I had been laying right on the edge. And with the little fright I slid off and hit the ground. "Ack!" I gasped and stared up at the ceiling. A fit of giggles over coming me and I sat up, looking towards the door and seeing Ace. An immediate smile pulled across my face and I nodded. "Yep.. I'm here." I said. I stood up and rubbed my back a little with a tiny wince then the pain went away, I was still laughing a little and smiled.

Ace heard a startled sound, yep she appeared to be in there unless it was Alice for some odd reason. He soon came to find out that it was in fact Julia, beautiful Julia.

"That's good. You alright? It sounded like you hurt yourself or something."

Alice didn't know what quite to do. The shower set up in front of her only had one handle to adjust the hot and cold levels, the one at her house had two separate knobs. Did she just turn the one handle upwards? She grabbed hold and turned up slightly. The shower worked luckily, but the downside was that the water that did come out was cold. Alice immediately jumped out of the shower which caused puddles spring up everywhere. She grunted and sat on the floor with her towel still on. Why couldn't her parents be here to draw up a bath for her?

I laughed lightly and shrugged. "Nothing, just being me.. Fell off the bed." I poked him gently. "Because youuuu scared me!" I laughed and rolled my eyes playfully. I then looked at him curiously. "So, everything okay? How long was I in here?" I asked, I was in a light sleep, but those are deceiving, you feel like you've slept hours, but you've only been out 2 minutes, and you wake up at every little noise. I suddenly wondered where Alice was.. Was she still showering? I'd ask later.

Ace laughed, he bet that she was snoozing away because he didn't knock that hard on her door. In fact it was more of a tap than a knock.

"Oh, so you were sleeping? Anyway, about ten minutes I'd say though my sense of time isn't that great."

She took a deep breath and figured the only way to get clean was to shower in the cold. Man-up Alice, you can do this! She walked up to the shower once more, threw the towel aside, and quickly jumped in. Cold, cold, cold, cold was all she could think about as she reached for the body wash.

(Now would be a good time to search her clothes.)

I laughed lightly. "I was sleeping lightly... because I heard perfectly when you knocked." I said and smiled. "Is Alice still in the shower?" I asked, then without waiting for a response I looked at him. "Oh nooo, did she ask you how to turn the hot water on?" I asked. "Because the shower int he room she's using is tricky.." I said then walked around him, not even waiting for him to speak. I walked to her room and knocked on the door, the silence and running water that came on the other side told me she was in the shower. I opened the door a crack and looked in. Okay, she was showering.. I was going to go to the door and ask if she figured out the hot water, when I saw her clothes on the floor.. A crinkled off white piece of paper sticking out of her pocket. I felt sort of nosy, but I bent down and quietly pulled it out. Then I unfolded it and stared at it. It looked like a map. It could be nothing.. but I had to show Ace. I frogot completely about the water and bolted out the door, closing it behind me. I called out quietly. "Ace!?"

"Ummm....I think-"

"No I don't think-" Man, was she in a rush or what? Julia wouldn't even let him finish his sentences. He waited for her tom come back.

Alice continued to shower and lather as Julia knocked on her door. She didn't hear her, she in fact didn't even notice that someone had come and nosed through her clothes. What was she going to do with herself once out of the shower though? She sighed.

Ace heard his name being called.

"What?"

"Look at this!" I said walking into the room and holding it up to his face. (ugh sorry it's so short but.. well.. low muse and i'm waiting for your lead xD)

"Well, what is it?" As far as Ace could tell it was a piece of paper. He walked over to her and held his hand out.

"May I see it?"

I nodded and handed it to him. Looking at him expectantly. What if it was a map to the safe place?! What if.. what if.. All these what if's ran through my head and made me dizzy. I shook my head and cleared my thoughts looking at him curiously

Ace took the paper from and looked at it closely. It was a map of some sort or another. There was a long red line, looked like someone took a red sharpie to it, from the city of Bangergash (I'm making up towns and such, unless you want to use a real place. I'll make a map of the fake place, it'll look like crap, but it will be a map.) to the city of Cilamore. Right next to the name of Cilamore, written in red sharpie as well, was the words 'SAFE PLACE'. Safe place?

"Where did you find this map Julia?"

(Hahah doesn't matter Bangergash sounds fine! =] MAKE.A.MAP! MAKE.A.MAP! xD)

I watched as he looked at the page, taking in every little detail, then he turned to me and asked where I had gotten it. I stared at him absently, thinking about how his eyes almost matched his hair then I shook my head and returned to reality. I had faintly heard his question, but still understood what he had said. "Umm.. Alice's jeans.. she was int he shower." I said, feeling really nosy, I laughed lightly. "Why is it a map.. to the safe place?" I asked trying not to show that my hopes had risen considerably.

(Okay I will )

Julia looked as though she had spaced-out or something for a minute. (she noticed that his hair and eyes matched? I don't believe he has gray hair XD Oh well, whatever.) Though it appear she made a smooth recovery. Alice's jeans? Really? Ace cocked an eye brow.

"Ah-huh...." Geez, this woman was nosy, oh well.

"Well as far as I can tell yes. It's a fairly vague map, but it gets it's point across. Apparently the safe place is up in Cilamore which is like two, more like three, cities away. Looks like we have a long walk ahead of us."

Alice had finished scrubbing her hair and turned off the shower. She was freezing cold now and really wanted that towel. She stepped out of the shower, water dripping all over the place, and grasp the soft towel.

"Okay well let me explain myself!" I laughed lightly. "I went in to see if Alice had figured out the hot water, but instead her jeans were on the floor, and there was a piece of paper sticking out of the pocket. You can't hardly blame me.." I shrugged, and then listened as he spoke. Nodding and then smiling a little. "At least it's not farther away... now we have to figure out how to get past the animals..." I said, the same thought as before popping into my head about the big animal costumes, provoking a laugh.

The animals, right.....he had almost forgotten those horrible creatures. What were they going to do about them? It's not like they had any real weapons on them or anything like that.

"I don't know Julia....the only thing I can think of is walk on and stay in the shadows. Just curious why the laugh?" He didn't sound the mean, actually he almost laughed himself.

Alice had dried off and gathered up her clothes. Julia did say she could use some the clothes her sister had though she did switch she should probably check her pockets for anything important to transfer. She surfaced the pants and dug into the pockets. She found a couple of crumpled up dollars and a picture of her parents though she knew there something else that should be in there.....what was it? She stood there for a moment and thought. Before her parents left her in order to protect her from a animal they gave a piece of paper of some sort. Her father said it would lead her to the safe place. She could feel tears coming into her eyes. Then he left her....only to get killed by the animal that was chasing the three of them. Blood splattered everywhere and even on her. She ran away from the animal as fast as she could, though she blacked out after a while: she doesn't remember what happened from that moment on she just remember waking up in a completely different part of the forest.

Though where did that paper go? Did she drop it? She quickly searched and found nothing. Maybe she dropped it in the house....or perhaps she dropped outside of this place. Worry and fear struck her, what if she never finds the safe place? Alice sunk down to her knees and began crying.

I nodded and then laughed again. "Nothing nothing.. not important." I giggled and looked at him with a small smile. I heard some faint sobs off in the next room. "Oh my gosh that's Alice!" I said, I grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the room behind me and went straight to the bedroom where Alice was staying, I cracked the door a little bit and peeked inside, she was kneeling on the ground crying. "Alice, what's wrong?" I asked, and released Ace's hand, I stepped in and looked back at Ace, a confused look on my face. I walked over to Alice and kneeled down beside her and placed my hand on her wet shoulder. "Are you okay??" I asked quietly.
(SHORTTT!! :O)

"Ah-huh, sure....." He gave a bit of a laugh and was then Julia grabbed his hand. Alice? What about Alice-he heard quiet cries. Was she crying? If she was crying then why was she crying? He guessed he was going to find out soon because Julia had dragged him in front of Alice's room. Without even knocking Julia had cracked the door open, why didn't she knock and go in? Whatever.

Alice perked her head up when Julia spoke. Everything was wrong. She wasn't supposed to be here. She was supposed to be at home in her big house playing her friends or watching a movie with her parents, not be here with two teens trying to survive.

"Everything...." Her voice was weak and croaky. Ace followed in behind Julia and plopped in front of Alice while Julia went to her side. She continued to cry, not hearing Julia's other question.

I looked at her with pitying eyes and frowned lightly. I pressed my lips together and looked at Ace, as if questioning what we should do. I wasn't really good with kids, and doubted I would be a good mother because well, I was NOT good with kids..

Ace looked back at Julia, she looked uncertain. She looked as though she didn't know what quite to say to the child. He guessed he would have to handle this. Alice felt a strong hand on her shoulder and looked at Ace who had a concerned look on his face, his lips forming a half smile.

"Everything? Can you be more specific?" She didn't want to be more specific; in fact she felt like being alone to sulk for the rest of the day though, oddly enough, she also felt like being around people. Being around people will make this pain go away like her parents or some of her friends.

"Alice?" Ace's voice was stern, and quickly becoming impatient. Alice was going to cry again: she couldn't handle this. She couldn't handle being here with these people they were annoying. They were always asking why she was afraid of blood and what was wrong....they almost sounded like her parents. She needed to go, get out of this place, or at least away from these two. She attempted to get up, but was quickly pushed back down: Ace still had his hand on her shoulder.

"Let go of me!"

"Why? Just so you can run away from your problems?"

"No, to get away from you two."

"The two people that are just trying to help you?"

"Help? Psh, whatever. You two are smothering me."

"Smothering you? We barely have touched you."

(Would Julia like to add anything or shall I continue?)

(continue lol)