The Flame of the Crimson Rose

"Gage... Gage...he's....he's...gone. The flames. I...I need to find...him"

Caleb winced, and exchanged a pained glance with the woman opposite him.
'It was very likely that this poor girl had witnessed the death of someone dear to her,' he thought morbidly.

"Hey, somebody help me with this guy!"

"Perhaps you should check that out," Caleb suggested to the other girl.

He looked back at the girl who was a wreck. He offered his most charming smile.

"Shhh, its all going to be fine. Now, my names Caleb, and I absolutely hate seing a pretty face upset. So why don't I help you over to that statue, and I'll see if I can get you oriented," Caleb paused, realising that his next line would be a bit of a gamble, "Would Gage want you lying in the dust?"

 

What had happened? Adam looked at the clearing smog before him with dead eyes - nothing he saw was registering, everything had happened so quickly. He was on his knees, as he was still wearing roller-blades, in close proximity to the old statue in the park. People he vaguely recognised from school were there too. Mackenzie Addison and Cole Harper were the only ones he actually knew the names of - they were both fairly popular, and the girl was in his grade, in several of his classes. Cole had called for help with one of the other guys, who ripped a piece of concrete from his back, and was now bleeding. Adam flinched.

He didn't know what to do - he was by himself, and in a helpless situation. But, that's the way things usually were. A wind blew past him, whipping his hair in all directions, and it cleared the smoke around the group in a matter of seconds. Adam pulled out his phone, and flipped it up. He had to call someone, he had to call his father, he would know what to do. However, inspecting the upper left corner of the phone's tiny screen, he saw that there was no signal in the area.

"What's going on?" Adam looked up, "are you there?" he asked aloud.

 

“…help…”

"Hey, somebody help me with this guy!"

"Perhaps you should check that out,"

Between all the people and all that was going on, it was nearly impossible for Susanna to keep track of it all. But through it all it sounded like someone had been hurt in the attacks. Lucky for Susanna, she had had her veterinarian bag with her at the time. It wasn't really designed for humans, but besides the dog treats pretty much all of it could be used on people.

Susanna left the sobbing girl, who had apparently lost someone named Gage, and made her way to the injured person by the statue. It wasn't a pretty sight. The man had a nasty hole in back and was bleeding a lot.

"Hold on there, I should be able to fix this up. I'm a doctor... Well a vet, but it's close enough." Susanna took some gauze, medicine of some sort, antiseptic, scissors and a scalpel out of her pack.

"Hold this," She told the man sitting next to her, no not a man, a teenager, and handed him the gauze. While he was holding that, she flushed out the wound with antiseptic, then poured the odd, red and sticky medicine over it. Once that was done she cut the gauze and rapped it around the man's wound. While she was cutting the gauze though, she had managed to cut her finger on the scissors.

"Happens every time," she muttered to herself.

"Thanks," she said to the highschooler who had helped her, "That wound should heal up really quickly. It bleed a lot, but it wasn't deep at all."

 

"Shhh, its all going to be fine. Now, my names Caleb, and I absolutely hate seing a pretty face upset. So why don't I help you over to that statue, and I'll see if I can get you oriented," Caleb paused, realising that his next line would be a bit of a gamble, "Would Gage want you lying in the dust?"

Gage, the name stung through her senses once more. It took her a moment for her to comprehend the rest of the sentance. Shakily, she got up and stumbled a couple more steps in the direction she thought the statue was in, but she really had no idea. Though she was starting to see through the tears better and the smoke was clearing, all she was really seeing was that fire, and Gage disappearing into it.

 

Wearily, Nathan opened his eyes and saw the dirt before him. He had no idea how long he’d been lying there, and thought that what happened the night before was just a dream. Then he saw the feet of people by him and around some girl. Then he felt the stinging pain in his back, making him cringe slightly. “What the hell is going on?” he thought, but couldn’t comprehend an answer. Would he could understand though, was that he was sick of breathing in dust.

Nathan got up a little, using his right arm, and sat back on his feet. He was still a little woozy and bewildered, but it was clearing up. Then he saw straight in front of him the woman who saved him. He tried focusing his eyes a little to see her better, but really couldn’t.

“An angel?” he questioned, “I thought I was with high school kids.” A small smirk formed on his face, a smile to show he was pleased with himself for the comment. Not many people ever saw that one; it was reserved for his self generally. The pain snapped him up again, but let go quickly. “Yeah…a real angel,” Nathan snickered. He wasn’t being mean. It was just how he made a joke.

Then he looked to the right and saw one kid he didn’t remember ever seeing, and that star soccer player Cole. “Ah, there’s the punks,” he joked to his self again, “thanks.”

Nathan wiped his face off a little, and stood up slowly. Then he walked over to statue and leaned on the left side of it with his right arm.

 

"Yeah...a real angel,"

"Don't be mean, dude. He's confused, and so are the rest of us." said Kaz, who had just stepped round from the other side of the statue. He would have laughed, but it wasn't the time for jokes. He was sure of that.

"Although maybe the kids are shapeshifters? I mean, they do have Magic... Or something. I mean, they went real fast." He said as he looked at the angel-woman-thing.

 

I don't know about an angel. Susanna thought to herself, the man was crude, but it seemed like he really was thankful, so she left it alone. They had all just been through a lot, it made sense for some of them to be distressed.

"Although maybe the kids are shapeshifters? I mean, they do have Magic... Or something. I mean, they went real fast."

"What kids? You mean you were brought here by someone too? I thought I might be the only one." So someone had brought them all here? Or a group of people? They couldn't have possibly done that though. It would have taken too much time. They weren't shape shifters though, they never changed shape. They just moved really fast. But they had used some kind of magic.

 

"What kids? You mean you were brought here by someone too? I thought I might be the only one."

"Your not the only one, that's for sure. As you clearly saw, I didn't randomly have a piece of cement jacking up my arm while running here. I just kind of appeared," adding with a roll of the eyes, "with cement in tow."

"Someone brought me here." The thought of that kind of startled him a little.

The Nathan's shoulder started grow very warm, and the rigidity of the gash receded t seemed. He started to wonder how that was even possible. He smiled while looking up at the woman who patched it up, and then turned and surveyed the area. Of all people that could show up out of nowhere, a doctor shows up just in time to save me, he thought. I don't know about anybody else or what her name is, but until then she's still Angel to me.

He tried thinking of what happened, but the matter of the fact was that he didn't see anything. It is fairly aggravating to him, since he usually knew what was going on. As the maintenance guy in the high school, he was used to knowing everything that was happening in the school. Even the whole Cole blowing away the soccer team with speed mess. This was a whole new experience.

Nathan decided he should try to get the group together slightly, even though he really didn't know anyone here really. "Well does anybody know what happened? Were we targeted?" He snickered to himself at the last comment and mumbled, "why would anyone target me?" to himself.

 

"Well does anybody know what happened? Were we targeted?"

Caleb, who had just helped the weeping woman over to the statue, interjected, "As for what happened, that much is obvious, and I don't see any way to dodge the subject. Most, if not all the city exploded, and we were all bought here. As for if we were targeted, well, if we can find the common denominator amongst us, I think we may get our answer," Caleb paused then continued, "There are two as far as I can see. One we are all stunningly good looking, and number two, we are all quite young, and as far as I can see, most of us go to the same school."

Caleb looked around at the rest of the haggard group, trying to discern any other details he may have missed. Finding none, he looked at the girl he had aided, "Whats your name?" he asked softly.

 

"Well does anybody know what happened? Were we targeted?"

Adam averted his attention to the group. Targeted? Why would he be targeted? He wasn't anyone important, and never had been. He was always the one lost in the crowd, as the case appeared to be even now, amongst the others. No one had spoken to him so far, and his existence was only vaguely acknowledged; by the youngsters before him anyhow.

"...As for if we were targeted, well, if we can find the common denominator amongst us, I think we may get our answer," Caleb paused then continued, "There are two as far as I can see. One we are all stunningly good looking, and number two, we are all quite young, and as far as I can see, most of us go to the same school."

The brown-haired boy was blabbering some nonsense, evidently trying to lighten the situation. Adam had seen him at school, he was always so cheery and easy-going. Suddenly, something dawned on Adam.

"Do you think they know about us?" He asked no one in particular.

 

The conversation around her was becoming more and mroe clear. With gut-wrenching force she tried to but images of Gage at bay for the moment. As the conversation swirled around her she had been seized with a weak curiosity also as to who they were and why they were here. She looked around the group again trying to see who everyone was. Some of them she did recognize. There was the one really quiet guy who she shared some classes with, and then the soccer star...Cole. She was sitting on the statue now, the guy that had been talking to her earlier had helped her over and he was still infront of her now as he talked to the others. He turned back to her and she realized he went to her school also though she didn't know him.

"Whats your name?" his voice was soft and gentle. With a deep breathe she tried to push the tears out of her own voice.

"Addison." Her voice wasn't much higher than a whisper, but it was reasonably steady, "What about you?"

 

Do you think they know about us?

Nathan turned his head sharply to Adam. "Know about what?" he said sternly.

Nathan had pissed of a lot of people by getting what he wanted in his own special way, and he didn't know if that had something to with it. There were reasons for him breaking up the hockey team, and being eventually disowned by his parents. And there were things even they didn't know. He didn't want to think about it.

After he was done pondering, his sharply averted back to Adam's eyes, which were staring off into the distance, "Hmmm? Who are they and what do they know?"

 

"Know about what?"

"Hmmm? Who are they and what do they know?"

The man spoke to him, but Adam ignored it, interrupting him mid-sentence, "what do they want? Shouldn't we get out of here?"

He rose to his feet, and almost forgot he was still wearing rollerblades, which caused him to stumble backwards a moment. But he was just as abruptly standing straight again. Adam looked to his left, where no one in particular stood. Through his peripheries, he noticed the older man was staring straight at him, expecting a response for a question Adam hadn't even payed attention to.

"Sorry, what?" he asked the man, becoming aware of how strange he must've looked at that very moment. It was a good thing most of the others were pre-occupied with their own interactions.

 

"Who are they, why that'd be me of course. And what do I know about you? I know everything about you, all of you of course." The newcomer said in a very matter of fact voice as he stepped out from around the back of the statue. He was someone everyone in the group should have immediately recognized; the person who had brought them all to the park. Except he was a slightly different from the person each had seen. His curly brown hair wasn't quite as shaggy as some version, he didn't wear a tie and his glasses weren't as thick as other versions. He wasn't as handsome as others and he wasn't as ugly as other versions. He was like a mix.

"Oh and don't worry, you weren't targeted or anything. You'd all be dead by now if that was the case. Luckily though, I managed to bring you here." The stranger, now smiling cheerfully, looked around at the people he had gathered. What precious souls, he thought to himself.

"Sorry for keeping you all waiting by the way."

 

"Sorry for keeping you all waiting by the way."

"Who the hell are you?" Nathan had no intention of buying this cheery facade. "And why did you save us. Actually, better yet, how did you know we needed to be saved?" He couldn't remember this guy, but he recognized the voice from before the explosion.

Then he thought of an even more interesting question, at least, interesting to him. "What are you?"

 

"Addison." Her voice wasn't much higher than a whisper, but it was reasonably steady, "What about you?"

Caleb smiled. The name was familiar, one of those that always appear on those awards lists and the like.

"Me? Well Im Caleb, Writer, Poet, Actor, Musician, and just about every other profession that earns bugger all money," he chuckled good naturedly.

Before Addison could respond, a new voice suddenly cut through the drifting dust, and a man who looked very familiar stepped into view.

"Who are they, why that'd be me of course. And what do I know about you? I know everything about you, all of you of course. Oh and don't worry, you weren't targeted or anything. You'd all be dead by now if that was the case. Luckily though, I managed to bring you here." The stranger, now smiling cheerfully, looked around at the people he had gathered. What precious souls, he thought to himself. Sorry for keeping you all waiting by the way."

The new mans tone was laced with good humour

Caleb stepped forward, But was beaten by an older man.

"Who the hell are you? And why did you save us. Actually, better yet, how did you know we needed to be saved? What are you?"

"Now now, lets not rush this good man, he seems to know things that we would like to know. So the best solution is not likely to be throwing angry queries at him questioning his humanity. By the way Nathan, thanks for fixing my computer last week," Caleb grinned as he recognised the man.

 

"My my Nathan, that is a more interesting question. And this really isn't a facade, I just have a fairly cheery disposition. Anyways, my name is Bob Bobson, I knew you need help because it's my fault, well, partly anyways, and as for what I am, I am The World. Or at least, I am now. And Caleb, I'm glad you asked. Or were about to ask anyways. Our beloved city has just been attacked because I have this little rock here." Bob lifted a small stone, out of his pocket and lifted it up for the group to see. It wasn't some bright shining gemstone, or even a nicely smoothed river stone. It was just a regular, average rock. One anyone could find in their back yard or on the street. Entirely un-remarkable.

"Yep. All because of this little rock. Should I explain?"

 

A puzzle. Nathan thought to himself, I like puzzles. But this is a little more important than the Sunday paper. Then he started to think of questions.

"First off, what do you mean you are the world now?" That little piece of information would probably be the most useful in the long run.

"And what is your plan for us?"

"A rock?"

 

"First off, what do you mean you are the world now? And what is your plan for us?"

"Don't you see Nathan? He's God! Sweet I've always wanted to speak to God! So many questions! Why do people stand still on escalators? Why have people stopped liking Rock n Roll and started listening to Screamo? Why can I never find love? Why is that rock important?"

Caleb finished his torrent of amusing questions, and stepped back, waiting for the answers.

 

"Me? Well Im Caleb, Writer, Poet, Actor, Musician, and just about every other profession that earns bugger all money," he chuckled good naturedly.

The name was familiar, then she realized he was the excessively cheerful boy she often saw in the halls. Before she could speak again, however, a newcomer had arrived and an older man she gathered was named Nathan, and Caleb were talking to him; asking him who he was. He looked like a slightly different version of the boy who had brought her here.

"My my Nathan, that is a more interesting question. And this really isn't a facade, I just have a fairly cheery disposition. Anyways, my name is Bob Bobson, I knew you need help because it's my fault, well, partly anyways, and as for what I am, I am The World. Or at least, I am now. And Caleb, I'm glad you asked. Or were about to ask anyways. Our beloved city has just been attacked because I have this little rock here." Bob lifted a small stone, out of his pocket and lifted it up for the group to see. It wasn't some bright shining gemstone, or even a nicely smoothed river stone. It was just a regular, average rock. One anyone could find in their back yard or on the street. Entirely un-remarkable.

"Yep. All because of this little rock. Should I explain?"

Addison fought to keep her voice steady.
"What happened to everyone? Everyone around the flames...what happened to them? Can your rock explain that?" A little flame of anger flared up inside of her mingling with her pain. If Gage was...gone (she couldn't think the word...she couldn't admit that it was true) because of a rock someone was going to get hurt.

 

"One at a time please. One at a time. Caleb first, because his question is the least relevant. No, I'm not God. Maybe a close friend, or I might even be a relative of some kind now, but I'm not Him. Addison next, because her question is the second least important, and probably the easiest to answer. The people around the flames probably got burnt a little. That's what happens when you get close to fire. The people inside the flames probably died. I'm sure a few might have survived though. And my rock can definitely answer that. But you wouldn't like to her his answer. He's really really mean.

"And now for Nathan. I mean exactly what I say. I am The World. Well, The Soul of The World anyways. I didn't use to be though, I use to be just like you guys. I only just recently became one with The Soul of The World. And as for my plans, I need you guys to look after this rock. It's very very important you see, and we can't have the people who caused these attacks getting it back. It took an awful lot to take it from them.

"And as for the rock itself, it holds the key to the fate of The World. If it gets taken back, the attacks won't be limited to our dear city. They'll spread to every corner of the earth. Everyone will die. Because that's their goal. Not world domination, or the destruction of the earth, but to kill every single human alive. So this rock is really very important."

 

Nathan needed to ask more questions, but didn't feel even the slightest bit safe. He could wait on them till later.

"I need to ask more, but I don't feel safe here in the open. Can we speak elsewhere, is there anywhere we can go?

 

I need to ask more, but I don't feel safe here in the open. Can we speak elsewhere, is there anywhere we can go?

"Wait Nathan! Ok so let me get this straight Bob. You are some sort of all powerful, or nearly all powerful being, capable of teleporting anywhere, and you are asking a bunch of teenagers to protect a very important item from some very powerful evil people? Ok that is rather odd, but what the hell! Im game!" Caleb said eagerly.

He then realised he may have been a little spontaneous, but that was who he was!

He stepped back winked at Addison and said, "This is a very interesting day."

 

"Hell, NO. I'm with the girl," Cole added, gesturing towards Addison while throwing his jacket back on. "There is some wierd S*** going on, and you just took the blame with a smile. Did you not notice that half the city just BLEW UP? Oh, and you're 'the World' well World, why save just us? What about the rest?? Jeeze man, what kind of nut job are you!"

Cole wasn't usually given to temper, but he had just witnessed mayhem on an unprecedented scale. His injured arm began to to ache, and he could hear his heart beating in his ears. The ache quickly turned to a burning like he hadn't felt since that first night.

"You guys can go wherever the heck you want with this retard, but I don't want anything to do with him unless he and his stupid rock can straighten this S*** out"

Cole quickly paced backward toward Addison, he recognized her from school as one of the decent kids, though he couldn't remember her name. He may even have dated one of her friends. But he WAS certain that she seemed to be the most sensible one in the group.

 

"Dude, Cole, chill. Where do you think your going to go? I have the same questions that you have, and am just frustrated," and he certainly was, " but we need to be somewhere safer. I don't know if you've noticed, but s***'s blowing up and we need to move." Nathan was quite annoyed with Cole's outburst.