Land Of F.E.A.R
The Answer
The world's a gun and I've been aiming all my life
Everyone was sitting around the table-all nine of them-while Perry’s mother finished tending to Andy’s wound. Ashley explained to them all what had happened-they had tried to storm the F.E.A.R HQ, which was only a few miles from town, to try and free some captured Legion members. They had been ambushed, which meant that someone on the inside obviously knew that they were coming and they had to quickly retreat. Andy had gotten in to a dagger fight with one of the Guards while trying to get a friend out of their clutches. He had then been injured and she was okay-the little sister of his fiancé Odessa. The Wild Ones had come to the Jones house because Jinxx knew his aunt had once been a nurse.
Now here they all were-stuck in a house together until the changing of the Guard happened at sun down the next day and then the Wild Ones would have to make a run for it before they were caught. Perry looked around her, amazed by everything that was going on-here she had just been dreaming of the Wild Ones, hoping that one day they would save them all and now they were all sitting around her kitchen table. Persephone stayed silent as she looked around at all of them, her eyes starting at the person sitting beside her-CC.
His long black hair was matted and held back by a bandana, but his face was clear of any strands and Perry noticed how strong his jaw was. CC was smiling as he ran his fingers around the lip of the glass in front of him, joking around with Jake who was sitting to his right. He was skinny, his torso long and he only wore a leather vest with no shirt on underneath. Perry noticed his large hands and wondered why the palms looked so rough. She kept going, kept looking at those around her and the next person Perry set her sights on was Jake.
The guy sitting beside CC had a very kind face-it was slightly round and his jaw was a little smaller than CC’s. He too had long black hair, but his hair was slightly higher on one side, almost as if he had a permanent bed head. He had two black stripes under one eye-his eyes were a little lighter brown than CC’s, but they held a different kind of kindness in them. Jake seemed like someone who Perry could talk to about anything and he would just sit there and listen to her silently until it was time for his input. To Jake’s left was Jinxx, her cousin, and Perry took him in carefully as she locked her blue eyes with his.
A long nose, pouty lips, and crystal blue eyes-Jinxx was obviously her relative on her father’s side. His mom was her father’s youngest sister and they used to live next door in the old Smith house. Jinxx was also wearing a leather jacket, his pale arms covered but Perry could see that he too had the same ink markings on his skin as Andy, CC, Jake and Ashley. What were they? They were pretty and Persephone suddenly felt mesmerized sitting there staring at them all. Ashley smirked at her and that’s when Perry focused her attentions on the obviously flirtatious guy sitting to Andy’s right.
Black hair that looked soft, almond shaped eyes the color of chocolate and delicate features that marked him as sensitive and caring-Ashley The Deviant. His arms were bare, his ink shining in the dim lighting of the kitchen and as Perry looked at him she could see that he wasn’t as hardened as he wanted to come off. No, there was a light in Ashley’s eyes and that light was obvious when he looked at her from across the table. Perry blushed, looking down at her lap and she smiled as she noticed that Reese, who had taken a seat beside her, had grabbed for her hand protectively. He didn’t like the Wild Ones being in their home-he didn’t seem to like them at all.
Finally there was Andy or The Prophet and Persephone wondered what exactly made him a Prophet. His eyes were trained on the table, a slight smirk on his lips and Perry noticed that his bottom lip had a ring through it-how strange. His eyes were blue, like hers and Jinxx’s, but they were different in a way. His eyes were deeper-bluer and there was a supreme sadness behind them. He was still wearing his leather jacket with the one arm missing and Perry noticed that he was running his black painted fingernails over the wood grain. Suddenly her father, who had left the room to check outside for Guards, appeared in the doorway and cleared his throat.
“You boys can stay the night and through the day tomorrow. Perry-you’ll bunk with your sister and two of the guys can sleep in your room while the other three sleep with Reese up in the attic. I’m going back to bed-I’ll see you tomorrow after I get home from work.” James Jones sounded tired-he was tired. It was almost three in the morning and he had to be up in a matter of hours.
“Let me know if you boys need anything.” Perry heard her mother say and she noticed that the woman had left Andy’s side and was now following her father out of the room.
“Thank you Aunt Violet…we should be fine.” Jinxx said over his shoulder and Perry noticed that her mother had stopped and was now smiling down at her cousin. She hadn’t been happy by the appearance of their late night visitors, but she had been happy to help them in their time of need.
“I can show you guys to my room-I don’t know who wants to sleep where…” Persephone spoke, her voice soft and her breath caught in her throat as she noticed that Andy was looking right at her. Marguerite, who had been sitting in a corner and staying silent, only made a small ‘humph’ noise and then moved to go upstairs after their parents.
“Thanks Persephone, but I think we’re going to stay up for a bit. Feel free to sit here with us…” Jinxx offered with a smile and Perry only smiled, a blush forming across her nose and cheeks. Andy was still looking at her and now he was leaning forward, his elbows on the table and his chin was resting on his clasped hands.
“Persephone-the wife of Hades and Queen of the underworld. Interesting name for a girl…” He mused and Perry only looked at him with her mouth slightly agape. No one had ever really said anything about the origin of her name-no one really knew what her name meant…it had just always been there.
“I-um…thank you.” She said softly and Perry only looked down at the table. Ashley chuckled and CC was smiling at her, but Persephone didn’t know what to say-she had a lot she wanted to say, but didn’t want to say it in fear of offending any of them.
“Perry I’m gonna go back to bed…are you coming?” Reese was asking in her ear and Perry jumped at the sound of his voice. She had forgotten that Reese had been sitting beside her and as she looked towards him, Persephone sighed. He looked agitated and Perry knew why-he wasn’t thrilled with the five guys sitting around their kitchen table mostly because they were the reason his family had been taken.
“I-uh…no. No I think I’m gonna stay up for a bit. I’ll see you in the morning…” She was smiling at him sweetly and Reese only squinted his eyes at her as he got out of his chair and then bent down to press his lips to hers.
The kiss was long and slow and it was proving something to the five guys sitting around the table. Perry was taken-she was not up for grabs nor was she going to be convinced to go anywhere with anyone. Reese pulled away, letting a hand trail across her cheek and Perry only smiled at him as he left the room and she was left with the five guys sitting in front of her. Andy was still looking at her and it almost seemed like he was trying to figure her out. Ashley and Jinxx were talking lowly about supplies and CC and Jake were joking about the fight they’d been in the day before. Perry locked eyes with Andy and the two of them just continued to sit there-staring one another down as they tried to decide who should speak first.
“You aren’t like the rest of your family.” Andy finally said, his low voice soft and Perry tried to hide the shock from coming to her face. That was kind of forward of him and now she didn’t know what to say-it wasn’t untrue, but still…was it that obvious?
“What do you mean?” She asked and Andy only smirked as he reached for the glass of water in front of him and took a gulp. The other’s around the table were still involved in their own conversations, but Perry noticed that every once and a while Jinxx would look to her to see if she was okay.
“I mean they’re fine with the way things are…with F.E.A.R. You don’t seem to be as brainwashed as them.” He said simply and Persephone saw red. Her family wasn’t brainwashed! How dare he!
“Um, well my family isn’t like that so I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said as she leaned back in her chair and continued to stare him down. Andy only smirked, half of his mouth going up as he too leaned back in his chair but his eyes never left her’s.
“Yeah, they are. Persephone stop kidding yourself-don’t tell me you don’t dream of a different world. A world where you’re free to move around as you please…a world where you’re free from F.E.A.R…of every kind.” He said softly and Perry noticed that his eyes had changed slightly. They had a hardness to them before, but now it almost looked like Andy wanted to cry.
“I mean we all do-I don’t think anyone likes being under the rule of an overbearing group that push us around…” She said, but Perry knew that wasn’t true. Her sister was perfectly content living this life-she didn’t know any other life besides the one they all were living.
“You remember what it was like…” Jinxx spoke up suddenly and Persephone jumped at the sound of his voice. She blushed and looked down at her lap-most people had forgotten what life had been like before F.E.A.R, but Perry held on to those memories like they were something precious.
She could remember getting up in the mornings, her mother making her pancakes before the baby sitter would come over. Then Perry would watch cartoons for a little while-she remembered one with a talking dog and a group of kids who solved crimes, but that was it. After a while she would go outside if the weather was nice and play with the kids in the sprawling neighborhood-Reese and his sister Meg especially. Her mother would come home from her shift at the hospital, bringing Perry in for lunch and then she would go back outside or she would sit at the kitchen table and color. Maggie liked being inside, so she rarely came out, but Perry almost always had to be outside…she had always needed to be free. Persephone only shook her head, shook the memory from her mind as she looked around the table with tears in her eyes.
“I do remember…I remember how the grass felt against my bare feet. I remember what it was like to feel the sun kiss my skin and the rain wash away all of my fears. I remember playing, being loud and being a kid. I remember what things were like-when times were simpler. I remember everything…and I want it back more than anything.” She was crying now and suddenly someone was in front of her, kneeling before her and as she opened her eyes and looked down, Perry saw that it was Andy.
“We remember too Perry…I remember everything about that life. That’s why we all came together…that’s why there is a Legion of the Black. It is there for people like you…for rebels like you who remember life before F.E.A.R. It’s for people who want that life back…” He had reached out, grabbing her hands and Perry felt a small bit of comfort wash over her.
“W-what do we do?” She asked, her voice small and childlike and Andy only smiled as he reached out and pulled her to his chest. He smelled like smoke and yet Perry felt a connection to him-she felt a connection to all of them.
“We fight…we fight F.E.A.R together and we don’t give in…we don’t back down until we have won.” He said and Perry only nodded her head, her red hair falling in her face like a sheet as she raised her eyes to look around the room.
All five of them were looking at her and Perry knew then that she wasn’t meant to lead a life of powerlessness. She was meant for so much more and the Wild Ones were her answer to that life.
Everyone was sitting around the table-all nine of them-while Perry’s mother finished tending to Andy’s wound. Ashley explained to them all what had happened-they had tried to storm the F.E.A.R HQ, which was only a few miles from town, to try and free some captured Legion members. They had been ambushed, which meant that someone on the inside obviously knew that they were coming and they had to quickly retreat. Andy had gotten in to a dagger fight with one of the Guards while trying to get a friend out of their clutches. He had then been injured and she was okay-the little sister of his fiancé Odessa. The Wild Ones had come to the Jones house because Jinxx knew his aunt had once been a nurse.
Now here they all were-stuck in a house together until the changing of the Guard happened at sun down the next day and then the Wild Ones would have to make a run for it before they were caught. Perry looked around her, amazed by everything that was going on-here she had just been dreaming of the Wild Ones, hoping that one day they would save them all and now they were all sitting around her kitchen table. Persephone stayed silent as she looked around at all of them, her eyes starting at the person sitting beside her-CC.
His long black hair was matted and held back by a bandana, but his face was clear of any strands and Perry noticed how strong his jaw was. CC was smiling as he ran his fingers around the lip of the glass in front of him, joking around with Jake who was sitting to his right. He was skinny, his torso long and he only wore a leather vest with no shirt on underneath. Perry noticed his large hands and wondered why the palms looked so rough. She kept going, kept looking at those around her and the next person Perry set her sights on was Jake.
The guy sitting beside CC had a very kind face-it was slightly round and his jaw was a little smaller than CC’s. He too had long black hair, but his hair was slightly higher on one side, almost as if he had a permanent bed head. He had two black stripes under one eye-his eyes were a little lighter brown than CC’s, but they held a different kind of kindness in them. Jake seemed like someone who Perry could talk to about anything and he would just sit there and listen to her silently until it was time for his input. To Jake’s left was Jinxx, her cousin, and Perry took him in carefully as she locked her blue eyes with his.
A long nose, pouty lips, and crystal blue eyes-Jinxx was obviously her relative on her father’s side. His mom was her father’s youngest sister and they used to live next door in the old Smith house. Jinxx was also wearing a leather jacket, his pale arms covered but Perry could see that he too had the same ink markings on his skin as Andy, CC, Jake and Ashley. What were they? They were pretty and Persephone suddenly felt mesmerized sitting there staring at them all. Ashley smirked at her and that’s when Perry focused her attentions on the obviously flirtatious guy sitting to Andy’s right.
Black hair that looked soft, almond shaped eyes the color of chocolate and delicate features that marked him as sensitive and caring-Ashley The Deviant. His arms were bare, his ink shining in the dim lighting of the kitchen and as Perry looked at him she could see that he wasn’t as hardened as he wanted to come off. No, there was a light in Ashley’s eyes and that light was obvious when he looked at her from across the table. Perry blushed, looking down at her lap and she smiled as she noticed that Reese, who had taken a seat beside her, had grabbed for her hand protectively. He didn’t like the Wild Ones being in their home-he didn’t seem to like them at all.
Finally there was Andy or The Prophet and Persephone wondered what exactly made him a Prophet. His eyes were trained on the table, a slight smirk on his lips and Perry noticed that his bottom lip had a ring through it-how strange. His eyes were blue, like hers and Jinxx’s, but they were different in a way. His eyes were deeper-bluer and there was a supreme sadness behind them. He was still wearing his leather jacket with the one arm missing and Perry noticed that he was running his black painted fingernails over the wood grain. Suddenly her father, who had left the room to check outside for Guards, appeared in the doorway and cleared his throat.
“You boys can stay the night and through the day tomorrow. Perry-you’ll bunk with your sister and two of the guys can sleep in your room while the other three sleep with Reese up in the attic. I’m going back to bed-I’ll see you tomorrow after I get home from work.” James Jones sounded tired-he was tired. It was almost three in the morning and he had to be up in a matter of hours.
“Let me know if you boys need anything.” Perry heard her mother say and she noticed that the woman had left Andy’s side and was now following her father out of the room.
“Thank you Aunt Violet…we should be fine.” Jinxx said over his shoulder and Perry noticed that her mother had stopped and was now smiling down at her cousin. She hadn’t been happy by the appearance of their late night visitors, but she had been happy to help them in their time of need.
“I can show you guys to my room-I don’t know who wants to sleep where…” Persephone spoke, her voice soft and her breath caught in her throat as she noticed that Andy was looking right at her. Marguerite, who had been sitting in a corner and staying silent, only made a small ‘humph’ noise and then moved to go upstairs after their parents.
“Thanks Persephone, but I think we’re going to stay up for a bit. Feel free to sit here with us…” Jinxx offered with a smile and Perry only smiled, a blush forming across her nose and cheeks. Andy was still looking at her and now he was leaning forward, his elbows on the table and his chin was resting on his clasped hands.
“Persephone-the wife of Hades and Queen of the underworld. Interesting name for a girl…” He mused and Perry only looked at him with her mouth slightly agape. No one had ever really said anything about the origin of her name-no one really knew what her name meant…it had just always been there.
“I-um…thank you.” She said softly and Perry only looked down at the table. Ashley chuckled and CC was smiling at her, but Persephone didn’t know what to say-she had a lot she wanted to say, but didn’t want to say it in fear of offending any of them.
“Perry I’m gonna go back to bed…are you coming?” Reese was asking in her ear and Perry jumped at the sound of his voice. She had forgotten that Reese had been sitting beside her and as she looked towards him, Persephone sighed. He looked agitated and Perry knew why-he wasn’t thrilled with the five guys sitting around their kitchen table mostly because they were the reason his family had been taken.
“I-uh…no. No I think I’m gonna stay up for a bit. I’ll see you in the morning…” She was smiling at him sweetly and Reese only squinted his eyes at her as he got out of his chair and then bent down to press his lips to hers.
The kiss was long and slow and it was proving something to the five guys sitting around the table. Perry was taken-she was not up for grabs nor was she going to be convinced to go anywhere with anyone. Reese pulled away, letting a hand trail across her cheek and Perry only smiled at him as he left the room and she was left with the five guys sitting in front of her. Andy was still looking at her and it almost seemed like he was trying to figure her out. Ashley and Jinxx were talking lowly about supplies and CC and Jake were joking about the fight they’d been in the day before. Perry locked eyes with Andy and the two of them just continued to sit there-staring one another down as they tried to decide who should speak first.
“You aren’t like the rest of your family.” Andy finally said, his low voice soft and Perry tried to hide the shock from coming to her face. That was kind of forward of him and now she didn’t know what to say-it wasn’t untrue, but still…was it that obvious?
“What do you mean?” She asked and Andy only smirked as he reached for the glass of water in front of him and took a gulp. The other’s around the table were still involved in their own conversations, but Perry noticed that every once and a while Jinxx would look to her to see if she was okay.
“I mean they’re fine with the way things are…with F.E.A.R. You don’t seem to be as brainwashed as them.” He said simply and Persephone saw red. Her family wasn’t brainwashed! How dare he!
“Um, well my family isn’t like that so I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said as she leaned back in her chair and continued to stare him down. Andy only smirked, half of his mouth going up as he too leaned back in his chair but his eyes never left her’s.
“Yeah, they are. Persephone stop kidding yourself-don’t tell me you don’t dream of a different world. A world where you’re free to move around as you please…a world where you’re free from F.E.A.R…of every kind.” He said softly and Perry noticed that his eyes had changed slightly. They had a hardness to them before, but now it almost looked like Andy wanted to cry.
“I mean we all do-I don’t think anyone likes being under the rule of an overbearing group that push us around…” She said, but Perry knew that wasn’t true. Her sister was perfectly content living this life-she didn’t know any other life besides the one they all were living.
“You remember what it was like…” Jinxx spoke up suddenly and Persephone jumped at the sound of his voice. She blushed and looked down at her lap-most people had forgotten what life had been like before F.E.A.R, but Perry held on to those memories like they were something precious.
She could remember getting up in the mornings, her mother making her pancakes before the baby sitter would come over. Then Perry would watch cartoons for a little while-she remembered one with a talking dog and a group of kids who solved crimes, but that was it. After a while she would go outside if the weather was nice and play with the kids in the sprawling neighborhood-Reese and his sister Meg especially. Her mother would come home from her shift at the hospital, bringing Perry in for lunch and then she would go back outside or she would sit at the kitchen table and color. Maggie liked being inside, so she rarely came out, but Perry almost always had to be outside…she had always needed to be free. Persephone only shook her head, shook the memory from her mind as she looked around the table with tears in her eyes.
“I do remember…I remember how the grass felt against my bare feet. I remember what it was like to feel the sun kiss my skin and the rain wash away all of my fears. I remember playing, being loud and being a kid. I remember what things were like-when times were simpler. I remember everything…and I want it back more than anything.” She was crying now and suddenly someone was in front of her, kneeling before her and as she opened her eyes and looked down, Perry saw that it was Andy.
“We remember too Perry…I remember everything about that life. That’s why we all came together…that’s why there is a Legion of the Black. It is there for people like you…for rebels like you who remember life before F.E.A.R. It’s for people who want that life back…” He had reached out, grabbing her hands and Perry felt a small bit of comfort wash over her.
“W-what do we do?” She asked, her voice small and childlike and Andy only smiled as he reached out and pulled her to his chest. He smelled like smoke and yet Perry felt a connection to him-she felt a connection to all of them.
“We fight…we fight F.E.A.R together and we don’t give in…we don’t back down until we have won.” He said and Perry only nodded her head, her red hair falling in her face like a sheet as she raised her eyes to look around the room.
All five of them were looking at her and Perry knew then that she wasn’t meant to lead a life of powerlessness. She was meant for so much more and the Wild Ones were her answer to that life.
Notes
I just want to say two things.
First, thank you so much to everyone who has subscribed and especially to those of you who have reviewed. This story was just something that I thought would be interesting to read and write and so I wasn't expecting so much love.
Second, I hate to disappoint you guys-but BVB isn't in this story as much as you probably would like. See, this story isn't really about BVB-it's about Persephone and her relationship with F.E.A.R. How she deals with it in her life, how she over comes it and how it affects her. The guys are in it, of course, but not every chapter is BVB heavy and not every member has a huge role.
Review<3
Love the story Brandie! ;)
7/7/14