Crystallized Miracles

Rosalie pulled her knees up to her and wrapped her small arms around them, squeezing herself into a tight ball, trying to keep the cold out. She had stumbled upon this place of other slaves after about an hour of nonstop running. Her legs had gotten a torn up by thorn bushes and her now swollen ankle had taken on an array of colors such as blues, greens, and purples. Dark Circles hung under bloodshot eyes, as Rose fought against unconsciousness.

She stared blankly into the fire that danced in front of her, occasionally looking up when she thought she heard noises from nearby tents. Sleeping sounded like a wonderful idea, but Rosalie knew if she closed her eyes, the shadow of her brutally killed ex-owner would haunt her dreams. To take her mind off of things, she concentrated hard on the meal that was given to her. Rose gratefully enjoyed the feeling of a full stomach while it lasted, and fed her scraps to her little mouse friend Milo in her pocket.

Rose hid her bloodstained hands the best she could, even if it seemed that no one was watching her. The thick crimson blood was still fresh on her fingers, and it seemed to show even more prominently in the light of the fire. She glanced back once more to the nearby tents, her nerves on edge. Rosalie wondered if the others too had taken such drastic plans of revenge to escape their captors.

Jason stood up, blood running from his left eye, which had been gashed open by the rock he threw into the gate. He walked out into the dark, cold open, the fire slightly dim from his position. His left eye closed to keep the blood out of it. He looked at the new face by the fire. He walked over to the fire and sat on the opposite end "Hello, never seen you before." he said as he hid his blood gushing left eye. "May I ask your name?"

His scarred right eye opened half way so he could see. He smiled slightly, the pain from his left eye becoming too much. The blood started to drip onto the ground with a slight splash with each drip. He wasn't interested in this girl, atleast not right now. He just felt he should welcome her to hell. His bloodloss that had been caused by his eye made him rather dizzy. He hoped she would answer him before he passed out.

It was no use, he couldn't sleep. John heard the talking outside his tent and walked out towards the fire. He said "Hello" to both, and stood over the fire for warmth, as it was now as cold as winter. He wondered "How the hell are we gonna get to Crystallized Miracles in the condition we're in..." He sighed and had a seat on the ground next to the fire, he was lonely, he missed his master's son, but then he thought of his master, and became filled with hate. He nearly had a mental breakdown right then and there, but held it in. He felt as if he would never have a place in the world...

Rose recoiled a bit as Jason come from behind her. She hadn't heard him coming, and she had thought everyone was asleep. Rosalie watched his lips quiver with movement of words, picking up as much as she could. He seemed kind enough, but Rose had lost trust in everything and everyone. He wanted to know her name, but he didn't seem to be in the condition to be making acquaintances. The blood that dripped with each sickening drop, churned her stomach as it his the small puddle on the ground. The silhouette of her dead owner flashed in the back of her mind, she could see him more clearly with each droplet of blood that fell from the man's eye.

She decided to try and speak, hopefully before he collapsed completely. Rose was in no shape to help him much but he needed medical care.

"I'm Rosalie," she told him, the words not sounding right to her, but she continued. "But you need to get help to stop that bleeding." Rose hadn't said a full sentence in a very long time, and Rose hoped she said what she had meant.

Rose then turned to see yet another person awake, and watched him say his greeting. This boy seemed depressed, but then she could almost see his body tense moments later. Her own mental stableness was obviously not the only one that could shatter.

"I'm.. Jason" He said with a smile " I'll be fine. Have a nice night..." He said and fell backwards, unconcious His blood was slowing down quickly, but You might think of this as a way to get to sleep. He slept there next to the fire, no dreams, no nothing. He just slept silently. He mumbled slightly "I'm sorry" for he talked in his sleep as if he were talking to someone. Other than that, he was quiet. Sleeping soundlessly.

(Sorry, but im in a blank right now... not much is happening.)

"You're right," John said to Rose, "the longer it keeps bleeding, the more chance he has to go blind. Anyway, my name is John, what's yours?" he asked Rose. " I can't sleep, what's your excuse for being out this late?" he smirked and thought to himself that he might be the only one trying to be social. Again, he sighed, he figured that would just make him the most fit one for the journey, not physically, as he sure he was the youngest, but mentally, because he would know everbodys dreams and fear, and he could play on them to get his way. He didn't usually think like this, but he was desperate to get to this "Crystallized Miracles."

Her evergreen eyes widened as she watched Jason pass out, and fall over. He didn't seem all that worried about his own health, and she wouldn't know how to help him if she wanted to. She turned her attention to as he started to speak to her. Rose stared at his moving lips as he spoke, taking in every word.

She looked up to his eyes, which was rare for her to make eye contact, and spoke again, more easily this time. "I'm Rosalie," she told John, answering his first question. "I can't sleep either," Rose said half lying. True she couldn't physically sleep but nor did she want to relive the past nights events. She shifted slightly, self consciously hiding her hands that still were covered in the blood of the man she had murdered.

John thought something else was keeping her up, but was not going to press her on it since the memory of it would probably have not been too pleasant. Anyway, he was not telling the complete truth either as he was thinking about Crystallized Miracles, but not in the same way as before. He wondered how long it would take to get, and if he would make it. "So do you know anything about this 'Crystallized Miracles' place, how long it will take to get there, or where it is?"

Rose dropped her eyes from his to the fire that was now just a pile of bright embers. She could almost hear John's voice over the silence of the dark night. It was a bitter-sweet sound to hear someone speak, she could make out most of the words, but not all of them and it was frustrating. She had gotten the gist of what he was asking though, and she only had a small description of what this place was supposed to be like.
Rosalie told him all that she knew, one simple sentence described what she thought of this mystical place. "I heard it was freedom, that's all I know."

"Well even if that's all it is, I'd be happy." John could tell she was either deep in thought or could barely hear him, he decided not to ask and just then the dog he had found ran out of John's tent barking at Rose. John picked him up. John then said, "I just found this guy running around camp, he was hungry and tired, so I have him a little food and he's been sleeping since, I named him Christian, not because I'm that religious, but I think we should take anything that could give us good luck. He was thirsty, and we were about to go get a drink but then I decided we should sleep, you know of any streams around here. I think he really needs to get a drink, not that I don't, you're welcome to come with us..."

Rosalie spun around quickly, her body tense and her eyes wide with fear. Dog's just weren't her thing, well neither were humans, but atleast they didn't bark. She breathed out slowly, easing her tightened muscles as John picked up the dog. Wow, she thought to herself as she watched his lips carefully in the dim light, and listened intently. He sure likes to talk... but he seemed kind enough.

"There's one nearby," Rose said, she had crossed it on the way here, "I'll take you there." And with that Rosalie stood up, and started to walk to the edge of the camp, gesturing for John to follow her. She quickly shoved her hand back into her pocket, Rose hoped it would wash off in the stream.

John could tell she was afraid of the dog, and was going to take him away, but saw her relax when he picked it up. "He's not mean he's just hyper. I'm not really a dog person either, but I wasn't just going to let him die out here." John slowly rose, put the dog down, calmer not that it had been in the light of the warm fire, and both followed Rose as they made their way to the stream. Once there, Christian ran and splashed in the water as John cupped it in his hands and drank it. The cold water felt wonderful on his dry throat and he helped himself to a good deal of it.

Azan awoke with a start, What the hells going on outside? He thought. He slowly stood up, and peered outside his tent... he could hear faint voices, but they were to far to make out anything. He left the safety and comfort of his small tent, and walked outside, sneaking towards the sounds of the voices. As he neared them, he could see blurry objects, humans, standing around talking. He then could make out another object laying on the ground. He pushed a slave, (Rose), out of the way, he couldn't quite tell what is was. He then turned towards the crowd, trying his best to make them all out. Azan slowly backed up, thinking that perhaps they were the owners. As he was backing up, he tripped over the unconcious form of Jason. Thinking it was a clever trap by his captors, he sat up, and merely smiled, hoping that the slave laborers would leave him alone. "Master, I'm terribly sorry..." He said, not knowing that he was actually talking to other slaves. He hid his head in his arms, expecting to be whipped. He looked at the ground, Damn this vision... I can't see anything... Noticing that he had not been beaten yet, he lifted his head and spoke, "M-Masters, is something wrong?" He asked, his voice hesitant.

Jason winced and sat up holding his side "That hurt!" he complained as he opened his eyes. His left eye now blank, no color. He was blind in it, but he ignored it. "Whats going on?? Did i miss anything?? How long have I been out?!" he asked frantically. He turned to Azan. Jason stood up and grabbed hold of Azan's arm and drug him to Jason's tent. He gently let go and sat down. "Hey there, Azan. Knowing your sight condition, i think you need to stay with someone. You were just calling some of the others your masters... Try not to make a fool of yourself" he said with a small giggle and got close to Azan's face. "It's me--Jason." he smiled slightly, completely forgotten about the gash in his left eye that now had dried blood on his face, and a now blind left eye. Jason smiled sweetly as he looked at the boy. "Did you hurt yourself when you tripped?"

Azan didn't know what happened after that. One minute he was on the ground cowering, and the next he was in Jasons tent? He sat down on the bed and stared hard, seeing a flaw in Jason's face, "Hey. What happend to your face?" He asked, noticing a maroonish spot on his face. He chuckled, "And no, I'm fine... and those people back there were just... slaves?" Azan laughed, ... I can't believe I just did that. Azan's growing curosity got the best of him, and he touched Jason's new scar, "Jason you're bleeding!" He said, shouting in confusion... "What happend?!?!" Was there something going on he didn't know about? Perhaps he got into a fight with those other slaves? No, I doubt that... we're all in this together. He thought as he slowly nodded. He didn't feel tired anymore, curosity began flowing through him, he didn't really notice just how close Jason was to his face, thinking that he was helping him see. Boy, was he wrong.

Jason pulled back slightly, remembering how the rock slashed his eye open in his sleep. He giggled a bit and pulled back completely, knowing he missed his chance. He rubbed some of the dried blood off. "I fell on a sharp rock while i was sleeping, nothing that bad.." he said as he cleaned his face with his jacket sleeve. "Yea, you were talking to a bunch of slaves. They looked... rather confused." he smiled as he ran his hand through Azan's hair. "But, you should keep quiet more often, like me. Now that all i have is my left eye, i think me and you should stick together...." he paused for a moment, thinking over what he said and he let out a small laugh. "But you have quiet an advantage over some... being blind, your sense of small and hearing will guide you..." he smirked slightly, His own curiosity getting the best of him. "Forgive me for my asking, but--- are you into guys?"

Azan blushed, and let a sly laughter. "I-I don't know..." He said, his voice slowly trailing off. He felt strange... out of place almost. He's right, we need to stick together... we are both nearly blind... He sighed a little and then put back on a smile, he needed to always smile... frowning was out of the question. Azan shut his eyes for a moment, then slowly opened them, sometimes, he could clearly see if he did that for a few seconds... but it didn't work this time. His smile shined over his face, and his teeth, which were strangely white shown brightly against the night sky. He took in a deep breath of the cool air, and relaxed in the bed... "I'm getting tired..." He said, slowly trailing off once more.

Jason smiled sweetly and rubbed the back of his right hand across Azan's cheek. "Get some sleep, we'll talk tomarrow.." he said and got out of the tent and laid down, knowing Azan wouldn't be comfertable with him just yet, or maybe never. He slowly closed his eyes smiling slightly. He may have a chance with this one, but then again, he may not. It will all unfold lator. He chuckled a bit "Don't step on me anymore, okay?" he said before dozing off, tired as can be.

Rose knelt by the small stream, and rubbed her hands violently, trying to get rid of the traces of blood that still lingered in the creases of her palms. It wasn't as effective as she had hoped. Rosalie stood up as she sensed someone nearby, and she looked around frantically. But, to her relief, whoever it was just shoved past her roughly. She scowled under her breath, as the man started to back up and tripped over the lifeless form of Jason. Rose tilted her head, Master? But Jason had woken up and taken him into his tent.

Rose returned to the stream where john and the dog was. She sat down, trying once again to scrub the blood off of her hands, but it was useless. It would be a reminder to her for a long time of what she had done to gain freedom. Pulling her knees towards her chest, she leaned her head against a tree that was close by. She closed her eyes tightly, opening them seconds later. Weariness and over exertion was starting to take over, but no... no, she couldn't sleep, she wouldn't... But Rose was too weak to fight against the relaxing darkness any longer. Her head rolled forward and her body grew limp, finally accepting the unconsciousness that had been threatening to take over for a while.

John was going to ask Rose why she was washing her hands so vigorously but he then heard someone step out of their tent, he looked back, but whoever it was had already pushed Rose aside, and was now stepping back in fear. John couldn't help laughing when he tripped and fell backwards on Jason. He then looked back at Rose, but she was asleep, and John didn't want to wake her. He got up, with Christian following, pulled back the flap on the entrance to his ten, laid down on his makeshift bed, and again fell asleep. This time, though, he thought about the colorful characters he had met. He thought they were weird, but smiled as he figured they probably thought the same of him...