Never really gave Earth much thought in the past. Heard about it and visited only a few times, but actively thought about? Never. Still, what with my most recent thoughts… Now was as good a time as any to change that.
Generally speaking, I would never be left to just wander alone. “Irresponsible and Reckless” were two of the words that Marius seemed to favor. “Asshole and Bastard” of course, went to Cherry. “Prick, Psycho, and Child”, along with many many others naturally came from Merida. Which always amuses me, her calling me child. But I digress.
Earth. My new escape and ironically my prison in a sense. I was only allowed to leave Pandora’s compound with an escort. For the rest of the time, I would merely wander about it and read all the new books I could find. Merida had given me several new ones after our last encounter. I was quite enjoying one in particular. It is called “The Bible”. A fantasy book I think. It is filled with several different chapters about countless individuals who all seem to be influenced by a higher being. Extremely amusing to me.
Still, one can only read for so many hours before the mind wanders. It is that wandering of my mind that led me to what Pandora calls a “garage”. All her family members seem to have at least one or two of these “vehicles”. I admit, I have taken to them with a passion. The speed, the subtle control over such a device is such a rush. I was even given one of my very own, a Cadillac Cien it is called. Sleek, elegant and fast. Traits I admire. Pandora had been giving me lessons, but would never let me control it myself. Tonight though, well… She is not here.
A brief glance around informed me that no guards were present down here at the moment. Which could change at any moment, all the more reason for haste. I was once informed how the vehicles were lowered to the ground from above, but I truly could not remember as I climbed upwards. But how hard could it really be? I have mastered every magical art that was thrown my way, this would be child’s play. I’d get it down, drive it around and return it to it’s resting place without Pandora or Marius being any the wiser. Fool proof plan.
The windows were still down, I refused them to be up. I enjoyed the wind rushing about and seeing the lights rushing past. Very exciting. I had made the mistake before of opening the door with a key, the noise was deafening from the “alarm”. So in through the windows I went, settling down comfortably in the seat. Finding the keys was easy, they always leave them in the exact same place. Every damn time, and it really does make it much easier on me.
I grinned widely, this would take my mind off of everything. Catherine, the meetings, and all the rest. It was time to have a little bit of fun for once. Flipping through my memories, my hands moved instinctively and before I knew it… the Cadillac purred to life. Well that was step …five? Or was it seven? Fuck… I know it wasn’t step one, Pandora always flipped switches and turned the little buttons first. No matter, how hard could it be?
So I flipped the first switch I saw.
Buttons , levers and anything I could reach. I tried everything. And obviously I did something right, for the car started getting closer to the ground. As my hands reached behind my head however, I shifted in my sit and bumped another lever. Suddenly the car was no longer stationary and…was rolling backwards.
A second flashed by, my eyes widenening in surprise as it rolled more…and more…and with a sickening crunch, straight into Pandora’s car that “under no circumstance was I ever to touch“. Not thinking, I panicked and my foot pressed onto a lever as well. The engine roared, the vehicle accelerating rapidly forward. Another second flashed, and before I knew it… I slammed into the rear of Armand’s car.
“Oh fuck, oh fuck oh fuck.” I jumped out the window and ran around, taking in the damage. “Think Va’lis, think… damaged shit, we’ve dealt with this before. Just a simple incantation an-…” I trailed off, reality crashing about me like waves on shorelines. Magic, the magic I would need to utilize in order to repair the cars, did not work here on Earth.
“Son of a -” An ear splitting sound deafened me. “The alarms…” Biting down on my hand I could taste the blood as it filled my mouth. Marius would murder me for this. Pandora, eh maybe not. But Marius? Fucking shit. In my experience, there is only one way to deal with such a dilema as this.
I ran.
Jumping the cars and sprinting, I turned a corner and barreled past the surprised guard that was coming down. Jacket flying open, a blaze of red and black as I streaked out of the compound, I leapt and dived and before I knew it…I was clear of it all and running headfirst into an area that I have no knowledge about.
Well, it is funny how somethings never change.