Josiah Haddock

Josiah felt a cold, dry, hand cup over his mouth, slim fingers and sharp nails, dug him back, he couldn't gather what was going on at the moment, because he felt a breeze of hot air and he was in a dark place, an alleyway.

Josiah panted, bewildered to feel his clothes, skin, and hair dry by themselves quickly, as if he was a freshly-used sponge being squeezed. A small figure appeared in the dark alley, which was only illuminated by yellow, cut-rate, lights that were plastered on the red brick wall.

The form was a girl, shorter then Josiah by a few inches, her curves outlined, long blonde hair shining in the moonlight, blue eyes staring right through him.

It was the girl who was lurking in his dreams.

She was suddenly close, even though she was a yard ahead of him, she was too close, grazing her long, thin fingers against his jaw, her blond waves brushing against him gently, as the warm wind blew through them, Josiah couldn't move, couldn't speak, couldn't shove her away.

He breathed heavily, out of fear and confusion, the girl didn't say anything, stayed silent, her eyes burned right through Josiah, revealing every secret he had ever had.

"Such a shame that I can see through anyone," she hissed, a type of loathing anger in her tone, "I was really starting to like you."

"I'm sorry that you're here, that you aren't running away from hunters or storms, but you need me," the girl paused, before opening her red coated lips again, "My name is Lavender, I was just like you, afraid of what I could do, but, I'm not afraid anymore...Because I have control, Josiah. I am somewhat the "Alpha" in our group of weirdos...Find me, find me and I'll show you what it's like."

Suddenly, Josiah felt like a weight was pushed off him.

"Where?" He questioned.

Josiah didn't have a clue what the girl was saying, but, all that mattered was that Lavender had control over herself. Josiah didn't know if she was lying, but something in his gut told him that this girl was telling the truth.

"You know where." She uttered, jerking her hand back.

Before he could respond, the girl disappeared and so did the setting, as if wallpaper was being peeled off an antique wall. The warm air disappeared, replacing itself with the bitter coldness of December. The dark alleyway substituted for an empty parking lot, the light of day enveloped the midnight of dark.

~

Josiah was back where he was before. Except, the storm was gone, the clouds vanished, instead the sunset sending colors across the sky. But, the iciness didn't go away, as Josiah pressed his thin coat against himself, his panting breathes came out as poofs of white air, before disappearing in the air of winter.

He looked around, glancing for Dawn or Jonas, but, they were gone. Josiah felt panic caught up in his throat, not just because he's by himself, but, because Dawn is by herself with Jonas, and Josiah still distrusted Jonas.

"Can't find them?" A gruff voice asked, and Josiah already knew it was Blade. He turned around, looking away from the prisoner's eyes. "I saw that girl and Jonas walk through the storm, highest chance is that they are long gone bud,"

"Shut it," Josiah growled, "they aren't dead."

"And how do you know that?"

"How do you know?"

Blade became silent, Josiah glancing behind him, the distinct shape of the building in the distance.

"Listen, why don't we form a deal?" Blade demanded, taking a few steps forward, Josiah glanced in his dark blue eyes, but, as if the boy knew, he wasn't looking back at him. "I'll help you find them, and you'll give me a few bucks, enough for a bed that isn't made of stone and a meal that isn't a chunk of bread."

Josiah stared at him, the man looking cleaner from the rain, showing his pale skin and blond hair. "Sorry to break it to you, but I'm broke."

"I'm sure that the hunter kid ain't," Blade retorted, "hunters live on a pile of money."

Josiah took his pale lip in between his teeth, not sure of what to do. Blade absentmindedly pulled his dark blue eyes on Josiah's, as Josiah already felt the sudden lurch of power course through his head. Blade glared away.

"You have those powers, huh?" Blade questioned, scratching at his blond beard, "Must suck, not being able to look into someone's eyes." Josiah stayed quiet, the only reply to Blade's statement was the whoosh of wind through the air. "I know where your friends are, all I want in return is money."

"I can't keep any promises." Josiah finally said, watching Blade lips move beneath his thick beard.

"Believe me, he has money."

Josiah glared at Blade, surprised that he could actually look at someone's face without hurting them, except Josiah still cautiously avoided Blade's eyes.

"Where are they?" Josiah pressed, the stranger walked closer, his footsteps sending a wave of anxiety, and Josiah didn't mean to have the urge to look in the figure's eyes, like his power automatically decided what to do without his intention.

"Well, I need something of theirs first."

"What?" Josiah scowled, Blade stopped walking closer, still keeping his gaze off Josiah's.

"I have The Senses," Blade said, Josiah stepped back, "Oh, right, you're new to this stuff.

"The Senses are the most common powers us 'freaks' have. I'll be surprised if you don't develop them soon, but, I'm sure you're familiar with the five senses people have. Taste, smell, sight, sound and touch," Josiah nodded, stepping backwards, "well, we have more acclaimed senses, we can smell things better than others, hear things from afar...

"That's why I need something of that girl's, or that hunter, so I can smell them out."

Josiah didn't have anything of Dawn's, he used to have a bracelet of hers, but it must've been left at Phoebe's trailer home.

"I don't have anything." Josiah said.

"You're kidding? Not even a piece of clothing she wore, or touched?"

Josiah suddenly pulled off his jacket, remembering that Dawn wore it not too long ago. He passed the black jacket to him, keeping his eyes aware on the man. He grabbed it forcefully, pressing the material to his nose like a dog.

He inhaled deeply, the stranger's eyes closed tight in concentration.

Josiah reached in his back pocket, feeling the gun, awaiting for it to be aimed on someone.

Blade's eyes shot open, head snapping towards Josiah, before Josiah could do anything, the stranger leapt on him, causing Josiah to fall back, hitting his head on the pavement.

The figure was too strong, stronger than Josiah, bigger too. He pushed Josiah's arms against the black cement, eyes wild. Long hair dangling, nearly touching Josiah's face, lips pulled back, revealing his bared teeth

"You said we had a damn deal!" Blade yelled, "I have The Senses, newbie, I could hear your hand latching over that fucking gun of yours."

Josiah felt the stupidity of his action wash through him, how idiotic of himself to actually attempt to shoot his only chance of finding his little sister.

However, It wasn't Josiah who wanted to pull out the gun on Blade; it was the powerful thing inside of him, who just wanted to kill.

"I can't control myself." Josiah told Blade, shifting beneath the strong male. "Now get the hell off me!"

"Give me the gun, then I'll get off you." Blade demanded, pressing himself harder on Josiah, his clammy fingers tight against Josiah's wrists, Josiah could already feel the red marks imprinting on his skin.

Josiah felt it would be impossible for him to give a complete stranger his only weapon, but, he wouldn't be able to find Dawn and Jonas without Blade and his ability to have unbelievable senses.

"Would you help me find them?"

"Yes, now give me the gun!"

"Get off me first."

Blade managed to not even look into Josiah's eyes, even though Josiah kept desperately trying to catch his gaze.

"Fine." The man mumbled, slipping his tight grip off Josiah's wrists, getting up, giving a warning glare towards Josiah.

Josiah stood, the back of his head burning from the impact of the ground, hips searing from the pain of Blade's weight on top of him.

Josiah pulled the gun out, watching Blade stare at him hesitantly, like a lion stalking prey.

"Slowly place it on the ground and kick it towards me." Blade instructed, Josiah put the pistol on the floor, still feeling a pulse of power leave his fingertips as he dropped the gun. He kicked it towards Blade, as the boy just covered his own foot over the gun, and reached for the jacket. Blade was kneeling over, pushing the jacket to his nose and smelling the fabric.

Josiah remained silent, never tearing his gaze away from the stranger. The back of his skull was still throbbing from the collision of his head against the floor, a headache spreading around his head like a contagious disease. He rubbed at his red wrists, pissed that he was found without a weapon, and thrown down by a complete outsider, who was probably his only chance at finding Dawn and Jonas.

Blade pulled his blond head up, strands of hair covering his face.

"They aren't too far," he stated, standing up, slipping the gun in his back pocket, the jacket held tightly in his hand, "follow me."

"I need the gun back first," Josiah growled, as Blade was already starting to walk towards the right.

"You're kidding? With powers that can't be controlled? You'll end me in seconds." Blade snarled, lugging the gun out of his pocket, "Would you feel a bit better if I just leave it? Because I won't, hunters won't ever stop looking for us."

Josiah narrowed his eyes at Blade, irritation but, hating that he was right. Josiah couldn't control himself once he grabbed it, and without Blade, he would never find Dawnie.

"Fine." Josiah sneered, stepping in line with the man, keeping his eyes peeled for any sudden action.

Blade started to walk forward, and Josiah had no other choice but to follow him.