Who is Ace?
1451 Words
“Do you know what does a heart needs?”
“Well- Sometimes your heart needs more time to accept what your mind already and I see those gravity-drawn shoulders painting a picture of your heart as if neither it nor your soul would welcome a beat. I see in your eyes that your brain has built some new walls with you so lonely on the other side. If you'll give me a chance we can take them down brick by brick and start to feel together what it means to be a real friend.”
2016-DECEMBER-FUNERAL
Before Adeline could acknowledge Archer’s presence, the Funeral was already started. This was her first funeral and she was not sure what to say, what to feel......most importantly, how to say goodbye.
FLASHBACK
Adeline had fallen off her bicycle and was leaning against a tree when James walked up to her with a first-aid kit.
“Ah-kiddo! I have got band-aids, surgical gear and what else?” Saying so he sat beside Adeline whose eyes were fixated on the setting sun in the sky.
The sky was drowned in reddish-orange hue, her eyes held tears, when she said, “Sun is going, Jammy...”
James applied first aid on her knee, “Sun will be up again, sweetheart. Don't worry-- oh, boy... All right... There.”
“Grandpa?” She asked looking up at him as he wipes her tears.
“Yes, Princess?”
“Am I going to die?” asked Adeline to which James smiled, saying, “No, sweetie. You have got a long way to go.”
“Are you going to die?” she asked, again, tilting her head a little.
“Well,” picking her up in his arms, James said: “everyone dies eventually, princess. But not for a long, long time.”
“But what if you die and I'm still here alone?” Adeline asked, encircling her little arms around him.
“Well, then you will be all grown up, and you would not need me anymore.”
Adeline immediately buried her head in the nape of his neck, saying, “No! I will always need you, Grandpa.”
END
His body was draped in a cloth, just his face was visible from it in the casket. It was so hard for Adeline to keep her composure, tears were dripping down her as she stumbled on her way up the steps of the altar to drop a rose on the casket that was properly laid out.
Reaching James body, he was there in the casket with an always smiling face. She tender caressed his face and started crying when Michaela walked up to her.
“Adeline sweety, they are ready. Do you need a minute?”
Wiping her tears, “No, I'm okay.” Looking at her grandfather’s body, “Your princess will be alright, Grandpa. Everything will be fine after today.” Said Adeline as she turned around and looked up, “I’m ready.”
She sat in the front row with Michaela as the Pastor started the rites.
“We are here today to pay our tribute and our respect to a pillar of our community, our brother, James Martinez. We are also here today to show our love and support for James’ family and friends.”
The pastor’s words fade as Adeline felt goosebumps rising on her arms, she felt someone's watchful gaze on her. She looked here and there to find the source but failed.
“.......Gone, but never forgotten. James Martinez.” The pastor completed his speech and moved a few steps back when Archer Lewis walked up for the eulogy.
“James Martinez was my friend's father and a second father to me. In his last moments, he asked me to pass along a message to his granddaughter, but I cut him off before he could say too much. I told him he could tell Adeline himself, but he did not get the chance. Your grandfather wanted you to know how proud of you he was, you are a beautiful, strong girl and a bright light in a sea of dark. He said you were extraordinary, and so was your father and grandfather. James was a kind researcher, he was an inspiration to all of us. Goodbye, James. You will be missed.”
Adeline heard everything word by word, though the eulogy would have been emotional for others she did not feel right about anything. Several questions swirled in her mind, like:
Why did he say about the last moment?
Was he there with Grandpa?
Or did HE is the killer?
Her thoughts were cut off by Michaela’s hand on her shoulder. Coming out of her thoughts, she saw Archer returning to his seat as Adeline stood and walked up.
Taking a deep breath, “Thank you all for coming.” Turning towards James, “I have a long way to go, Jammy. See you on another side, Grandpa.....Love you.”
.
.
.
.
Although Adeline needed to be in the surveillance of her security, she asked for some alone time.
After the final rites’ completion, Adeline stepped out of St. Patrick's Cathedral, her coat wrapped around her tightly, hoping to get herself across the road and find a place to sit down.
"It's a bit late for a young girl like yourself to be out at this time of night, isn't it?"
Adeline jumped about a foot in the air and spun wildly around on the heel at the sound of the voice. The voice was creepy and harsh, squinting to see closer in the dim lights were giving off, she made out the figure of a man who was sprawled out at the bottom steps of the church. How did she miss the guy walking out of the church, she had no idea, but he was there.
The guy was dressed in ripped jeans and what looked like a faded and worn leather jacket. His hair was dark, tinged with a bit of grey, but his face was pale.
Adeline caught herself stumbling backwards, her arms tightening around herself as she stared at the guy.
“I don't know who you are, but I'm not looking for trouble,” she stuttered out, gnawing on her lip nervously.
Probably not the smartest thing she had ever done in her short seventeen years of life.
The guy laughed, dragging himself up to his feet as he started rummaging around in his pockets. “Oh, but I know who you are, Adeline Rose Martinez. And, I'm not here to bring you trouble, either.”
Her jaw dropped, “H-how did y-”
“Know your name? Kinda easy though...”
The creepy guy pulled a cigarette out of his pocket, followed by a lighter, and instantly lit it. Taking a drag on the cigarette, he gave her a sort of smirk that sent chills down her spine.
“I know everything about my targets, Adeline Martinez,” the guy said in an oddly haughty voice. “It comes with the job description.”
“Look, it's kind of worst of worst days for me and I don't know who the hell you are, but you better stay away from me before I call my security,” she spat out, her sudden anger causing her cheeks to flood with colour.
“Or you will what? Scream little girl?”
The guy started walking closer, stepping into the dim glow of the nearest street lamp, smoking a cigarette between his thin fingers, she had to stumble back a bit to stare the guy in the face, he was that all. But the creepiest thing about this guy, the one thing that he had her wishing she would have never stepped out without security, were his eyes, they were black, emotionless black orbs.
“Who are you?” Adeline demanded before she could stop herself, clenching her fists together.
“Oh, I have several names for different targets,” the guy drawled, taking another drag on his cigarette. “Friends calls me Hades. Boss calls me Devil. My victim calls me Monster...I could go on and on.” The guy smiled as he said this, flashing straight white teeth that seemed to glint in the light.
“But I suppose, for simplicity's sake, let me introduce myself, earlier I sent you a letter and I hope you remember,” Well, Adeline did remember the threatening note from earlier about `leave or die‘......
The guy concluded by saying, “-and you can just call me Ace.”
Who is Ace?
Why did he send that note?
What did he need from her?
- Writer
