Page 4 of Twisted Thorns

Nature, books, and the library. Those were the things my life centered on now. They soothed the static that buzzed in my mind most days. The library, especially, with its familiar scents of ink and aged paper, enveloped me like a warm embrace. The soft murmur of pages turning and the distant echo of footsteps on polished floors created a symphony of knowledge, a song that spoke to the deepest parts of my soul.

I return my attention to my book, intent on letting my mind escape from the toil of trying to figure it all out, at least for a moment. I know the answers are there, but they often feel like they are just out of reach. A nightmare of running from a monster, but never getting closer to the safety of home.

Everyone keeps telling me I just need more time, that with it my memories will come back, but it has been months, and no new memories have emerged since the accident. We don't even know what caused the accident. I desperately want to move forward and put the accident behind me. But I'm not sure how to do that when it haunts my days and nights, a specter I can never outrun.

Chapter 3

Kieran

I release my tight grip on the heavy glass of whiskey as I set it back down on the table, bruised knuckles aching with the effort. Shifting in my seat, I tugged my sleeve down to hide the dried blood on my arm. I must have missed it in my time in the washroom on my way here. The bar is dimly lit, the only source of light coming from the flickering lights hanging above. The air is thick with the smell of smoke and alcohol, a familiar scent that I've grown accustomed to over the years. I take a deep breath, inhaling the sharp scent of whiskey mixed with the faint aroma of tobacco.

Glancing around the bar, I take in the other patrons. A group of men in designer suits take up an entire corner, their voices rising with each swig of their beers. A lone woman sits at the bar, nursing a glass of wine, her eyes darting anxiously around the room. And then there's me, sitting alone at a small booth in the corner, nursing my whiskey and trying to drown out the chaos of the world outside.

But even in the darkness and solitude of this bar, I can't escape the memories that haunt me. It isn't the lives I've taken to protect what's ours that keep me away at night. It's how I don't mind doing it.

I take another sip of my whiskey, letting the burn of the alcohol distract me from my thoughts. But it's only temporary. Soon enough, I'll have to face my demons once again. But for now, I'll sit here and drown them out, one glass at a time.

I look up to see my brother Liam settling down in the booth across from me. The table creaks with age as he leans across and tosses back the rest of my whiskey.

I can't help but notice the shadows under his eyes as he pushes his dark hair out of his face. "Long day?" I ask.

His shoulders shrug with resignation, and he glances around. "You know how it is."

Unfortunately, I do. He doesn't sleep well and spends most of his days knocking back alcohol and pushing his body beyond what it can take. But I say nothing. I have said it all before.

For everyone else, Liam is the charmer, the smooth talker. His dark, shaggy hair and baby blue eyes get him into as much trouble as it gets him out of. With me, he lets his guard down. Only I see the demons haunting him.

My own demons are haunting me tonight as well. The bells on the door chime, announcing more patrons have arrived. My gaze falls upon Avalina Hartwell, her long copper hair cascading down her back like a waterfall. Her outfit, a plain white t-shirt and ripped jeans, stands out among the designer dresses and tailored suits of the other guests. She looks like a wildflower in a field of perfectly manicured roses. She just doesn't fit in. As much as everyone has seemed to try to reel her back in, to bring her back to the fold, she just stands out more. I watch her from across the room, unable to tear my eyes away.

"Kieran, are you even listening?" Liam's voice breaks through my reverie, forcing me to turn my attention back to him. "You seem distracted." Turning on his charm, he gives me a look and leans towards me, tattooed hands splayed across the table. "Who is it?" He glances over at the bar.

"Oh, fuck off," I murmur, my gaze flickering back to Avalina for a moment before I force it away. "There's just a lot on my mind. Plus, we're waiting for Finn. We don't have time to get into this."

Leaning back, he rests his hands behind his head in a way that lets me know he doesn't believe the lie, but he'll let it slide, anyway.

"Whatever you say, big bro."

Rolling my shoulders, I attempt to loosen some of the tension that has gathered there, no doubt from my conversation earlier that led to my bruised knuckles.

A commotion near Avalina interrupts my thoughts; a man raises his voice, his words slurred with drink, and though she tries to defuse the situation with her characteristic poise, I can see the unease flicker across her face like a shadow. Instantly, my instincts are on high alert, the desire to protect her surging through me like the rising tide.

"Excuse me, I need another drink," I say to Liam, my voice tight as I stride towards Avalina, determined to shield her from harm. As I approach, the man stumbles away from her, muttering under his breath, and I can feel the tension in my chest ease only slightly at the sight of her, safe and unharmed.

"Are you all right?" I ask, my concern for her eclipsing my own preoccupations.

"Thank you," she whispers, her green eyes capturing mine as she smiles. "I'm fine, really."

"Good," I reply, unable to keep the relief from my voice as I watch her return to her friends. With every step she takes, I want nothing more than to go with her and keep her safe.

I order a couple more drinks at the bar before heading back to Liam, who is smirking at me as I hand him his whiskey. “You can't stop every drunken fool in here from being an ass, you know."

"Perhaps not," I concede, though I know that won't stop me from trying.

"What's with you playing knight in shining armor, anyway?" Liam quirks an eyebrow at me.

"I've had enough fights for one night, that's all," I reply as I sink back into the booth. Liam glances at my knuckles scattered with blues and purples but says nothing.

We were born into this family and bound to it by not only the blood coursing through our veins, but the ones in our nightmares as well. I've learned it's best to not dwell and just focus on the task at hand. I'm about to do just that when I hear Avalina's laugh from across the room, shifting my thoughts entirely.

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