Page 53 of Kaine

And no Jade.

“Jade!” I call out in a loud whisper. “Jade, where are you?” I step over piles of trash, and try to forget the face of strung out addicts, months from their last shower.

I finally step into a room and see her. She’s kneeling down over a figure that’s propped up against the wall. He looks completely lifeless. She’s murmuring something, but there’s no reply. She reaches out and shakes him and after a moment he moans in response. She drops her head and takes a deep breath.

“Jade!” I say, walking up behind her, my hand on my shoulder.

Her body jumps, but she doesn’t face me. “What are you doing here?” She hisses, as she stands up, pushing a hand against my chest. “Go away, you shouldn’t be here!”

“I shouldn’t be here? What are you doing here?”

“Just go away, Kaine, this is none of your business. Just go away! You said you didn’t want to ever see me again, remember?”

She drops back down to her kneels, tugging on the arm of the person sitting on the floor. He’s dressed in a torn t-shirt, stained with food and smoke. His hair is matted. His face resembles no color that would normally be described as human skin. I stand and watch as she slaps him gently on the face and neck, trying to get him to respond.

“Jade,” I tap her on the shoulder. “Jade!”

“What?” she snaps back, and looks up at me for the first time, her face covered in tears.

“What are you doing here?” I urge her.

“Because he called me. He said... he said he needed help,” she whispers, her voice husky and scared.

“Who?”

“Him,” she says, gently running the back of her hand down against his cheek. “Gabriel. He’s my little brother.”