Chapter Three - Travis

Travis was a bit mystified by the frazzled girl in the doorway. She seemed small and fragile, a feeling none of the other's ever portrayed. Travis looked down at the "1" carved into his hand. He had seen everyone who came through here, and not all of them had made it, their numbers being placed on a new subject after disappearing.

Becoming transfixed Travis took a step towards the girl, but faltered back seeing the panicked condition she was in. The poor girl probably thought this was an insane asylum... if only. Following the path of the girl's eyes, Travis noticed she was looking at none other than the brooding Jason, who was probably playing the piano in his mind again. We had all been blocked out of his head the moment he found a way to do it, but without even realizing there was someone new, this girl would be able to hear the notes.

Jason seemed to realize what was happening, and as always built his wall up even higher. The idiot. If this had been a few years ago, before Travis had been captured, he knew he would have swept this girl off her feet and would have had enough time to finish some early Christmas shopping. He was fast and he was good, but it never did make him feel any better.

~~

Travis Peterson was an only child, with parents who were often gone on business trips. His parents never seemed to understand the kind of loneliness they forced upon him, the least they could have done was give him a sibling to feel like orphans with. But no, instead they gave Travis fancy gifts, and let him drive their Porsche when they were gone, but it always seemed to have a flat. Useless. Travis spent a majority of his time throwing parties in the huge and empty house he was left in, and sweeping the ladies off their feet, which he seemed to excel at.

Checking his calendar, Travis saw he had a date with a girl who had been playing hard to get. This was the ultimate challenge for Travis, and he couldn't wait to show his friends how good he could really be. He checked the time, and briefly ran his fingers through his hair, perfecting the rolled-out-of-bed look. His parents had left a note in the kitchen next to the key bowl,

"Samuel,
We're off to Paris, will land around 6:00am tomorrow. Car still has a flat, but the air in your bike tires look fine. Be good.

Mom & Dad"

Travis crumpled up the note and tossed it at the trashcan, not caring that it missed. His parents still called him Samuel, insisting that he go by the name on his birth certificate: Samuel Travis Peterson II. Travis refused to go by the name Samuel, not because it was confusing, but because he just wanted nothing to do with his parents if he had any say in it.

After a brief bike-ride to the local coffee shop, Travis glanced through the window to see Kat Brown looking a bit annoyed. Perfect. The first step was completed, she is eager to see Travis, and will be grateful when he walks in. A smirk crossed Travis' lips as he sauntered into the shop.

Kat looked unimpressed as Travis slid into the booth across from her. She pulled her wavy red hair into a ponytail and sighed. "You're late."

"I know, i'm really sorry about that. My Porsche had a flat." Travis shrugged.

"Uh huh... Is that supposed to impress me?" Kat was having none of Travis' usual charms.

"You're right... I'm sorry." He said. "What would you like, I'll get you whatever you want." Kat looked at the menu and seemed to lighten up a bit. Travis ordered for the two of them, and he listened patiently to all of Kat's plans for her family vacation in Canada. Travis was sure his attentive listening would get him somewhere since nothing else seemed to work with this girl. After their tea arrived Travis started in on closing the deal. "My parents are actually off to Paris right now." Travis shrugged.

"Oh really? That's neat, what are they doing there?" Kat asked.

"Oh business stuff." Travis reached his hand across the table, his fingers softly sliding on top of Kat's. "Anyway, I've got a giant house to myself, now, and it gets pretty lonely sometimes." Travis looked up through his bangs, the puppy-dog look that always seemed to work.

Kat's face went sour and she snapped her hand back. Before Travis could even process what was happening Kat had collected her things and was heading for the door. "Just because you're lonely, doesn't mean you should use people for your own advantage." She paused right in front door, and looked at Travis with an almost sad look. "I do pity you." The words loomed in the air, long after Kat was gone.

After a minute of processing, Travis stood up, knocking the tea off the table. "Who needs you anyway!" He yelled at the echo of her words. Running out of the shop, Travis didn't care to grab his bike, and just started running for home, hoping to burn off some steam. After taking a turn down a street hardly used by townspeople, Travis slowed to a walk. Trying his best to repress his emotions, Travis almost didn't notice a car speeding down the road. Travis did his best to run out of the way, but in the end the car jumped up onto the curb and crashed into his side.

~~

Travis took another look at the girl with the nervous look on her face, and turned away from her, sitting against one of the plain white walls, feeling all kinds of remorse and sickness in the center of his stomach.