Freezing in disbelief, Levi waited for the footsteps to fade, his breath hitching as he held it in.
Breathing in a sigh of relief, he took his time processing what he had just overheard, someone was in danger and the highest count with such a knife to her neck was his mom, almost definitely, NO!!!! there was no denying that it wasn't her
Flare had always had it in for her, for one reason or the other, although nine out of ten were just her inferiority comp. kicking in, even though she already had everything.
Sitting still, Levi pondered at the thought of why his aunt had wanted his mom dead so much, even though she had already made their life miserable, she still wanted them lower than the earth crust, itself.
Riel had always picked him off after school, by the same time without fail continuously even when she was working between shift to make ends meet, each time coming more battered and exhausted than the last though they were no longer in situation of sorts it wouldn't change the fact that she would still come especially now that there were two of them and each time the same vehicle had showed up countless times trailing behind.
They had ignored the possibility of it being the other hand, and instead thought of it as being another parent picking up their kid, since each time they had passed by the car was empty and that the watchers had never confronted them.
vi....
i.....
Levi.....
The voice had drawn him back from his thought as he raised his head, his face blank and eyes dark, the image that had confronted him was his brother, hanging downwards from the tree above, his face was inches away from his as their eyes met, the dead air of their reactions playing the role of an elephant in the room.
Levi stared at Leth, his brothers image not yet residing in his focus in this position.
"What are you doing here?" Leth asked
"C'mon let's go or else we'll be late for the next class" he added as the loud gong of the bell came to play, his senses regaining their focus.
Levi stood up, slowly, his feet steadying after minutes of hiding, the continuous ringing of the bell like a siren to his senses, he was still trying to process what he had heard and any later than the rabbit and he would have been caught.
"Yeah, sure let's go" he said, his voice lacking enthusiasm as he moved forward, Leth stood behind observing as his brother walked continuously.
Hours later
Levi walks out of the school gates, his steps hasty as though he was in a three legged race lacking coordination in his steps, his face filled with determination,
"Levi!, Levi wait up!!!" Let's called after him, his voice raspy as he panted finally catching up with Levi, "where are you going?... We have to... Wait for the driver" he said catching his breath.
Levi had rushed out of class, his hearing of flares plans, nagging at the back of his head like something he couldn't shlake off, he wanted to do something.
"I'm not going back to the mansion, you can wait here for the driver" he said, making haste as he continued his steps.
"What????!" Leth asked his voice erupting in shock as he continued to follow him " do you plan to walk back?, you know the distance is far too long, right???, even for dad!"
No!!! He had to do something. By the conversation they had planned to use something to get rid of riel, probably something she cherished.
"I can't go back!!!" Levi yelled, his voice scared as it made leth come to a halt "I can't..." At least not when the one thing mom cherishes most is us.... He thought in his head.
"...."
"I'm sorry for raising my voice, but.... I just can't go back" he said,
"I might not know what's going on but.... Does it... Have something to do with those people from earlier??" He asked, the silence that followed after was more than enough for an answer, " if so, we can tell dad, I'm sure he'll do something about it...." He added.
"No, he won't" Levi said his voice calm but with a chill a child shouldn't have, almost like he was sure that he wouldn't care " that's why I'm leaving... It's the only way I can help mom" he says his voice just barely above a whisper.
"What???" Confused, leth follows after him, his face in a panicked state " what's going on, what does that mean..." He asks his voice in a plea.
Grabbing him by the sleeve, he had finally caught up with him " even if you do leave, what are you going to do? You don't have any money" he says, his grip on his brother firm.
Finally Levi turns looking his brother in the eye, his eyes puffy as though he had been crying as his pale skin turn red "Le... Levi!!!" He wailed as tears streamed through his eyes finally leaking through.
"You idiot, what did you plan on doing after leaving?" He asked, his tone more serious, as Levi kept quiet " take me with you"
"What?, no!!"
"Yes, you will, except that you plan on starving to death while your gone"
"Even if we do that, where are we gonna stay?"
"Leave that to me too, I know someone who can help...."
"You do?" Levi asks excitedly, he was sure his mom had released her lease period and their former place had been re-rented
"Y...yeah, hopefully" leth replied his voice faltering.