White Knight and Bacon Song

When I heard gunshots, I didn't have time to think about how I had suddenly appeared in the back yard. I knew Mom and Dad were dead. I knew I had to run.

I heard them crash through the fence behind me as I ran across the neighbor's yard, then suddenly I was surrounded. They pointed their guns at me and blam blam! It was over for me too. I was going to be a goner.

Then a strange thing happened. The sound of the gunfire... changed. It became something else. Like when I'm in my room and Mom is downstairs, humming distantly as she cooks bacon, and the bacon makes a sizzling sound--the sound of something soft, and pleasant, and nourishing. The gunfire sounded like bacon popping, and there was music in it that filled the air. Music like bacon, I guess. That sounds silly.

Slowly I looked up and around.

That's when I saw him. He had white blazing eyes and two smoking guns. All the other men who had been around me were gone. There were no bodies, but I know he killed them. I think he was singing, or maybe he heard the singing because he was moving in time with it--anyway, the music WAS him.

He was safety, and something else too... Nourishing, like bacon.

I started to get up but he motioned me still, and the music faded, but it didn't matter. It was still inside him. When finally it was safe to get up, I hugged him, and just stayed and stayed in the warmth of him.

-*-*-

I didn't really know why I told him My name is Penny White until later, after I saw the Rose. There there's singing and everyone's a White. Plus, when your parents are killed it changes you, and when you first hear the music it changes you. I guess I needed to name the change in me.

I didn't like the folks from the Tet Corporation at first. They knocked on the car window, said they had been looking for me, and I was to come with them.

They handcuffed James and said something about not killing this one, he'd be useful. I got scared and started to cry. I broke away from the guy holding me, and ran to James, and clung to his hip. When they reached for me I kicked and screamed, but it didn't do any good.

They got us into two separate vans. Luckily they took us both to the same building in New York. As we were led up the sidewalk to the entrance, I heard it again! It was his music! It got--not louder, but more making-my-insides-vibrate with each step. Our captors were getting less anxious as we got closer. I looked at James. His eyes were wide, and blazing white again. Somehow the song was coming from the building this time.

The front secretary smiled at me when we entered. She told me everything would be alright, and she was going to take care of me until--well, I forget. She was standing between me and James when she said it, so I backed away and ran around her. James was being led away down a hall.

"James Cain!" I yelled, and darted toward him.

He turned and looked at me. He wanted to pick me up, but his arms were cuffed and there were men surrounding him, holding him back, leading him away.

Then I was being led away. Strong hands picked me up and carried me. I cried and kicked but it was no good. "He saved my life!" I yelled at them. They were being so stupid!

"There, there," the nice secretary said, looking worried. "If Ka wills it, you'll see him again. Do you know what Ka is?"

I was upset and angry. Couldn't she see I needed him? "No," I barked.

"Then take my hand, Penny, and I'll show you. It's not far, and it's ever so nice."

I held back. "Where are they taking James Cain?"

She gave me a funny look. "Just downstairs. He won't be... far." She held out her hand. She was definitely of the white somehow, and I didn't think she was really lying to me, but rather trying to help. Reluctantly, I took her hand.

Then I saw the Rose. The music is the rose, just like everyone here is a White. The music filled my head and I knew that even though my parents were dead and James was away, it would be okay.

The rose also told me a secret. I grinned, because it made me full of happiness. The nice secretary took me to a little room, and handed me a coloring book with three old crayons.

It was a King Arthur coloring book. I guess someone before me decided Lancelot's armor was purple, because purple was scribbled all over him on every page.

She told me she'd be back for me soon, and locked the door behind her.

Soon as the lady had left, I thought carefully about how the lobby looked when I came in. There was a big desk, and I was short. I could go right in front of that and she wouldn't see me! From there I could run to the elevator, and take it downstairs, and start looking for James.

So I did. I just appeared in front of her desk and crouched low by the cold marble. It worked! The secret the rose told me was true!

I froze when I heard voices.

"--anything about the girl's abilities?" It was the secretary.

"We'll ask him." A man.

"How cooperative do you think he will be?"

"How cooperative are any of those things?"

There was a scornful laugh, and a sigh. Rustling. "Carrie said to keep him alive. I just wish we knew more."

I took a chance and darted through to the elevator. No one chased me.

I found his room in two minutes. It wasn't very nice. I had to teleport across some doors that were locked, but luckily, they had a lot of space between the door and the floor, so I could see through to where I wanted to be.

James was seated in a chair in the middle of a room with a concrete floor. His back was to me, so I could see he was still all chained up. I balled my fist on my hip and frowned.

"They aren't treating you very good," I said. "Are you okay?"