Paint It(Black)

July 30, 2009

Four kids ride their bikes up and down the ramps of Old Oak Park. Their swelling hearts beat to the message of “The Anthem” by Good Charlotte, the story of their lives.

A tall girl flips off of a ramp, her wheels spinning. They stop for a split second as she lands before she pedals away from the park behind a dark haired guy. Another girl and guy follow close behind.

They race home; Nic(which is short for Nicky, short for Nicole) skids in seconds behind Chase. They laugh as the younger two fall off their bikes, breathing heavily.

“What, your age catching up with you, Links?” Chase laughs, unlocking the bottom of a yellow garage door.

“Laugh all you want, you two were going like going like thirty miles per hour!” Links says.

“Seriously! I think I ripped out one of my tires,” Mandy, the younger girl exclaims, inspecting her back tire.

“Sorry guys,” Nic apologizes, helping Mandy bring her bike into the must loft. Clothes and BMX bike equipment litter the floor.

The kids settle around a table full of pizza crusts and old cokes.

“What you got for us tonight, Boss Man?” Links asks Chase.

“Better be good. I’m starving,” Nic comments, picking at an old pizza. Chase grins.

“Oh, it’s good! You’ll never believe what this guy offered us! Like seven hundred bucks! But it’s not ’til Friday night…” groans echo across the table.

“What happens ’til then?” Mandy sighs. Nic leans forward.

“Aw, I’ve got some cash saved up for new tires. It’s okay though, go get some food,” she offers. Links and Mandy grab the money and dash out the door.

“Thanks,” Chase says. “This job on Friday’ll pull us through for weeks.”

“What are we…looting the White House?” Nic exaggerates.

“Nah, it’s just like really dangerous or something.”

“Whatever,” Nic replies, crashing on a red couch. “Wake me when the pizza gets here.”

Two days later the four kids gather at an apartment building, dressed in black with newly painted bikes of the same colour.

“We’re robbing this trash dump?” Mandy asks, looking around doubtfully.

“Nope, the guy just told me to meet him here,” Chase answers.

“Well, where is he, Chase?” Nic asks nervously, seconds before a black, suited man walks around the building. He scans the group skeptically, then addresses Chase.

“Alright, all you have to do is go in there, take the blue glass off the bedroom dresser and get the heck* out. Got it?” The kids nod with sharp swallows. He leads them a couple miles up to a nice-looking house. The light is on at the front door.

The man nods, then leaves. The kids approach the house from behind. Links and Mandy open the door and disable the alarm, Nic and Chase head warily to the back room.

Chase jumps in without hesitation, but Nic stops in the doorway and points to the bed. An older lady lies prostrate there, not taking a breathe.

Chase looks at Nic, eyes wide. Nic runs to the bedside and examines the person’s fingernails; the tips are blackening. Chase sees a blue glass on the bedside table. He grabs it with gloved hands and heads for the door.

“That woman was poisoned and that glass must be the only evidence,” Nic whispers, shaking her head. “We’ve gotta leave it.”

“It’s not our business, Nic. Let’s go, forget it,” Chase shrugs nervously.

“No. This is going to far,” Nic replies. They race out the door at Mandy’s call.

The next morning Nic wakes up hours later than everyone else. She puts her hair up, and grabs her mesh backpack.

” ‘Morning, Grumpy,” Chase says, chugging a Red Bull. Mandy and Links lay on the couch playing a video game. Nic stops and looks at them sadly.

“So, what? You’re gonna ignore me now?” Chase complains in disbelief. Nic rolls her eyes. She walks over and shoves him down, then leaves, shutting the yellow door behind her. Outside she pulls a can of black spray paint out of her backpack. The words “Walk Away” appear on the garage door.

Seconds later a can of paint flies through the small window in the door, sending the shattered glass flying across the room. Chase walks over and picks the spinning can up. A note is tied to it that reads; “Chase, this has all been wrong.” He sighs and runs his fingers through his hair as Nic bikes angrily away.

Categories: Modern Fiction.

How are you?

July 30, 2009

a conversation by Miracle

” ‘how are you?’

its a useless question -

no one means it.

and its answer is as useless as the question.

come, sit.

you’ve been walking. tea?

a lot of things are like that.

no, not the tea. questions.

tired traditions eat up words,

until there’s nothing left to say.

So how are you really?

No! You can’t say that! Questions are only as good as their answers!

You’re broken to tradition!

Don’t you have words of your own?

oh.

you’re really just – good?

but -

oh.

later, then.

Goodbye.

Categories: I'M TO LAZY TO CORRECTLY CATAGORIZE MY STORY!!!!!!!!!! :P.

The Eavesdropper

July 30, 2009

by Miracle

The child is huddled on the stair,

Her knees up at her chin.

Her bright eyes wide with mischief,

Her face with a giddy grin.

Mother and Father are sitting above,

Laughing with company.

She knows not what they’re talking of -

But what a thrill to listen in!

Categories: I'M TO LAZY TO CORRECTLY CATAGORIZE MY STORY!!!!!!!!!! :P.

Chiding Myself

July 30, 2009

by Miracle

“Oh, to die,

For this breath to be my last!”

you find a martyr’s nobility

in uttering it.

as if you find an obscure pride – in death.

wanting it brings you secret class

an upper hand, a dark importance,

above the happy chattering

of others.

You are as you seem,

a body,

lying on the floor,

impressed with yourself

in your cowardice.

Categories: I'M TO LAZY TO CORRECTLY CATAGORIZE MY STORY!!!!!!!!!! :P.

Piano chap7!!!NEW.-kira

July 29, 2009

FINALLY some action (ish)
-

CHAPTER SEVEN

Mom had once told me there were mice under my piano. I had been afraid to play it then, the meek, shy little girl that I’d always been. Lilybell had gotten me out of that, too, even though she had been very little.

“Mera?” she’d said, “Do you fear the mice more than you love your piano?”

The piano had won, of course, and never again did I even let myself worry about mice.
Now I had to make another such decision. Could I try to enjoy going outside, while there were other people out there, full of potential to stare at me? I loved the outdoors fiercely, but like everything, there were setbacks.

I decided to use Bell’s advice and focus on what I loved, rather than feared. I walked outside, leaning on Bell. I blinked in the sunlight and tried not to look around too much. Bell grabbed my hand, and we began walking – even though I was old enough, I could never drive – down the street.

I tasted the sweet summer air on my tongue, and concentrated all my energy into gripping Bell’s hand and walking. She smiled at me and squeezed my fingers. Ouch. I tried not to flinch though – her touch was reassuring, and I could disregard a little pain.

As we walked, I could only take in flashes of green – trees? – and outlines of houses. The blurred colors and shapes were making me feel sick.

“You know,” Bell said after a bit. “Jared lives on this next street. He gave me the address when he was leaving.”

She gestured to the left towards a sign that read “Willow Ave.” My stomach flipped. Did she guess about my infatuation?

“So?” I lathered disinterest in my tone.

“So, nothing. I was just telling you. You guys seemed to get along well. He’s a nice boy. And kind of fit, too.” She winked at me.

Jealousy coiled around my throat.

“He’s alright,” I murmured.

She paused, looked at her feet, then looked back at me, blushing.

“Maybe we can stop by, and invite him to go to the shops with us? Of course, we might run into him there…”

That was what I’d been assuming. But going to his house? That was way too much.

“No!” I blurted. “I mean, dontcha thing that might be kind of…intrusive?”

“Nah.” Lilybell grinned impishly, and turned down the street, dragging me by the hand.

With spiteful thoughts swarming in my mind, I followed her until she stopped in front of a house. It was a smaller house than the rest on the street, but still decent sized. Vines crawled up the stone walls, and a couple flowers bloomed on them. It was a lovely home.

Before I could fully take the house in, Bell strode up the pathway and knocked on the door. I instinctively moved behind her, hiding myself, should someone answer the door.

Then I saw the doorknob turn, and there he was. Jared. A look of surprise came over his face, then delight.

“Lilybell! Meraele! Hi. Why are you two here?”

Bell smiled warmly, and the pretty curls in her lips became very prominent.

“Please call me Bell or Lily – my nicknames. They’re so much nicer.” Another smile. “We were actually going down to town to do some shopping, and I realized that we were near your street, so we decided to stop by and say hello.”

“Okay, Lily, I’m glad you did! My parents are out now, but you guys are welcome to stay for a bit.”
“That would be wonderful!”

I sighed, and bit my bottom lip as she prattled on with her stupid cheerful voice. I stared at the vines on the wall, tracing them with my eyes, but then I heard my name.

“Mera? Didn’t you hear Jared? He invited us in.”

“Oh.” I paused. “Okay.”

I followed her inside, and Jared closed the door behind me.

“You can sit down at the table, and I’ll get some drinks in a sec.” Jared told Lilybell. Then he turned to me; “Wanna help me get them?”

“Sure.”

He took my arm to support me and a surge of electricity seemed to burst from the touch, but I knew he was probably only asking me so my sister could get full service. He’d want to flatter and pamper her.

He led me into the kitchen. It was sweet looking, with chocolate brown wood cabinets and a wooden floor. Kind of like a kitchen that would be in a cozy little cottage, only bigger. He walked over to the refrigerator, but spoke to me.

“How have you been, Meraele?”

“Um.” I paused. I didn’t think ‘bored to death, miserable, and missing you’ would be an appropriate response. “Fine. You?”

He smiled. “Ah, not so good. It’s been pretty boring for me since when I was at your house and played your piano. I was wondering when I’d see you and your sister again.”

More like just my sister. But he sounded so sincere that I could almost believe he had missed me, too.
“Yeah, we’ve been pretty…busy.” I stifled laughter at my bitter lie. “But we’re seeing you now. I think Bell wants you to come to the town with us, too…”

“Hmm.” Pause. “What about you?”

“What?” I was confused.

“Do you want me to go, too?”

I snorted. “If you want to come I don’t have a problem with it, Jared.” Jared. I liked the way his name felt on my tongue.

“But do you want me to come? There’s a difference.”

I blushed. “Um, I think Bell will be waiting for us and the drinks.”

He looked put out. I don’t know why.

“Yeah, you’re right. Will you take this glass?” He could have carried all the glasses at once. I wondered why he asked me to go with him.

And we walked back to the dining room, where Bell was waiting for us.

“That took a while.” she commented in a friendly voice, but I could see the hurt in her eyes. Huh.
“Sorry.” Jared frowned. “We were talking a little. Am I right that I am invited to go to town with you two?”

Bell sparkled, “Yes! If you can, we’d love the company. But you might get bored. Clothes and shopping. I don’t know.” She pouted.

I felt a stab of annoyance at her flirtation. And she pulled it off way better than I ever could. And, hell, she was two years younger than I. Which reminded me of a question I’d been pondering.

“How old are you?” I turned to Jared.

“Almost seventeen, actually,” he said. “My birthday is in nine days…August eighth, ironically. Eight, eight.” He smiled.

I sucked in a breath. Eight was my favorite number. It turned up in the loveliest places. Ah.
“What about you?”

“I’m sixteen, too.”

Jared grinned. “Cool! Lilyb-Lily? You?”

Bell bit her lip. Ha. A question she was reluctant to answer.

“Fourteen…but I’ll turn fifteen in September!”

“Wow. Well, you look older than that.” Jared studied her face. I hated that. He might discover that she was even prettier than before. Every time I looked at her I found a new beautiful feature, and each time my jealousy increased.

“Right. Well, back to the subject.” Jared broke the silence. “I’d like to go with you two. I need to get a couple things too. For school, you know.” He made a sickened face at the prospect of school, as did I.
“Ew, yes. School,” Lilybell said, with a sour note remaining in her voice from having to reveal her age. I smiled at her slowly and she returned the gesture.

I sipped at the drink, discovering that it was lemonade. I hadn’t had that beverage in a while. It was delicious: sour and tangy.

“So.” Bell paused. “When do you want to get going?”

Jared glanced at the grandfather clock, which was stationed in the corner of the room. “Give me a moment, I’ll go grab my wallet and then we can go.”

He turned out of the room, and I heard him trotting up the stairs.

I looked at Bell.

“This is good,” I said, looking at my lemonade.

“Yes, I know, he really is nice. I’m glad we met him.” Bell giggled, not even glancing at me.

“The lemonade!”

“What about it?”

I sighed. “Never mind.”

-YAY i just wrote that! its ten pages on word, but not as long – looking here :[ comment please with critters and stuff. i’ll do 8 soon!

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Piano chap6 (last edited chapter) -kira

July 29, 2009

jeez another kinda short chapter. sorry. its not that long or exciting, just a little more background info before the next chapter where stuff actually HAPPENS =D

CHAPTER SIX

I curled up on my side, still morose over my new friend’s departure, but strangely lighter and happier than I had felt in a long time. I hummed a childhood lullaby.

My mother had still been alive when I’d learned this tune. If she thought I was asleep, she would tiptoe into my room on quiet little feet, and sit next to me on the mattress, careful not to “wake” me. I had always been awake, though – I loved listening to her sing. My mother would gently kiss my forehead and sing a dirge of a lullaby in a sweet soprano tune.

“Goodnight my angel.
Sleep, love.
Don’t you dream of what you cannot have,
cause you’d be asleep forevermore
and I’ll be wanting you,
needing you,
in the morning.
And all you need is me,
And all I need is you.”

Then mom would leave my room, even more silently than entering. I would lie awake for hours, thinking of how much I, too needed her in the morning, and always, always wondering why the song had the bittersweet notes of farewell in them. It frightened me. When she passed on, the song haunted me even more, and I would wake up every morning with damp pillows, and salty cheeks. The song still haunted me every night, but with the time slowly passing, the image eventually began slipping, and my memory softened.

? ? ?

After two weeks passed in the usual dismal form, I began to go a little crazy. I knew that I was dedicating too many chapters of my current life to Jared. I knew that it was risky, and would probably backfire on me. I didn’t know if I could survive if it did, but I had to see him again.

I saw that I was healing, gradually and almost unnoticeably, but I was. My fingers were not curled into shaking fists anymore, though I was not mentally strong enough to play my piano yet. My crutches were beginning to become a nuisance, and I could almost believe that I would be able to walk without them. Someday.

Now, finally, I’d achieved the enormous pleasure of dressing my own self. I pulled on a pair of jeans that I used to wear. Since the accident I had taken to wearing long skirts – they were much easier to put on and more comfortable. Today, however, appearance was of higher prominence, so I winced and stuffed myself into the denim, frowning at how sadly unfamiliar they felt.

I glanced in the mirror for a brief second, but flinched almost immediately, and turned back towards the bed. I shook my head, grabbed a bag, and made my way downstairs.

Lilybell was taking me to the town today, and I’d had to sign a contract.

I, Meraele, will not chicken out.
~Meraele.

Lilybell had been stifling laughter while I scribbled my name under her stupid sentence, but I knew it was important to sign. She knew I would find a way out of it last minute, but she wasn’t going to give me that opportunity.

Lilybell’s stunning, bright face sent me in a stupor. She’d put makeup on, and looked more beautiful than ever. It wasn’t fair.

“Bell…” I groaned. “Why’d you have to put makeup on?”

She giggled, and my stomach jolted, “Mera, I wear makeup whenever I go out. I guess you don’t notice. I could do yours for you if you want…?”

“No.”

“Fine, Mera. But you know, I’ve been thinking. I don’t think you need those crutches anymore. You’ve had them way longer than the doctor said you needed to, and I’ve seen you walk just fine without them. Leave them at home.”

I flinched, but considered. Then I dropped them to the ground and turned towards the door.

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

pianochap5 ;) -kira

July 29, 2009

short chapter, but it gives more background info
-

CHAPTER FIVE

His voice was tentative; “I haven’t played piano in so long. Meraele, could I see your piano? Please?”

He was eager as a child in a toy store. I couldn’t refuse even if I wanted to. I sullenly gestured for him to follow me and walked into the living room, padding lightly on the carpet. I stared pointedly at my beautiful piano and automatically, Jared sat at the stool. His fingers curiously stroked the keys, and then he began to play.

It was like nothing I’d ever heard before. His fingers danced across the keys, embracing the beautiful ivory, and an exquisite song blossomed from the swift, graceful movements. His eyes were closed. I closed mine as well, swaying to the music. It was lovely.

The most peculiar feeling came over me just then. I was enclosed in a trap of wordless pain and envy. My mind was having a row of its own. Half of me wanted to run out of the room in a fit of jealousy, though the other half wanted to stay with Jared for the rest of eternity, just listening to his beautiful playing.

I sighed. Jared stopped playing and looked up at me. My heart filled with sorrow to hear the sweet song come to such an abrupt end.

“You okay?” Jared asked.

I sighed again. “No, actually, but it’s fine.”

He glanced skeptically at me for a brief moment, then looked down at his hands. They were poised longingly over the ivory keys. I nodded brusquely and he knew what I meant. Jared began to play again, and for the first time in months, I was happy and relaxed.

? ? ?

I didn’t want Jared to go. Not then, not ever. But however much I didn’t want to see him off, at perhaps eleven o’clock his fingers slid into silence, he grabbed his jacket, waved a quick goodbye to me and Lilybell, and ran outside into the dark.

I loathed the fact that he probably had a nice family to go home to: a mother and father who would care about where he had been the whole day, and give him a warm dinner before sending him to bed. It wasn’t fair.

Sighing, I hobbled past Lilybell on my crutches, and made my way back to the “Piano Room”, where I had just been. I slowly eased myself down on the stool, and traced my injured fingers over the keys. They still felt warm from Jared’s touch. I quickly twitched my fingers away from the keys – I didn’t want to ruin the peace Jared had instilled upon the piano…and the room.

I had once been able to play remarkable pieces like Jared had constructed. I wondered if the knowledge was still etched somewhere in my brain, but I couldn’t tell. And I definitely could not test my pondering by attempting to play, myself.

I could still remember the day my life was ruined. It had been last year, and I had been fourteen, Lilybell twelve. My father had lightheartedly returned home from work, plucking up Bell in his strong arms, and smiling over at me. “I’m going to take my two little girls on a road trip!” he had said in his big, deep voice, teasing us for our pride of not being so “little” anymore. “Just us and the van! Come on!”

We had been thrilled at the prospect of a day out – we had seldom enjoyed such treats – and we had eagerly pushed into the car, with the same question shining in both of our eyes. Where is he taking us! It was a happy moment, but it hadn’t lasted.

The car ride had been awkward, but still pleasant. My father had always been a quiet, reserved man, so he hummed lightly to himself and kept the car rolling peacefully along the empty cobblestone street. At first, Bell and I had played some games in the back of the car, then moved on to discussing our destination, but then it had fallen silent.

Dad, with a glint in his eye, turned around in his seat to face us.

“I’m taking you to a museum and then out for lunch! How’s that sound?”

I had smiled with sincere joy, looking only in his eyes, but Bell had screamed.

“CAR!”

That was all I can remember from what could have been a pleasant outing with my family. I woke up in a hospital bed with my slightly bruised father, and completely unscathed sister bending over me. I, myself, had broken both of my legs an arm, three fingers and cracked two ribs. I was a mess.

No one knew why only I had gotten so injured in the accident, while Bell and Dad were fine and ready to leave that hospital that very day. I didn’t want to know.

That had been what triggered even deeper depression then I had already been suffering. That’s why I could no longer play my beloved piano. That’s why, just a little while after the crash, sick of it all, and still not recovered, I had attempted suicide.

-
boohoo haha

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Piano Chap4 – edited -kira

July 29, 2009

Enter Jared

CHAPTER FOUR

This time it was Lilybell, standing behind the door on soft feet. I knew she was there, though. Her even, healthy breath gave her away. I waited for her to collect enough courage to face me, and began toying with Ruby’s necklace, holding it far away from my chest. It burned a little.

The door cracked open, creaking with unwanted fervor. I turned my head to glimpse Bell looking at the floor, chewing on her bottom lip.

“Hi,” I said, trying to embed warmth in the single syllable.

She picked up on the formal, polite tone of the conversation.

“Good morning, Mera,” she said, studying my face.

I didn’t respond. What could I say?

“What are you doing down here?”

I shrugged—perhaps I was becoming a mute?

“Well, you need some food, Mera. You look sallow,” there was disapproval etched in her voice.

“Ugh. ‘Kay,” I muttered. Sallow was one of my least favorite words, and Lilybell knew it. She smiled a little at my chagrin.

Tap, tap. An unfamiliar noise jolted me. It sounded like someone was knocking on the downstairs door, but who would visit us?

“It’s the door,” Lilybell said in wonder. She quickly stuffed my crutches in my unsuspecting hands, and we stumbled our way downstairs towards the front door in a confused, excited rush.

“You stay behind me,” Bell directed me, “No excuses, unless we are sure its safe.” Ah, she was worried about me. I fiddled with mother’s necklace, staring at the heavy wooden door while Bell turned the handle.

Through the crack in the door, I saw the amazing and the unexpected. A…boy—about my age by his looks—was standing in the doorway, looking up from behind a curtain of black hair with dark brown eyes. His skin was almost as pale as my own. He was beautiful, so beautiful that he made me want to hide my ugly, plain face and run back up to my room.

If he noticed anyone in this house, it would be the exquisite Lilybell, with her beautiful freckled skin and her lovely red hair—not the pale, “sallow”, girl lurking behind her, injured and miserable.

“Hello,” he said in a bright tone. “I’m a distant neighbor. I saw your sign advertising a piano…?”

My mouth fell open, and I stared at my sister in horror. She kept her face together.

“Yes,” Lilybell paused, an apologetic glint in her eyes. “My sister’s piano. She can’t use it anymore—she got in a accident on the road last year—and we need the extra money from it.”

Bell couldn’t sell my piano. I wouldn’t let her.

“Ah. I’m sorry.” he sounded truly sorry. “I might be interested in buying it, if that’s still alright.”

“Yes,” Lilybell said slowly. I grimaced.

“No, actually, it’s not.” I couldn’t believe I’d summoned the courage to speak to a stranger, especially with such a violent tone of voice. I only ever spoke to Lilybell. “You can’t sell my piano, Bell. I don’t care if we don’t have food to eat—I. Will. Not. Let. you.”

Lilybell’s eyes widened. It was much more than I ever usually said. But my piano brought out my strongest emotions sometimes.

The beautiful boy seemed less taken aback. He nodded.

“That sounds fair enough. I would have never parted with my own piano if we hadn’t had to move.”

There was bitterness in his voice. I looked up at him in wonder. Could he feel the same way I did about the instrument?

There was a silent, awkward pause. I wasn’t going to speak so much again. I would control myself and hide from my emotions.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Jared.” a slight smile turned the corner of his lips.

“Lilybell,” Bell said, grinning with color in her cheeks. I could tell she was eyeing him up, and I felt the familiar old surge of jealousy.

“Meraele,” I pronounced glumly, frustrated at having to speak to the stranger again.

“Meer-ai-elle,” Jared sounded it out in an admiring tone, a heartbreaking smile flickering across his face. “What a lovely name for a lovely girl.”

And that’s when I fell in love for the first time.

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

piano chap3 edited (i dont like this 1 very much)-kira

July 29, 2009

I don’t like this chapter as much as the others, it has holes in it, and the dream scene is …. not that great Oh and thanks emia, for helping me edit them all, this one too!
-
CHAPTER THREE

I felt a heavy, dull presence of someone in my room with me, hesitating on quiet feet just behind me. I didn’t bother to turn around. It would be Lilybell. No one ever came home besides Lilybell and occasionally Dawn, her closest friend. Sometimes my father would come home from one of his mysterious excursions when I was awake, smiling and speaking kindly in his soft, husky voice. I cherished his visits, even though he spent them mostly with Bell. All but one.

“Mera?” my father had called. I had been eleven, and my sister had been nine. This was five years ago. I had been crossing out days on the calendar to his return. I’d wished to tell him everything—Lilybell and he were my only trusted souls on earth—so I had rushed to his side as soon as I recognized his voice.

“I have a present for you,” he had said in a happy tone. I had looked up at him with round eyes, and murmured, “Does Bell get this present, too?” I’d always hated sharing alike belongings with my sister, because she could always model or use them so much better and more gracefully than I.

“No. No one has such a present in the entire world,” he’d whispered. I had greeted those words with even wider eyes and I’d leaned over to him so far I almost fell over. He closed my eyelids gently with the tip of his finger, and took my hand in his. He’d placed a cool, jagged rock in my hand, with a silver chain strung through it. When I opened my eyes, he’d looked at me with eyes full of emotions that I didn’t yet know, and tears had welled up in my eyes. The stone was a beautiful crimson color, reminding me strongly of the blood that crept from my skin every time I’d accidentally broken my skin. I’d looked up at my father, with thousands of questions in my eyes, and he answered them with an ancient sadness in his.

The stone had been my mother’s—she had found it one day in our very backyard. My father had said that it had been a clear crystal up until the day that she disappeared. Then it had turned red. I’d never told my sister of this one time with my father, and I had never shown her the crystal. I hadn’t wanted to share it with her, at first, and I had also known somewhere inside that it wasn’t to be told to anyone. Yet.

A cold feeling swept over me then, as the memories rushed into place. My upper chest felt heavy and cool. I had slept with the crystal necklace still strung around my neck. I took the stone in my hand and fingered it, turning it over in my palms. It was freezing, though it had been lying across the warmth of my chest all night. Chills ran down my spine.

? ? ?

I’d had a very peculiar dream that night. I, myself, had been a mother, mother of the most extraordinary child. It had been snowing outside, and my daughter and I had been hesitating outside in the snow, lying on the frozen earth’s floor. She’d picked up a tiny fistful of snow and held it to her mouth, taking a careful nibble of it as if it were a pearl white apple.

I’d laughed at her precious curiosity, making a wish that it could last forever, and she’d giggled with me, oblivious to my ominous thoughts. She’d told me she loved me, “mommy”. I had wanted to tell her just how much I loved her, but I’d forgotten how to speak. My mind had become cloudy and fuzzy and I couldn’t concentrate anymore. My daughter was growing at a rapid speed, her eyes wide with fear and miserable knowledge. I could do nothing but watch helplessly as she grew before me. Then I’d woken up.

? ? ?

I was slipping away back into dreams and sleep. Although it should have been hard to sleep after my unsettling dreams, I found myself falling back into darkness.

A beautiful, magnificent woman stood before me, and at first I thought it was the grown up version of Bell. But although the same long, tangled flame of red hair was bouncing jauntily around the woman, her heart-shaped face was different than Bell’s. The woman had my eyes, the same dark, hallow eyes that took up quite a bit of my face. She also had my same mouth and nose, though they were more pristine and her complexion was perfect. I stared in wonder at her, biting the insides of my cheeks in surprise.

Then I realized who she was. It was Ruby Folke, my mother.

She was looking at me with concerned, tender eyes. Finally she spoke.

“You were always my favorite,” her voice chimed in an angel’s soprano. She paused then spoke again, “Do you still remember your dream?”

I flinched with recollection.

“It is my worst nightmare, the story of my existence,” She paused, noticing my confusion, “It was what happened to me when I…died. I could do nothing but watch you grow up, growing into a girl that you didn’t know how to handle. To this day I’m forever thankful that you resisted what I could not.”

I knew I was dreaming; this was not, could not be real. Ruby Folke, my mother had not returned from the dead. But I was still interested.

“What?” I closed my eyes sleepily confused.

“Depression,” the word slithered out of her mouth, sounding like a profanity, “Did you think I’d leave you if my mind was in any way normal?”

“No…” I wanted her to know that.

“I couldn’t stand it any more, Meraele, I’m so sorry. It’s the most terrible thing, a thing I passed on to you.”

My eyes glazed over, and I was come over with sickening fear for Lilybell. If she’d inherited it as well, she could not go through that.

Ruby read my mind, “Lily is safe, Meraele. Only you got it. I could tell in your eyes the day you were born that you’d inherited it. You have my eyes,” Ruby—I couldn’t call her mom, could I?—whispered.

I paused, “What is this? This is such a…different dream. Why am I dreaming of you now?”

“You got out my necklace again. I’d been waiting for you to. You see, I can communicate to you with it, through your dreams. I think it is only you, only someone so similar to me that I can reach.”

I didn’t want to see her anymore, and I didn’t want to sleep anymore either. I forced myself to wake up, but a new rush of hurt and confusion broke through my mind.

Her talk of my eyes had recollected some painful memories of my childhood, when people would stare at my pale face, dark eyes, and my messy hair. When they created evil names for what I was. They’d said I was a creature, with hollow eyes, ghost skin, and black hair that flamed red like a fire when I was mad. They said I was a queer thing, someone not to be messed with or spoken to. That is when my cage came into effect, and that is when depression first settled in.

I’d grown up alone.

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Piano Chap2-edited-kira

July 29, 2009

CHAPTER TWO

I had tried to kill myself last year. Not that it is original or interesting. I would have done it, if not for Lilybell. She found me in the bathtub lying under the water with my eyes closed, and my black hair swirling around my still shoulders. She’d assumed me dead. I had almost been. But somewhere in my fading conscious, I’d heard her shattered scream and my instincts to protect my sister awoke me. I’d woken up from the nightmare.

After that, my family kept close eye on me, never leaving me alone. It had bothered me so much that I almost wished that I’d died in my little aqua-tomb. But I would never try again. If I did they would have been on me within the minute. And that would hurt Lilybell, anyway. I couldn’t be that selfish.

Awakening from my recollections of misery, I found myself in Lilybell’s arms. She was mumbling faint apologies and crying on my shoulder. She lifted her hand up to my face and softly wiped under my eyes. I hadn’t realized that tears had been welling up in there, about to spill. My stupid mask had betrayed me, the mask that I lived to preserve.

? ? ?

Blood was streaming out my eyes in the form of tears. Somewhere in my mind I knew I was dreaming, but the horror was so real that I couldn’t remember reality. I continued sobbing out my own blood, getting weaker every second. My skin was becoming so pale that it resembled the glow of the moon’s glassy surface. My very thoughts were slipping away and merging into nothing. I woke up.

Well, I thought as I stretched uncomfortably in my sweaty sheets, at least I knew where the blinding white of my skin had come from. The early morning’s sunrise was splitting the sky and intruding through the window. I could smell the sun, too, so I knew that I had forgotten to close the window last night in my zombie-like state.

I had wondered, even as a child, if it was quite normal to be able to smell sunlight, but I had gotten so used to my odd quirks that were ever popping up about me that I had dismissed it. The sun had not been around to witness much of my life anyway. I breathed in the warm smell; closing my eyes and letting the warmth stroke my eyelids.

I stretched again, yawning, and I heard a crack. Ouch. Well healing had never been easy for me, even a little cut. The pain wasn’t unbearable, I consoled myself. I was not going to have another episode like last night anytime soon. I knew that I needed Lilybell’s help to get up, as my back was in no pleasant mood today, but I couldn’t bring myself to call and wake her. She needed her sleep after last night.

Instead, I stiffened my back and slowly rolled over onto my side, pushing a pillow behind my figure. I lay there for a while, trying to be good, but I was growing impatient. Finally I took a huge breath, and pushed myself up in bed with my shaking arms. I took another breath, and swung my legs over the side of the bed. I slid to the ground, grabbing my crutches unsteadily. I realized that my breathing had been taxed by concentration, and I let out a gasp of air, swinging forward on my crutches. Skillfully, I caught myself and stood up with their help, staggering to the center of my room.

My room had always been my sanctuary, the most beautiful place in the world, at least in my eyes. The walls were not walls, as they should be, but clear, glassy panes. I could look out at the world from my room, and feel like a part of it. Every night I could see the stars just by opening my eyes, and in the day my room was the brightest, most cheering place I could spend my time. As a child, I’d always imagined being a princess and ruling the beautiful land that stretched as far as my sight. When I grew older, I thought differently.

I had gazed through the glass one day, sitting on the floor and hugging my knees to my chest, and I had wanted more than anything to be able to leave the house and never return. The thought had not come from anywhere in particular. I had not been angry, or particularly sorrowful, so I never knew why. But I saw my room as a cage that day, a cage I couldn’t escape. I could only see the world, and I could do nothing to it. And I had wanted to do something for the world. I wanted people to look up to me, not as a ruler, but as a figure who had changed the place for the better. I had wanted to be like Lilybell. She had made that sort of significant change in my life.

I skidded away from the memories of my old life and curled up on the ground, staring through my windows. I could see my face staring back at me in the reflection of the glass. I didn’t like seeing that girl outside the glass, the cage. I gazed out the other pane of glass, and my eyelids half-closed. I could see the little girl with my face and my features dancing outside in the grass, with her wet hair flying behind her. It was raining on her—the sun had gone away since my awakening. Dismal and dreary, but still bringing at least a few cozy thoughts to mind.

The little girl I once was would have assumed that my mood was commanding the skies.

How wrong she would have been.

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Piano Chap1 edited -kira

July 29, 2009

CHAPTER ONE

It stood there, mocking me with its tempting charm. It was steady and beautiful, perfectly balanced on four wooden legs. Through my wet, streaming eyes, my piano was a blur of black, white, and brown, but those colors were the most familiar thing to me that I could ever see in my life. My piano seemed to long for me to stroke its precious keys and to remind it of all of the songs we had brought to life. But I couldn’t play a note on it, and I certainly couldn’t recollect the beautiful pieces that it had once whispered to me. I, like my piano, was broken.

“Meraele?” a shy, velvet voice chimed across the foggy morning haze. It spoke my name.

I didn’t bother to reply; I just turned my head around a little to look at my little sister. The first thing I saw when looking upon her face was her big beautiful eyes. Lilybell had the most shocking green eyes I had ever seen. I’d always been mesmerized by her beauty, but my insane jealousy for her had diminished in the past months. It took too much energy to be jealous anymore. And I could be jealous of everyone for any reason at all, I had found.

“How are you?” I couldn’t tell her what a stupid question it was.

I grimaced, but tried to hide the pain gnawing at the inside of my stomach. I put a smiling mask over my real face, the mask that had to stay on all day until nightfall.

“I’m doing…better. How about you?”

“As if that matters right now.” Lilybell looked at me with stern, almost motherly eyes.

“Yes it does, Bell,” I glared back at her, “You’re life is all that matters. I have no life.” I went back to looking at my piano, staring right through it, until I heard Bell’s light feet padding away, and a few shuddered breaths. Then the regret stormed through my chest like a swarm of angry bees, never abandoning my vulnerable ears. I didn’t mean to have such a fit in front of her. She was only fourteen. How could she deal with me if even I could not? I dropped my head, wishing I could hug my knees and rock myself back and forward, as my broken body could never fit that position.

I heard more padding, some sniffling, and then it was quiet again for a moment.

“Pointed toe crushes
And the white dress flies to the ground
She follows it downwards.
A pale, dead face with kissed lips.

Covered in rain,
Showered in cold muse
Under the sickly skin,
That longed to be painted crimson.

Pray the heart slows,
While your heart moans.
Slow down your head
Easy your chest.

Goodbye.”

My insides were torn apart to hear my sister singing that heartbreakingly beautiful dirge.

Especially because it was about me.

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Words: beginning

July 29, 2009

“I was reading again this morning.” I pulled up another golden plant from its root.
“Without me?” Sweet froze.
“I can sound them out by myself now, thank you very much.”
“I mean the bridge, Missie, come on. You’re going to kill yourself one of these days.” He threw his plant toward the bag, but missed.
“I may not be as manly as you, but I can cross a bridge without throwing myself off the edge.” I picked up his plant and put it in the black bag.
“Missie! The thing’s skinnier than your foot.”
“Look, what would you be able to do if I fell? Catch me by the scruff of my neck while catching the bridge with your free hand? Afterwards nimbly swinging back onto the bridge – which is, granted, skinnier than my skinny foot – balancing my weight and yours – ”
“Cool it, Missie.” I hated the face he was making now. All concerned and protective, his jaw set into a Sweet-trademarked stop-it-right-now stare.
I bent down and pulled out another plant. “Stupid weeds.”
“Yeah.” He picked up the black bag I had dropped and held it open as I tossed the weed in. There was an awkward silence. All I could hear was the bag crackling in his fingers, our breath, and the electric hum of the white light overhead.
“We gonna go again today?” I asked.
“No.”
“What?” I stood and gave him my own trademarked stare. The one that says: you-better-NOT-be-saying-what-I-think-you-are. My neck hurt.
“We could be Expelled.”
“Whoa, what? You’re the kid who found the first Words, remember?”
“I think they’re addicting, Missie.”
“Addicting? Words?”
“Think about it. You haven’t been able to stay away.”
“I like to learn,” I said stubbornly.
“Missie – “
“What?”
“Don’t go.”
“I will. I have to.”
“ Missie…I told them.”
“Told who?” But my stomach had been instantly turned to ice. He looked at me, his face concerned, hopeful, anxious, and ashamed all at once.
“The Scribes.”
“About the Words?” But I already knew.
“Yes. About the Words.”
I grabbed another weed and yanked it out of the ground. My knee cracked as I came back up. I hurled the plant into the bag.
“I did it for your own good,” he said.
“Yeah,” I said. “Right.”
That was the last time I talked to Sweet.

Categories: I'M TO LAZY TO CORRECTLY CATAGORIZE MY STORY!!!!!!!!!! :P.

Chapter Fifteen: Side by Side

July 28, 2009

author’s note: oh man does my writing ever stink. oh, well.

Shastara quickly looked me over, gently feeling my stomach. I cried out in pain; it was tender to the touch.

“Alright,” Shastara said, running a hand through his hair. “Uh…I’ll carry her into the tent, and…Aaliyah…you…” Shastara kept pausing as he talked, obviously both worried and at a loss about what to do. I had once more been touched by black magic, and we all knew that the results could prove fatal.

“I’ve got her,” Adan said, gently picking me up. I tried not to burst into tears; the tiniest movement I made was excruciating…and I also couldn’t bear the way Adan was treating me like a stranger.

He carried me into the tent and laid me down, and Aaliyah came in to sit next to me. “I…hope you feel better…soon,” Adan said, looking down at me. His eyes were confused, and I screamed to him with my mind to overcome the fog in his own mind-to remember me. But once again the look was gone, and then he was gone from the tent.

I couldn’t stop crying. This was all too much. I had lost my husband and baby-my life-in a matter of days.

“Aaleyah, you’ve got to calm down! You’ll only make the pain worse!” Aaliyah said, tears in her own eyes. She took my hand and squeezed it. “Ssh.” She then started to sing a soft, soothing song our mother had sung to us as children.

Listening to it I managed to calm down…and eventually drift off to sleep.

“Daddy! Yow back!” Janai shouted, racing toward his father.

“Hello, little one,” Adan said, obviously having no idea who Janai was. He chuckled, probably thinking that Janai was just some little boy who had mixed him and his father up, being as little as he was. “What’s your name?”

“Daddy!” Janai admonished. “Wu know my name!” His babyish voice was confused.

Adan just stared at him. “No, I don’t,” he finally said. “I’ve never seen you in my life.”

I sat up, panting…and then just as quickly fell back to the ground, biting my lip until it bled so I wouldn’t scream in pain. My stomach was in absolute agony.

That dream had been awful…and yet it had been realistic. Adan might never remember me, his wife, or Janai, his son. How would I explain this all to Janai? He would never understand; not now at least. He was so young. He needed a father, not a man who only stayed because we somehow got him to believe he was married to me and Janai was his son. He would just be a stranger-but I needed my husband.

My love.

My life.

“Aaleyah-you’re awake!” I heard a hopeful, excited voice say. I looked up to see a very weary Aaliyah staring down at me. She had bags under her eyes-she’d probably gotten next to no sleep all night long.

“My stomach…hurts so bad…” I said, squeezing my eyes shut against the pain…as if that would help.

“I’ll call Shastara in so he can try healing you again,” Aaliyah said, her eyes filling up with tears once more.

“It probably…won’t…do any good…” I panted. “And right now…what I really need…is a drink…of water.”

“I’ll go get some for you,” Aaliyah said, starting to rise.

“No-I can get it on my own. Just help me up…I think I can try…to stand,” I said. Even now my pain was fading.

“But, Aaleyah-” she began to protest.

My pain was all but gone. “Aaliyah, it hardly hurts anymore. Please…I need to stretch my legs. Will you just…help me up?” I did find it rather strange that my pain, so awful before, could leave so quickly…but it had, and I was going to sieze the chance and stretch my limbs.

“I…” Aaliyah said, her voice fading away. Just then Adan entered the tent.

“Just coming to check on-” he started to say. Then he saw I was awake. “How are you feeling?”

I’m feeling like I need you to hug me, kiss me, and tell me everything is going to be alright-that’s what I’m feeling, I thought miserably. “My stomach doesn’t hurt anymore, so that’s good. I want to try to stretch my limbs a bit though, and get a drink of water while I’m at it.”

“Should she really be getting up so soon after what happened?” Aaliyah asked.

“Well, she could try going to the stream-it’s very close to where we are. I’ll go with her to keep an eye on her. I’ll let her walk for a short time and then I’ll carry her-that way all of us will be satisfied, alright?” Adan said.

Aaliyah thought about it for a moment, and then finally said, “Alright-but don’t let her walk for too long.”

“If all I can take is five steps I’ll be happy,” I said.

“Well, I guess…I guess you can take her then,” Aaliyah said, looking at Adan. Maybe…maybe if you are two are alone…he’ll remember, she thought to me. My heart leapt at the thought but then suddenly became empty again.

If he hasn’t remembered me yet, why should he now? I thought back…but she could be right. There was a possibility.

“Shall we go now, then?” Adan said, looking down at me with his beautiful, beautiful blue eyes.

“Yes-please,” I said.

“Alright then,” he said, smiling kindly. He came over to me. “Hold onto me, okay?” Aaliyah left the tent to give us more room, and I was left alone with my wonderful husband-at least, he had used to be. Now he was a stranger to me.

He put one arm around my waist, and I held onto one of his shoulders with one hand and clutched his free hand with the other…and he pulled me up.

Amazingly no pain hit me as I stood up. Maybe it was gone for good. My heart sang for joy at the possible prospect.

We went slowly out of the tent and then headed toward the stream. True to his word, Adan let me walk only for a short time, and by the time he carefully picked me up I was indeed already tired. I put my arms around his neck and rested my head against his chest.

He carried me to the stream and then gently set me down beside it. He retrieved a small wooden cup from his pocket-Aaliyah had handed it to him as we went past-and then filled it with some of the cool, clear stream water.

I drank it greedily, only just realizing how truly thirsty I had been. It was sweet, and at the moment I couldn’t remember ever having tasted better water.

Adan suddenly reached out a hand to wipe some water that had trickled down my chin. It reminded me of the way he used to stroke my face when I was upset or afraid, and the shatters of my heart started breaking.

But he didn’t take his hand away. He, as if in a trance, brought it up to start stroking my face, moving on then to tuck a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

Suddenly his eyes widened slightly. He seemed to look twice at me…and then unimaginable grief, joy, relief, and a thousand other emotions flooded his face.

“Aaleyah,” he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

My heart started to pound so hard I thought it would come out of my chest.

“Adan?” I whispered, unable to believe it…did he actually remember me?

“Love…I r-remember you,” he stammered, his eyes filling with tears.

Then I started sobbing. “You remember me?” I cried. Was it real?

He cupped my face in his hands. “Yes. Yes! I remember you, love!”

“Oh, Adan!” I cried, throwing my arms around his neck and sobbing. He started to cry too, and we only pulled apart so we could kiss.

I went limp when we finally did kiss for the first time, unable to believe I finally had my husband back. He knew me-he remembered me.

The kiss seemed to last forever…and it seemed to end so soon. It was a wonderful feeling…to be flying with wings of love.

“I’m so sorry, Aaleyah! I’m so, so sorry,” Adan whispered when his tears had finally slowed, pressing his face into the curve of my neck.

I buried my fingers in his hair, pressing him tightly to me. “Don’t ever leave me again, Adan…please,” I whispered.

“Never, love, never,” he murmured back, wrapping his arms tighter around me.

How long we stayed like that-me sitting, him kneeling, pressed to one another, both of us able to feel the other’s heart pounding with joy and relief in their chest-I don’t know, but it didn’t seem long enough.

My tears had finally stopped…but then I thought of my baby. “Oh, Adan…I wanted to meet our little one. I wanted to meet them so badly…but now I never will!” I cried, my tears starting anew.

Adan sat down, turned me around so that my back was against him, and then put his hands on my stomach, rubbing it gently. It soothed me, and finally my tears slowed again. “We’ll get it through it, love. I know I’ve failed you-” here his voice cracked with emotion once more-”but I won’t fail you again. I’ll help you through this…we’ll help each other.”

I leaned back against him, not sure I would ever be able to let go of him. “I didn’t…I didn’t understand it, Adan…how you could…forget me,” I started to say. I felt him stiffen with guilt and grief behind me, and I inwardly cursed myself. “But it’s not your fault. None of it makes sense-but it’s not your fault. None of it. Please don’t blame yourself. All that matters is that we’re together now.”

“I think my heart…knew…all the time that you had a place in it…but my mind refused to listen. Aaleyah, I’m so sorry. You deserve better than me. I’m such a fool…such a wretch,” Adan said. “You can’t possibly still want me.”

“No, Adan-it’s not your fault. I know you love me, and I know you would never intentionally hurt me. Please, Adan…don’t feel guilt over it. Just hold me and stay with me. I don’t want you-I need you. Don’t leave me again, Adan,” I whispered, twisting a bit so I could put my face in his shirt.

“I’ll sooner die,” he murmured, kissing the top of my head. “I love you so much, my dear heart,” he whispered, tightening his arms around me.

“I love you too, Adan El’Hara,” I whispered, overcome with emotion.

I had my husband back.

We would get through these hard times together, side by side.

Leaning on each other.

We were strangers no more.

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Tags: Aaleyah, AKF Book 2, Kiria, Myth, part one, The Gathering Shadows, The Light is Fading

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

July 28, 2009

okay. i know i’m an idiot, accidentally deleting one of my posts. but ya see, i thought i was in drafts, and i’m like ‘okay. all of this stuff has been published-so why is it still in drafts? better delete it’ *hits head against wall*

MAKE SURE TO READ ‘THE GATHERING SHADOWS’ CHAPTER THIRTEEN AFTER YOU HAVE READ CHAPS ELEVEN AND TWELVE-NOT BEFORE. YOU WILL SPOIL EVERYTHING.

and yeah. that’s all i have to say.

PLEASE DON’T SPOIL EVERYTHING, WHOEVER IS READING THIS. YOU REALLY WILL SPOIL-okay you get it now. just REALLY try hard not to read chapter thirteen before eleven and twelve, ‘kay? ‘kay.

get it?

got it?

good.

<3s, y’all!!!!!!!

~Myth~

Categories: I'M TO LAZY TO CORRECTLY CATAGORIZE MY STORY!!!!!!!!!! :P.

Chapter Thirteen: Unreal Misery

July 28, 2009

i know the chapter titles stink, but don’t worry. i’ll try and fix ‘em later

07-28-09 the reason i had to repost this was because i SUPER stupidly accidentally deleted it-so make sure you read the chaps in order. this does actually get read before chapter fourteen, even though it seems to be posted later. AAAAAARGGGHHHHHH!!!!! i’m such a MORONIC MORON. *sigh*

I went to sleep that night, miserable because Adan’s arms were not around me. But it was better this way-I didn’t want a man who thought he didn’t know me to have to pretend he was in love with me.

This was absolutely awful. My husband didn’t remember me or our son, and he insisted he’d never met me. Could life get any worse?

It just so happened that it could.

Every morning, for the past three weeks or so, I had felt sick. At first I had thought I was imagining it, and then I had just dismissed it as being there because of the great stress and fear I was currently experiencing…but now I had an entirely different opinion.

So, this meant that I had a child at home, a child growing inside of me, a husband who didn’t know me, and I was on my way to fight the Rennians. Life was positively lovely right now. I couldn’t think of anything better.

As in, life was awful, I felt like dying, and I didn’t know how I would ever make it without Adan by my side, protecting and loving me…but right now he didn’t even remember me, so that aspect was out of the picture.

And, had Adan been…normal…I would have gone straight to him and told him the wonderful news-but now I couldn’t. He, assuming me to be a stranger, would just wonder why I was telling him such a thing as ‘I’m with child!’. He would probably just dismiss me kindly, say, ‘Congratulations’ and then walk away, leaving me more empty than before. I couldn’t bear it.

I did, however, go straight to Aaliyah and Japheth and tell them the news. Aaliyah smiled, her joy overflowing, and embraced me tightly, and even Japheth looked happier than he had in days.

This…not remembering…of Adan’s was wearing thin on everyone-and Saelis was not helping. She would flirt with him and act like he wasn’t already committed to someone-act like he was hers for the taking. Yes, she had always had this sort of idea, but now that he didn’t remember me it was ten times worse. She, of course, claimed that she wasn’t pressing him to try and remember for his own good. “I’ll just pretend he’s a stranger; try to re-teach him about all of us,” she had said to me earlier today. “If I keep nagging him to remember it could make his mental state worse.” And now you’re just mimicking Shastara to make your lame explanation sound credible, I had thought it angrily, but unfortunately I could not voice my great anger because Adan chose that moment to come out and sit by the fire.

Every time he saw me now he treated like a stranger. He was cool and polite with me, and it Saelis’s company he enjoyed.

My shattered heart would never be whole again if this didn’t stop soon…

But what if it never stopped? What if he never remembered, and by some awful happening, he fell in love with…with Saelis?

I couldn’t let that happen. I had to get him to remember me!

Right now I sat picking at my lunch. We had all stopped to take a break and eat lunch (it was now the middle of the day) and it just so happened that we were right near a cliff. Saelis, being the full-of-air-headed person that she was, had insisted on getting as close to the edge as she could.

“Saelis, it’s too weak-get back!” I had demanded of her. No one else but me noticed her being a fool. But, of course, she had ignored me…and then the overhang she was standing on began to crumble.

I dashed forward and yanked her out of the way just in time…only to plummet over the edge myself. I was too petrified to scream…I was falling…falling…

And then, with an iron-like grip, a hand came around my wrist, catching me before I fell to my death. I now hung and swayed precariously over the edge of the cliff, someone barely holding me up, certain death looming far below me. I felt dizzy and sick.

I looked up to find Adan holding me there. Even in such an awful moment, I searched his face for recognition. For a moment, something flickered in his eyes as if he remembered me…but then he gave a little shake of his head as if to clear it. “Hang on,” he said, already starting to pull me back up.

I felt like passing out, and when I was finally on ground, I lay in a heap, shivering. Someone’s arms came around me. “Ssh, it’s alright,” a voice said softly.

I looked up into Adan’s eyes; they looked tender and pitying…but they did not give a single sign that he knew me. I dropped my gaze back to the ground then, inwardly sobbing.

I let him hold me, and trembled harder and longer than I needed to just so he would hold me longer…and I clung to him. Even if he didn’t remember me it felt so good to have his strong arms around me.

I felt awful that I was probably causing him pain by making him put his arms around me-he had broken ribs and gotten many other injuries besides during his flying episode-but I couldn’t make myself stop him. I just couldn’t.

When at least I fell still, he said, “Let’s try and get up now.”

He stood up and pulled me up-but I swayed, still full of shock and grief, and therefore unable to hold myself up. He caught me just in time, and then he was picking me up and carrying me to the tent so I could rest.

Aaliyah came in and tried to console me, though all I really wanted was for Adan to remember me. Remember me! Know me! Please, Adan! my mind screamed at him as he left the tent. But the actions he made around me were that of a concerned friend-and not even a close friend. I was still nearly a complete stranger to him, and this fact was eating me up inside.

Adan was flattered that the very beautiful red-haired woman, one of his traveling companions for the moment, liked him so much…but why did she? That was the real question. Her liking him seemed to go beyond a woman who likes a man for his looks.

Everyone else-his father, Shastara, and the others (though he only recognized Wes and Gavin…and he was beginning to recognize this Saelis woman) seemed to know her, but he was sure he had never seen her in his life.

He would have known if he had met such a beauty somewhere before-she was that stunning-and he didn’t recognize her at all.

Not one bit.

“AAAAAH!!!!” I awoke to hear Saelis shriek. I bolted upright, my mind spinning. She sounded afraid.

I wearily got to my feet and stumbled in the direction of her voice. Japheth, Shastara, and Gavin were all on guard; Wes, Adan, Aaliyah, Tes, and Radymus-and Saelis should have been too-would all be asleep right now.

What met my eyes was terrifying. One of the types of beasts that had begun to occupy the forest not long before the Dark One was destroyed was circling Saelis now, its tongue hanging from its mouth as if to say I’m so very hungry and you look so very delicious. Its eyes had blood-lust in them, and I knew if I didn’t act now there would be long, sharp claws buried in Saelis’s flesh within seconds…and there was no way she would survive that, even if I could get the beast off her afterwards.

I let the surrounding heat press on me and then hurriedly formed two fire orbs…and then flung them at the creature.

It screamed in pain as it was burned up, and I stood over it and watched as it died, writhing, on the ground.

When I turned around, finally certain it was dead, I wished I could be dead myself. Adan and some of the others had come and Adan was now holding Saelis in his arms, murmuring tenderly, “It’s okay, Saelis. Ssh. I’ve got you now,” just as he had always done with me when I was afraid of something.

Choking back my sobs only until I was out of their presence, I turned and fled, my heart screaming NO! in rhythm with my pounding footsteps.

Adan had really-and truly-forgotten me. He hadn’t even paid me a second thought; all he had done, even in his horrible condition, was go to Saelis and hug and comfort her.

I was going to die. I couldn’t go on like this.

I just couldn’t.

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Tags: Aaleyah, AKF Book 2, Kiria, Myth, part one, The Gathering Shadows, The Light is Fading

PIANO…coming back.

July 28, 2009

I had reeallly bad writer’s block for a really long time, but yesterday I started to reread Piano, and I’ve edited the whole thing, and if you guys want, I’ll post them all again (I deleted them a while ago with my old account)

And if you guys will reread them to refresh, and tell me critique and stuff that would be lovely. So if you guys want, I’ll post the new edited “Piano” and keep writing it.

It is 33 pages right now.

alrighty.

-Kira

Categories: I'M TO LAZY TO CORRECTLY CATAGORIZE MY STORY!!!!!!!!!! :P.

To War

July 28, 2009

Calm before the storm

Hushing in the air

Electricity whispering through our hair

Fantasies of battles

Dreams of glory drawn

Hear the drums playing, calling us on

(To war, to war!)

Listen to the laughter

Haunting the battlefield

Feel the ghosts of past dancing to our fears

We want to feel the power

Oh, let the bloodlust come

Sword held carelessly with death in our palm

(To war, to war!)

Death comes quickly

Knocking on your door

Breathe in the air, before he calls you home

Angels singing, calling

Telling us, “Run!”

We’re marching into war

Can’t hear them for the roar

World moving faster

Just us and our swords

Our minds are in a frenzy, our names are void

Touch of insanity

Scarring us for life

Feverishly bright look in our eyes

(To war, to war!)

Death comes quickly

Knocking on your door

Breathe in the air, before he calls you home

Angels singing, calling

Telling us, “Run!”

We’re marching into war

Can’t hear them for the roar

And who will remember our name?

And who will remember this war?

Feeling so alive now

But it’s happened in the past before

(To war, to war!)

And who will remember our name?

If die, staring glassy eyed

We’re just another

Nameless face, dying once more

(To war, to war!)

Death comes quickly

Knocking on your door

Breathe in the air, before he calls you home

Angels singing, calling

Telling us, “Run!”

We’re marching into war

Can’t hear them for the roar

Death comes quickly

Knocking on your door

Breathe in the air, before he calls you home

Angels singing, calling

Telling us, “Run!”

We’re marching into war

Can’t hear them for the roar

(To war, to war, to WAR!)

Categories: Lyrics, Poetry.

Tags: anonymous, Poetry/Lyrics, To War

Chapter Fourteen: Empty

July 28, 2009

“Aaleyah!” I heard someone call. Then I heard foosteps coming in my direction. Obviously my flight from the ‘battle scene’ had not gone unnoticed.

Not wanting to be found right now, I climbed a tree. I felt like staying up there forever and never coming down.

As I continued to climb higher, I finally found a good sitting spot. I sat down wearily, put my face in my hands, and started to sob. Why didn’t Adan remember me? Why?! We had been in each other’s lives for nearly six years-and we completed each other. How could he just forget all of that?

When I finally did come down from the tree, the sun had long since set. The others-except Adan, of course, I thought in a hurt way-were probably wondering about and worrying over where I was now, though the reason they probably hadn’t come to get me was because they knew I needed time alone. Bless them. They knew me well.

My head pounding from all the crying I had done, I made my way over to the fire that had been built near the small tent. It had been about two days now since Adan’s…accident…and it already felt like centuries since we had hugged or kissed.

Kissing. I seemed to be forgetting what it was like.

“Are you alright?” a deep voice said softly just as I sat down near the fire.

I jumped, startled, and looked up to find Adan staring down at me. He was leaning against a tree, his arms crossed. He looked so handsome…I felt like crying.

“I’m alri-” I started to say…but there was no sense in lying. “No, I’m not.”

“Not to pry into your personal affairs,” Adan began (we both had to whisper-except for the men on watch and Aaliyah and Tess who were sleeping in the tent, everyone else was sleeping around the fire). I winced. My personal affairs. They’re your ‘affairs’ too! I thought, my eyes stinging with tears. “But what’s wrong?”

Swallowing the huge lump that had grown in my throat, I murmured, “My husband is…well, I suppose you could say he’s missing. I want him to come back.” I looked at him, my eyes pleading with him to remember.

He didn’t seem to notice. “Was that who you mistook me for yesterday?” he asked.

Just then a stab of pain went through my arm-the one that had been burned (so thankfully I didn’t have to answer his question). I gasped softly. “I’m sorry…but I’m afraid I won’t be a very good talking companion right now. My arm hurts quite badly,” I said. I would just have to treat Adan like a stranger for the moment if I didn’t want to drive him away.

“Do you mind if I take a look at it?” he said. “I’ve had some training in herbs and healing and the like.”

“That would be very kind of you, but I don’t want to be a bother,” I said. I can’t believe I’m talking to my husband like this. We really are strangers to each other, I thought, inwardly screaming with grief.

“You wouldn’t be a bother; I’d be glad to do it,” he said, coming over to me. Squatting down next to me, he carefully began to unwrap my bandage.

I gasped when the bandage pulled away from my skin. Shastara had done his best on it, but the dark magic that had been used on me seemed to refuse to leave. The wound wouldn’t heal, and instead it remained excruciatingly painful. “I’m sorry,” Adan murmured sympathetically. “This looks like it hurts a lot.” His hands were very gentle, and I longed so badly for him to take me into his arms.

“It does,” I said softly and miserably.

“This looks like it needs to be cleaned,” Adan said. “I also know of a common herb that should grow around here that will help fight infection. I’ll be right back with it-I think I saw some growing near here before.” Then he stood and seemed to melt into the shadows.

When he finally came back, I was shivering, even though I was sitting right near the fire. I hadn’t noticed how brisk the air was until right now. Summer was quickly turning into autumn.

“Here,” Adan said, taking off his cloak and putting it around me. He drew the edge back a little so he could keep working on my arm.

“Thank you,” I said. His cloak smelled like him-it was a musky, clean smell-and it was so familiar.

He quickly took care of my arm, having brought some water from the small stream near us, some herbs, and a clean bandage. “There. That should help it a bit,” he said, smiling kindly at me.

With him so close to me, I could feel the warmth of his body. The smell on his cloak lingered on him as well, and I breathed it in. I missed him so much…

“Adan…do you really not remember me?” I whispered almost inaudibly. I put a hand on his arm. I longed to stroke his face.

Something dawned in his eyes-recognition-or at least, that was what I thought it was…but it was there and gone so fast I couldn’t be sure.

“Excuse me?” he said, another look coming into his eyes-except this time it was suspicion.

I quickly withdrew my hand. “Nothing. I’m sorry-I’m just tired. Goodnight,” I said, getting to my feet.

But my knees decided at that very moment to buckle, and I started to collapse to the ground. Adan caught me just in time, and I, very embarrassingly, burst into tears.

“What is it?” he asked softly and kindly, stroking my back.

I was crying too hard to speak…and then suddenly the urge to burn pressed on me. Of course it would at a time like this.

I stumbled back from him, my tears suddenly gone. I wanted to burn so badly I wasn’t sure I could suppress the urge-and if I couldn’t, I needed to get away from him and the others so I didn’t kill them all.

Thankfully the wind blew the fire out just then, and I squatted down and ‘breathed life’ back into it.

Behind me I heard a sharp intake of breath. Oh, no, I thought. Now my husband, who doesn’t even know he is my husband, probably thinks I’m a witch or a sorcerer myself. Why didn’t I go somewhere else to burn?!

I looked up then…and suddenly I realized why Adan had made that sound.

Floating in front of me…was a messenger.

I had known that since the Dark One’s death not all of them had vanished, but I hadn’t thought seeing one again would make me so afraid.

Rathvan is waiting for you, it said, breathing its icy breath on me. You won’t escape.

That’s what you’d like to think, isn’t it? I thought sarcastically. Then I hurled a fire orb at it.

The second it touched the messenger-or the second it should have-the orb disappeared.

Vanished into thin air.

Impossible.

I had never encountered a messenger that could actually not be harmed by my fire.

This was all so…so unreal!

First the sorcerer couldn’t be harmed, now the messengers!

How were we to win this if we couldn’t touch our enemy?

Bad move, bad move, it hissed. Now you must be puuuuuuuuniiiiiiished…

Suddenly the most unimaginable pain seemed to twist my stomach. It was as if I had been stabbed all over again. I fell screaming, to the ground, clutching my stomach. I then knew without a doubt that my baby had just been killed.

In an instant everyone else was awake and on their feet, swords drawn. “What’s going on?!” Wes said. Then his eyes found the messenger, and he seemed to stop breathing for a moment.

The pain wouldn’t stop. I lay there, curled up in a ball, too in pain now to even scream.

Interesting how your precious scrolls say that one day the Light will defeat the Darkness. Those were written quite some time ago…sorry, but I’m just stating a fact…and still, nothing has happened. Looks like today isn’t ‘that day’ either. Ah, well, a dark, chilling voice taunted in my head.

The reason, O Foolish One, that those scrolls say you’ll be defeated is because you will! another voice suddenly said in my mind. Barely able to, I looked up to find Tess standing, fists clenched, staring at the messenger. She could communicate with her mind too?

But I had no more time to ponder this because Tess was suddenly shooting a long, sizzling bolt of lightning at the messenger-and this time when the messenger was touched it vanished, screaming in pain-one of the most awful sounds I had ever heard in my life.

The pain in my stomach was suddenly gone, and my limbs, which had all been tightened up, went instantly limp. I didn’t think I would ever be able to move again.

I lay there on the ground, trembling. Thank you…Tess, I thought, barely hanging on to consciousness.

She nodded her head, and I thought, not for the first time, that she seemed…wise…beyond her years.

I also wondered what type of power she really had. What were we really dealing with? A girl this young with seemingly so much power could end up being one of the strongest Chosen Ones ever to have lived. Was that why the sorcerer wanted her?

Everyone was too stunned to move at first, but when the shock had worn off a bit they all rushed towards me…

But someone else reached me first.

Adan.

“Hang on-Shastara’s going to help you,” he said softly, gently picking me up.

He still didn’t remember me.

I could see it in his eyes.

Yes, he was concerned for me, but that wasn’t the same as worrying about me because he loved me-because he knew me.

“Bring her over here, quickly!” Shastara said, spreading out a blanket on the ground.

I couldn’t move at all. My limbs felt paralyzed, and my stomach had started to throb.

Just then I remembered something.

I had lost my baby.

That had to have been the horrible pain I felt.

That had to be why I felt even more empty now than I had before.

I started sobbing then. “He took the baby!” I cried, tears streaming down my face. I managed to find the strength to bring one hand to my stomach. “He t-took my b-baby!”

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Tags: Aaleyah, AKF Book 2, Kiria, Myth, part one, The Gathering Shadows, The Light is Fading

Chapter Twelve: Fog

July 27, 2009

The others didn’t notice that I had Adan with me on my horse-they were all so focused on getting away from the fire they simply didn’t take note of the fact.

When at last we stopped, nearly an hour later, I fell from my horse, bringing Adan down with me. Everyone jumped down from their horses at once, all headed toward me and utterly shocked to see Adan with me.

I shakily disentangled myself from him and sat up. The world spun, but I didn’t care. I turned back to him, my heart completely shattered.

There was no doubt about it. My true love was dead on the ground beside me. My head ached as I tried to think of the last thing I had said to him. Did I get to tell him I love him? Does he know that? Yes, of course he knows that. But what was the last thing we said to each other?

“How…how did he get here?” Saelis asked.

“I went back and got him,” I said wearily, fingering his curly dark, blood-stained hair. He looked so still…so peaceful…

There were black spots on the edge of my vision. I was probably going to faint right here on the ground. As if coming from the other end of a tunnel, I heard Wes and Shastara speaking to each other. Then one of them-I wasn’t sure, but I thought it was Shastara-picked me up gently and carried me away from Adan. I was too weak to protest. I was just glad I had saved…his body…and that he could now at least have a proper burial.

I miss you, my sweet, sweet love, I thought sadly, my tears continuing all the while…and then I fainted in Shastara’s arms.

When I awoke I found myself lying on a small bed of moss with a thin blanket over me. My arm had been cleaned and bandaged, and thankfully it only ached dully now.

I cautiously sat up, expecting to faint again, but after a minute or two of the world spinning precariously, it righted itself and the first clear thoughts I’d had in what seemed ages entered my mind.

The love of my life was dead…really dead.

I felt so…alone.

Looking around I found it to be mid-afternoon, though I wasn’t sure if this was the same day anymore. Maybe I had been unconscious for days. The only way I could know was if I asked one of my companions.

Asked.

Spoke.

I didn’t even feeling like saying one word.

Talking seemed foreign to me now.

All the same, I wearily got to my feet, hanging onto a tree for support. We were in a small glade, and the forest was far behind us. Soon we would reach our destination.

My heart ached; it had an empty spot now. The road that stretched out before me seemed to go on forever…and I would be walking it alone now.

Yes, I would have my other family and friends, but not the person who was my main reason for living.

My love.

My whole life.

“Aaleyah?” I heard a soft voice say. Aaliyah came toward me, her face pale and drawn, but her eyes happy when she saw me.

I went slowly to her, and then fell into her embrace, crying silently. “He’s gone, Aaliyah! The one who completes me-the one who keeps me going-he’s gone. Oh, Aaliyah, I want to die!” I got out through my tears.

“But Aaleyah-that’s just it. He’s not gone!” Aaliyah said, her eyes full of joy and hope.

“What?” I demanded of her, taking a step back.

“Right after you fainted and Shastara carried you over here, Wes noticed that Adan was breathing-but barely. We shouted for Shastara to come quickly, and he healed him then. Adan hasn’t woken up-but he’s not asleep for good,” Aaliyah said, a small encouraging (but worried) smile appearing on her face.

I reeled, and she grabbed me just before I hit the ground. “He’s…alive? You’re lying to me. This is all a cruel joke. I’ve thought him dead three different occasions, and each time he’s been alive-but this time…it would just be too much. There’s no way he can still be…” I rambled. My voice faded away; my shock was too great for me to continue speaking.

“Aaleyah, Adan. Is. Alive,” Aaliyah said, putting her hand under my chin and forcing me to look at her.

“T-take me to him,” I said, wanting to see for myself.

Leaning on her for support, we walked over to the small tent the others must have put up. There was a small fire burning near it, and some liquid was boiling over it. Thankfully we had managed to salvage some of our possesions; some of them had already been on the horses.

Wes, Gavin, Saelis, Shastara, Tess, and Radymus all sat around the fire. When they saw me they looked a bit shocked, but that was understandable because I was probably so pale I looked dead myself.

Shastara stood and came over to me and Aaliyah, wrapping both of us in a big hug. “He’s alive, Aaleyah!” he exclaimed, at last stepping back to look me in the face.

I looked from him to Aaliyah and back again. “R-really?” I stammered, my voice still not working properly.

“Really,” Shastara murmured, smiling sadly but at the same time joyfully-as if he was sad about everything that had happened, but glad that Adan was alive.

Adan was alive.

“Can…can I see him?” I asked, my limbs feeling frozen.

“Of course!” Shastara said, smiling more broadly and leading me toward the tent. I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Japheth was in there, right by his son’s side.

My assumption was correct, and when Shastara and I entered the small tent, Japheth looked up and smiled at me. Standing up (and slouching, something all of us had to do-the tent was small), he whispered, tears in his eyes, “You saved my son’s life.” His voice held deep gratitude. “I was going to leave him there. I didn’t know-” He started to cry.

I wrapped my arms around him. “It’s alright,” I said, crying softly myself-though my tears were of relief and joy. “None of us knew-I just had to…bring his body back,” I said. “But you see? My stubborness has actually turned out to be good in this situation.” I managed a shaky chuckle.

Japheth gave me a watery smile. “Thank you all the same,” he whispered, pressing his lips to my forehead. “There’s no other woman in the world who could make me this proud to be their father-in-law.” He stroked my face with one hand.

I stroked his face with one of mine. “And I’m glad to have you as my father-in-law,” I said. Then I let my hand fall away as I looked nervously at Adan.

“Go to him, Aaleyah-bring him through this. Talk to him. Keep him hanging on,” Japheth murmured. He hugged me quickly, and then, after Shastara making sure I would be alright on my own, they both left the tent.

I went slowly over to Adan. Sinking to the ground near him, I took one of his big, strong hands in my own. “Adan,” I murmured, joy overflowing-singing-exploding-in my heart as I watched his chest rise and fall.

I stroked his face gently with one hand. “You’re alive. You’re really alive,” I said softly.

Just then his eyes fluttered open, and my heart seemed to flutter to a complete halt. “Adan?” I whispered.

He looked around the tent, his expression blank and confused, before his eyes finally focused on me…but his expression remained blank.

“Adan, it’s me,” I said, trying again. I squeezed his hand tighter. Why didn’t he look more…happy…to see me?

He withdrew his hand from my grip. “I don’t know you,” he said in a monotone voice.

I felt like I had taken a kick to the ribs. I felt like I needed to gasp for air. Keep a grip on yourself, Aaleyah, I thought. He’s only confused because he got hurt. He’s not thinking clearly.

All but choking as I tried to speak, I said, “Adan, it’s me, Aaleyah…your wife!” I said, my high hopes crumbling and dying.

“I don’t have a wife,” Adan said, struggling to sit up. Somehow he managed, though it looked like it caused him pain. “Where am I?”

My world spun, and I felt like I was going to pass out again. No! Stay calm! He’s just confused! my mind shouted at me.

No.

My husband would know me.

He wouldn’t just forget me.

“A-Adan,” I stammered. This was unreal! “We’re almost at the town of BLANK (sorry, y’all, but ya know how my memory stinks i’ll look up the name of the town, don’t worry ) . We were headed there to fight the Rennians. Don’t…don’t you remember?”

“I know I’m going to fight the Rennians. I was going to go help-I remember that. But I don’t know you. I’ve never seen you in my life,” Adan said.

I can’t breathe…I can’t breathe…I thought over and over. I was going to faint-I knew it.

Sucking in breath and forcing myself not to become hysterical, I said in the calmest tone I could muster, “You were going with me-and your father, and my sister, and her husband, and our friends,” I began. Then I inwardly cursed myself. That was too much information right now-his brain was still foggy; his thoughts muddled. “All of us were going to fight the Rennians. Adan, you-you have to remember! I’m your wife, and we have a son named Janai!” Like it or not, I was growing hysterical. It might be inward now, but very soon I was going to show it outwardly.

“No. You’re lying. I was going to help out the Kirian army. I always have. Yes. I’m a Kirian soldier. I don’t know who you are, but you are keeping me from my mission. I have to get to BLANK, and then we’ll be attacking the Rennians from there…though why I’m telling you this, I don’t know,” Adan said, his eyes emotionless-except for showing annoyance with me. “I have to go now.” He tried to get up but the effort was too much for him. He fell back to the ground, gasping in pain.

“I’ll be r-right back with Shas-the healer,” I said, my head spinning. I then fled from the tent. No. No. No. NO! my mind screamed at me.

The second I stepped out of the tent, I swayed and nearly passed out on the spot. Wes sprang forward and caught me, and then helped me over to the fire to sit down.

“Aaleyah, what’s wrong?” Aaliyah said. I could feel the blood draining from my face, and my arm chose that moment to start throbbing again.

“He d-doesn’t kn-know me!” I cried, tears welling up in my eyes. “He doesn’t r-remember me!”

“He’s awake?” Shastara said. Without waiting for me to answer, he ran inside the tent.

“Aaleyah, calm down!” Aaliyah said, giving me a little shake when I wouldn’t stop my hysterics. “What are you talking about?”

“J-just what I s-said! He d-doesn’t remember m-me!” I wailed. “All he r-remembers is th-that he was going to BL-BLANK to help the Kirian army fight the R-Rennians! He doesn’t remember J-Janai or-or anything!”

Aaliyah looked at the others, horror in her face.

“Aaleyah, it’s only temporary. He must have hit that tree hard, what with the force he was thrown at. He’ll get his memory back, don’t worry,” Wes said in a calm, level voice.

“You don’t kn-know that! You’re just s-saying it to make me n-not be a-afraid!” I cried. I wanted to curl up and die.

Shastara came back out of the tent just then. Relief was plain in his eyes. “Everyone, it’s alright. Adan remembers me; he must already be getting his memory back. Aaleyah, it’s only temporary-” he said, starting to explain the whole process to me.

“I already told her about that, but she doesn’t believe me,” Wes said disdainfully.

“He should kn-know me! We’ve been married for three and a half years!” I cried. “We have a son! We’ve been close friends since I was fifteen! He c-can’t just f-forget that!”

“Aaleyah, you need to just calm down,” Japheth said, coming over to me and putting an arm around his shoulders. I flinched and drew away from him. “Aaleyah, he will remember.”

“You c-can’t know that!” I wailed. Then, turning, I ran off until I found the bed of moss I had woken up on. Flinging myself down on it, I sobbed myself into a nightmare-filled sleep.

When I awoke the sun was setting, my head was pounding, my arm was throbbing, and my heart was aching. Adan could not have forgotten me.

He couldn’t have.

No. No. NO.

It wasn’t possible…

And yet, it was true.

But my tears were gone now, as if I had cried all the tears in me. I wearily got up and went back to the fire, secretly hoping that Adan would still be resting in the tent. I couldn’t face him right now.

Unfortunately for me, everyone but Japheth and Gavin (who must be on watch or seeing to the horses or some such) were sitting at the fire (and Tess, who I assumed was probably sleeping in the tent-this had been a tiring day)-and Saelis was right next to Adan, chattering away happily.

And he looked like he was enjoying her company…

Very much.

I seethed and felt like strangling her. She was taking advantage of him now that she knew he didn’t remember me! How dare she!

I stalked angrily over to the fire, standing deathly still just before I sat down. Everyone had looked up as I approached, and my eyes searched Adan’s face for any sign that he remembered me.

But, as before, his expression remained blank, cool, even. “Hello. I’m afraid you had me mistaken for someone else earlier,” he said politely.

I couldn’t breathe again. I’d thought I would be used to not being able to breathe by now, but I was quite wrong.

I struggled to speak, but before I could come up with anything to say, Saelis said merrily, “Yes, I’m sure she must have.”

I was going to strangle her.

In fact, I even started toward her, intending to do just that. Well, maybe not strangle her, but rattle her until her brains fell out.

The only thing that stopped me was Shastara laying a gentle hand on my arm. I looked down at him and read in his eyes that I needed to wait-Adan would remember with time.

I sank down next to him and Aaliyah, and as Adan turned his attention back to Saelis, Shastara murmured, “Saelis won’t get away with it. Just try and ride it out. I’m afraid that confronting her now or trying to convince Adan he’s wrong will just make his mental state worse. Stay strong, Aaleyah. This will all be over soon.”

I exhaled softly, wishing this burden of pain and fear-fear of the unknown-would lift from my shoulders as I breathed out. But, of course, that didn’t happen.

“Alright,” I murmured back, trying to wish my desire to kill her away. It was a hard task to accomplish. I hoped this all would be over soon…

But would it?

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Tags: Aaleyah, AKF Book 2, Kiria, Myth, part one, The Gathering Shadows, The Light is Fading

Chapter Eleven: A Being of Darkness

July 27, 2009

this chapter stinks, and we aaaaaaaall know it-but i’ll try to fix it later. lol. so in other words, hopefully it will only stink temporarily. sorry if it seems like i’m making things happen too many times in my books…but i can’t always help it…yeah. nvm. you’ll see what i mean. comment and tell me how much it stinks!

Only a few moments had passed before Shastara and the others came running, to find Adan and I still in each other’s arms. I wasn’t sure if my heart would ever return to its normal rate-and I wasn’t sure Adan’s would either. I could feel it pounding just as hard as mine as I rested my head against his chest.

“Adan, this looks pretty deep-” Shastara started to say, examining Adan’s back.

Adan cut him off. “See to Aaleyah first. Please, Shastara,” he said.

“Adan, I’m-” I began.

“Now, Shastara,” Adan said, speaking in a no-nonsense tone and not even looking at me.

“Alright, my friend. Calm down. I’ll see to her,” Shastara said, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Then he turned to me. “Where are you hurt, Aaleyah?” he asked, his eyes concerned.

“My hand,” I said, extending it for him to look at it. “Adan has the exact same type of burn on one his hands.”

Shastara did his best on it, though my body couldn’t seem to forget the pain and stinging that had accompanied it (it was now really only a minor burn-but it still hurt). “Now, please, Shastara, see to Adan,” I said, alarm growing in my heart when I noted Adan’s pale features. He was obviously in pain-he couldn’t hide that fact.

A small gasp escaped Adan’s lips when Shastara put one of his hands on his back wound to heal it, but other than that Adan managed to stay strong and brave, probably only for me. I was thankful to him for that, but I also hated that he was so in pain he felt he had to hide it from me-and I would tell him as much later.

“Well, this means for sure that there really is a sorcerer in our midst,” I said after a long moment of silence amongst all of us.

“Aye,” Japheth said quietly. “We’ve got to get moving. We’re running out of time.”

“Adan, just rest for a bit. Shastara said he would take third watch. You’re in pain, and you’re just making it worse!” I pleaded softly with Adan as he started over to the spot where our companions would sit (hide) to keep watch.

“Aaleyah, you can just save your breath. I’ve already failed miserably at protecting you, so now’s as good a time as any to right that. Go back to sleep and stop arguing with me,” Adan whispered back, all but snapping at me.

“Fine then. Be a stubborn mule!” I hissed, hurt as I turned away. I would go back and rest, holding Tess close to me in my arms. Adan could go get himself killed for all I cared. My eyes blurred with tears of annoyance and pain…and fear.

And sadness.

When Adan caught me by my arm, his grip iron-like, a sob escaped my lips. I tried to yank my arm away, but Adan pulled me into his arms.

“Love, I’m sorry…I’m so sorry,” he crooned softly, stroking my hair as I cried into his shirt. “Forgive me. I’m just a thick-headed brute.”

“Adan, please…just…just cooperate. Let yourself heal. I don’t want to lose you again. Please, Adan?” I said softly, my tears slowing. I looked up into Adan’s face and stroked it gently with one hand.

He said nothing for a moment, but at last he said, “Alright, love.”

And then it happened.

Tess screamed…long and high and loud. It sounded like she was in pain.

I bolted from Adan’s arms, with him following close at my heels. Something had happened to Tess! My heart started pounding with fear in my chest.

“Tess?” I shouted, looking for her. The blanket she had been sleeping on was empty, and she was nowhere in sight.

Then she screamed again. We took off in the direction of her voice. I hoped to death that she would keep screaming so that we could find her. Hang on, Tess! We’re coming! I thought desperately in my mind.

What I saw made my heart nearly stop beating. A tall and foreboding man stood over Tess, crushing her hand with his foot. It was probably broken by now!

“You shut up!” he shouted at her, not noticing Adan and I come up behind him. “I won’t take my foot off your hand until you promise not to shoot anything else from it, you little witch!”

Adan, quieter than a breath of air, came up right behind him, patted him on the shoulder twice, and when the man turned around punched him in the face.

The man fell hard to the ground, and while keeping one hand, holding a fire orb, aimed at him, I put my other arm around Tess. “There, there,” I said softly, stroking her hair. Her hand looked to indeed be broken.

“Tell. Me. What. You’re. DOING. HERE!” Adan shouted in the man’s face as he stood over him. The man trembled before him.

“I-I was sent by…someone…to retrieve that girl, but she shot white lightning at me and so I had to stop her!” he stammered fearfully.

Adan picked him up by the collar of his shirt and slammed him backwards into a tree. “WHO SENT YOU? ” he shouted.

Everyone else had come running now, and I handed Tess off to Shastara so he could look at her hand. Then I joined Adan, both hands holding fire orbs and aimed at the man in front of us.

“A-n-nother witch!” he stammered, looking from me to Tess and back again.

“WHO?!” Adan shouted, slamming him back into the tree again.

“S-sorcerer!” the man stammered, his breath knocked almost completely out of him. Adan didn’t always realize his own strength.

“Where is the sorcerer?” I said, putting my hands closer to his face.

Suddenly his fear was wiped away as he stared at me. In its place came a slow, evil smile.

“He’s right here,” the man said.

And then Adan, who had still had both hands on him, was thrown backward in the air, slamming into a tree so many yards away I couldn’t even see him.

“Nice to make your acquaintance,” our attacker said.

And in that moment my heart stopped beating.

“ADAN!!!” I heard someone scream-me.

I turned on the man and began to hurl fire orbs at him. They missed him…or rather, they went through him.

Aaliyah was by my side then, holding my hand and helping me to throw orbs at the man. Once we joined forces I saw fear dawn in his eyes-he must only be able to evade our fire when it was just one of us using it against him. Hope took a small breath in my heart, slowly coming to life.

The sorcerer started to throw something back at us. It was like what the Dark One had used, except it was blood red. It was an orb of some shimmering luminescence-a ball of red light. It was the strangest thing I had ever encountered, and I almost felt more afraid of it than of the Dark One’s powers.

Unfortunately, I was so caught up in trying to figure out what exactly it was-musing over it-that I moved too slowly in dodging one of his orbs. The edge of the orb he had just thrown brushed my arm, and I screamed in pain as it ate away the flesh before disappearing. Stealing a glace down, I felt sick to my stomach when I saw I had been burned all the way to my bone. This was exactly like the fight I had had with the king who had thought the Dark One would give him power in exchange for killing me-except I had killed him first.

So did that mean this sorcerer had gotten his power from that king, or from the Dark One himself? Surely he couldn’t just have…gotten…his power. Of course, he could have started out a Chosen One but become evil, just as the Dark One had. I wasn’t thinking reasonably; my thoughts were going in circles, tangling themselves together, and getting completely jumbled.

“Aaleyah-GET DOWN!” someone shrieked. I ducked just in time for my head to miss being consumed by another of the sorcerer’s orbs. I was dizzy and sick with the pain in my arm now.

I had to pull my hand out of Aaliyah’s when I ducked, having to dive to the ground in order to save my life. We were separated then, and I found myself unable to move.

Then a little hand was shaking my shoulder. “Get up!” I heard Tess say. When I tried to do so but failed, she ran off…in the direction of the sorcerer.

“Tess, come back!” I shouted…but it was too late.

She stood in front of him, eyes blazing and shoulders heaving with rage. She was truly a frightening sight, even for a little girl.

Pointing her hands at him, she shouted, “DIE, YOU BEING OF DARKNESS!” White lightning sped from her hands toward him.

“NOOOOOO!” he screamed just before it consumed him. But just before he disappeared, he shouted, “This…isn’t…over!”

This was so much like what I had experienced with the Dark One, that time Aaliyah and I had tried to kill him but failed, that it was almost like history was re-playing itself. My head spun with the effort of trying to figure this all out.

Just then I remembered Adan. Not waiting for anyone to help me up, though everyone had started toward me now, I struggled to my feet, swaying with the effort.

“Adan?!” I shouted, stumbling in the direction he had been hurled. Please be alive, please be alive, I thought over and over again. If he had slammed into a big boulder or tree, he could be dead. Or even slamming into the ground could have killed him…

No. Not my beloved husband.

I stumbled on faster, calling his name the whole time. Then someone was stopping me. “Aaleyah, get on the horse!” I heard someone-Wes-say. Then he was pulling me up onto one behind me, and we were riding off to find Adan.

We found him a mile out, lying limp and pale on the ground. There was a mark on a huge oak tree right behind him, and my heart came up to my throat.

He wasn’t moving.

“ADAN!” I shrieked, leaping from the horse. I was so dizzy that my knees bucked and I fell to the ground, but I picked myself up and raced towards him.

When I finally knelt beside him, I nearly vomited. There was blood everywhere…so much blood…

“Adan?” I whispered, my voice suddenly failing me. One or both-I wasn’t entirely sure-of his arms had been broken, and one of his legs as well-I could tell by their irregular curving. There were gashes and bruises all over him, and his shirt was bloody and torn.

Wes came and knelt beside him as well. He put two fingers to Adan’s neck to try and find a pulse.

“He has to be alive,” I murmured more to myself than to Wes. “He is. He’s alive. He’s not dead. He’s still here with me.”

Wes removed his fingers and stared at Adan for a moment before looking up at me. All the color had drained from his own face.

“Wes, no,” I said. “No. No! No!” I started to shriek hysterically. I cupped Adan’s face in my hands. “Adan, wake up! Don’t leave me!”

Wes silently came over to me. I had started to weakly beat Adan’s chest with my fists, and he gently took my hands in his. “Aaleyah, he’s gone. The force…it must have been too great,” he said softly.

“No! He’s not dead! Adan! Wake up! NOOOOOOOOOOO!” I screamed. Collapsing onto his chest, my entire body shook with my sobs.

Suddenly we heard someone shouting from behind us. “FIRE! RUN!” The others, already on their horses, and Aaliyah clutching Tess, thundered past us.

Looking back, Wes’s and my mouths dropped open. A huge inferno was spreading throughout the entire forest-no doubt the sorcerer’s doing.

Japheth and Shastara stopped, and when Japheth saw his son he was so shocked he nearly fell off of his horse.

Japheth then seemed to steel himself, and, his face hardening, he said, “We have to go now, or we’re all done for.”

“No! We can’t leave Adan!” I said, clinging to him. But then Wes was pulling my hands away…taking me away… “Let me go! We have to take him too!”

“There’s no time, Aaleyah!” Shastara shouted above the roaring of the fire. Tears were streaming down his face as he stared at the still form of the man I knew was as close as a brother to him. The fire was racing toward us-we would be consumed if we didn’t go now, and there really wouldn’t be time to pull Adan up onto a horse…

But my mind refused to listen to this logic. “NO! I WON’T LEAVE HIM!” I cried, but Wes started to drag me away when I wouldn’t walk.

Eventually he had to pick me up and run with me to a horse that had been brought for me. Pushing me up onto it and slapping its rump so that it took off at a break-neck speed, he then ran to his horse and got on.

I hung on for dear life, my horse already catching up to the others’…when suddenly, I yanked hard on the reins.

I was not going to leave my husband behind, dead or alive, no matter whether getting him killed me or not.

With a great struggle-my horse was petrified of the fire now-I turned it around and urged it on in Adan’s direction.

Finally reaching him, jumping down from my horse, and thinking only of him maybe still being alive, I quickly tied my horse’s reins to a tree branch, somehow managed to go to Adan, beat out the flames that had started eating away at his clothes, drag him over to my horse, and push him up onto it, just as Wes had done to me. Then, untying the reins from the branch, I got up behind him.

It was maybe the most foolhardy plan of my life, but somehow I had done it…and I knew the only way I had had been because of my huge rush of adrenaline. Otherwise I would never have been able to lift Adan onto a horse, especially not when my arm was throbbing so badly.

Now to get away from the flames.

“HYAH!” I shouted, kicking my horse’s sides. It didn’t have to be told twice.

It galloped away, and for a moment I let triumph and joy sing in my heart…

That is, until I saw that we were now trapped in a ring of fire…and the center was growing smaller and smaller.

We were going to have to jump it-I saw that. “HYAH!” I shouted again, urging my horse to jump over the flames.

It hesitated, but finally it leaped…we were flying…flying…

And then its hooves met the ground again, and we, miraculously still alive-or at least the horse and I were, I noted in my wild grief-sped off after the others, the fire licking up the forest behind us.

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Tags: Aaleyah, AKF Book 2, Kiria, Myth, part one, The Gathering Shadows, The Light is Fading

ME :D

July 26, 2009

AH i think my muse had died. No kidding! Music is alive and well though… I can write music for lyrics (my mom and I”ve been doing that… she writes the words.. and i write the music).. I JUST CAN’T WRITE words… to anything! AHHHHH

Alilybit

Categories: I'M TO LAZY TO CORRECTLY CATAGORIZE MY STORY!!!!!!!!!! :P.

MASQUERADE VI

July 20, 2009

What are You

AFRAID

of?

everyone’s afraid of something, no matter how macho their facades are. From desperate phobias to mild discomforts, its time to tell all!

Categories: I'M TO LAZY TO CORRECTLY CATAGORIZE MY STORY!!!!!!!!!! :P.

Goodreads

July 20, 2009

www.goodreads.com is INCREDIBLE! Check it out, its a huge book library where you can keep track of books you’ve read, books you wanna read, books your friends have read, books you own, books your friends own…etc…etc…etc… its awesome!

Categories: I'M TO LAZY TO CORRECTLY CATAGORIZE MY STORY!!!!!!!!!! :P.

Chapter Ten: Haunting Whispers

July 13, 2009

“So what is the deal with Radymus?” Gavin asked. Radymus, Saelis, Wes, Aaliyah and Shastara had all fallen asleep, and now only Adan, Japheth, Gavin and I remained awake-the former two on guard and sitting nearby.

I gave an unladylike snort. “That man. He is so…ridiculous. It sounds silly, but when Aaliyah and I were girls, he was madly in love with us and would follow us everywhere. The only time we had peace was when we were in our own home or on our property. He was so annoying-just the way he would talk or act…and he even proposed to Aaliyah when we were thirteen,” I said, disgusted just talking about him. “I can’t believe we are actually meeting up with the man all these years later-to be exact, six years. The last time we saw him was when we were headed to an orphanage in another city, right after our parents had died.”

Gavin looked shocked. “It seems…unreal, to say the least…that you would actually see each other again,” he said, staring at the fire for a bit.

“Ha. Tell me about it,” I said, staring into the flames as well. They danced and leaped, and they seemed to speak to me.

Aaleyah…Aaleyah…they whispered. Danger…danger…

I blinked, numb with shock. Had the flames just given me a message?!

There it was again. Danger…danger approaching…make haste…or your death shall come with the dawn…

What do you mean? I thought, trying my best not to get all excited and break off the…connection.

Leave now…leave…it said. Then the ‘connection’ abruptly disappeared, and now when I stared at the flames, they were just flames, begging me to play with them as they always did…

But never before had they given me such a specific message.

“A-Adan,” I stammered, looking up at his face. He was sitting next to me, his arm around my shoulders.

“What’s wrong, love?” he asked, his eyes concerned.

“The flames…spoke to me,” I said, looking back at them for a moment. I turned my face back up to his.

“They said…if I don’t leave my death will ‘come with the dawn’.”

Adan looked at me quizzically, probably wondering if I was imagining things. “Are you sure, love?” he asked.

“Yes. They’ve never be so…specific. They actually said that we had to leave. The most they’ve ever ‘said’ is to tell me to play with them, or…well, just simple things. But this was serious, Adan. We’re in danger,” I said, my heart starting to pound in my chest.

Suddenly my skin started to itch. There seemed to be static in the air-it seemed to be too…thick…and pressing.

The hairs on the back of my neck and on my arms stood on end.

“There’s black magic near us, Adan. I can feel it,” I murmured, slowly looked around our little camp. Even now my arms were itching worse as it got closer. The air seemed to buzz with it, and my calf wound burned anew.

It had been so long since we had faced the Dark One that I had almost forgotten what it felt like to be in the presence of one so skilled in black magic.

Almost.

But I was remembering now.

And this feeling was exactly the same, though not as bad (the Dark One had been the most powerful sorcerer ever to have lived).

Then it happened.

There was suddenly a knife floating in the air a few feet away from me-except it wasn’t just floating. It was rushing through the air toward my chest.

Adan shouted and, gripping my arm, pulled me quickly to the ground. The knife went rushing on, right through the spot where my heart had been only seconds ago.

I lay there, my (thankfully still beating) heart pounding in fear.

“It’s coming back!” Gavin shouted, drawing his sword and rushing to try to block it.

He was too slow.

The only way I didn’t die was because Adan lunged on top of me, covering my body with his. I heard him gasp as the knife cut into his back…but it didn’t go all the way in. It seemed to…stop…itself, as if it had one set target-me.

Claaaaaang!!!! went Gavin’s sword against the knife as he finally hit it down to the ground. It fell close to Adan and I, and Adan quickly got up and dragged me away (he had to move so fast there was no time to help me up) before it could start trying to kill me again.

The knife remained on the ground, finally unmoving. We all sat or stood there and simply stared it at, panting and dizzy with shock and fear.

Adan knelt next to me, though his gaze was probably focused on the knife. He put his arms around me. “Are you alright, love?” he asked softly.

But before I could answer, I heard something else.

A voice.

Hold it…hold the knife. It will make you feel better. You need to hold it. Go ahead. You know you want to…a warm, inviting voice seemed to say in my mind.

Alright, I found myself agreeing dazedly. I reached out my hand to pick it up…

Suddenly it seemed to leap into my hands-and then I was making it rush through the air, aimed for my heart. I was going to stab myself.

Yesssss…the voice said. Death will take away aaaaall your paaaaain…

Then, with an iron vice, a hand gripped my arm, trying to stop me. I fought and lashed out at it with the knife, and then my arm was painfully pinned behind me, the knife being yanked from my hand and thrown into the fire.

Everything around me came rushing back so fast and hard that I felt dizzy. I blinked, and suddenly I was back in the forest with everyone else.

“Are you okay…love?” I heard someone next to me pant. I turned to see Adan’s concerned eyes looking at me.

“I’m fine…are both of you alright?” I asked, looking at first Adan and then Gavin…

They both said “I’m fine”-just before I gasped loudly. “My hand is…burning,” I said, looking at it.

The burn on my right hand was white-the knife, somehow being controlled by black magic, had been made to burn the hand of whoever touched it, obviously-and it throbbed horribly. It had already started to blister.

I heard Adan hiss in pain when my elbow bumped his hand. “You touched it too, didn’t you,” I said, more stating it than asking it. I took his left hand and looked at it-his burn was the same as mine, though mine seemed to be a bit worse-I had held the knife longer. Either way, we both had burns on our hand, and Adan probably had a cut on his back.

“I’ll be fine,” he said, staring at the knife as it lay in the fire we’d built.

“Turn around,” I said, holding my stinging hand to myself.

“Love, I’m fine-” he started to say.

“Turn,” I commanded, giving him my no-nonsense look.

He finally did so, and I gasped again when I saw his back. There was a long, thin, wide line of red on the back of his shirt-he had been cut by the knife, just as I had suspected. When I pulled down the top of his shirt a bit, I could see a long, deep gash. I quickly grabbed a nearby blanket and pressed it to his back, though the whole process was extremely hard to do one-handedly.

“Gavin,” I said, finally getting my breath back. I tore my gaze away from Adan, still keeping pressure on his wound, and looked at Gavin, my heart still racing (albeit slower).

Gavin was pale, but color was slowly returning to his cheeks. “Y-yes?” he stammered, still as shaken as Adan and I.

“I’m sorry-I would do this myself, but I feel too dizzy…I don’t think I’ll make it far if I try to get up-please go get the others-tell them what happened, tell Shastara Adan needs him-” I began.

“And you need him!” Adan interjected from in front of me.

“And me, and tell them we have to move now,” I finished at last, trying but failing to ignore the stinging and throbbing in my hand. “And, Gavin, please tell Shastara to hurry.”

“Alright,” Gavin said, casting one more glance at the knife as it was burned up. Then he turned and ran off, and Adan and I were left alone, him sitting in front of me and me standing behind him.

I looked down at my hands. “I can’t stop shaking, Adan,” I murmured, staring at my trembling hands. I was having trouble just holding the blanket to his back wound.

“Come here,” Adan said, reaching his good hand up to take my good one, and then leading me around to the front of him and pulling me back down to the ground to take me, once more, into his arms. Both of us careful not to let our burned hands brush against anything, we clung to each other, so glad we were both still alive.

“Thank you…for saving my life,” I said, my voice cracking with emotion.

“Hey,” Adan said softly, his hand holding my head tightly to himself. “I was actually just saving my own, because if you die, this old heart will simply give up and stop beating, so I was really only thinking of me” he joked, chuckling to try and ease the tension-and-fear-thick air.

I pressed my face into the side of his neck. “I love you, Adan-I love you. Please don’t ever leave me. I-I need you,” I said, my last words whispers.

“Ssssh,” he said softly, stroking my hair. “I’m not going anywhere, Aaleyah. Ever. ”Til death shall part us’, remember?”

“It nearly did part us, Adan!” I said, my tears starting.

“The point is, my heart, that it didn’t. Don’t dwell on the past-look forward. Let’s just hold each other in our arms and be glad we have this moment together. Don’t let fear, despair, ‘what-ifs’, or ‘what-could-have-beens’ ruin it,” he said, sitting back and looking me in the eye.

I sniffed, and Adan reached his good hand out and wiped my tears away with his thumb. “Alright,” I whispered, looking into his beautiful eyes.

We hugged again, and I forced myself to just focus on the here-and-now…

But it wasn’t easy.

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Tags: Aaleyah, AKF Book 2, Kiria, Myth, part one, The Gathering Shadows, The Light is Fading

Chapter Nine: False Alarm

July 11, 2009

author’s note: if anyone is even following this anymore, then sorry it’s so long!!!!!! and sorry it’s so overdue. remember to critter it up…thought it might take ya a few years… and fyi, it’s 2,697 words long…hardly matches empathy’s 3,000 something word chapter of her one story, but oh, well shorter is better when you’re reading my awful writing. the nightmare will end sooner. hee hee! enjoy…or try to…if anyone’s reading this…my usual readers, beksi and hannah, at least they’re the ones that comment, have been busy, so anyways, when ya do come back and see this, TRY to enjoy it, ladies <3

I held Tess in my arms as Shastara and Wes dug a grave for the woman. Japheth said a few words over the grave after she had been laid in it, and then they began the process of covering her with the large pile of dirt that had accumulated from their digging. As I sat on a rock nearby, holding Tess, she just stared silently at her mother until she had been completely covered-at last fully laid resting in her earthy bed.

After the horror of everything that had happened, we tried and failed to get Tess to eat something (though I couldn’t eat myself, no matter how much Adan insisted). We then laid her down, hoping she would sleep for awhile, because she was only now staying awake by sheer will. My heart ached every time I looked at her pale, drawn, weary face.

The sun was setting, and we had built a fire. We had laid her close by (when we went ‘to bed’ Adan and I would be sleeping next to her), and we all sat around the fire, each of us too stunned to speak.

As Tess was drifting off to sleep, however, she murmured woefully, staring at the fire, “And I never even got to meet my new baby brother or sister.” Then she closed her eyes and turned away from the fire, and in a few moments she was sleeping.

That must mean her mother had been with child. The girl had lost father, mother, and sibling all in a day. Suddenly I couldn’t contain myself any more. Her softly spoken words rang through my head over and over again.

I stood up somehow, my leg burning, and stumbled-limped-away from the fire, the tears already coming. I went as quickly as I could to a huge oak tree, threw myself behind it, and let my body-wracking sobs begin.

I cried so hard it was unreal. I almost couldn’t believe that I had this many tears in my body…but I cried nonetheless.

Only literally a few seconds later, I heard footsteps. Someone was coming to get me. I turned toward the tree even more, wanting nothing but to be alone.

Then someone was kneeling by me and pulling me in their arms-embracing me tightly. I struggled at first before I realized it was Adan, and then I clung to his shirt and sobbed even harder.

So we sat there together, me sobbing and Adan stroking my hair, until I had finally calmed down enough to speak (and relaxed enough to feel a terrible throbbing pain in my calf, though I tried not to show it). “It j-just doesn’t s-seem fair!” I hiccuped, bringing one hand up to my face to wipe the remaining tears away.

“I know, my heart, I know,” Adan said softly. Just the sound of his voice was soothing.

“I just w-want to stop existing! This world is s-so awful! I hate it!” I said, my tears starting once more.

Adan abruptly put one hand under my chin and pulled my face up so I had to look at his. “Don’t you say that, Aaleyah El’Hara,” he said in a low voice. “You might just get your wish, and then Janai would be parentless, because you dying would kill me too.” He gave a small, sad smile.

That just made me sob even more, and I buried my face in his shirt once again. “I’m s-sorry, Adan!” I wailed. “I d-don’t want to l-leave you or Janai!”

“I know, love. Sssh,” Adan said soothingly, holding me tighter in his arms.

And there I stayed, until I had sobbed myself to sleep.

Adan waited until he heard the slow, even breathing that told him his wife was asleep. She went slightly limp as her sleep got deeper, and he carefully picked her up. Cradling her in his arms, he carried her back over to the fire. The others looked up as he returned, and one look at Aaleyah’s tear-swollen face told them everything.

He laid her down next to Tess, who had been asleep for quite some time now. He covered them both with one blanket, and then he went back to sit near the fire, rubbing his face with one of his hands wearily.

“How is she now?” Gavin asked quietly.

“Shaken-broken,” Adan said, staring into the flames. “I don’t know how much more she can take of this.”

Then they all fell silent, each left to their own thoughts.

Pound, pound, pound.

My eyelids flew open. What was that sound?!

I pressed my ear closer to the ground…and there it was again.

Pound, pound, pound, hard and fast.

Not many things sounded like that. In fact, it reminded me of-

Suddenly I bolted upwards. “Riders!” I cried.

“Wha…what’s wrong, love?” Adan murmured, his voice husky with sleep as he rubbed his eyes. He had been sleeping next to me, his arm around me.

“Listen, Adan!” I said, pressing the side of my head back to the ground.

Pound, pound, pound, pound.

The sound was getting louder.

“Horses, Adan! They’re coming this way! The sound keeps getting louder!” I cried. “And those horses must have riders-what if they’re Rennians?!”

Adan was suddenly up and waking the others. “There’s someone coming!” he hissed, kicking dirt over the fire to put it out.

Everyone, still groggy with sleep, did nothing until they heard it too.

Horses.

Which inevitably meant riders as well…

And they were probably Rennians.

Panic filled all our of our hearts. Aaliyah rushed over to me. “You and Tess should get a horse and head for Toreth,” she said frantically.

“No. You and Tess get on a horse and go. I cannot stay on one on my own-my leg hurts too much. Go now, Aaliyah. Go,” I ordered her.

“I won’t leave you!” she said.

“You have to!” I said, scooping Tess up and shoving her into Aaliyah’s arms. The horses were getting closer…closer…”Now, Aaliyah! GO NOW!”

Aaliyah stumbled, fear-choked, over to a horse, Tess still in her arms. I limped after her, and she handed me Tess as she threw a saddle on the horse and climbed up. I handed Tess up to her. “Follow the river until you get to Toreth. It’s a small town just outside where we’re headed, and the Rennians shouldn’t have reached it yet. Go as fast as you can!” I said. When she wouldn’t go, I slapped the animal’s rump…and it took off.

Be safe, sister! I love you, I called out in my mind.

Suddenly Adan was next to me. He took one glance after Aaliyah and Tess, and then he pulled me behind a tree. “Stay here-out of sight-and do not use your fire unless you are protecting yourself. It will make you too weak. I love you,” he said softly. He quickly put his hand behind my head, pulled it toward his, and kissed me hard, both of us wondering if this would our last kiss ever. Then he was scurrying away, blending into the shadows.

The remaining five of us (Adan, Japheth, Wes, Gavin, and I) hidden, we watched as two horses, both carrying a person, rode into our tiny camp. “Funny. There are packs and saddles here, but I don’t see the horses or any people,” I heard a woman’s voice say. Once more I mentally thanked Gavin for his brilliant thinking of keeping the horses somewhere out of sight in case something like this should happen, when we had no time to ride away, in a small glade that we had discovered.

The other person-a man-jumped off his horse and went over to the fire. He put a hand in the ashes and then withdrew it with a yelp. “This fire was just put out,” he exclaimed, holding his now burned hand to himself.

“Wes?” the woman called. “It’s just me-Saelis.”

Saelis.

Why. Why. Why.

“And I’m Radymus, an old friend of Aaleyah Fal-El’…Heris,” the man said, getting my last name wrong.

I could not believe it.

I limped out from behind the trees, furious and ignoring Gavin’s silent but frantic motions with his hand to stay hidden. “WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU TWO DOING HERE?!” I shouted. “DO YOU REALIZE I SENT MY SISTER AND A LITTLE GIRL WE FOUND RIDING TOWARD TORETH ALONE BECAUSE WE THOUGHT YOU WERE RENNIANS?”

“It’s nice to see you too,” Saelis muttered sarcastically. I felt like taking her by the shoulders and shaking her until she got some sense.

“Aaleyah! It really is you!” Radymus said, rushing toward me to hug me. He ran too fast, fool that he was, and slammed into me, making me stumble backwards and fall to the ground.

“Get OFF!” I roared, pushing at me. My calf was screaming in pain, and suddenly someone was gripping Radymus’s shirt and hauling him off of me.

“Don’t. Touch her,” Adan growled, gently helping me up. I leaned against him, quickly calling out to Aaliyah in my mind to stop and come back.

Aaliyah, I thought, it’s alright. Well, not it’s not-but it’s not Rennians. It’s Saelis and…and Radymus.

I could almost hear her groan. Radymus?! she thought back. How on earth…

I had heard that he lived somewhere near us, though of course I never looked into that. He must have accompanied Saelis here, though I have absolutely no idea how they met or…or anything. Oh, I WANT TO STRANGLE THEM BOTH! I thought angrily.

Well, I’ll come back and help you, Aaliyah thought in annoyance. Tess and I will be back in a little bit. See you soon.

Alright. Please be careful, I thought, my anger still brewing inside of me.

“I told her to come back-that it’s ‘alright’,” I said to everyone else. Shastara’s face flooded with relief, and he walked a bit away from us to search for Aaliyah and Tess riding back. I turned to Saelis then, about to give her a ‘talking to’, but it turned out Wes was doing that for me.

“Explain, now,” he said in a low, furious voice.

“Well, it was like this,” Saelis began, putting a nervous smile on her face. “I was back at home, wanting to come after all of you and help out, when this man, Radymus, came looking for Aaleyah and Aaliyah. He said he had an urgent message to tell them, so, I said I knew which direction you all went and where you were headed, and we started off in that direction. We’ve been riding non-stop for days.”

“What, Radymus,” I said, all but spitting out his name, “is this urgent message?”

“There is a sorcerer-or more than one; we’re not sure yet-among the Rennians. I’m not sure if they’re sorcerers that were once followers of the Dark One’s and obviously still have their powers, of this is a whole new problem-but the point is, there is someone doing black magic to aid the Rennians,” Radymus said. “And…and making them…invincible. It’s so hard to kill a Rennian that people have stopped trying, and now the Rennians are sweeping through cities and towns met with little resistance at all.”

The pain in my calf, the shock and fear of the situation, and just my great annoyance and the way I had reacted too quickly to Saelis and Radymus made me sway, and had Adan not had one arm around my waist, I would have fallen and been laying in the trees’ shed leaves, too weak to move again.

“Aaleyah needs to sit down,” Adan said then. I didn’t argue with him, and Adan sat me down on a blanket by the fire, sitting down next to me himself and having me lean against him, as Wes got it going again, probably only wanting to have something to do so he didn’t strangle Saelis or Radymus…and just because he was so shaken by the news that he felt the urge to do something.

I let myself relax as I leaned back against Adan, relieved that he was still here with me and that we weren’t fighting Rennians (though speaking with Saelis and Radymus was just as tiring and terrible) and let my head clear before speaking to Saelis once again. “And why did you not use a messenger bird, one of which Mara has with her?” I asked her pointedly.

“Because I wanted to help-I figured it would be more exciting this way,” Saelis said. She hadn’t acted this silly in a long time, and I groaned inwardly.

“Saelis, this is not about exciting or boring!” Wes said, walking over to her and putting his face close to hers. “This is a war. There is nothing exciting about it.”

“Oh, Wes! You always overreact!” Saelis started to say.

Wes cut her off, shouting, “YOU TWO COULD HAVE GOTTEN KILLED, RIDING OUT HERE IN THE IDIOTIC WAY YOU DID! DO YOU EVER THINK, WOMAN?”

Saelis looked shocked and hurt, though she seemed to try to hide it. “At least I don’t panic in situations like this. That’s one problem you’ve always had,” she spat back after a moment.

“YOU-” Wes started to shout.

“THAT IS ENOUGH, EVERYONE!” Japheth suddenly roared. Everyone fell silent and looked at him, shocked by the intensity of his voice. “THIS-IS-NOT-HELPING-ANYTHING!”

“Look, everyone, while Wes may be right,” Adan began (and of course was met by a defeated glare from Saelis when he said Wes was right), “arguing like this is not. Now what we should be doing is focusing on protecting the women and Tess, and making plans for what to do once we get to Toreth.”

“He’s right,” Gavin said, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword.

At that moment Aaliyah and Tess came riding back, and the second the horse had stopped Shastara raced over to them. Aaliyah handed Tess down to him and then slid down herself, tears of relief in her eyes as she hugged him tightly.

Then she looked at everyone else, searching until she saw Radymus. Then her joy disappeared.

“You,” she said in disgust.

“Me,” he said, smiling stupidly.

Tess, however, wriggled out of Shastara’s arms and ran over to me. I held my arms out to her, and she threw herself into them. Somehow I didn’t feel the pain my stomach, because I knew it had to be there with my wound not yet healed. Adan sat near me and put his arms around us both.

Aaliyah turned to me. “He’s not real,” she said matter-of-factly, though her tone held nothing but horror at the fact that it was true.

“Unfortunately,” I said, casting a quick glance at Radymus, “he is.”

Aaliyah turned back to him. “And what, pray tell, on earth do you want?!” she asked, crossing her arms and regarding him icily.

We filled her in on why he and Saelis had come, and at each word we spoke her face got paler and paler.

“Black magic? Another sorcerer?!” she cried, covering her face with her hands. Shastara took her into his arms and hugged her tightly when she did so.

“Yup,” Radymus said sadly, looking at the ground…but after only seconds he brought his head back up so he could stare at her and me. A smile spread on his face as he looked first at her, then turning his beady-eyed gaze to me. I shuddered, and wanted to cry for joy when Shastara stepped away from Aaliyah, grabbed him by the front of the shirt and said in a low, cold voice, “Stop. Staring. At. Our. Wives. Like. That.”

“Like what?” Radymus cried innocently. “I’m just glad to see them!”

“Oh, and the feeling must be entirely mutual, seeing as they’re looking back at you and smiling,” Shastara said sarcastically. Then he lowered his face so it was only inches away from Radymus’s. “Leave. Them. Alone. They have enough problems to deal with already.”

I knew Adan was inwardly shouting, You tell him! and I couldn’t stop a small smile from appearing on my face.

But it was quickly wiped away when Tess leaned down, kissed the ground, and said, “Goodnight, Mama.”

My heart, in that moment, shattered all over again.

Categories: Fantasy Fiction.

Tags: Aaleyah/Adan, AKF Book 2, Kiria, Myth, part one, The Gathering Shadows, The Light is Fading

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Paint It(Black)

How are you?

The Eavesdropper

Chiding Myself

Piano chap7!!!NEW.-kira

Piano chap6 (last edited chapter) -kira

pianochap5 ;) -kira

Piano Chap4 – edited -kira

piano chap3 edited (i dont like this 1 very much)-kira

Piano Chap2-edited-kira

Piano Chap1 edited -kira

Words: beginning

Chapter Fifteen: Side by Side

AAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!

Chapter Thirteen: Unreal Misery

PIANO…coming back.

To War

Chapter Fourteen: Empty

Chapter Twelve: Fog

Chapter Eleven: A Being of Darkness

ME :D

MASQUERADE VI

Goodreads

Chapter Ten: Haunting Whispers

Chapter Nine: False Alarm

Writings

Talk

Yak Yak