THE EVENING WAS A CRUEL ONE, and the sky turned into a deep, brooding violet. It was scary. My heart pounded in my chest while I was running, exhausted and tired. But I didn't know where. I didn't know where to go. All I knew was that the salt sting of betrayal is still fresh on my tongue, and I hate it. I really hate it!
Screw him! I'd been used. A pawn in a game masterminded by a man who had worn the name Giusseppi like a cheap mask but was, in truth, Apollo. He was, in reality, the man who even killed Elliot. His plans had been as intricate as the weave of a spider's web, and I had been trapped. And if something happens to Miss Alice and the others, I will never forgive myself.
Tears streamed down my face, a torrent that was as much a product of my emotional wounds as it was of my physical exertion. The landscape morphed around me, the massive house's concrete and stones giving way to a dense forest. The darkness was all-consuming, the trees rising like silent towers in the night, a scene away from the house I just escaped. My only illumination was the faint, jittery beam from the flashlight on Sergei's phone. But amidst the chaos, there's still hope. I can't give up, not now.
I then remembered the very second I knocked Sergei out cold. I called Leo, taking his card out of my pocket, and contacted him. His information was laid out in big, bold ink. The static buzz of the phone line was a distinct difference from his confusion when he first answered. "Who's this?" he'd asked, his voice wary. I had told him about the orphanage and the danger looming over it like a predatory bird. His confusion deepened. "I don't understand. Who's calling?"
"Leo," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "They're in danger. Please. I don't know what else to do."
There was a pause. "Who's calling?" His voice was wary and cautious, as if he suspected a trap.
I hesitated. "That's not important," I replied, ducking the question. Perhaps it was cowardice, or maybe it was a sense of self-preservation. But I couldn't let him know who I was. He might recognize my voice, but whatever. "If you want to see your twin, you need to hurry."
"What?" The confusion was palpable in his voice. I could almost see the furrow in his brow and the questions swirling in his mind.
"The men in black are coming for the gifted orphans at Miss Alice's academy," I said, urgency creeping into my voice. "I know you are gifted too, Leo. I know you know about the gifted people. I know you know because Lucy and I have known each other. Please, listen to me. Miss Alice and Augustus are still alive, and right now, they are in great danger."
A stunned silence stretched out on the other end of the line. Then he finally spoke. "Who are you?"
Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. "My identity isn't important," I managed to say, choking back a sob. "Please, Leo. You have to listen to me."
"Go on," he'd responded, his confusion now laced with anxiety. I was as direct as I could be, laying out the grim reality of the situation.
"Miss Alice's academy is in danger. The men in black are coming for the gifted orphans. They are all in danger, including your twin."
There was a pause, then a soft gasp of understanding on the other line.
"My twin... is alive?"
"Yes. He is the right-hand man of Miss Alice in her academy. They opened the orphanage to take in gifted orphans that are hunted down by the men in black."
"And where is this orphanage?" he asked.
"Ellsmere, Therslomau Isle," I said. "I know you're Lucy's son," I added once again, "and if you want to see your twin alive, you should go there. It won't be long before the men in black come."
Then I'd hang up.
As the memory faded, I continued my run; the forest around me was like an endless expanse of nowhere. The trees whispered things in the wind, their leaves rustling like hushed voices, echoing my own fears and doubts. But I had no time for fear. There was only room for persistence. Then, the world spun as I tumbled, my heart pounding in sync with the rhythm of the forest. The wet ground rushed up to meet me, and I grunted with the impact, my breath leaving me in a rush. I lay there, sprawled in the underbrush, with my arms tightening protectively around Ophelia. The rain began to fall, each drop a cold kiss against my skin. The pain from my fall was distant, numbed by the adrenaline coursing through my veins. My concerns were for my cat and the dangers that lurked in the shadows.
Ophelia mewled in my arms, her fur damp and matted. I pulled her closer, a futile attempt to shield her from the rain. The forest was alien and unforgiving, as was the scent of wet earth and pine that had filled my nostrils. My heart ached with regret. My naiveté had led us into this mess. Miss Alice and the gifted orphans were in danger because of me. And I know it wouldn't be long before the men in black would show up.
I shivered at the thought, tightening my grip around Ophelia.
It was in that moment that a rustling sound from a nearby bush caught my attention. I turned, my heart pounding in my chest. The rain was pouring harder now, obscuring my vision. I squinted, trying to make out the shape. My heart skipped a beat as a figure stepped out of the shadows. I blinked, my breath hitching. No. Not again. It couldn't be.
"Elliot?" My voice was a shaky whisper. My adoptive father stood there, his familiar features twisted with worry. But it wasn't possible. Elliot was dead. Yet there he was, as real as the rain drenching us both. Or was it just another hallucination?
Tears blurred my vision, and I blinked, trying to clear them away. Elliot approached me, his arms open. I could see the sorrow in his eyes, the regret. I moved towards him, my heart aching. He enveloped me in a hug, his warmth seeping into my cold bones. It felt so real and comforting. But I know it wasn't real.
As we stood there in the rain, my necklace began to glow, the light faint but tangible. The warmth spread from the pendant, and all the while I was confused since I honestly didn't know what was going on. But what mattered was that it brought me comfort—a moment of peace in the mess. I clung to Elliot, allowing myself to grieve, to feel, and to be human. The rain poured on, uncaring of the drama unfolding beneath. The forest bore silent witness to my pain, and slowly, Elliot's arms wrapped around me in a warm, steady embrace, a comforting pressure that seemed to reach beyond my physical form and into the beating heart of my tormented soul. The cool metal of my necklace pressed against my collarbone in the process, a soft glow emanating from it, illuminating the space between us.
"Prim," he murmured, his voice a soothing melody amidst the cacophony of my thoughts. "Why are you crying? "
The question hung in the air, the echo of his words rippling through the quietude. A bitter laugh escaped my lips as I blinked away the tears, my vision blurring with the onslaught of saltwater droplets. The reality of my situation was a cruel joke, a farce played out in my mind. The Elliot I knew and loved was long gone, and the one standing before me was nothing more than a phantom conjured by my fractured psyche.
Conjured by my trauma. My loss. My lack of acceptance.
"I'm worthless," I confessed, my words barely more than a whisper, carried away by the gentle breeze. The pain in my heart seeped into my words, staining them with a desolation that was as much a part of me as my own shadow. "I do nothing but cause harm. Nobody wants me around because I'm just a cause of pain."
His grip tightened around me, his body radiating a warmth that seemed to contradict the darkness surrounding the both of us. His silence stretched, a tangible entity that enveloped us both. It was as if he were grappling with my confession, wrestling with the demons that I had laid bare.
"Prim," he said, his voice barely audible over the soft rustling of the leaves in the wind. "If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't be here. I would have been lost to the abyss, swallowed whole by the despair that has been with me ever since. The day we met, I honestly was ready to let go. But you saved me. Your light, your love, they guided me back from the precipice."
His words hung in the air, and a fresh wave of tears blurred my vision as I cried again. The weight of his words and the intensity of his feelings overwhelmed me.
As I wept, Ophelia made her way toward me. She nudged her soft head against my leg, as if sensing my emotional state. But still I cried, my tears falling like rain in the silent night. I cried for the pain I had caused, for the love I had lost, and for the regret that clung to me like a second skin. And all the while, Elliot held me. He held me as I broke down in his presence.
"Prim," he whispered into my hair. "You are not a cause of pain, trust me. You saved me. With your light, with your love. You are far from worthless."
I clung to his words and to his warmth. "Why are you alone? Where are your friends? Where are you planning to go?" he added. His words, though imagined, struck me harder than the icy wind that whipped around us.
I pulled my arm tighter around me, my gaze dropping to the soil beneath my feet. I could barely meet his ethereal gaze. The truth was a bitter pill lodged in my throat. I swallowed hard. "I have caused them harm," I began, my voice breaking. "To Miss Alice... and my friends. You wouldn't know them. You were already gone when I ended up in her home. But right now, they might be in trouble because of me."
His spectral image remained calm, a rock amidst the storm of my emotions. He stood silently, waiting for me to continue.
I felt hot tears prick at my eyes, my heart aching with regret. "My best friend Mamori and Bryce... they're both there, at Miss Alice's home. Noelle, Eli, Aria, Billy, Suzie, Lennox... everyone. I can't bear the thought of them getting hurt because of me."
Pain twisted my insides as I spoke the words out loud. "I already lost you," I added in a hushed tone, my voice choking on the sobs rising in my throat. "I can't... I can't lose them too."
Then there was silence. The only sound I heard was the tap of the rain that descended from the sky. There was a deep sense of sorrow in Elliot's gaze, but he never interrupted me. Instead, he simply stepped forward, his ghost arms wrapping around me in a comforting hug. It was an illusion, I knew, but it was also a remedy for my fractured soul.
"You have never been a cause of pain. You've always had the strength to change the course of your destiny."
I looked up at him, my eyes wide. His words, though part of a hallucination, held a profound truth.
"If you want to lose your friends, it's up to you. But remember, you also have the power to save them." His words echoed around me.
The area started to spin around me; the trees blurred and distorted until they were muddied hues of forgotten colors.
"How can I save them? How can I save Miss Alice from those men in black when I... when I can't even save myself?"
His smile was gentle, a soft curve that spread over his face like the first rays of dawn breaking the horizon. His hand raised, an ethereal finger pointing directly at my chest, at the place where my heart drummed a terrified tattoo against my ribs. "Prim," he said, his voice resounding within my mind like the echo of a long-lost memory. "The only way to save yourself is to save this."
He was pointing at my heart.
"But how can I save them?" I cried, my voice a fragile whisper lost in the void of my own despair. "I'm just a nobody. I don't even know who I am!"
He just smiled. "You are so much more than you think," he said. "You saved me when I was at my lowest, when I was lost in a darkness I thought I couldn't escape. You were my light."
I swallowed hard, a lump forming in my throat. I remembered those days—the times when Elliot seemed lost in a world of his own. I remembered his silent cries and his battle with his lung disease. And I remembered how I held his hand and how I promised to never let go.
"Miss Alice took you in, didn't she?" Elliot continued. All I could do was nod, the memory of Miss Alice's kind smile and welcoming arms filling my vision. "Miss Alice saved you. Now it's your turn to save them."
His words echoed in my mind. I wiped my tears, my heart pounding in my chest, as I watched the last vestiges of Elliot's form dissolve into the ether. He smiled one last time before he slowly dissipated. The edges of his figure blurred and faded, and his smile was the last thing to vanish, leaving me alone in the twilight of the dense forest. The hallucination of my father was gone, and I was left alone with the reality that lay ahead. Yet his lingering smile stayed with me, a gentle reminder of his faith in me.
As the rain continued, the glow of the pendant around my neck swelled, casting an ethereal light in the surrounding darkness. It pulsed with an energy that seemed to be in sync with the rhythm of my heart—warm, almost comforting. It was weird, but something about it compelled me forward, guiding me through the thick fog of the forest. I didn't know how or why, but I trusted it implicitly. This was not mere luminescence; it was a path. I mean, it could be. Something told me to follow the illuminating pathway.
Closing my eyes, I allowed the gentle hum of the necklace to wash over me. Images then slowly swirled in my mind: Augustus, poised with his teacup; Noelle; Miss Alice, her lips painted a striking red; Bryce; and Mamori. They were more than images; they were my family and my home.
I opened my eyes, the soft glow from the necklace illuminating my path. I have no idea how on earth this happened, nor can I rationalize why this path suddenly glowed. But my heart swelled with a rediscovered judgment. I know I have to do something, even if it feels hopeless.
I mean, Elliot was right; in saving myself, I was saving them. We were entwined, connected by bonds stronger than blood and deeper than the obligations of family. The line between humans and gifted beings is both wide and incredibly thin.
My fingers traced the edges of the glowing pendant, the warmth seeping into my skin. I took a deep breath, drawing courage from the very air around me. I had my memories, my love for them, and this guiding light. The forest around me no longer seemed as daunting, and the shadows were less threatening. Then, as I started to move forward, the glow from my necklace lit my path, leading me home.
"I will save them," I whispered into the night, the words a solemn vow that echoed around me as I scooped Ophelia. The forest seemed to listen. Weird, I know. But I had no doubt in my mind. I would save them before it was too late. The night was dark, but my path was clear. I had a mission, a purpose fueled by love and the promise of hope. Elliot was right; I was not just saving myself; I was saving us all.
***
Rain continued pouring, thundering down on me like a storm. Each droplet was a tiny drumbeat against my skin as I was still running, my feet pounding the saturated earth of the dense forest, squishing mud between my toes, and splashing in the shallow puddles that had formed on the uneven forest floor.
The rain slicked Ophelia's fur against her small body, yet she did not squirm or complain. She merely blinked up at me, her emerald eyes reflecting the stormy sky above. But despite all those, my heart continued pounding in my chest like a desperate rhythm that echoed in the thunderous rain. My breaths were ragged and sharp, and I could taste the tang of rain and sweat on my lips.
All the while things seemed hopeless, my necklace still emitted a glow that also illuminated the pathway leading somewhere. It pulsed with a light that seemed to respond to the frantic beat of my heart, its luminescence intensifying with each step I took. And as weird as it sounds, it felt as if my necklace was directing me, its glow intensifying whenever I glanced in the right direction, subtly guiding me through the labyrinth of trees. The dense foliage obscured my vision, but I trusted in the light and followed its unerring judgment. The thick underbrush tugged at my clothes, but I pressed on, the glow of my necklace still telling me to go.
Seconds turned into minutes and then hours, yet still I could smell the forest around me. I felt the world around me in vivid detail—the cold rain against my skin, the soft fur of Ophelia in my arms, the steady thrum of the glowing necklace against my chest. I felt alive, electric with urgency and fear. Rain still continued drumming on the leaves above. Muscles taut, breath held hostage in my chest. I continued to follow the gentle pull of my necklace, navigating through the thick trees until an outline of a massive roof emerged. As I continued, the massive Victorian structure came into view, but my heart sank when I noticed that something was wrong.
The once-warm glow from the windows was replaced by an unsettling darkness. Worry gripped me. "Miss Alice! Mamori! Bryce! Noelle! Augustus!" My voice echoed, met only by the silence of the vacant mansion, intensifying my fear.
Desperation crept in as I continued my calls, the air thick with tension. Frustration and fear mingled within me, and a sense of dread settled in my gut. No response came, only the haunting echo of my own voice in the stillness. No. No. It couldn't be.
Suddenly, a sound outside caught my attention, and I stepped out onto the doorstep. In the dim moonlight, I found myself looking at an outline from a safe distance. There was a man. His presence sent shivers down my spine, and his intense gaze held mine. Time seemed to freeze as we locked eyes, the weight of the unknown hanging heavily in the air. The ominous figure before me hinted at the mysteries surrounding Miss Alice's home, and a chilling realization set in—they had already attacked.
A sudden, violent gust of wind hurtled a tree branch at me with a force that seemed to defy nature. Instinctively, I dropped into a crouch, my heart thundering in my chest as the branch whistled mere inches above my head. Turning in the direction of the phantom, my eyes locked with the man, standing as still as a tombstone. Like them, he was also wearing a black coat and a fedora hat.
As the rain lashed against my skin, I stepped back, each footfall a silent plea for mercy. The man remained as unreadable as a cipher, his face void of emotion beneath his dark hood. Then, a dramatic flare of his arm stretched, and the very ground beneath him responded. Rocks, which were previously dormant and innocuous, slowly rose and surged towards me, as if he were commanding them. But I was able to evade it, my heart pounding a frantic rhythm against my ribs. Ophelia slipped from my arms and launched herself at the man. A yowl of pain echoed through the trees as he kicked her aside.
"No!" The protest tore from my throat. My world narrowed to the sight of Ophelia, still and unmoving, and the man in black, slowly advancing towards me—an omen of doom.
But before his ill intent could manifest, the forest nearby erupted in a cacophony of movements. The man stopped in his tracks, and I followed the source of the commotion. Out of nowhere, woodland creatures—squirrels, birds, even a fox—swarmed the man with an uncharacteristic fury. A hand then reached out, appearing through the curtain of rain. My heart clenched as I recognized the familiar faces: Bryce, Mamori, Aria, and Molly. Tears welled in my eyes, blurring their faces into a watercolor painting of relief. I lunged into Bryce's open arms, my body shaking with sobs.
Then, I turned to look at the man in black. Vines snaked around him, pulling tight. The forest, which was once benign, is now joining in our struggle. Aria still stood in concentration, her power over nature creating a formidable prison. As things continued happening, the rain fell harder, and the bitter taste of uncertainty lingered in my mouth, like a half-remembered dream.
I stood there, in the midst of our ragtag assembly, with my eyes locked onto Mamori. "How did you find us?" she then asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Mamori's eyes met mine. "I don't know," I said, my voice as soft as the emotions dancing in my gaze. "It was as if something was communicating to me."
I frowned, my heart pounding an erratic rhythm in my chest. "But I know that's impossible. I haven't felt Bryce telepathically."
As if in answer, the necklace I wore glowed. The light was soft and gentle, like the first rays of dawn peeking over the horizon after a long, dark night. A strange sensation washed over me, a realization that the necklace was somehow acting as a conduit, connecting me to the orphans.
I then turned toward Bryce. A surge of relief welled up within me. I stepped forward and drew him into an embrace, my arms tight around his form. Then, I turned to Mamori and pulled her into a hug as well. The scent of hers filled my senses.
Yet, even as the relief washed over me, my gaze slid to the man in black. He was writhing, his body twisting in pain, and his face twisted in a grimace. Aria was manipulating the verdant tendrils of vines around him, coiling and tightening. I mean, the man fought back. He was strong, his powers manifesting in an invisible force that he used to lash out at us, flinging the woodland animals away as if they were mere ragdolls. Yet, despite his strength, he was struggling against Bryce's mental onslaught.
Bryce's nose started bleeding in the process, a thin trickle of red staining his lips. But he didn't falter. He kept his gaze locked on the man, his mental powers straining against the man's resistance. Then, the vines got to him. They wrapped around him, their emerald grip relentless. They crept up his body slowly, almost leisurely, as if they had all the time in the world. The man in black screamed—a sound that echoed in the forest—before he finally slumped, unconscious.
Bryce released a breath, his body sagging. "It'll be a while before he wakes up," he rasped out, his voice hoarse. "And when he does... he won't remember anything. I've erased everything from his memory."
"What happened? Where were you within the past couple of days?" Mamori asked.
"I... I don't know how to explain," I stammered, my hand instinctively reaching for the pendant around my neck.
My mind spun back to the danger at the orphanage. The image of Miss Alice's worried face flashed across my vision. My heart clenched. The children. The matrons. Sebastian. Augustus.
"I... I don't know how to say it," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "But that's not important right now."
Tears welled up in my eyes. I looked at Mamori, her face softening as she cradled my cat, Ophelia, in her arms.
"I'm sorry," I choked out, the words catching in my throat. "I was being selfish. I doubted Miss Alice, and I..." The rest of the sentence died on my lips.
The gifted orphans inside the academy slowly came out of their hiding spots, their wide eyes reflecting the moonlight. First, Eli emerged. Then Suzie. Then Billy. Noelle. And the rest came out. They all wear a worried look on their faces. I mean, I'm uncertain, but it looked like they were deeply saddened.
"Why are you all here? Where are Miss Alice, Augustus, Sebastian, and the matrons?" I asked, the dread creeping up my spine.
Noelle stepped forward. Her face was set in an emotionless facade. "They found us," she said, her voice barely audible.
My heart sank. "They?" I asked, dreading the answer.
Noelle looked down. Then, a chill ran through me. "Where's Miss Alice?" I asked, my voice echoing through the silent forest. The gifted orphans exchanged glances, but none of them replied.
"WHERE IS MISS ALICE?!" I yelled, my voice breaking. The silence was suffocating.
Finally, Noelle spoke up, her voice serious. "They attacked the orphanage. Miss Alice told us to hide. We did, but before we had the chance to do so, she surrendered, alongside Augustus, Sebastian, and the matrons, in exchange for our safety."
My knees buckled under the weight of her words. I sank to the floor, my hands clenching the fallen leaves.
My heart pounded in my chest as I cried across from Noelle, her words echoing in my ears. The air was thick with anticipation, the smell of pine and damp earth filling our nostrils as we huddled together for warmth. I felt like a small, frightened child, my mind reeling from the truth of our escape.
"I mean," Noelle continued, her voice soft but carrying the weight of a thousand heartbreaks, "Miss Alice told us to leave. We did, but we came back because we have no other place to go. As she fought, Augustus fought the men as well, a diversion that saved us from being caught in the crossfire."
"And the matrons?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper in the wind.
"They helped us escape. They shielded us and guided us as we fled from the carnage." Noelle's voice was choked with emotion, her eyes glistening with unshed tears in the firelight.
I could hardly imagine the terror they must have felt.
"Then Miss Alice, she told Billy." Noelle's voice trailed off, her gaze fixed on the flickering flames in his hand. "She told him he had to protect us. She asked him to promise her to protect us along the way as more men in black were coming. We, of course, protested not to leave her, but she got mad and insisted all of us to escape before more men in black arrive. Earlier, before she surrendered, the man told Miss Alice that their master already knew about us and that they would catch us no matter what," Noelle continued, her voice barely audible over the crackling fire. "Miss Alice knew she wouldn't be able to protect us, not with her powers weakened."
My heart sank at her words.
"And so we hid," Noelle finished, her eyes meeting mine in the firelight. "Augustus and Sebastian stayed behind. To help Miss Alice. To buy us time."
"Then we ended up here," Noelle added.
"We heard the noise outside and were lucky to have seen that you're safe. Miss Alice told us to look for you. She told us that you are our last hope, and to make sure that the men in black won't capture you," Bryce said.
I sank on my knees as the realization kicked in.
"It's my fault," I whispered, tears streaming down my face. "All of this... It's my fault."
The forest seemed to echo my confession, the silence swallowing my guilt, my fear, and my desperation.
My heart was a thunderstorm of guilt and fear, each beat echoing like a roll of thunder through the silent night. Mamori's words, though meant to answer, seemed to echo in the hollows of my chest. "Now is not the time to blame anyone, Prim," she'd said, her voice steady despite the chaos around us. "We have each other. That's all that matters."
Yet it was a futile attempt to comfort me. To convince me that things are okay. I couldn't shake off the weight of responsibility that clung to me like a second skin.
"No, she's right," Noelle said. "She's right. She did lead the men here. She escaped, and she must've told someone, which is why the men were able to locate us."
"But screw it! "Noelle added. "Nobody can reverse the damage that you've done, Prim. I knew from the very start that you're just causing harm. And my intuition was right."
Through the veil of my tears, I looked at the gifted orphans and my charges. Billy, Suzie, Aria, Andreus, Eli, Molly, Wallace, Bryce, Lennox, and Mamori, each of them looking back at me with fearful eyes. Suddenly, Suzie broke away from the group and walked towards me. "H-Hey," she stuttered, her voice barely a whisper against the patter of the rain. "What are we going to do now?" Her question was like a punch to the gut, and I felt a fresh wave of tears spilling down my cheeks.
Closing my eyes against the pain, I let the rain wash over me. At first, nothing. But then, as if the rain were whispering secrets into my ear, a thought slipped into my mind. A desperate plan, perhaps, but it was all we had.
Opening my eyes, I found myself looking at Eli, whose usually bright eyes dimmed with confusion as he met my gaze.
"What?" he asked.
A mischevous grin formed on my lips, a sudden thought penetrating my mind. "We fight," I declared, my voice firmer than I felt. "We fight the men in black."
Wallace walked over to me, his eyes filled with skepticism. "But how? We're just kids, and they..." His words trailed off as he glanced at the unconscious man in black lying a few feet away.
"We're not just any kids," I replied, my gaze hardening as I stared back at the unconscious man. "We're gifted. And if we work together, we can defeat them."
There was a moment of silence as my words hung in the air, and then all eyes were on me, their expressions varying from shock to fear to determination. Bryce, however, simply stared at me, his eyes seemingly reflecting the moonlight in the darkness. And as our eyes locked, a slow smile spread across his face, mirroring the one that was blossoming on mine.
"Do you have a plan?" Aria asked.
"I have," I said, my voice now filled with renewed vigor. "I do have a plan—but it requires all of us. Together. Are you with me?"
The storm was gathering, and we were in its eye. But together, I knew we would weather it. We had to.
"Yes," she said in chorus.