Chapter One

Maria meets Amaroq for the first time outside the fences of a refuge for albino children.

To understand darkness , one must start at the very beginning.

 

When Amaroq visited her there was no rain or snow this time and she saw he was there , a smile on his face.

 

" You're back." Maria walked towards the gate , stopping at a distance away. She did not know him , and her imagination concoted all sorts of horrid scenarios that could occur if Maria ventured any closer.

 

" How are you ? " inquired Amaroq.

 

" Good."

 

 She shifted from foot to foot uneasily , her arms crossed behind her back as Amaroq watched her. He only gave a gentle smile and Maria felt sightly relieved of her anxiety.

 

Amaroq saw the children playing , the adults screaming for them to be careful. Maria was far away , invisible and unnoticed.

 

" Why aren't you playing with the others ?" he questioned.

 

" I don't want to play. I want to go outside , " Maria answered. It didn't matter if she could play tag or ball - she was trapped behind these gates , hidden from the rest of the world.

 

Amaroq nodded.

 

" You can't huh ? "

 

" No but it would be nice, " Maria admitted , " and not feel like i'm in a stupid cage." Maria shook her head, her eyes like a downcast sky.

 

" They say these gates, " she gestured to wire barricading him out, " keep bad people out. Keeps out people who may want to hurt me."

 

In a serious tone , contrasting with his previously casual voice Amaroq said , " Your chaperones are right. Outside there are people who want nothing but to use you. They couldn't care less for your welfare but for their own interests."

 

Maria wasn't sure what "welfare" met , but it sounded important.

 

" What's welfare ? "

 

" It's like your condition... How you are doing whether bad , okay , or excellent."

 

" I see. Well Mr. Amaguk , do you care for my ' welfare ' or do you just want to use me like everyone else ?"

 

"No. I would never hurt you . I just want to help." He gave a small smile and Maria swallowed.

 

" Help me ? "

 

That sounded too good to be true when everyone wanted to hack her into pieces. He wanted to help her ? Really ? Was this guy serious ? Amaroq had only started coming to talk to her since yesterday and was already spewing forth lies that he cared for her.

 

Maria was just an albino and either a bad omen or something to grab , like a piece of meat or a tool. Maria breathed in slowly. Maybe she was being was already making judgements without any real basis but that Amaroq seemed " fishy". It was just like everyone making judgements on her without even bother to get to know her first. Maybe Amaroq was sincere.

 

Her head picked up and Amaroq could smell her joy , curiousity. Nothing could miss his nose. Her fear was less potent , something he mourned. Amaroq was sure she would treat him with scorn if she had no fear. It was only normal , however . Amaroq had been polite , and complimented Maria. Amaroq knew his words had an affect on her for her paranoia had waned.

 

Perhaps it was best this way because if she feared him , Maria would not want his company. No one sought out the very thing they feared. You either demolished it or fled. And he did not want to risk losing his sunshine.

 

" You're my sunshine."

 

" What ? "

 

" You're my sunshine."

 

 His heart pounded. Maybe his words were too friendly. The child might think him a pervert or something. Well.. wasn't he a pervert ? After all , last night he kept replaying the sight of her in his head when her clothes clung to the contours of her body as Maria was soaked in the rain..

 

" Ohh..uh...thanks." Maria turned to the children who had stopped playing. That was an odd choice of words. Maybe he meant that talking to her brightened his day. Or he... liked her ?

 

 The thought chilled her to the bone. He was like maybe around twenty . Too old for her. Nah. She was just a ugly albino , pale and sickly... an abomination. Who in the world would see her as something gorgeous or precious ?

 

" I gotta go. See you later. I have to go back to the safe haven - you know , so I don't end up dead."

 

Recess for the children was over. They were ghostly pale with blond hair like Maria , Amaroq noted.

 

She waved before running away. Amaroq watched her , her dress blowing behind her. He sighed. It had been a while since anyone waved at him , or even had a conversation. He had run away from his old life and left it behind , never looking back. People his age and older passed him by , like he was trash on the ground.

 

 Now that the child hadn't ignored him , he felt better. Warm inside. Maria's hair was yellow like the sun , and her eyes a beautiful pale gray.

Why did they throw her in this prison ? How could her parents abandon her - like his own so many years ago ?

 

Amaroq wondered if what he felt was just innocent curiousity or...

signs of a deep hunger in himself.

 

 A desire to seize and keep something..or someone for himself for once.

Reviews

[touchthesky]

Wow. Well written. Slightly scary. Keep writing I would love to read more