Confusing Confessions

btw- any errors, let me know please? :]

 

      As Alexiana ran down the stairs, the smell of strawberries, mangoes, and other fruits filled her surroundings.

      “Saphire!” she giggled, running into the kitchen.

      Her cousin stood at the counter tossing a fruit salad. She looked down at the small five-year-old and smiled.

      “Hello, my love,” Saphire replied, “how did you sleep?”

      Alexiana's smile vanished, and she sat down at the table. Saphire brought the salad over and knelt before her cousin.

      “Is something wrong?”

      “Can you explain to me more about the Seven Sinners?”

      Saphire stood with a sigh, letting the question sink in. Sitting across Alexiana, she pushed some of her long ebony hair behind her ear.

      “Well, that's a tricky subject. What would you like to know about them?”

      Alexiana looked up, “What are they able to do?”

      Her cousin closed her golden eyes, “Hmm...”

      She re-opened them and looked to the five-year-old. Her blue eyes stared back in anticipation.

 

      “Well...the Seven Sinners...” she paused, collecting her thoughts, “There was Someraella. She is a beautiful woman with the lower body of a black widow. She can use smaller spiders to make people her mindless puppets, and controls them through the spider's silk. Severen- he is a huge demon with black war markings carved into his red skin. He is strong and resilient to a certain amount of physical pain. Aurellius is a dragon demon with the hands of the beast. He can breath fire and his claws carry a venom that can stop a human heart in minutes. Cypris is one of the first Life Drinkers. His eyes are all white, he has no iris or pupils. He can feast on souls and is very swift. Linix...cunning Linix...she can shift her form to you most precious memory. Like a Siren from Greek mythology, she can lure people into their deaths by changing her form. Then there are the brothers, Vladimir and Vaccus.

 

      “Vladimir is a tall, muscular man with eyes as black as coal and sleek black hair, whereas Vaccus is a lean man with warm green eyes and chocolate hair. They are both extremely smart and talented with words. Trickery is their favorite game and they make deals with humans, only when they have some personal gain from it. Vladimir can control shadows and plays on peoples desires and Vaccus controls electricity and plays on peoples fears. Now, does that answer your question?”

 

      Alexiana picked up a strawberry and plopped it in her mouth. She remembered the fear that held her captive in her dreams as Vaccus stood before her.

      “Yes. Thank you, mom- I mean, cousin.” she smiled.

      “You know,” Saphire stood, “If you miss your mother, you can always visit her grave.”

      Nikolae popped into Alexiana's mind, his fists clenched at his side and he stood before his mother's grave. Mother, his voice passed through her psyche. She stood quickly, startling Saphire.

      “Sweetie?” her cousin stared with confusion, “Are you alright?”

      Alexiana nodded her head, blond hair bouncing on her shoulders. She ran up the stairs, ignoring her cousin's calls, and went onto her room. Where's that dress? She thought, searching for the peach fabric. Finally locating it, she changed and pounded back down the stairs.

      “Lexia,”Saphire stood at the front door, “Why are you in such a hurry?”

      Her blue eyes were focused on the door as she spoke, “I need to talk to mom!”

 

      With that she dodged passed her cousin and ran out the door. The sound of her feet slamming against the dirt road clouded her mind as she blindly ran through town. Her sundress danced wildly around her pale skin as she raced towards the cemetery. When she reached the entrance gate, Alexiana bent over wheezing. Her lungs burned, the pain causing her to shake.

      “Mom...” she choked out.

      Slowly she walked through the cemetery, reading the headstones until coming upon her mother's. Alexiana knelt before the stone and touched it lightly.

      “Acadia R. Miller...” she read aloud, “Oh, mom...”

      The wind blew pieces of her hair around her head, but she was too focused on her mother.

      “Oh, mom. What am I to do?”

      A stray canary landed on the grave stone as Alexiana began to silently sob, “Oh mom...first he takes my sister, and now I'm shown that he killed his own brother...”

      The canary chirped in response but she didn't notice.

      “What does he want with me...? Why would he tell me that he was taking the only sister I have and that he would always be watching me? I'm so scared....I don't know what to do...please, mom. Give me a sign...help me...”

      Footsteps broke her concentration. A shadow loomed over her and she spun, terrified. A man stood before her in a trench coat and hat.

 

      “Hello there,” he smiled down to her.

      His eyes were a dark brown, almost black, and Alexiana had a strong urge to run. He reached a hand down to her, his smile still in tact.

      “Such a pretty young girl shouldn't be kneeling in dirt.”

      She took his hand and stood, wiping the tears off her face, “Who are you?”

      The man laughed, “Just a traveling man. I see you've been crying.”

      Alexiana nodded slowly, staring at the man's constant smile. He placed his hand back in his pocket and began to walk away.

      “Walk with me, child.”

      With slight hesitation, she followed him through the cemetery. Alexiana found herself slightly comfortable around this stranger, and that thought scared her.

      “Now, there must be something bother you, if a pretty little thing like yourself has been crying. That grave, was it someone important to you?” the man asked.

      Alexiana nodded, “It was my mother...”

      The man made a “tsk” sound with his tongue. She looked to him as he kept walking, waiting for a response.

      “I see,” she said after some silence, “And you were young when she died, I presume?”

      Alexiana nodded again.

 

      “Well, dear child. A loss is always hard to bare, but don't cry for the past. Instead, smile for your present and your future. Dwelling on the bad things in life will only cause you more sadness, and with such a pretty face like yours, that would be such a shame. Smile, darling, laughter is the best medicine.”

      Alexiana looked to this man as they stopped once more in front of her mother's headstone. He smiled down at her, those dark brown eyes burrowing into her soul. She couldn't help but smile up at him.

      “Much better,” he said, placing a hand on her head. “As for the answers to your questions- they will come to you soon enough. Now I must be off. Please try to remember what I've said.”

      The man walked off, leaving Alexiana baffled. My questions? She thought, I never asked him anything... Fear built up in her once more as she stood before her mother's grave. The small canary from earlier perched itself on the stone once more, chirping.

      “Who was that man...?” she asked aloud.

      The canary chirped in reply and flew off, into the afternoon sky. Alexiana said goodbye to her mother and headed back home, the man haunting her thoughts.