Prologue

Prologue

Dark clouds hovered over the lonely hill, blocking the sliver of moonlight from view and leaving the land black except for the occasional flash of lightning grazing the earth with a roar that made the windows of a small orphanage rattle. The far off town was blocked from view behind searing sheets of rain that uprooted small flowers and sent them rolling down the stream that turned the road into a treacherous passageway that no one dared take. Wind howled as it tore through the leaves of trees and pounded the small building, warning.

The boy lay asleep, a whimper let out between breaths coming in short, quick rasps, restlessly turning on thin sheets that didn’t protect any against the seeping cold of the stone floor. The door creaked eerily on its hinges, exposing the little girl, eyes set on the boy. She tiptoed to his side and gingerly touched his arm, sending him bolting upright with a gasp, breath setting into a quick pant, skin drenched with perspiration, eyes like those of a rabbit as the wolf bites down. His eyes set on her, then softened with recognition.

“Hey, sis. Is  everything alright? Did you have a bad dream again?” His breathing slowed and he examined her face, her sweet features heartachingly creased into a worried frown.

She shook her head. “I talking to milky. She told me to talk to you.”

“Did she now? And what does Milky want you to talk to me about?”

“What to do. He’s coming.” The girl shifted nervously.

“Who’s coming?”

“The bad man,” she whimpered. “He want to get me.”

The boy embraced her, gently stroking her soft auburn curls. “There now, it’s all right. No one’s coming here. No one’s going to get you,” he said soothingly.

“But he is!” The boy was taken aback by the severity in his sister’s tone. “Milky said! He coming! We haffa to do someting!”

The boy frowned, looking into her pleading, round, blue eyes, and his heart leaped at the desperation which he saw. “How does Milky know the bad man’s coming?” he asked, taking up her tiny hands in his.

“She talk to the gophers. They saw him.” Her misty eyes dug into his heart. He took a deep breath and drew her closer. She was so upset, so frightened, and he couldn’t make out what she had seen or heard to put her in such a state. His mind flickered to the storm, then to Milky, the milk-white kitten which his sister often talk to and kept so dear. Had the kitten scratched her? But she was unmarked. Could it just be the storm? Even so, the child was not to be consoled. The docile girl had not been this upset since the knowledge of their parents’ disappearance. He decided to play along, and hoped she would settle after a few calm minutes.

“Okay, let’s hide, okay? Like when we play hide and seek, so he’ll never find you. I’ll stand guard if he comes in.” The corners of her mouth turned up a little. He scanned the tiny square room for a good spot to hide her, his eyes grazing over the meager furnishings: a little table holding a lamp, a barren shelf, a clothes basket. Clothes basket.

“Come on.” He kept hold of her in one hand and scooped up one of his sheets with the other then led her over to the basket. “In here.” He lifted her into it and she crouched at the bottom, hopeful eyes beaming at him. He tucked the sheet around her protectively then stroked her curls.

“If he comes in, don’t move, and try not to make a sound, okay?” She nodded, giving him a small smile. Then, a blinding flash illuminated the room. A deafening roar of thunder shook the room, the window shattering from the force, letting in the stinging rain and cold. The two gazed out the opening, color drained from their faces, at the faint glow of embers that only seconds ago had been a little apple tree.

“Here,” the girl whimpered. The boy looked back at her, crushed to see the renewed fear in her eyes. He grasped her hand.

“Don’t worry. I will do everything I can to protect you. If he wants to get you, he’ll have to get through me first.” She gave him a faint smile.

“I love you, brother.” Her eyes misted with tears.

“I love you too, sis.” He gingerly kissed her forehead. “I will protect you,” he whispered. He folded the sheet over her head, then returned to his bed, holding his breath to keep it under control; he didn’t want her to hear him cry. The way she had spoken, it was as though she were saying good-bye. A tear rolled down his cheek.

The room suddenly felt colder, and the boy’s head jerked towards the door. A dark figure loomed in the doorway, and the hairs on the back of the boy’s neck prickled. The figure approached the boy, his sharp features taking shape in the lamplight as he silently progressed into the room. The boy could do nothing but stare in disbelief at the eyes staring back at him. Into him.

“Hello boy.” The man’s cold voice sent shivers down the boy’s spine. “I am looking for someone. I believe you know her? About three years of age, reddish brown curls, talks to animals.” The boy struggled to hide his surprise as the man described his sister. “She’s quite special. She needs help. Do you know where she is?” The boy shook his head, slowly, mustering all of his self control to keep his eyes from flickering to the basket.

“You do her no good by hiding her from me. Quite soon you find her to fall ill, and I assure you, no ordinary doctor will be able to cure her.” The man’s gaze felt as though it pierced through the boy, making his head throb. The man’s eyes. His blood red eyes. “She could even die should her illness persist. You wouldn’t want to be responsible for her death  by keeping her whereabouts a secret, do you? And, in time, she could help many others like her. She could help save people. Wouldn’t you want that for her? I’ll ask one more time. Do you know where she is?” The man’s stare pierced into the boy, the throbbing in his head seemingly matching the pulse of his bloody eyes, growing stronger and stronger, agonizingly more intense, jumbling his racing thoughts. Was his sister in danger? Was she really going to fall ill? Was her life in peril? He shook his head. No matter, this man frightened her. He had to protect her.

“I’ve never seen her,” the boy said cautiously. The man’s stare became a glare, and the throbbing in the boy’s head became a searing, but he did his best to not let his pain show.

“I see. So you’re not going to make this easy for me, eh? I guess we’ll do this the hard way.” The boy’s eyes became locked with the man’s, and he froze, as though under a spell. His head seared with agonizing pain, pulsing harder and harder, forcing him to his knees, clutching at his head, trying, in vain, to look away, held by the two bloody circles

“I see,” the man said, finally breaking gaze. The pain in the boy’s head subsided to a residual headache, eyes finally averted from… whatever that had been. “So you’ve gone and hid her. Not a hard place to figure out, but a fine choice given the circumstances, especially with you being what, seven? Smart, and strong boy given that you’re still conscious. I could almost mistake you for one of them. But let’s get down to business, shall we? This is where you must part with your dear sister.”

The boy’s eyes widened, shocked yet horrified. “H-How did…”

“How’d I know she’s your sister? You have told me.”

“What?” The man advanced towards the basket, and the boy began to panic.

“Stop! I won’t let you touch her!” He surged in front of the man, blocking his path. The boy gave an intent glare, resolute on his promise.

“Foolish child,” the man said with a cold cackle. “You’ve stalled long enough. I guess I’ll have to deal with you first.” His glare fell hard upon the boy, piercing through his own, piercing through what felt like his soul. He staggered backward, and the throbbing returned, worse and worse, the unbearable, searing pain seemingly brought by the unbreakable gaze. So bad it cut through his thoughts. So bad it made him feel ill.

“I won’t let you touch her,” the boy repeated. He held his position firm, teeth clenched, though he felt as though he might collapse.

“I shall never understand your sort. Why try so hard with what’s at stake? You are not strong enough to overpower me, boy. You’re not even one of us. Why put yourself through such pain?”  

The man’s words wrought an anger from the boy that cut through the harrowing pain. “‘Cause she’s all I’ve got!” His fists clenched at his sides. “She’s the most important thing in the world to me! I will not let you touch her! I’ll make you regret it if you dare touch her!”

“So feisty!” The man let out his cold, empty cackle once more, each breath drawing more and more pain to the boy’s head. “I shall like to see this regret one of these days.” The boy began to waver, his vision blurring out of focus. He dropped back to his knees, darkness clouding into the swirling world around him.

The man smirked at the boy and started once more towards the basket. The boy grabbed at his black pants, but the material easily slipped through his weak fingers as the man wrenched his leg away. The man bent over the basket, then reeled back with a shout, his fingers touching the four long red marks streaked down his cheek, the milk-white source hissing, rearing to strike again. The girl toppled out of the basket amidst the confusion and bolted towards the door, but paused as she caught sight of her brother, taking in his wavering frame. His eyes caught hers and he stumbled forward, giving her a slight shove with a “Go!” Hesitantly, she ran back towards the door, reaching the threshold, casting a final glance at the scene, her brother, fighting for consciousness, Milky, kicked aside, and eyes. Blood red orbs that held her, that grew closer and closer, inescapable.

The boy saw the man advance and surged up, the motion sending the world whirling, but stumbled into the man’s path. The man continued his progress, straight into the boy, eyes fixed. The boy tried to hold him back, digging his heels into the floor and pushing into his stomach, but the man pushed past him. The boy clung to his shirt, but was merely dragged as he advanced to the girl.

“Brother,” she whispered as the man towered over her. He crouched down so his eyes were level with hers.

“It’s time, girl.” His voice was low. “This is for your own good. He can’t protect you from what’s coming. He can’t protect the lives you’ll help. He doesn’t understand our kind.” He lifted her over his shoulder, and, link broken, she started thrashing, beating vainly at his back with her tiny fists.

“No!” She and the boy shouted. He grasped the man’s shirt and the girl’s hand, but the man rounded at him, eyes sending shooting pain, the boys world swirling, the blurred figures of the man and his sister fading, her voice fading.

“No! NO! Brother, what’d you do? Brother…”

Those were the last words the boy could hear before his world fell black and silent.