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LMS Split Into Thirds (Working Title)



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Sun Sep 15, 2019 11:14 pm
Horisun says...



Basically, a long, long, long time ago, like, sixty years ago, the world is split into alternate realities, which makes the world unstable. Over the years, it's been slowly collapsing in on itself. Then, this character accidently forms a telepathic connection with an alternate side of herself, and they find out what happened.
So that's what I'll be writing about! :D
She/Her
  





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Fri Sep 27, 2019 12:22 am
Horisun says...



Last Man Standing: Split in Thirds:


Chapter One: Your Standard Start
This story begins simply, or so I think. You could say it was standard, you could say it was average, even, dare I say it, uninteresting.
But don’t stop reading, don’t put this story down yet, for nothing is as it seems.

It took every last ounce of strength to get here. They’d fought, they’d won, they’d lost, and they gained. But they still just might lose it all.
The world depended on them, they had to keep going, no matter the struggle, not matter how much he just wanted to lay on the ground and die, no matter how much he wanted to collapse, no matter the risk, no matter the loss.
He didn’t have a choice, this was his destiny. And if he failed, so it’d be.
He felt her squeeze his had, he turned, and mustered what he hoped was a reassuring smile, and then he, and all his friends, marched onward.

Chapter Two: I Don’t
Tom stared at the mirror, his hair was slick with gel, and his tux was as stiff as a board, yet his Mother beamed with pride.
“Oh, how you’ve gotten so big, where’d my little boy go?” She asked, with a playful wail.
Tom laughed, and tightened his grip on her hand. “I’ll let you know if I see him.” His Mother rolled her eyes, and adjusted his suit.
“Come on Tom, we can’t keep the-bride-to-be waiting.”
Tom stilled and nodded, giving his best I’m-so-happy-I-could-erupt-and-go-nuts-like-George-Jackie-Jones-that-one-time smile. His mother beamed back at him as she shuffled him out the door, down the stairs, and into the living room, where Ara and her parents sat chatting with Toms brother.
Ara turned, and grinned at Tom, she scooted over to make room for him. She was in a pale blue dress that fell just below her knees, she wore her signature silver necklace, which she fingered as she waved for Tom to sit beside her.
Ara’s Father gave Tom a small smile. “Hullo, Tom.”
Tom forgot to answer as he looked at Ara, who stared off into the distance, lost in her own thoughts.
“Tom. Tom? Tom!” His Mother tapped him on the shoulder. “Earth to Tom, we have something to tell you.”
“Is this the super surprise thingy thing you were telling me so much about?” He asked. His Mother looked like she was about to burst.
“Yes! We’ve decided- Ara’s parents and I- to have the weddings in the gardens instead of the church!”
Tom raised his eyebrow, “Is that all?”
“No! That’s not even the best part!” His Mom now sounded as giddy as a school girl, “Your Uncle is well enough to show up now, so we don’t have to wait, we can get you two married next week!”
Before Tom could even register what his Mother said, Ara flew up, her black hair smacking his face, “No!” She shouted. Everyone, even Tom, looked at her for a long moment, before she realized what she did. She blushed, and ran out the door. Without thinking, Tom ran after her.
The wind flew in his face, brushing his hair back from his face. He couldn’t see Ara, but he knew exactly where she’d go, he ran to the west of town, right up to the edge, and pushed open the rusted door of a barn.
“Ara?” He asked. The broken sound of muffled cried coming from behind a stack of hay, which Tom easily pushed aside.
“Ara? Are you okay-“
Ara flipped around, her face red, and puffy, tears rolling down her cheeks, and snot dripping into her mouth, “I don’t want to marry you!” She shouted, brown eyes flashing in anger.
Tom dropped to the ground next to her, his back to the wall. “I don’t either.” He said, his head lolled to the side. “You know I don’t.” He reached over and hugged Ara. She didn’t say anything, just curled in close to Tom and cried.
“I’m sorry… You’re so good to me… I’m so sorry.”
Toms gut was crumpling, and tears brewed beneath the surface, “I love you Ara, you’re my best friend.”
He felt her crumple onto him. “I love you too.”
For a long moment, they just sat there, time didn’t touch them, they simply sat on the ground, loving one another in a way neither of their parents would ever learn to accept.
Chapter Three: In the Empty Streets
Li reached into the ladies purse, assuming the lady was rich, like her over the top dress, and powder white wig suggested, she and Tom could get a good coin from her. Her fingers brushed something cool, and she grasped at it…
Just as the lady turned and screamed, and Ara had to duck back into the crowd as the lady tried to slap her.
“THIEF! THIEF!” The lady screamed, pulling her purse in close, and waving her fan like mad.
People turned, eyes narrowing as they saw the lady, not one person lending a finger to help.
People around here knew what it meant when someone came waltzing in with royal purple gowns, and bright colored makeup. They were supporters of King Orlong, or, as most people of Li’s status called him, the Dark King.
Li bled into the backround, leaning against the wall, she glared at the lady until she was out of sight, bright red fire dancing behind her eyes.
She tried to keep her mean composure, but eventually, she slumped, and sighed. She watched as a poor, ragged looking merchant ran past her, obviously not rich, but he’d have to do.
She slipped up to him, blending with the shadows, waiting for him to slow down, she hated her self has she ran forward, bumping into him.
“Oh! I’m so sorry!” She said, dropping her bag. You have no choice… She told herself, again and again. “Here, let me help,” she said, purposely mixing and matching things.
“NO! I got it!” The man said, louder then he should’ve.
Li glowered, why can’t anything ever go my way? She wondered, reaching down to grab her bag, trying to sneak a rogue coin or two.
Suddenly, a small leather pouch caught her eye, she glanced at the man, to preoccupied with a slippery coin to notice, she grabbed it, and stuffed it into her bag. The man didn’t seem to notice, and rushed off without another word.
She quickly ran the other way, slipping past begging citizens, traders from outside the city, and starving children.
She dived into a boarded up store, “I’m home!” She called.
She heard Thomas call from the broken kitchen, “Whaddya find?” He said, peeking through the door, his grimy black hair brown with dirt.
She pulled out the pouch and watched as he grinned. “Ready to see what’s inside?” She asked, already pulling at the string. Thomas nodded, and ran forward.
Li finally got the knot out, and reached into the pouch, she could feel Thomas practically drooling from behind her, she felt herself become giddy.
Then her butterflies fell dead in her stomach as she fingered a small, worn piece of paper. She felt Thomas droop as she pulled it from the pouch.
“Oh.” He said, obviously disappointed.
“We haven’t seen what’s inside yet!” Li said, unfolded the paper as fast as she could without tearing it.
She stared at it for a minute, before saying, “It’s a map.”
“Lemme see!” Thomas says, tearing the map from her hands.
“Hey!” Li said, elbowing him in the gut, and stealing the paper back.
Thomas shoved Li, and pulled the map away, “No fair!”
“I found it!”
“And I want it! “
Li tackled Thomas, who kicked her off him, grabbing the paper, Li laughed, and tickled him, he laughed and released the paper, which Li quickly snatched back.
She stared at the map for a long moment. It appeared to be a map of the city, a triangle representing the castle, and several markings that looked to be some of the important parts of the city.
Just outside the city was farmland, and just beyond that was the western woods, and at the center, there was a large, red circle, and some scribbles that Li assumed was writing, but she couldn’t tell.
“Do you think it’s treasure?” Thomas asked, jumping up from the floor.
Li stared at it thoughtfully. “Nah.” She said finally, “It’s probably just a meeting place… Or something?” She glanced at Thomas, who had a huge grin on his face.
“You thinking what I’m thinking?”

Chapter Four: Flawless to a Fault
Leah spun around the dance floor, flinging from partner to partner. The music was bouncy, and joyful, and so was she.
She spun, and twirled, and squealed at men caught her in their arms. It was like she was flying.
Leah parted from her partner, and turned, but not before blowing him a kiss. She wandered over to the punch table, where her sister nibbled on a roll.
“Hey, Liza,” Leah said, “How come you’re not dancing?”
Liza turned, and grinned at her, “Happy Birthday, sis, quite a turnout, huh?”
“I know!” Leah squealed, “Isn’t great!”
Liza nodded, “Mmmhhmm…” She fingered her dress, and gave Leah one final grin. “I’m going to go party. See you in a bit.”
“See you in a bit!” Leah said happily, slurping down some punch.
Leah sat there for a bit, watching people dance, she watched her sister as she danced with Prince Julian from Greenwisp. Leah was watching him very carefully, her face seemed tight.
Must be the punch, Leah thought, turning to people watch some other people, when someone screamed. Leah whipped her head around, her heart stopping.
The crowd cleared, and in a pool of blood was Prince Julian, and holding the knife was Liza.

Chapter Five: And Then I Was Covered in Blood
“You lost it!?” She had screamed.
Liza shook her head. No, he had screamed, why had he screamed?
“No- No please, I had it, I must’ve dropped it!”
It’d been so easy… Such a weakling. No, wait, what? What was happening?
Her vision blurred in and out, and when it came into focus, she lost her breath. She screamed, and dropped something.
Oops, butter fingers. Butter fingers?
She looked down, and gasped, she was covered in coppery blood.
“Who did this!?” She demanded. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her. She heard her Mothers familiar voice, but it wasn’t comforting.
“Seize her!” Her Mother shouted, breaking.
Run.
Run. Run. Run.
She looked left and right, people closed in on her.
Run. Run. Run.
She dropped to her knees.
She/Her
  





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Fri Oct 04, 2019 10:40 pm
Horisun says...



Chapter Seven: In the Workshop
“How’s it going?” Tom asked, listening to Ara as she hummed from beneath the vehicle.
“It’s going grand!” Ara exclaimed, Tom smiled as he heard a thunk, followed by an “Ow!” and then, “I’m Okay!” Despite the grim circumstances, it was nice to be able to hang out with Ara without the wedding hanging over them again. At least, he hoped the wedding wouldn’t be hanging over them.
There was a crank, then a light buzz, and a roar of an engine as the cart came to life, dust shaking flying free, and the sound of a rock coming to life.
Ara slid out from under the car, “Pack your bags, Tom.” She said, grinning ear to ear, “It’s time.”
Tom gave a small smile, his stomach becoming heavy as a stone. He could already hear his Mother wailing for her son.
Ara sat up, and rolled on her skateboard over to him. “We’ve already tried Tom, she won’t listen. This is our chance to be free.” Her eyes widened, practically illuminating the dark barn. “We’ll see the world Tom, you and me.” She spun around, “What do you think about heading to the coast first, we could hang out there a bit, check out the Lost Mountains, see the sights, you know!”
Tom couldn’t help but broaden his smile, “Don’t forget about seeing the ruins in the Longon Forests! They sound magical…” Tom stared off into the distance. Smiling, but feeling his stomach tighten as he thought’ve his mother finding his bed empty.

Chapter Eight: Connected
Leah slipped down the stairs, her dim candle barely lighting the way. She shivered at every step, but pressed forward.
She felt dozens of eyes press on her, whispers carrying through the dungeons like echoes. Leah let her eyes slip from one to the next, trying to keep calm as she met the eyes of one dangerous criminal to the next. She could only just keep her breathing steady.
She weaved through the dungeons, dodging guards, and tiptoeing down hill, deeper and deeper.
“Leah- Leah, you came for me…” Leah flipped around, two blood shot eyes stared back at her.
“Liza!” Leah called, rushing forward, her eyes widened at her sisters thin frame, her hair framing her hollow cheeks, bruises and scratches covering her body. “Liza, Liza, Oh my god… Did they do that to you?”
Liza laughed, it was a broken sound, and Leah barely resisted the urge to back up. “No- No, haha… I was running.” Liza’s face fell, and she peered at Leah. “I knew you’d come for me…” She whispered. “I waited for so long.”
Leah stared at her. “Liza. It’s only been a week.”
“Really?” Liza giggled, “Not to me. I’ve practically been in another world.”
“Liza, what’s wrong with you?” Liza just laughed, and Leah felt her heart stop. “Liza, what is it? What is it?”
Liza gazed at Leah through her cell. “It was a headache. I said.” She peered at her bruises. “No big deal, I said.” She stared at Leah, “And it just got worse. I had flashes.” She shivered, “Horrible flashes.” She looked into the distance, her eyes narrowing. “Our Mother betrayed us. Left us to die. How could she?”
“What are you talking about?” Cried Leah, “What happened? Why did you kill him?”
“He failed me.”
Leah stared at her, eyes widening, swelling with tears. She stumbled back, and stuttered. “It… Wasn’t an- accident?”
Liza leaned in close as Leah backed up against the wall. “Nothing is an accident, little Li. The world is bigger than you think, and I will not stop until I have it all.”

Chapter Nine: A Line Crossed
“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”
Li looked at Tom and laughed. “It was yours in the first place.”
They had been searching around the area for nearly an hour, looking for what they had hoped to be treasure, but Li was now surer than ever that they were on a wild goose chase.
“This isn’t getting us anywhere. Whadoya say we head ba-“
Li froze, listening closely.
“What is it, elephant?” Thomas asked, tugging at her ears, she slapped him away.
“Do you hear that?”
“The sound of my stomach?” He reached into his sack, and pulled out an apple, Li flipped around, and stared at him as he took a bite worthy of a giant. She snatched out of his hands and glared at him.
“How long have you had this?”
“Hey, give it back!”
“You could’ve shared, ya know?”
“I was! Right after I ate it.”
Li rolled her eyes, tossing the apple back to him. She slowly loosened up, and was about to again suggest that they should head back, when she heard the crunch of underbrush, and a figure appeared between the trees.
“I swear, Tristan, I’m fine. I can handle her, we just need to-“ The figure froze, spotting them, they took a few more steps forward into the light, the sun reflecting off her fair hair and fair skin, teal blue eyes shining bright, with shadows under her eyes. Li stared at her for a long moment, she looked a lot like herself, but taller, more sophisticated looking. She obviously wasn’t poor, but judging by her ribcage, she wasn’t exactly rich, either.
Her eyes searched Li and Thomas, who waved, and were slowly shuffling backwards.
“Stop!” The lady barked, pointing at the map in Li’s hand. “Where’d you get that?” She snapped.
Li froze, her stomach sinking. “I found it in the streets ma’am.” She said, trying to look as innocent as possible. “Why, is it important?”
“Give it to me.” The lady said, ignoring her question.
Li narrowed her eyes at her. Her gut was screaming at her, and all her alarms were shouting not to trust this lady. Ignoring her common sense, she slipped the paper into her pocket. “I don’t think I will.” She said, before turning, grabbing Thomas’s hand, and blasting off into the trees.
“Get them!” She heard the lady scream.
“Why’d you do that?” Shouted Thomas, but Li ignored them.
They bounced over rocks, dived under branches, and swerved around trees.
“Over here!” Said Thomas, pulling Li to the side. She didn’t see where they were going, but she trusted Thomas. “Jump!” He said, Li turned to look at him, eyes widening, as they fell down into what appeared to be a cave.
Li stood, her knees were scraped. She looked up, and saw they’d fallen maybe five feet, slid down a slope, and ended up here.
“Thomas? You Okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” He mumbled from beside her.
That’s when a blue glow caught her attention, she turned, and froze, eyes widening ‘till they made up a good portion of her face. “Thomas, tell me I’m not hallucinating.”
He stood up beside her, in equal shock, “What is that thing?” He asked.
“Looks like a crystal.” She took a tentative step towards it. “I wonder how much it’s worth.”
The object sat on the platform, glowing with an eerie light. It was in the shape of a diamond, and as Li got closers, whispers began to echo through the cave.
“-Another- World… Left us to die- Kill him.”
Li jolted back, she looked at Thomas, but he had a completely different expression on his face, his eyebrows were raised, and his fingers twitched toward the mysterious object.
“STOP!” A voice shouted, a sound of sliding, and a thud came from the entrance. Two shadows emerged. “Don’t touch it!”
Li turned on her heel, and stared in shock at the two figures, one was the lady.
“Little Li…” She said, her voice careful, and deadly silent. “You don’t know what you’re messing with here.”
Li jumped. “How do you know my name?”
The lady laughed. “I know many things Li, things you don’t realize. Come here, and I’ll let you leave this place alive.”
The voice from the crystal shouted this time. “The world is bigger than you think, little Li.”
She grasped the crystal.
She/Her
  





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Sat Oct 12, 2019 1:34 pm
Horisun says...



Chapter Nine: A Line Crossed
“Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.”
Li looked at Tom and laughed. “It was yours in the first place.”
They had been searching around the area for nearly an hour, looking for what they had hoped to be treasure, but Li was now surer than ever that they were on a wild goose chase.
“This isn’t getting us anywhere. Whadoya say we head ba-“
Li froze, listening closely.
“What is it, elephant?” Thomas asked, tugging at her ears, she slapped him away.
“Do you hear that?”
“The sound of my stomach?” He reached into his sack, and pulled out an apple, Li flipped around, and stared at him as he took a bite worthy of a giant. She snatched out of his hands and glared at him.
“How long have you had this?”
“Hey, give it back!”
“You could’ve shared, ya know?”
“I was! Right after I ate it.”
Li rolled her eyes, tossing the apple back to him. She slowly loosened up, and was about to again suggest that they should head back, when she heard the crunch of underbrush, and a figure appeared between the trees.
“I swear, Tristan, I’m fine. I can handle her, we just need to-“ The figure froze, spotting them, they took a few more steps forward into the light, the sun reflecting off her fair hair and fair skin, teal blue eyes shining bright, with shadows under her eyes. Li stared at her for a long moment, she looked a lot like herself, but taller, more sophisticated looking. She obviously wasn’t poor, but judging by her ribcage, she wasn’t exactly rich, either.
Her eyes searched Li and Thomas, who waved, and were slowly shuffling backwards.
“Stop!” The lady barked, pointing at the map in Li’s hand. “Where’d you get that?” She snapped.
Li froze, her stomach sinking. “I found it in the streets ma’am.” She said, trying to look as innocent as possible. “Why, is it important?”
“Give it to me.” The lady said, ignoring her question.
Li narrowed her eyes at her. Her gut was screaming at her, and all her alarms were shouting not to trust this lady. Ignoring her common sense, she slipped the paper into her pocket. “I don’t think I will.” She said, before turning, grabbing Thomas’s hand, and blasting off into the trees.
“Get them!” She heard the lady scream.
“Why’d you do that?” Shouted Thomas, but Li ignored them.
They bounced over rocks, dived under branches, and swerved around trees.
“Over here!” Said Thomas, pulling Li to the side. She didn’t see where they were going, but she trusted Thomas. “Jump!” He said, Li turned to look at him, eyes widening, as they fell down into what appeared to be a cave.
Li stood, her knees were scraped. She looked up, and saw they’d fallen maybe five feet, slid down a slope, and ended up here.
“Thomas? You Okay?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.” He mumbled from beside her.
That’s when a blue glow caught her attention, she turned, and froze, eyes widening ‘till they made up a good portion of her face. “Thomas, tell me I’m not hallucinating.”
He stood up beside her, in equal shock, “What is that thing?” He asked.
“Looks like a crystal.” She took a tentative step towards it. “I wonder how much it’s worth.”
The object sat on the platform, glowing with an eerie light. It was in the shape of a diamond, and as Li got closers, whispers began to echo through the cave.
“-Another- World… Left us to die- Kill him.”
Li jolted back, she looked at Thomas, but he had a completely different expression on his face, his eyebrows were raised, and his fingers twitched toward the mysterious object.
“STOP!” A voice shouted, a sound of sliding, and a thud came from the entrance. Two shadows emerged. “Don’t touch it!”
Li turned on her heel, and stared in shock at the two figures, one was the lady.
“Little Li…” She said, her voice careful, and deadly silent. “You don’t know what you’re messing with here.”
Li jumped. “How do you know my name?”
The lady laughed. “I know many things Li, things you don’t realize. Come here, and I’ll let you leave this place alive.”
The voice from the crystal shouted this time. “The world is bigger than you think, little Li.”
She grasped the crystal.

Chapter Ten: My Choice
“It’s ready to go.” Tom was absently looking over his shoulder, at the house at the end of the rocky road, everyone in their bed, asleep. “Tom, do you have everything?” He snapped back to attention.
“Oh, oh, yeah, I do.” Ara grinned at him.
“Alright, then, hop on! Next steps the world!” Tom chuckled quietly, and pulled himself into the car. It dipped slightly as he stepped onto it, making him feel dizzy.
Ara slipped into the drivers seat, and turned the keys. The car roared to life. “Onwards!” She shouted silently. A grin on her face.
“Onwards.” Tom agreed.
Slowly, the car rolled into motion, faster, and faster-
A light flickered on back at the house.
Toms eyes widened. “Ara, stop the car.” He said.
“What?” Ara looked at him, eyebrows raised, “Why?”
“Please!”
The car screeched to a halt, Tom opened the car door, and stepped out back onto the ground, he met Ara’s eyes, whose were wide.
“I can’t… Ara, I’m sorry, but I can’t.”
“What? Tom… But-?” Tears slid down her cheeks.
Tom looked away, “I’m sorry Ara, but I love my family, and this isn’t what I want.” He looked up slightly, but was careful to avoid her eyes, but he still saw trembling lips, “You go, you see the world, that’s what you want.”
Ara didn’t say anything, Tom heard the car roar to life once more, and he backed away, towards the edge of the road. The door slammed shut, and with a cloud of dust, the car disappeared over the horizon.

Chapter Eleven: Insane
It was as if someone pinched a part of her brain. A shock was sent up her spine, and her legs buckled. For a moment, reality seemed to bend. She saw the women, but she was gaunt and on the ground. She saw her hands, but they were prim and perfect. She looked at Thomas, but she couldn’t see Thomas. She screamed.
And the next thing she knew, she was lying on her rough cot back in the shop, Thomas hovered over her, shaking her.
Li sat up, clutching her head, wondering if it had all been a dream. “What happened?” She asked.
“You passed out after you grabbed that crystal. Then you started screaming, for someone I think… Garden? Is that a name? I don’t think it is.”
Li tried to stand up, but her legs wobbled, and she collapsed back onto the ground. “How’d we get out?” She asked. Thomas blushed, and looked down at the ground.
“She told us that if we let her have the crystal, she’d let us go.” Li sighed. “Hey, to be fair, you were passed out, and on the ground, there were two of them, one had a dagger, and no other exits! Besides, she gave us a piece of warm bread!” He said, Li looked around, licking her lips, and Thomas chuckled nervously, “Yeah, but I ate it.”
Li shrieked, “You greedy little pig!” She punched him playfully.
“What? I was hungry!” Thomas laughed. “Besides, I got you soup.”
Li laughed and rolled her eyes, “It’d better not be the kind Old Nico sells.”
“What? It’s cheaper!” He said, pulling over a line green soup with what looked like worms and rat tails floating around in it.
“That is worse than last time! How is that edible?”
Thomas shrugged, and slurped it down. “I don’t know, but it tastes pretty good! You should give it a shot sometime.”
“You are disgusting. How much did you spend on it this time?” Li asked.
“Less than the shops sell them for, at least.”
Li snorted. She lied back down, and closed her eyes, colors danced behind her eye lids, forming a ceiling, a different ceiling. She wondered if she was dreaming. She rolled over, and walked over to a mirror, she saw herself in the mirror, but she screamed. That was odd.
What was odder still, is the reflection didn’t scream.
“Who are you?” She demanded.
“I’m me.” Li said.
She froze, or, whoever this was did. “No, tell me your name!” She said, someone said.
“Li.”
Was she having a conversation with herself? That was certainly odd.
She, or whoever, backed up and fell onto her bed, her hand on her forehead. “Have I gone mad, is going mad contagious?”
Li opened her eyes. She rubbed them several times and pushed herself from her bed. She stood up, and looked into her battered old full length mirror, Even if it was cracked and stained, it still cost a good amount of savings to get it. She rolled her shoulders back, and opened and closed her mouth. She was her, good.
Chapter Thirteen: Mirror, Mirror
Leah stared at her mirror, she barely let herself blink. Maybe she’d fallen asleep? That had to be it. She couldn’t have simply imagined a whole conversation with herself.
The girl looked familiar, very familiar. They could’ve been sisters. Except they couldn’t have been, because she was so dirty. She was covered in grime, and wearing tattered old cloths. It was odd. When she spoke, her voice seemed to echo in Leah’s head, making it throb with pain.
The sun set, and darkness was cast over her room, she closed her eyes, and leaned back in the chair she was sitting in.
Almost instantly, she began to dream.
She was reaching her hands into a hurried old ladies purse, and pulling out a coin. She grinned to herself, and ran back to an old building, gripping it in her hand, resisting the urge to toss it to the starving Mother and her children.
“Score!” She shouted as she ran inside, showing a boy the coin. The boy grinned.
“That’ll pay for all our meals for the next week-ish! Who carries around a Trum around with them anyway?”
“Purple People do.” She said, glancing in the mirror.
And she saw herself, yet she paled.
The coin clattered to the ground as she stepped towards the mirror.
The boy looked at her, obviously confused. “What is it?” He asked, standing next to her, yet she couldn’t see him in the mirror.
“You- you don’t see that?” She asked. “She looks like me, she has my eyes… But-“
It dawned on her that this was the girl she’d seen.
Her eyes flew open.
She/Her
  





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Sun Oct 20, 2019 5:46 pm
Horisun says...



Chapter Fourteen: What He Chose
Thomas sat, sprawled out on his bed. He tried to breath normally, but every time he thought if her, it was like a stab in the chest.
She can take care of herself. He knew that, but it didn't stop him from thinking about it.
His door created open, and his sister, Mia, walked in. She had a game of Camel Go clutched to her chest.
She added up to his bed, and slid the game on, before climbing like a monkey up onto the mattress.
"Play?" She asked, an innocent smile on her face.
Thomas sat up and smiled, "Alright." He said, "but you know I am going to beat you, right?"
"Nuh uh!" Mia said, shaking her head like a wet dog.
"We will see." Thomas laughed as he set up the game.
They played for a long while, they had time for two rounds, before their Mom called them,down stairs for lunch.
Mia dashed downstairs. "Mommy, Mommy, I beat Thomas in Camel Go!" She squealed.
"That is great, sweetie." Their Mom said.
Thomas slid into his seat. He breathed in the smell of chicken, smiling slightly.
"This looks great, Mom." He said.
"I know." She winked at him.
His Dad walked in, and gave his Mom a kiss on the cheek, before dropping into the chair. "You have outdone yourself this time, honey."
His Mom sat down next to him, "Thanks! I think I am getting the hang of cpoking!"
His Dad smiled, "Thank you, too, without you, we would probably be 9n the ground starving."
"I can make pretty good cookies." Thomas volunteered.
Everyone laughed, and started eating.
His Dad sobered, "Thomas, I have something important to tell you..." Thomas looked up, Ara instantly coming to mind. "Ara has disappeared."
He tried to look shocked, then worried. That part wasn't as hard.
"I know you would've told us, but her dad-" sudden flash backs to a loud slap, and a little girl crying in an empty barn, her face red with tears and something else. "-wanted me to ask if she said anything to you, or if you know anything,"
Thomas gulped down his food, and shook his head. "N-no, she never said anything to me." He placed his hands in his lap, and looked down.
His Mom took his hand, and squeezed it reassuringly. "Don't worry, we'll find her." She whispered.
It was like a punch to the gut.
Chapter Sixteen: Just Plain Insane
For the next couple of days, their wasn't too many incidents, she did sometimes have odd dreams, a weird thought pop into her head, or a glimpse of someone else in the mirror.
That was the scariest part. It made her stomach clench when she thought about it... Maybe she was posessed by an evil spirit? Maybe it was the same spirit that was in her sister.
She shook again.
She hurried downstairs to breakfast.
Since she was young, she had always found it amusing that her Dad would sit on one end if the table, and her Mom would sit at the other end, with her on the middle. Her parents found it funny too, and when it was just them and some guards, theyd pretend to yell across the table.
Today, however, everyone was lost 8n their own thoughts, and for the first time in Leahs memory, her parents were sitting side by side during informal meals. They were white as paper, and clutched each other, not exchanging a word.
"What happened?" She asked slowly.
Her Dad looked up, his prized beard all frayed, and dark shadows under his almond eyes. "You’re Mother and I went to see your sister." He shook his head. "She- she is gone... Not an ounce of sanity..." A tear rolled down his cheek as he pulled Leah in for a bear hug.
Leah shook, her eyes widening, and fear stabbing her in the back again and again. Her Mother joined the hug, her face carefully hidden, but face just as pale.
"It'll be alright... It will be all right." Someone mumbled.
For the first time since the dance, she felt safe, wrapped the the arms of her parents, she wasn't scared.
It was like someone pricked her brain with a needle.
She shouted out, it felt like sunlight leaking through a sheet. She clutched her head and fell back, her eyes rolled into her head, and darkness enveloped her.

Chapter Fifteen: Understand
Li ran her fingers through her hair, and paced the room, Tom watched her, with a bewildered expression on his face. “Are you Okay, Li? You’ve been at it for, what? An hour?”
Li glanced up, “What?”
“I said you’ve been drilling a whole in our floor for nearly an hour.” He stood up, and walked up to her, “Are you Okay? You have been acting… Off, lately.”
Li shook her head, “No, no, I’m fine…” She said.
“Are you sure- maybe we should-“
Li shouted out, grabbing her head in both hands, it was like someone pressed a dagger to her brain.
“Li!”
Li pushed him away, and turned, squeezing her eyes shut. Images crammed into her head, a billion memories that shouldn’t be hers forcing their way in.
Tom grabbed her wrist, “Li! Why are you screaming?”
She reached up with her other hand, and touched her cheek, it was wet. “I- I was screaming?” She asked with her eyes wide.
“Bloody murder.” Tom growled. “We need to see someone about this.”
“You know we can’t.” She said.
“Why?”
Li flipped to face him, putting up one finger, “We don’t have the funds,” She put up a second finger, “They’d take us back to the orphanage,” And then she put up a third finger, “I’m fine, it’s just a head ache.”
Dry, cracked fingers reaching through bars…
“Little Li…”
Left us… Left us… All alone…
Her face… She knew the face. It looked like hers… Like the person, she knew that face.
Her eyes flew open, “I need to get back to that cave.”
She/Her
  








In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on.
— Robert Frost