Eclipse chapter one:the siblings

Eclipse

Chapter 1:The siblings

"It was said the moon and sun could never coexist, that they can only chase after each other but can never reach each other but when they perfectly align no one can stop them.”

*1991 Japan, Hiroshima city*

The sun’s rays slowly dimmed. The wind howled, scattering the dry autumn leaves across rows of parked cars.

The city was quiet except the occasional sound of footsteps walking past or the hum of vending machines and light from houses that were starting to dwindle by every passing minute. Only a few dared to walk the streets since Hiroshima is known for its crime after dark.

St Maria’s Orphanage (nicknamed “The house for the lost”) was quiet in the fading evening light, the dull hum of water seeping through the paper-thin walls.

Margaret lay on the worn-out couch, dreading another grueling day of cleaning the orphanage and caring for the children who shouldn’t even be her responsibility. It’s not like she hated the kids – she actually loved them dearly – but juggling two jobs at once with being expected to make no mistakes was exhausting.

But before she could get lost in thought, she heard a soft tap at the door. She sluggishly dragged herself to the door. “Who is it?” she groaned, rubbing her eyes.

She opened the door. “Who is i–” but her words froze in her throat.

A young boy, no older than six, stood at the door. He was shivering and his feet lacked shoes. He looked starved, his clothes were held together using tape instead of thread. He had dark emerald eyes rimmed with shadows and rough, untamed black hair that shone under the porch light.

On his frail neck hung an oversized gold necklace with a pendant that resembled a crescent moon and in his arms was a baby girl that looked no older than eighteen months silently resting with the same fiery hair and eyes as the boy and lying on her chest was another gold pendant resembling the sun.

“Can… you help us?” the boy whispered

Margaret ushered them inside, wishing to ask hundreds of questions, but she controlled herself and sat the boy down with the baby.

“So what’s your name?” Margaret said, “If you're ready to talk.”

“M-My name? My name is Asuka and she is Mika.” he said, pointing at the baby who looked like it was starting to wake.

Margaret sipped her tea slowly and placed it back on the table “So Asuka,” She started “My name is Margaret and I have a few questions. First, where did you come from and secondly, why did you come here?”

Asuka looked at her, his face trembling. “ T-To escape…” he managed to whisper out.

Margaret put her hand on his shoulder “Escape from what?”

“I–I don’t know… I don’t even remember my own parents… I don't remember basically anything.

There was a facility.

People were shouting. Blood everywhere. And… and a woman that looked really injured told me to run and take the baby that she called Mika and that she is my sister. She looked scared… and she looked like me and Mika and I think she was my mum.”

But before Margaret could reply someone was coming down the stairs.

House Matron Hans descended elegantly, her dark nightgown trailing behind her. She looked up, her sharp eyes laying on Asuka and the sleeping Mika and her face twisted into disgust.

“I take a thirty-minute rest Margaret, thirty!” She snapped “And in only half an hour you bring two random strays off the street and into MY orphanage!”

“I-I'm sorry house matron but they were just outside. I couldn’t just leave them there.” Margaret nervously insisted “And.. I-I was thinking of letting them stay here. We are an orp-”

“You expect me to add another TWO of those into this madhouse!” She hissed “We’re already short with funds and you're trying to add MORE mouths to feed. Absolutely not, I forbid it!”

Margaret’s teacup trembled in her hands “Please house matron I’ll do anything, I’ll do more chores around the house or y-you can lower my pay but please house matron don’t just send these kids onto the street,”

Miss Hans sighed through gritted teeth “Fine, they can stay. But pity isn’t free, we can’t do this to every stray that knocks,"

Margaret nodded.

Margaret led Asuka and the sleeping Mika up to a small dimly lit room with two beds crammed next to the wall.

“Asuka, this will be your room that you’ll share with another boy, sorry it’s a bit small." Margaret said

“W-What about Mika?” Asuka said, his face trembling, “Please don’t split us up, I have to protect her.”

“She has to stay in the infants’ section but that doesn’t mean you won’t see her, it's only when she’s sleeping so during the day you can play and talk with her all you like.” Margaret said

Asuka nodded and Margaret left the room.

Asuka put his head in his hands. Without holding Mika he felt empty but then just moments later the door creaked open again and a boy around Asuka’s age walked in.

He strode in like he owned the place. But behind all that confidence Asuka could sense a small flicker of fear. He had dark blue hair tied in a bun, his eyes were mismatched one green and the other blue and he wore a white headband.

“Margaret! There’s a random kid in my room.” The boy screamed

“No!” Asuka corrected “I’m new to this place Margaret told me to stay here.”

The boy stared at him for a long time and then came closer and outstretched his hand

“Hi I’m Hachiro, what's your name?”

Asuka took his hand “I’m Asuka”

“So Asuka, why are you here?”

“I-I don’t know. I don’t remember anything.”

“Wait, what do you mean you don’t know?” Hachiro questioned “You don’t look rich so how’d you get that necklace? It doesn’t look fake”

“I just don’t know! I can’t remember anything.”

Hachiro looked at him and chuckled “You're strange Asuka, I like that, wanna be my friend?”

Asuka smiled “Sure”

“Ok new friend come with me.” Hachiro said leaping out the window

Asuka looked out the window and said “What are you doing Hachiro?!”

“We’re going somewhere, just jump!” Hachiro said

Asuka hesitated for a moment, then smiled. For the first time that night, he smiled.

“You’re insane!” Asuka chuckled and jumped out the window

The boys landed on a soft patch of grass and Hachiro ushered him to a spot behind the orphanage. He led him to an open field and said “Come sit down Asuka.”

“Why are we here, Hachiro?”

“Asuka.. you're my first friend. All the other kids think I am weird because I have a lot of energy or that I’m cursed because my eyes are ‘odd’, even my own mother looked at me like that. But you.. you, you're the first to accept me so I promise when I become king you’ll be the first I’ll help.”

“King?” Asuka questioned “King of what?”

“It’s an expression, ‘king’ just means the person people look up to and I’ll be a symbol for people, a symbol for everyone all around the world that they never have to be afraid or run from anything. It’s not for the money or the fame it’s so no one has to feel fear ever again.

“Wow Hachiro that’s.. that’s an amazing dream.”

“What about you Asuka? What’s your dream?”

Asuka looked up to the stars where the moon shined down making his gold pendant glisten in the moonlight.

“I-I don’t know yet.”