Young Writers Society

Here is chapter 1. Please let me know what you think? Would greatly appreciate it. Thinking about changing the title to "The Fallen" it sounds better. If you haven't read the prologue yet then you probably should.

CHAPTER 1

Three years later

It is a dark night, an unusual feeling about the air. Constant chills race along my skin, causing my teeth to chatter. Something isn’t right. But is there ever really a time when something is right? I let my eyes travel up past the dark sky to something far darker in comparison; a shadow that lurks above the Earth with a silent promise of impending doom.

It is something not visible to others. Only I am able to see it, along with the dark creatures that roam the earth, preying on the souls of all living beings. Time and time again, I have seen countless lost souls devoured by the dark creatures; men, women, children, even animals. My heart aches for them, yet I do not attempt to save them; though that is the only reason I was born. There is no other purpose for my sad existence. Though I try my hardest to evade my dreadful fate, I understand that destiny will have its way no matter what.

“No! Let go of me!” The cry comes several feet ahead of me; A cry of a young girl.

“Now, hush girl, you won't feel a thing.” A man laughs.

I silently turn myself around, forcing my legs to move away from the sounds of the terrible scene, though I feel my heart being tugged in that direction.

“Aren’t you going to do something?” The sudden voice causes my thoughts to scatter. Startled, I come to an immediate stop.

I turn toward the voice, but there is no one there. I shut my eyes and concentrate my entire being on my surroundings. To my right there is a bird resting in a tree. To my left, there is a bull frog hiding amongst the bushes, along with several insects. Behind me there is. . . .

I whirl around to find myself face to face with the owner of the deep voice. Enticing blue eyes stare down at me with wonder. I gaze at the boy who looks to be four years older than me. His hair is a dark brown, he stands at least six foot tall, his body is well built, and his clothes....

“Who are you?” I demand as I stare at his unusual clothing.

“That is not very important at the moment.” He suddenly snatches my hand. “You are going the wrong way.”

Before I am able to respond, the air around me begins to shift and change. I stare at him, only now realizing that his presence is somewhat different from any other human being and his hand is cold as ice. Who is he? What is he?

The questions are on the tip of my tongue when I am abruptly being turned and pushed forward by his large hands. I take in my surroundings, which have changed. What did he do?

“Please, someone.” It is that girl again.

She is only a few inches away from me now. There is an older man also. He is bending over her, where she lay sprawled on the ground. She is trying to get away, but she is obviously weak. She’s hurt and looks exhausted. My heart gives a lurch of pain. I could save her; I could kill the man, who is in fact not even a man at all. He is actually one of the dark creatures, who have taken on the form of a human, whose unfortunate soul must have been devoured.

Only I am able to see past the horrible disguise and end his life. I don’t want this though. I never asked to be the one. I only want to live a normal life. Destiny…Fate…who decides that stuff anyway? Whatever happened to free will?

“You have to do something, or she will die.”

I glance at the boy who’d obviously, somehow, teleported me to this spot. His face is expressionless and remains that way, even as a light appears in my hand, taking on the shape of a sword. I sigh and turn my eyes back to the dark creature. I guess I have no other choice but to kill it.

It is over before it ever even has the chance to begin. My movements are quick and my sword easily slices through the dark creature’s existence. I watch through squinted eyes as the man falls to the ground, his body taking on the form of a small being whose body is made up of only darkness. It then turns to dust right before my eyes and I turn away, leaving the frightened girl with the scene engraved in her mind.

I search my surroundings for the unusual boy who’d somehow, without even really trying, talked me into destroying the dark creature. He is nowhere in sight. I close my eyes and once again release my inner- being into my surroundings, but there is no trace of his presence. It doesn’t really surprise me, nothing does anymore.

“Oh well.” I whisper to myself as I allow the sword of light, which is actually an extension of my soul, to vanish. I then continue on my walk home, where an incomplete family awaits me, forcing myself to forget my own inevitable fate.

“I’m home!” My voice echoes throughout the large house, twenty minutes later. I don’t wait for a response as I make my way up the staircase to the second floor and into the first room on the right, which is mine. I collapse onto the twin size bed and shut my eyes, allowing a much needed sleep to take me.

It’s dark and cold. I am afraid, yet somehow very calm. There is someone holding my hand, whispering in my ear that it’ll be alright. It’s him, the person closest to me. He’s afraid also. I can feel his fear, yet he truly believes that everything will be alright. If only I were more like him. Suddenly someone is crying, fear radiating from their voice. If they don’t stop, our position will be given away and it will all be over.

I am surprised when the boy holding my hand suddenly clamps his other hand over my mouth. The cries cease, but it is already too late, I realize, as I notice the shadow that looms over us. The man is behind us. Abruptly there are another pair of hands on me, but not as warm as the others. I am suddenly being pulled away from him. My eyes are wide with terror as my hand slips from his.

“Brother!”

I awake startled. I’m drenched in sweat, and my breathing is quicker than usual. I climb from my bed, forcing my mind away from the unwanted memories of three years ago, when my life had changed so tremendously in only a matter of minutes.

Tears fill my eyes as I allow my gaze to find the picture that sits on a white shelf across the room. Two small children, of only twelve, sit with their arms around each other. On the left is a boy, his hair is blond and his eyes a light green, and on the right is a girl, her hair is blond and her eyes a light green also. I stare at the twins, my heart aching.

“I miss you, brother.” My voice is heavy with emotion. Three years have passed since his untimely death, three long hard years. That was the night when it all began, when I suddenly became aware of the dark creatures that roamed the earth. That night when I’d first woken up I’d somehow known they would be there. Then there were the unusual powers that I possess. I can easily extend my soul, making it take on any form I like. I can also sense things that others cannot.

The dark creatures, is what I call them. They thrive on human souls. I still don’t completely understand what they are, or where they come from, but I do know that I have to destroy them. I have to, but I do not wish to. I want my brother back. I want to live a normal life. I do not wish for the ability to see and sense other beings.

I climb from my bed and make my way to the adjoining bathroom. I start the shower, and then I stare into the small mirror. My Hair is a mess of long blond curls and my green eyes have dark circles under them. I look terrible.

I force my eyes away and begin to strip away my clothing. I am wearing nothing but my orange tank top and a pair of light pink panties when I catch the sudden movement in the mirror. I find myself staring into the enticing blue eyes of the guy from earlier, but when I jerk my head around, he is no longer there.

“Now I'm going crazy.” I whisper to myself as I finish undressing, covering myself with a towel, just in case.

The water feels good as it races along my skin, its warmth spreading throughout my body. For the moment I am able to forget everything and relax. It feels wonderful, but, as always, all good things must come to an end.

I am forced to remember, when I suddenly feel the overwhelming presence of one of the dark creatures. I shut my eyes tightly trying to block out the sudden images that swarm my mind. There is a child; a small boy. He’s afraid. There is something terrible coming at him. He hides, but it is only a matter of time…

I shut the shower off and climb out. Wrapping the towel around my body I burst through the bathroom door and into my room. My heart seems to stop and then speed at what I find there, waiting.

“Aren’t you going to save the boy?”

I stare into a pair of piercing blue eyes, my body immobilized. Time seems to be frozen. There is only him and me. I feel my heart skip a beat as he walks towards me. We’re suddenly only an inch apart from each other. He’s so close, yet somehow, I feel he’s far away.

His eyes are abruptly traveling over my body, causing an unusual heat to race along my skin. With flaming cheeks, I suddenly become aware of my appearance. I turn away and rush back into the bathroom. I slam the door and fall to my knees, my eyes wild with shock, which eventually turns to anger.

“Aren’t you going to save the boy?” He repeats the question as he materializes before me, his eyes hard.

“Who are you? And why the hell are you in my room?” I scream out as I rush to my feet holding the towel tightly around my body.

“You must save him. It is your duty.” His expression is emotionless yet his eyes are deep with sadness as he vanishes.

“My duty?” I yell into the empty space around me. “Who the hell decided that? It’s my life! Mine!” My voice grows weak. “No one else chooses my fate, but me.”

“So, for your own selfishness, you will let that boy’s very soul be devoured?” His voice is there, but he is not. I shut my eyes, images of the child entering my mind. He is still hiding, and the dark creature is still searching….

* * *

My mind is a battle field of warring emotions as I race down the dark alleyway that will lead me to the dark creature and its unfortunate prey. I want to save the boy yet I also want no part in it at all. I’m confused. I don’t know what to do anymore. For three years I’d somehow avoided most of the dark creatures, destroying only the ones who’d had the nerve to prey upon me. Now, I am defying every vow I had, once upon a time, made to myself. To walk hand in hand with destiny; it was everything I’d worked so hard to evade.

“There is nowhere else for you to go, boy. Now be a nice kid and be still!”

I come to an abrupt halt. Two feet ahead of me is the dark creature disguised as a beautiful woman. My heart sinks in my chest as my eyes find the small boy. He looks like he is only six years old. His eyes are wide with fear. There is blood trickling down the side of his head and tears rolling down his flushed cheeks.

The creature moves toward him, and without a thought in my head I extend my soul, forcing it to take on the shape of a sword. I race forward and within two seconds the dark creature’s life vanishes.

Seconds pass, turning into minutes. I stand frozen, gazing into the light green eyes of the boy before me. He is hesitant, but he smiles at me; and in that smile, I suddenly find myself. This is what I was born for, to protect those who need protecting; men, women, children, and even animals. If someone had been there to protect my brother and me, then he would still be here, and my family and I would be able to smile with true happiness. This is my fate; my unfortunate destiny, which I am suddenly ready to embrace.

“I knew that you would come.” The boy’s voice is soft as he races towards me, throwing his arms around my waist.

“Huh?” I mumble, slightly shocked.

“I see you in my dreams almost every night.” He smiles up at me.

“He is able to see the future through his dreams. You shall meet others similar to him. Your destiny is linked with theirs.”

I look up to find the guy from earlier. Letting his words sink in, I look back down at the little boy, who is obviously unaware of our strange company. This boy is able to see the future. He’d known all along that I would come for him. But how did this guy know this to be the truth? I look back up to demand an answer for his wide range of knowledge, but once again he is gone; and I am left wondering.