Ready to Leap

Raven snatched her backpack from the floor by her bed, eyes quickly checking that it had everything she needed before running down the stairs. Jasmine and Emily still sat in the living room, Emily tracing the rotting fabric on the couch while Jasmine stared out the window.

“Are you two coming?”

When they both turned to her, Emily as confused as ever and Jasmine’s dark brown eyes searching Raven’s for an answer, she let out a sigh. She was a few months younger than Jasmine, but she sometimes wondered if it was more than age that separated them.

“We have to go see Anna.”

The statement hung in the air and Raven wrapped her hands around the straps of her bag. She knew that Anna, with her too short brown hair, made them feel safe, and that was a feeling the three of them had almost forgotten.

“Yeah, but she said we should have a day for ourselves.”

“I’d rather go than stay here,” Raven said, unable to keep the frustration from her voice.

“We’re always there,” Jasmine continued. “It’s not mandatory for us to go there every day and train as if we were about to fight a war. We’re twelve, you know.”

“I’m nine,” Emily put in, turning her head as she looked at them both.

“Don’t you think we should act our age every once in a while?”

“For what?” Raven snapped. “No one takes a break, you heard Anna and the Order. Every moment counts and since the guy after us scares most of them I’d rather be with someone who could protect me than be around a bunch of people he could kill.”

“They said he wouldn’t kill those without magick-”

“Look at what he did to our parents!”

Jasmine averted her eyes, hiding the tears that had gathered there, but Raven didn’t notice. All Raven could think about was her parents screaming in pain as Gabriel laugh. She glared at Jasmine as her fury mounted, forcing herself to calm down once she felt the familiar itch she was learning to use. Turning to Emily, she asked, “Want to come with me?”

Her green eyes sparkled as she smiled up at Raven, nodding before sending a curious glance towards Jasmine who still hadn’t moved from her spot by the window. “You’re coming with us, right?”

When Jasmine continued to stare at the back of the couch, Emily eyed them both, recognizing the way Raven set her jaw. Uncertainty flitted through Emily and she reached for Raven’s hand. The girl looked surprised, but didn’t pull away. A small sigh escaping her lips as the warmth travelled from one girl to the other.

“H-how long do you think you’ll be gone?” Jasmine asked, stepping away from the window and following them to the door.

For a moment, it seemed Raven hadn’t heard her, but before she opened the door, Raven muttered, “As long as I can.”

Emily wasn’t sure why the two girls were upset with each other and as the door closed behind them, she used her free hand to tuck some of her stray hair behind her ear. “Why isn’t she coming with us?”

“She just needs some time to think.”

“Are we going to see her again?”

Raven didn’t meet the girl’s eyes as she shrugged; stopping once they stood behind the run-down building. “Do you remember last time we were here with Anna?” At the girl’s nod, she smiled. “Good. You’re going to have to hold my hand, just like you held hers, ok?” She felt Emily wrap both hands firmly around hers, her fragile fingers squeezing with as much force as she could manage.

Sending up a small prayer, Raven closed her eyes and faded back to the mansion Anna had called her own. She knew it was nothing more than sheer luck that she’d made it there, and after a quick assessment, felt proud to see herself, her belongings and Emily, all in one piece. The air stirred and Raven looked up curiously, her honey brown eyes meeting a pair of blue ones almost instantly.

“What are you doing here?”

Raven stepped away from him, her hands instinctively pushing Emily behind her.

“I-it’s me, Raven,” she stuttered, trying to guide the energy within her as his glare intensified.

“Why are you here?” he snarled, stepping closer to her.

“I-I just...” Her eyes shot around the house while tears threatened to spill. “I came to see Anna.”

Instead of relaxing as Raven expected, the teenage boy before her grew more furious. His dark blue eyes brightened and her pulse threatened to give out on her. She knew what happened when people’s eyes brightened like that. She’d seen and experienced it less than a week ago. She could feel the energy swirling in the room and she opened her mouth, trying to tell him to stop, but no sound would come out.

“Stop it!” Emily yelled, surprising Raven and the boy in front of her. The moment he stared at her, though, Emily screamed and he flew backwards, crashing into the wall behind him.

Seeing his body crumple on the floor, Raven grabbed Emily’s hand and ran in the opposite direction. She didn’t know what was going on. This was supposed to be her sanctuary. Instead she found herself running through the halls, tears streaming down her face when her eyes recognized the dead bodies of other children her age. She wanted to find Anna, to help her if she could, but she also wanted to get out safely. The one thing she was sure of was the gut feeling that warned her to stay away from that boy.

Emily didn’t say a word as they rushed through the main living room and went through the kitchen, getting lost in the mansion’s multiple rooms. There were too many bedrooms, some remained empty while others had splashes of blood, and Raven wondered who could’ve had the power to cause so much damage in a safe house as they ran down a flight of stairs. She felt energy swirl in the air and made a sharp turn down the hallway, Emily keeping up only by holding on to Raven’s hand.

“Anna,” Raven gasped as she saw Ana lying on the ground, a man standing over her. “Anna!” she yelled, letting go of Emily’s hand and rushing over to her.

“Is this the girl?” the man drawled, pressing his boot-clad foot into Anna’s ribs.

“No,” Anna gasped, using the energy around her to throw up a barrier just as the man tossed a ball of fire at the girls. It exploded against the barrier and the girls screamed, Raven stumbling back before moving to stand in front of Emily.

The man eyed Anna, a cruel smirk on his lips as he leaned down and pulled her up by her hair. “I love the fight in you, but I’m afraid I don’t have the time to play right now.” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a thin string that he placed around her neck. A warning growl escaped his lips when she tried struggling against him. “Try anything, my sweet, and your little girls will wish Gabriel had taken them.”

“Let her go!” Raven yelled, her eyes beginning to itch as energy swirled around her. When the man simply gave her an amused stare, Raven pushed all the energy she could feel at him, watching as he took a few steps back before laughing.

“Is that all you can do, girl?”

Cheeks burning, Raven tried gathering even more energy, but Emily’s scream distracted her and when she turned back, she saw the same teenager from earlier, his hand wrapped firmly around Emily’s neck.

“Daniel?” Anna whispered, tears spilling from her eyes.

“Didn’t you know?” the man holding her asked. “Daniel’s my son.” When Anna remained silent, he laughed. “Oh, Anna, you always were far too trusting.” She flinched when his mouth descended on hers, the string around her neck glowing and making her cry out. “You see, Anna,” the man said, “you’re mine, now.”

The teenager, Daniel, interrupted his father bluntly. “We’ve been here too long, sir.” When Raven stepped towards him, he sneered and squeezed until Emily started clawing at his hands. “Don’t.”

Feeling more helpless than ever, Raven turned back to Anna, only to feel a pair of hands around her neck. Eyes wide, she looked up and saw Daniel sneering down at her.

“Emily,” she gasped, pulling at his hands until she felt a sharp sting across her face.

“How stupid can you be, turning your back on your enemy?”

“Emily,” she repeated, trying to look around him and locate the younger girl.

“No.” There was a sudden silence as everyone turned towards the new voice. “How stupid can you be, playing with someone else’s toys?”