Siblings of Sorrow

"What... How did that start playing?" Amanda said in a quick, hoarse voice. She was scared out of her wits, as if a the hand of a cold dead corpse had touched her hand. Her wide blue eyes were fixated on Vandelay, who gave a tiny smirk.

"You are not the only one with a gift," Vandelay said as the needle was lifted without a finger. "There are plenty of people with skills beyond that of the typical human fare. Sure, we are the minority but we do exist. Some people with these endowments don't even realize they have them and live generally happy lives, aided by their special talent. Others view their power as a curse rather than a blessing."

Amanda looked at her teacher blankly. She racked her brain for anything which might confirm or totally disprove her mentor's statement. Of course conventional logic disproved the whole thing entirely. Clearly he's been around too many marker fumes. But her dreams were very real. Once she dreamed of a car crash and the next week in the paper was a description of the exact accident she had dreamed about. As it turned out, the man that started the collision was her father, who she hadn't seen since her parent's split when she was two. She knew the date and cause of her grandfather's death when she was ten years old. He had died the day after her fourteenth birthday when he overdosed on pain-killers he had been stealing from other patients in the hospital he had been in and out of for the last five years. The fact that her dreams seemed to support his statement. She then remembered an incident that happened when she was about seven.



The fair was back for another year. It was held, as usual, by the waterfront which their hometown was well known for. The smell of popcorn and the ocean filled the air, and a four year old was romping across the boardwalk having a jolly good time. She ran from her mother in a child-like sport, her mother calling her while the child slipped past the people playing games. Tossing balloons and rings at designated areas seemed to pale in comparison to the childish pleasure received from defiance. While hiding behind a food stand, clutching her face and giggling in childish glee, the young girl was approached by a man in a clean black suit and hat. His jacket had a chest with a creature like a lion but with the face of a eagle.

"Hello, there. Are you Amanda Harris?" The man had asked, leaning in.

"Yep," the girl whispered. "I'm hiding from my mommy." The girl smiled. The man grinned at the little girl.

"Hi, I'm Mr. Goodmen," the young man said. "I knew your daddy. You know, you are a special kid Amanda. They're hundreds of people in the world with special powers that can make them do magical things."

"Really?" Amanda asked, her mouth agape and eyes wide, focused on the man and his bright green eyes,

"Yep. And we believe that your daddy might have given you some powers. He was a magician," Mr. Goodmen said.

"I don't see my daddy. My mommy doesn't like him anymore," Amanda said, before being tugged on an arm by her mother.

"Get away from my child," Her mother said , clearly outraged. "I don't want my daughter to associate with guys like you."

Mr. Goodmen stood up as the mother grabbed her child's arm. "Ms. Harris, I just want to prepare you..."

"My name is Jacobs," the woman said bitterly.



"So... how did people get these powers?" Amanda asked her teacher.

"Because they are descended from wizards or Gods or any kind of fantastical creature," Vandelay answered.

"Fantastical creature?" Amanda asked.

"Yes. They exist too. Elves, dwarfs, fairies, giants, goblins and all. They have been recorded for years but now rarely make contact with humans. Occasionally a hybrid will end up passing as a human, or some damn elf thinks it would be funny to take a human child and leave one of their own children in their place." His voice had risen when he spoke of elves switching their children. "Then that child feels misplaced among humans and keeps on wondering what they hell he is, because he knows he's not human. That's what they did to my brother, and it was hell for him growing up. He couldn't even bleed red blood, and he hurt himself all the time!" He sighed and lowered his voice. "But that's neither here nor there." The man sat down in his chair, and looked through the array of papers on his desk. He found a blue little booklet and handed it to her.

"Titania Art's Academy? Isn't that the boarding school on the other side of town?" Amanda said, looking at the brochure. "Why did you give me this?"

"It's one of the few schools that only accept those with the powers and humanoid fantastical creatures, intending on helping them control their gift. I went there to work on my Telekinesis, as it was very uncontrollable when I was a kid. I recommend attending it. The headmaster of the school is an intimate friend of mine who owes me a favor," Vandelay told the girl with a small smile coming to his lips.

"Why would I want to go there? I can only dream the future, it's not like I can hurt anyone with that," Amanda responded.

"It's not quite so simple. Your father was Collin Harris, correct?" Vandelay asked.

"Yes..." Amanda confirmed.

"He is descended from a long line of wizards and fantastical creatures. One of the the most renowned families in the fantastical world. Chances are if you are descended from him, dreaming the future is only one of your abilities. At least show your mother it," Vandelay told the teenager.

"Okay, I will," Amanda said, walking out of the office with the glossy paper in her hand.

After fifteen minutes Amanda was walking from her school. A pair of green eyes watched her every move, every dirty street she walked on and every crummy ally-way with profanity on the walls.

"What took you?" A brown haired woman on a chair asked her daughter as she walked through the unlocked door. Amanda threw her faded-brown backpack on the couch, closed the door and sat next to the bag.

"Mr. Vandelay wanted to talk to me. I mentioned what happens when I dream," the girl responded. "He said that apparently I am descended from a wizard- which exist along with other unreal creatures like elves- and that's why I can do that."

"My god..."

"You knew?" Amanda said, astonished. "You never told me that my dad was a freaking wizard!"

"Oh he was more than that," said a familiar voice from behind the couch. The two gasped and looked at a young man with green eyes and a clean black suit with a crest which could be found on Amanda's brochure. He stuck his hand out and took Amanda's hand and forcibly shook it. "My name is Terrence Goodmen. I believe we have met Amanda."