Status: This is a longer, book-like take on one of my earlier short stories. Hopefully I will be able to fully turn it into something book worthy.
The Fire of the Fallen
Chapter One: The Beginning
Sophie had always known she was different. From the time she was very young, she'd had abilities beyond that of normal humans. According to her father, she had been a very sensitive, empathic child who always seemed to know information she shouldn't have understood. The event that truly affected her life, however, was so horrible and tragic that no one had ever spoken of it until Sophie met Demian.
The day she met him seemed like any other day. Sophie was a senior in high school, just starting the new year. Her parents had divorced when she was twelve, so now she lived with just her mother while her father lived a state away. As Sophie got ready for school, she noticed that the house seemed eerily quiet. Once finished getting dressed, she crept downstairs to investigate. In the kitchen, there was a note lying on the table. It was in her mother's impeccable cursive script. The note was quite short.
It read:
Dear Sophie,
Please forgive me for leaving you.
I just couldn't handle the situation anymore.
It's not your fault.
Love, Mom
Sophie collapsed against the wall, her legs giving out beneath her. She read the short letter over and over again until she couldn't see through the tears in her eyes. They splattered onto the note, smudging the words.
-You see what you've done now?- whispered a voice in her ear. -She lied to you. It IS your fault.-
Sophie gasped and looked around, though she knew no one was there. An apparent side effect of her powers, she heard all kinds of voices in her head; they tend to drive her somewhat crazy - everyone she had ever trusted with her secret thought her insane. This voice seemed different though, closer and more familiar sounding.
The voice spoke again, in a distinct rough male tone, -You're worthless. Even your parents hate you. Your mother killed herself because of you!- In disbelief, Sophie whispered feebly, "No, it's not true!"
-Of course it is, you silly girl. You know very well it is.- was the reply.
Reluctantly, she turned to look towards the stairs. Slowly, very slowly, she began to climb the steps at a very measured pace, in the way of someone about to see something truly unpleasant.
Altogether too soon, Sophie found herself standing outside her mother's door. She knocked tentatively, already knowing there would be no answer. Suddenly, the door cracked open by itself. The sickly sweet stench of death and blog wafted towards Sophie's nose, and she was nearly sick. Not wanting to see, but unable to walk away, she slowly pushed the door open and peered inside. The light inside the room was very dim, and she could just barely make out the sprawled shape of her mother laying on the bed. Unable to bear anymore, she turned away, tears in her eyes. Before she had fully turned around, however, she glimpsed something moving out of the corner of her eye. She turned to look and couldn't comprehend what she saw. The shadows on the wall next to her mother's bed were writhing around.
She turned to run, only to be stopped short at the sight of a shadow on the wall, and footsteps on the stairs. She froze in terror, unable to move an inch as the figure loomed closer. After what seemed like an eternity, the shape of a tall male came into view. Sophie looked up at him and made contact with a pair of startling emerald green eyes, filled at the moment with a mixture of sympathy and rage. "You must come with me," he stated clearly in a smooth, deep, almost sensual voice.
Sophie shook her head desperately, praying that this was just some new, latent power of illusions. All hope of this was dashed, however, when he grabbed her by the wrist. "There is no choice. We must go. You are no longer safe here," he whispered calmingly as he pulled her with him down the stairs as if she weighed nothing. Before she could exclaim another protest, he brought her close to his torso as a pair of black feathered wings sprung out of his back and wrapped themselves around him and surrounded her with them. By the time her mind registered what was happening, they had disappeared into darkness.
The day she met him seemed like any other day. Sophie was a senior in high school, just starting the new year. Her parents had divorced when she was twelve, so now she lived with just her mother while her father lived a state away. As Sophie got ready for school, she noticed that the house seemed eerily quiet. Once finished getting dressed, she crept downstairs to investigate. In the kitchen, there was a note lying on the table. It was in her mother's impeccable cursive script. The note was quite short.
It read:
Dear Sophie,
Please forgive me for leaving you.
I just couldn't handle the situation anymore.
It's not your fault.
Love, Mom
Sophie collapsed against the wall, her legs giving out beneath her. She read the short letter over and over again until she couldn't see through the tears in her eyes. They splattered onto the note, smudging the words.
-You see what you've done now?- whispered a voice in her ear. -She lied to you. It IS your fault.-
Sophie gasped and looked around, though she knew no one was there. An apparent side effect of her powers, she heard all kinds of voices in her head; they tend to drive her somewhat crazy - everyone she had ever trusted with her secret thought her insane. This voice seemed different though, closer and more familiar sounding.
The voice spoke again, in a distinct rough male tone, -You're worthless. Even your parents hate you. Your mother killed herself because of you!- In disbelief, Sophie whispered feebly, "No, it's not true!"
-Of course it is, you silly girl. You know very well it is.- was the reply.
Reluctantly, she turned to look towards the stairs. Slowly, very slowly, she began to climb the steps at a very measured pace, in the way of someone about to see something truly unpleasant.
Altogether too soon, Sophie found herself standing outside her mother's door. She knocked tentatively, already knowing there would be no answer. Suddenly, the door cracked open by itself. The sickly sweet stench of death and blog wafted towards Sophie's nose, and she was nearly sick. Not wanting to see, but unable to walk away, she slowly pushed the door open and peered inside. The light inside the room was very dim, and she could just barely make out the sprawled shape of her mother laying on the bed. Unable to bear anymore, she turned away, tears in her eyes. Before she had fully turned around, however, she glimpsed something moving out of the corner of her eye. She turned to look and couldn't comprehend what she saw. The shadows on the wall next to her mother's bed were writhing around.
She turned to run, only to be stopped short at the sight of a shadow on the wall, and footsteps on the stairs. She froze in terror, unable to move an inch as the figure loomed closer. After what seemed like an eternity, the shape of a tall male came into view. Sophie looked up at him and made contact with a pair of startling emerald green eyes, filled at the moment with a mixture of sympathy and rage. "You must come with me," he stated clearly in a smooth, deep, almost sensual voice.
Sophie shook her head desperately, praying that this was just some new, latent power of illusions. All hope of this was dashed, however, when he grabbed her by the wrist. "There is no choice. We must go. You are no longer safe here," he whispered calmingly as he pulled her with him down the stairs as if she weighed nothing. Before she could exclaim another protest, he brought her close to his torso as a pair of black feathered wings sprung out of his back and wrapped themselves around him and surrounded her with them. By the time her mind registered what was happening, they had disappeared into darkness.