The Fallen

Chapter 1

14 years later...

'Here we go again!' Eclipse thought as she began jogging to the usual meeting spot. 

The latter was an abandoned building just next to the woods near Pompeii. The location used to be a vase shop but it was too far from populated areas to attract many customers. The shop was shut down and now served Eclipse and her companions as the place where they would meet whenever they finished running away from an orphanage or foster home. 

Thinking about the foster homes brought her thoughts to the latest foster family, the Dalcas. They were an interesting bunch for sure. Mrs. Dalca was a huge gossip (though a bit scatterbrain) and her husband was stoic and quiet, while their kids were both spoiled rotten. They were a very rich family and really didn't pay much attention to Eclipse. She knew they had only taken her in as a 'charity case' to enforce their good public reputation. However compared to some other foster homes or, heaven forbid, orphanages she had been in, they were probably one of the best.

She didn't know whether or not they would notice that she had borrowed some food from them. 'Oh well, they would be able to buy more and we need it more anyway' she thought. Though, she had eaten well while she was with the Dalcas so she might just give her share to others. They were all quite young and would need to eat well (or as well as they could) to grow up and stay healthy. As she jogged on, Eclipse began to recall how she met them.

A little more than a year after she ran away, Eclipse met Marianna (or Mary for short).

Eclipse was walking through a market when she spotted a little girl being grabbed by the wrist by a vendor. She has yet to understand why, but something made her change direction and she went up to the man and toddler (because the child couldn't possibly have been more than 4 years old). When she arrived she spoke to the lassie.

"Finally, there you are! I have been looking everywhere! Mom has been worried sick. Dad sent me to find you since mom won't serve lunch until you are home. Come along now."

Eclipse then looked at the man and asked, "Excuse me, sir, where are my manners? I am Eclipse. May I ask why you're holding onto my sister's wrist?"

The man looked at her incredulously before responding with a snarl:

"This little brat tried to steal one of my apples. And sh-"

"I beg your pardon, I took you as a mature man but then you decide to call my little sister, who may I remind you is..." she looks at the tiny girl inquisitively, sees her discreetly stick up 3 mini fingers and continues, "3 years old. Now, I'm sure you are more reasonable than you are mature, so you will allow me to pay for the apple now". Eclipse cut him off sharply, leaving no room for argument.

The vendor looked astonished by how she spoke to him but his expression soon changed to a scowl, when he saw that there was an audience forming. Not wanting to attract more attention nor be embarrassed anymore, he looked at the attentive 10-year-old and then to the awed little girl and finally nodded. Eclipse swiftly took out some change from her hoodie and proceeded to grab her 'sister's' hand, turn heel and walk away. Once they were out of sight, Eclipse glanced down at the girl only to see two ocean blue eyes staring at her in awe. She opened her mouth to speak but the child beat her to it.

"Thank you, Ecwipse. Is your name really Ecwipse?" came the soft voice. Eclipse just nodded in response and was about to leave when the girl spoke.

"My name is Mawianna but my mama used to call me Mawy for short. You sheem nice so you can call me that too. May I shtay with you pwease? I'll be good!"