What Once was Broken

Chapter 5.... The Odd One Out

"Claire....... Claire...... You're so close, Claire..... Claire....." "Claire, wake up!" "Huh?!" I jolted awake to find all of the girls in the loft surrounding me, eyes wide, and mouths agape. I rubbed my eyes, and asked, "Mmmmmmmmm....... What time is it?" "Four in the morning." Lacia replied. "Says so on the clock." Ruby added, pointing to the clock that crudely clung to the wall above the loft entrance. I sluggishly stared at the clock, and yawned. "What are you all doing up at this hour?" I said, struggling not to go back to bed. "Girl, you were talking up a storm in your sleep." Nicole replied, placing her hands on her hips. "And that's not all," Annalise began, hopping into my hammock with me, and sitting on my stomach. She didn't weigh much as she's a lot younger than the rest, about six or seven at most, so I wasn't bothered by her sitting there. "Bella came over to tell you to shut off your flashlight that you were reading with." "Funny, I thought I turned it off before I went to sleep." "You did!" Said Hayliegh, hopping into my hammock as well. I groaned under her weight as her body made impact on my stomach. This was because Hayliegh looked to be a year older than I, and my small frame couldn't handle it. "And that's why Bella woke us all up!" "I still don't know what you're talking about." I strained, trying to wriggle my way out from under the two girls. "Look around you, Claire, how is it you can see our faces when there's no lights shining of ANY kind?" Amber asked, waving her arms wildly. "I suppose you've a nightlight in place for Bella because, after all, she IS younger than us." "But Bella's not afraid of the dark. She's slept fine without one even when you showed up." Brooke said, rubbing her arms as if she were trying to warm them. "Then, where's the light coming from then?" I asked, tilting my head in confusion. "Claire," Naomi began, sounding a bit nervous, "that really depends on how long you've noticed the light emitting from your chest." "The light from my chest? But the glow only happens when I'm sleeping, and having my vision! And, even so, when it happens, it's only a small glow. Nothing that can be noticed!" "Then how is our faces lit up?" Nicole asked, sounding a little annoyed. I couldn't blame her, it WAS four in the morning after all. "Look, I'm telling you that it's not coming from-" at that moment I stopped, looking down in pure shock. The glow in my chest that was once dim, was dim no longer. It HAD brightened, but only by a smidge, not enough to light the Hideaway if it could! In my amazement, a let out a low breath, trying to find words that could describe my awe. "How long have you known about this?" Galina asked, observing the glow. "I've had it since I was a mere toddler, but it's always been dim to the point where it goes unnoticed. The only time it truly brightens is when I sing, and it amps my voice so that I need no microphone!" "Does it hurt?" Laycia asked, poking my chest. "Is it dangerous?" Ruby asked, peering over her sister's shoulder nervously. I shook my head, and replied "No, it won't hurt anyone, OR I. It's just, a gift that I received from the man in the stars." "The man in the stars? Whose that?" Carla asked, perching herself on a giant wooden alphabet block. "Nobody ever told you the story of the Man of The Stars and The Demon of the Ash?" I asked, shocked. The girls all shook their heads, and I offered "Would you like me to tell you about it?" As if immediately saying yes, the youngest girls, which were Poppy, Annalise, Bella, Carla, Samantha, Galina, Laycia, and Ruby, all piled up near my hammock with Galina gently setting Bella in her lap, and the twins cuddled up side by side beneath a blanket. The eldest girls, Naomi, Nicole, Brooke, Hayliegh, and Amber either crawled back into their hammocks, or settled themselves on one of the many gigantic toys inside the loft. I looked around nervously at all the eyes in the room, eagerly waiting for me to start the story. "W-Well then," I began, taking a deep breath to ease myself. "Once upon a time, Long ago, there was a great nothingness. With this nothingness, a whisper produced the stars, the planets, and the universe. That very same whisper produced two souls, a Lady, and a Man. The two souls lived freely in the whisper's land away from pain, turmoil, and violence, which the souls have called "Sin", so long as they stayed from the forbidden fruit of knowledge." "What was wrong with the fruit that made it forbidden?" Annalise asked, raising her hand in the air as if she were in a classroom. "Hm? Oh, nothing was wrong with it. They just weren't allowed to consume it! As they say, knowing to much can kill you." I replied, slumping on the edge of my hammock. "Anyway, one day, while the spirits pranced and played in the fields, the Ash Demon approached the Lady soul, and lured her into the forbidden garden where the fruit was grown. "Eat," He told her, his voice smooth as silk, and sweet like cream frosting, "and you shall know wonders of this world in true."" "Did the Lady soul do what the Ash Demon said?" Samantha asked. "Unfortunately, yes. The Lady soul plucked the fruit from it's stem, and took a bite of the forbidden fruit of knowledge. Just like the Ash Demon had promised, she began to call out the names of the stars and the trees, and heard the soft voice of the land. She quickly approached the soul of the Man, and said to him, "Eat this, and your eyes will be forever opened!" And sure enough, the Man ate the forbidden fruit. Once he did, he, too, began to speak the names of the stars and trees, and the voice of the earth began to speak with him as well. The whisper was displeased by their actions, and banished the Ash Demon to a world of dark, and fire, and banished the souls to a confined rock that they named "Earth"." "What happened when they arrived?" Galina asked, adjusting her hold on Bella so it was more comfortable for the two of them. "Well, once they arrived, the whisper cast a curse on their bodies, so that they can feel pain and sick and death even. From there, they refurbished the rock, giving names to the living things thriving on it, and even the oceans and minerals were named accordingly! They were the first to create civilization, which brings us to today's world." "So we're going through ALL this, because a girl broke the rules? Rediculous!" Nicole cried. "One bad apple spoils the basket I'm afraid." I quoted, looking to all. "But what about the Man in the Stars?" Asked Annalise, yawning. "The whisper spoke a word to one of the civilians, and she birthed him into the world, which he later died for our forgiveness from the wrongdoings we made against the whisper." "Wow..." Carla breathed, and she began to yawn. All of the girls, without another word, returned to their hammocks, all except Bella, who made her way down the ladder and to the floor of the Hideaway. Curious, I began to follow, seeing where exactly it was she was going to. Once I reached the Hideaway floor, I hid in the shadows, following Bella through the dining area, and past the stage area, careful not to catch her attention. I slowed to a stop as I rounded a corner, and Bella seemed to have completely disappear! I searched around, hoping she hadn't left the Hideaway when a familiar, taunting voice asked me, "Lose something, kid?" I whipped around, and saw Leo, holding little Bella in his arms. Bella seemed afraid, and I came to guess that she knew I was behind her the whole time. I furrowed my brow in annoyance, and replied, "What do you want from me rat breath?" "Ooooooooh," he laughed teasingly, "someone seems to be a bit gutsy this morning, don't they?" Little Bella hid her face in Leo's shoulder, petrified. "What're you going around stalking little children for, monster lover?" He asked, seemingly suspicious of me, as usual. A group of boys formed behind him, holding scowls as they pinned their gazes at me. "I was only making sure she wasn't wandering outside the Hideaway, if you should REALLY know." I replied, and I began to take my leave, pushing my way passed Leo as Bella, for the first time, talked in a hushed voice only Leo could hear. "Hold up a minute," he growled, grabbing my arm in an abrupt manner. His grip was tight, and painful the more I tried to fight. "Let... GO!" I said, struggling with him, only to be nearly thrown to the ground when he flung me back in front of him. Leo set Bella down, and with a soft push, she ran to one of the other boys in the group. "Take her back to the loft! I'll deal with this." Leo commanded, and set his cruel eyes onto me. "I can't believe this," I thought, "Bella ACTUALLY threw me under the bus!" "What're your TRUE intentions here?" Leo asked, coming closer to me. "How am I supposed to know that?! YOU'RE the one who brought me here sans cervelle! Brainless!" I seethed through clenched teeth, and tried to push my way past him, only for an overpowering shove to put me back to the floor. "You're no human!" Leo growled, taking me by the arm as soon as I tried to stand up, and began to drag me as he continued, "You're a Witch! A MONSTER!" "I-I'm not a Witch! I really AM human!" I cried, struggling furiously to get out of his grip. He swung me over an open hole in the floor, and I grew cold with fear as the realization of my life depending on a handhold before I was met with complete blackness below. "Number one, humans don't have hearts that glow, Two, only a witch can get "Visions", and Three, if you really think I'm THAT stupid enough to believe YOU, you're out of your gourd! Whose to say you're not already scrambled in the brain from seeing all those people die!?" "They haven't killed ANYONE! All that meat is fresh made from animals of the sea, air, AND land! Please, you must trust me!" I pleaded fearfully. "Liar! You won't fool me with your delusions." Leo then began to release his grip, and I clamped my eyes closed, embracing the worst to happen when a small voice shouted, "WAIT!" Dangling by a mere finger and thumb, I opened my eyes to find Leo looking back behind him. A pair of tiny feet clicked their way up to Leo's side, and Bella's face appeared over the opening of the hole. "She speaks truth! Don't let her go!" Bella pleaded, wide eyed in alert. I couldn't believe it. Bella ACTUALLY spoke for the first time I was there! "Why?" Asked Leo in a hard voice, still dangling me, "Why should I let this witch be?!" "Because she is no witch!" Bella replied, her hazel eyes looking passed him and onto me. "She's gifted, and this gift could help us even more than what we already know or CAN do." Leo's scowl softened, and he turned his attention back onto me, deep in contemplation. After what felt like an eternity to me, Leo sighed reluctantly, "Oh, fine. We'll let her live." He set me back to the floor, and I ripped my arm away from him before sticking out my toungue at him. "Don't push your luck. You may be safe for now, but I'll be watching!" He shoved his way through Bella and I, and like a herd of sheep, the other boys followed close behind. I stared after them, shaking my head at the idiocy I was witnessing, and turned my gaze to Bella. "Why?" I asked, "Why would you save me after getting me in trouble like that?" Bella looked down in shame, and replied, "I didn't know he would be so hard hearted about it. I should've known though." "It wasn't ANY of HIS business! Why does he need to know everything about everyone!?" "To protect us..... To protect..... You......" Bella replied, going quiet as a distant stare clouded her eyes, making her fogged eye look even foggier. "Bella, I'm fine. I am! I don't need him." I assured, and tried to leave when Bella said something that sent chills from head to toe. "That's not what the future tells me....." "The future?" I asked, baffled, "What about my future do YOU know?" "I can't say for certain, but he told me that it's up to you to change fate for him, AND the entirety of mankind as you know it!" ""He?"" I asked, raising my brow. "The tall man," Bella began, "He beckons for you! He sees everything that's happening, hears EVERYTHING, even now! His true form is trapped within his self prison, and it's up to to you to free him!" My blood turned to ice as she said those words. I shook my head in disbelief, and replied, "Bella, those are just visions. They don't mean anything!" "But he is, Claire, I've SEEN him! He may not be there physically, but he IS there! Follow your heart, Claire, it will take you on the path to him." Bella pleaded. I looked away, thinking to myself how impossible this sounded, and how foolish Bella is making herself look. "Even if I were to find this "Tall man"," I began, after a while of silence, "how is it that I can help him?" Bella took my hands in hers gently, the first physical contact we've had with each other. "One pure heart, whose love is true, whose braver than the bravest animal on earth, whose resilience is greater than a winter storm but never loses their way. One who stays strong when the world is to weak, whose kindness spreads like a dragon's fire, but protects others with the dragon heart that serves them. Remember this, and you'll know how to break the spell keeping him entombed." Bella kissed the back of my hands, and a strange, dizzying feeling began to grow. I felt as if I had gained something, grew just a bit more from just a simple peck from an otherwise sensible five year old girl. Bella smiled, and together we walked back to the girls loft, our conversation bouncing back and forth through my mind. "How do I help you, if I don't know you?"