The Crimson Clock: Path of The Fallen

Prologue

The ground rumbled beneath my feet as I struggled to run through the house, up the stairs and to my room.

"No, no, no." I whispered beneath my breath as I tore through the boxes beneath my bed. "No, please, no!" I sobbed, as I realized the clock was gone.

"Please!" I begged. I knew she was there. She was always there. Watching me. Listening, making sure I don't fail as protector. Though, I wasn't protecting anything, besides my little sister. I was just helping them. I was being used by them. They never told me this, I just knew. "Please!" I begged louder as the ground shook more. "No!" I screamed as a candle that was just 'accidentally' placed in the perfect place to spread its flames to the rest of the house. "No!"

"Delaney," She said, touching my shoulder.

"NO!" I stood, my legs shaky and my palms sweating. "No, don't touch me. You did this. You!"

"I am sorry, Delaney. But you did this." My eyes welled with tears. I could barely see the ghost figure in front of me.

"B-but I followed the rules! I did everything you said!" The fire was getting hotter and hotter, as the flames began to reach my bed.

"Oh we both know that's not true, Delaney," The way she said my name made me furious. She sounded like my mom when she would pretend to be sorry for me. When she touched her hand to my cheek and let out a distressed sigh and pretended to care for me, as she told me my dad had died. She had loved him a lot, but when she found out the news, it was like she didn't love him anymore. Like she had always known that she was going to become a widow. Or maybe she was just pretending again, so I wouldn't want to die too. That never stopped me.

My mom pretended to do many things. The only thing she didn't pretend to do was love my sister. She had always loved Esme. Not me. Not since she found out about the clock.

"Please. Spare my sister. She's only a baby. Please. . ."

"Delaney,"

"Stop saying my name!" I screamed.

"Delaney," She repeated, "The damage has been done. Your damage. I'm afraid I can't help you anymore."

"But you can!"

"No I can not."

"Stop this! Destroy the clock. End it all. Please, you can do it!" I pleaded. I could hear sirens in the distance.

"Stand still, it will be over soon."

"No! Please, I did nothing wrong! You know that! PLEASE!"

"I can not."

"Yes. Yes you can-"

"Stand still." She repeated.

The fire road louder, and the flames grew bigger and hotter. They spread to the rest of the house, but some grew closer, and circled around me.

"Goodbye Delaney." She sighed, a hint of sympathy in her voice. Or maybe she was just pretending, just like my mom.

She walked out of the room, and closed the door behind her. A bright flash of electricity seeped from under the door, and she was gone.

I could hear the firemen come into the house, and a baby's cry. Esme's cry. Maybe they would find her and get her out of here.

But the flames circled in closer. I screamed and begged for help. I knew they couldn't hear me. I just screamed and begged for an imaginary figure, to come and save me. It never did. And nobody ever will. But the flames did. And they circled me until there was no me.