With Our Last Words We Lie

Home

At eleven o'clock on the eve of sixteen, they came for him.

Leo sat bolt upright in his bed, squinting through heavy eyes unable to find the source of the bright light that had suddenly filled his bedroom.

My Chemical Romance was blasting at full volume from his personal CD player but when he tore his headphones away, silence plugged his ears instead.

He fumbled for his glasses on his bedside table, his eyes watering as they struggled to adjust to the overwhelming brightness that stretched from wall to wall.

And then he was plunged into darkness again, the only light now borrowed from the lamppost outside his window.

'Dad?' he called.

'Leo,' a strange voice replied.

He saw them then, silhouetted against the window. Much taller than his father, who barely stretched beyond five feet tall.

Leo's voice was lost, his gaze fixed on the intruder.

'My name is Terra and I'm here to bring you home," they said.

'In case you haven't noticed, I am home,' Leo said, his voice croaky from a lack of use. 'And you've kind of broken in, so I'm going to have to ask you to leave. Please.'

It struck him as odd that he wasn't scared. A stranger was standing in his bedroom and Leo had remained remarkably calm. He slid out from under his duvet and switched on the light.

Terra was dressed in a long, emerald cloak with delicate silver pattern embroidered around the collar and cuffs. A thick silver chain hung around their neck, a large, triangular pendant resting over their chest. Terra's skin was umber, and their hair was short and black, which was revealed as they pulled back their hood.

Leo had one eyebrow raised as he surveyed his intruder, their strange attire detracting from all else.

'What are you wearing?' he asked. He realised his question was rude, but then so was breaking into someone's bedroom, so he didn't dwell on it for long.

'Forgive me,' said Terra, removing the robe to reveal bulky boots, skinny jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt – all in black. The necklace seemed even larger without its emerald backdrop.

Leo smirked. Terra looked undeniably cool. They had a similar taste in fashion, at least. Although at that moment he was dressed in red and green pyjamas that he'd received as a Christmas present one year.

'I'm here to bring you home, Leo. To where you truly belong,' Terra said. Their voice was silk; Leo could have enveloped himself in its comfort.

'You're going to have to explain a bit more, Terry, was it?'

'Terra', they corrected politely.

'Right, Terra. What do you mean by "bring me home?" I am home,' said Leo.

Terra smiled and Leo sensed pity. He looked around his bedroom, which was the only tidy room in his house and the only one that didn't smell like alcohol and cigarettes.

This was his house, however it hadn't felt like home since his mum died all those years ago.

'I come from a different place,' Terra explained. 'My people are like you – special, powerful, able. Tomorrow, when you turn sixteen, you're going to feel different. Your abilities will awaken within you. If you come with me, you'll be surrounded by people who are the same as you.'

If he had any friends, Leo would have thought this was a prank. But he didn't and therefore he believed Terra with astonishing ease.

Perhaps it was desperation to escape his situation, or maybe he'd always known there was something that set him apart from all others. Or, quite simply, it could have been because there was no reason not to trust Terra.