Inncubus

Prologue

Prologue

11 years ago...

I run up the stairs as fast as I possibly could.

My parents.

They should be up by now, I think to myself as I peep into the room.

I walk to the end of their bed and get on my tiptoes hoping to see them.

I smile when I get a glimpse of my mothers blood red curls tumble down her face.

I walk over to her side and grab her dangling hand off the bedside.

Her eyes slowly open and she gives me a slight smile.

"Get up, mommy!" I giggle as I tug on her arm slightly.

"Go get Derrick up." She smiles at me.

"But mommy! I'm hungry!" I shout, waking my dad up.

She laughs and as my father turns towards us, grinning.

"Ash, go get up your brother. Me and mommy will be out in a minute." He leans over my mom and ruffles my hair.

"Fine." I rush out of the room and nearly crash into my older brothers door.

"Derrick! Mommy and Daddy are awake! Get up!" I walk in and hop on his bed.

"Shut up!" He pushes me aside, not even giving me a glance.

His dark, black hair covers his unusual yellow eyes that have specks of green and blue mixed with them.

He tries to block me out with his pillows clutched tight to his ears.

I mumble under my breath and throw my teddy bear at him, "Get Up!" I shout even louder than before.

He shoots up out of bed and grabs my arm.

"Owie! Stop it Derrick!" I let a cry slip out.

He drags me out of the room and marches straight across the hallway to our parents room.

He let's go of me once we are at their door and I begin to pout.

He viciously knocks on the door and there's no answer.

Derrick hits the door harder.

Still no answer, not even a whisper.

After a few seconds of waiting, Derrick gets even more agitated than he already is and opens the door with brutal force.

"Mom, I swear if you send her in my room one more ti-..." He gets silent all of a sudden.

I look up at him and his face looks stunned.

Eventually I get curious and look in my parents room.

Ashes everywhere.

No flames.

Just ashes. Ashes to spare.

I take a step in and slowly walk to the bed.

The ashes aren't even hot, there couldn't have been a fire.

I pull myself on the bed and the covers r puller up all the way.

"They probably went back to sleep, right Bubba?" Tears stream down my face.

He stands at the door silently, still in awe of the sight of our parents room.

I tug the covers off the bed and see nothing.

I start crying harder, "Bubba? Where did they go? They wouldn't go away, right Bubba?" My voice gets loud with anger as I clutch the sheets tight in my hands.

He runs at me and grabs me off the bed.

A few moments later, the bed combusts in flames.

I hold onto his neck, crying harder as he runs down the stairs.

He approaches the front door and I panic "No! We can't leave! Mommy and Daddy..."

"Are dead, Ashely! They are dead! If we don't leave soon we're gonna be joining them!" He shouts at me.

Derrick doesn't give me a chance to argue anymore. He opens the door and runs out with me held tightly in his arms.

He runs all the way out of our neighborhood while I cry on his shoulder.

They were gone...and nothing could change that.