Blood of Decusia

Chapter Three

The church was packed with people. Some I recognized, like neighbors, people my parents worked with, and basically everyone from my brother's high school. No family though. Everyone on both of my parent's sides were long dead. Now they were also gone and I was truly alone.
I sat in the front pew, with the two cops that came by to pick me up. I had been staying at Officer Lawson's house for a week. She had three children of her own that were all under the age of 5. I would play with them and help their nanny feed and change them. It was only temporary until they found a foster home for me.
Officer Lawson had been holding my hand the whole service. I tried to focus on the stained glass window, so I wouldn't look at the three giant pictures of my parents and brother, smiling. I was also trying to ignore the whispers and the eyes that were definitely boring into the back of my head. I hadn't gone to school all week, because I didn't want the kids staring or the teachers pitying me and because I just didn't want to leave the house, in general.
After the service was over, I told Officer Lawson that I wanted to be alone. She gave me a small smile and said that she would find me in 10 minutes and we would go get some food. I pushed through the people whispering and crying and made my way behind the church to the entrance to the graveyard.
I walked through the first row, not really reading any of the names, but focusing on the things laid in front of the graves. There were flowers, pictures, knick knacks, toys, etc, left there by people who loved them, people who mourned and would continue to until they themselves were laid to rest. The thought made my eyes sting with tears.
"Looking for someone?"
The voice made me jump. I turned and saw a woman standing behind me. She was probably about 50 years old, her dark black hair streaked with white was pulled back into a tight ponytail. The first thing I noticed was the scar that went from her temple, past her hard gray eyes, and down her jaw. She was wearing a black tank top that showed off her muscles, an old pair of jeans, and some dirty hiking boots.
"N-no," I stuttered, "I w-was just g-going for a walk."
She nodded, looking around at all of the gravestones.
"Seems like a weird place to walk for an eight year old."
I could feel the tears running down my cheek. I hadn't cried since that night. Maybe a part of me liked the distraction of the Lawson's house because it kept me from really thinking about my family, but now that service was over, all of my emotions crashed over me like a tsunami.
The woman walked up and put a hand on my shoulder.
"I'm sorry," she said, "Your father was a great man."
I looked up at her in surprise.
"You knew my dad?"
"Clove!"
I whirled around. Officer Lawson was walking toward us.
"You must be Mina," she said, sticking out her hand, "Lawson."
The woman, Mina, took her hand off my shoulder and shook Officer Lawson's hand.
"Pleasure."
"I thought you weren't coming until next week."
Mina gave a small smile, "Well I guess I couldn't wait to meet her."
I was confused. Officer Lawson smiled at me, then the woman.
"Well I guess you already met Clove," she said, "Clove, this is Mina, she's your new guardian."
Now I was really confused.
"I thought I was going to live with some foster family?" I asked.
"Well," Officer Lawson laughed, "She called yesterday and submitted the proof that she was a relative of your father and since she's family well-."
"You don't have to call me, Mom," Mina smirked.

I was in a lot of pain, there was sharp pain behind my eyes, the back of my head was throbbing. I tried to move my body, but it was sore and my hands wouldn't move. There was something hard and scratchy holding my hands together in front of me. I struggled to open my eyes and was blinded by the sun.
As my eyes adjusted, I saw trees overhead. I was laying on the hard, cold ground of some kind of forest. I could vaguely hear voices, irritated voices. I couldn't see them, but I could definitely hear them.
"It's this way!"
"No, we came from that way!"
"Whatever, Deke. Let's just grab her and go!"
I could hear the footsteps crunching on the leaves. Everything came back to me all at once. I had been attacked, Mina had been murdered, by two men, and now they were coming toward me. I started to panic. I didn't know if I should pretend to be unconscious, fight, or what. They were going to kill me, I was sure of it. They were going to kill me and leave my body in the woods.
They had reached me, grabbing my arms, and pulling me to my feet.
"No," I muttered, "No! No! No!"
I struggled, trying to break free, but their grip was too strong.
"Let me go!" I pleaded, "Please, please, let me go!"
"Shut up!" one of them said as he started to drag me further through the trees.
"No!" I screamed as I fought and fought to no avail.
The other one pressed something sharp against my back and leaned close to my ear.
"Make one more noise and I'll drive this right through you like I did to that bitch!"
My mouth went dry. My eyes were stinging with tears. This was it. I was going to die. I could feel the fear building inside of me. A warm sensation in my chest that was turning into a red hot heat.
"What the-," one of the men said, loosening his grip.
Suddenly, there was a bright light and I was thrown backwards. I landed hard on my butt and as my vision sharpened, I saw the two men sprawled about 30 yards away, completely still. I looked down and saw the rope, now gone from my hands, in a smoking heap at my feet.
"What?"
I didn't know what just happened, but I couldn't afford to question it now. I staggered to my feet, my head pounding and my legs wobbly, I took off deeper in the woods. I didn't know where I was going, but I needed to put as much space between me and the two men.
I stumbled, almost running into the trees.
"This way!"
"Shit!" I whispered.
They had obviously recovered and were on their feet. Hopefully, they felt the same jelly-legs I had, but it didn't really matter. I was trapped. I didn't know where I was going. I was completely disoriented, and even if I felt 100%, the branches in the trees were too high for me to climb up, and I was about two seconds away from being discovered and probably murdered on the spot.
All of sudden, a hand roughly grabbed me and yanked me behind a tree. I was about to scream when a hand flew over my mouth.
"Shut up if you don't want to die."