prologue: ash

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   The air was filled with gray smoke, and Barbara could hear herself choking on it. Everything happened so fast, and yet nothing could prepare her for the sight that fell onto her.

Jean was collapsed on the ground, a pool of dark red blood seeped around her. And in her chest, was a pole from a nearby building.

The deaconess immediately fell to her side, tears falling from her eyes. Her once neat blonde twin tails were frizzy and unkempt. The 15 year old's pristine white dress began to become caked in ash, dirt, and blood as she held onto her sister.

Barbara could barely process her sister's dying breaths as she felt a cold and wet hand on her face; Jean's blood.

"...b-be good, Barbara...s-survive... please..."

The woman coughed, tiny splatters of blood covering the teen's face. Barbara could see the life leaving her sister's eyes. They became glasslike, as Jean took her final breath.

The hand resting on the hydro catalyst's cheek fell to the ground. The girl could barely breathe. Her sister was dead.

And she let out a anguished sob, accidentally gripping onto Jean's now gray vision and scrambling back against a crumbled wall.

Barbara couldn't stop wailing. Tears fell heavy from her eyes. She couldn't stop hyperventilating. Everything was going blurry due to the nonstop tears.

Her whole life, everyone she ever loved, her home.... It was gone, just like that.

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⏰ Last updated: Mar 23, 2022 ⏰

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