Renaissance of Chaos

XIX

She could barely breathe anymore, her lungs burning like coals within her ribcage. Her legs fared no better, the muscles begging for rest. Her heart was beating with the speed of a hummingbird's wings. Yet, she did not stop from her sprint, running as fast as she could, even when she had already reached the village. She passed by the houses of her neighbors, ignoring the calls of the nosy hags sitting on benches in front of their homes, spying and gossiping about everyone. Even when she reached her home, she did not slow down. Only when she reached her bedroom, bolting in and slamming the door behind her, did she stop her mad rush and allowed her body the pause it so desperately needed. She let herself drop on the puffy carpet, the loud thud reaching into the silence beyond the door.

"I did it, Adelia!" she shouted into the emptiness of her bedroom, through tears of joy. "I did it! I avenged you at last!"

She let out a maddening laughter, turning and twisting on the carpet, her mind lost to the thrilling madness of what she had just done. Her stomach began to ache from the pain, but she didn't care. She laid on her back, staring at the dark ceiling painted in stars, recalling the day she and her sister had painted them with the help of their mother. Even now, she knew exactly which of them had been painted by her and which by her twin. Kristina's were more... chaotic. She took far more liberty with the shape, size, and colors. Adelia's were smaller, closer to perfection and far more thought of. They formed constellations, and when the lights were off, the paint would glow making them look like actual stars.

Kristina smiled at the memory, her heart aching and her tears turning sweetly bitter. Even as a child, Adelia was gifted with an intelligence which amazed all. Many called her the next Albert Einstein. Everyone fussed over her, showering her with love and adoration and she returned their feelings in kind. Especially towards her sister. The two girls did everything together. They played and laughed, went on adventures, and faced troubles as one united front.

Until they met her.

That witch. That blasted girl whose blood they were damned to share. (Y/N).

For some reason Kristina still couldn't understand, Adelia took a liking to that girl and went as far as to consider her as her best friend, despite everyone warning her how much of bad news she was. Yet, her twin ignored them all and continued to play with her, and event went with her into that despicable forest. And for that thrust, she paid with her life.

Kristina still had nightmares about that day some nights when the skies were darker than usual and there was no moonlight to ward off the bad dreams. On such nights, whenever she closed her eyes, she saw her sister step within the woods, led within by that cursed witch. Short was the distance they traveled before a shadow reached from the darkness and snatched Adelia away.

A horrendous act, a happening which she could never forget, and which left her heart broken since then, with no way to put it back together and a hatred which would never subside for her cousin.

Suddenly, her train of thought was interrupted, and her mind ran back to the man who happened upon her at the forest. She had no idea who he was, though he looked awfully familiar. He hadn't followed her after she ran away, probably having rushed into the woods to save whatever creature there was. She didn't care anyway. He had no idea who she was, and it wasn't like anyone would believe him if he somehow found her. She was the daughter of a trusted politician, after all. How could she do something so ridiculous as setting fire to the forest?

Her eyelids began to grow heavy, her mind fogging up with slumber. The adrenaline had worn off from her system, and now it gave way to fatigue. She rolled on her side and curled up in fetal position, her hands under her head and fell asleep, crying still. She had been completely obvious to the softly glowing moth perched on a shelf in the corner of her room.