Queen of the zodiac ( zodiac city duology #1) [ undergoing revamping]

Brooke

Tag you're it- Melanie Martinez

Prologue

I never knew my father. That was my first sin, or so it seemed in my mother's eyes. The man who had sired me had vanished like smoke in the wind, leaving behind only a legacy of abandonment and bitterness between my mother and me.

I was a shadow in our home, a living reminder of the man who had forsaken us. My mother's resentment toward him transmuted into a seething disdain for me, her own flesh and blood. I could see it in her eyes, hear it in the venom that dripped from her words. I was the living embodiment of her disappointment.

Bailey, my younger sister, was the golden child. Her every step was praised, her every accomplishment celebrated. She was the one who could do no wrong, the one destined for greatness in the eyes of our family. I was the discarded, unwanted child, destined for nothing more than a life of neglect and scorn.

The Madi Gras ceremony was supposed to be Bailey's moment of triumph. It was a grand affair, a spectacle that drew our entire community to witness the selection of the royal from a pre-picked family. For weeks leading up to the event, our home was a whirlwind of excitement and preparation, all for my sister's expected coronation.

But fate, it seemed, had other plans. As the day of the Madi Gras ceremony arrived, a cloud of unease settled over our home. Whispers of uncertainty filled the air, as though the very wind carried the weight of impending change.

The ceremony took place in a lush, moonlit garden, a place bathed in an ethereal glow that lent an air of mystique to the proceedings. The attendees, dressed in their finest attire, gathered in a circle around the grand stage where the selection would occur. My heart pounded in my chest as I stood there, Bailey at my side, a false smile concealing my inner turmoil.

The moment arrived, and the anticipation was palpable. The name of our family was announced, and all eyes turned to the golden urn that held our fate. It was an agonizingly slow process, each draw of the hand prolonging the tension.

Then, it happened.

The slip of paper bore the name "Brooklyn Aire."

A hushed gasp swept through the crowd. The world seemed to stand still for a moment, as though the very heavens held their breath. It was a twist of destiny that no one had foreseen, a cruel joke played by the fates.

My mother's face contorted with a mixture of fury and disbelief. Bailey's eyes, once filled with adoration for me, now brimmed with a newfound resentment. The weight of their disappointment and anger crashed upon me like a tidal wave.

That night, the world I had known crumbled. The celebration I had imagined for my sister turned into a nightmare for me. The golden child had become the forgotten one, and I, the outcast, had been thrust into the spotlight.

My mother's hatred, once simmering beneath the surface, now blazed like a wildfire. She rained down her fury upon me, her words like a barrage of arrows aimed at my wounded heart. Bailey, too, joined in the torment, her love for me replaced by a bitter rivalry born from jealousy and spite.

The Madi Gras ceremony, meant to be a celebration of our family's legacy, had become a curse that bound me to a destiny I never wanted. It marked the beginning of a relentless torment, a descent into a living nightmare that would haunt me for years to come.

——

In the dimly lit room of our once-happy home, a heavy atmosphere weighed down on my shoulders. My parents, fueled by bitterness and resentment, had become unrecognizable monsters. The room seemed to close in on me as they circled, like vultures closing in on their prey.

My mother's voice dripped with disdain as she berated me. "You're a disgrace, Brooke," she hissed, her words lashing out like venom. My step father, Walter stood silently, a passive accomplice in this torment.

With each cruel word, they spat at me, my eyes welled up with tears. I tried to fight back the sadness, but it was overwhelming. I  felt utterly alone, abandoned by the people who were supposed to love and protect me. Bailey. I had made her a monster

they didn't stop at words. Mothers hand struck my face, causing me to stumble. The tears i had been holding back began to flow. The physical pain was nothing compared to the emotional agony of their betrayal.

Yet, hidden deep within me was a power that set me apart. My regenerative abilities began to work, slowly healing the bruises and cuts inflicted upon me. It was a secret strength, a lifeline I clung to as i endured the suffering

---

I had always felt a lingering sense of discomfort around my stepfather. There was something in the way he looked at me, a gaze that made my skin crawl. It happened one evening when we were sitting at the dinner table.

As I reached for my glass of water, I noticed his eyes on me, but it wasn't a fatherly or friendly gaze. It was a look that sent shivers down my spine, a mixture of curiosity and something more unsettling. Quickly, I averted my eyes, trying to shake off the feeling that his stare was like an unwanted touch.

It wasn't the first time I had caught him looking at me this way, each time it happened, it filled me with a sense of unease and dread. I couldn't help but wonder what was going on in his mind. I tried to tell my mom about it but her hatred for me clouded her judgement.

I looked out my window. My body healing from the cuts i had gotten from my mom earlier this evening. She had stabbed a knife through my leg. Her knowledge of my regenerative abilities made her abuse more cruel each day. I was just 15. I shouldnt be going through this. I stared through the window looking at my stepfather who had  a sinister glint in his eyes, my mom wasnt home.

She had gone with Bailey to the saggitarius waterfalls. I was scared when he was drunk, his predatory nature became even more unsettling. the shadows danced ominously across the walls, I could sense his presence approaching. The stench of alcohol lingered in the air, a harbinger of danger. My heart raced in my chest as I heard his unsteady footsteps drawing nearer to my room. I  knew I had to hide.

I crouched beneath my bed, trying to control my trembling body. My tears were silent, but my fear was deafening. I couldn't bear the thought of what he might do if he found me.

The door creaked open slowly, and my stepfather's drunken silhouette appeared. His voice, slurred and menacing, whispered, "Tag, you're it." My heart pounded as he approached my hiding place, his intentions clear.

As his fingers grazed the floor, dangerously close to my hiding spot, my mind raced with terror. I knew I had to break free from this never-ending game of torment. With a sudden burst of courage, I darted out from under the bed, pushing past him and fleeing down the hallway.

But I was small, he caught up to me. My fire wasn't as strong as him so I didn't dare use it against him. I tried screaming and shouting but he covered my mouth and my loud screams came out as soft muffles. He raised up my dress ripping through my panties.

I closed my eyes. Pain heavy in my heart. He finally had me and I couldn't do anything. I'm useless.

My stepfather's drunken, sinister laughter echoed behind me leaving me in a fragile state with blood around me. He took away who I was. I hated him. I hated my mom for doing this. I hated Bailey for turning against me because of power. I was alone

As I lay on my bed, nursing my wounds, a flicker of determination ignited within me. I whispered to myself, "I'll get through this, no matter what. I'll go to Zodiac Academy and break free from this never-ending nightmare. I won't let them crush me."

With each word, a spark of hope danced in my eyes. The pain and abuse I endured couldn't extinguish the fire of my determination. I knew that Zodiac Academy represented a chance at freedom, a chance to escape the torment of my home. I would do whatever it took to reach that place and leave the darkness of my past behind.