Leo gasped and sat up abruptly. The bed was warm and welcoming, but it did little to calm him. He threw off the blankets and set his feet onto the cold floor, feeling the wood creak beneath him. His arms were burning with excruciating pain, as if they might tear through the flesh underneath. He stared at the mark—shaped like a blood crescent—staring back at him idly. “Oh my god... every time,” he groaned, wiping his face with both hands.
Every night, he woke up to the searing pain in his left arm where the mark was. No one in his family knew where it came from; they even said it was there when he was born. They called it Luna’s Mark, shaped like a moon. Only four people had it, and the last one had it roughly 500 years ago, including him. Though Leo didn’t know what it meant, he knew it must be significant, even if he hadn’t figured it out yet. He ran a hand through his messy black hair as he stared at his reflection in the mirror. Two icy blue eyes stared back, craving sleep. His pale skin looked even more parched than usual. Scratching his neck, Leo decided to get a drink. After all, nothing hits harder than a late-night drink.
The hut they lived in was small but manageable, offering shelter and warmth. Leo often wondered what it would be like to live in a bigger house. What did people living in grand houses feel? Did they ever get lost? How did they manage to clean such large spaces? Reaching the kitchen, he drank like a ravenous wolf after hours of searching.
Sunlight dawned, and his mother’s voice approached. “Aw, my poor baby... did it wake you up again?” she said, gesturing at the Luna’s Mark. He nodded lightly.
“Oh, I’m sorry... but anyway, happy birthday,” she said, patting his arm before continuing to the washing machine, lowering the heavy tray of clothes she carried. Suddenly, he heard a muffled cry coming from her. “Mom, what’s wrong?” His eyes widened in surprise—she had been smiling just a second ago.
“I’m sorry; I just feel like a horrible parent. I can’t even get you a birthday present,” she said, wiping at her bleary eyes
“Mom, it’s alright. Birthday presents are dumb anyway. The true present is you. My life would be a mess without you... I love you, Mom,” Leo said, kneeling beside her.
Hugging him tightly, she managed to stop, ending it with a loud gasp. He smiled, meaning every word. He had lost all his other family to a wildfire years ago—she was the only one left. He didn’t know what he would do if he lost her too. Hopefully never.
Kissing his forehead, she said, “I want you to go wash the laundry in the river. Could you do that for me, my angel?” She smiled feebly. Leo nodded, taking the basket and smiling as he stared at his mother’s broken eyes. He didn’t like seeing her cry; he would rather drown or die in a wildfire. She was a strong, independent woman, and seeing her like this broke his heart.
After a while, he reached the river. It was a little green, probably because it was shared with other huts, but it was empty this time. The river was a good distance from the other huts, obscured from sight. Leo wondered if he could take a quick bath but decided against it—his mother was waiting.
He dipped the first set of clothes into the water, careful not to let them fall out of his grasp. The river was deep; Leo wondered if he could see the bottom if he tried hard enough. Just then, he felt a tight grasp around his chest, a firm arm wrapping around him. Leo gasped as the clothes fell from his hands, sinking into the darkness. He tried to fight back, but he couldn’t even turn to see his assailant. White cloth covered his nose, and he jerked his head in all directions to avoid it, but more men came, trying to force the cloth over him. Six in total.
After a third attempt, the cloth succeeded in covering his nose and mouth. Leo felt dizzy, helpless. He wanted to use his red-colored beam powers to fight back, but it was futile. He stumbled a few steps before falling into the unwelcoming arms of one of his kidnappers. The man wore black like the others but had piercing black eyes, menacing even to death itself. His pale skin shone slightly in the forbidden moonlight, and his long brown hair swayed. For a moment, his gaze met Leo’s, sending a shudder through his body.
Suddenly, everything went black. Leo tried one last cry for help, but it came out as a muffled whimper.
YOU ARE READING
The Chaos Of Luna's Mark
Fantasy--- In a world where the rarest of gifts is both a blessing and a curse, four unsuspecting children are thrust into a battle they never saw coming. When they receive the enigmatic **Luna's Mark**, a mystical moon symbol bestowed only once every 500...
