Star Rising: Heartless

Chapter 1

Hello.

I will be giving away free copies of Star Rising over on Amazon. All I ask is that anyone who gets a copy please leave a review on Amazon.

If interested let me know.

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StarCycle 2338

Chapter 1

Xalen Blangi rubbed his eyelids, yawning, as he was forced awake. The same boring, gray-walled room that had been his home for the past seventeen star cycles welcomed him. Save a long mirror, an old bed, and a brown cupboard, the room was devoid of any accessories.

Headmistress Agnes's scratchy voice rang in his eardrums once again. Chubby hands at her waist, she stared down at him. Yellow-stained teeth protruded from her dark gums. She wore a ragged blue dress and a white apron. Plump legs, complete with an unnatural amount of hair, supported her seven foot, five inch frame.

"Get up, boy. The food is not going to make itself."

"Yes, headmistress," said Xalen, his voice dripping with boredom. He set his foot down on the cold floor. A shudder ran up his leg, and for the thousandth time he yearned for a pair of socks.

"And wake that good-for-nothing friend of yours."

"He's still hurt, headmistress. You worked him too hard the—"

"I decide who's in pain. Not you." She looked at him with a crooked smile. "You think because you're seventeen star-cycles-old now, you get to make the rules in my orphanage?" She put extra emphasis on my, as if Xalen wasn't fully aware that Agnes was in charge. There was a lot Xalen was ignorant to; the fact that Agnes ran the only orphanage on planet Vintra was not one of them. Xalen's first memory was of him as a four cycle old being forced to clean the floor with a brush boasting only three bristles. In fact, many of his memories involved Agnes exerting her dominance by having him complete some ridiculous chore.

Lately, Xalen could tell that Agnes knew she was losing her control over him. He was growing up, and more and more he found himself stepping up, defending the younger children against her. He'd suffer enough by her hands, he wasn't going to stand by as she did the same to the rest of the orphans.

"I'll wake him," said Xalen, choosing to forego another argument with Agnes.

"See that you do." The woman turned, and stomped out into the hallway.

Xalen could still hear her mumbling loudly under her breath long after she'd left the room.

Once it was clear Agnes was gone, the sheet was tossed aside. He took a long look in the mirror, cursing his silver and black hair. As if he wasn't strange enough already. All the years of hard work had caused him to develop a muscular physique. He unsuccessfully tried to pat down his unruly hair, and then slipped on a pair of pants and shirt.

Absolute silence. That was all that he heard as he stepped foot into the hallway. Which wasn't at all surprising. It was early dawn. The boys and girls were still deep in sleep.

He went into the boy's room, a windowless large hall with dozens of beds set in uneven rows.

Xalen tiptoed down the cold tiles, careful not to disrupt the soft snores that surrounded him. Soon the kids would wake, and the cruel reality that they were unwanted orphans would wash over them in a thick wave of despair. But now, in their dreams, there was no such reality. In their dreams they had families. Dads carried them in their arms on the way to the park. Mothers whispered sweet words of love as they tucked them to sleep. Crazy uncles showed up unexpectedly, bringing with them all sorts of treats and toys.