The Last Finder

Chapter 1: Extinction

Childhood stories faded with the black fog that surrounded Ella with faint words repeating "Go get out! Run!" Ella woke up to a normal, beautiful day the sun shining in her room it was normal, yet she felt uneasy, why though? She stood taking her black, lace dress she had always had as a gift from her mother. "Good morning, Ella." were the sweet calm words she would hear her mom say every morning, being 15 she grew used to it, yet embarrassed when girls laughed. "The men finders arr doing a show for the kids today Ella, you should go." her mother said as Ella stepped out of her room into the kitchen, how Ella hated being called a kid."I don't really wanna go. I don't feel good." she replied sitting in her chair at the mahogany table brushing her hazel hair to the sides of her shoulders. "Why , was it a dream? " she said bringing Ella's steaming plate of eggs "No, it's just I'm not a kid, I'll go but I don't want to play." Ella replied taking her utensils as her mother smiled, how Ella loved her smile, she felt it could raise the dead, "Then you better hurry, Ella." she said beeaking Ella's trance as she began eating her eggs as fast as she could gulp them down. Ella stood up running to the door anxiously and turned to her mom smiling "Good-bye mom I'll be back" she said walking out, if only in that moment she knew she would never see hwr mother again she would've stayed. Kids gathered around the village square where the 4 men were standing, Ella stood in the back waiting for the performance.
The rose petals lifted off the ground as the men moved their hands swiftly, ther rose petals glowed as they burst into shiny gold glitter that sprinkled over the giggling children. "Ella come on." The kids called, but she shook her head. As she shook her head at the corner of her eye she saw the black fog rise from the forest. As the black fog touched the cabin it sparked into a flame soon setting fire to the whole house. "Run!" eveyone screamed running to their burning houses, Ella ran to her house whichhad just caught fire "Mom!" she yelled running in with burning debris falling from the ceiling. Her eyes widened seeing her mom laying in the kitchen her legs pinned by debris "Mom get up we have to go!" Ella said as she tried moving the wood. The sounds of screams of pain, children and fire cracking filled the village. "Go Ella just Go! Run! I can't leave anyway my legs are crushed!" Ella's mom yelled, as tears formed in Ella's eyes, she stood up as her mom smiled with tear stains on her cheeks. "Good girl, now go run! Dont touch the fog it will burn you now go!" she said as Ella ran out her arm covering her tears. Ella stopped, looking back at her house to see the fog slowly consume it, "I love you Mom!" she said as she began running. Dead, burnt bodies scattered over the village as she ran covering her mouth from the stench of rotten flesh.
Ella's feet were begging to give out, as her head began spinning, losing her balance she tumbled onto the cold hard floor of the forest. "I.... made it out..." she sighed to herself as she laid on the grass, the trees calmly blowing above her. Her head still spinning she closed her eyes in a faint, suddenly the wind stopped blowing the trees, as the sun began to sneak away. The night was fast but deep in the village there was something that would soon return. The fog faded away in the village as a man close in black walked through, he clenched his fist and he passed every burned home and body. "This is what they get!" He laughed as he kneeled slowly on the square floor picking up a doll from a burned girls hand. He stood raising a brow at muddy foot steps across the square leading to the forest, growling he managed a smirk, "I see one got away....so hide and seek it is," he looked up at the silver moon the fog pouring down over him, "let's play!" he gritted his teeth does he goes into the forest.
Gasping for air I love woke up looking about and around. Her head pulsing from the night before images of the people running,screaming.... burning. Slowly she managed to stand, her legs still shaking she grabbed at her head leaning on a tree. " Who sent the fire a blaze, who controlled the fog, what is it,... Who is it?", Ella pondered as she limped from tree to tree hoping to get somewhere safe. A chill ran up her spine and she felt eyes watching her, spinning around xanax Swan pastor brown hazel hair planting itself in a tree. Shot Ella stood still," Who are you!" a stern voice from a male demanded. "Answer or I'll have your head now!" the man demanded once again. Her lips quivering,"Ella sir, ...E..Ella Scarlett." silence fell after she spoke, looking down she braced herself for any further threats. "What are you? A witch?", he chuckled putting a knife lifting her bow at the back of her lace dress. Startled Ella turned facing the man who was about 17 with dark brown hair, and hazel eyes. "I'm not a witch." gaining dignity she lifted her head, "I'm a... " "You're a what?" hea answered rather prideful taking a step forward. Looking Ella straight in the eye she stepped back, her mother warned of never telling of their gift for it was rare. " Promise me... promise to protect me if I tell you..." Ella said looking down, as the young man noticed his rude behaviour. "Fine but if you're evil, " he sighed walking to grab his axe in the tree. "I'm a," turning to face him she gripped her dress "I'm a Finder." The young man stopped, his cold pale hands touching the tip of his rusty axe. The young man turned to Ella, who looked unsure of safety. "P..Prove it..." he replied with interest. Looking Ella up and down, "how can she be a finder?"he thought. Ella shocked to hear his reply sighed and kneeled on the forest floor. The calm wind blew as the male sat against the tree watching Ella closely as she swayed her hands gracefully. The soft,green leaves and the dark, chipped branches begin to lift off the forest floor. "So... you are a Finder!" he exclaimed amazed at the green light, " You're amazing," Ella blushed at the comment and made a fist with her left hand, pressing it gently in the palm of her right hand. A gust of wind blew the males hair back as Ella giggled, " I made you this, as a thank you." She replied holding a silver axe, with silver rose vines crawling up the wooden handle. The young man smiled at the axe, walking over he took it looking at Ella, who looked down holding back a blush let go of the act as it fell into his hand." The name is Eugiene, Eugiene Elric" looking down he sighed "I apologize for my attitude, I thought you were a threat." he chuckled rubbing his forehead, "What a crazy outcome , huh." smiling Ella was relieved he wasn't evil either, but at the looks of it he was pretty normal.
"Come on, you must be hungry, my house isnt far from here." He held out a hand Ella hesitated and took hold of it as he helped her up. As they walked, Ella looked back to ensure the fog wasn't there. "Hey, you okay there you look uneasy." Eugiene said ducking below a branch looking at Ella's shaking hands. "Yes I'm fine, its just yesterday a mysterious black fog swept through my village," unaware of Ella's loss Eugiene patted her shoulder, "It couldn't have been that bad." Those very words burned Ella's heart like touching a hot iron skillet. "My whole village burned, everyone.... My own mom is gone, I'm the only one left." Choking back tears, Eugiene grabbed Ella making her face him, "look I didn't know but I hereby swear to protect you, Ella." He said smiling as he fixed her hazel hair behind her ear. Looking in her hazel eyes he saw a light that could stop all darkness. "Well lets hurry it's near supper time." Ella hadn't thought about food, being in such trama, food just didn't come to mind. "Thank you, Eugiene." Their walk wasn't long, for through some dark green bushes a soft painted cottage sat in the sunlight with a welcoming appearance. Dandelions and grass swayed in the front with the calm wind while chops of wood surrounded a tree stump as if for firewood Eugiene, walking ahead through the grass, opened the door and looked back to Ella "Come on, I don't bite." Shyly Ella made her way to the back door, peeking in at the living room. A cream sitting sofa in the middle, white curtains flowing from the wind of the open window and a few other chairs with knitted coverings over them. "Ma, I'm home! I brought a guest who's hungry." Walking in Ella noticed a painting hung in a wooden frame. "Who's this?" Ella inquired as Eugiene laid his axe on a chair, "my family", the picture of a man about 40 with dark hair like Eugene, a woman about 30 with light brown hair and two young boys one Eugene the other about 6 having brown eyes as well the whole family smiling together. As Ella walked around she saw a door with a light shining below as if someone was in the room suddenly the door handle gently opened, as the woman in the painting walked out holding a tray of snacks, you must be his guest, I'm Eugiene's mother Selenia." The young woman wearing a soft faded blue dress said setting the tray on a chair. "Eugiene get the pullout table will you?" Her eyes once focused on the snacks then locked at the axes set on a chair, "And get your weapons off my furniture!" giggling she apologized to Ella "His father was a hunts man, he always encouraged them to do things that would dirty the house."
"Ah- I see he must've been a great dad." Ella replied cooly though seeing the saddened expression on the poor womans face she looked down.
"He's gone isn't he?"
"Er-uh..."
The room got silent as Ella finally walked over to the poor woman and held her close. Sniffling Selenia let go of Ella and once again focused on the snacks.
"Well-uh Eugiene must be upstairs, will you be a dear and get him?"
Ella with a smile made her way to the blank white staircase leading to the second floor of the cottage. From below she could hear laughter and made her way cautiously, walking to a room whose door held the laughter of the people inside, with no second thought Ella softly peeked inside.