Nikki Sanders and The Battle of The First Fire

The Finding

There I was, in the alley behind the school, hoping to find a rat to eat.  That was where my "home" was for five years.  My mom had died giving birth to me.  My dad was an alcoholic and became abusive because he blamed me for killing her.  I was beaten every day when I got home.  The nurse started noticing my bruises when I was in elementary school.  After she did, the nurse called the cops on my dad and he was taken away. I went into just as abusive foster homes until I couldn't take it anymore.  I had to leave but it wouldn't have been right leaving Jenny, the five year old who also lived in the foster home, so, she and I ran away.  We lived in alleys and in crack houses until Jenny got sick.  She started getting a fever, stomach aches, and nausea.  Then one day, Jenny didn't wake up in the morning.  I found a woman on the street and told her.  She took Jenny to the hospital.  Jenny was diagnosed with Hepatitis A. She had died and there was nothing I could do about it.  I never got to say goodbye to Jenny.  When I came out of the hospital room after I found out Jenny died, the woman was gone.  I lived on my own after that. 

Hearing an emty can rolling around knocked me out of my memory.  Then, I heard very heavy footsteps.  I thought it might be another gang who wanted to "have fun" with a fourteen year old girl.  I got up and ran.  The big footsteps were following me.  It was then that I saw my chance to escape.  I climbed over a brick wall, kicked a trash can, and turned left.  Afterwards, I realized that I was at a dead end and that I hoped the owner of the footsteps thought it was to much work to run after me.  Footsteps came louder and louder.  Out of nowhere, a bright flash from behind me blinded the person with the loud feet, giving me a chance to get away.  After I finally lost the person,  I remembered that the only thing behind me during the bright flash of light was a hard, cement wall and walls can't give off light to save people. 

I sat there staring at the walls around me and decided to ask them a question.  I knew it was dumb but I was so confused that it made sense at that moment.  I pet a wall as I asked it, "Hey, wall-e, did one of your wall friends help me back there?"  No answer.  I knew it was a bad idea but-
I heard a voice in my head that was much deeper than usual.  It said, "No, that was your power.  It just helped you use it."  I was going crazy and hearing voices.  I just pushed it off and went to sleep on the hard, dirty floor.

I woke up to a hand on my shoulder.  Without looking, I flipped the person and put my arm on their neck.  The guy was a middle aged man who's hair was turning gray.  He had a big beer belly, a bright red face, and was really angry.  The ugly man mumbled to himself, "I should have known that this would happen.  I'm getting too old for this."  Soon, he figured out that I wasn't going to let a stranger off the ground.  He said in a British accent, "Hello.  My name is Quindecince but most call me Hunter.  I am here to take you to Prince Nathaniel's Home for Special Kids."  I couldn't believe that he thought he could just take me away.  "I've got a few things to say.  One.  I'm not going to another orphanage.  Two.  I'm not 'special.'  Three.  I have never heard of a Prince Nathaniel.  Four.  How did you get Hunter from Quindecence?"  He gave me a confused look for a millisecond before going back to his angry face.  He decided to reply to my comments.  "Prince Nathaniel's Home for Special Kids isn't an orphanage. You are very special Nikki Sanders. Prince Nathaniel isn't... well known here.   In Drogg, Quindecence means Finder or Hunter.  Semi~ Carries are always so uneducated about the other- did I just think out loud again?"  I questioned him, "How do you know my name?  How?" "You are my mission.  I have to know that your name is Nicole Rachel Sanders, you are fourteen years old, you have gone to seven different school from the ages of six to nine, and, you have a small, spiral birthmark on your leg.  You only wear and steal jeans because you are most self- conscious there."  I had so many questions to ask him but I remembered that he was still on the ground.  I helped Hunter up and let him stretch his back.  At that moment, I heard the same heard heavy footsteps from the night before.  A young boy about my age ran up to Hunter.  He was wearing a black shirt with writing on it, a denim jacket, brown pants, and big metal shoes that make heavy footsteps.  His brown hair was disheveled and his tan skin was covered with dirt. The boy looked at me and said, "I missed the finding?" Then, it looked like he remembered what he was doing there.  He looked scared as he wispered something to the big man. "Follow me," Hunter said. We started to run. I wanted to ask questions but I was too focused in breathing while running. Hunter stopped in front of a big red van. "No way, no way. A stranger followed me to where I sleep, told me I needed to leave, made me run away from probably nothing, and is trying to get me into his van. No way!" I had had enough. "Tell me this instant where we are going." I wasn't going to let up so he told me, "We are going to Prince Nathaniel's Home for Special Kids. It's the only place you'll be safe." Then, the young boy pushed me into the van and we started driving.

I was filled with a hundred questions. "Who is the kid? Why did we leave? Why are we going to this prince's house? Hunter, do you work for the prince? Who is the kid? Why me? Am I actually special? Why did a wall speak to me?" Hunter and the boy gasped. Hunter replied, "We left because something really bad was chasing us. I can't tell you what it is yet, though. I work with the prince, not for him. You are a Semi~ Carrie. You are half human, or what we call Carrie, and half Droggen. Did a wall really speak to you?" Ignoring his question, I asked, "What's a Droggen?" The young boy looked at me like I just said the craziest thing in the world.  "What's a Droggen?!  What's a Droggen?!  I know she's new but how does she not know what a Droggen is?"  The boy said. Hunter replied, "Remember, she isn't from our realm. Nikki, a Droggen is... I think the best words to describe it in your language is a witch or magician." "Why not a wizard?" I enquired. The boy looked at me, laughed, and said, "Wizards aren't real. You should know that by now. No Droggen wears a pointy hat with stars on it and carries a metal stick. A magician is the best way to describe us because we actually do magyk. You really don't know much about us, do you?" Just at that second, the van stopped. Then, there was a bright flash like the one from last night but this one knocked me out.

*Up there is a picture of the boy. Tell me what you think. Vote and comment if you liked it.

~The Carrie,
WalkerGirls