The Innocent

Just A Dream

Melanie drifted for a while in the dark. Her thoughts wandered and she found herself thinking about her family. She visualized her fathers face. His stern jaw and thick eye brows above piercing grey eyes, remembering his familiar face she couldn't imagine how he could have done such horrible things. Beside him stood her mother. Beautiful and patient, her long blond hair hanging straight down her back, there was no resemblance between her and Melanie. Melanie sighed. She saw her brothers; John, at eighteen was tall, lean and unbearably handsome, and Luke, a seventeen year old who was gawky and brooding. Finally there was her twin sister, non-identical; Melissa took after their mother, with perfect blond hair and bright blue eyes. Her family had left without her, leaving her to manage without them. At first she had felt lost but that had quickly gone away, her family had never showed much interest in her what with Luke's penchant for trouble, Melissa's perfect charm and John's incessant achieving. Looking at her family her gaze fell on the only one who she even slightly resembled, the families golden boy. Her oldest brother John was destined to become Leasin's next watcher. Letting the rest of the family fall away she gazed at her brother.

A long sigh sounded out of nowhere. Melanie jumped glancing around, finally she looked back to her brother. He had moved, she was sure of it. John had come closer to her before her eyes the image she had conjured for herself was walking towards her until he stood only a few feet in front of her.

"Melanie," Johns deep voice was so real

Melanie stared at her brother, "This is a dream," she whispered

John laughed, "Or a vision." her brother paused, contemplating something

"What is it John?"

"We need to know."

"Know what?"

John looked at her, "Where you have been."

"Why?" Melanie felt suddenly nervous

"We miss you. We've been looking for you ever since you left."

"I left?" Melanie laughed. "I went home and you were gone, all of you. I left?"

"Melanie please, be reasonable." John's eyes were troubled

Melanie looked away, "Why don't you tell me where you went. Why you left."

Melanie was pleased to see the guilty look on Johns face, "I can't say."

"Tell me where you are then."

"Leasin." He answered shortly. Melanie laughed again

"How is our wondrous city? The one you all abandoned."

"We didn't abandon it," he spoke clearly but with hesitance

She pushed him, "You did. You know it; I can see it in your eyes. Tell me how is the city, how are our friends. Where are they now?"

His answer was quicker this time "They are good. Better than good, they are safe now."

"Why do you say that?"

"Say what?"

"That nothing has happened to them. Why didn't you just say that they're happy?"

"They are, that's what I meant. Nothing has changed." He sounded almost like he was trying to convince himself as much as her.

"I went home the other day." Melanie watched her brothers eyes bulge slightly, "There was still no one there, no one anywhere."

John opened and closed his mouth a couple times.

"Why are you lying John?" She asked, "Where have you gone?"

Johns shoulders slumped, "He made us, he said we couldn't wait." Then he flinched