Burning House

Chapter 1

Terror. I can't stop running. My legs are numb, my chest burns and if I stop they will find me. Panic. I've been betrayed by the people who are supposed to love me and be my family. Now I'm being chased like a hunted animal through the woods. I can still hear the pop and bangs of the celebratory fireworks behind me, leering at me, and taunting the fact that I'm running for my life and they don't know I'm gone yet. Rachel knows though. She would check my cell every day to rub it in my face. So much for the five covenants.

I can feel the tears streaming hot paths down my face. I can't give up though. I won't die at her hands or the hands of her soldiers. I have to keep running. This stupid dress is spinning around my legs being picked up by the brisk October winds. The chills can come later, not now. I can't afford to stop and let the dogs pick up my sent.

"My dear, this way," I heard a voice call to me from the trees. Panting I turned quickly to see where it had come from or if it was trick form the wind.

"Over here, hurry, they are coming," the woman says again. Peering into the shadows I can barely make out her figure. I have to do something. I may die anyways and maybe she can help. Please don't be a trick. Walking closer I can pick out her details faintly in the autumn moon. Her dress is nothing found in the covenants anymore and her skin gives off a pearly glow that speaks of not seeing sun for many years. If vampires were real I'd say she looked like one.

"Can you help me," I ask in a breathy whisper. She grabs my arm pulling me into the trees. In the distance I can again here the engines of the soldiers and the endless barking. Rachel had trained her own to be vicious and hardened. Soon we are running again.

She pulls and tugs me behind her, for an older lady she has some speed. I notice her long dark hair is swinging in a braid behind her. Again not something seen often in the Covenant. Most have become fair and golden in appearance. Soon my legs are shaking and my feet are cut everywhere after having kicked my shoes off on the outskirts of town. "Please, I need to stop," I gasp at her praying she can hear my weakening voice.

"We're almost there sweetie, keep going, you'll be safe soon." She pats my hand gently. Her deep brown eyes are warm and welcoming. My body starts to relax in a comfortable way. I know I can keep going.

Another mile later we've reached the end of the road. A narrow cliff juts out over a blank space. Nothing can be seen below. Trapped, starts to echo in my mind. What have I done?

"You need to go now, jump my dear," the woman sounds urgent as she propels me toward the edge.

"What? This is a cliff, I'm to jump to my death when I just escaped with my life." I scream at her outraged. I don't care anymore if the guards can hear me. I risked everything I had left to get out.

"No, trust me, you will see. But you have to go now quick, jump! They won't look for you."

"What are you talking about? What is down there? How can I trust you?"

"Please, my dearest Padget you need to leave now. I promise you will be fine." She was pleading me now. She knew my name and I had never told her.

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

"How would I not know the 5th star of the covenant? I knew your mother as well. I used to care for her when she was your age. You look so much like her. Please trust me..."

Looking back over the edge it sounded like water rushing past. I could jump to a watery death or be seized upon by the soldiers and then thrown over the cliff to make sure I was dead. My life was beginning to feel humorous. Nothing was supposed to be this way. This should have been one of the best nights of my life. All I felt was empty and dead inside. I looked over my shoulder at the woman. She looked anxiously at me and kept scanning the tree line. They were closing in again.

"What's your name?" I whispered to her.

"Rosa. You must go now Padget. You will live." Rosa whispered back to me.

Nodding I moved closer to the edge yet. The sky is clear, the moon casting spotlights on the tops of the hills, I try to calm myself. Breathe in and out, I can do this. It's my last shot at living tonight. I wish my parents were here. My eyes on the stars fill with tears and I simply let go.

The air escapes me. Free falling twists my stomach. My hands claw at the air but there is nothing to grab onto. The fall feels like it lasts for hours but soon my body is submerged in icy coldness. My skin prickles from the bite. Holding my breath I pull myself towards the surface and ride the current. Thankfully he taught me to swim when we were kids in innocent times when the families had barbeques and dinners together.

The current keeps pushing me along, my head going under waves breaking against the shore. After the fall it seemed almost ironic the water may kill me. My eyes burn, my body at least was beginning to feel numb. My dark hair swirled around me in the water snagging on branches that floated by. Looking around I couldn't see a bank or spot to get off the ride. Death would come for me tonight no matter how hard I tried to fight it, run from it, or elude it. It was a mean son of a bitch. My eyes started to close as blackness crept in. I could go right now and be with them. Maybe I'd be happy again.

"Grab her! Pull an arm Syd, she looks like she won't make it."

"She got caught in a slow current, probably from that thing she's wearing."

Bruising hands pulled at my arms lifting me out of the water. Voices were talking but their faces were in shadows, a tunnel maybe? I couldn't keep my eyes open any longer. After the day and night I just wanted to sleep.

"What's your name love?" the deeper of the voices asked. I couldn't answer. My head lulled towards his voice hoping he could see I was holding on. Strong arms lifted me up off the ground. Warmth spread over my body as the other man threw a blanket over my bundled heap.

"Ace, look at her ring," he whispered, "She's one of the families."

"Shit must be getting real up there. Rosa wouldn't have shown her the way if she didn't think she needed it." My rescuer's voice rumbled in his chest as he talked. Soaked to the core I knew I must have felt heavy with the long thick fabric of the dress and my cloak. He held on to me though. His arm muscles flexing as he shifted and lifted me out of the way of walls. He smelt safe and relaxing like getting into a sleeping bag on the first night of camping. Turning my face into his chest I inhaled deeply...then darkness overtook me.

***First chapter is rough and a little slow.

***Thanks for reading!