After The Storm || ON HOLD

only chance

(Through the eyes of Nyx Mitexi, the darkness child.)

Darkness
The darkness child has the ability to fill any space with darkness, and an aura of emptiness. She can create and manipulate mist at will. She is known to be very mysterious and charismatic, and is the rebel of the ten teens. Because of her notorious reputation, the darkness child is greatly dishonored by the scientists.

***

I spent the entire afternoon thinking back to when Andrew asked that question. It was easy to remember the passionate smile that he curved his lips into--before he began speaking to me--the one time he grinned for real, and not solely to cover the depression that was clouding his mind. Without any effort, I could hear the words he uttered again, and his quiet, mysterious whispering. However, I found it difficult to actually answer the question.

Why were we the ones who ended up being Earth Children?

We were taken against our will. Our bonds broken like my bedroom window. Our lives dented like the bleak white wall that Andrew punched and punched every day, until his fists were covered in red-violet bruises.

Those who captured us had located the raging storms deep inside us, the powers we kept hidden away. Ten young children, without a true reason to live aside from the fact that we were the limbs that built the body of the world.

That wasn't the answer, though. Obviously, we were stolen because of our abilities. Yet, not a single soul knew exactly why the Earth Children were created, why the world didn't end instead.

Was it a trick question? Or, was the solution impossible to find until I realized a certain thing?

As I walked alone, my feet tapping the smooth floor softly, I promised myself that sometime in my life, I'd answer the damn question. And today, I would ask Cara to start a bonfire in the clearing inside the forest--with flames crackling, the ten Earth Children laughing--for the sake of Andrew. Maybe, he had it worse than I did. He could've been needing a single spark of joy, anything to prevent him from spiraling down into despair, for all I knew. Could I be the one who had to be there for him?

-

I blinked my eyes several times, attempting to get rid of the dry, irritated feeling underneath them, that I had from crying earlier. Teenagers scrambled throughout the hallways, heading back to their quarantines or to the examination unit for their testing blocks. Unlike the rest, I was slowly traveling through the long corridors, as I had already gone through a lengthy exam in the morning, and would do the same late that night. Because my abilities were strongest in the presence of darkness, it was easier for the scientists that way. I didn't like it, being forced to wake up before sunrise and fall asleep just an hour or so before the next morning, but the ECP's plans were never run by me. To the scientists, I was solely a valuable, like a rare stone,  wishing to be unnoticed and left alone. But something about me made them feel the urge to bother me, and keep me within their sight for eternity.

I had requested for Cara to set up a campfire in the forest, and have everything ready for our midnight escape, a long and incredible time in the deep, mystical woods. The powerful and calculating female excitedly accepted, and the adorable Lily, who was eavesdropping, nodded with blatant approval. Nobody seemed to object, though it was obvious that the scientists wouldn't tolerate it.

I could picture the heartless creeps dressed in their white uniforms, looking over the ten of us as if we were newly stolen diamonds. They would be ready to punish us severely--worse than an electric shock this time. Extended solitary confinement. We would each be locked in a claustrophobic cell, given minimal food and water, and the scientists would inject sedatives into the backs of our necks constantly. 

Despite the painful consequences, we still had to go out there, into the shadowy, cool night. Besides, what if it was our only chance? Our final breath of freedom before being quarantined for eternity?

-

I was able to smell the first burst of the fire, and hear the sound of dry, perfect twigs--created by Pamant Reign, the adventurous nature child--being thrown in the kindle it. Pamant kept tossing small branches and leaves, even when the fire was strong enough on its own, its orange streaks growing tall and wild. My free spirit awakened as I stepped through the long, green grass, and eyed the beautiful masterpiece of a flame that marked the center of the woodland.

Then, I noticed a figure standing nearby, peering at the setting sun. Tall and rather thin, about a foot higher than myself. I focused on him, seeing his wounded fingers, wind-blown brown hair and deep, dark eyes. He was Andrew, for sure. Zipping up my black jacket, I carefully walked toward him, asking him if he had come to help set up. He stayed where he was, appearing calm and reserved as usual. Surprisingly, he responded.

"Came here early just for the views. And Nyx, thanks for arranging the bonfire...for me."

"I-I didn't plan it all! I mean-", I said, partially lying, because I did pretty much organize the entire thing.

Andrew cut me off. "You did, Nyx. I haven't told anyone, aside from you, about wanting to camp out."

"Okay, okay. The sky is stunning, isn't it?"

"Yeah, with all of those amazing stars. In a way, it almost reminds me of y-"

The boy that I'd known for so long, yet not exactly paid attention to until now, stopped talking. Light pink color showed on my cheeks, and I immediately pulled the hoodie of my jacket over my messy brown hair. I tried to withhold the urge to giggle, out of sheer disbelief, finding it hard to stifle the laugh for some reason. Andrew James did not just hint that he thought I was pretty. Never did I think of him as a romantic or flirty type. Compared to the sky, I was nothing, merely a fleck of dust.

He sent me that same unfathomable smile that he had this morning, and disappeared in a flash. It was nearly nine-o-clock p.m. at this point, so I made an educated guess that he was going inside to call everyone out to the forest.

-

Teens gathered around, seated on sturdy logs constructed by Pamant herself. Above us was what looked like an endless painting, filled with shining white dots--the stars. Andrew was staring at the burning firewood, and even he had happiness in his eyes. This feeling was temporary, something we didn't experience often. So, I decided not to let my fear of punishment eat away at me, and allowed myself to become unpredictable, unable to control. Being obedient never made me tougher. It was sheer rebellion that caused that to happen.

Ashley Marie, the energetic and brilliant wind child, spoke up. "Alright, um, Truth or Dare? Remember When?"

"How 'bout Remember When first?" I suggested, taking in Ashley's naturally sweet face, which was aglow from the brilliant fire.

Remember When was a game that we all made up on our own. Someone would simply talk about an embarrassing moment in another person's life that occurred long ago. Next, the person who suffered that happening would do the same, bringing back someone else's not so pleasant memories.

"Sure! Um, I'll start, unless anybody really wants to."

Ashley smirked devilishly, turning her lit-up head towards me.