Reapers

Chapter Two: Four Teens and a Pizza

Darcie turned the key to the front door of her foster parent’s house.  Immediately her foster mother, Carol, wrapped her arms around her; Darcie felt Carol’s tears fall onto her skin.  

“I saw the news, your school was on fire, you were there.” she drew away and held Darcie’s shoulders firmly, “What happened?” she asked.

Darcie looked down at Carol who stood about two inches shorter than her; her blond dyed hair was in a tight bun, her brown eyes seem weary, but every other part of her hinted at her young age.  She was as kind and caring as any mother could be, but at the same time Carol had that child like optimism that Darcie thought would one day be her downfall.

“I don’t want to talk about it.” Darcie whispered looking away from her foster mother's eyes.

Carol opened her mouth to protest when a voice interrupted her.

“Carol, let her go.  She’s obviously had one hell of a day.” Darcie’s foster father, David, said.  Darcie looked over Carol’s shoulder.  David was as tall as Carol was short, they made an odd pair, but Darcie often thought that’s why they were so good together.

David was a tall sturdy man that had dark short cut hair that was beginning to grey around the sides while his eyes were a light ocean blue color.

“Can I go up to my room?” Dacrie asked, “I’m tired.”

Carol looked back at David then to Darcie and smiled softly, “Of course, honey.”

Darcie went passed her foster parents and went up the steep, narrow stairs to her bedroom.  She had lived here for little more than a year, the longest of all the foster homes she had ever been at, but she knew soon she would have to move on to the next house.  She always did.

She opened her bedroom door to the horrid cherry colored room with its floral curtains and bedspread.  Darcie flopped down on her bed and buried her face into the floral pillowcase.  It smelled liked a meadow; it was Carol’s favorite detergent.

“Why did this have to happen to me.” she cried into her pillow.

“Because your quite odd, perhaps more than a bit.” a familiar voice said.

Darcie’s head shot up, she moved so that she sat on the edge of her bed staring at her window.

The girl with black hair and the white streak sat outside her double windows on the roof.  Darcie jumped up and opened the windows, “Who are you, why the hell are you here!”

The girl smirked as she stared out and looked over the neighborhood, “The name’s Era.” she said looking back over her shoulder, “Era Shade, as for why I’m here.  Well, that’s another story.  Now, may I come in?”

Darcie thought for a moment then took a step back from the window; Era slipped in the window in a single graceful movement then stood looking around.  

“It’s so...fruity.” Era growled.

“What do you what?  No, wait, what was that thing...the monster at the school.”

Era looked at her and smirked, “An arsonist soul.”

“Excuse me?” Darcie muttered.

“A soul, you know, the being of person, the only thing left of them when they die.  Well, that monster you saw was a human soul that was sent to Hell but somehow managed to rise back up.  Chances are it had a memory, a connection to the area.  Not the school, but the area.  It most likely was an arsonist or died in a fire.”   

"How...how..."

Era smirked as if Darcie's confusion amused her in someway.  "You're not suppose to see the risen soul, you were only suppose to see a giant fire, not a monster."