Tormented

Part 1: Aliquid Core

Present Day

       Alexis always knew she was different from the girls at her school. No matter how much her mother denied it, she always knew. What fourteen year old girl was expected to make it in this society wearing black, ripped skinny jeans, baggy shirts with explicit bands posted across them, vans with Disney movie prints, braces, long ebony hair, and big nerd glasses.

       Not only was her looks different, but she knew she was different when she could talk to people… that others could not see.

       Alexis couldn’t explain how she learned to do such a thing and growing up as a child, it was confusing hell. But she managed to find a way to block out all the bad and let in the good. That didn’t leave many, but it was nice to have a visit from the little old lady from 1400 AD that got stabbed by accident in a mishap or the kid that got ran over twelve years ago. The way they all die is very depressing, but they were all once alive humans. And they are very nice people.

       Alexis sighed and watched her reflection in the mirror as she braided her long, ebony hair till it could no longer braid without falling apart. She pulled on a pair of fresh skinny jeans, a Bring Me the Horizon tee that she had to tie in the back because it was so big, a big black sweater with white fur inside lining, and a pair of black converse. She looked in the mirror one more time and tightened the stops of her angel bites that lingered on her top lip and she felt ready enough.

       Emo wasn’t really the exact title she wanted to make for herself, but she also didn’t want to be known as a snobby, pristine jock or prep. She smiled at herself.

       “Today’s the day. You turn fifteen today girlfriend.” She said to herself in the mirror as confident as she could and sighed once again.

       “Hopeless.” She whispered and grabbed her bag.

       She went downstairs to find her mother sitting on a stool at the bar and shivered when she saw who sat across from her.

       “Oh! Good morning Alexis.” Alexis’s mother smiled at her and sat up.

       “Good morning Mother… and Lily Thorn.” Alexis managed to tremble out.

       “Good morning to you Lady Alexis Wells. Please take a seat.” She gestured to the stool that sat on the on the other side of the counter. Alexis sat down her bag and trudged over to the bar and slowly sat down.

       There was a long, delayed silence between the three girls. Lily was tall, thin, and had platinum blonde hair she managed to keep in a perfect sock bun on her head. She wore a one shoulder smock shirt with black short and flip flops today, much different than her usual business attire. She looked no older than twenty-five, but Alexis knew the truth. She was from that place no one talks about; the people who run our society from the inside out, the Aliquid Core.

       “Good morning Miss Thorn.” Alexis murmured.

       “Child, don’t slouch in my presence. This is a serious, important matter to discuss.” Lily demanded nearly right away and it startled and shook Alexis to her core.

       Alexis shifted in her skinny jeans as she sat up as gracefully as she could and gave a small smile.

       “Lady Alexis, do you know which division of the Core I come from?” Lily asked with a smile that comforted Alexis, right after the shiver.

       “Eh…” Alexis murmured and didn’t mean to and received a look from her mother. Studies of the Core that have been released to the public were studies in school by the upper high school years. Being a 9th grader, not much is released to them in the first year. There are four divisions, one for each element, and they all acquire abilities beyond our comprehension. What abilities, magic, enemies, and life purposes are beyond them in higher grades, or maybe… the Core refused to release it to the public.