Purity's Price

Chapter One

Chapter One

Screams, the dying screams of countless others were what woke me up, echoing, violently ricocheting off of the borders of my mind. The begging, the crying, the praying. So many different people, so many different religions with, so many different believes and they were all dead. Where was their god in their time of need? They had all still died, scarring me. But I couldn't remember it; I couldn't remember me, only bits and pieces, only Orin saving me was clear.

The faint memories woke me up once again this morning to a sight very well unseen. Stark was in my room, stooping over me, staring. My tired, blurry eyes shrunk into a glare as I fought back a yawn. What was he doing there?

He chuckled, his laugh fairly throaty, as though he himself had only just barely woken up. "Morning, babe, they're serving a breakfast this morning for all of you girls, attendance is mandatory. You were due there twelve minutes ago."

November

Glare still in place I sat up, pushing him out of the way as I did so. "Yeah, well if they have a problem with it, then maybe they ought to tell me. It's not like it really matters whether I'm there or not. I'm 'not a proper saying student like the rest, so my privileges are less', as I've been told," I grumbled walking around the cramped, blank living space I was given, with only a single dresser and work desk with its chair furnishing the room .  I walked over to the plain wood dresser that sat in the corner of my room. I walked over to the small dresser that sat in the corner of my bare room and pulled out some clothes, all of which, excluding under garments, hand me downs. After pulling out a pair of faded blue jeans with the knees worn out and a tattered t-shirt I layered with a tank top, I turned back to Stark.

"Would you mind getting out?" I asked moodily, raising an eyebrow gesturing to the door. "See, there is only one guy in this whole world who has seen me half clothed, and I'd like to keep it that way." 

He raised an eyebrow back at me, mirroring mine, and chuckled. "And who might that be? By law I should be the only boy you've ever seen." He didn't believe me. 

My nightmare flashes back into my mind. I shook my head, partially in answer, but mostly to try and force those grotesque images out of my mind. My heart hurt. Orin. But I didn't tell him that. I didn't mention anything about it as I demanded, "Get out of here and stand in the hallway if you want me tiger ready. We're already late as it is, and you'll only get in trouble if you take much longer to get me there." I'd be in more, though, and we both new it, so after sending me a look, Stark took my instructions and stood outside, gentle closing the door behind him. 

Facing away from the door I pulled the thin, worn out clothes on, and threw my colour streaked hair back without nothing in to brush, the colours the one show of first hand anything I had. One of the nicer lady's had done it while enrolling me into school, and, as she willed, they kept my hair bright since then. It was a way to separate me from the rest; to show anyone who came I was different, that I didn't belong. 

After I was ready, I grabbed the slightly over used hobo bag I had along with my school stuff inside, and walked outside into the hallway. Stark was leaning casually against the wall oposite my door, staring at me. 

"Ready to go?" I asked after a moment. 

He shook his head. "No, not yet. We need to go to my room first, and then we can go." Before I could say a word, he was gone. 

I followed after, my pace quick. I waited in the hallway, glaring, as Stark entered his room. After a few minutes of waiting, I watched as Stark walked back out, arms behind his back. 

"Close your eyes," he ordered, a smirk on his face. I shook my head, not trusting him, but all he did was nod his head until I did, the freaky smile never leaving his face. Finally, realizing we were going to be even more late if he didn't start moving, I complied. "And hold out your arms," he added, laughter in his voice, making it slightly higher pitched. Slowly I did as he told me, wanting to get this over with.