Dark Everglades: The Rising Sun [BOOK ONE] {BEING RE-WRITTEN}

Arina

The sky is dark, stars and the moon creating the only light source as I sit on the roof of Changs house.

The robots and flying machines continue to do their work, not stopping and never seeming to care for the other kins that are basically crowding the house from the inside.

I bring my knees up, wrapping my arms around them and letting out a breath. It's silent hour, the entire neighborhood not making an bit of sound other than the occasional wind chimes on porches, the creaking of rocking chairs and the distant barks of house dogs.

Crickets chime and owls howl and I find myself grinning wildly. The sky and stars from Sidriel are so much more alive and bright then back over at Ruskya. The air is more clean, more animals make their lovely sounds and it's so much cooler.

My satchel lays next to me, the leather padding against my leg and the metal buckle glinting. I slowly reach over, unbuckling the metal and reaching in until I feel the cool material of my locket.

I slowly bring it out, the golden chain waving in the breeze. I open the locket, slowly letting my legs dangle off the roof as I stare at my mothers smiling face.

I tilt my head, slowly frowning at the thought of my father. I wonder if he's still doing okay. I wonder if my stepmother even realized I've been gone...

A flash of color appears in my side vision, and I slowly look over to the left where the chimney sits, my eyes watching the large pink and purple butterfly that lands there. It's wings open and close slowly, the small antennas twitching and i slowly grin.

I close the locket, getting to my feet before setting the locket back into my satchel. I slowly come up to the butterfly that doesn't move, calmly flapping its wings as I slowly set a finger towards it. It flys lightly onto my finger, climbing onto it until it's comfortable and I grin down at it.

"Ah, you've found Beatrice..." I hear Chang's voice say lightly and I turn my head to where he sits just where I was sitting.

His legs dangling over the roof and I stare at him, not speaking.

"I thought you would be up here... It's nice at this time of night. Beatrice's favorite time of day..."

I hesitate, glancing back at the butterfly who flaps it's wings again.

"... You named the butterfly?" I ask him hesitantly, glancing back to see Chang staring up at the stars.

He smiles distantly.

"Yes of course."

"There are thousands of butterfly's that look just like this one though... How do you know it's the same one?" I ask and he slowly moves his eyes back down to where I stand.

He doesn't speak for a moment, glancing down at the butterfly that seems to be so calm and collected it's kind of unnerving.

"Butterflies are my insect. My mother, just when she had me, assigned me an insect as soon as I opened my eyes. My brother's is a dragonfly."

I don't speak, watching as he gets up to his feet, setting his hands in his suit pockets.

"Long ago, a few years before you were born I met a girl. She was neighbor, and we were the best of friends..."

He slowly comes towards me, staring down at the butterfly.

"We went to the same schools, did the same activities and loved the same books. We were the perfect pair, she and I. My parents were convinced that we were soulmates  maybe we were..."

His eyes grow sad and I tilt my head.

"Did you like her?" I ask hesitantly and he hesitates. He gives me a sad smile.