Game of Survival-Shadowhunters

Broken Glass

A very young Echo sat in front of her six-year-old sister with a smile on her face. They were sitting in the living room whilst Jocelyn was talking with Dot in her shop downstairs.

"And there was this really tall tower that disappeared into the sky. It went so high that I couldn't see the top."

Clary had a smile on her face, as she was engrossed in her sister's story.

"And I think it kept the demons away, but I can't remember. But in this place, lived Warlocks and werewolves and magical people that could tattoo themselves with powers. They used a crystal to draw on their skin. Everything they drew let them do a new thing. Like this one," Young Echo pulled the paper from the coffee table and showed it to Clary. On the paper stood as many runes as the young girl could remember. Echo pointed to the Angelic rune.

"I drew this one on me a while ago," Echo pointed to her neck, "Right here, but it didn't stay. I don't know what it does. Oh, but I really like this one." Echo pointed to the Equilibrium Rune, "I like it because it kind of looks like a feather."

Clary pointed to the Deflect rune, "What's that one?"

Echo shook her head, "I don't know. I think that one is maybe a..." Echo thought about it for a moment, "Sword fighting one. See, it kinda looks like a sword."

"What are you doing?"

Echo suddenly jumped at her mother's voice. Jocelyn rounded to her children and ripped the paper from Echo's hands. Jocelyn recognized the runes.

"Echo, what have I told you? You do not show these to your sister! Get up!"

Echo let out a few panicked breaths as she stood up. Jocelyn pulled her hand back and gave a strong smack to Echo's behind.

Echo yelped in pain, "Go to your room this moment! And do not come out until you are ready to apologize to me! If I see you talking about this again, you will be spending the night in Dot's supply closet! Go on, get!"

Echo, with tears in her eyes, hurried up to her room. Her heart was racing from being yelled at. She cried. Clary wanted her to tell her a story and that was all Echo could think of. Echo sat on her bed and let her tears run dry.

When she was able to pull in a stable breath she slowly opened up her door. She was prepared to apologize to Jocelyn, like she was told, although she didn't know why, but a giggle stopped her. In the living room sat Jocelyn and Clary. Jocelyn was tickling Clary, which in turn made the girl squeal. Echo sniffed. This happened every time. Once Echo was out of the room, Jocelyn would play with Clary. Echo felt new tears grow in her eyes and she was quick to retreat into her room.

***

Echo let out a snarl. She knew that Clary was Jocelyn's favourite. Clary was everyone's favourite. Jocelyn had treated Clary with pride and encouragement. Throughout Echo's entire life, she felt that her mother had kept her distance. Only ever making contact when it was necessary or when she was being punished. Never once was Echo prided in something that she had done. Everything that Echo had ever done or ever accomplished when unnoticed by her mother, by Clary.

Echo never knew why her mother was distant from her, but now she clearly knew. She was a demon and that's all Jocelyn ever saw. She didn't see a child that needed positive attention, she saw a child with demon blood. Echo never realized that she was emotionally abused until this moment.

The Shadowdemon let out a shout as she threw her fist into the wall beside her. She was on the street below Magnus' loft. She pulled her hand back and saw the blood start to coat her knuckles. Echo didn't know how many times she had hit the wall. She was tired, both physically and emotionally. Thinking of her past made the Shadowdemon relieve all of the neglected love she had received. Echo knew that she didn't need the attention on her at all times, but to have her little sister come into her world and triumph in it when Echo had been pushed so far beneath that she was labeled a monster?