Ashes

Don't Let Me Fade to Black

     The next few weeks went smooth with Adelyn Mysteeke. She was quite a mystery, but such a bundle of joy. She was absolutely amazing to have around, but I still saw the flames, the water, the bullet wound. I locked every window and door every night. I refused to let her get hurt. I knew it paid off because the figure came to me again, the bullet wound closing, and a smile appearing on her face.

     "Good job." She spoke, "You truly are an angel, Liam."

     "I'm not an angel. Would you go away now? I've protected her from everything. What else could there be?"

     I watched as the figure's face began to become bruised and then, she disappeared. The only thing left behind was a few dollars, and a few coins.

     A week after, the school year was going to start again. I bought Adelyn everything she would need. From pencils to book covers. She was starting 5th grade this year. She started school early when she was younger. 

     "Bye, Addy....Have a good day." I said softly to her as she got out of my car, running into the school building, waving goodbye.

Adelyn's View

     I was the new kid. Great. I went to the class I was assigned, and walked into the classroom. Everything was so much bigger than expected. Classmates turned their heads at me as I walked up to the teacher who was sitting at her desk while students chatted.

     "Excuse me, ma'am. I'm Adelyn Mysteeke. I'm new, I was wondering where I should put my things."

     "Mysteeke...." She checked her list. "Oh. Alright. You're on my list. We have small lockers in the back of the room. Find the one with your name on it, and set your bag on the hook under it. Then, sit down at the desk with your name tag on it."

     I did exactly as I was told and I sat down at my desk. Time ticked by. I listened to every word my teacher, Ms. Rein, said. She went through rules and let us talk for a little while. Then, she announced "recess". I didn't know what it was, so I asked. The teached explained, but all the students laughed. We got to go outside. There was a playground, but I just grabbed my notebook from my backpack and sat on a swing, drawing a small picture of the students playing on the monkey bars. Two students approached me.

     "Get off the swing." One said. She gave me a rude glare.

     "Yeah. Get off the swing." The other girl repeated. They were both heavyset, raggedy looking girls with tangled hair into ponytails and not-so-kind eyes. The first girl layed a hand roughly against my face, and the other shoved me off the swing. Then, we were called inside to go back to class. A teacher stopped me.

     "Dear, go to the nurse's office." She said softly. I'm sure a bruise was starting to appear, but I didn't say anything.

   I followed a few arrows on the wall to find my way to the nurse. I started to feel dizzy along the way. I walked into the office, and the nurse looked at me with a shocked expression. She sat me down on a bed and pulled out a big book. She asked my name, then turned to a page in the book. She took her phone and dialed a few numbers, too quick for me to catch. I passed out on the bed.

Liam's view

     I had to pick her up from school. I'm sure she wasn't the one who started the fight, but you can never be sure.

     I set her in her bed, and tucked her in. I went back to working on the house. When suddenly, the figure appeared. This time, her hair was covered in ice, and her skin was a light shade of blue.

     "You failed, angel." She laughed in an evil kind of way. "Don't let the body get too cold." She left once again, leaving a pile of snow behind her.