“No… no… NO!” I shouted. “This can’t happen! You all are heartless!” I said.
“Ha ha ha… silly girl. Nobody messes with us.”
“Where are my friends? What did you do to them?”
“You call those cowards friends? They left you! To die!”
I couldn’t believe it. They wouldn’t just leave me here! They’ve stuck with me through thick and thin… it’s unbelievable. I looked at Kaylee, lying there lifelessly, trying not to cry.
“Oh, don’t you worry about her. You’re with us now.” The shadow then proceeded to grasp my arm tightly.
“Let go, you monster! You’re crazy!” I couldn’t resist. Their grip was too strong.
“Quit squirming!” I was hit in the back with a metal baton, breaking my ribs in the process. I fell to the ground, unable to move. The pain was searing.
“You’re a Rose now, kid. You shouldn’t be out in this cruel world of ours. Runaways, I tell ‘ya. Always a pain.” They hit me once again with a baton, causing me to cringe and squeal. I sobbed.
“Burn in hell…” That’s the only words I managed to slip out before they carried me out. The Roses carried me out to a large, empty room and left me in there with the shadow figure.
“How does the revenge taste? Nobody messes with the Pale Roses,” The shadow proceeded to take their mask off. I was expecting something terrible, so I shunned away. “Take a look.” They said that in a normal, soft voice. I looked back in their direction. It was not what I was expecting to see. Who knew a magical shadow being could actually be a young woman?
“Since you’ve learned the ways of the Roses, take a look at my true being,” She had long, brown hair and brown eyes. Her skin was very pale and cold looking. She looked no older than twenty and was short and skinny. “I am Korah Rose, leader of the Pale Roses. I cannot give you any more information until you have ranked up in our organization.”
I stared at her with a stunned look. She looked at me with eyes filled with regret. “Why… why?” I was unable to talk.
“Don’t speak,” Korah said. “The poison from the baton could destroy your vocal chords.”
“Poison?” I said, faintly.
“Do you listen, child? Shut up!” I remained quiet. “Now, stand up and put this on. I don’t care how much it hurts.” She handed me the mask the Roses wear – white, rose and pink lightning bolt on one side, with a blood red smile. I looked at it, and the rose lit up.
“I don’t want anyone knowing who you are, so I gave you an elite mask. Now, you’re going to treat this mask like it’s your life, or else. Got it?”
I nodded. I put the mask on. It was a whole different feeling for me… I’m a Rose now. How will life go for me here?
“You obey our orders, and we treat you like family. We know your story,” Korah said. “Our goal here is simple. Raise these people away from their comfort zone. That teaches them to not have fear, and will make them stronger.”
Honestly, I liked the way she was going with this. My main goal was to get away from home and raise myself – I thought didn’t need anyone else, but it turns out that you can’t live on your own all the time.
“Listen, child,” Korah went on, “I know we caused you pain and suffering. But those people, what you call your ‘friends’, don’t care about you. Kaylee? No… I’m sorry, but you should have heard what she was saying earlier. She didn’t believe any of you were going to come and save her. She used you guys to get away from her home.”
“You’re lying…” I said, feeling pain.
“I said quiet! I don’t want you dying!” she cried. She looked me in the eyes, her hand on my shoulder. I felt a good sign about this girl, like she was my best friend. But how? I just met her. “Don’t you remember me, Elise? Nothing rings a bell?”
I thought back a few years. Age nine. Korah Rose… I remember. My mother was friends with some other person… Korah is her daughter! I remember, she went to the same school I did, but she was a few grades higher than I was. We were very close friends. She always came over and helped me with my school work… That’s why I’m so intelligent. All because of this girl. Korah… My long-lost friend. I guess time can really expunge your memory.
I looked into her eyes, feeling a strong bond now. I can’t believe it. Kaylee? Ray? Jakob? John and Oliver? They all betrayed me? This is too much to process through my mind…
“You’d better get some rest, girl. You’ll heal, believe me.” Korah smiled and hugged me. I can’t believe it. Korah…
Korah is there for me.
YOU ARE READING
The Broken
Fantasy(OLD STORY) [Book 1] Elise Jenson, a brilliant runaway teen, works in a gang with her friends, struggling to survive. Along the way, she finds strange people with mystical gifts. "The truth is, everyone is going to hurt you. You just have to find t...
