Soul Fraction

Chapter 2: The Pact

The ghastly wind whipped between the tops of the trees, causing a high-pitched wail to echo throughout the forest. The flames of fire flickered with each gust, but a handmade teepee had been well placed so that most of the wind would curve around the flames to keep them from blowing out. The night was humid, but with the coolness of the breeze rushing through the forest, it was a comfortable temperature. The fire had only been lit to give off some light around the campsite and to cook meals.

Inside the teepee, on top of the only bedroll Rin had, laid Christoph and Emiko who were both still unconscious. Rin sat with her bottom on the forest floor with her back resting up against the trunk of a fallen tree. Her eyes struggled to stay open as she continued to go on without sleeping for what had now been five days. After failing to rescue their parents, Rin had wept alone until her tear ducts dried up like water in a desert. Her only company was Anna, who laid down next to the log with her head by Rin's thigh. She had galloped across the land without a wink of sleep, just like her owner. Even while Anna slept, Rin vented her feelings to her.

"They'll be waking up soon... what am I to say, Anna... they're too young to understand," she mumbled over the crackling wood. "You should've seen them. They were going to run in with no regard for their themselves. They're so brave, yet so naïve to think that they would stand even the slightest chance," she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. "I don't know what to do. I just..." she quickly cut herself off as she heard groaning coming from the teepee.

"Mom... Dad..." a voice grumbled. "Mom, Dad!" Christoph cried out, shocking himself awake. His stomach shot off the ground, causing to prop himself up on all fours, his head faced the closed end of the teepee. He stared into the darkness for a second before his body leaped back from the fear of the unknown. He stumbled out of the entrance, landing in front of the burning fire. His chest rapidly pumped up and down, but it began to slow as the area around him became illuminated.

His palms pressed against the ground, just touching the edge of the ring of rocks that housed the firewood. The heat radiating from the fire quickly began warming his back. He stared into the teepee at the still sleeping Emiko, who laid with her knees curled close to her chest. Christoph's body jumped away again as the heat grew to be too much for him. He stumbled back to his right, his heated shirt pressed tightly against his back which now faced the pitch-black forest. Christoph's eyes met with Rin's, who sat across the fire with a trembling expression on her face.

After getting just a glimpse of Rin, Christoph shot off the ground. He leaped over the flames, then slid across the ground into Rin's arms. His mind still hadn't recovered completely; all he knew was that he was overwhelmed with fear, and his sister was there. He gripped his sister tight, digging his head into her left side collarbone. Luckily for her, she was able to move her wounded arm out of the way.

"Rin, I was so scared. Where are we? What are we doing here? What happened to the villa..." his lips began to tremble. His breathing stopped. His eyes stared out into the forest. The wind howled as it skated through his hair strands.

Rin sat with Christoph in silence as fear took them over. Rin didn't have the guts to look at Christoph; she just stared into the fire as a tear rolled down her right cheek. This was the moment she had been dreading, and she had nothing to say, nothing to comfort him with. How could she talk about such an adult subject with a kid who wouldn't be able to grasp it?

His head slowly backed off Rin's shoulder, then he stared wide-eyed at her distant look, "Mom... Dad... Rin, where are they?" he mumbled, with just the slightest glint of hope.

Rin's heart shattered into pieces at Christoph's innocence. It was even worse than when she had to tell him their Grandma passed away. He had taken it better since he understood she had gotten old... but watching his parents get butchered in front of him... Rin had no idea how to help him wrap his head around it.