Two Worlds Collide

Chapter One

Seirra's heart pounded, shaking she lifted her head off of the mattress she had been on since she was just a child.

Crash!

Bang!

She jumped up startled. Slipping on her fuzzy slippers, she headed down the creaky steps of the orphanage. She knew just the right spots to make sure she wasn't heard. Swiftly she reached the bottom of the stairs. Seirra quickly deciphered that the noise was coming from the kitchen. Tiptoe-ing into the once noisy room full of plates and pans and cups of all kinds. Mentally noting where all the knives and forks, or just sharp objects in general were. Just in case the "intruder" decided to try something.

Continuing to follow the heavy footsteps, Sierra was almost going to turn around and go to Mistress Sharp's room. But they stopped at the boy's room.

What if this man is after Kaden?! I can't let him get to Kaden, never in a million years! She thought to herself. Kaden was her best friend. She couldn't think of living without him.

Determined to stop this "intruder" she crept up behind him, getting ready to gag him with a dishrag, she grasped in her left hand. But then he turned. It was what Sierra least expected.

Grabbing his wrist, Sierra pulled Kaden to a secret room. It was a small room, almost like an old cellar, that she had found it about a year ago. It was a safe haven for those who used it. It wasn't so much of a secret. Only the mistress didn't know about it, and that was probably for the better.

"Kaden!" Seirra hissed through clenched teeth. "What are you doing up at this hour of the night?" Sierra asked, clearly worried.

"Couldn't sleep I guess." Kaden smiled sheepishly.

Dark circles were under his eyes, an unnatural silver-blue against his fair skin. His brown hair was ruffled, he looked unclean.

"Kaden, what's up?"

"Look. If you'd get it, I'd tell you, but I'm only afraid you would leave!" His words cut through the barrier of happiness Sierra normally saw him hide behind. "Sorry." He looked to her, he realized what he had said.

"Look. I could be on a crowded street, but feel alone, nothing feels like home here." His eyes were longing.

Sierra could tell he was thinking about his small house in Sweden before his father enlisted, and mother died.

"Could you tell me?" She inquired.

Kaden looked to her confused.

"About Sweden? Before it changed?"

He understood, pain-filled his eyes.

"Yes. I can." He choked out. "The trees stood tall. Proud of being shade and protection. The fields were golden in the sunlight, a warm breeze carrying a fragrance of lavender. The grass was green and cozy. And at night, the stars were the maps of your imagination. Like playing connect the dots."

Tears filled his eyes as he remembered. When he was truly happy and didn't have to hide pain because he had none.

"What else?" Seirra asked. Hopeful he would feel better.

"Love, happiness. I miss that. I can't stay here Seirra. It'll kill me, it hurts too much."

"Oh, I wish you knew about Kascia. And Stargazer. You'd be amazed." Seirra chuckled softly.

"What and who is that?" Kaden asked blandly.

"Remember that book I wrote? The World We Do Not Know About? That's Kascia. And Stargazer was my main character. I've actually been there Kaden. It's so alive, and beautiful." She hesitated, "Now that Asadior is gone."