The Lost Child

chapter 24

I was awoken by the resounding groans and screams. I opened my eyes as I felt heavy with dizziness. I saw myself staring at an old half-broken chandelier hanged above me. The clattering sound it made as it swung gave me a chill as I imagined it falling on me. I tried to push that thought away and as I tried to straighten myself, I was caught my the freezing sensation on my wrists. I glanced at my hands to find that I was manacled. Not only me, we were all manacled. Phillip, Simon, Draco and Stephan all knelt in a circle around me. The metal manacles sending the cold sensation through my veins ,breaking all my thoughts and not giving me a chance to use my powers.

"What-" I tried as I managed to push myself to sit upright. "What is going on?" My voice was rough and hoarse. My throat sore with dryness. I glimpsed at each of them , making sure the were all right. We were all here except two.

"Oh ,your precious younger sister arrived" Stephan started. The way he said your precious sister was enough to make me sure that he was definitely a monster. "She seems to be avenging"

"For what?" I yelled. I couldn't hide the confusion and fear in my voice as I blustered.

"For keeping her in the dungeon all these years " he eyed me, making my skin crawl. His stare was playful and that got me on my nerves.

"You know that wasn't me!" I screamed as I started kicking in the air, hoping to reach him.

"Well she thinks it was you"

"You made her think so, didn't you?" I didn't notice the bitterness in my voice until he backed up and frowned.

"I just got her out" he whispered and turned his face away. His pained expression almost made me believe him. No no he's a monster. I tried to stop. I had to stop.

I turned away from him to the others "you guys okay?" They nodded but none said a word. I saw the agony in their faces.
"Simon? What's wrong?" He looked up at me, his eyes teary. He didn't answer but instead he stared at Stephan. He misses him I thought. Simon told me he missed him. He was his guardian.
A crack from the door broke through the silence and the door swung open. Two figures walked in and a child at their tail.

"Hello sister" it was her. She was standing right there. In all her flesh and beauty. Christiana was finally here. For a moment I thought my eyes were betraying me. After I had believed and convinced myself it was over and that she was dead, she survived. In fact, she was in the dungeon. I stared at her beautiful eyes and her acorn hair as it slid upon her shoulder. She grew taller and prettier. Her filthy dress torn above her skin, revealing straps of deep bloodied gashes. The happiness inside me turned dark as I saw the wrath on her face.

"H-hi Chrisy" my voice was trembling though I wasn't scared. Shocked maybe? She came closer, my fool self thought she would throw herself in my arms and cry but I was brought to reality when a slap burnt my cheek ,sending a sting to my eyes. I had to shut them to stop the sudden tears that popped up in my eyes. She pulled me closer, her grip tight on my throat.

"Should I leave you like this for the next ten years, sister?" I didn't know either that was a threat or an accusation but I had to defend my self either ways.

"I- " I was chocking over her grip " I didn't.. do it! I was ..looking for you. Everywhere "

"Liar" she yelled in my ear and threw me back. My head hitting the wall behind me, sending white spots covering my vision. She wouldn't believe me.

"But me? Why are you doing this to me ? I got you out" I heard Stephan's voice as it cut through the air. His nervousness clear in his voice.

"Well you always took her side. I bet it was your idea" Christiana started. Her wrath wasn't letting her accept the truth. At least she's not taking his side.

"What are you going to do then?" Draco ,after long silence, said "you're going to leave us here like dogs? Keeping us manacled like that? Is that how you cool your rage?"

"Actually yes" she started " you wasted my life. Locking me in a dungeon. You all abandoned me when I needed you. How do you expect me to repay you?"

"Chrisy you have to believe us, we didn't lock you in there" Simon tried, his expression so readable. You have to believe him Chrisy ! I wanted to yell.

"So who did then? A vampire?" She asked, sure we had no answer. She beckoned for Beth and Lizzy and they all departed, locking the door behind her. The sound of the lock clattering against the wooden door echoed in my ears.

"Hope you're happy Stephan" I could not stop myself from shooting at him. I had to wake him up from the dark blanket that covered him. My sharp words would be my last hope.  Cutting a deeper gash to stitch his old heart.

"I didn't do it either. You think I'm the one who locked her?" Stephan murmured. His pained expression not leaving him a second.

"Seems like it" I shot back.

"Well believe what you want to believe. We're all doomed anyway" he slid back to stare at the swinging chandelier.
I did the same. Staring at that old chandelier as it blew the dust off with its swings. The candles' fire trembling as the wind blew at them, trying to remove their light. Trying to remove their last hope to shine ..and I imagined myself that candle.

"What if.." I started, still staring at the candles resisting the wind but melting from their own fire "What if I use my powers to melt down the manacles?"

"They're too hard, and Christiana did something with her hands making it impossible to break them off. "Phillip started. Christiana had tried to save me at the waterfall and so, given powers which we still don't know. No matter how strong they are ,mine are way stronger.

"We'll just try." There was nothing else I had to say. I closed my eyes ,trying to get my brain parts to work together. "Heat, I need heat" I whispered inside my head waiting for my powers to follow the command. I felt the tips of my fingers on fire as the heat flew through my veins. My wrists were burning as the agony took over my thoughts. I felt my skin leaking off my bones as the metal manacles reddened with heat. I felt the liquefied burning metal dripping in my palm as it started to melt. The sting of the molten metal sent knives through my nerves. The agonizing liquid was torturing me. My vision blurred and dark spots started dancing in my eyes. All I felt was pain. All I could hear was the sound of my groans. The air filled with screams and groans. Mine. The tears leaked down on my cheeks as if my eyes were melting, too. The dripping increased as the skin on my palms were burnt. It started fading away as the last drop fell in my palm, feeling free as the weight on my hands disappeared. I moved them towards my hair and let them sink in it's thickness. Heal I whispered and the soothing sensation replaced the pain. Holding my wrists I released the breath I held through all my agony. I managed to stand on my trembling legs, walking towards Stephan and kneeling beside him. Holding his tied hands in mine, I was scared to see the pain I felt in his eyes. I had to think of something else. His hands shook in mine as he waited for the pain to torture him like it had done to me. But I wouldn't hurt him. I casted a spell to add an isolating bag on his hands ,absorbing the molten metal without touching him. Heat I whispered and hovered my hands on the manacles. They melted bit by bit till they disappeared ,giving him his freedom. He turned to me, addled. His eyes staring into mine, engraving through my soul. I saw him. I saw his soul as I stared into his bright eyes, the regret and love I saw there were blinding me. I would have stayed there, enjoying the moment I had my brother back, recalling every good moment we had together if the others hadn't been there. I moved away from him to help the others ,giving them their freedom one by one. We became free, we just had to fight back. We had to win each other again...