How I Wish

PROLOGUE

Prologue (Edited)

The sun exploded across the horizon bringing with it dawn as fiery fingers of golds and coppers slinked across the rolling hill tops. Its burning intensity consumed the last of the darkness until the moon was once more swallowed by the light.

Grassy hills sparkled with morning dew, casting a magical hue across the house that stood tall and proud at its peak. Its columns of dusted stone shone in the early light, flaring across windows that reflected the golden tinge of dawn.

As the light streaked through the window's, creeping along pale walls and wooden floors it fought to penetrate the thick floorboards that hinted at the darkness below.

Shards of sunlight broke through thin cracks in the floor casting light into the space beneath. Whimper's of pain and fear echoed against the damp cobble-stoned walls, the light brushing against the terrified occupants huddled against steel bars. Pale gaunt faces shied away from the light that filtered through the floor above, their eye's unable to adjust after months of darkness.

But one bathed in the beauty of the golden light, her face cast towards its source almost hungry in her intensity. This youngling hummed a simple cheery tune as she turned back to watch as her best friend shifted on his thread-bare blanket. His only source of warmth in the chilling cellar.

She watched as pinpricks of light swept across his pale, gaunt face highlighting his dirty blond hair. As he once more shifted, she was reminded of the mottled bruising visible beneath the stained torn tunic that bagged against his too-thin body.

Sang knew her friend weakened day by day, his small and starved body unable to hold up against the harsh chill in the air. Not for the first time did she fear he wouldn't wake, his body too exhausted to fight the sickness that pressed against him.

But as his jewelled cerulean eyes blinked against the heavy draw of sleep, she knew her friend had at least another day in his weakened state.

"Happy Birthday Captain." Sang whispered as her lips rose into a small smile. Her friend lifted his head at her words and cast his dull gaze darkened by pain towards her, where she sat huddled against the bars of her cage.

He forced himself upwards, shaking against the effort it took but he ignored the exhaustion that pulled at him to crawl towards his best friend. Groaning in pain as his limbs protested the movement, Brandon choked the noise into submission as he caught Sang press a delicate finger against her bottom lip, a clear sign of her worry for him.

"Giggle's, I'm okay." He croaked as he slumped against the cool metal bars in relief.

Pulling at her hand that pressed against her lip, he rested their joint hands against his emasculated knees.

"How old are you now?" Sang whispered, searching her friend for any signs of sickness as she caught sight of the sweat that glimmered against his pale skin. When he gently smiled at her, she knew the sickness had yet to claim another tortured soul within this prison.

"Eight." He murmured back, his eyes drifting to the floor as they became unfocused, lost in thought.

Sang knew he was thinking of his twin, who was somewhere outside of the walls of their prison, thankfully safe and protected from their horrid fate.

"Do you want to play a game?" She urged, trying to pull him from his desolate thoughts. Her captain slowly raised his head, grief reflecting in his dark eyes and she fought not to cry at the deep pain that shrouded her best friend.

"Okay, what game do you want to play?" Wincing as the words spilled from his mouth, the pain in his throat protesting it's use only reminded him of the thirst that pressed against his soul.