Project ARiLiA ~ The Revolution

CHAPTER V~ flames licked the walls

Let me know if there are any mistakes, I didn't proof read!D:

Whoever can come up with a good name for this book will be rewarded!!

CHAPTER V~ flames licked the walls

I climbed out the car, tripping in the dark and falling on my butt.

I winced and I stood up, ignoring the snickers. Most likely Castor. Ash rolled down the window and leant out.

"40 minutes." She reminded me. I nodded and headed down the road to my house.

I walked briskly down the smooth stone pavement, lined with daisies. I bit my lip, we'd only just moved in but it felt like home. I'd gotten used to moving, since we did it every year. Most people would say that they never get used to their new house, I feel at home as soon as I walk across the threshold.I reached the peeling red door. It was a small, stone cottage with two floors. I flung the door open, sprinted down the pale yellow hall and jumped up the stairs two at a time. I reached my door and opened it. My room was a simple white, with a wardrobe, dresser and bed. Most of my stuff was still packed, so that was pretty easy. I grabbed my scrapbook and camera. As I hooked my camera strap around my neck, tears prickled in my eyes. I'd had this camera ever since I could remember, ever since my dad left. He looked after me until I was 5, then he left me five presents. I opened my scrapbook, on the first page was the first present. It was a note. It read:

Dear Pandora,

I'm sorry I have to leave you, but it's important. I've left you some things so please look after them. Move every year, it doesn't matter where. Don't look for me, i'll look for you. One day. I'll send you money and clothes, so don't worry. Please scrapbook your life, your homes, your friends, everything.

Love you, 

Pa.

Of course, I couldn't fully read it when I was young. I understood the gist of it though. The second and third presents, were my scrap book and camera. I'd did as he asked, and the scrapbook was full of my memories. It was one of my treasures.The next present, was the house. He'd left it to me. Now you're probably wondering, how can a father leave a house to a 5 year old girl, on her own? That brings me to my last present, my favourite. Senka, Luna and Ebony. They were 5 too, at the time. Somehow we managed, on the small amount of provisions my father sent. I never knew how he knew where we were.

I stuffed my panda teddy, who had one eye, my clothes, shoes, scrapbook and anything else I had into a bag. I swung it over my shoulder. I flicked the light off,  and turned to leave my room, when I heard a huge smash behind me. I span round, eyes wide, to see the remanents of the windows being shattered. A huge black blur shot through the window, colliding with me and knocking me flying sideways. I smashed into the wall, and heard a sickening crack. The wind shot out of my lungs. The world turned patchy. I could feel my eyes drooping, and forced them to stay open. 

A figure stood in front of me, towering over me. He had broad shoulders, and stood legs apart, back straight. It looked more like a robot than human. I flinched, cowering away from him. I clutched my side, lying in the sea of glass. He looked down at me, then grinned, white teeth glinting in the pale moon light. He wore a skin tight black costume, covered in black, shiny, square panels. The joints of the squares were a illuminated aqua, and it glowed faintly. His head was covered in a tight like material, and a thin strip of shiny black panels wrapped round his face where his eyes were. Castor, Eira, Ash? No, it wasn't any of them. They were in the front of the house, my room faced the back. The woods. Instincts kicked in, I calculated the chances of getting away, and decided to risk it.

I was closest to the door, so, as quick as I could manage, I pushed off of one foot and stumbled through the door and down the hall. As I'd passed the door, I'd fallen into it, and I saw I knocked it onto the figure. For once I was thankful that this house was falling apart. My vision was fading, his light footsteps echoed in my head. The hallway was tilting, rocking back and forth. I retched, but kept my mouth clamped shut. I could feel the sweat dripping down my neck, and I swayed towards the stairs, partly on my feet and knees. One hand steadied myself on the walls next to me, the other kept my ribs in place. I took deep breaths, trying to blink through my long hair, which hung in front of my eyes. I cursed myself, why didn't I tie it up? I reached the top of the stairs, now on knees and one hand, when his hand clutched my camera strap around my neck and yanked hard. I flew backwards, into his knees. 

In a moment of panic, I headbutted the air in front of me, writhing wildly. The camera strap snapped, and I twisted round and clawed at the air, and when my free hand grabbed the camera, I pulled it towards my chest.

Air whistled past my ears, my hair creating a halo around my head as I plummeted backwards towards the bottom of the stairs. As I fell, I saw his expression. It looked, pained? As soon as I registered this, I felt the bone crushing blow as my back crunched into the ground. Blood spurted from my mouth, the metallic smelling liquid splattering the wooden floor. My vision was nearly gone. Then I realised. It wasn't just my vision, it was smoke. I forced my eyes fully open, and they whirled round. I could see fire, fire!

Flames licked up the walls, devouring the ceiling. My breaths came in short, panicked bursts.

Was there more than one?

I heard the front door slam open, then everything was slow motion. My slowly spread smile of hope as Ash, Castor, and Eira stood in the doorway, horrified expressions. I can't even imagine how I must of looked. Crumpled, broken, in a puddle of my own blood. I wondered if my hair had turned pink? I almost laughed, I probably would of if I could. I heard Senka screaming, and I guessed Luna and Ebony were holding her back. I was still conscious, which was surprising. I tried to warn them, but they were already suspicious. Ash and Eira pulled out pistols and crept down the hall. Eira spotted one waltzing out of the kitchen, blowing on a match. She leapt over the small flames which lined the floor, and darted after him, into the woods. I didn't expect her to be that fast in those stilettos. Castor probably saw how worried I was, and he kneeled down, stroking the bloody hair off my forehead.

"Don't worry, little sister, she's trained." He was trying to be reassuring, but his voice was choked. We'd only known each other for a little while, but the brother sister bond was strong. I smiled weakly at him. Ash snuck around the corner, saw the man who was still stunned at my unintentional suicide attempt, and she sprinted after him. Castor was still muttering prayers and reassurance to me, but I could barely hear him. They was just a faint, whining sound in my left ear. Then a man in a white suit burst through the door, brandishing a needle and stuck it into my arm. I sighed I lost my vision completely. I was getting sick of this.

I woke slowly to find we were travelling-again. I groaned, I was sick of waking up to bright lights. I was sick of loosing conciousness. Ebony saw me, grinned and notified everyone else.

"She's up, finally."

Finally? Ebony must have seen my face, "Two days, two! We were scared sick! We're on a plane, you were released from the hospital earlier." 

Hospital, again? I gasped in pain as I tried to sit up. I grasped my side, which hurt the most. My head pounded, and I slouched back into the seat.

Castor, who had been snoring softly, woke in a daze. He glanced at me, saw my face, and pulled a small tub out of his pocket. He tipped two pills into his palm, and before I could protest he shoved them into my mouth. I heard Luna tut, but I was more concerned what Castor had just force fed me. 

"Night night, little sister," he winked, and slipped into sleep again.

Then I could feel myself slipping again. When was I going to stay awake for more than twenty four hours! In a fit of rage, I thumped Castor on the chest as hard as I could, before succumbing to the darkness and collapsing on him.

~~

I'll upload more soon!

~omega