The Sins of Our Fathers

V Angel with a Shotgun

My body slammed into the snow making it feel like I'd run into the Great Wall of China. Shaking off flurries I climbed out of the snow bar throwing a glance over my shoulder to where Zachariah had fled from the window.
Adrenaline poured into my veins as I tore through the streets of St. Petersburg. My feet carried me from the wealthier area to a familiar territory; the shabby buildings and lean to cardboard shacks were like seeing an old friend. Even if this was the last place I should go, it felt right. Besides it was one in the morning, Dimitri was fast asleep by now all I had to do was avoid Zachariah and Lord knows how many others had a bone to pick with the last Casimir.
Keeping to the shadows I moved along the walls careful to avoid the watchful eye of any street rats or cameras. While those my father had wronged despised me, others wanted me solely for the purpose of finding out about my father's "whereabouts." The KGB just couldn't fathom that he actually had died, they hunted me relentlessly to find him. My father might have been important, but even I doubted he had caused that much damage. There had to be something more; father had been especially secretive in the last few months of his life, writing non stop in the little brown book he always kept with him. He became so paranoid that he couldn't take a single step without glancing over his shoulder.

"It's almost done Neoma, it's almost done darling. Only a little longer until nothing will be left."
"What do you mean Papa?" I squeaked.
"You're too young to fully comprehend the enormity of what I'm doing child, I just wish the government were so naive."
"That doesn't answer my question." I replied but understanding. My father chuckled slightly. "Oh Neoma, one day you will make a great leader, this may be my greatest weapon, but you are my greatest masterpiece; someday the world will fall at your feet my darling and the Casimirs will join the ranks of the Romanovs as one of the great royal families of Russia."
I smiled up at my father, I'd always wanted to be a princess and here he was offering it up to me. "Would you like that Neoma? Would you like the make the world bow to your will?" His tone had taken a sinister edge one I recognized from the thousands of times he had destroyed someone.
"Yes Father I'd like that very much." I replied my tone eerily similar to his.
Shivering I came hurtling out of the memory thrown back into the fear of the present. I had to find whatever my father had been working on, it had to be what had gotten him killed in the first place. That worn little brown book held the secrets to everything, my past, present and future, it was my father's legacy.
Ducking under a the flap of a dumpster lid, I crawled into my safe haven. No one knew it was here and if they did fear of Dimitri would keep them from bothering me, provided they didn't know of the incident yesterday. Under the lid and slightly behind the garbage container itself was a tiny hole in the wall so small only a skeleton would fit through.
Dropping to my knees I crawled through the opening and into the tiny damp basement beyond. I assumed it once had been a servants quarters, but it had long since been forgotten leaving it to be taken over by rats, cobwebs and me. Chunks of an old sofa were piled together on the floor in the shape of a bean bag, old worn trashed books piled so high they almost reached the ceiling sat next to it, and beside that was a rusty old kerosene lamp in need of refilling, but despite the homeless look of the place it was home in every sense of the word. Falling movie style I collapsed into the pillows and pulled the thick frayed blanket laying on the floor over me, cocooning myself in it. Laying there curled up in my blanket I looked at all I had left and smiled as the lamp's light grew dimmer and dimmer as I drifted off to sleep.

•••

"Help, Neoma help... Please!" Kalie whispered from where she lay crumpled on the ground. Filth and wreckage of the charred building around her clung to her normally smooth tanned skin. Fire ate her clothes while it licked her skin slowly engulfing her.
"Neoma please!" She begged wiggling under the enormous beam that held her in place.
"Kalie!" I reached for my friend's hand, but my hand passed right through it.
"Neoma please! Please!" She pleaded staring straight into my eyes. I reached for her again, but my hand went right through.
"Why aren't you saving me?" Kalie whispered as he voice cracked and tears streamed down her face.
"I can't." I cried watching as another beam crashed down from the charred building burying my friend alive.
Her screams still echoed in my ears as the scene around me changed. A huge church stood before me all to familiar, but it wasn't the church that caught my attention it was the graveyard with the weeping girl in front of it. My younger self leaned against a cold metal fence with her hands wrapped around her knees, rocking back and forth as she wept. I remembered this day, it was a week after my father's funeral and I had just visited the place where both of my parents lay. I don't know how long I had sat there bawling, all I remembered from that day was the grief and the angel that had saved me.
I watched as a young Kalie approached my past self cautiously as she knelt down beside me and shook my shoulder gently.
"Why so glum snowflake?" She asked brushing a cluster of flurries from my shoulder. Looking at the scene from a distance I had looked like Frosty the Snowman.
"Wh-who are you?" I had managed between sobs.
"I'm Kalie, and you never answered my question."
"My Papa and mom died, and I'm all alone." I had choked out.
"I'm an orphan too," she said, "Actually I know lots of orphans, but we're a family. You could be a part of it too."
That got my past self's attention, and I watched as my watery green eyes meet Kalie's blue ones. "Really?"
"Yeah, it's like living with Robin Hood as one of the Merry Men, we steal from the rich and give it to us- the poor."
"You steal?" Younger me asked her mouth forming an O of shock.
Kalie raised an eyebrow. "Yeah, how else do you expect us to survive, people aren't known for taking care of orphaned street rats; they either put you in an orphanage or if they catch you jail. Either way you're caged, but at least this way you had a shred of dignity and freedom."
"I-I don't know if I could steal." Past me replied.
Kalie gave the younger me a smile. "It's all right you don't have to come join the gang, but I'm coming back to check on you like it or not." She'd threatened. And she had for years she'd protected me and been one of my only friends-besides Dimitri of course. All the love I felt for this girl- my sister rose up as I watched the final part of the memory as the two girls hugged. My lips were upturned in a smile as I watched until Kalie burst into flames. My younger self jumped back, watching as Kalie screamed in agony calling out my name until there was nothing left, but ash.

•••

"Agh!" I screamed as I bolted up right strewing chunks of the sofa everywhere. "Kalie! Oh my gosh Kalie." I cried aloud remembering the final moments of my dream.
"It was only a dream, only a dream." I repeated as my breathing slowed and my heart stopped beating out of my chest. I couldn't take another loss, I just couldn't. Honestly my heart and mind were still broken from last time.
Turning to my never ending stack of books I grabbed one at random and propped it open delving into a world far from my own.
An hour later I mentally cursed myself for choosing one randomly, seriously who writes a book about glittering vampires falling in love with a human? Any vampire that starts sparkling and decides it was would be fun to come after me would have a slight problem in their lives- mainly a stake to the heart.
A sharp scream pierced the air drawing me from my thoughts.
"Neoma!"
"No, no no no!" I screamed. I was streaming; I had to be. A scream sounded again followed by another desperate plea for help. "Help me! Please Neoma I know you're here!"
I jumped to my feet and ducked to crawl out of the hole that served as my door.
The sky outside was dark, not a cloud or star to be seen for miles. An old street light gave off just enough light to make out a familiar figure in the shadows. Kalie. Seeing me she ran, falling to her knees as an arm reached out striking her in the head with what appeared to be a gun.
"Kalie!" I screamed rushing forward.
"Neoma, you came." Kalie said smiling up at me from where she'd fallen, and then the gun went off.

(Helllllooo! So sorry for the boring parts in this chapter but I have to build up Neoma so you all can understand exactly what happens later on and well a lot of people are gonna have to die so the real action can start sadly. Anyways hope you liked it and please vote and spread the word!)