The Beginning Of The End

Prologue - The Awakening

Prologue - The Awakening

Harlow's breath hitched as she drew in the pollution-tinged air that surrounded her. That was the only evidence she had been crying, the tears had long since dried, and yet the anger, the cutting betrayal and soul-shattering heartbreak hadn't dissipated in the slightest. Her eyes roamed the city skyline, bright lights illuminated the huge imposing sky scrapers surrounding her, but they paled in comparison to the building she stood on now. It was the tallest building for miles and miles. From the bottom it was foreboding and monstrous, but from her vantage point on the roof, it gave her a panoramic view of the world below.

She looked down at the people scurrying along, she envied them, the unsuspecting people living and dying without ever knowing what really lurked in the shadows. She longed for a normal life, wished with all her being that she could erase all her knowledge of the terrifying, nightmarish - and in some cases, beautifully captivating and awe inspiring - things that existed alongside humans without anyone ever realising.

She wondered how she must look to them, the people below. What would they think? To look up and see a young girl with long black hair whipping wildly around her head, tear stained face and bare toes dangling over the precipice of the immense building. They'd panic, of course, she knew how it must look. Harlow's dress billowed around her legs and plastered against her pale skin in the strong gusts of wind.

She stood rigid, fists clenched so tightly that her fingers cramped up and her nails bit into her skin, but she didn't care. The pain grounded her, but did nothing to clear the hectic chaos in her head. She did her best to ignore the questions darting around her mind, but the noise just got louder and louder until it felt as though there were a hundred people screaming angry questions at her. All vying for her attention. All begging to be answered. But Harlow didn't have the answers. She didn't know why he had lied to her.

A bitter laugh rang in her ears, it sounded hollow, cynical. And Harlow realised with a start that it was her who had laughed. She sounded old beyond her years, like someone who knew too much for their own good. How could she have been so stupid? She had trusted him, and he had deceived her. She refused to think of him, the one who betrayed her, and the one who she would not name for fear of the memories flooding back. But it was no use; she scrunched her eyes up and rubbed hard at them with the heels of her hands, the image of his face was branded into her eyelids, she couldn't stop the urge to touch him and feel the searing heat of his skin.

Harlow made a noise that sounded a lot like a growl, and clenched her teeth, her anger mounting once again. It was like a tidal wave, sweeping her away, threatening to drown her completely. By now her breath was coming in fast short gasps as flashes of memories poured back in, she couldn't stop it now. So she surrendered to it. She closed her eyes and let the fury and pain wash over her, tears ran freely down her cheeks and just when she was sure she was about to break, to shatter completely, something shifted inside her.

Harlow felt a sort of thump between her shoulder blades, followed by warmth radiating from that point and across her back. She took in a sharp breath, but kept her eyes closed, like she knew in the back of her mind what was happening. Instinct took over and Harlow arched her back, she heard a rustling sound close to her ears and something velvety soft brush against the back of her upper arms. A serene smile spread across her lips, she knew what to do. Some deep seeded instinct told her to spread her arms, and push her shoulders back. She felt the new weight on her back and sighed happily, she was surer of herself than she had been in a long, long time. Harlow bent her knees slightly and sprung off the building, and into the abyss below.