Genesis

Answers

     "Quinn." 

     That was his voice. Hearing him call my name relieved me in ways I cannot imagine describing.

     "Dorian?" I called out, reaching towards him. Soon, my fingertips became so close that I could almost feel his familiar smooth skin and his chocolate brown hair.

     "Quinn." 

     I heard him say my name again. I reached out further still, expecting to touch him, yet every inch I stretched outwards was another inch he seemed to slip away. 

     That's when I realized that I couldn't see his face. 

     The image of Dorian faded just as quickly as it seemed to appear, just when I heard his voice call me back to him again.

     "Quinn."

     Except, that wasn't his voice. The dreamland I was stuck in crumbled around me, pieces of rubble collapsing onto my body as I struggled to find a way to breathe.

      "Quinn. Wake up."

     I sat up, gasping for air, the feeling of my body free from pressure surprising me in ways I could not understand, as I had already forgotten what I was dreaming about.

     "Quinn."

     This time, I heard the voice fully. Female, a soft voice. A serious tone. I turned toward the tent entrance to confirm my suspicion. 

     It was Mayanna. And the expression on her face told me that something was very, very wrong.

     She looked at me with fear in her eyes as she said, "Quinn, something's happening."

     Without another word, I grabbed my coat, stepped out of my tent and slipped on my boots to follow her towards the crowd that had gathered in the middle of the clearing.

     "This is bullshit!" I heard a voice yell. I recognized him immediately and began to push my way through the crowd that had formed.

     "Shut the fuck up, Colt. You know what you did," Lucius hissed in reply. I pushed through the innermost row just in time to see Lucius bringing his fist up to Colt's jaw.

     THWACK!

     Colt's head snapped upwards, the rest of him being held in place by the boys restraining him on either side. I grabbed Lucius' arm as he prepared to swing again.

     "What the hell is going on here?!" I shouted. Lucius turned to see me, a look of shock becoming his expression as he shook his arm free from my grasp.

     Suddenly, the busy commotion turned into a crowd of stifling quietness. I looked around me, not fully registering the looks of despair in everyone's gazes.

     "I'll ask again," I stated, "What the actual hell is going on here?!"

     "Quinn," a voice said, catching my attention. I turned towards it to recognize Emerson, Dorian's very own protege. My heart sunk when I noticed his solemn blue eyes and stern expression. By the time his lips had started to move, I already knew what he was going to say.

     "Quinn," he started, hesitating for a moment before stating the fact that everyone there already knew, "He's dead."

     "Dorian's dead."