Riders of Elysium

Prologue

----Eyre's PoV----

I will never forget the day my life shattered. In fact, I still have nightmares about it every night.

And I will never forget the day my life was stitched back together. Or the people who did it. But before I can tell you my story, you should know a little about me.

My name is Eyre Sari. I have three sisters, two older, one younger. I guess I could tell you that my hair is average length and black, that I am an average height, average shape, and the perfect average teenager. But it would be a lie.

The truth is that I'm not average. I'm blind.

So what, I'm at a disadvantage? I am good at art as long as I know the pencil and paper I'm using. I just remember exactly where on the paper I was drawing. It's like drawing with your eyes closed, but harder because you can't sneak a look at the picture.

I've average grades, despite having to work twice as hard. Taking notes is pointless because I can't read them. But it's for a grade, and my teachers make me do it anyway 'because it would be unfair to the other kids', they say.

And despite my eyes being the only difference between me and the other kids, they're either weirded out by the misty grey color of my eyes, or they envy me. I don't know why. My eyes aren't that creepy, whether I look possessed or not, and as to why they would envy me- who would choose to be blind?

I don't know.

Before I tell you about the people that stitched my life back together, I should tell you what tore it apart.

Popular belief says I am just generally depressed due to the literal lack of color in my life. My family knows otherwise.

Or, at least they would, if they weren't having as rough a life as me. If they payed any attention.

Here's the day my life shattered.

I had just gotten home from another boring day of bullying at school. I was in eighth grade at the time. My mother was working late, my father on a business trip. My two older sisters were busy.

The oldest, Suni, was out partying at a high school graduation or whatever. Honestly, I tend to ignore her, she ignores me, and we both get along just fine. The second oldest, and by far the most bossy, Regina, was out on a date. While Suni's a senior, Regina's only in her sophomore year.

And my adorable yet obnoxious younger sister, Zoya, was in the playground down the road playing with her friends under the not-so-watchful eye of their cell-phone obsessed parents.

So I was home alone, finishing my homework, when the doorbell rang.

I heard a truck outside. It was just mail. I waited until the truck was gone to walk outside and grab the small package. Strangely enough, it was addressed to me.

That's unusual, especially when my two older sisters literally buy everything on Amazon. I'm amazed they've not sold out yet.

Before I carried the small package inside, I stood outside for a minute. It was slightly stormy and rainy. My mother would probably get held up in traffic on the way back, since she's picking up Regina on the way. Suni will probably be out late tonight.

I'd do what they do in movies and take a deep breath of fresh air, but we live in a city full of pollution and weird smells. I took the package indoors, closed the door, and sat on my loft bed- bed on top, desk on bottom. It saves room in a small house.

I sat at my desk and opened the package. There was a small package inside, as well as a letter. I opened the package first. It was my father's silver dragon ring.

A pit of dread appeared at the bottom of my stomach.

My father never took off this ring. He said it was a memory of school. I remember the day he first showed me the ring. It was the day that stubborn me first listened to reason. The day my father finally convinced me dragons were real.

He would definitely never send it in something as unreliable as the mail. At least, he said it was unreliable. It shipped my sister's beauty products and clothes just fine. Sadly.

I opened the letter.

Dear the Sari family,

I am terribly sorry to inform you of the death of Mr. James Sari. This is the only possession of his we could find. It must have been very important to him.

My condolences

T. N.

I had no clue who sent the letter. I wasn't concerned about that.

My father was dead. I had picked up the package on the front door. So now I had to tell my family. Telling Regina would be easiest. Suni and my father were close. I hoped that Zoya wouldn't fully understand everything.

My mother would be the hardest. I hoped she would tell my siblings. At least Zoya.

I hadn't thought so, but Suni was home from her party early.

"Hi sis," she said. She's never this friendly unless she's had an amazing day. I wonder what happened at that party.

"Suni, I need to talk to you," I said cautiously.

She raised an eyebrow, "That's unusual."

"I grabbed the mail while you were gone," I said, "And this came in."

I handed her the letter.

"His only possession?" Suni asked as a tear slid down her cheek. The only time I'd seen her cry before was when I was five and her first boyfriend broke up with her.

I showed her the ring, "I was going to give this to mom-"

"I'll be in my room," Suni said, dropping the letter on the floor and vanishing upstairs. I didn't see her until a friend of my mother's dropped off Zoya.

"Thank you," I said gratefully, "Zoya, can you go up to your room?"

The girl was so excited about having been playing in the park- I couldn't spoil it for her. I'd figure out a way to tell her. Tomorrow.

My mother was late. Regina had caught a taxi home, "Hey."

"Hi," I said quietly.

"Aren't you going to ask me how my day was?" Regina asked with all possible sass.

I frowned, "It's not that." I handed her the letter.

She read it and just froze, "He's gone?" I nodded, "I'll tell mom-"

"No, it's fine," I said, "I got it."

Regina thanked me for the first time in her life.

My mother knocked on the door, "Hey, guys. I'm home a little late."

Just hearing the hope in her voice made me break. I couldn't do anything more than hand her the letter and ring before running up to my room and locking the door.

I skipped dinner that night.

I missed most main events for the rest of the month. I barely managed to drag myself out of my room to go to school. I kept up good grades for my father.

My mother now worked those late shifts every day. She rarely took a break. Suni graduated high school and went off to a design college. Zoya went into first grade. I was going to move into high school this year.

Now I may get to the point where my life got a little more interesting.