Hated to Loved

Chapter 3: Chase

Chase's POV

I teleported back to base from Pompeii. The rest of the Styx team was right behind me.

Everyone looked at me angrily and I shrank back. I knew what was coming and felt my stomach clench.

The leader of the group, Wyatt, crossed over to me and his hands went around my neck, constricting my air and he started yelling at me.

"Why do you let a little girl like her ruin the whole plan? She was ten! You telling me you can't stop a ten year old girl from ratting us out? How useless are you! How worthless was your mom to give her life for you? Your whole existence was a mistake!"

I just tried to pry his hands from my neck because I was starting to see spots, though I knew it was impossible. He tightened his grip for a second before he let go and I fell to the ground, immediately regretting it as a firm kick landed on my stomach.

Arthur and Stanley joined in beating me, countless kicks and punches landed on my stomach, back, face, arms and legs, and though I tried not to cry out, it was impossible not to.

Finally Arthur and Stanley got up, aimed one last kick at me, despite me already being beaten and bloody apparently I deserved more, then they left to search for food since the mission had failed.

Wyatt grabbed my face.

"You listen here, screw up. If you let a little girl like her screw with our mission again, your mother will have given her life in vain. You hear me? You'll just have wasted your mom's life. You don't want that, right?"

I shook my head best I could considering he held my face tightly in his hands and he finally let go and left too.

My mom hadn't been worthless. Maybe I was, but she wasn't. She gave her life because she loved me and the Styx sounded like a good group.

They told her I would be treated right, that I would be protected. All they needed was a sacrifice for me to get in.

I was all mom had left, after the world-war-three, we found out my dad and brother were dead, so she gave her life so I could have a "better" one. I was heartbroken when they killed her.

The Styx had started abusing me after a week, but it was fine.

I could handle it, I just needed to learn to keep my mouth shut.

Flashback

"Mommy, no!" I cried, my six year old eyes spilled over with tears as she allowed the Styx to torture her to death.

She looked at me, her eyes filled with tears. I knew she loved me and she did this because she loved me, but...

I didn't want her to die.

My dad and brother had died and now I was watching my mom be murdered.

"Please, stop!" I screamed as loud as I could, but they didn't stop.

After hours of torture the Styx left my mom's body and I ran over to her. She was unmoving and her body was cold.

I shook her.

"Mommy? Mommy! Please don't leave me mommy!" I sobbed.

I laid my head on her chest and sobbed. I felt so alone.

End flashback

I pulled a picture of her from a secret pocket in my vest. Her eyes were full of excitement as she looked at me. I was a baby in the picture, and my family grouped around me. I loved this picture because everyone was smiling. Except me, I was sleeping.

My mom always said she got her smile from Ember.

Ember was my great great great great great great grandmother and my mom had studied her and told me the stories.

She had always said that Ember was nice, sweet, and caring. Didn't have a mean bone in her body.

I had always wanted to meet her.
Maybe I should try I thought, trying to remember her time period.

I finally remembered my mom had told me Ember lived in Doe Trails, 2001-2093 and I teleported out of Dark City, 2504 and into Doe Trails 2016.

It was a cute town with lots of people. Dark City was, well, like it's name.

I saw a fire. Hmn, strange. And near it I saw... The little brat! If I remembered correctly her name was Martha. What was she doing here?

She didn't notice as I slipped up behind her.

I would ruin her. Kill her. Torture her for ratting us out and getting me beaten.

But not yet.

I had to try to find my great great great great great great grandmother.