blood of legend: On Hold

2. Ashes of roses

I have always wondered what would have become of us if we had trusted in the foster system, would it have failed us? Or would we have been able to join society as an oddity amongst the masses? The night we ran away was the night of our final betrayal I remember the pounding of my heart as we snuck past the other children, praying none would hear us. We had grown tired of having to sleep in beds we often confused with coffins and so, in the dead of night, with only small satchels empty of any real memories, we had escaped.

"Being homeless isn't so bad" Nielle would say, when me and Riley felt like giving up and going back to the orphanage during the crippling times.

A lot of people would think that it was myself and Riley that took care of Nielle, being older but the truth is that we needed her more than she ever needed us.

....

Nielle and I had decided to go for a walk, in the park, with the little kid who's name, we had discovered was Nashim or Nash. he was running ahead of us. 

"I'm envious" Nielle sighs dragging her feet looking at a woman in an expensive looking coat clutching a steaming foam cup of hot liquid, I lick my lips, at the sight. "I get you," I mutter craving a steaming cup of overpriced chocolate.

"do you think we can scrape up enough extra to treat ourselves to some hot chocolate one of these days?" She blinks up at me hopefully, a grin spread out across her face. Nielle is way too happy for this world.

Yeah, I'm sure we can" I sigh', honestly not sure.

"Lelita?"

"Mmm?" I respond mindlessly kicking some pebbles in front of me as we stroll down the empty snow filled cobble stoned path.

"If we had been 'normal' what do you think our lives would be like?" Astounded by the question I Look at her, analyzing the delicate curves on her face a small smile visible as she regards the bare trees, I know she's just asking out of curiosity.

"Well... I don't know, you are someone that loves to help people purely out of the goodness in your heart, probably a doctor, Riley would be an overconfident douche of a lawyer..." I roll my eyes at her pointed stare.

"-who at first may seem to not care at all but when it counts you would find that he cares the most." I breath watching the mist escape into the sky in enthralling spirals.

"And... Me? I don't know." I trail of, not having ever thought of what I would be if I had grown up 'normal'.

"you would be an artist you know" she smiles her eyes twinkling in the setting light, dimples on full display

"I think that it is the grandest thing anyone can be."

"Why is that?" I cock my head, genuinely curious, I though artists were drug induced, weirdos with strange fetishes.

"I'll tell you one day"

"I'm giving you up till tomorrow" I scowl not at all impressed by the grinning girl. she doesn't respond and instead jogs ahead to go help a screaming Nashim who had somehow managed to anger a mother duck and was now currently being chased.

I'm about to call them to slow down when I spot two men in black suits on the curb, I almost ignore them when the man on the left makes eye contact with me for longer than what one would consider a passing glare, strange and uncomfortable, 'only in the city.' i roll my eyes since it's not uncommon to find someone staring at you a little too long. the wind blowing distracts me momentarily as some debris in the air is blown into my eye causing me to blink to clear them out, looking up again I see the men retreating down an adjacent cobble-stoned road.