Tiri is pulled from another nightmare as her alarm rings loudly. She jumps up, switching the blaring noise off. Today is the day two of her friends officially graduate high school. "Where the hell are my jeans?" Tiri swore as she tore through her clothes pile. Finally she found the outfit, a pair of low-rise, blue jeans, a plain, orange t-shirt and her favorite pair of lace-up, leather boots.
"TIRI, BACON AND EGGS IF YOU WANT SOME." Her mothers bell like voice calls from downstairs. A growling from her stomach tells her that is a good idea. Tiri takes the steps at a terrifying pace to get into the kitchen before the food goes cold. Her little brother is already sitting at the table dressed and ready for prep. Her mum hands her a plate piled with food as she sits at the table. Her dad looks up from his papers to talk with her, "You ready for today kiddo?"
"Yeah dad we all are. It feels kind of bittersweet though." Tiri knew that today marked their last day living as normal humans. "Do you really have to stay behind when we go?"
"You know we do kiddo, I am so close to figuring out the way I traveled to your mothers world using the technology available to me at this time. I promise as soon as I've got it worked out the three of us will join you."
The family finishes their food going their separate ways. Tiri turns up the volume of her radio as one of her favorite songs comes on the radio. She sings along, the song finishes just as she pulls up to the school. It takes her a bit of searching to find a carpark but she pull into one not far from the front gates. As she enters the assembly she sees Kane, an unkempt guy with a swimmers build, and Ylva, a young woman with frosted curls, pale skin and gray eyes, standing in line while they waited to receive their graduation certificates.
Inside family an friends of the students sit and stand around waiting for things to start. It only takes Tiri a moment to spot Ruby, an energetic girl who's hair is as big and wild as her personality, and Raoul, a robust young man with rusty coloured hair pulled back in a ponytail. She shouts to them and they wave her over to join them. Joining the pair they all wait and watch the ceremony. The rest of the day is a whirlwind of mingling and partying that continues into the night. By the time Tiri makes it home to bed she strips down and flops onto her sheets.
The next week is hot and full of activity. As the week nears it's end the five friends and their families are all living in Tiri's grandparents' house, a huge Queenslander on an old farm. The last day before they were leaving is so hot and muggy that as night fall there is a dark, rolling storm that lasts well into the night. Tiri's sleep is restless as the thunder crashes outside. At some point in the night she wakes up screaming, her hair is plastered to her face and body from the sweat, her heterochromatic lavender and fiery orange eyes wide with panic.
She was reliving that night again, even after thirteen years it held the same pain. The storm had been wild when she was awoken by a horrible pain in her body. She couldn't move, looking up she saw a familiar face but it was twisted, the vicious grin and eyes that until now had only ever been sad were soulless and crazed. The world went black as she tried to call her sister, after a moment though she was floating above the scene. She saw her lavender eyes staring at her sister and the woman, she moved quickly trying to wake her sister. Success, her sisters fiery orange eyes flew open as she sat bolt upright and screamed. There was a blur of movement as their parents, grandfather and a guard rushed into the room. She saw the guard and her mum leave, chasing the woman away. She heard her grandpa swearing for the first time as her ran through the palace. Her sister was by her side weeping. Their father sat beside her and held her as she spoke, " I was supposed to be me that she poisoned not her." The weeping turned into the most sorrowful wail to have been heard. She felt her spirit being pulled back and saw another join her as the room filled with light. It was her sister. They held each other for a brief moment, "It has to be you Tiri. You are older." She laughed, "Yeah by like three minutes. Don't do this Cleo." The sisters smiled sadly at each other as the light disappeared. The next thing Tiri woke up and as soon as she opened her eyes she heard people gasping around her. She felt her mothers warmth and tears. She looked in the mirror across the room and saw the reason. One of her eyes had changed, instead of a pair of lavender ones like her mothers one was orange, she thought for a moment and it clicked, it was her sisters eye colour not her own. ~
Arms and bodies wrap around her as she cries, her body shaking from the force of her sobs. She knows that she is all in the past but ever since leaving Madrakog it has hurt more, the hole in her that was made the night her sister made a huge sacrifice to save her. She cries until she is exhausted and falls into a deep, empty sleep, her friends surrounding her. They must leave tomorrow. She feels it, with or without the adults they need to return home.
YOU ARE READING
Unbreakable Bonds
FantasyWork in progress. A story of learning and growing. Set in a nation at war.
