𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥 ⇻ 𝘯𝘶𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘧𝘪𝘷𝘦

chapter i

❝ᴀʟʟ ᴍʏ ᴛʀᴏᴜʙʟᴇs ᴏɴ ᴀ ʙᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴘɪʟᴇ, ᴀʟʟ ʟɪᴛ ᴜᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ sᴛᴀʀᴛ ᴛᴏ sᴍɪʟᴇ.❞

The familiar walls of her bedroom surrounded her. This was the room she had paced so many times before whilst pondering her existence and meaning as an insignificant speck on earth. Her room was scattered with shrubs, plants and vines that hung over the walls like a new wallpaper. These plants enhanced her abilities- made them stronger by tenfold. The reason why this was seemed to be undiscovered. These unknowns were just that - unknowns in an equation for life that she needed to find, but had no clue where to look.

Effie glanced up, her eyes reaching the informative posters she'd hung up. There was a bright blue one, encased with the anatomy of a spider plant, with a diagram set in the centre, with multitudes of lines appearing off of it to guide the viewer. There was another one, with lists of herbs, as well as their associations, where to find them, and meanings. It was all old news though, to her.

This was all she'd ever known.

Her house was like a jail cell, and she was the prisoner.

Her abilities and how they could benefit James Stevenson kept her there as a puppet that had no choice but to be manipulated by him.

Effie sighed, and fiddled with the tarot card she'd just flipped up. Although it wasn't in her usual skillset, tarot readings were a good way to take her mind off of her abilities and how much they drained her- her father had always suggested getting a hobby, and it was a nasty shock when he realised what it was. Not dancing, not knitting, but tarot readings. Dear god. 

In the Stevenson household, life was harsh. It was ruled under James's iron fist, complete with punishments and strict training regime that seemed to last for hours. It wasn't like James himself was good at fighting- in fact, he was a scientist. All Effie had ever known was strange injections, an odd headset she was required to wear whenever she used her powers, and a surveillance system that could rival the Pentagon's. She hated it.

He had always said it was for the 'greater  good of humanity', but it made Effie question whether humanity was even worth all of this- all of this pain, sweat and tears that no one would ever appreciate.

So, one day, after coming out of her longest yet punishment for refusing to suffocate an innocent rabbit with plants, she concocted a plan.

It went through, naturally, and she was out on the streets with nowhere to go, and a father who wanted nothing more than to steal her from this new life she'd made for herself. She'd run like hell from the neighbourhood they'd lived in, during the pitch-black, moonless night of June 14th, 2016, only to find absolutely nothing.

She couldn't go to the nearby homeless shelter, or he'd find her.

Eventually, she resorted to scavenging through piles of rubbish and sleeping behind a garbage can like the alley cats she so often made friends with. It was a hard life, never knowing where her next meal would be from or if she would even get one, but it was so different from the endless schedules and tears from the punishments, she'd almost say that it was worth it.

Effie was hidden beneath a foul smelling rubbish bag when a strange figure crept into her alleyway- dressed in the strangest things. An odd, fur-lined coat, black ankle-boots, and a chain around his neck. "Hey, uh, girl? The one who lives here? Uh, I was wondering if you'd like to come and live with me."

She never crept out of her spot, but only watched the man with weary, unblinking eyes.

"My name's Klaus, and I think you saved me."