Pitter Patter of little feet filed the empty streets of the village as a crying child tried desperately to find her home. Not a person in sight, and shadows stretching long and far were dodged by a little girl in the depths of despair. Adam had been yet another disappointment in Ria's life and at this point she was fed up to the back teeth of trying to find a soothing remedy for her soul. Eventually through watery eyes she found the forest path back to her prison. Ria could still feel the hot throbbing pain shooting up her left leg as she began limping back home. She must have sprained it when that demon threw her down. What an awful first encounter of the outside world she thought.
To her dismay she noticed the kitchen lights on which only meant one thing…Jane and John had beaten her home. This would be a headache to explain, then returning home suddenly lost its charm. Jane and John would be furious with her, not to mention she had left Ethan alone too. Ria limped hopelessly to the front door and stood grumbling to herself. What could she say to help herself? Like a sixth sense Ria tensed up as she felt heavy footstep trotting towards her position. John almost tripped over her as he went to run out of the front door.
John, "Ria!" Like a bear he wrapped two huge arms around her and squeezed until she thought her spine would crack. Jane ran to the door with tears streaming down her face only to find her daughter tightly protected in her husband's embrace. Ria's eyes bravely glanced up to see Jane's face red with rage, she had opened a door she never wanted opened.
Jane, "Ria Lane, get inside of this house right now!" John startled hearing his wife's voice bellowing behind him. Ria couldn't help but wince as she prepared herself for a world of pain. John put his hand behind her back and guided her to the living room. Jane had her arms crossed waiting for her daughter to explain herself, but Ria's mouth was sewed shut.
John, "Do you realize how worried we were young lady. I've spent the past two hours trying to calm down your brother!" So, his relief was short lived and transformed into anger. Ria sat down and kicked off her shoes not very phased by her parent's fury, she was positively exhausted after venturing so far.
Jane, "Ria you have three seconds to tell me where you've been." As if three second was enough to explain the travesty of an adventure. Jane had never raised her voice at Ria before, so she was unsure how to react.
John, "Do you know how dangerous it is outside you could have been kidnapped." Ria rolled her eyes.
Ria, "Could have and have are entirely different. I'm home and I'm fine end of story." Jane kneeled down and yanked Ria's arms forward gripping her tight.
Jane, "End of story nothing! Why did you leave the house? Ethan was all alone all-day Ria, we thought you were gone for good." Large drops of salty tears fell on Ria's porcelain skin until her hands were soaked, she never meant to cause so much pain to her family.
Ria, "I'm sorry for leaving without telling you but…I just wanted to find someone like me. I'm tired of being alone!" John also sat down trying to understand what his daughter meant.
John, "Ria you were never alone, you have us!" Ria stood up slapping her mother's hand away and like a seal had been opened emotions began spilling out of her.
Ria, "That's not what I mean! I mean someone like me, a Nephilim to help guide me. It's my duty to protect you all!" Jane was knelt down in shock, Ria rarely had tantrums never mind outburst like this. They never realized she felt so lonely.
John, "Duty? You're a four-year-old girl, it's our job to protect you and your brother which is why we put the rules up in the first place. I can't believe you would ignore them for your own selfish curiosity." John shouted waking up Ethan in the next room, he wandered in rubbing his eyes to a gun range with wild bullets flying everywhere.
Ria, "Selfish? Selfishness is locking away your children so when they do venture outside all they feel is fear. Don't you dare call me such a thing when you're the ones babying us into life while people are dying everywhere because of people like us. Unique! Don't make me laugh were monsters!" Jane and John fell quiet. Ethan stood in the doorway sobbing uncontrollably.
Ethan, "Ria why are you yelling at mother and father? Where have you been?" She watched his pretty blue eyes spouting like a waterfall, it was only when she saw her brother did, she feel undeniable guilt for leaving him. Ethan was a Nephilim too.
Ria, "I'm so sorry Ethan I never meant to leave you alone, please forgive me." She outstretched her arms, but he ignored her plea and ran behind his mother. Like a bomb Ria experienced rejection like she never thought possible, it hurt even more than Adam. Strangely, she had become public enemy number one just for leaving the house.
Jane, "I promised Alice I would love you unconditionally. Please don't make me break that promise Ria." As her birth mothers face filled her memory she fell to the floor in tears, this was the last thing she ever wanted. To be disclosed by her family, it was too painful even for her.
Ria, "Then what should I do mother? Smile and laugh like every other child, I can't do that it's not who I am. Each day I feel more and more alone, infected with differences no-one else shares. Not even Adam could give me the security I needed…" John's face grew pale hearing that name, Noel had been a big influence on his daughter which infuriated him.
John, "You met with Adam? What did you tell him?" Ria lowered her head; she couldn't even look them in the eyes her mistake was too great for forgiveness.
Ria, "Nothing I just asked him about our blood that's all."
Jane, "What about it, Ria?" They looked like deer in headlights.
Ria, "You know what to be expected, what will happen as we grow older. Those types of things. Listen he swore to not tell a soul about me, he gave me his word." John couldn't contain himself and grabbed her shoulders.
John, "A stranger's word is worth nothing more than squalor. How could you be so stupid girl!" Jane picked Ethan up and took him back to bed before this situation got worse. As she returned, she patted John's shoulder to release her, they needed to get to the bottom of this.
Jane, "Ria sit down." Obediently she crossed her arms and sat down childishly, how many times was she going to be scolded for this?
Jane, "I know how difficult this is for you. If I could take the memories away I would in a heartbeat, but I don't have that sort of power. Ria tell us the real reason you went to see this Adam." Their daughters face twisted in discomfort; they would never understand fully how she felt without standing in her shoes. Still, she wanted to tell them as much as she could.
Ria, "Truthfully…I'm afraid. I don't want to become like my father. I thought maybe there was a secret to concealing our power so were never found. I never want to go back there, to that horrible place." Finally, the truth had been set free.
John, "Sweetheart your already to kind to be anything like that man. As long as we live, we will protect you and Ethan. Isn't that right dear?" Jane looked at him still bewildered by her daughters worries.
Jane, "T-That's right. Ria you don't have to worry about that your still young, there's plenty time to learn about your blood. If we can help you, we will, that's our duty as parents." Ria smiled kindly; they really did try their best when it came to the crunch.
Ria, "Thank-you both. I won't go outside again I promise. Could I…go to sleep now?" Her whole body felt heavy and she was struggling to keep her eyelids open. John and Jane sighed and nodded before kissing her forehead.
John, "Goodnight sweetheart."
Ria, "Goodnight."
Ria was ready for bed but still had one more person to apologize too. Ethan as expected was pouting on his bed wiping snot from his nose. This time Ria had every reason to be sorry for her actions, so she crawled up next to him and felt his forehead.
Ria, "Thank god your fever went down, I was worried about you." Ethan buried his head beneath the covers in a strop.
Ethan, "Liar if you were so worried you wouldn't have left me."
Ria, "I was trying to help us Ethan you might not understand now but that's what I was doing. Anyway, I came back, didn't I?" Like a mole he peaked his head from his cosy hole and frowned at her.
Ethan, "You promised you wouldn't leave me behind." Sighing she joined him under the covers cuddling him lovingly, it was true she felt awful.
Ria, "I meant that with every ounce of my soul remember there is no me if there is no you. We were born side by side, so it makes sense to stay side by side don't you think?" Ethan smirked cutely; his sister always made him feel loved.
Ethan, "Okay…I forgive you." Ria smiled and began tickling him to cheer him up. Their laughter filled the house and like it was contagious Jane and John also began chuckling.
However, I found out very quickly that little tokens of happiness like these were short lived and like the calm before the storm I changed even more. Superiors called this phenomenon a transition which is when a demon child or angel would receive their ability. At only the ripe age of four I never imagined this would happen to me so soon but again I was my father's daughter. The best way to describe this excruciating shift is for you to imagine your brain swelling until forced against your skull along with the feeling of a red-hot poker singeing your nerve ending. Sounds delightful doesn't it.
Ethan woke up to a horrible whining noise coming from his sisters' bed, still half asleep he stumbled from his bed to investigate the inhuman sound. As he peaked at his sister's face, he went white with panic.
Ethan, "Ria! Ria your bleeding!" Her cries only grew more desperate as she awoke in agony. It was so strong she couldn't even open her eyes, instead she curled up into a ball falling to the floor.
Ethan, "Mother! Father!" he screamed at the top of his lungs alerting their parents who ran in panting heavily. Ria was biting her blanket to stop herself from wailing out loud.
Jane, "My god what is happening to her!" Jane threw herself down trying to keep Ria still as she squirmed unable to stop crying. John was frozen still watching the blood hail from her eyes and nose, she looked half dead already.
Ria, "It hurts! Please make it stop!" Jane cradled her for comfort, but she was uncontrollable. Ethan stepped back terrified he was going to lose his beloved sister.
John, "It must be her transition, I'll fill the tub with ice water. Try to calm her down Jane." He disappeared to the bathroom while Jane wrestled with her daughter whose strength had increased tenfold, her arms shook trying to stop her from convulsing. Ria let out a high-pitched scream as the pain increased. Ethan blocked his ears and sobbed on his bed while Jane closed her eyes trying to bypass her bleeding eardrums.
Jane, "It's alright baby, just stay with me. Everything will be okay!" It killed her seeing her daughter writhing in agony, but she knew nothing could stop transitions. Jane scooped her up Ria's white nightgown soaked in blood. It was a long walk to the bathroom made longer by her cries; John was pouring ice into their tub as fast as he could.
John, "She's burning up!" Their hand sizzled as it made contact with her skin, this was much more severe than Ethan's. Ria had no idea what was happening to her, she grew more afraid by the minute. Suddenly, a climbing sickness rushed through her body until she could no longer hold it in. A banshee like scream filled the home as Ria clung to her mother like a bat.
Jane and John fell to the ground feeling the whole house rumble. Pictures fell from the walls and dirt jumped in the air, the energy force that crashed through the area was enough to uproot the ground. Ethan sat terrified in his rocking bed watching the chandelier from the living room fall from the ceiling.
Jane, "Get her in the bathtub before the floor caves in!" They hoisted her down into the ice water, its painful sting caused Ria to gasp in shock. Before long the floating ice cubes melted and the water began to boil from her heat core, Jane and John were unsure what else to do she wouldn't calm down at all.
John, "Ria please try to calm down it will be over soon sweetheart." He stroked his daughter silver hair trying to soothe her. Jane couldn't stand seeing the bloody tears steaming down her face. Ria had a considerable high pain tolerance which only elevated their concern, she wouldn't show weakness if she was on deaths door but here she was sobbing away.
Ria, "It's too soon Adam said this wouldn't happen until I was eight. What's wrong with me?" They were happy she had the energy to speak but overwhelmed hearing just how devastated their daughter was. There was no way around convincing her this was normal anymore, that threshold had been breached.
Jane, "Everyone's different darling, you were always advanced so were not very surprised." Ria turned her head away and looked at the red water around her, was this how things were going to be for now on?
Ria, "Don't try to make me feel better, I'm tired of it. So, it was telekinesis after all…" Ria thought back to her conversation with Adam, he did warn her of the abilities that could present over time, but she never expected them to come so soon. Strangely, she wished he was here by her side to help her despite only meeting him once.
John, "It's an amazing ability to have, only the strongest superiors' possess such a power." Ria scowled their shaky voices were grating on her, if they couldn't handle the package that came with Nephilim children then they should never have adopted them.
Ria, "Would you like me to smile and say I'm overjoyed? I never wanted this ridiculous power in the first place." Jane was worried about her daughter attitude; she was always argumentative but now she seemed even more bitter than before.
Jane, "How do you feel?"
Ria, "How should I feel? I'm officially one step closer to them." 'Them' meant the superiors. Humans viewed them as vicious creature's hell bent on dominating the weak. Ria struggled to see the differences having never encountered them unbeknownst to her parents she had already tasted evil that very day.
John, "Ria we've told you your nothing—" He was interrupted by a splash of water as she exited the tub in a rush. She'd had enough of their pity and just wanted to be alone.
Ria, "If you could stop treating me like a pitiful dog that would be much appreciated. I'm going to bed, goodnight." It didn't even phase her that her vision was still blurry, she wanted to get away from them. Truthfully, she envied them for their lack of suffering, they could quite happily bide their time in the human world while Ria was holed up in these four walls. They both winced as she slammed her bedroom door. Jane placed her hand over her face and began weeping.
Jane, "I wish I could take it all away for her, so she doesn't have to feel so abnormal. What are we going to do John?" John also shed a small tear feeling the atmosphere become heavy as the aftereffect of Ria's transition settled. All they could feel was sympathy for her living with such a burden.
John, "We try to support her as much as we can. She'll be fine in a few days dear."
My parents were dead wrong in hoping I would come around, because sadly I had changed more than they realized. During my transition a voice called out to me asking me to return home, as if the message had been hidden since my birth. I ignored it expecting those words to leave me be in my next few years of life, but they only grew stronger each day. I hate to admit it, but my kindness grew sour after that day and my parents hope for me becoming someone worthwhile diminished like an autumn tree. Ethan and I grew apart as I began resenting him for not receiving his transition at the same time as me. Which only made my world even smaller…
I hated my appearance; I hated the way the sun would tempt me from my window but most of all I hated being unable to push past my unfortunate past. Moving things with my mind at will became an unconscious nuisance as well as amusing when times became fit. It would hurt each time like that nasty transition was coming back, but the effects always faded before I tore the house down. Luckily, no-one came to investigate the strange phenomena due to the secluded area or at least we thought…