Bobby, "Ria can I come in please." After their argument had cooled down Ethan and Ria had holed up in their bedroom talking about various things trying to get their minds off Ria's breakdown.
Ethan, "Should we let him in?" Ria was wrapped up in her duvet wondering whether to hear him out, his voice seemed sorrowful as if he'd considered his actions and came to repent. Sighed she nodded her head; Ethan toddled out of bed and opened the door. Ria still couldn't look him in the eye, but he surprised her as he sat down on her bed and pulled away the covers.
Bobby, "I want you to look at me properly when I say this." Ria bit her lip and forcefully faced him, expecting a world of scolding and lectures. Ethan nervously sat down on his bed ready to step in if he upset his sister again.
Ria, "If you've come to lecture me again you—"
Bobby, "I'm not here for that. I wanted to apologize to you." Wiping a tear from her face he smiled kindly. Ria's violet eyes widened in shock as he pulled her into a warm embrace. He even outstretched his arm for Ethan to join which he did happily.
Bobby, "I was so worried about keeping you both safe that I never considered your feelings. When I look at you two…do you know what I see?" Ria and Ethan exchanged glances and shook their heads.
Bobby, "I see two amazing little children that I go the pleasure to meet. Your both strong in different ways. Ria your powerful, not just in body but mind too, and then there's Ethan who keeps us all together even his sister. You need eachother and this family needs you too." Ria couldn't believe the kind words coming out of her grandfather's mouth.
Ria, "Why are you saying these things? I thought you were afraid of me?" Bobby gave his signature chuckle and shook his head.
Bobby, "It's not you I'm scared of Ria, it's losing you. When I met you both on that day, I thought you would both be trouble but then when you tucked Ethan behind you and showed no fear towards this stranger that had invaded your home I realised that your much more than just Nephilim…your also human just like everyone else." For the first time in a while Ria lit up with the brightest smile, that was the first time he'd looked at her as equal.
Ethan, "Ria what do you always tell me, it was something like that?" she thought back to her little words of wisdom she gave her brother after her first transition, it seemed he hadn't forgotten.
Ria, "That no matter what runs through your veins or what colour your eyes are, everything still has a heart. It's your responsibility to keep it from turning black no-one else's." Bobby smiled seeing the light back in her eyes. Ethan giggled and nodded in agreement, that statement had helped him many times when he felt alone.
Bobby, "It's a very good piece of advice so…do you forgive me?" Ria sighed and wrapped her arms around his neck, before long Ethan joined in tackling him to the ground. They all burst into laughter as their hearts mended together.
Ria, "Only if you teach me how to shoot." Bobby laughed and nodded unable to say no to that white grin. Jane and John stood side by side watching the tree laugh their troubles away.
If only our troubles ended there…
Another year past and things changed yet again, Ethan started training with me, he was slow at first but began picking it up along the way. Bobby taught me how to shoot a gun and my parents took turns teaching me superiors' weaknesses. I listened intently so nothing would slip past me, I wanted to be strong enough to protect them for giving me the life Ethan and I deserved. For loving me as their own instead of a stranger but I never knew how much I loved them…until they were ripped away from me…
December 2nd, 2028.
Jane, "It's bedtime Ethan, Ria you too get to sleep." They huffed and rolled their eyes, it was now routine for the two to stay up and tell ghost stories, seeing who would give in and admit they couldn't sleep alone. Of course, Ria won 99% of the time. Snow had set in for winter, so the house was cold without the fire constantly blaring but they all huddled together for warmth on the couch before going to bed.
Bobby, "Stop scaring your brother young lady, you've been shooting all day are your fingers tired?" She glanced down to see her hand was still trembling from holding such a bulky gun.
Ria, "Nope, they're fine. Goodnight Grandfather." He smirked at her blatant lie.
Bobby, "Goodnight you two." Jane kissed them both on the head while John came to wish them sweet dreams.
John, "I'll take you both into town tomorrow so try to get some sleep okay?" They both nodded excitedly, then came the awkward silence as their parents awaited their nightie bidding. Ethan gave in first followed by Ria.
Ethan, "I love you, goodnight." Ria groaned and blushed in embarrassment.
Ria, "I love you, goodnight." They giggled as she grumbled away.
Jane, "We love you too, sweet dreams." They closed the door lightly behind them. Ria and Ethan watched the misty moonlight strike their wooden floor and jumped back up looking out of the window at the twinkling snow around them. It was beautiful at night and they both couldn't sleep without admiring it one last time.
Ethan, "What are you going to get from town tomorrow?" Ria rolled back onto her bed thinking hardly about what she could find useful.
Ria, "Most likely some binoculars, what about you?"
Ethan, "The same as I always get, I want a book. Um, what's binoculars?" That's right her brother didn't know much from these two walls, he'd only been to town once and mostly read books about nature.
Ria, "It's a tool that makes things far away look closer. So, I should probably keep it away from you, you'll break the lenses." Ethan frowned before pouncing on her.
Ethan, "No fair, take that." They began tickling and play fighting like children should. Ria couldn't breath from laughing, as they both collapsed from play fighting, they cuddled up in the blanket. In Ria's mind she was victorious yet again, Ethan was using her insult as cover to get in her bed.
Ria, "Sleep tight don't let the bedbugs bite." She pinched him before ducking under the blanket for cover, Ethan giggled in defeat and settled for sleep. Before long Ethan drifted off leaving Ria watch her breath in the cold air, that was strange she thought it wasn't usually this cold. Then she pulled her hand up to test if it was her imagination but the cold snapped at her fingers making them numb almost immediately. Then a dreadful shiver came over her, seeping into her bones. Alarmed Ria sat up tucking Ethan in and walking to the bedroom door. Gently she placed her ear up to the door hearing laughter on the other side, it was strange for her parents to be up so late. Intrigued she cracked open the door to see what was going on.
At first, she was curious to find her parents sitting in the dark not saying a word. But little by little she began noticing something else, there were dark shadows all around the room. Rubbing her eyes wondering if this was just a lucid dream, she took a double take only to find there were more this time. They blended in with the darkness all except one shadow that was larger than the rest. He was standing in-front of the large window by the door, he was so large he practically blocked the moonlight as he stood. Ria darted back to her bedside table grabbing her knife, this wasn't natural at all. Her parents were in trouble!
Jane, "Please I beg you, don't take my children…" A soft whisper caused Ria to freeze at the door, it was her mother voice, but it sounded so weak and trembly. Did she just mention her and Ethan? All she wanted to do was run out and kill whoever was there, but her body was too cold to move.
John, "We're sorry for what we've done but leave them alone, please!" John's desperate voice ignited a fire in Ria's heart then strangely she pushed past the icy pain and tiptoed out of her room keeping low to the floor. Her size came in handy at times like this, those weird shadows remained still not glancing in her direction. Quietly she crawled behind the sofa behind this mysteriously tall man and got her knife in hand ready.
"As if humans can ask anything of us, kill them!"
"Kill them my lord!" Loud voices began shouting across the room making Ria dizzy, they sounded so inhuman it frightened her. Shaking her head pushing away all fear she'd had enough of this charade, she would kill them all for invading her home!
"Shut-up, I'm not finished questioning them. Now I'll ask one last time…where is my daughter?" Ria felt the strength in her legs let up, she was completely paralyzed. There was no way…it couldn't be him…!
After all this time, after she'd forgotten those eyes. Just when she'd settled down in her own existence, he had come to disrupt it all. Like lightning images of her birth mother began flashing through her mind creating a rage inside of her she rarely felt. If she killed this man everything would be okay, they could live in peace. This was her time, she'd trained for three years for this very moment, perfected her knife skills and telekinesis. Now was the time while she was unseen. Subtly she whispered to herself as she braced for the fight of her life.
Ria, "I'm right here."
Launching her body over the couch she catapulted herself onto the mans shoulder pushing the knife up to it's handle into his throat. Jane and John gasped wide eyed in terror as Ria stabbed him again and again until the floor was soaked in blood. However, Ria was terrified to see this man hadn't even flinched or trembled throughout, how was he still standing!
Jane, "RIA RUN!" Ria was shrugged off falling with a large thud onto the floor. Completely paralyzed by the fact he wasn't dead all she could do was watch as his red eyes found her in the darkness. It was that same look he'd given her at birth one filled with triumph and expectations. One by one the shadows emerged from the darkness until they filled the room. Ria looked around frantically and couldn't believe her eyes…they were all superiors…
"I found you." His deep raspy voice made her blood run cold. Behind him Ria noticed her mother and father screaming at her to run but when he spoke it was like she'd become deaf. Seeing her daughter was in shock Jane ran up behind him and held her birth father back while begging her to run.
John, "RIA PLEASE GO!"
I wish I'd just listened to them, grabbed my brother and ran as far away as I could but under that glare, I was powerless. Not only would running spared my future but also spared me from the harrowing scene I was about to witness. I watched my parents struggling to hold the man back to no avail while I sat there like an idiot, I wish that knife had ended him right there. I wish someone would have torn my eyes from my sockets.
"What useless organism, I don't need you anymore. Sleep tight." His horrific tone echoed in Ria's mind bouncing off her skull, she watched as he raised his hand in the air with his finger waiting patiently for the right moment. The moment his daughter came to her sense enough to react to the brutality she was about to witness. Her parents' desperate breaths, their wild eyes then their silence.
*Snap*
Ria, "NO! -"Ria watched as her mothers and fathers heads twisted around in an unnatural way followed by the sound of their last breaths leaving their lifeless bodies. Silently she watched them fall to the floor causing it to vibrate.
It's indescribable watching the teary life in someone's eyes dim until dark. Still a child dependant on my parents for support and love, I felt myself broke, smash like a mirror into a million pieces while I watched the scattered reflection of the memories I shared with them. You realize just how much space those people fill inside of your heart when bad things happen and the only thing you want to do is tell the people who are no longer there to listen.
Ria, "Mother? Father? Hey can you hear me…"
Ria trembled up to her parents' bodies and shook them hopelessly, they didn't groan or cry they were gone…
Meanwhile in Ria's room.
Bobby, "Ethan psst!" Aimlessly he rubbed his eyes and looked around hearing his grandfathers frantic voice calling out to him. To his surprise he was standing outside in the snow with the window wide open ushering him out.
Bobby, "Wake Ria up, we have to go!" Troubled Ethan patted the spot beside him but found no body. Frantically he jumped up and looked around for Ria.
Ethan, "Ria isn't here!" Bobby gasped when he realized their door was cracked open. Not having time to think he reached in and pulled Ethan out of the window.
Bobby, "Run to my car and lock the doors until I get there, I'll get Ria!" Before Ethan could ask what was going on Bobby jumped back into the house and ran into the sitting room. He jumped finding he was surrounded by superiors, quickly picking up his knife he began slashing through them looking for his family.
Bobby, "Ria where are you!" He managed to fight his way through to the living room when his movements stopped…it took a while for his brain to register what his eyes were seeing. Sobbing over the limp bodies of her parents was Ria. Bobby feel to his knees in devastation looking at his daughters' lifeless eyes.
Bobby, "J-Jane?" Ria flinched and looked back to see her grandfather crying in the lonely dark. Not knowing how to react so she simply trembled to her feet and ran into his arms.
Ria, "I-I'm sorry! I'm sorry grandpa! Please don't let him take me! Please!" This was the last person she had left apart from Ethan. Bobby grabbed her and hugged her closely, to think she'd just witnessed such a thing broke his heart more. Through blurry eyes Ria caught her birth father approaching them.
Ria, "NO!" She acted quickly grabbing Bobby's sleeve and dragging him as fast as she could to their bedroom. Still dazed he followed his granddaughter earnestly; it wasn't until Ria slammed the door that he snapped out of it putting him back into action.
Bobby, "Quickly out of the window!" They both darted for their only exit when a overwhelming force pushed against the door almost taking it off it's hinges. Ria looked around for a barricade, then seeing the bed as her closest option she used her telekinesis to pick it up and wedge it against the door. Bobby vaulted through the window first pulling Ria along with him. As her bare feet touched the icy ground her muscles tightened up. Still traumatized by seeing her parents she ran as fast as she could to her grandfather's car. Ethan was banging on the window shouting for her. Seeing his face relived her heart but only for a moment…
Ria, "Ethan I—Woah!" Bobby felt her hand slip from his fingers as she was dragged back by an unknown force. Panicked he dove through the snow gripping her tightly, Ria felt like ten people were dragging her back by her feet and she couldn't stand.
Bobby, "Ria don't let go! I've got you!" Sweating profusely, he groaned holding on with all his might, Ria could see Ethan crying from the window as her body was enveloped in cold. She screamed trying to hold onto her grandfather's hand. Then she was startled by a blood curdling scream coming from her grandfather, then the sound of her own voice as a knife stabbed through her hand.
Ria, "It hurts!" she hyperventilated feeling the pulling force grow stronger, soon her eyes went from desperate to closed knowing what was about to happen. She couldn't lose him too, not the person who had saved her. Not her grandfather. Loosening her grip, she coughed grabbing her grandfather's attention, they were both going to suffer if she held on any longer.
Ria, "It's okay papa, I'll be fine so you can let go…" With a teary smile she let another finger slip from his grasp.
Bobby, "No! I swore, I pinkie promised I would keep you safe I won't let you go." Ria couldn't help but admire him for remembering that promise between them. Another finger slipped leaving them interlocked just by their pinkies.
Ria, "Then it's my turn to promise you something in return. I promise that one day I'll come back so take care of Ethan for me until then. I love you…" Bobby's lip trembled as their grip loosened for the last time. Ria gave him one last smile before…she was ripped away. Ethan's crying face was the last thing remembered before she was dragged for what seemed like forever through the freezing snow until her head bumped into something hard.
"Shall we go home, daughter?"