They first met on a cold and dreary night, when the sun was just barely setting beyond the distant hills. The sky was a smoldering grey curtain blocking out most of the suns trailing light. Tar, ash, brimstone, and gun powder was ripe in the air., and it mixed with the rank smell of far too many people cramped in too dense a space. Acid rain drizzled from the overhead shroud, stinging the gravel pavement of the streets where it was unshielded by the gutters. The wind was warm, a bad sign for worse weather to come.
Overall, it was just another average day in Voxsturm.
The canyon city was surrounded by curtain walls of granite stone, the cliffs protecting it from the worst of the tornadic weather. The amber glow of light pollution soaked the enclosed city, casting everything in an eerie radiance. The rain reflected an orange gleam as it danced off the streets, and the sizzling steam it left behind accumulated on the ground into a dense fog.
Yet, despite the fog, the young boy walking on the sidewalk felt steered by the unseen hand of fate toward a tiny alley near his home.
Theo Serrano had just turned twelve years old, and was on his way home when he first noticed the cardboard box cramped alongside a garbage disposal. It was just barely sheltered from the rain, although some of its exterior had grown soggy.
What made it stick out was the small pink dandelion stickers decorating the sides, and corners of the box, as if its owner desperately tried to make it their own. The box had been there for only a couple days, and yet Theo had only now noticed it.
Curiosity peeked his interest when he walked away from the front door of his home, and towards the alleyway. Or perhaps it was the tiny lashing shadow he noticed from the corner of the box that grabbed his attention? Regardless, what really drew him in, once he got closer, was the sound of whimpering stemming from inside.
The girl was a tiny thing, with scrawny limbs, and brittle horns. A thin whiplash tail poked out from her soggy shelter, its arrow shaped tip a sign of it belonging to a female, and seemingly ready to strike at him.
Theo was instinctually frightened at first, but couldn't help but notice the pair of eyes glaring back at him in the dark. They were not the eyes of some devil, but of a frightened girl. Her dark black hair was coated in dirt, and her pink skin was covered in grime. Her clothes seemed little better than garbage bags glued together.
"Hey, are you ok?" Theo asked without fear. He never understood why so many people feared Redevers, better known as Succubi to the common folk. There was nothing scary about her, in fact, he felt nothing but sympathy for the scrawny creature hiding in the cardboard box.
Theo reached out, and didn't jerk back when her tail poked him hard in the palm of his hand. Some people made outrageous claims about how Redever tails were poisonous, but he knew better. Those were just stories made to scare little kids away from the other half of the city. He grimaced, noticing a small trickle of blood where she cut him, but it was hardly more than a scrap.
"It's ok, I'm not going to hurt you." The girls tail fidgeted upon hearing his voice. Slowly it limped lazily toward the ground. Theo could see the girls limbs were visibly shaking. She was too weak to strike him again.
Slowly he inched closer, not wanting to scare her away. As he peeked into the box, Theo gasped in shock to see just how skinny she was. The girl was no older than himself, and only an inch or two shorter, but her limbs looked like twigs that could be brushed away with the wind. A tear stroked down her pale cheeks, and she nearly fell into a seizure when Theo placed a hand softly onto her shoulder.
"Let me take you inside, you shouldn't be out here all alone," David spoke softly.
A gleam lit up behind her eyes, but also a look of fear and apprehension. It took some time, but his words seemed to get through. The Redever girl didn't say a word, whether she could speak his language Theo didn't know for sure, but he got the impression she understood him enough. Once she was out of the box, he draped his coat over her shoulders, and then helped to lead her carefully inside his home, which was just around the corner.
The girl thrashed at first against his attempts to help her walk down the alley. Her legs simply didn't have the strength to make the journey alone, making Theo wonder if she had anything to eat in days. Once she realized where he was leading her, she quite her resistance, although she clearly felt uncomfortable.
He was extremely careful bringing her inside, if his mother found out he brought a Redever home with him, she would lose her mind. While not understanding her reasoning, Theo wasn't about to risk his mothers wrath over something he didn't understand. He wasn't about to leave a poor girl out on the street either.
No sooner had he brought her inside, did he notice all the blemishes, scratches, and cuts on her shoulders, and down her back. Some of the marks looked infected, and he could only imagine the misery she was going through.
Hoping to relieve her of some of the pain, Theo wanted to help her into a bath, but felt incredibly awkward about it. He certainly didn't want to be considered a sleezebag. So instead, Theo first brought her to the kitchen, to find her something to eat. Then when her stomach was filled, the girl's disposition changed. She no longer shook with anxiety, but instead seemed to finally relax a bit.
But before he could lead her to the bathroom, Theo noticed her attention was stolen away by a small platter of desert treats hidden on the kitchen counter. No doubt his mother thought she was being clever, trying to hide the fresh baked cookies behind the cutlery, and guarded by boxes of gram crackers, his least favorite snack.
The girl's tail practically shot up, a sign Theo interpreted as joy, and her eyes glared at the glass container in wonder.
"Would you like a cookie?" Theo asked.
The girl made a hiccup sound, then looked over to him. She pointed toward the glass cylinder of cookies, her eyes darting back and forth.
"I'll take that as a yes?" For some reason his cheeks felt warm. Theo reached out to lift the lid, and retrieve one of them.
The girl accepted it hesitantly, then slowly brought it to her lips. A single nipple was all it took, and a look of serenity washed over her face.
"Want another?" Theo asked her, knowing full well the answer.
She practically squealed with joy when given another, before being led to the bathroom.
He was thankful that she knew how the bathtub worked, and let her wash herself in peace. He kept watch outside in the hall, for his mother, who hadn't come home yet. Thankfully the girl finished quickly, and he made sure to have some clothes laid out in preparation for her. Theo didn't have a lot to offer, other than a large sweater, and some sweat pants. He made sure to cut a small slip in the rear seam for her tail.
Wearing his old clothes, Theo noticed how the girl clung to her new garments as if they were prized possessions. While the sweater looked absolutely ridiculous over her slender frame, and the sweat pants far too baggy, she seemed to love the feel of real fabric over her skin.
"Thank you," It was the first time he actually heard her voice. It surprised him, sounding so sweet and clear. The hints of an accent made her sound exotic, especially with how she enunciated her y's.
"What's your name?" Theo asked.
The girl looked down, not comfortable to provide him with an answer. Her tail wouldn't stop fidgeting.
"Never mind, you don't have to tell me, not if you don't want too," Theo sighed, and was relieved to see her tail settling.
Her shoulders drooped down, and the girl looked around his room. Studying the posters on his wall, which was a mix of magical symbols and tech schematics, and the clutter of books on his desk, she seemed curious.
"I…don't have a name," the girl finally broke the silence.
"What!" Theo spread his arms wide in shock. "But everyone has a name! And I heard Redevers have long, and sometimes poetic ones."
She suddenly seemed extraordinarily uncomfortable, looking down at the floor with her tail laying flat.
Theo watched her, oblivious to her inner turmoil. "I know!" He jumped up. "How about I give you a new name?"
The girl looked up at him, her tail twitched.
"How about…" Theo leaned back. "I know! How about Lorelei, like the Redever queen in the stories?"
The girl cocked her head to the side. She hummed to herself, then slowly said the name, as if testing what it sounded like. The Redever curled up in a ball, clearly trying to hide her emotions, albiet poorly.
The sound of the front door opening stole Theo's attention. He made sure his own bedroom door was locked, and knew it wouldn't be long before his mother checked on him.
Theo wished he had a spare mattress, or at least some padded comforters for her to lay on, but knew it was better for Lorelei to stay out of sight, and out of mind.
He quickly set up a small collection of blankets and pillows underneath his bed frame, and made sure his own comforter covered over the side of the bed so that no one would see her unless they purposefully lifted up the blanket flap. "Your welcome to stay here tonight, you just have to be quiet. If my mom finds out you are here, she'll go crazy."
Lorelei smiled, her eyes seemingly brighter, and her skin a little less pale.
"Ok," she held herself tight.
After he left to greet his mom, he pretended to be studying until she retired for the night. Then he quietly gathered some things for his newfound friend.
Theo made sure to get her a full bottle of water, and some additional food. He also helped smuggle her to the bathroom, so she could relieve herself before going to bed.
Weirdly enough, neither of them felt like sleeping. Instead, the two of them conversed for hours. While she spoke little, Theo felt free to tell her about everything she noticed in his room. He told her about his talents with shadow magic, how excited he was to learn that he was among the magically affluent. Theo also told her about the books she was looking at on his desk, the movie posters on his wall, and even about his favorite tv shows.
She seemed fascinated by it all, and especially liked the illustrated books he had collected. Anything with dandelions she seemed especially fond of, and Theo made she had an abundance of things to read while hiding under his bed.
Just seeing her smile, fawning over all the colorful illustrations, was enough to make his heart melt.
Over the coming days, and weeks, Theo did his best to keep her safe. Little by little she spoke more, and was fascinated about the human world around her. In his naiveté, Theo believed he could continue to protect her forever.
Sadly, it was only a matter of time before she was discovered, and Theo had to watch as the badges dragged her away, scared and crying. He would never forgive himself for failing her, and years later would continue to worry about what ultimately happened to her.
He relived that night every day, until they met again, fifteen years later.