Summary: When Anna meets a orphan boy in the rain, she learns how to harness true power.
Chapter 1: The Snake Charmer
Mothers were something Anna had never really thought about. Not until recently anyway, when a boy in her class had fallen and cut his knee outside of school. He had wailed like a dying animal, and Anna had wanted to snap at him to grow up and stop being such a baby. But she didn't. And then a pretty, young woman had come and scooped him up, whispering comforting things and running her fingers through his hair-tender and loving.
She had never known the love of a mother.
She had only ever had her father-but mothers...mothers seemed so much different. She was strangely envious after that-and it was annoying, because she had never wanted a mother before. She had never really cared.
She had never thought that mothers and fathers could be much different. It hadn't really occurred to her. But now-now she wanted what that boy had. She wanted it more than she had wanted anything in her entire life.
She brought her fingers up to her cheek, nimbly caressing the forming bruise with careful hands. Dried tears that she couldn't be bothered to wipe away stained her cheeks-and she wished more than anything that she could have a mother instead of a father. Because a mother would stroke her back and kiss away all the hurt.
A mother would be much different than a father.
Angry with herself, she threw off her covers, sitting up in her bed. She shouldn't-wouldn't waste time on silly little dreams.
She had lain in bed for hours, sleep eluding her. She remembered the empty feeling that had filled her after she had come down from her emotional high, and she clenched her fists-much preferring the self loathing she felt as opposed to the frightening numbness that had pervaded her body.
She got up, moving to the drawers of her dresser, ripping them open in frustration. Her room was small and rectangular, the walls painted a light lilac color. She didn't have many things, only a few pieces of furniture and her bed.
She pulled out her uniform, a white collared shirt and bland black dress, tearing off her clothes and shoving her arms and legs through the material.
As the irritation she felt toward herself abated, she slowed her pace, glancing out her door and into the hallway reluctantly. Her insides twisted uncomfortably and she found herself desperately wanting to just return to bed-the thought of seeing her father making her blood run cold. But she forced herself forward, quietly making her way to the bathroom.
She brushed her teeth and combed her thin hair, and when she stepped outside of the bathroom she stared hard at her father's room. The bedroom door was slightly ajar, no sign of him in his bed. She wondered if he was awake, remembering his fist upon her cheek the night before with a feeling of nausea.
God, she hated him.
And she had been so cautious, treading carefully around his rage. She supposed it didn't matter. He had wanted to hurt her. He had been looking for a reason.
She didn't want to see him. Not now-not ever.
Heart fluttering, she walked to edge of the staircase with all the enthusiasm of someone being dragged to their execution, preparing herself.
She held her breath as she descended the stairs, her bare feet growing cold as she stepped down onto the freezing tile floor of the semi. The silence was deafening. Her heart beat fast in her chest, the morning light shining through the half open curtains, nearly blinding her. It wasn't a large house. It had a living room, kitchen and dining room. And then there was the upstairs, with the bathroom and her father's room, as well as her own. It was decorated rather cheaply, not ugly, but not as refined as other homes she had seen.
She padded over to the living room carefully, dodging empty bottles that had been left strewn about. She licked her lips nervously as she counted eight, peeking over the edge of the couch. Her shoulders sagged in relief.
On the couch was her father. A stout man, lying belly up sprawled across the furniture, breathing deeply, lids shut in what she hoped was a deep sleep. He had a pudgy face, his cheeks stained red, with a fat nose and brown, gray streaked hair, his beard far overgrown.
She looked away, angry again as he stomach gurgled. She rested her hand over it as if that would relieve the pain. Her mouth watered, hungry, having being punished without receiving dinner the prior night, and her father forgetting to make lunch in his drunken haze the same day. Hopefully if he had drank enough her punishment would be forgotten and she could get a meal in her belly.
She glared at him, bitter.
Not for the first time she wished he would drink himself into his death. Oh, how tragic that would be. James Roberts was a nasty man when he wanted to be, so she didn't feel remorse for her secret wish. In fact, instead her temper flared at the sight of him, her anger still slightly fresh and stirring inside her. But she did nothing, only turning away from him as she shot him one last glare.
Still wary of waking him, she shuffled to the front door on feather-light feet, slipping on the socks that lay tucked in her shoes. She put on her black shoes next and straightened her uniform, grasping the handle of the door, turning it slowly, easing it open as to avoid making any sound. She felt her stomach churn again as she slipped out the door, but she dared not risk a kitchen run. The thought of waking her father making the endeavor seem not worth relieving the clenching pain in her gut, especially if he woke up in a bad mood.
So ignoring her body's cries she lowered her eyes and stepped outside, shutting the door behind her.
She didn't look back.
The world was like a jungle she realized. The people in it animals. And if the world was like a jungle, she had to say school reminded her of the zoo. She kept to herself in school for the most part, listening attentively to her lessons and doing her best to understand and take down notes. But she disliked school. Not because of the work really-she enjoyed learning. It was the people. There were far too many people for her liking. None of them relatable. And when she looked at them all she saw were animals. Some big, and some small. Some more vicious than others, but in the end they were all the same. Like wolves establishing their place in a pack, preening themselves so they may enter the real world-the true jungle. And her? She was caught in between. She sat in the middle of where they snapped and growled at each other, coming very close to scarring her with their sharp teeth. She fought on a daily basis to avoid them-all of them, wanting no part in any of it.
She glanced around her classroom, watching her classmates through weary eyes. It was last period, so everyone was jittery, excited to be let loose. They were all doing their work, but not quite focused, most glancing at the clock on the wall repeatedly over the course of a minute.
She wasn't overly enthused to return home, as much as she disliked being in proximity to so many people. Nor was she particularly happy that the day was drawing to an end-unsure if her father would be waiting outside to retrieve her. She prayed that he wasn't. She was not really ready to deal with him, but then she would probably never be fully stared at her half finished paper, unable to find the will to finish it through her worrisome thoughts. Her father was unpredictable like that, leaving her in a constant state of anxiety.
The bell chimed and Anna rose up from her seat slowly, in no hurry. She ignored the disappointed look from her teacher when he glanced at her half blank paper, not in the mood to care.
It really was a dreary, unremarkable day, the sun hidden beneath graying clouds, the air thick and humid. Anna lagged behind the rest of her classmates as children trampled and shoved one another in a break to exit the large, oak doors of the elementary school. She bumped shoulders with a few, maneuvering her way through the mass of small bodies. Once she managed to step foot onto the pavement outside the halls of the building she quickly pushed herself off to the the side and threw herself back against the black, iron gate and out of the way of the rushing kids. She scanned the crowd, brows furrowing, as her eyes shot back and forth anxiously. Frowning, she gripped her brown shoulder-bag and adjusted it so that it hung more securely.
She watched as her school mates reunited with their parents, chattering excitedly as they dispersed. And soon she was nearly alone, only a few boys left chatting across the way. Droplets of water fell from the sky, splashing across her freckled cheeks and tickling her skin. Blinking she wiped them away with the back of her hand, only to have more replace them. Again she scanned the walkway for her father, lowering her eyes and letting out a sigh of relief when there was still no sign of him. She much rather preferred to walk-rain or not. Still though, she really did hate the rain. She huffed in annoyance before she began moving, walking briskly in the direction of her home, the rain enough to motivate her fast pace.
As she walked, she passed the bakery, the smell of sweets and freshly baked bread assaulting her senses. She paused and glanced at it longingly, staring through the window. Her stomach gurgled, and she was suddenly reminded again how many hours it had been since she had last eaten. But the hope of her punishment being lifted was enough so that she could ignore it, pushing the stomach pains to the back of her mind through sheer force of will.
She moved to walk before the sight of her reflection made her hesitate. She frowned deeply at the image of herself, thinking that she really was quite ugly. Thin, plain brown hair framed her thin face, coming up to rest just above her shoulders. Her eyes were muddy brown-like dirt, light, barely visible freckles splattered beneath them, along with a slightly crooked nose. Perhaps though that wouldn't have been so bad had it not been for how very skinny she was. Long, thin legs, her face drawn in and her school uniform engulfing her. It really made her look quite boyish. If she chopped off all her hair she was sure she could pass for a boy. Her father had always said so. She turned her head abruptly from the reflection, clenching her fists at her sides as she resumed her walk.
Five times she had to push her wet hair back out of her face, and somewhere along the long walk home she had slowed, dragging her feet slightly. Too wet to bother rushing anymore. The streets were scarce, only the sound of the rain pelleting across the rooftops reaching her ears. She shivered from the cold, teeth chattering together against her will. Rain, rain, rain. It was all she could hear, the wet droplets falling from her long lashes when she blinked. And then another sound. Barely audible underneath the heavy rain and thunder beginning to boom in the distance. It was low and entrancing, and it had her stopping in her tracks.
Ssssssssss sessshh sssssss.
For some reason her heart drummed in her chest, fluttering almost nervously as her ears twitched, just picking up the strange sound that almost sounded like soft whispers reaching out and winding around her. Squinting through the rain she turned in nearly a full circle, eyes darting about, looking for the source of the sound.
Ssssssssss sessshh sssssss.
Her head snapped to her left, and her legs began to move of their own violation. She came to the edge of a gate-the bars long and thin, reminding her almost of a prison. Anna peeked through, rubbing her face on her sleeve so that she might see better.
Ssssssssss sessshh sssssss.
Her brown eyes lit up with wonder. Just through the gate-a snake. Standing, swaying back and forth, hissing. It was a small snake, but that wasn't what had her so awe struck. Because beside the snake was a boy, under the shelter of a rather large tree, leaning into the bushes. He looked about nine or so, her age. And he was pretty, so very pretty. With a cherub face, neatly combed brown hair, slicked back, garbed in gray clothes with the strangest eyes. The most hypnotic eyes, dark and piercing, drawing her in like a fish on a line. And it could not have only been her, because like her the snake appeared to also be entranced, dancing for the strange boy as if to please him.
Ssssssssss sessshh sssssss.
Another hiss. But not from the snake, from the boy. The hissing sounds left his full lips smoothly, sounding like the devil whispering in her ear. And oh, how sweetly he spoke-perhaps able to convince her of anything with that strange language. She wasn't sure how long she stood watching him, allowing the rain to soak through her clothing, but she knew it had to have been more than a few minutes. She willed herself to understand what he was doing, how the strange hisses might come together-what they might mean. She shut her eyes tight-desperate to understand. And when she opened them again he was staring at her. She froze and time seemed to still.
Her lips parted, but no words came out. He glared at her, eyes narrowing, lips pulling back into a scowl that marred his pretty face. She licked her dry lips, not intimidated but curious. This seemed to irritate him she noticed, as his brows sunk lower. He rose up, and the snake, broken from its trance, slithered away. Her eyes followed it in fascination.
Then-it was like electricity and fire filling the air, snapping and crackling around her-the boy appearing concentrated and looking particularly spiteful. She could feel it swirling around her, and it was the strangest sensation she had ever felt in her short life. The energy snapped at her with malicious intent, but the electric current dancing around her never seemed to connect in the right way. She observed him curiously and he appeared frustrated but also confused. Was it him? Was the energy she could feel filling the air around her coming from the boy's sheer will. Was that how he charmed the snake-seemed to control it? Even as rage filled the other child's face the energy seemed to calm, the violent tendrils snaking around her body-poking and prodding her gently. Testing.
"Wh-
She grunted, the tendrils suddenly constricting around her. It was like a blazing fire forcing it's way through her entire being, down past her entire physical existence, wiggling at the edges of her soul. She felt warmth, and could feel the raw power of its source promising safety, protection and strength. She pulled it closer, the energy almost as captivating as his snake language. It coiled possessively around her, pressing against her intimately. She sighed softly, body relaxing as she allowed it to settle near her essence. But then, suddenly it wasn't just pressing against her with its warmth-it was all around her threatening to overwhelm and consume her, drawing at a part of her she didn't know existed.
Anna panicked. Like a frightened animal she kicked and clawed. She pushed the sensation away from her and out of her body with such force she lost her breath in the effort, her chest rising and falling rapidly. Then, the energy seemed to implode in on itself. A burst of white, hot light momentarily blinding her. And when she could see again she was surprised to find the boy had been hurtled backwards onto his back, now laying in the rain, eyes wide and breathing heavy. He looked at her in stunned silence, appearing just as lost as she felt. But it didn't last. He jumped to his feet, stalking towards her. His eyes were dark and violent, promising punishment.
"What did you do?" She took in his face, all anger and retribution, and then took one look at the tendrils snaking back out from around him-
And ran.
She ran and ran and didn't look back, anxiety filling her at the thought of having whatever that was back within her-having it consume her. The thought struck fear in her heart-the thought of losing herself in whatever that had been. So she sprinted through the rain until she saw her house down the street, not slowing until she reached the door. The fear of being consumed far worse than the fear of her father. She stopped, raising her hand to her chest, trying to catch her breath as she leaned her forehead against the wood door. Her hands shook, and she wasn't sure if it was from anxiety, or the after effects of the energy seeping through her.
Steadying herself, Anna shook her head, trying to clear away the lingering sensations she felt prickling along her skin. Was she crazy? Had she imagined it? But she forced herself to remember the boy's reaction, knowing it was not some weird figment of her imagination and that he too was very much aware of what had occurred.
Part of her wanted to turn around and go back. To relentlessly question him until her burning curiosity over what had happened had settled. But her fear kept her rooted in place, her gut warning her against returning. And she thought, fear was a very reliable thing. An instinct put in place to keep you safe.
And yet-she recalled those strange, captivating hisses almost beckoning her, calling out to her to find the whoever spoke in such beautiful whispers.
Ssssssssss sessshh sssssss.
Like the devil, she thought once again. All the more reason to never go back, or at least avoid the place she had seen him. She thought of his beautiful face again, accompanied by drab gray clothing that had almost given her the impression that he was dressed in some type of uniform. Which she couldn't see from being too far off, considering she had compared the gates surrounding the establishment to a prison. Her brain itched as she tried to remember where her legs had taken her. A sign flashed in her mind. Wool's. Wool's? The orphanage?
An orphan..? And she didn't feel pity, but a flash of jealousy. She decided he was lucky then. He probably didn't see it that way, but she knew she would gladly change positions with him. The prison-like orphanage appeared a paradise to her. She would rather be on her own. To have been born not knowing your parents was surely better than being constantly disappointed and betrayed by them. Yes, she would rather have no one she thought bitterly of. But it didn't matter. She wouldn't go back. She would avoid the orphanage despite her questions.
That's what she told herself at least. But she wondered how long that decision would last her. Because that was the thing about fear and pain. Go without it long enough and you forget. It fades away.
And then you have to learn your lesson all over again.
She looked up at the door, and it seemed so ominous and big suddenly. She shut her eyes tightly, dread filling her as she brought her hand up to slowly rest upon the knob.
But have it beaten into you often enough-
And some lessons are never forgotten.
Her hand trembled and she opened the door, clenching her fists at her sides as she was filled with a deep anger for being made to feel so helpless.
Because some lessons ruined you.
A/N: So I'm hoping I made Anna's character pretty realistic. Abuse is pretty hard to write without making the character seem unbelievable, and I didn't want to rush into it too much. The interaction between her and Tom's magic will be explored and explained. Let me know your thoughts.