CHAPTER ONE
Clio was a tough girl, strong and streetwise. She would watch and listen to the world around her from behind a wall so thick and steep, that those who tried to breach it would soon find themselves falling to their doom. Because, though Clio 'looked' like the shy type who would be quite at home in the dusty shelves of a library, she had a mean right hook. People rarely antagonised her more than once, and those that did were not considered to have much sanity. They were soundly punished, up to and beyond the verge of tears, and that was on a good day. It was always a great surprise when people first see the company that she kept. Or, rather, that kept her. Clio had only ever had two real friends, and had known them all her life.
Clio, Thalia and Zephyrus, had only three things in common. Firstly, they all lived in the Parkinson Home for Orphaned and Abandoned Children. Secondly, all three were named for Greek Divinities. Zephyrus, or Zeph, to the girls, was named for the Greek god of Calm, Peace of Mind and Emotions. Strangely, his personality revolved around those few characteristics, as did those of the girls. Clio and Thalia, were namesakes of two of the nine muses, Thalia, that of Comedy and Light-hearted Poetry, and Clio, that of History. Thalia was a perfect name for her, as Zeph's was for him, but Clio was different. Truth was, Clio didn't have a history. The nurses that managed the orphanage were constantly reminding her that she had been forced upon them, when her parents died when she was three months old. It was because of them that made Clio put up the wall that surrounded her. The only people that had ever been let through were Thalia and Zeph. It was them, and only them, that managed to keep Clio on the rails of sanity, and they often saw themselves as siblings.
Thalia, had long, shimmery, wavy, black locks, and saw the world through eyes, as brown as chocolate, and flecked with the gold fire of her spirit. Zeph could easily have been her brother, having the same hair and eyes. Thalia brought life to the trio. Though she was only 14, she definitely knew a thing or two, and could always cheer the others up. Surprisingly, it was Zeph who needed it more often than Clio. By being such an Outsider, Zeph automatically put himself in the life of fire, from The Bullies.
Zeph was passive, despising conflict, and rarely stood up for himself when he unconsciously attracted the attention of The Bullies, which actually happened quite often. They would tease him for his name, his intelligence, which was really nothing to sneeze at, as Zeph was quite smart, his shyness, and his friends, or rather, lack thereof. The encounters were becoming more numerous until he was being tormented almost every night. It was one such night late in October, that found Zeph, once again surrounded, as he read a book that he had discovered in the library that he frequently visited. It was the only place that he was left in peace.
"Oh look, Stephany here has found himself another book," the porky Ringleader gibed. He reached out and tried to snatch the leather-bound novel, but was far too slow. "Why do you read, anyway? You're already as stupid as a camel, why try to make it any worse?" His followers sniggered. "When he gets as stupid as you then you should worry," a voice called out from across the room. Porky's mouth hung open in astonishment. Porky gulped. "How...how dare you talk to me like that" he spluttered. Thalia tossed a sharp 'Don't do it' look to Clio, she knew what was coming, but it made no difference. Clio slowly stood up, quite a menacing action. She was only recently 15, an uncelebrated birthday, but she was already at a height of five feet and seven inches, and still growing. She towered over the majority of them, only a few older boys being a match for her. Porky looked like he was about to have a fit. "That's a nasty twitch you have there," she smiled sickly-sweet, "You should get that looked at." The nice act dropped quickly, "I am sick and tired of the way you strut around here like you own the place, and I'm sure everyone else is too. But you are an orphan just like the rest of us, and damn well know it, so sit down, shut up and stop bothering us," Porky looked defeated and was about to back away, when Clio added, "And before you scurry off like the 'roach you are, I'd like to hear an apology for my friend here." She stood there expectantly, hands on hips like a mother, whose child had just broken something. Porky was just about to mumble something, when a booming voice echoed from the doorway, "If you have quite finished, Clio, I would like a word." It was not a request. As she slowly stalked towards the large woman, whom the order had come from, she saw one of Porky's cronies smirk from behind her. *That little rat*, she thought, *when I get my hands on him...* Clio's thoughts were cut off by the sudden pressure of a hand grasping the back of her neck, and half pushing, half dragging, took her down to the Head-Matron's office. The last thing she heard, before the door was closed, was cruel laughter punctuated by the pleas that could only belong to Zeph.
"Well, well, well," the large woman said as she sat down behind the desk.
"Well, what?" Clio asked, rudely.
"I was waiting for you to slip up. I knew you would, someday. And today is that day," Clio just stood there, a hazy cloud floating into her eyes. The nurses had never liked her much, and every chance they got, they punished Clio, or one of her friends, whether they deserved it or not. The lecture would run for an hour or two, she had heard them all, so she usually just stood there looking bored. This time was different, though. Clio's ears pricked as she heard 'parents' being mentioned, interrupting to say, "I thought they died?" A cruel smirk crossed the Head-matron's face, "No, that's what they wanted us to tell you. But they just wanted to get rid of you. Couldn't stand you any longer..." The woman kept on talking, but Clio just stood there, absolutely dumbstruck. *No, this cannot be happening. My parents are dead* She stood there, telling herself over and over that her parents couldn't possibly be alive, until the Matron grew bored of the tormenting, and sentenced her to bread and water suppers for a week. Clio retreated in a daze. It wasn't the punishment that bothered her, they didn't get much more than that anyway, but she couldn't get over the fact that her parents had ditched her.
Somehow, Clio managed to stumble blindly to the girls' dormitory, and get into the bunk bed that she occupied above Thalia. It was then that the tears started flowing. The silent, salty droplets made paths down her cheeks, making her sniff. Thalia, never missing a beat, heard her soon enough, "Clio, what's wrong?" she asked, worriedly. Clio just sniffed, *this can't be happening* she thought *I'm tough, I'm the one that people run away from, and I'm crying. I never cry* Suddenly another thought hit her, a revelation that she *knew* she had to follow.
Clio swiftly sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bunk. Steeling her resolve, she went to one of the two plain trunks, situated at the end of the bed. This made Thalia, literally, sit up and take notice. This wasn't like Clio. Normally, she would just come in and go to sleep, and, Thalia, in all the years that they had known each other, had never seen Clio cry. "What are you doing? What happened?"
Clio remained silent, and continued sifting through her trunk. "Aahh, there it is," she proclaimed quietly, emerging triumphant holding a canvas duffle bag, and preceded to stuff it with the few possessions she had.
"Clio, what are you doing?" Thalia, now thoroughly concerned, repeated as she threw off the bed covers and went over to her long-time friend.
"I'm leavin'. This place is killing me. I have to get out of here." Clio said in a hushed whisper, catching Thalia's eyes to make her point. Thalia knew that look. Once that passionate fire, that only she and Zeph knew about, started burning in Clio's eye, a whole herd of wild horses would not be able to stop her from reaching her goal. Thalia sighed, resignedly, and started packing a duffle bag of her own. "What are you doing?" Clio whispered, shrill-ly.
"Well, I can't just let you go out there on your own, now, can I?" Thalia asked in her mothering tone, eyebrow raised. "I'm serious, Clio. You go, I go. It's always been that way, you know that,"
Clio opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it and just sighed. "I just don't want you getting hurt that's all,"
"Well, we both know that I can't stop you, and you can't stop me, so why bother arguing about it,"
Clio almost burst out laughing, but held it in. Thalia's matter-of-fact way of looking at things had always made her feel like the world didn't matter, and that she could conquer all her problems. Clio, in an un-characteristic burst of affection, reached out and hugged Thalia, much to her surprise. Then they finished emptying their trunks and left to tackle the unknown world outside the walls of the orphanage.
Clio was a tough girl, strong and streetwise. She would watch and listen to the world around her from behind a wall so thick and steep, that those who tried to breach it would soon find themselves falling to their doom. Because, though Clio 'looked' like the shy type who would be quite at home in the dusty shelves of a library, she had a mean right hook. People rarely antagonised her more than once, and those that did were not considered to have much sanity. They were soundly punished, up to and beyond the verge of tears, and that was on a good day. It was always a great surprise when people first see the company that she kept. Or, rather, that kept her. Clio had only ever had two real friends, and had known them all her life.
Clio, Thalia and Zephyrus, had only three things in common. Firstly, they all lived in the Parkinson Home for Orphaned and Abandoned Children. Secondly, all three were named for Greek Divinities. Zephyrus, or Zeph, to the girls, was named for the Greek god of Calm, Peace of Mind and Emotions. Strangely, his personality revolved around those few characteristics, as did those of the girls. Clio and Thalia, were namesakes of two of the nine muses, Thalia, that of Comedy and Light-hearted Poetry, and Clio, that of History. Thalia was a perfect name for her, as Zeph's was for him, but Clio was different. Truth was, Clio didn't have a history. The nurses that managed the orphanage were constantly reminding her that she had been forced upon them, when her parents died when she was three months old. It was because of them that made Clio put up the wall that surrounded her. The only people that had ever been let through were Thalia and Zeph. It was them, and only them, that managed to keep Clio on the rails of sanity, and they often saw themselves as siblings.
Thalia, had long, shimmery, wavy, black locks, and saw the world through eyes, as brown as chocolate, and flecked with the gold fire of her spirit. Zeph could easily have been her brother, having the same hair and eyes. Thalia brought life to the trio. Though she was only 14, she definitely knew a thing or two, and could always cheer the others up. Surprisingly, it was Zeph who needed it more often than Clio. By being such an Outsider, Zeph automatically put himself in the life of fire, from The Bullies.
Zeph was passive, despising conflict, and rarely stood up for himself when he unconsciously attracted the attention of The Bullies, which actually happened quite often. They would tease him for his name, his intelligence, which was really nothing to sneeze at, as Zeph was quite smart, his shyness, and his friends, or rather, lack thereof. The encounters were becoming more numerous until he was being tormented almost every night. It was one such night late in October, that found Zeph, once again surrounded, as he read a book that he had discovered in the library that he frequently visited. It was the only place that he was left in peace.
"Oh look, Stephany here has found himself another book," the porky Ringleader gibed. He reached out and tried to snatch the leather-bound novel, but was far too slow. "Why do you read, anyway? You're already as stupid as a camel, why try to make it any worse?" His followers sniggered. "When he gets as stupid as you then you should worry," a voice called out from across the room. Porky's mouth hung open in astonishment. Porky gulped. "How...how dare you talk to me like that" he spluttered. Thalia tossed a sharp 'Don't do it' look to Clio, she knew what was coming, but it made no difference. Clio slowly stood up, quite a menacing action. She was only recently 15, an uncelebrated birthday, but she was already at a height of five feet and seven inches, and still growing. She towered over the majority of them, only a few older boys being a match for her. Porky looked like he was about to have a fit. "That's a nasty twitch you have there," she smiled sickly-sweet, "You should get that looked at." The nice act dropped quickly, "I am sick and tired of the way you strut around here like you own the place, and I'm sure everyone else is too. But you are an orphan just like the rest of us, and damn well know it, so sit down, shut up and stop bothering us," Porky looked defeated and was about to back away, when Clio added, "And before you scurry off like the 'roach you are, I'd like to hear an apology for my friend here." She stood there expectantly, hands on hips like a mother, whose child had just broken something. Porky was just about to mumble something, when a booming voice echoed from the doorway, "If you have quite finished, Clio, I would like a word." It was not a request. As she slowly stalked towards the large woman, whom the order had come from, she saw one of Porky's cronies smirk from behind her. *That little rat*, she thought, *when I get my hands on him...* Clio's thoughts were cut off by the sudden pressure of a hand grasping the back of her neck, and half pushing, half dragging, took her down to the Head-Matron's office. The last thing she heard, before the door was closed, was cruel laughter punctuated by the pleas that could only belong to Zeph.
"Well, well, well," the large woman said as she sat down behind the desk.
"Well, what?" Clio asked, rudely.
"I was waiting for you to slip up. I knew you would, someday. And today is that day," Clio just stood there, a hazy cloud floating into her eyes. The nurses had never liked her much, and every chance they got, they punished Clio, or one of her friends, whether they deserved it or not. The lecture would run for an hour or two, she had heard them all, so she usually just stood there looking bored. This time was different, though. Clio's ears pricked as she heard 'parents' being mentioned, interrupting to say, "I thought they died?" A cruel smirk crossed the Head-matron's face, "No, that's what they wanted us to tell you. But they just wanted to get rid of you. Couldn't stand you any longer..." The woman kept on talking, but Clio just stood there, absolutely dumbstruck. *No, this cannot be happening. My parents are dead* She stood there, telling herself over and over that her parents couldn't possibly be alive, until the Matron grew bored of the tormenting, and sentenced her to bread and water suppers for a week. Clio retreated in a daze. It wasn't the punishment that bothered her, they didn't get much more than that anyway, but she couldn't get over the fact that her parents had ditched her.
Somehow, Clio managed to stumble blindly to the girls' dormitory, and get into the bunk bed that she occupied above Thalia. It was then that the tears started flowing. The silent, salty droplets made paths down her cheeks, making her sniff. Thalia, never missing a beat, heard her soon enough, "Clio, what's wrong?" she asked, worriedly. Clio just sniffed, *this can't be happening* she thought *I'm tough, I'm the one that people run away from, and I'm crying. I never cry* Suddenly another thought hit her, a revelation that she *knew* she had to follow.
Clio swiftly sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bunk. Steeling her resolve, she went to one of the two plain trunks, situated at the end of the bed. This made Thalia, literally, sit up and take notice. This wasn't like Clio. Normally, she would just come in and go to sleep, and, Thalia, in all the years that they had known each other, had never seen Clio cry. "What are you doing? What happened?"
Clio remained silent, and continued sifting through her trunk. "Aahh, there it is," she proclaimed quietly, emerging triumphant holding a canvas duffle bag, and preceded to stuff it with the few possessions she had.
"Clio, what are you doing?" Thalia, now thoroughly concerned, repeated as she threw off the bed covers and went over to her long-time friend.
"I'm leavin'. This place is killing me. I have to get out of here." Clio said in a hushed whisper, catching Thalia's eyes to make her point. Thalia knew that look. Once that passionate fire, that only she and Zeph knew about, started burning in Clio's eye, a whole herd of wild horses would not be able to stop her from reaching her goal. Thalia sighed, resignedly, and started packing a duffle bag of her own. "What are you doing?" Clio whispered, shrill-ly.
"Well, I can't just let you go out there on your own, now, can I?" Thalia asked in her mothering tone, eyebrow raised. "I'm serious, Clio. You go, I go. It's always been that way, you know that,"
Clio opened her mouth to argue, but thought better of it and just sighed. "I just don't want you getting hurt that's all,"
"Well, we both know that I can't stop you, and you can't stop me, so why bother arguing about it,"
Clio almost burst out laughing, but held it in. Thalia's matter-of-fact way of looking at things had always made her feel like the world didn't matter, and that she could conquer all her problems. Clio, in an un-characteristic burst of affection, reached out and hugged Thalia, much to her surprise. Then they finished emptying their trunks and left to tackle the unknown world outside the walls of the orphanage.