I ran down the street in the middle of a harsh thunderstorm. I had to outrun them. No matter what it took. If I didn't escape them now… all hope is lost. I was coming up to the café I'd practically grown up in. but when I turned the corner, my heart sank. The café was caught on fire. I heard their laughter behind me and turned to see the three men I'd been trying to outrun.
"There's nowhere else to run my child." The tallest one said, a dagger appearing in his hand.
I clutched the silver locket around my neck as tears formed in my eyes. "St-Stay back!" I said taking a step backwards.
"There's nobody left to protect you." The short one laughed. "Your parents are dead and you're going to join them." A gun appeared in his hand and he pointed it straight at me.
My body froze. This was it. I was going to die. I closed my eyes and turned away. There was a flash of light and I heard a gunshot. I felt a sharp pain in my arm, but when I opened my eyes, there was someone standing in front of me. They fell to their knees and collapsed. My tears rolled down my cheeks as I realized who it was.
"MAMA" I screamed, kneeling down next to her, crying hysterically. "Mama… mama no… you can't die!"
She looked up at me and smiled. She touched my cheek and whispered, "My child… you are special… look inside your heart… you'll find the power… to defeat them…"
With that, her eyes closed and her body fell limp in my arms. I heard the men laughing but I didn't dare lift my gaze to meet theirs. I felt the cold barrel of the gun against my forehead. I knew I was going to die. I heard the gunshot and then everything went black.
Is this really it? Am I really dead? My body felt so cold as I floated in a dark abyss. There was a soft glow coming from a small sphere. It floated toward me and formed into a girl. She became the same height as me and looked to be exactly like me, except she had wings. One was a feathered angel wing and the other was a dark bat wing. Her outfit was a long dress split into black and white down the middle. What really surprised me was that her eyes were also split into two colors. One was red and the other was grey.
"Who are you? Have you come to take me to the other side?" I asked hesitantly.
The girl smiled softly, though half her face stayed calm and seemed stern. "Something like that. Though it is not yet your time to join the others." She said. She stretched out her hand for mine. "Take my hand and I'll take you home."
I slowly began to stretch out my hand, but quickly pulled it back. "No… I can't go back there…"
"It's alright… you don't need to be afraid…" my mother's voice said as she appeared next to the girl. She was different. Her long red hair glowed along with the pair of angel wings protruding from her back.
"Mama… I don't understand…"
"Take her hand and you will." She said softly. "You are destined for great things, Yue. You might not be the same as you were before, but I believe you can fight through it."
"What do you mean? How will I be different?"
"Take her hand, Yue… time is running out for you to be able to return." My mother said before a tear ran down her cheek. "I will always love you, my child… don't ever forget that…"
I looked from her to the girl and reached out and took her hand. Our hands began to glow and the light engulfed us.
I slowly opened my eyes. An oxygen mask was covering my mouth. I took a slow and steady breath. My heart began to beat regularly and my vision started to become clear. I realized that I was in the hospital. The room was dark, but I could smell the familiar scent that all hospitals have. I was alone. What if those men came back? What if they tried to kill me again? Where was my mother?
I shot up and tore the mask off. I stumbled as I scrambled out of the bed and made my way to the door. I grabbed the handle and the shock from the cold metal threw me back, causing me to hit the bed.
A young nurse ran in, saw me on the ground and called for help. She lifted me onto the bed and tried to hold me down as I struggled.
"Mama… I have to find her… I have to save her!" I cried, tears welling in my eyes.
"You can't, your mother… your mother is dead!" the nurse shouted.
I froze. Her words echoed in my mind. "Your mother is dead!" It couldn't be true… she couldn't really be gone! In my heart I knew she was… but a part of me wouldn't believe it. My mother and father had given their lives to protect me… for what? Why were those men after me and why did they want to kill me and my parents?
There was a knock at the door and a man with short blonde hair stood there. He was covered in soot and his clothes smelled of smoke and fire. I managed to jump down and run to his side. I cried into his shirt as he wrapped his arms around me.
"Tell me it isn't true! Tell me it's not true!" I pleaded with him.
He didn't look at me and just held me tight. "I'm afraid… we're the only ones left, Yue. They ambushed us at the café and when they didn't find you there, they set the place on fire with everyone inside." A tear rolled down his cheek, though his face didn't show any emotion at all. "Everyone… is gone… it's just us now"
"Excuse me sir, but are you this girl's father?" the nurse asked.
"No, but I am the only person she has left in this world." The man replied.
