Chapter One: Ties That Bind
The summer sun shone down on the bleak Group Center in Indianapolis that I called my home. I had only been here for a week. My name is Hannah Smith, and it has been a week since my parents died. I'm only thirteen years old and my parents are dead. I have no other family, and so I was sent here to this bleak little center for children without a family. This place is hell on earth, only with less flames.
The weeks kept passing without any change. It was like every other day at the center. Nothing ever changes. Today will be the same as always. I went to the kitchen with the other children. I wasn't close to any of them and I hardly ever talked to any of them. I got to the kitchen and was served breakfast the same as alway. I sat at the same little table as always. But was to happen was not the same as always.
I was absorbed in my thoughts when I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see a girl whom I have never seen before. She looked my age and had long red hair tied back in a ponytail and pretty chocolate brown eyes the shape of almonds. "May I please sit here?" she asked politely in high pitched voice that matched her petite figure.
I simply nod and she sits in the seat next to me. She holds out her hand and smiles politely. "I'm Ruby. It's very nice to meet you." I shake her hand and introduce myself.
I was curious about the girl next to me. I had never seen her before and she was much friendlier than any other kids in this hell hole. "How long have you been here?" I asked.
Ruby sighed and looked down at her food. "I got here last night. Please don't ask why I'm here. I don't want to think about it." She then smiled and looked up at me. "Don't ask that and we can be friends. You looked lonely sitting here. The other kids have at least one person to talk to and you were alone." She told me.
My heart fluttered. If this place is hell, then Ruby is an angel who had fallen from heaven by mistake. She is too pure for a place like this, yet it seemed that even she had been tainted by negativity. I smiled at her. "Thanks for worrying about me, though I'm fine alone."
Ruby shook her head. "Nobody is fine alone. Especially in a place like this. I have not been been here long, but I can tell that this is not a good place. I need a friend, and so do you. Why don't we be friends with each other? I want to be your friend, Hannah."
I smiled and nodded. "Then let's be friends, Ruby." I did not know how to feel. I finally had a friend and that made me feel good, but a day would come that the people here would tear us apart. I guess it's best to cross that bridge when I come to it and get to know Ruby for now.
Ruby and I were together the entire day. We talked about our hobbies. I loved riding horses and archery. I felt most at home surrounded by nature even though I was born and raised in the city. My parents always insisted that I live a healthy and active lifestyle. Ruby loves animals just as much as I do, though she is more of a cat person than a horse person. We talked about our dreams. I want to be Biologist and Ruby dreams of being a police officer. Ruby has a strong sense of justice, so her dream makes sense.
Ruby was everything I wanted in a friend and the perfect human being in my eyes. I could not see myself away from Ruby. In the span of one day she had become my entire world.
When it was time to go to bed, we waited for everyone to fall asleep and snuck outside to the playground where we have free time. Once there, Ruby reached into the pocket of her jean shorts and took out two thin pink bracelets. "Take one as a symbol of our friendship. I made them with supplies I stole from the crafts pantry. As long as we have these on our wrists, nothing will ever come between us. We talked together until we got too tired and returned to our beds
After that night, we were inseparable. We were together all day and snuck out every night. Nothing would ever come between us, or so we thought.
Several days have passed by without incident. We thought this night would be the same, but everything changed in the most violent way possible. An hour into our nighttime adventure, we heard footsteps approaching, but did not see the worker until it was too late.
Ruby screamed as the worker grabbed her arm. "Go to bed girls. If you don't come willingly then we will drag you. You will be kept apart from now on."
I started sobbing while Ruby screamed in defiance. "You can't do that! You can't keep us apart. Hannah is all that I have!" What happened next can only be described as inhuman yet I do not care. Ruby is not a monster that the world will surely paint her as after tonight.
There was fountain of blood as the worker spontaneously split in several pieces. Ruby was so soaked in Blood that not even holy water could wash off. She collapsed to the ground sobbing. "I didn't mean it! I felt a strange power leave my body and she just died. I'm a monster! I'm a murderer! I'm worse than the criminals that I hate so much. I'm sorry Hannah. I'm sorry but it's not safe for me here and nobody is safe around me. Goodbye Hannah. Please don't try to find me. If you want me, look at the bracelet and remember the happy times we had." With that, Ruby stood up and ran, leaving me and the security cameras as the only witnesses.
Meanwhile in Volterra
The news of a girl in an orphanage who was spontaneously dismembered had gone global and cameras showed what eyes could not see. The culprits were paper thin tendrils seemingly made of telekinetic energy that radiated from the girl. Not since Isabella Swan have the Volturi found a human with a fully developed ability. Even more rare, this ability was entirely physical. To say that Aro wanted Ruby to join the guard was an understatement. Even Caius saw the pontential and was intrigued by such a violent gift. Marcus on the other hand was depressed, bored, and did not care either way.
It was for this Reason Demetri was called to the throne room. It would be his job to go to Indianapolis and track the girl to her current location and Aro could meet her. Though only thirteen, the girl had to be charged very soon, for any weak minded human who saw the news and fears the girl could kill her. For that much power to be snuffed out like a candle would be such a waste.
