Dark Hearts

Prologue

Lily is sitting on the sand out looking the ocean. Her family's recently forgotten home lies

behind her as the group prepares to move again. The wind is blowing the smell of the sea into

her, and as she continues to look at the sky she comes to the deduction that it will rain shortly.

She's had so much time that it seems like even the weather can be predictable. She pulls her

knees up and decides to wrap her arms around them in an effort to make herself more

comfortable. Peering over her shoulder she can faintly see Nathan and Serena loading up the

last of the boxes before they were assigned to be elsewhere; and through that she also caught

a glimpse of herself in the window.

Lily reminded herself of a stale painting. Along the lines of something that had been left

in a dingy basement for years. Wrinkle free pale skin and curly red hair fell in ringlets down her

back. Her stagnate appearance felt like such a contradiction to how she felt on the inside. In her

gut, she felt dry and shriveled. She turned back around to face the ocean contemplating the

duty lead out in front of her. After so many years Lily was still the same. The same girl who was

forced into unforeseen assignments for circumstances she could not change. She'd wonder if

her father would like the woman she was. Rather he'd still sacrifice everything he had if he'd

known who his daughter would be. If he knew his daughter was a murderer. She didn't want to

be this person anymore.

A man shouted, "Lily! We're almost ready to go!".

She didn't get up from her perch, but instead she pivoted to see her brother stroll out onto the

sand toward her. He approached her casually and when he met her position her plopped down

in an uncoordinated mess of limbs beside her.

Already knowing the answer to his question he begged to ask, "You doin alright?".

Lily sighed and turned to face the man beside her. Her brother was a boy with raven black dark

and piercing green eyes that always seemed to know what she wanted to say before she did.

She replied, "Yeah Cass. I'm fine".

He asked as he fixed her with a calculating glare, "Really?".

She didn't quite know what to say. She had done this before. She had done worse than this

before. Years and years of worse. All she could help but do was look at out at the waves

crashing into each other in harmonious turmoil. She was envious. In all the time Lily had had

she would never be as free as the water before her. In a passing note it made her wonder how

much Serena missed the freedom of the ocean.

Cass interrupted her thoughts, "Hello! Cass to Lily. Attempting to make contact. Let me know if

anyone's aboard. Over".

She managed a giggle, "Cute".

He butted his shoulder with her own, "Tell me what overthought overplayed idea you have

running through that brain of yours".

"I'm a bad person Cass," her tone was apathetic.

His response was quick, "Shut up. You are not responsible for the things they make you do.

They don't give us a choice."

She looked at him defeated, "Don't patronize me".

He replied, "Don't be such an unbearable masochist all the time and I wouldn't have to. We only

have to see if it's actually him. We don't have to touch anyone."

Lily interjected, "We don't have to do anything. I do Cass. Me."

He shoved her gently, "Don't be such a lone wolf beer it alone type. Were your family. Nate,

Serena, your mom, and I. We'd do anything for you."

She mumbled, "Touching".

Cass shot her a glare and continued, "As I was saying. We only have to do this once, and we

only have to find out if the kids legit. We'll go, evaluate, and report back".

She replied, "And if he is legit Cass? What then? What do you think they'll make me do to him?

What do you think she'll do to him?"

Cass shuffled across the sand and laid his arm across her shoulders. He spoke, "We don't even

know what's there. Neither do they. It could be like a paid vacation, and then we can go where

ever we want".

Lily sighed and rested into her brothers embrace she knew he didn't want to think about it either,

but where they were going nothing good would follow.

She muttered, "I hope your right".

The pair were only in rested embrace for a moment before another shout emanated from the

House.

A man roared, "Hey! Dynamic duo! Now that all the heavy lifting is done would you mind moving

your happy asses!".

Without turning around Lily and Cass both smiled.

Lily grimaced, "I need something to cheer me up. Should we pretend like we didn't just hear

that?"

The man didn't give Cass any time to respond as he continued down the sand shouting, "Hey

assholes! I'm talking to you!".

Lily and Cass both continued to laugh with their backs to Nate.

He shouted, "Stop having some deep existential crisis, and get in the goddamn car. We've got

places to be! Serena and Ava are waiting for you!".

Lily finally caved and got up wiping the sand from her clothes while Cass slowly did the same

She shouted back, "Alright! We're coming Nate! No need to shout."

He replied, "Yeah yeah. Just keeping it moving."

Cass and herself had finally reached Nathan when she apologized.

"I'm sorry for ignoring you, but I just love those reactions so much," she said reaching out to

pinch his dimple.

He replied through gritted teeth, "How… charming".

Lily made her from sand to pavement as her and her brothers walked to meet the others. They

reached the car and before getting in her door Lily took one last look at the property. It's not like

she couldn't ever come back, but it was just another page. Another musty old flap in her story.

Nate spoke, "You ready to open the door?".

Cass interjected, "Dude".

Nate replied, "What? If we wait for space case we'll never get this show on the road".

Nate casually pushed Lily out of the way and opened the door for the three of them to enter.

He spoke, "After you princess".

Lily replied as she stepped into the car, "Thanks asshole".

Her mother Ava was ready to drive the group as Serena looked near giddy in the passenger

seat. Both her sister and mother looked relieved that the five of them were all finally in the same

close quarters.

Serena asked, "Are you alright Lily? I told Nate not to be a jerk but he insisted. As usual."

Nate scoffed defensively, "Hey. I was just getting the job done. Keeping this girl focussed is full

time".

Ava spoke, "Is it now Lilianna? Is something troubling you?"

Her tone was soft and her voice constantly sounded like it was coated in honey. She always

spoke from a place of wisdom.

"No mother," she replied.

Ava looked in the rearview mirror between her daughter and then her eyes went to Cass who

was quick to avoid her gaze. She knew there was something, but decided not to press the

issue. Knowing very well prying would get her nowhere.

Ava smiled at her children then and asked, "So are we all ready?"

"Finally," chirped in Nate.

"Well alright then I suppose we're off," replied Ava as she began to drive.

Serena turned to her siblings and asked, "Have we been to Oregon before?"

Cass answered, "Not since it's been properly established."

Her siblings began to fall into idle conversation and as her mother continued driving Lily's mind

went elsewhere. Leaning her head against the window she inhaled the last bits of ocean air

enthralled in her hair. She was off to a new a state, a new mission, and she had a new target.