Chapter 1:

Home Life

He sat in his attic room staring out at the barely visible sky of San Francisco, California. From the lights of the city, you could barely even see the half moon sitting up in the sky. Erik Chancellor would often do this for pure enjoyment, but lately, in the past few weeks, he has been doing it to escape the eardrum splitting arguing or his parents who were filing for divorce. He did not actually think this would happen. He thought his parents got along great, until one day she just started flipping out, more than usual actually.

Erik's mother, Michelle, its very nit-picky about most things. She, what Erik's father, Tyson, would call "Over Reactive", which was right on the dot. She would argue over stupid stuff like, "Why did you take the last yogurt from the fridge?" or "Why did you buy the blue shampoo I wanted the red stuff?" and would usually end with a "Tyson Randall, don't you ever listen?".

Erik sighed at the perfect sight in front of his eyes until he heard the argument start. "What is this?" she said. "I thought I said I wanted BBQ wings not greasy chicken legs!" Then his father retaliated with something like an unmeaning sorry.

And with that, Erik opened his window to feel the warm California breeze brush on his face, teasing his blonde hair in all directions. Erik sighed and stepped out onto the Fire Escape. He would do this often, because Erik new that what normally followed a fight would follow and continuous rampage on Erik, his little brother, Jake, and his twin sister, Erin, on absolutely random things just because she needed to blow off some steam.

Erik traveled along the Fire Escape to his best friend Aira's window and knocked lightly, hoping she was not asleep yet. Aira and Erik had met on this same Fire Escape 4 years ago after she he ran away from home because she couldn't stand her mother, her mother never came to look for her so she got adopted by a nicer family and they had lived next to each other and been best friends ever since.

Erik heard the light click of the window unlocking. The wind rushed past him as the air blew in to Aira's room as she opened the window to greet him. She smiled realizing who it was, although she already knew, Erik would always come to visit her when his parents were fighting.

"What about this time?" Aira said pulling back her red-streaked black hair out of her face. Erik leaned against the side of the brick building next to where she was sitting and sighed.

"Something stupid as usual, I think he brought home the wrong chicken or something..." Erik replied rolling his eyes at his mother's childishness. "In a lot of ways I am SO glad I am leaving tomorrow..." Aira's smile faded. She reached up to fiddle with her hair and twist a red strand around her finger.

"Oh yeah, that's right... your leaving tomorrow..." she sighed. Erik turned to her.

"Yeah but in more ways I am disappointed that I am leaving the house I grew up in, I mean Erin and I will be separated she will have to deal with mom all on her own... and I won't be able to see you everyday... and--" He could she tears welling up in her eyes, she hasn't cried since the day she found out her real mother wasn't searching for her. It took a lot to make Aira cry.

Erik jumped up and hugged her. "Aira don't cry, I know you better than that." He laughed trying to make her smile. "Look, don't worry, I will email or call every day so it's almost like I will still be here and on summer vacation I can come up to visit you, ok?" Aira smiled and sniffed a little trying and failing to stop the tears from rolling down her face.

"Erik... I'm going to miss you, so much. Your my best friend..." she managed to choke out. Erik tried to smile he hated seeing her this way. Tears started to form in his eyes as well. He hugged her.

"I will miss you more, Aira," She laughed a little. Suddenly,

"ERIK! WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU, BOY?" It was his mother.

"Damn..." Erik cursed under his breath. He looked up at her and hugged her once more. "I'll come over once more before I leave. If I can't get away I will call you on my cell and talk to you in the car the whole way to the airport ok?" Erik said smiling at her. She smiled back and gave a quick nod before Erik sprinted along the Fire Escape bidding her a good night over his shoulder.

He jumped in through the window and rolled onto the floor. He winced as a sharp pain shot up his arm and into his chest. He had scraped his arm on the sharp bed stand on his entry in. He quickly, ignoring the pain in his arm, jumped up and closed the window just as his mother busts open the door into the room.

"Are you even done packing yet you ungrateful little child! You better be. And this room is still a mess! What have I told you about this bloody room! Your 16 years old for God's sake!" She ranted. Erik looked around. His room was clean, and not the typical teenage boy clean that is "any-room-you-can-walk-through-is-clean" clean. It really was clean, spotless except for his unmade bed that he was just in a few minutes ago.

"Yes I am done packing mother, and my room is clean I packed everythi--" Erik was cut off by a hard slapping noise and a sting on his face. His mother had just backhanded him.

"DON'T YOU EVER TALK BACK TO ME YOUNG MAN AND WHAT DO YOU CALL THAT?!" She yelled pointing at the unmade bed. Erik remained silent as he knew that if he tried to reason with her he would get another slap.

But then, he felt something running down the side of his cheek. It wasn't tears because he wasn't crying. He reached up to touch his cheek. He felt a warm sticky liquid there in 2 long lines aross his face that was starting to run down his cheek and neck. He pulled his hand up to see what it was. It was blood. Because of her diamond wedding ring and her ruby class ring, with the force of her back hand she had caused 2 huge gashes in the side of his face that would inevitably scar.

"And what did you do to yourself now? Fall and hurt yourself going to see that run-away Aira? Huh?" Erik glared at his mother. He hated when she would talk about her like that. He also knew that she was talking about his arm that was now bleeding too. With that she turned and yelled in the house for every one to get to bed.

Erik walked over to his bathroom and checked his damage. He grimaced at the sight of the nasty gashes. He dumped some peroxide on them to clean them. Erik bit his tongue at the harsh stinging that followed. After that was over, her took a paper towel and cleaned up the blood and peroxide and put gauze on all the injuries. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in" he said to the person. The person turned the knob and entered. It was his father.

"You alright-- What happened?" he asked obviously noticing the gauze pads. Erik sighed and leaned against the sink.

"Mom went on one of her random redundant rampages and when I said something she backhanded me and gave me these." He said pointing to the cuts on his face. "And this was when I tried to jump in through the window from seeing Aira and hit the bed stand on my way in..." he said gesturing toward the gash on his arm.

His father shook his head. "Ah I see, well jumping in through the window probably wasn't your best idea." He laughed. "And your mother, on her part that was really ridiculous to slap you like that," He frowned, serious now. "I'm sorry son, don't worry we are leaving tomorrow and everything will be ok." Erik shook his head now.

"No, dad, I don't want to be separated from Erin though..." He said. Erik felt a deep connection with his siblings especially Erin being his twin, because they all had to suffer under one roof so they never fought. Although, Erik and Erin had almost a psychic connection because when Erik gets hurt or feels or even thinks anything, Erin feels or thinks the same thing. It never fails.

"Yeah come to think of it Erin will probably be up her any minute unless she's too scared of your mother to come out...I would be." He said with a joking smile. Erik knew he wasn't joking though. He could already feel Erin's worry about him. He sent back good vibes to tell her he was fine. He would talk to her tomorrow before they leave. "I should probably go so I can finish packing so I don't get bitched at, Get a good nights sleep Erik, I love you son." Erik smiled.

"Ok dad you too." Erik laughed. His father exited the room as Erik took one last look at his patch job before he left to get under the covers and stare out the window thinking of where they were going and what is was going to be like there until his eyes closed slowly and drifted him off to a dreamless sleep...

~~^~~~*

Erik was awoken to him being shaken lightly, Erik slowly opened his eyes. As his vision adjusted to the light, he could recognize that it was his sister, Erin, shaking him. Erin smiled down at him.

"Good morning sleepy head." She said. She lightly touched the gauze that was soaked in the sticky red liquid. She sighed cleaning her hands off on her dress. "She must have got you really good as soon as I heard the slap I felt the intense pain in my cheek, then I realized there was a liquid on your face so I assumed it was blood, apparently I was right." She said. Worried look on her face, she looked at his arm seeing the gauze there as well. "What did you do here, I felt the pain in my arm that's what woke me up.''

Erik explained that he jumped in through the window trying no to get caught by his mother. She laughed and said that was just like him. Erik got up to get changed into a black-sleeveless shirt and a pair of tattered jeans. Erin had straight long blond hair and baby blue eyes that were and exact copy to Erik's she was tall and skinny just like Erik, too. They were quite a bit alike for being 2 different genders. He was putting his shoes on while chatting with Erin when someone unnecessarily pounded on his fragile door.

"You awake yet you lazy ass bum?" His mother called from the other side of the door. Erik glared at the door. He replied a faint yes, just loud enough for her to hear. Ever since she file for divorce, she had changed, like really changed. She treated all the kids like crap, she would get upset over the dumbest things, (more than usual) and she would destroy their stuff on purpose and tell them to clean it up. Erik felt bad for poor Erin. She will have to face their mother's wrath all by herself. Erik hugged her as she sighed in sadness. Erik felt that she was going to cry so he hugged her and whispered.

"You still have my cell number right?" She nodded as she let the tears run down her face. "I will call you or text you when I know something is wrong… I will still be there mentally, and psychicly for that matter… I promise." She laughed and agreed.

Just then, their dad came into the room. "Let's go Erik, we have to leave." Erik let go of his sister unwillingly and turned to his father.

"Ok dad, I have to go visit Aira first and then we can go ok?" His father looked at him, as if in his mind he was thinking it over. Then, his father sighed.

"Ok Erik, but be quick of we are not going to catch our flight." Erik smiled and thanked his father then jumped onto the Fire Escape with the quiet ticking of the soles of his shoes on the metal as he ran over to Aira's window and lapped lightly. As usual, she opened her window in her PJ's and hugged him.

"I'm glad you could see me before you left." She smiled.

"Yeah, but I have to leave pretty quick though. Can I get a picture of you and I to take with me before I go?" Erik asked smiling. Aira nodded and went inside to brush her black Red-streaked hair. As Erik pulled our his phone and got the camera ready, he was thinking about where they were going. His dad never told him. He said they were taking a plane, so how far are they going?

Aira came out with her hair brushed. She scooted next to Erik and they brought their faces together as Erik held up the camera phone. Erik centered the picture and pressed the camera button. A tiny flash went off indicating the picture had been taken. He pulled the phone back to look at the picture. He saved the photo and tuned to her to show her it. She grimaced at the supposed ugly photo of her. He just shrugged it off and placed the phone in his front pocket and turned to her again.

You have my cell number, right?" they said together. They laughed and said the both did when his father called to Erik telling him they have to leave.

"I'll call you when I get there Aira, I promise." He said jumping down the fire escape to his dad with the taxi. He heard a faint "Ok I'll hold you to that!" as he grabbed his brown suitcase and climbed into the taxi with one last look at Aira waving goodbye to him. He waved back at her as the taxi pulled away from the curb.

Erik turned to look back, He saw Aira on the fire escape and Him mother and sister standing on the curb with Erin waving Erik and Jake goodbye. Erik turned back after returning the wave to his twin. He felt tears well up in his chest. Jake, who was 12 years old, out his arm around Erik, trying to cheer him up. Jake knew that it was hard for Erik to leave his twin sister. Erik smiled down at Jake.

Jake was blind. he was born with his eyelids formed shut. But without an expensive surgery, he can't get his eyes open to see. Erik's family never had enough money to pay for the surgery so they taught him to get around by a white cane. They couldn't get him a seeing eye dog because their mother was allergic.

"Thanks Jake." Erik whispered to his brother. His brother smiled back at him.

~~^~~~*

A few minutes into the drive, Erik brought it up.

"Dad, where exactly are we going.?" His father sighed and looked over at Erik.

"Well," He started. "my great-great-grandfather built a log cabin out in Western Pennsylvania. I inherited it from my father but I've only been over there twice. We will be living there." His father finished.

Jake perked up. "Isn't western PA like mainly wilderness and such?" Jake asked excitedly. Jake was always fascinated with the outdoors.

His father laughed. "Yes Jake, In fact the home was built out of the logs from that very same backyard." he explained. Jake's smile only grew wider as they talked about the house and its whereabouts. Erik soon got board with the conversation and looked out the window. Erik was happy that Jake was excited about moving. Erik had forgotten the whole reason they were moving in the first place...

~~^~*

They arrived at the airport a few minutes later after much talk of the house. It was booming and bustling with people as they walked up to the counter to get their tickets. Their father got out his licence and after some paper work they were given their tickets. They were told to place their baggage, correctly labeled, onto the conveyor belt so it could be taken to the plane.

After going through the different stations like the metal detector, then finding the right terminal, and finally taking a subway train to their plane. They boarded the plane through a tunnel-like runway. When they got onto the plane, it reminded Erik of a coach bus, with smaller windows. He led his little brother into the middle seat as his father sat in the isle seat and Erik at the window seat. He looked out the window watching the loading crew load the luggage onto the plane.

As everyone was finished boarding the plane an over happy female voice spoke over the intercom.

"Good morning everyone! This is your pilot Jenna Williamson speaking. This flight will be going from San Francisco, CA to Pittsburgh, PA and 4 hours and 42 minutes." The plane started moving down the runway. Nice and smooth as the engine roared quietly. "It's a perfect day for flying," she continued. "Sunny skies across the US. Fasten your seat belts as we prepare to take off we ask that you do not use any cell phones, pagers, or other electrical equipment until we are fully airborne, thank you." She finished as everyone did as she said. Erik got his phone out and turned it off as the overly happy women continued to speak about useless facts about the plane and the airport and such. Finally, the plane started to speed up and lift off the ground. The runway started to get further and further away. Erik was excited. This was the first time he had ever been on a plane so this was all new to him. Soon the buildings looked like little lego figures and the sun was just above the horizon over the city making a red, orange and purple sunrise across the sky. It was magnificent. He wished his sister was there to see it. He looked over at his brother who was sitting calmly in the seat next to him. He also wished his brother could see this site too. Erik sighed and looked back at the sunrise. Once the plane was just above the clouds the over excited voice was on the intercom once again.

"Alright everyone you may unfasten your seat belts and turn your electronics back on. We will notify you all of any changes. Thank you and have a nice flight." She clicked off as Erik unfastened his and Jake's seat belt. Erik just stared out the window feeling his eyelids started to get heavy. He was tired from the night before he didn't get much sleep and got up early to catch this flight so he was pretty worn out already. He fell asleep right against the plane window.

~~^~*

He was suddenly back at his old house seeing his mother and his sister. His mother was yelling something at Erin. By the way her arms were moving and where they were, it was probably something about the dishes not being washed or they weren't clean enough or something. Then Erin went to say something but her mother backhanded her much like she did to Erik the day before. Erik felt a sting on his own cheek feeling her pain. Erin had tears in her eyes and her mother was yelling at her to clean the dishes again and slamming a dish to the floor telling her to clean that up too. Erik was horrified at the sight and pain he had just felt. He felt the same pain in his cheek he had earlier. Erik's mother always did treat Erin rougher because she was the only daughter and she wanted Erin to be perfect, which could never be done.

Erik was awaken with a light tap on his shoulder. He jumped, being startled by the sudden touch. Erik looked over, it was his brother. Erik calmed himself and answered his brother. "Yes Jake?" He said.

"Erik can you lead me to the bathroom please?" He asked quietly. Erik realized his father was still sleeping. He nodded in reply and got up holding Jake's arm lightly and guided him up and over his father's legs then stepping over himself. He walked Jake to the back of the plane where the bathrooms resided. He led his brother inside and closed the door behind him. Erik leaned against the outside of the door and decided to look out the window. There, Erik saw one of the most beautiful things he had ever seen. He saw a rainbow, but not just any rainbow, this one was in a complete circle around the sun with all 7 colors shining brightly in compliments to one another. It was the coolest thing Erik had every seen.

Erik got out his phone and zoomed in so the rainbow would fit the screen perfectly. He snapped the picture.

'Erin would love this, and if my vision was right, it will totally make her feel better!' Erik thought to himself as he clicked the send button on the options menu. He typed a quick message on the phone:

Erin,

i saw this on the plane and i thought u would like it.

also i had a dream that mom was yellin at u 4 somethin and slapped u i felt it too R U OK?

Erik.

There was a light knocking at the inside of the bathroom door as he was sending the message. Erik opened the door for his brother and led him back to their seats. He looked out the window again and the rainbow was gone. The screen on his phone said "message sent" with the little check mark. Erik closed the phone and smiled. Before long he was drifting back to sleep until the vibration from his phone jolted him back. He opened the phone to see a message from Erin:

Erik,

yeah u were right and i am now thanks Erik...

Erin.

Erik smiled and replied a "no problem". As the message sent, he fell asleep again...

-Hey guys! Thanks for reading my story. It's completely and utterly of my own creation. Characters and all are mine. I know its only the first chapter and its pretty boring so far but please review and comment on it even if you hate it. I was hoping that when I got the money that I could actually publish this story into a actual book but I would like to see how other people like it first and then go from there so please give me so insite and some advice.

On another note, In the nest chapter, The Arrival, You get to visit the Chacellor's new home, Erik's new school, Shade JR/SR high, and some new characters including Xander, my personal favorite. So please tune in ad bare with me please!

Sekaya93