I own everything in this chapter, I think.. but Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight, of course, just in case I put something in there that was related to it.
"Terra, get off!" My voice was harsher than I'd realized, and she backed away with a whimper. "No, no. I'm sorry. I just didn't want you to hurt him. He's only a dog, ya' know." I chuckled, scratching the animal behind his ear. My little sister, Terra, could be more than annoying most of the time, but I couldn't manage to stay angry with her for more than a minute or two. Her big, green eyes melted away every emotion but happiness. I had no idea how she had such strong hold on me, so I was doomed to be wrapped around her finger for the rest of my life. She was still pouting, though, so I scooped her tiny body up in my arms and set her on my lap. Her reddish brown curls were in ringlets, touching halfway down her back. "I really am sorry. Will you forgive me?" I asked, letting my fingers poke at her stomach. She started to giggle and jerk in my hands, and she glared up at me.
"Please… Stop… Can't breathe!" She exclaimed between fits of laughter. I released her and she fell onto the floor, recovering. "Fine. I forgive you." As she started to pout again, I turned back towards the canine that was whining at my feet. Did everything suddenly want my attention? I sighed, bending down to rub his stomach. "Skye, you're probably the most spoiled dog I've ever met." He just tilted his head and shot me what I assumed was a smile. It was hard to tell, though, him being a dog and all.
My mind started to wander, the words I'd just said echoing inside of me. I couldn't help but wonder if he really was. I mean, he hadn't chosen this life, but it was certainly better than pacing along the streets, begging for scraps, like we'd found him, wasn't it? Maybe, though, it wasn't all that different. My family wasn't like most people. We didn't live in a house, or go to a normal school, or do normal family things. My mom and dad decided that they didn't want their kids to be raised in what the USA had become, so they took a tent, and a backpack full of food, and they left. They started to walk, not really knowing where they were going, and they camped out whenever they got tired. If they were stuck in a city when it got dark, they'd find the cheapest motel out there, and stay the night. Then I was born. Their life didn't change much, besides having a child to care for out there in the wilderness, as well as staying for longer in each place they stopped. As long as it was safe, they'd stay for as long as two months, sometimes even more. I guess you could call us nomads.
Being born and raised like this, I honestly don't mind it. Its fun, being a part of nature, like my parents believe the Lord had intended us to. My mom is sort of a conspiracy theorist, almost to the point of being a hippie, but we all love her anyway. Dad just goes along with it, thinking it's all in good fun. He occasionally is forced to do something against our beliefs, like shop lifting or something, but as long as it was for the family, no one protested. Family. That's what we're all about.
When Terra came into the picture, things were looking up. My mom had had a degree in science, and decided to record everything we did and saw. Somehow this got us money, she must have turned it into some sort of research project, so we had a good deal of green, and I don't mean trees. I helped raise Terra, so she was like a daughter to me as well. I love her like one, anyways. We'd found Skye running along a highway, and we couldn't leave him there. So he became a part of our gypsy-like travels. I have to say I'm glad he's with us, his shaggy black fur and floppy ears can brighten my darkest day.
Today, though, I didn't need any brightening. I couldn't suppress the feeling that something amazing was coming my way. Usually my instincts were pretty accurate, so now I was waiting. I could almost feel the pieces of my destiny falling together. It was something I was good at, I had hunches. It was getting dark, though, and my family was already nestled away in their tents. Laraine, my mother, and Indigo, my father, in one, and Terra in the other. Right now, I was supposed to be in there with her, tucking her in and telling her some sort of bed time story, but I didn't want to lose my chance with fate. I wanted this feeling to come to life.
"Tai!" I jumped at my name, but didn't reply. It was a useless effort, though, as my thoughtful trance had already been broken. "Taivas Laraine! Go to bed!" The muffled voice became clearer as my mother's tent unzipped and she poked her head out.
"I'm busy," I muttered, still not turning around. Pivoting my head, I looked up at the sky. The moon was already high in the sky, glowing beautifully.
"Okay then, next time I won't bother you while you're sitting around doing nothing." She mumbled sarcastically, thinking I couldn't hear, "For goodness sake, go to sleep!" Her voice was raised towards the end, and I thought it best not to irritate her further. My mother's mood swings could be violent, and triggered randomly. The sound of my feet against the gravelly dirt disappeared as I did, into the tent.
"Hey, Terr. You ready for a story?" A warm smile stretched across my face as I said the words. When I had been little, it had been my father who told me stories. He'd sing me songs too, but never let my mother hear them. He'd stopped that tradition now, though. With Terra around all the time, it was hard to get any time alone with him. I hardly acknowledged her swift nod as I started, telling her one of the oldest stories in the book. How my parents met. Of course, it was exaggerated quite a bit, with my mother as a princess and my father as a prince, but that's how bedtime stories were supposed to be, right?
I was only halfway through by the time she'd fallen into her dreams. Turning off the lantern, and snuggled under my blanket, staring up at the top of the tent. Suddenly, though, I was uncomfortable. I wanted to be able to see the sky. The zipper on the tent was silent enough not to wake my parents or my sister up, and I managed to sneak out unheard. "Wow," I breathed as I looked up at the stars. No matter how many times I saw it, it would always make my heart skip a beat. Maybe it had something to do with my name, Taivas. My parents had always loved the sky as well, so they named me after it in some foreign language, I didn't know which. It could be the very reason I was drawn to it.
Sighing, I sat down in the same place I'd been before being interrupted. My eyes wandered to the trees around the clearing we'd settled in. We'd been here for a little over a month, and nothing bad had happened yet. It was one of my favorite places so far. The sky was so blue, and always clear. Never a cloud in sight. As it grew darker, I realized that there was still a chance. I could still be right. Standing up in one swift motion, I started walking. I'm not sure where I planned to go, but I felt like it was out there waiting. Something good.
Hardly noticing as I reached the edge of the clearing, I continued deep into the trees. I used my pocket knife to scratch lines on each one I crossed so I wouldn't get lost, something I'd learned on my first day of 'school' from my father. It was so quiet, almost eerily so, but I felt no fear. It was another thing I'd mastered. Not the fear itself, but withholding it. By blocking it off from my mind, separating myself from it while I was experiencing something frightening, I could think clearly. That's not to say I was never afraid, though. It crept up on me while I was unconscious, and if it was bad enough, while I was awake. Horrid nightmares lurked in the back of my head, waiting for the opportune moments to show themselves. I often woke up screaming, or had panic attacks, but it was worth being clear-headed when I needed it.
There was a snap somewhere to my right, and it sounded big. It could have been an animal, or another person. Either way, I knew I should be running. What if it wanted to kill me? But I didn't. I turned and started to slowly approach it. Someone breathed in deeply…. And started to cry. Were they hurt? "Hello?" I called, and it fell silent once more, "Don't worry, I won't harm you. My name's Tai, Taivas Laraine. I heard you out here.. Are you hurt?" Still no answer. I stopped, waiting.
Another muffled sob was released, but I stayed still. I didn't want to frighten whoever it was. After a few long moments, I heard someone whisper, "Yes." Oh no, I thought as I scrambled through the bushed. My father had taught me most of the first aid basics, but there was nothing to prepare me for what I was about to see.
It was a boy, he looked around my age, leaned against a tree. His face was bruised in many places, and there was a cut running from his jaw line to below his eye, and another just below his hair line. "Who did this to you?" Freezing in my tracks, I forced my brain to function properly. An animal couldn't have made such precise slices, and no creature would have left him so black and blue.
"I.. Well, uh. It's.. hard to explain." His voice was louder now, and I could tell he didn't want to appear weak. But I had to fix him. I had to fix this. My legs finally started to work again, dragging me forward until I was standing directly in front of the boy, close enough to feel his breath on my face. My hand involuntarily reached up and brushed gently across his face, dropping instantly as he flinched. Why had my hunch been that something good was going to happen? This was terrible.
"Who?" I repeated, almost in a demanding tone. Though I hadn't had the first clue about law, I was positive someone could go to jail for this.
"M-my…" He stuttered, his eyes burning with tears, my gaze never leaving them. They were a muddy brown color, but under the light of the star-filled night, I could see that they were flecked with gold, and maybe silver. I inclined my head to one side patiently, hoping he'd answer sometime soon, so I could hurry up and help him. Finally, his voice broke the silence, barely a whisper, "My parents…"
I gasped. So it had been an animal. A ruthless, cruel, animal.
Sorta short, but I'm reallyyy tired. I kind of wanted to introduce the whole idea of her modern gypsy like family, then the characters. I know it was a bit of a cliff-hanger, but the next chapter will erase any confusion. :D
Reviews are always nice!
--megg,
