Anyway this chapter didn't come out like I wanted it to but well I'm not very good at writing these type of things. Oh by the way this story probably won't be too light. It's going to have some dark themes in it but I will try to balance them.
Well on with the story. Good reading =]
Chapter 3 - Vita, Mortalitas et Libertas – Part 2 – Mortalitas
The trip that should have only taken, at the most ten minutes, progressed far beyond that. It was not only due to the fact that both Marie and Vincent walked at a pace that made groundwater look fast (and groundwater made snails look like a Formula 1 car in comparison), they also took an amazingly long time choosing the lollies that they wanted. It was, however, good in a way because it gave me time to have a look at what postcards where at the shop. I always enjoyed looking at the postcards because it gave me an idea of places of which I could go. Today, I was particularly struck by one of an old castle surrounded by hills and lakes.
I had stared at it and wanted, just then, for it to be my surprise, but as soon as that thought had come into my head I shook the thought out. My adopted parents might be rich but even them weren't that rich. I didn't even think that there was any school that was surrounded by the lakes and hills of the one depicted in the postcard. Although, I knew there were some schools that were set in old houses.
For some reason, I decided that I would by the card instead of my share of lollies. Vincent and Marie didn't care. When it came to food, it was each for there own, not because we were hungry but because we were schooled in taking responsibility for what we did.
By the time we had finished buying the sweets, now being greedily eaten by the others and my post card, tucked safely into my bag, it had been half hour. It was ironic in hindsight. It would have been interesting to have seen what would have happened if they had not taken as long or longer. But "what if," questions in the future would do nothing to the past. What was done is well and surely done and nothing changes that. Well maybe a time tuner, but the dangers of playing with time are so great. I've had a good enough run, so I hardly think that I would change the past if I didn't want to screw up the past. But regardless, back to my 'birthday' that autumn day in October, which seems both so far away and yet so close.
On our way home, we happily spent the time eating the sweets, as Vincent had taken it upon himself to share his with me and then, grudgingly, so did Marie. Times like those were hard to come by so I was happy enough to spend the time with them. In addition to pigging out on numerous liquoriceand caramel based sweets, which were all our favourite, we spent our time talking about what would be the surprise planned for my birthday. They like myself had no idea what it would be. Marie was going for some sort of a big present, like a horse, as I enjoyed horse riding and wanted to continue on with it with my own horse. Vincent, however, disagreed and was angling towards some sort of technology, like a TV because the one that we had now was pitifully and frankly, we did need a new one.
As much I would like either of the suggested possible surprises, what I wanted was a dog, such as a St Bernard because they were awesome looking dogs and they could pull sledges for you. Also, they weren't little yappy dogs, which I hated with a passion.
The other surprise that I wanted was to go to Scotland to got to school. I don't know why I wanted to go to school there, because it was so far away from where I lived in Devon, but just something seemed to call to me to go there. I was definitely pinning to go there, if the post card was anything to go by.
I had told my adopted parents of both of the surprises. But really, I would be happy anything really. I was happy with just a loving family, who cared for me. I was happy that they had taken me in rather then leave me at an orphanage. I was happy because I had and could continue to grow up in a loving family with an unscarred childhood.
Again, the irony. When you are at a young age, you have so many ideas and dreams. And despite everything that you can see on the news and the things around you , you believe that nothing, nothing at all will change your dreams. Of course, when you grow up you find that Fate doesn't care for your dreams. Karma will also ways pay you back. And Death will reach out its skeleton hand, reaching out towards you and he doesn't who gets in his way. His way will be. His way will be! His way will be, for Death knows not of the word 'no.' What he wants is his. Like a child spoilt or a celebrity with a lot of money … or a dictator with power. Or like someone from a deprived childhood and learns that he has powers that rivals to no one.
Regardless of what will happen in the future, I was talking about the past and what happened all those years ago. Nothing I do now will change the fact of what is done is done.
x-x-x-x-x
We had nearly made it to the beach, if fact we were only a hill away from it, just a mere two minutes from my adopted parents. Just two short minutes from finding out what my surprise would be. Two minutes from the safety that was so needed. But, alas, I would never reach my adopted parents; indeed I would never see them again. I would never find out my surprise that was planned for me by my adopted parents. I would never reach the safety that I and Marie and Vincent needed.
Oh no. Fate had reached out, taken the dice of my fate and thrown them. The way that they fell did indeed determine not only my fate, but also the fate of those around me. Even now I can see the scene in my mind's eye of Fate and his ominous dice.
A hooded man, well assumedly a man, reaching out with a black gloved hand, his midnight black robe, that seemed to consume the light away him, made of the fate of shadows, dances about although as if there is an undetectable wind. The bone dice he grabs in his long, slender fingers and starts to shake them. The sounds of them clashing together, seeming loud in the unnatural silence, give out sounds, not of the dice hitting each other, but the sounds of what my fate would sound like.
"Run!"
"I'm sorry"
"She'll never recover."
"They will always be there."
"Tell me that I'm right!"
"Maybe next year."
"Oh, so its true then"
"PAPA!"
"This is Karma for you."
"Griffindor"
"It's all my fault."
"He's out is he?"
"Don't worry, I'll be safe."
"Oh look, its small pony."
"That's a dog."
"You are the foulest, abhorrent living being that walked this planet"
"He's back."
"Oh Lord, save us."
"Punish me then … I dare you too."
"If there was ever a person should be dammed, it would be…"
"Don't you see, you can't do this!"
"I never got a choice."
"It's my life."
"Screw you"
"You are now man and wife."
"I'll protect you forever."
"Damm me to the seventh hell."
"It's the only way."
"Some promises have to be broken"
"Avada Kedavra!"
Finally, Fate throws the dice up, cut out the noise of my fate and again the wall-less chamber becomes noisy in silence that has fallen. For a second, it seems like the whole world has tuned to the throw, mute in respect, fear and hope of what the outcome will be. Down, down, down they fall and then;
Tock
Tack
Tock
Tick
They land and sounds of their rattening resound around the world, so many people, and so many reactions. Finally, they stop and the haze of smoke clear and show my fate. Two ones…
Snake Eyes.
The wheels of Fate are now in motion. My destinyis now in play. Fate has taken an interest in my fate. It's not a good thing to have a personal interest in you from Fate. Bloody Fate. Merlin save me. One day, I swore, I would find Fate and when I did I would give him as good as he gave, but it was not that day.
From our perch on the hill, it was when we first heard the sound, so close together they almost seemed to be one.
Pop
Pop
It was the only sound that warned us. If it weren't for the sound, I shudder to imagine what would have happened. Marie, Vincent and myself all turned to the source of the sound. We were confronted with a sight that was a surprise to say the least. On the previously uninhabited, except for us, hilltop stood two men. Maybe we would not have cared it they were dressed normally. But they weren't …
Both of them were dressed in long flowing black robes, however, they like Fate in my mind's eye. Their robes were tatted; there were cuts and burn marks on both of them. And strangely, both of their left sleeves were torn to the elbow, revealed a tattoo, no death's own mark was bared upon their pale arms.
At that time, and until I learnt their name, I though of them only as Fate's workers and I would remember their faces for as long I would live.
From within their robes they with drew a stick. However, instead of being funny, as it may have seen were it another situation, a different time and different people, something screamed inside me at the top of my mental lungs.
"Run. Run. Run get out there as fast as you can. Run and don't look back"
But before I could make a move, or even a decision all hell broke loose.
I didn't know how they did it then, but light shot from the sticks towards us, both green. I dived towards Vincent, pushing him out of the way of the light. Something told me that these were no simple lights. I learnt pretty damme quickly. While both Vincent and myself escaped harm, Marie was not so lucky. The second jet of light had stuck her, straight in the chest. Falling beside us, her eyes stared blankly up at the cloudy sky, never to see again.
It clicked in me, pushing Vincent in front of me, making him scrambled up.
"Run! Run damme you."
Neither of us made it that far. We had barely taken three steps before we were once again accosted with light. Light, that I could safely assume was a spell. Fortunately it was a red colour, rather then an apparently fatal green light. However, the red spell was not with out its own tricks.
We were both stunned falling to the ground, not able to move. Our immobility gave our attackers time to walk our to them. Just as they reached us, the spell began to dissolve. I flipped on to my back panting. I tensed my body, preparing to lunch myself at them, when the most terrible pain came over me.
"Crucio!"
Oh the pain. The pain was nothing like I had every experienced. It was like needles were being driven into me. A thousand sledgehammers slammed into from every direction. Ever single one of my nerves were on edge. The pain was driving me crazy.
Crazy,
Crazy,
Someone help me. Please God, stop the pain.
As soon as the pain had begun, it stopped, although it seemed like it had been a century. They laughed. A horrible, blood-chilling laugh. A laugh without humour, a laugh that only announced further pain to come. And the pain was not far behind.
Although I screamed, there was no sound that came out of my mouth. My soundless pain riddled screams made me spasm on the ground. Each time they paused I heard them laugh. Tears had long ago started to pour from my eyes. I never understood why they were causing such pain to another human. How could someone be so cruel, so undisposed toward comparison towards another human being?
The men paused. Vincent looked at me, fear and pain in his eyes, and mouthed,
"I'm sorry. So sorry. Forgive me please!"
I never got the chance to respond to him. One of the men, pulled me up by the back of my shirt and made me scramble to my feet. I fought him, trying to bite him or scratch him but I didn't seem to be able to.
The other man waved a wand over Vincent, giving him back his voice. He started screaming such profanities that I wondered where he had learnt them from.
The man looked at me and smiled, a smile that had no warmth only evilness. He cast a curse upon Vincent, causing him to scream, a scream that spilt the silent autumn air. It was a scream that would haunt me forever.
"Please stop. Please," I begged them. It was torture just watching the torture of my foster brother.
Suddenly they stopped. Foolishly, my heart leapt. Maybe, just maybe they had realised what they were doing. But alas no. No they hadn't.
The man that held me, forcing me to watch the torture, suddenly pushed me to my knees. Daring a glance at my foster brother who was lying on the ground, seemingly dead were it not for his breathing. I knew that this did not bode well for me.
Like a cat playing with it food, I knew that I would probably die soon. They had had enough of playing, now it was business.
"Sectumsempra"
I screamed. I felt as it a knife had cut my skin open. I felt the knife; although I saw none, plunge into my skin on my arms, chest and back.
They laughed.
I screamed.
My brother sobbed.
I was going to bleed to death, I was. I would die unless high deity saw fit to save my life. Thankful, Fate's interest in me would not see me to die. I had so much more to do in the world.
A pop sounded somewhere. My heart sank, thinking that it was another one to come and play. But it wasn't. Several spells hit the men, stopping their painful attack.
Dark spots began to swim before my eyes. I felt a man pick me up and hold me, I saw and heard several pops and men appeared and a man in white began to run to my brother. A lurching feeling overcame me sending me down into the murky depths of the unconsciousness. My last thoughts were for my foster brother. I hoped he was save. Hopefully someone would say a pray for Marie.
Maybe there would be a better future for me now.
But all I knew was I had seen mortalitas.
I want that to come out a bit better but it just didn't seem to. My muse had run away apparently.
Although on the bright side, it is my first long chapter. I'm so happy.
And on that note. I use 'although' an awful lot.
Oh I also wasn't sure it any other Death Eaters would know about Sectumsempra but I though some might.
Please review. It makes me want to write. I'll try to review soon. No promises.
Oh and by the way, all the quotey things from Fate's dice scene will be in the story somewhere. It is up to you to find them.
Happy reading and please review