Chapter Two: Memories of Survival
I had found a place to hide out a week before the events of that night took place. Fortune and I now spend time in an abandoned shed outside a construction area. We liked the shed, it was quiet, no one came in there, and we managed to keep it clean for that night. We have returned to the streets, from where we have once come from.
Fortune Kincaid is a child of a prostitute. She was given up for adoption and was in abusive foster homes for years. She was deemed incorrigible, for she did not like affection and was often either kicked out homes, or the families tried to get rid of her in other ways. Once, she was sold to a brothel, another time, they tried to kill her for insurance money. The thing was that, Fortune is so much smarter than what she shows. She knew all about the families' plans to kill or get rid of her. Always, always, she kept on step ahead of those who are trying to hurt her.
Another is that she is slightly psychotic. And that is one quality that has endeared to her to me. She laughs in the face of danger, and loves to take risky risks. Like jumping out in front of trucks before they hit her and laughing like a harpy.
Now me, I came to the group home three days after Fortune did. I appeared on a cold, dark, and drizzly day when I was 15 years old. I had lived on the streets since I was born. I don't know who my parents were. They did not give me a name. I used the streets as my playground, my home, my training ground. I learned how to use the shadows to melt away. That is how I kept alive so long. For example, I would steal a loaf of bread, run out of the store, down a dark alley and seem to disappear. Shop keepers learned to be anxious, and almost fear my presence. I learned to use that emotion to my advantage. I would dress in black clothing, and be silent around people. This went on for years, until one day, I went into a store and as I was slipping a loaf in my pocket, I felt a hand on my arm.
"What the hell do you want", I snarled.
He was a darkly clad man with a shock of red hair and piercing blue eyes. He looked at me, and I was captured in his gaze.
" You are a troubled one. . .You have over forty years of pain in a face so young."
Then he stroked my face very tenderly looking deep into my eyes. I thought I wanted him to stop, but I couldn't. I was enthralled. Time seemed to slow down and swirled around us as he spoke.
" This is a prophecy young one, so take heed: She, without a name, you will meet the one who makes you whole. You will live in a house named for a saint, but it will not be a home. It will be painful, but in three years time, you will leave that place. It will get rough out side, but you are used to it, just make sure you don't leave the one who you've attached to. You will join a war, and in this war, you will find love, gain a life, and attain great glory."
He let go of my arm, the trance was broken. I couldn't believe it, this could not be happening in a normal supermarket, it was too weird. But as someone once told me, "Miracles do happen in normal places."
"Who are you?" My eyes watered, I wanted to get out of there.
He smiled, "Oh, my young one, I do not have a name. And I know you don't have one either."
I nodded. "I was never given one at birth."
"Then I will give you this: You have stolen, and you escape to shadows. In shadows you are born, and in shadows you shall stay, for they are more your home than anything you have known. People escape your path, and you bring turmoil to everything you touch. For this, I will give birth to your name. I dub thee the Daughter of Chaos."
"Daughter of Chaos?"
Yes, however, do not use this name until you enter the war I have spoken of. It will strike hearts with fear."
"I now have a name."
"Yes, and now I must leave you, Daughter of Chaos. I will see you again. Now, sleep child."
All went black, and I found myself in an alleyway by the store. The bread was not in my pocket. From there, I saw it: St. Mary's group home.
There I met Fortune, as was prophesied, but did not give a name. She was the greatest thing that had ever happened to me. We, lacking family since we had been born, now had each other. We spoke at long lengths about our lives, and experiences. She said one night that she was also stopped by a tall man with red hair and blue eyes who said she would find me and to "defend the Daughter of Chaos at all costs". I smiled and told her, it was time that we made some plans.
I had found a place to hide out a week before the events of that night took place. Fortune and I now spend time in an abandoned shed outside a construction area. We liked the shed, it was quiet, no one came in there, and we managed to keep it clean for that night. We have returned to the streets, from where we have once come from.
Fortune Kincaid is a child of a prostitute. She was given up for adoption and was in abusive foster homes for years. She was deemed incorrigible, for she did not like affection and was often either kicked out homes, or the families tried to get rid of her in other ways. Once, she was sold to a brothel, another time, they tried to kill her for insurance money. The thing was that, Fortune is so much smarter than what she shows. She knew all about the families' plans to kill or get rid of her. Always, always, she kept on step ahead of those who are trying to hurt her.
Another is that she is slightly psychotic. And that is one quality that has endeared to her to me. She laughs in the face of danger, and loves to take risky risks. Like jumping out in front of trucks before they hit her and laughing like a harpy.
Now me, I came to the group home three days after Fortune did. I appeared on a cold, dark, and drizzly day when I was 15 years old. I had lived on the streets since I was born. I don't know who my parents were. They did not give me a name. I used the streets as my playground, my home, my training ground. I learned how to use the shadows to melt away. That is how I kept alive so long. For example, I would steal a loaf of bread, run out of the store, down a dark alley and seem to disappear. Shop keepers learned to be anxious, and almost fear my presence. I learned to use that emotion to my advantage. I would dress in black clothing, and be silent around people. This went on for years, until one day, I went into a store and as I was slipping a loaf in my pocket, I felt a hand on my arm.
"What the hell do you want", I snarled.
He was a darkly clad man with a shock of red hair and piercing blue eyes. He looked at me, and I was captured in his gaze.
" You are a troubled one. . .You have over forty years of pain in a face so young."
Then he stroked my face very tenderly looking deep into my eyes. I thought I wanted him to stop, but I couldn't. I was enthralled. Time seemed to slow down and swirled around us as he spoke.
" This is a prophecy young one, so take heed: She, without a name, you will meet the one who makes you whole. You will live in a house named for a saint, but it will not be a home. It will be painful, but in three years time, you will leave that place. It will get rough out side, but you are used to it, just make sure you don't leave the one who you've attached to. You will join a war, and in this war, you will find love, gain a life, and attain great glory."
He let go of my arm, the trance was broken. I couldn't believe it, this could not be happening in a normal supermarket, it was too weird. But as someone once told me, "Miracles do happen in normal places."
"Who are you?" My eyes watered, I wanted to get out of there.
He smiled, "Oh, my young one, I do not have a name. And I know you don't have one either."
I nodded. "I was never given one at birth."
"Then I will give you this: You have stolen, and you escape to shadows. In shadows you are born, and in shadows you shall stay, for they are more your home than anything you have known. People escape your path, and you bring turmoil to everything you touch. For this, I will give birth to your name. I dub thee the Daughter of Chaos."
"Daughter of Chaos?"
Yes, however, do not use this name until you enter the war I have spoken of. It will strike hearts with fear."
"I now have a name."
"Yes, and now I must leave you, Daughter of Chaos. I will see you again. Now, sleep child."
All went black, and I found myself in an alleyway by the store. The bread was not in my pocket. From there, I saw it: St. Mary's group home.
There I met Fortune, as was prophesied, but did not give a name. She was the greatest thing that had ever happened to me. We, lacking family since we had been born, now had each other. We spoke at long lengths about our lives, and experiences. She said one night that she was also stopped by a tall man with red hair and blue eyes who said she would find me and to "defend the Daughter of Chaos at all costs". I smiled and told her, it was time that we made some plans.
