This is short, yes, I know. It's been a long time since I've updated, yes, I know.

I'm not dead yet! I promise! School's been more of a drag then I hoped it would be, and I don't really have time to write during lunch or free period. Homework, homework, homework.

Essays completely drain me of creativity, but I try writing anyway, but it usually only leaves me with a paragraph that I usually end up deleting cause it's not good enough...

You know I love you guys I'm not going to let you read something totally bad especially when it's been such a long time! I put my foot down today and decided I'm going to update if it's the last thing I do because I know personally that I hate it when people write this amazing story, and I want more but then look up at the last update date and think, Well it's just not gonna happen. It could have been something epic too.

Okay enough of my rambling and raving and onward to the story! It doesn't have as much gore as I hoped to feed you guys, but it'll come in later chapters so I'm gonna keep this M just so I don't scar anyway. I don't know how strong my effects are! ;)

Much love and reviews always encourage a person's writing!

My whimpering was abruptly silenced as the man behind me took a fierce clutch around my throat and pulled me up. I choked even more, the cloth in my mouth only making it worse. Alec reached out a hand toward me only to have it heaved into a position that made it look broken doll's. My eyes fluttered violently as my vision began to blur. Both of my hands were now clasped over the man's arm in a futile attempt to pull it off. I moaned, but mixed with my choking it just sounded like long, deep sputters.

The man pushed me into a wooden pole, and I fell into in without a fight. Death was now. Death was imminent. There was no point. I turned my head over to Alec as the eager hands of men tore the cloth from my mouth and bound me to the stake. He was giving a meaningful look and managed to smile back. He would be fine, and that comforted me. Alec had a kind soul, and he'd never read the witch book. He would go to heaven with Mother and Father.

Alec looked baffled by my contentedness as the priest came toward me with a torch. "Die witch!" the people shouted, and I closed my eyes to picture Alec and Mother rejoicing as they were reunited with Father. My peace was broken when the stinging ran into my feet. My eyes opened wide, and I felt a shrill scream pass through my nerves and veins and out my throat. The flames began to lick the edges of my calves and thighs. The skin on them was peeling away as it turned to ash, and then I was thrown to the ground. My screaming also rose with the cold ground in contact with the burnt muscle of my feet and legs. For a moment all I could hear was my screaming and the beating of my heart.

Alec's face appeared by my side in tears. He took my head onto his knees, and my fingers touched his face wiping away a few of the tears. Alec hugged me carefully as a man stepped close to him and me. I now took in the chaos of the village. Blood and flames abounded. "Alec, you must take your sister to the forest and run. Do not linger, or you will be lost," the man told him. He had curly dark hair and startling carmine eyes. Alec was now composed.

"My sister cannot walk, and carrying would hurt her…" Alec said with faint worry cracking.

"You must find a way. I am unable to help you at the moment," he gestured to the people, "I must go, and you must likewise."

"Who are you?" I asked softly.

The man eyes grew gentle and he touched my hair. "Everything will be alright, child. I am Eleazar."

And he disappeared. I blinked my eyes to be sure, but he was truly gone. I stared back up at Alec. "Come on…" he whispered and put one hand behind my back. I pulled my arms around his neck and buried my face into his shirt so he would no longer have to stare at my pain. He put his other arm under my legs hesitantly and sprung for the forest to our left. My teeth locked as they pushed against each other in agony. "I'm sorry," Alec said to me. I nodded as the tears now stung my face and drenched Alec's shirt.

The trees were a blur through our speed and my tears. Occasionally Alec would stumble under my weight or be scratched by the branch of a tree. He would murmur apologies even though he was the one getting hurt by them. My legs had gone completely numb by now, and I had never been more grateful for anything else. But the ease of pain allowed me to think which was never too good a thing.

How long are we going to keep on running? Where are we going anyway? What are we going to do with our lives? Are we orphans? Will we be cast on to the streets, shunned, and accepted as nothing? What about the villagers? Are they all dead? Did anyone escape? Would there be stories of my brother and me, stories of terror and loss? Who were the men that saved us? Why did they save us?

All these questions swirled around in my head making me feel dizzy, but through it all, one thought kept repeating itself with torment. Mother's really gone. Mother is really dead. We'll never see her again. I fell asleep after a while in Alec's arms. What can I say? It had been a long night.

Love you guys! I'll update again asap if that is soon, but I'm hoping it is! *fingers crossed* I'll do shout outs next time!