Chapter 1: Change

Chapter 1: Change
Black, black, and more black! Outside of school mourning clothes ruled his life, yet inside he dressed like a jock except he wasn’t as cocky as most were. He slipped on a pair of black tripp pants lined in green, with a black tee shirt. He opened the window and looked out at the bleak white winter wonderland. More than once had he jumped from that exact spot the ground worn as his shoes pounded the ground time and time again. Breathing in the night air he could smell the musky scent of his clothes and trees that surrounded the house. Jumping he landed on the ground with a low thud, he started off at a dead run kicking his shoes off as he went. The ground was soft and was supposed to be cold with fresh fallen snow, but wasn’t to him.

He laughed in pure delight, the snow melting where his feet touched. A wolf joined him, he knew this wolf they raced often but always he lost. But today, today he would win! He kicked off from the ground and raced past the river dodging bushes and trees. The wolf howled her battle cry and charged keeping an easy pace with the boy she had so fondly grown attached to.

He laughed and continued to run his feet barely touching the ground. The wolf was a light gray color with black patches on her ears and back her eyes were brown. She ran gaining speed with each step, a sudden cry made both the wolf and boy stop dead in their tracks. His head snapped back to where the cry came, his lips peeled back over his canines and a low growl escaped his lips.

She ran, her breath hitched in her throat as the adrenaline poured into her like an open dam. She cut to the left and climbed a huge willow tree hiding amongst the leaves.

She stuffed her fist in her mouth to keep the sobs from giving her away. The people chasing her had long given up but some remained chasing her and threatening her. He breathed in her scent and smiled wickedly, the wolf cocked her head to the side but followed the boy more to protect him than out of curiosity.

His steps were careful and measured as were the wolfs. She kept her head down and he kept his hands up.

When the people who had been chasing her were a good distance away she decided she would come down. She stopped halfway, her body half hidden in the shadows of the night. She scrambled back up the tree already knowing she had been caught; but didn’t care every instinct told her to just keep climbing!

“Come down. I’ve already seen you so there’s no use in hiding.” His voice was a deep bass and it rang with authority. The wind blew his unusually white hair away from his face. She stopped and dropped down landing on her butt, she turned to face him and he noticed her eye was black and blue. Her skin was littered with cuts and bruises there was even a scar above and below her right eye which was blind.

She knew what he was staring at, where his eyes lingered the most. “Your name?” He questioned.

“People call me Em or Emmy… but my real name is Emilen.” She squared her shoulders and looked him straight in the eye.

He smiled and laughed, “I go by one name, I’m Abel.” He took a step forward and so did the wolf he head low and ears pinned back to her head. Abel watched her rise to her feet; she was about average height, she was skinny but not in the sickly way the girls at Abel’s school were, she had jet-black hair and sliver eyes. Her pants were caked with dirt and grass stains, as was her shirt. Emilen looked at Abel and saw he was wall! He was lean and wore black… a lot of it to; under his shirt she could see faint traces of muscle. His eyes were the most amazing color of blue reminding her of sapphires and oceans.

“Your eyes…” She breathed a smile breaking across her creamy olive skin. Seeing no danger the wolf walked forward her ears up. “Hi there.” Emilen exclaimed stroking the soft yet rough fur of the wolf. A moment passed between the wolf and girl before she finally stood and brushed the dirt from her pants. “I um… I have to go.” With that Emilen dashed off back to her village.

She took the worn path back to her village, sensing no danger she rushed through the trees and to the door that was open. “Emilen!” It was a male voice. A man walked out dressed in white druid robes he came to the shaken girl, “Your mother stopped by.” He said. He had brown hair that was short and stuck up in a wild disarray around his head, he was tall with emerald green eyes.

“I’m sorry I got caught Sam… what’d you tell Mama?” Emilen questioned.

“I told her the truth. Emilen I can’t keep this from her.” He whispered. She knew he was right. She loved her mother and Sam had always been there for her but it was time she leave. But how could she leave her mother without some huge blow up occurring? Tonight… she would leave then.

Abel stood there longer than he should have. The wolf Sapphire returned to stand beside him, not sure what to do. Those bruises he saw… they looked fresh. He tore his gaze away from the spot she had last been, he blinked and tried to move but knew he couldn’t… knew he’d be back tonight.

He finally moved his wooden legs Sapphire following behind, something she rarely did. “Her eye… did you see it?” He questioned. “She’s blind…” Something in the way he saw it struck a nerve, he let out a low growl. He supposed it was the way he had been raised, he sighed following the path to the two-story house. The houses residents were four men all-ranging from ages seventeen to twenty-three. Abel was eighteen, Onyx twenty, Felix seventeen and Cain twenty-three.

“Hey Abel!” It was Felix, he had short black hair and his eyes were a strange shade of gray. “Something wrong?” He asked. Abel shook his head and walked in the white house, the walls were a light blue. There was a coffee table in the middle of the living room and a t.v hanging on the wall.

There was a bookcase that held DVDs and other random objects. “Hey you look distracted. Did you finally get laid?” The voice was a tenor and Abel was sure that he’d know it anywhere; it was Cain, Onyx’s brother. He had silver hair and smoke colored eyes that were filmy looking Cain didn’t need his vision to know Abel was in a bad mood, he could taste it in the air around him, being blind had heightened Cain’s senses.

“How can you see if I’m distracted?” Abel all but growled.

“Calm down Abel what’s wrong?” Cain picked up an apple and bit into it. When Cain touched something he could see it in his mind. When he touched the table he could see what was on it, but with people it was different he could see them but he could also see into their soul to what was really going on.

“I’m sorry… I met this girl… she looked like she was hurt.” He said through clenched teeth.

“Ah.” Cain responded. “You could bring her here.” He chuckled.

Abel sighed and went upstairs; he went to his laptop and flipped open the black notebook. He checked his messages and saw one from his ex-girlfriend Kali. He deleted it even before her read it already knowing the contents it held. He growled and rested his head on the desk, his room held three dressers on top of the tallest one there was a docker with and ipod in it. Abel turned it on and opened his bedroom window.

He knew Cain would know when his feet touched the ground.

There was only so much night left and even though Sam was a light sleeper Emilen was skilled in being sneaky and sneaking off was her specialty. She grabbed her duffel bag from the floor and jumped out her open window, she ran to the meadow where she had met the boy named Abel.

She saw him standing there leaning against the tree. “A… Abel.” She whispered surprised to see him.

“Yeah… thought I’d come see you again.” He caught the sight of her duffel bag and asked, “Running away?” She hesitated so he went on. “If your looking for somewhere to live then you can stay with us.”

“Umm… ok.” Emilen walked forward and followed Abel into the forest. She was surprised to see a man outside sitting on the porch sketchbook in hand. As they got closer she saw he was blind, not just in one eye like her but in both. “He’s…” Emilen gasped and ran up to him.

“Well hello there.” Cain said extending his hand.

Emilen took it in both of hers and let him get a glimpse of who she was.

“She’s beautiful. Why didn’t you tell me she was this beautiful?” Cain complained.

Abel’s face turned scarlet and he turned away, “Emilen… do you go to school anywhere around here?”

She nodded and responded, “Yeah Jacksonville High.” Cain laughed, closed his sketchpad and headed inside the house so Abel could deal with his shock alone. “I assume you go to school there to?” She questioned. He nodded woodenly and a smile lit Emilen’s face, maybe she knew Kali… and maybe she didn’t.

“Do you know Kali?” He asked. Emilen shook her head; he felt no need to explain himself so he led her inside. He showed her to an empty guest room that had light green walls and black lacy curtains, a bed and three dressers. He led her to the shower and left from there to find Cain. When he did find him he was in his room sketchpad back in hand, “Cain! She’s the one!” He cried frantically.

“Oh so your going to propose?” Cain laughed.

“Not that ‘one’! The other one! I’ve seen her in my dreams!” Abel sank to the floor and rubbed his already aching temples. Cain laughed and laid his sketchpad down; Abel saw the traces and lines of a hand. He craned his neck and saw shoulders finally he was able to see the head and face. “Is that… why don’t you just ask her out?” Abel asked?

“Ah… to ask out Phoenix… what a dream that is.” Abel shook his head as Cain launched into a poem. “What happens to a dream deferred?”

“Not that one!” Abel complained.

Emilen hopped in the shower and sighed as the warm spray hit her cuts and bruises. The water was warm but hurt where it touched the more recent cuts and infected ones. Cain had stood out the most to her, he seemed sweet and even though he was blind he could see her. Sam had told her about Cain, had told her about his special ability. But to see it up close, to see how he used his gift… her eyes filled with tears.

She wiped them away angrily she would not cry! She didn’t cry when her father was taken from her, not when she lost sight in her right eye… she wouldn’t start now. She knew who’d taken her father and killed him, he was a just and fair man and he when he was killed her mother had taken over the Council on which he served. She washed up turned the water off and got dressed into a blue shirt and boxer shorts.

She opened the door and started off back to the room when someone’s whistle stopped her. She turned to see a boy with black hair and coal black eyes. “I’m so sorry!” He cried. “I thought you were someone else! I’m Onyx.”

“I’m Emilen.”

Onyx smiled and apologized again, Emilen grinned and headed back off to the bedroom. She saw Abel sitting on the bed, looking towards the window. “So you’ve met Onyx… I’m not sure where Felix is at, but if you can deal with four guys your welcome to live with us.” He said turning to her.

“Thank you.” Emilen replied earnestly. Abel laughed and headed off to his room, that night he tossed and turned trying hard to fall asleep but couldn’t. He stared at the clock that read three in the morning, he groaned and rolled back over on his side away from the clock. He rolled around a few more times before finally settling on his back and staring at the ceiling. He looked back at the clock and decided to get up.

He treaded downstairs and saw Felix nose his way in the door. “Morning.” He said scratching the back of his head.

“You’ve been… where?” Abel questioned.

“I was… I was talking to Phoenix ok! And before you ask why I was trying to get Cain and her hooked up… and its cold outside, I fell into a pond and needed somewhere to dry!” Felix cried. Felix sniffed the air around him a smile breaking across his face, “You have a lady friend eh?”

“Her name is Emilen she needs somewhere to stay.” Abel responded grabbing a can of Mountain Dew and downing it. Felix laughed, doubled over and held his sides as he fell to the floor still holding his sides. “What?” Abel cried his face flushing a bright red.

"Oh nothing!" Felix stopped laughing, jumped up and went to his room. Abel growled something incoherent and stalked back to his room... but when he opened the door he realized it was the room Emilen was in. He walked over to her bedside and watched the sleeping figure. He reached his hand out, if only to brush a stray lock of hair away but his hand rested on her forehead and he was with her in her dreams.

Emilen walked forward, she knew someone was with her but she couldn't turn and look, all she could do was continue to walk on. "Dad!" She called not knowing why, but she knew she should call again. "Daddy!"

A short man with salt and pepper hair and tanned skin seemed to appear from thin air, he had green eyes and wore a blue shirt and black slacks. "Emmy!" He cried opening his arms wide for Emilen. She ran to him and Abel growled this pleasant reunion was about to turn into a nightmare.

He wanted to run and help her but since he had intruded her dreams he wasn't allowed to which was really bad because he couldn’t warn her… couldn’t help her. He knew he couldn't call to her because he had no voice.

Her father's arms wrapped around her. Soon they became crushing, restricting her from escaping, and his face... he was changing! His face, his body and everything about him was changing, she pushed against his chest trying to escape but knowing she couldn't. "Let me go!" She cried struggling for all she was worth. Abel's hands shot out but his lips were pressed together in a hard line and he tried to help but couldn't. He watched as tears streamed down her cheeks, he watched as she begged for him to let her go. "Time to go." A voice whispered in his mind. "Time to come back." It whispered gently pulling him away.

“No! No! Don’t hurt her!” Phoenix’s fingers curled under Abel’s arms. Abel held onto the covers wanting to help Emilen so bad. Phoenix laid Abel on his back and held him down; she placed her hand on his forehead and murmured something in Swedish. Abel’s eyes slowly opened and he looked around the room, he was in his bed… and the sun was streaming through the opened curtains. He wondered then if he had just dreamt last night’s events?

Phoenix opened her closet door; she had her flaming red hair tied back in a hair band. Her skin was pale and her nails were painted an emerald green reflecting her eyes. She pulled a green shirt out and a short frilly jean skirt. She had been called over the previous night to get Abel out of a dream.

She sighed, grabbed her book bag and keys and headed out to the garage that held her 2008 Ferrari. It was candy apple red and fast, just the way Phoenix loved her cars. She ran polished nails over the hood and hopped in to pick up Emilen, Abel, Felix and Onyx who always snuck regardless of his age and the fact he’d already graduated.

“What’s for breakfast?” Onyx questioned as he bounded downstairs.

“Whatever you can find!” Felix called.

Emilen went downstairs wearing a short jean skirt and sapphire blue tank top. Felix’s mouth fell open and cereal poured from his mouth. Abel was beside her in what he had wore the night he met Emilen, “Beauty and the Beast.” Onyx laughed.

A horn sounded in the distance and the boys grabbed their back packs, “Come on Emmy.” Felix said innocence coating his tenor voice. The boys watched as Felix grabbed Emilen’s hand and toted her out the door, both laughing at a joke Felix has said as they went. No one said anything for a while; they just stood there until three honks later they decided to move. Cain was outside tuning up his guitar and strumming it, humming a few notes to himself as he did so.

“Have a good day!” He sang as the boys loaded into Phoenix’s car. Cain hopped up and zipped his guitar up in its case slung it over his shoulder and headed off toward the woods. He came to the little village that was just waking with the sun that was still rising. He walked on down to a small cabin; he walked up the steps and knocked on the door. Sam opened it and before he had a chance to say anything Cain spoke up, “She’s fine…”

“It’s happening isn’t it?” Sam asked worry creasing his brow.

“I’m sorry. Does Adalyn know about this?” Cain questioned.

Sam shook head and replied, “I’m not in to telling her… but I’ll have to. Ryker wouldn’t be happy about this at all.” He whispered. Cain had to agree; if he knew what Emilen was becoming… and would be he’d have everyone’s hide! “You didn’t tell her did you?”

“No.”

“I knew this day would come… you did your best Cain! That’s all Adalyn had ever asked of you! Look what it cost you though… Adalyn still feels bad about…“
Cain interrupted before he could start, “I did my best, so it cost me my vision I’m fine. Just don’t tell her… when the time comes I will.”