Prolouge

Avice is forced to grow up long before her time.

Age 10

"Mama?" I call out.

    She left a while ago to go get papa from the lab in our house. She hasn't come back yet. I walk down the hallway looking for my mother. Suddenly I hear a scream.

       "Mama?" I shout, now in panic.

    I follow the screaming down the dark hallway in our house. Mama lies in a pool of blood gasping for breath. I watch the struggle of the rise and fall of her chest. She looks at me sharply.

    "Avice," she says sharply, "I need you to take this."

        She presses a blood soaked locket in my hand. I clench her hand tightly hoping that if I have it she won't be able to leave me.

         "Avice, listen to me. You can never let anyone take that locket," she tells me urgently, "That locket is your lifeline. I need you to keep it safe."

            "I will," I say my voice dripping with desperation, "I promise. Just don't leave Mama. Please stay."

        She's gone before I finish pleading. I watch the light die out of her eyes and her hand goes limp in mine. I cry out to her one last time before I realize she can't hear me. I stand up, numb in my body and mind. I trudge my way to my room and fall onto my bed. I clench the locket tighter and tighter. When I finally open my hand I see the imprint of the heart in my hand. Suddenly I hear shouting. I strain to hear the voice better. It's my father calling my name. I sit up and walk down the hallway where my dead mother lay. I gasp when I see the message on the wall.

           Give us the cure. There's nowhere to hide.This is your warning.

     The message was written in her blood. I gasp and trip over myself as I run in the opposite direction. I slam into my father.

        "There you are Avice!" he cries with relief, "Come on we have to get out of here now."

    "But Papa," I say, "The message says they'll find us wherever we run to. That we can't hide."

                                 "Well we aren't staying here."

Age 14

     I stretch out my back, standing on the soft sand. My father locked himself in the lad at our house again. He's always there, barely ever has anytime for me.

         "Oi! Avice," I hear Conrad, my little brother shout, "I can't find Papa."

            I sigh heavily and trudge up to the house. I ruffle the hair of my 10 year old brother and knock on the lab door. I wait a few minutes but he doesn't respond. I knock on the door again.

                     "Papa dinner is ready," I call to him.

           No response. I kick open the door and gasp when I see my father's body crumpled on the floor. I push Conrad out the door, sheilding him from the death.

                "Don't worry Connie," I say reassuringly, "We'll be moving soon so pack everything up."

        Once Conrad is out of the room I sink to my knees and begin to cry. I sigh heavily and wipe the heavily flowing tears from my eyes. I walk to his desk and go through the desk. I pull out all his vials and tuck some of his concotions into my belt. The vial that keeps you well fed for months if we run into any hardships, the vial that cures poisoning, the vial that you put on wounds to keep out infections. I open my bag and load a first aid kit, clothes and food into the pack. I go through the drawers and tuck the daggers and guns that my father kept hidden into my belt.

Present Day, Age 16

  I dart out of the house, my pack on my shoulder my brother on my back and narrowly avoid the bomb. Another World War.. You'd think we'd learn by now. I race towards the planes going to Norway, a neutral country.

      "Please," I gasp, "I have to get on the plane before it takes off."

           "I'm sorry," the officer says, "Where are your parents?"

       "On the plane," I lie smoothly. I'm good at lying now. I mastered it ever since my parents died to get shelter and money for Conrad.

   I see the look of pity cross his face and I want to punch him. Nevertheless he lets me on plane with Conrad. People glare at us as we enter but I ignore them. I guide Conrad to an empty cabin and shut the door. As the plane takes off I hold Conrad tightly. We'll be fine as long as we are together.

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[Dawn D]

I want to read more! :)