Ashes to Embers by Abigail Livinghouse (ebooks children's books free txt) đ
- Author: Abigail Livinghouse
Book online «Ashes to Embers by Abigail Livinghouse (ebooks children's books free txt) đ». Author Abigail Livinghouse
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We dumped the body outside the wall before anyone else could see. It didnât take us long to find how the Dead had gotten in. Luis, the one who is supposed to be watching the gate, had fallen asleep at his post. The gate had been easily jostled open because not only had Luis passed out; he had also failed to lock the gate correctly.
We werenât sure what kind of punishment this deserved, so we just sent him home and brought someone else to keep watch instead. It was around three in the morning when we made it back to the complex and calmed everyone down enough for them to go back to bed. Dimitri and I made it upstairs last. I barely stripped myself of my clothes before collapsing on top of our mattress.
I closed my eyes hoping for sleep, but only saw the Dead with its gaping jaws and jagged figure, trying to grab one of us, to make us its life source. My eyes snapped open just as Dimitri lay down next to me. He turned to face me, gently brushing his knuckles against my cheek. I wanted to close my eyes again, but didnât, fearing I would only see the soulless inhuman being again.
âAre you okay?â He asked, his mouth turned down in concern.
I nodded, although I wasnât too sure. Dimitri gave me a knowing look. He could tell I wasnât being honest. Even though Iâd only known him for a few months, he knew me better than anyone since my family who were long dead now. There really was no point in keeping anything from him. He would get it out of me sooner or later anyway.
âLilith wants to go after Felix.â I whispered.
Dimitri cocked an eyebrow, encouraging me to go on.
âI told her it was impossible. We would be sacrificing a group of innocent people searching for a needle in a haystack. Who knows how bad it is out there? And I mean really out there, not just slightly beyond the wall. Felix gave no indication of leaving at all let alone where he couldâve gone.â
âDid you explain that to her?â He asked.
I tossed my hands up. âYou think she listened to me?â
Dimitri pursed his lips, picking up my hand and rubbing my palm with his thumb. He was trying to relax me, but I was wound so tight based off of all that had happened tonight. I knew I would be getting no sleep.
âYou canât control what she does.â He murmured, bringing my hand up to his lips and kissing my fingers.
I sighed. âDonât I know it. And thatâs not even what I want. I donât want to control anybody. I just want her to understand the dangers and risks of a search party, especially for someone like Felix.â
I knew Felix. Definitely not as well as Lilith, but I did know that he was stubborn. Like I had said before, if he didnât want to be found then we wouldnât be able to find him no matter how hard we looked.
âYou should really get some rest.â Dimitri said softly, smoothing down my unruly hair.
âFunny joke.â I barked out a laugh.
âI wasnât joking.â
I laid my head down on the pillow just to appease Dimitri. He watched me for a few seconds before turning around. It wasnât long before I could hear him snoring softly. Usually that sound was enough to put me right to sleep, but every time I shut my eyes all I saw was the . . . I shuddered to think of it that way, but all I saw was the zombie.
I wasnât sure why that particular creature had left such an impact on me. I had seen millions of the Undead in the years the Plague had gone on. Millions of ragged, bloody, and soulless corpses walking around the streets hungry for human flesh. And for some reason, a pathetic, skeletal Undead being that had wandered into our civilization left me shaking and my skin crawling.
For a moment it had seemed Dimitri felt the same way about the Dead corpse he had shot, but he hadnât said anything to me or brought it up, so I certainly wasnât going to.
I checked my watch. Four in the morning, and I was about as close to sleeping as I was to stepping outside the wall with sausages slung around my shoulders. I got up, careful not to jostle and wake Dimitri, shoved some clothes on, and headed into the hallway.
It was light enough to see in front of my face, but the stairs were a little darker being as there werenât any windows around. I opened my palm and exhaled as a small burst of flame ignited, pulsating and radiating a comforting heat in the center of my hand. My fire gave off enough light to illuminate the staircase, and I headed down.
I was halfway down the stairs when a voice startled me enough to snuff out my makeshift flashlight.
âCouldnât sleep?â
I jumped as my fire vanished and I pressed my back against the railing, gripping it so hard my knuckles burned.
âWhoâs there?â I called out louder than I probably needed to.
âChill out, Sirenia.â A flashlight clicked on, and illuminated the round face of Maddie and her twin brother Matthew, both of them grinning mischievously. They were obviously proud of scaring me to the point of jumping out of my skin.
I let out my breath, feeling my heart pounding hard. âWhat are you kids doing here? Itâs four in the morning.â
Maddie shrugged. âThe same reason youâre here. We couldnât sleep.â
I looked at Matthew, who stayed silent. His and Maddieâs hands were interlocked, and I realized that mustâve been the reason I couldnât see them. Matthewâs powers of invisibility werenât limited to just himself. If he was touching someone or something while invisible, that object or person would also become invisible.
âDo you children get enjoyment out of scaring people to death?â I muttered.
Maddie giggled and Matthew smiled slightly.
âOnly on occasion.â Maddie said sweetly.
âCan I have that?â I held my hand out for the flashlight, which Maddie handed over.
I shone the beam on the stairs, and we all continued our decent.
âSorry for scaring you.â Matthew apologized on our way down.
âItâs alright.â It wasnât the first time I had been scared tonight.
âWe didnât expect a little zombie to frighten you so much.â Matthew commented absently, and I nearly stumbled down the stairs.
âMatthew!â Maddie scolded. âWhatâs wrong with you? Sirenia has been through so much. She and Dimitri just saved us all. Great way to show your appreciation.â
Maddie sounded very embarrassed and angry at her brother. Matthew didnât say anything more and neither did I. I didnât want to cause any problems between the twins, but it seemed something was bothering Matthew. And if something was bothering him, it was probably a subject on others minds here at the complex as well.
Once we got to the lobby, Maddie apologized for Matthewâs behavior and then roughly grabbed his hand before they disappeared. I went outside and into the backyard, seeing a figure sitting on top of the old practicing car. Expecting Lilith, I climbed up and sat down next to them. When I got a better look, I saw that it wasnât Lilith, but Izzy. I could tell it was him because of his slouched posture. His twin brother Isaac never so much as let his shoulders fall forward. Izzyâs elbows were resting on his knees and he had his chin propped up in his hands. He seemed to be staring out near the wall, deep in thought. He didnât even flinch when I appeared next to him.
âOh, Iâm sorry. I thought you were someone else.â I apologized, only realizing how bad the words sounded once they were out and it was too late.
Izzy shrugged. He didnât look at me, so other than that I wouldnât even have thought he had heard what I said. We sat in silence for a few minutes before I let out a loud breath and leaned forward to watch the sunrise.
âWhat are you doing out here so early anyway?â I asked.
He didnât answer at first, and I worried that I had overstepped my boundaries. After another awkward chunk of time went by without either one of us saying a word, I was ready to leave before Izzy finally looked at me. His gaze stopped me in my tracks. His usually bright and inspired blue eyes were dull and glazed over as if something had happened to seriously upset him. I opened my mouth to ask if he was alright.
âIâm not, Siren.â He blurted out.
I blinked, taken aback but staying quiet. I had a feeling he had more to say than just that.
âIâm not-okay. Iâm really, really awful.â He said so softly I barely heard him. âMy own brother wants me to leave the Haven because he feels âIâm a waste of time and spaceâ. What the fuck am I supposed to say to that?â
My skin prickled at the sound of Izzy cursing. Everybody did it except for the younger children, but hearing Izzy swear just seemed wrong. I wanted to comfort him somehow, pat his arm and tell him that everything was going to be okay. However I wasnât a very touchy feely kind of person, and I sucked at lying. I figured keeping my mouth shut was the best alternative in this situation. Izzy seemed like he would keep going without any coaxing from me.
My assumption proved wrong when Izzy looked away from me and back at the skyline. I once again had my mouth open to speak, but couldnât find any words seeming fit to deal with this situation.
I knew it sounded like a poor excuse, however I had never dated anyone other than a woman until Dimitri came along. I didnât know how to deal with boys very well, especially when they were upset. Dimitri rarely ever got upset. Izzy was overemotional at best. I was very, very much uncomfortable and out of my element.
I swallowed, hoping to clear my throat of anything wrong I could say. âIâm sure he didnât mean that.â
Izzy laughed, but it was flat. âYeah fucking right.â
I winced every time he cursed. âHeâs your brother and he loves you.â
âShut up, Siren. Donât bullshit me.â He snapped.
âExcuse me?â I asked, my eyes widening in shock.
âYou heard me. Shut your spoiled mouth. Jesus Christ, just because you can throw fire doesnât make you any more special than the other Prophets. God youâre so fucking privileged. Itâs absolutely sickening.â Izzy scoffed.
Despite myself and knowing that he was just hurt and taking his anger out on me, I could feel my blood beginning to boil and my hands itch. I wanted to throw some fire right now, at his feet so that he could run screaming like a scared little girl.
âWho do you think you are?â I questioned.
He rolled his eyes. âI should be asking you the same thing.â
I clenched my fists and stood up on the hood of the car, hovering over Izzy. He looked up at me, his eyebrows raised and waiting. I pointed a finger at him as I yelled, not even caring who heard.
âHave you lost your mind? Iâm trying to talk to you and help you, and all you wanna do is fuck with me? Are you serious? Is this why nobody here likes you? Or is it because we all think youâre a fake and canât do shit to even protect yourself? How in the hell did you even survive out there without your brother to hide behind? Oh I know, because not even the Undead wanted your ass.â I finished with relish, noting the small flame bobbing from my fingertip like a lit match.
Izzyâs blue eyes had widened and filled with what I could only assume were tears with every word I said. I shook out my hand to extinguish the small flame and
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