The Raven

Prologue

A slim opening in the curtain allows a small amount of light to trickle in, barely enough to make my bedroom visible. The dust swirls around in the sliver of light, and I take my time watching it dance. The sweet aroma of my mother's sourdough bread fills the air. The soft blankets envelop me in a hug. A hug so warm that I never want to exit. My room has always been my safe haven, and right now, I feel as if I am in complete and utter bliss. Today will be a good day. I can feel it in my core.

I allow myself to lay in bed a few minutes more as I relish in the feeling of comfort. I kick around under the blanket as I watch the tiny dunes of my feet move left and right. I'm unbelievably comfortable, but I also know that I need to go set the table for breakfast or else Mom won't let me have dessert tonight. As I'm about to get up, a loud shatter from the kitchen makes my heart drop to my toes. I lay, frozen in terror and confusion, for a few minutes, waiting. For a moment, no sounds follow the shatter until... Bang! A gunshot sounds and my blood runs cold. I can feel my heart pulsing in my ears. Thump. Thump. A heart-wrenching scream follows the shot. Tears well up in my eyes as I realize the source of the scream, my mom. A deep ache forms in my chest, and I fear any next move I can possibly make. Clamping a hand over my mouth, I slip out of my bed and crawl to the door. Through the crack, I have a clear view of my biggest nightmare coming to life. My heart stops beating as I spy my father laying limp on the floor, blood pooling around his body. Daddy? I feel a sob rack through my body as I force myself to keep quiet. A man covered in Alaria royal garments straddles my father's dead body. A long gun is held in grasp with the barrel pointing directly at my father's head. Looking to the right, I see my mom crawling towards my dad. Her hair and clothes are shifted and messy, but she continues to crawl. I watch as her arms wrap around my dad as she cradles his head. My body is paralyzed. My mind is paralyzed.

The Alarian guard shifts his gun's aim from my father. I feel a sputter of hope enter my body as I allow myself to wish that the guard is about to leave, but my eyes stare in horror as he turns his attention to my mom. My sweet, innocent mom that would never harm a fly. My sweet, innocent mom that is only guilty of giving me too much sugar on school nights. My sweet, innocent mom that has provided me with unconditional love. I know I should help her, but when I try to move, my muscles are locked. I watch as the guard's gloved fingers wrap around the trigger and squeeze. Bang! I slam my eyes shut as the gunshot echoes through my head. The silence is deafening. No screaming. No weeping. Just the faint echoes of the shot. When I open my eyes, I see my mom's body drop to the ground, her arms never letting go of my dad. The feeling of devastation in my heart doubles, and the world begins to spin.

As quietly as possible, I scramble to the closet in my bedroom. I lift the small wooden floorboard marked with a lightly drawn black 'X', revealing a sleek, black handgun. My dad was prepared for this day, and ever since I could talk and walk, he constantly made sure I was too.

The handgun feels out of place in my small hands, but my dad always told me to do whatever necessary to protect myself. I can hear his words bouncing around in my head: My little Elle. My little raven. Stay safe. Always.

Creeping back over to the door, I feel my stomach turning repeatedly. Slowly inching the door open, I slip my body into the kitchen. My light steps allow me to enter undetected. The royal guard stands with his back towards me, preparing to leave. I guess he got what he came for.

Raising my shaky arms, I aim and close my eyes. Mustering every ounce of bravery in me, I pull the trigger. Bang! The guard drops to the ground. I killed him. I killed the guard. I took someone's life. I point the gun at the guard's dead body. Bang! Another shot enters the dead guard's chest. I close my eyes, and the picture of my parent's interlocking bodies is seared into my vision. Bang! More blood oozes out of the guard's body. I am so, so angry. Bang! Bang! I rattle out two more shots before I allow the gun to slip from my hands, listening as it clatters to the ground.

The blood of my parents and the guard mix together on the tile. Disgust fills me as heartbreak consumes me. I take small, cautious steps over to my parent's dead bodies as if I'm waiting for another guard to show up and take my life. Blood mattes my mom's honey hair to her beautiful face. I lift my trembling hand to wipe the mess off her forehead. When I look into her caramel brown eyes, I can no longer contain my sobs. Her eyes are full of pure fear. Pure sorrow.

"Mommy! Please, please, no! Please don't go!" I cry out as my legs collapse. Blood soaks through my polka-dot pajama pants. The pants she got me on my seventh birthday. Wrapping my arms around my mother, I snuggle into her body. I curl up in her embrace the same way I did last night when she read me my favorite bed time story. The only difference now is that her body is cold, making my skin feel as if it's been lit on fire. I sob into her shirt, my tears mixing into little puddles of blood. Laying my head on my mom's chest, I am met with the sight of my dad. My hero. The man who taught me how to ride a bike. The man who showed me how I deserve to be treated. The knuckles of his right hand are bruised and battered from trying to fight off the guard, but his left hand is balled into a fist with a sliver of a paper showing. Fighting through the weakness of my body, I crawl over to my dad and pull the paper out of his fist. Unraveling the paper, my eyes meet my dad's handwriting, which brings another round of tears to my eyes.

Elle,                                                                                                                                                                                               I knew we would eventually be met with this day, but now that this day is here, all I can do is pray that you are alive and safe. Growing up, I told you stories of mighty warriors conquering kingdoms, but now, I need you to be that mighty warrior. I know you, my little raven. You are strong and brilliant, but most importantly, you have a heart of pure gold. I wish I could be there to see you blossom into the mighty warrior you will become, but I sadly cannot.                                                 Elle, listen to me very closely now. This world we live in is corrupt. Innocent people are hurt for the benefit of our leaders. Our leaders manipulate, take, and kill to obtain what they want. I have worked my whole life to end this corruption, but my work was not enough. Elle, I need you to be the one that ends this corruption. I know you have it in you. You have a mighty warrior in you that is dying to break free. Within the next few hours, one of my closest friends, Mr. Michaels, will arrive at our home. He will take you, and he will protect you. He will train you to ignite that little warrior inside of you. Remember my love for you in everything you do. You will be the difference in this world, Elle. Soar far, my raven. Soar far.                                                                                                                                                                                                       -Dad

"Dad..." My voice comes out in a whisper as another sob threatens to escape. Laying down and hugging my dad, I close my eyes and dream of a world in which today never happened. A world in which I avenge my parents. A world in which I become the mighty warrior.