Innocence

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  Prologue

Willow stared down, relishing the suffering of her enemies. The forest burned down to ashes, and she smiled. This was revenge for what they had done to her. They'd taken everything she ever loved, so she would return the favour. She aimed her flaming arrow at where the civilians had begun to shelter and, as screams of terror erupted from below, she looked around at her teammates, they had all suffered because of these people too. She shot her arrow and smirked as screams rang out across the island. They would feel deeply sorry for what they had done once she was done with-

Just as she was about to shoot again, someone grabbed her from behind and started strangling her. She struggled in their grasp, Breath escaping her lungs and agony tearing at her throat. She wouldn't die like this. Wait, who was doing this? There was no. Her lungs m and she struggled for breath. Then they let go... Just as she was about to pass out. But they still pinned her down. "Why... Why are you doing this?" she asked, gasping for air "who... Are you?"

"The question is, who are you to mess with my people? Who are you? Why are you doing this?"

Willow paused, stood up, took a breath and then told them. "My name you ask? It is Willow Scarpace. You killed my family, my friends, everyone I ever loved. So, this is my revenge. For what you did all those long, bitter years ago." They seemed satisfied with her answer and, just as she was about to start shooting again, they said "Run, for he is coming for you. It won't be pretty when he catches you."

She stood speechless as the man left, his boots clattering on the stone of the watchtower.

Nevanhall

John woke up to screams. Flames enveloped his village, and he just froze. Who had done this? Were his family... Okay? He ran to his son's room, shaking him awake. Panic rising in his throat, drowning him, he realised that smoke was coming into the room. He coughed and spluttered as his son finally blinked open his eyes.

"Daddy! Whaaaat's for – there's... A fire daddy! There's a fire!" Samuel leaped up, his face pale. They scuttered out of the house as another flaming arrow landed outside the door. His heart thundered as he hurriedly tried to unlock it. He kept trying but the key refused to work. He realized in that moment that they were trapped, coughing and spluttering with no escape from the flames. Whoever did this, he could hear them snickering as the flames pranced around him, mocking him. His son collapsed in a flurry of coughing and spluttering as John's husband, Pete, put water on part of the flames surrounding them. But it was too late, Sam was already passed out and had fallen into the flames. He ran with his husband to safety, looking back to the house as flame engulfed it and his son lay dead inside. Sam shouldn't have died. Pete hurried him on, and he looked ahead of him

Willow stared down at her much-awaited vengeance triumphantly, before glancing over at the others. Their work here was done. They all walked away, looking proud of themselves as they did. But deep down, Willow knew that what that man had said was true. She almost felt like she was being watched. No. She wasn't. What if that man had been lying? But if her safety was at risk then it would be better to just listen. Still unsure, she walked through the dimly lit forest with the others, all of them feeling satisfied that their work was done. All except from her. Who... Who was 'he'? She sighed. She wished she had an answer to that.

The hospital

Sam stared at him with blank, expressionless eyes. John couldn't move and it was just light enough for him to see that he was in a hospital. It looked abandoned though. With cracks in the walls and cobwebs coating every surface.

The story of my Innocence (old story from a while back that I wrote)Where stories live. Discover now