The Puppet's Strings

Chapter 8: Ashes ashes...

After a couple games of Magic, another movie and supper Aria and her Father finally hit the hay. Because of her illness Aria actually slept! Omg! Amazing! Not like she "slept" earlier today, I know, I'm a weird Narrator.

But while the hours pass and while an insomniac sleeps, a usually lazy, broken girl lay awake.

It's Xianna.

A fire is burning behind her eyes...ashes...

Tongues of flame reach to the skies...ashes...

Tears stain her blouse and sheets...they all...

Crying silently and avoiding sleep...fall...

Flames and Ashes, a burning house...down...

Quietly now, just like a mouse...down...

Demons...demons reside in the basement. At school. At home. In friends, family, strangers and enemies.

Give back this child her broken innocence.

(I'm not a poet but how was that?)

Xianna lay awake, she replays the incident over and over. Of yesterday and eight years ago.

But she lost more than just her innocence that day long ago. She lost her best friend too.

•••*•••*•••

The next day

Aria woke up, she had slept in(surprisingly) and so she figured Xianna would be awake now. She unplugged her phone, she noticed the USB part hadn't been plugged in so her phone wasn't charged at all.

Aria smacked her forehead then shrugged. My phone isn't near death anyway. She thought gingerly.

So she texted Xianna,

🌟Ari🌟: Hey

About ten minutes later...

🌟Ari🌟: Xia?

Another ten minutes later...

Xia 👾: Hey Ari

🌟Ari🌟: What's up? You didn't answer right away

Xia 👾: Is that a problem?

🌟Ari🌟: In your case, yes. Something wrong?

Xia 👾: Couldn't sleep

🌟Ari🌟: You? Couldn't sleep? This. Is. Serious!

Xia 👾: I was thinking about the day before yesterday

🌟Ari🌟: oh...

Xia 👾: It's okay though now, I'm okay now

🌟Ari🌟: Good, still wanna see me?

Xia 👾: Yes!!!!

🌟Ari🌟: There's my old Xianna

*Later that day*

Aria and Xianna met at the mall, they grabbed some food then choice a spot in the packed and busy food court.

Aria inhaled deeply then broke the silence that had loomed over the two, "So, couldn't sleep huh?"

"Yeah," replied Xi, although her eyes still looked distant. Last night was the first time she has cried in ages. A tear almost leaked out her eye, when she realized this she quickly faked a yawn. No emotions, she thought to herself sternly, emotions make you look weak.

"You wanna talk to me about it?" Aria's words cut into Xianna's thoughts.

"Oh! Uh yeah." Xianna munched on another frie before starting. "I was thinking about the issue, with Carson. I know she hates me but she hasn't told anyone about it then, why spread it now?"

"It's highschool Xi, and she might be out to break your rep."

"Yeah but, like I said, why would she tell now?"

"I don't know." Aria sipped her smoothie, awkward silence blanketed them once more, the slurp of the smoothie felt louder than a thunderstorm at this point.

Aria inhaled deeply once more and decided to tell Xianna...what was it? She remembered having a really weird dream but...she couldn't remember what. The only thing she remembered was the biting wind and the smell of death.

...

A/N
I bet y'all really love these authors notes! Stating I have writers block and all. I'm actually going to go through the process of editing and actually rewriting the story. Noticing my views, the difference is scary, watching it go down. Chapter one actually has over 100 views O-O HOLY MOTHER OF CHEESECAKE! The whole book has over 500!!!! HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE!!!! But then the latest chapter, not including the preview or not the A/N, only has 12. ;-; (the A/N got 9 views, the preview is even worse, only 3 views 😰) where'd all the readers go? I'm also going to either draw or find a better cover, I know it's currently pretty crappy. I switch constantly from my iPad to phone while I do updates and almost every time I publish a part it says "you forgot one thing *add cover*" so I have to change it. For the latest one I just found it off the Internet and it is actually really nice. So I'll use it as a ref pic. I really do encourage you guys to comment opinions, I will be taking a lot of them into mind when rewriting. Thanks a lot for reading and keep being you!