Waking Souls

Looking out into the dark that surrounds me, my chest tightens and eyes water. I'm shaken from what I see, even though I witness the hope flicker in and out of everyone's eyes numerous times a day. How could a world with so many possibilities to provide happiness squeeze the life out of you without notice. But that's what it has come to, we are back in the Dark Ages. Although it's different this time, we live in the shadows of hate, fear, and ignorance with only a glimmer of the foreign feeling called love.

For generations we've heard stories of a world in which the feeling called love overpowered the rest and there was peace amongst people, they genuinely cared about one another without expecting something in return. But those are just legends told to us for centuries by our elders when we met up in areas clear of watchful eyes.

Our world is consumed by The Watchers and their cruel guards, they are the reason love has died out or so we are told by the elders. The elders say this was caused by their hateful lies being spread like wildfire through all sorts of medias. They say things that cause individuals to pull away from everyone and even end up hurting some people in the process both emotionally and physically. Things get even worse when the slightest hope rises due to someone finding their soulmate, according to the elders this is what someone you love is called. They are the ones that complete your soul, but The Watchers forbid soulmates of any kind to exist. This is the reason they guard us at all times, the law must be followed.

It is said that there will be a couple that will rise up against The Watchers and wake the souls of their fellow acquaintances. They will build an army circled around love that would once more overpower hate, fear, and ignorance. But those are just dreams spread as rumors to flicker hope.

Walking towards our new meeting place in the outskirts of the city, I kept my head down and let my brown ringlets cover my face. I made sure to keep my steps at a regular pace to not attract attention. I looked to my right and saw a group of guards disperse and approach various individuals, I threw my head down and kept walking.

I only needed to jump the towering metal fence before my chocolate brown eyes. I pulled the sleeves of my sweatshirt up, I was just at the top when I felt hands on my ankles. I looked down and saw a guard, I tried shaking him off but almost fell which caused my forearm to graze against the fence. I could feel the warm, crimson liquid dripping down. I finally had the chance to shake him off, so I jumped the fence. Soon a thud followed mine and I was pushed against a tree.

I looked up with a blank face but my eyes showed just how terrified I was. Ocean blue eyes met mine and sent shivers down my body along with a tingly sensation. My breath hitched as I examined the face of the man before me, he was staring back at me with confusion written all over his face. He then caught sight of my bleeding arm and stared at it with worry?

"D-Does it hurt? I'm so-sorry" he seemed to stutter slightly which took me back, as he held my arms I felt out of breath and my heart beating out of my chest.

"What are you doing?" I cocked my head to the side confused at these feelings.

"I...don't know. What is this...?" as he spoke my mind raced and there was a word that stood out...soulmate.

"Come with me" I pulled him by the hand, sparks taking over my body.

Once we arrived at the hide out all eyes were on us, a guard at the hide out and was hand in hand with a civilian. I stepped forward to one of the oldest of the elders and explained the current situation and we explain our feelings.

The elder stood from his seat as he spoke out to the crowd, "My fellow people, before us stands the 'legend' we have all been talking about for centuries. These children will be the ones to bring light back into our lives. They will show us to love and care once more, throw fear out the window, and live without ignorance as it causes pain but rather acceptance to our differences."

He continued to speak a little more but I had tuned him out as I turned to the man who still held onto my hand. I was right, he is my soulmate. "You're my...soulmate..." he said as he stroked my cheek, the action caught me off guard but I felt myself leaning in to his gentle touch. 

"We should clean your arm..." I nodded at him as he grabbed a water bottle and poured it on my, he took off one of his shirts and tied it around my cut.

"Thank you..."

"What will happen now?" his face showed worry but I tightened my hold in his hand.

"A war will most likely start up the minute they find out about...us. I'm scared." he grabbed my face in his hands and caressed my cheek.

"We'll be fine, we just have to stick together, I'll protect you with my life" he smiled down at me and my heart skipped a beat.

When we turned back to the crowd, everyone of them was smiling at us with hope shimmering in their eyes. Some were hand in hand, and we knew this was just the start of what our new lives would be like.

We would enlighten everyone we crossed paths with, open their souls to acceptance and love, as well as overthrow The Watchers. Their would be no more Dark Ages, no more fear or hate. We will once more experience true love.