Veranthis

CHAPTER 1

"Do you believe what Loras said? About two mad men attacking him and Laura?" She asked coming more close to stop her trembling fingers.

"I don't know if that is the truth. What I do know is that even though this town has some liking towards story spinning, I'm somehow scared by this one. It is not an isolated incident is it? Many girls were attacked. Many of, our age. I just can't rule out any possibilities and so can't your mother. So here I am, for your safety. Two is better than one you know."

She looked at him and raised an eyebrow. Her big brown eyes mocked him. "For my safety. Oh please! Loras is twice as big as you and that didn't stop the men from allegedly hurting his sister. And besides, we both know I'm stronger than you. As proved by the wrestling competition last month."

"I had a cold last month. Otherwise you would be covered in bruises," he said punching her lightly. She laughed and they continued walking towards the market. 

As they walked huddled together, playfully throwing words at each other, Aliyah couldn't help but blush when his arms were around her hips. She vowed to herself few weeks ago to never go to that place, but she can't ignore her feelings for him. He was her friend since they learnt to talk. They practically grew up in the same house after a fire which wrecked "their side". She has slept beside him and he had kissed her more than once. But all that was the time before they realised the differences in their genders. Something changed when they realised that and something felt great after that, at least for Aliyah. He seemed like he couldn't care less about any alleged feeling between them. If that is the persona he wishes her to see, or if its really him, she didn't know. And the truth is that she didn't want to know.

She was not attractive, that's for anyone to see. But she knew that she is not so bad looking or just unattractive. With a skinny figure, which was the gift given by malnutrition, she didn't have any curves to flaunt. But otherwise her looks were as the men had put, good enough. Her face was angling with a prominent cheekbones and large eyes. She did not stand out anywhere, a fact which helped her in this crime ridden society. She was no Brenda, but she wasn't bad either.

And he is not a really great looking one too. With a stupid elfish grin which seemed to be plastered in his face, rounded body and thick black hair, he is everything that the people will call typical in this society. 

Yet, she felt a bond with him that she felt with no one else who had approached her before. After pondering over it for weeks she had decided that she would have to either go for it or push her feelings to the back shelf. But she wasn't able to do that so here she was, holding hands, trying to control her blushing.

They walked to the market which was crowded as ever. The problems of the past weeks didn't stop people from stocking up when the shopkeepers tried to sell the vegetables in a low price before winter kicked in with full force. 

The market was the only place in East Crestwood which was bright and warm even in winter nights. It was noisy too. People who were basking on the warmth of the street lights and lamps of the shops, haggled and fought over radishes and carrots until all Aliyah could hear was a mass of loud drone. But still, this place was one thing which felt familiar and safe for her. She used to come here with her mother, clutching her hands tightly, looking around at all the foods and people, mainly at the food. Those were the times where they had absolutely nothing to eat and what little money which was left, was spent on her baby brother. That was the time when her father left them.

But after all these years, even after she became the earning person of their family, she still felt the excitement. Before and even now, coming to this place meant that they were going to get food that day.

"So I got ten dollars!" she said showing him the notes which she had held tightly in her hands.

"And I got ten!"

Together they added to the noise by haggling and shouting at random shopkeepers. The crowd thinned slowly. Five different people warned them to go home early. A town wide warning had already been placed and at the nights the streets were at lockdown. Even the beggars and the street dwellers somehow found a shelter in abandoned buildings and cars. 

An hour later they found themselves with two loaves of bread and sharing a bag of vegetables between them. They once again left the warmth of the even more crowded market, happily smiling. They were half-dead with fatigue. Both of them work at factories on early-morning shift. It was hard labour, but pays them sufficiently. Both of them were looking forward for a good meal and warm beds.

They walked towards her home which remained David's temporary house for about two years. The house was situated in a part of the town which is to be newly built, the only survivor of the fire. She closed her eyes at the thought of that dreadful night. The screaming, the deaths, the heat. This old house stood alone in the mass of charred ground. Now their small, frail house became the home of two families.

As they rounded the corner to their street, they immediately realised something was amiss. All they could hear was some weird sound which came from their house. They stopped on their track. She squinted her eyes in the darkness. All they could see were dark figures. The streetlights always flickered in their street. As Aliyah saw, the figures came in and out of view. But as she focused hard, she saw it. The weird sound was them hacking her door with axes.

They dropped the bag they were holding and tore down the street. She realised their stupidity only when they were halfway through, they didn't have any weapons. As they reached there, they could only see in utter horror, the men had successfully hacked through the door and were now inside.

As the last person was about to get through however, he turned in their direction. When their eyes met, he let out an almost animal cry which made them come to an halt. David immediately moved towards her.

"She is here!" the man shouted. Aliyah's instinct told her to run, but she felt like she was frozen. She felt a feeling of dread which she couldn't actually place. Even David was fixed to the spot staring straight at the men. Inside they could hear a scuffle as all the other men scrambled back out of the house.

"That is her. Grab her, kill her!"

Aliyah felt a hand tug at her's. David nodded and she at last was able to move. The last thing she saw before turning away was gleaming green eyes. Gleaming, with madness.