The Eight: For Those Left Behind

Amber

Ever feel the drive to do something? To be a hero? Don't. Being a hero brings only hurt and pain and suffering and loss... I know that too well. People thing being a hero means fame and to save lives. We tried but to save one life costs another.

I look up from hands to see the stone in front of me, it's been almost a month why do I still feel so horrible. We decided it was best to do the funeral at our home town back in the Redmont realm. The hardest thing was telling his mother, she had already lost her husband to cancer but now to loose her son? It's unbearable to think about.

We buried an empty coffin. After Wells...shot Jack the guards started at us and we had to leave him... I chose to leave him. Laura's screams still give me nightmares and that murderous bastard Wells!

I push off from my crouching position and stand straight. "I'm sorry you never had the time to spend it Laura or to fix things between us. But mark my words I will find the man that did this and make him pay!"

That was a year ago.

Present day

My eyes flutter open as dawn is creeping closer. I sit up and stretch careful not to wake any of the others. I grab my clothes and walk to the bathroom.

(A.N. Sorry pervs there's no nudity in this book so go back to the hole you crawled out of it ain't gonna happen! That is all carry on!" :D )

After I get dressed I look in the mirror. I'm skinnier than I was last year, but more muscles. My dark brown hair falls in my face, I dyed it to forget about my powers and to start fresh no need to remember old Amber it just the new Amber.

I pull on my cloak and head to the kitchen for a light breakfast. I look in the fridge we brought from Redmont. Hmm should I have Zach's cooking? Or a moldy muffin? Or Evie's cooking? ... What's the difference between them! ... I'll just skip breakfast. I close the fridge ever so gently... "Sneaking off again?" I spin on my heels to face Zach.

He hasn't changed much only that his hair is shorter and he is up in the morning for once.

"Is the apocalypse near already??? Cause that's on thing I'd never thought I would see." Zach slumps down in a dinning chair at the huge oak table. "And what might that be?" He mutters. I slouch against the kitchen door frame. "You. Up before the sun." Zach props his feet on the table, "Correction. I never went to sleep, so I never woke up." I roll my eyes to the heavens then glare back at him. "Evie is going to kill you ." Zach crosses his arms "So what? Sue me for all I care."

I sigh and walk towards the door "I have to go I have a lead to follow." I walk towards the door then hesitate, but don't turn around. "By the way, those bags under your eyes won't get any guy to fall for you especially a certain guy with water abilities." I can hear the wood creak as Zach shifts his weight uneasily. "But what's my opinion worth, toodles." And I walk out the door leaving Zach red as a tomato.

                                 ~~~~~~~~

If you ask me if things have changed I would say kind of. Why? Well we all have had to cope with this loss ,although, we do it differently.

Like Claire plays at the local tavern for tips and to play piano.

Evie helps Lucas at the blacksmith and has her own floral shop next door.

Zach is... to be honest the same, he gets up flies, visits everyone, goes by the tavern for lunch, then to the market to get food for dinner and makes dinner (and occasionally works at the blacksmith/flower shop if he's in a good mood).

Eli doesn't stay at the stables with us, he doesn't feel welcome so he left for about 3 months and lived in a cabin in Graycliff, a realm with a vast sea, for some time then came back and has kept to himself.