Arc 4: Grow Close

~ During the Red Ring conflict ~ “I’ll talk some sense into Louis,” I said, glancing at my brother with distaste. “Now go!” Nick studied me for a moment through the eye slits in his helmet. He was a sight to behold in that armour, which was grown rather than forged. I wondered if he […]

The singer screamed fitfully, hoarse vocals scratching a difficult to reach itch in Bailey’s brain. The guitar screeched, the drummer mashed frenzied rhythms. It was a mess but it felt right. It spoke to them. The world was a mess, just like this song. The people that denied that, they were the ones who were

Seeing Alek again made all the resentment and anger I’d felt when he had abandoned us to the Arachknights come rushing back. I struggled to rise, baring my teeth as I pushed against his weight. He slammed me back down, his expression a reflection of my own. “You’ve gotten lazy, cyka. I saw through that

I sat there, listening to the clicking sounds as my face bones rubbed against each other, Nell making minute adjustments as she slowly changed my face to the Crowman’s. “I kinda hate this,” I murmured, trying not to move despite every instinct inside me screaming that I needed to get away. “Why?” Nell asked, frowning

My mind was reeling with the thought that my parents could be caught up in the conflict. I could tell them to leave but how could I convince them? I could think of one thing… Show them what you have become. Reveal my abilities and risk losing that connection forever. Just when I was making

B stands for Bailey. It was the goth, part of the trio of friends who were talking to me on a regular basis at university. Bailey was engrossed in whatever they were doing on their computer. I was suddenly very conscious of the armour that surrounded my face. Had they recognized me? If they had,

I had my armour on, so I couldn’t feel the concrete under my knees or the metal of the gun against my head, but in some way that mattered I could feel the weight. Perhaps it was all in the implication of a swift and easy end. The room was lit with two floodlights, left

I slowed my pace as I drew near to the partially built building B was in and began to hear the crows. I didn’t see very many perched on the outside of the building, yet the noises emanating from within would have been right at home in some witch’s house from a fairytale. They must

Do you want to be a woman? Nell’s earnest question rang in my head like a bell that couldn’t be unrung. After I grew used to the noise being there, my first reaction was anger. Why would she ask me that? Was I not doing a good enough job? It irked me. Aaron, Richard, Chase,

The next day I skipped class to go to the dance studio. Anjali was between teaching classes so she let me use the space while a few stragglers from the last class had some free time to practice. I put my headphones in, faced the window, and let my eyes unfocus. The music swelled and