Rosalie

Prologue

    A hum softly flows against the wind as it touches my face. The melody sounds familiar as if I've heard it in a different lifetime. It sounds so far away, yet the warmth of the tune flows through my veins, as if it were very near.

    I look out over the town that I have known my whole life on top of one of the hills that surround this isolated civilization. The time is Spring, the wind is warm, there are the beginnings of life all around. My feet are embedded into the grass I stand upon, as I lean against this maple tree I've watched grow as I have grown. The rail station hasn't changed in the slightest; no upgrades, no new rails, no new trains- which makes me wonder if a wreck will ever occur soon. The town has it's character, nothing different about it either. Dust comes out from the town of people walking and driving on the dirt roads. Old Mareve is still on the corner of fifth street, filling with people who are driven and desperate to either drink their night away and forget, or to find someone to swoon. I still wonder why they keep it so old fashioned, when there is so much opportunity to improve. Anywhere else you go, the roads are paved, lanterns are lights with bulbs, and cars don't look like they're from the 20s.

    That hum comes again, it's in a deep voice, closer this time. Why does it sound so familiar? I close my eyes and take in the melodic tune, letting the warmth wrap around me as all thoughts and concerns drift away.

    "Rose?" My fathers voice whispers softly.

    I open my eyes to see him standing in front of me. He takes his right hand and cups my left cheek. I lean into his palm, recognizing the calm, the safety, home.

    "Hi papa. Where have you been?" I ask, choking back tears that I haven't let come in almost four years now.

    "I am always right here, darling. You never need to worry of me. You must take care of yourself, always be there for you. You are a strong and beautiful woman. My, how you have grown. You look like your mother." He gives me a weak smile, as I see his eyes also start to water.

    "You aren't here though. You haven't been for so long-..." I trail off in thought of the day he disappeared. I notice that his figure starts to become more transparent. His hand on my cheek starts to fade into nothing but air.

    "Look where you never have, and you will find what you've always been looking for." He says as he releases me, then disappears.

    "No! Don't go! Why do you always go?!" I lunge out to where he was standing, but only fall to the ground. Tears well up in my eyes as I pound my fists into the ground.

    As I'm looking down, I notice pieces of ash floating by my eyes. I look up to the town, and the scene has completely changed. It's darker now, the air feels thick and warm. There's light all around the town illuminating and flickering in every direction. Smoke rises from the rooftops that have been lit to flames. Women and men are screaming in the distance, calling out for one another, for their children. I spring to my feet and start running as fast as I can towards the burning buildings, towards home.

    People are shoving past me to get away from the fire as others are trying to take me with them, but I force them off of me and keep going towards my house. Mareve runs up to me, fear piercing me as I look into her eyes. She takes my hand and pulls me away from where I was going. She shouts at me to go with her, pulling hard on my arm. I desperately push away from her, "I need to get home! I need to get to papa and ma. Let me go!" I look at her, pleading and pushing with every ounce of strength I have in my 8 year old body.

    Mareve looks at me, guilt washing over her face, she releases her grip. Her eyes drift towards the street. She looks almost in a state of shock, and shame. She mutters under her breath, but I could make out the words. They slice through me, cutting every piece of my heart.

    I get back onto my feet and look at her, "Mareve, do you know what happened?" I ask. She doesn't look back at me, I notice a small twitch on the corner of her mouth as if she's trying not to cry. She then looks down at me, and pushes me towards the street, telling me to go, to run like I never have in my life, before it's too late for Papa.

    I run as quickly as I can past fourth, then fifth, all the way down to eighth street. I veer around the corner and stop dead in my tracks, looking up, horrified. What once was home, was a half torn down house lit with flames out of every window.

    "Ma! Papa! Thomas! Where are you?!" I scream as I run towards the house. The heat of the flames blast onto my face as I approach, "Ma! Papa! Thomas!"

    No one answers. The only sound is the crackling of flames and the creaking of wood that is about to collapse. I fall to my knees, and start sobbing while the feeling of abandonment wrenches at my stomach.

    Within moments that felt like hours, I hear Thomas' voice behind me, "Rosalie!"

    I look back to see Thomas; my brother, leaning up against the side of another broken down house down the street. His hair is scuffed, and he is covered with cuts and ash on his face and clothes. He's holding his arm as if it's been injured- but he seems to be okay. I sigh in relief, and run towards him. "What happened? Where's ma and papa?" I say with hope as I approach him.

    Thomas' eyes darken, as he looks towards the house, he says the towns been invaded, no one knows how or who by. An explosion happened down on fifth at the wood shop, that's how everything started. Then multiple houses lit aflame and also just started to 'splode. Ma's trapped underneath the bookshelf, so papa ran in to get her. They've only been in there a few minutes. he's sure papa will get her out. He looks back at me with a wink, saying that they'll be okay, that they always are. He holds me and leans his head into my chest, as we both look hopefully at the house. I whimper, holding back from screaming and running in to help them both. They'll be okay. They always are.