The Shattered Remains: Ethereal Ashes

Chapter Three: A Forgotten Memory Unfolded

Chapter Three: A Forgotten Memory Unfolded

Fanya's pov

World: Unknown

Age: 10

My father was pacing back and forth I had asked him why he looked worried but he told me not to worry because everything would be alright. He's always treating me like a child and I hate it. I know I'm only ten years old but even so I can handle myself. It's just that whenever anyone mentions my birthmark I get anxious. Everyone always says that It's unusual to be born with a tattoo but when I've asked my parents they say it's normal for our family and that I shouldn't worry, especially since they say it's a great blessing for me. I'm not sure if they believe what they're saying, but I've always believed they were lying to make me feel better. My mom and dad have been married twenty-nine years and have had many kids so I suppose it makes sense that the tattoo is common for people who grow up together. I don't care how often people say that my tattoo looks weird, I know my birthmark is definitely unique.

"Momma, Momma, please! You promised me!" I whined loudly as I tried to run after my mom who was already far ahead of me running down the street. Her brown curly hair bounced behind her as she ran along and her big dark eyes gleamed with excitement.

"Awe look at you running! How fast can you get?" She turned around and laughed "Of course you can't run as fast as me. But I promise that once we get home I'll explain,"

I groaned impatiently and kept running after her. When we finally made it home, my mother immediately started preparing lunch while my father took his usual seat. He smiled slightly when he saw me and said, "Good day Fanya!"

I grunted as I walked over to the table and sat down next to him. "Hello Papa," I said with a smile. His eyes sparkled with joy as he glanced at his wristwatch before glancing at me.

"It's almost 5 o'clock. What are we going to eat tonight darling?" He said cheerily. I furrowed my brows in confusion as I replied "Mommy said she bought some pasta yesterday and said to put on extra ingredients, so what's that supposed to mean?"

He chuckled "It's Italian Fanya, the dish you'll be eating tonight is pasta."

"But mommy said it's gonna be meatballs." I frowned. My father nodded slowly.

"Well your mama may have lied, there's pasta too but I doubt she got the meatballs she wanted.."

"That's not spaghetti! spaghetti is not made with meatballs

"But mommy said it's gonna be meatballs." I frowned. My father nodded slowly.

"Well your mama may have lied, there's pasta too but I doubt she got the meatballs she wanted.."

"That's not spaghetti! spaghetti is not made with meatballs!" I yelled. Both my father and mother sighed heavily.

"sweetie spaghetti can be made multiple ways tonight we are having it the Italian way," My mother spoke gently as she placed a plate of spaghetti down in front of me "Now eat it before it gets cold, and try not to complain"

My father chuckled "We need to thank your mama someday for making something this delicious" I nodded and scooped up a bite of spaghetti into my mouth, chewing slowly and savoring every bit of taste. My parents both watched me silently as I ate. After a couple of minutes, they broke the silence.

"How was school today honey?" My father asks, his hands clasped together in front of him as he waited patiently for me to finish chewing. I swallowed my food and replied in between bites "It was fine papa, I did a lot of homework though so you're welcome to come help me study."

My father nodded in appreciation while smiling "You always do your best sweetheart and that makes me proud, now go enjoy dinner with Mama okay?"

"Okay, papa!" I exclaimed enthusiastically while shoveling another forkful of pasta into my mouth. My father and I began conversing about random things that we usually talk about and soon enough dinner was finished and cleaned up by my parents. My father went upstairs while I helped my mother clean the kitchen and I washed the dishes together.

After cleaning everything up my father came back down wearing his Marvel pajamas which consisted of white sweatpants and a white long-sleeved shirt. I grinned excitedly and hugged him tightly, as soon as I reached his arms, he picked me up and spun me round and round. We both laugh hysterically together as I wrap my legs around his waist and hold onto him tighter than I did ever before.

Once he stopped spinning us I quickly untangled myself from him, and he carried me towards the living room where my mother sat reading a book by the large window. She closed the book and stood up to greet us, my father placed me down on the floor and kissed my forehead as I smiled at him. He then sat down on the sofa next to Momma.

Fanya-" He stopped short as suddenly, there was a loud thud, and the sound of crashing metal followed shortly thereafter, causing me to jump slightly in my seat, my heart beginning to race in fright.

Suddenly, all the lights in the house began flickering violently. They fluttered about erratically, occasionally flickering for a few seconds. My father shot up out of his chair in shock as he yelled, "Something's wrong! Something's very wrong!" He rushed out of his seat and sprinted out of the door.

As I hurriedly stood up, my mom grabbed hold of me tightly. "No! No! Don't leave me!" She sobbed desperately. I tried to free myself but she held onto me firmly, refusing to let go, crying into my shoulder.

I struggled against her grip desperately trying to break free "C-mommy let me go!" I cried trying to push her arms off me, panic gripping my insides.

Just then the front door slammed open and my parents froze in horror. My mother and I looked up as three faceless figures appeared in the doorway, they wore hoodies and black tattered clothing. Terror filled me as the faceless figures began coming closer to us with alarming speed. My mother and I backed away from each other, fear evident in our eyes, as my hand gripped her arm tightly. My father seemed frozen in terror as he stared in utter disbelief at the faceless figures.

They all began laughing sinisterly as they circled my parents menacingly; one holding a large knife, the second two throwing daggers at my father's neck and the last one wielding an electrified baton. They all stopped laughing abruptly and pointed their knives at my father and me as they raised the bats in unison and began screaming "Kill them!! Kill them!!" in their creepy chilling voices.

I shook as I continued to stare terrified at them, unable to move. Suddenly my body jolted into action, as adrenaline surged through me, causing my shaking to cease and a bright blinding light filled my vision. I could see their faces clearly in front of me, the hood of each figure covering their face preventing me from seeing their features, I, however, noticed their blood-red eyes shining out at me, threatening and malicious. I screamed in surprise when one of the cloaked figures stepped forward and lifted their hood, revealing their glowing eyes but I must have been dreaming because they were actually faceless only red eyes that glowed. in a sinister evil way...

I stumbled backward and bumped right into my mother who was clutching onto my hand like her life depended on it. The hooded figures began chanting something unintelligible to each other but I still managed to hear it "Kill them! Kill them!" As I looked around me I noticed that my parents and I were surrounded by faceless figures in black clothes.

The figure in front of me laughed maniacally at me as their red, eerie eyes burned into mine "Kill them!" They all began laughing even louder as the hooded figures surrounding us began raising their knives higher above their heads and swinging them menacingly toward me and my parents. I could smell the rancid stench of rotten flesh radiating from them as more and more of the hooded figures gathered around us.

"Don't kill us," I said weakly as I clutched at my mother's hand tighter. All the hooded figures turned toward me and stared at me in surprise

"You can understand us?" the one closest to me asked and I nodded hastily, trembling in fear. "Yes....I....speak.... English" my voice cracked, as a few tears fell out of my eyes. They all tilted their head in curiosity, looking confused.

"Leave the child we came for the adults, Diar remove the child's memories about tonight and replace them," One of the hooded figures commanded, motioning to the man holding the electrified baton. He nodded as he approached me slowly, his red eyes staring straight into my soul. A wave of fear ran through my body as I pulled my mother behind me. He came toward me and put his hands on my head as I trembled in fear.

As he opened his mouth, a haunting chant spilled forth, his voice resonating with deep, dark energy. "By darkness deep and wicked plight," he intoned, "from memories, I sever the light. With demon's touch and whispered rhyme, I cast this spell, erase the mind." He paused, his eyes gleaming with sinister intent. "Gone, forgotten, memories fade, within the shadows, they're betrayed. No recollection, no trace to find, lost in the abyss of the demon's bind." The words dripped from his lips, each syllable a venomous command. "Oh, wicked demon, heed my call, strip away memories, one and all. Leave naught but emptiness and haze, as I command in wicked ways." He took a deep breath, his voice carrying through the still air. "From mind and soul, their memories wane, by my will, the past they can't retain. Let them be lost in abyssal night, bound forever by this unholy rite." He ended the chant, removing his hands from my head and turning to leave. Before he walked past me, however, a sharp pain ripped through my head, and I felt as if everything had stopped in place.

and then the world went black.

(AN/AN - Thank you so much for reading this chapter, I am glad you could join Fanya on her journey to love, adventure, and even a little danger. After several painful hours of being trapped inside of a dream world, I can finally say there's a huge adventure awaiting all my readers and even me soon. I wonder who she'll meet along the way and what they might bring to life.

Thank you once again for reading this story! :)

Happy Early Mother's Day everyone!

Love,

Renae xx