Sora of the Moon

PROLOGUE~S4

I couldn’t bear this… The burn was evolving into an intolerable sensation. It felt as if my whole environment within had burst into flames. I started tearing up and a moment later I heard Ilay’s voice.

“Aaron stop! You’re burning her!”

He didn’t seem to listen. He just pulled me closer to him. His hand was holding my waist and suddenly an unbelievable flame started rapping it up. It turned my shirt into ashes and continued caressing my skin. The most painful stroke I’ve ever felt. I groaned in pain but he wouldn’t part our lips.

“AARON!” Ilay shouted and from one moment to the other I found myself on the ground wheezing and coughing blood. The white floor easily got dirty by the drops. I looked at Aaron terrified. An Aaron I didn’t recognize anymore. His honey like eyes turned into a burning orange and his hair was shining more than ever.

I averted my gaze from him immediately, as if I couldn’t bear looking at him. I examined my waist and at the view of my burned flesh I felt sick. Aaron seemed to come around.

“Sora, I…”

“Stay away from me!!” I screamed.  Immediately I ran to my room, tripping a few times on the way.  I heard him shouting my name but I didn’t want to talk to him, no. Now I didn’t even want to look at him. 

He lied to me! How could he? And what was all this?

I quickly locked my room’s door and let myself sank into my beddings. I hugged my favorite teddy bear. It was a birthday gift from Aaron when I turned thirteen.

Everything around me reminded me of him. We had the perfect relationship and now all that were destroyed, torn into pieces. I took my shirt off, trembling to take a look at my waist on the mirror. It was burnt, really burnt!  Drained skin, flesh, muscle, everything.

“Sora open up! SORA!” I heard him knocking outside my door.

“Go away…” I stuttered sobbing and again with every cough, blood was releasing from my mouth.

The knocks and Aaron calling my name continued for almost an hour until he eventually gave up with one phrase.

“I will make you listen to me Sora, just watch…”

I didn’t pay attention and continued my crying and my effort not to get sick looking my waist until a sound came from my window. I was scared for a moment but then I decided to ignore it. I returned to my pillow and teddy.  Then again, the same sound echoed but instead of getting up, I sank deeper in my soft covers.

Third time and I started to panic.

I stood up slowly and head up towards the window with my hand always on my burn. Silence prevailed everywhere in my room. It always troubled me when there was not even a whisper, I shuddered at the idea of me being alone, wherever that was.  I wanted to call Aaron but he probably wasn’t here and after what had happened I also didn’t want to see him.

I gulped.

Fourth “tick” in a row and I jumped up causing my waist to ache. I abruptly opened my window… no one.

“Sora…”

I heard my name like a whisper that sent chills down my spine. Without me realizing it, I was in need of following the voice. Without controlling my movements I climbed to the window and stood at the edge of it ready to jump.

“Sora…”

I didn’t want to… I was afraid of heights. If I jump, I’m dead that’s for sure.

“Sora…”

I was forcing myself to fall behind, in my safe room. Sweat starting dripping from my forehead.

“Sora...”

Stop it!

I thought anxious of someone finding my body tomorrow, shattered thinking that I committed suicide. I took a step into the void and the only think preventing me from falling were my fingers rapped at the edges of the window. Clearly the only body part that obeyed me.

They started loosen…

Oh my God I am going to fall…

And…. I took the inevitable step. I was now falling.

I shut my eyes trying to prepare myself for the pain that would follow thinking that with this I would ease it somehow.

But the pain never came.

Soft and warm. I definitely had not landed on tiles because those were neither soft, nor warm. I opened slowly my eyes.

Black bangs covered the manly face. He looked upset.

“What the hell were you trying to do?” he asked panicked.

I… I don’t know… What I knew though was to whom this voice belonged to! Nathan!

“I… wasn’t…” I was choking on my own words. I didn’t have an answer to that.

“Don’t you dare leave your mind defenseless ever again! You never know who can break in!”

What did he meant by that? I looked at him concerned and he sighted.

“Don’t… Just leave it… Don’t pay attention to that”.

“What are you doing here?”

He looked away awkwardly.

“Taking a walk…”

Lie…

So he wanted me to believe that he coincidently appeared right down my window the exact same time I fell?

I don’t believe in coincidences, something was up here…

“Tell me the truth, please”.

He avoided my gaze.

“It was just a coincidence!”

“Nathan!” I threatened certain now that he was lying

He again let out a sigh.

“I’m telling you it was…”

“It couldn’t be just a coincidence! And you’re saying that you caught me that conveniently? As if the way I fell was definable?”

And really, the accuracy was fearful. His hands perfectly opened ready for me to land on them. Like a princess.

“Look, a lot happened today and…” his voice interrupted me

“I know…”  his gaze traveled to my burn and immediately frowned.

“He kissed you, didn’t he?” he asked as if he already knew the answer.

I looked away without giving him an answer.

“That’s what happens when desire and greed consumes you Sora… Don’t let him touch you again, do you understand me?  Ever!” he said strictly.

I was about to respond but he didn’t let me. He stroked my lips with his finger and lay me down on a small bench. He bended down to my waist and I stiffened. He immediately understood.

“Allow me Sora…” he said and gently blew my burn.

Relief consumed me, deep enough to make me sigh. His breath was so cold, so pleasing, it overcame normal. It was almost like the winter breeze. The burn healed completely

“This should do…”

Unintentionally I gazed at my waist. The mark had disappeared completely. In its place was once again my clean skin.

“But how…” I was about to ask but he reattached his pointer finger to my lips.

“You ask a lot… Sora listen closely to what I am about to say, if you come with me I’ll explain everything. You’re literally in the dark and believe me the people from who you expect the truth, will fill you with lies. You deserve to know the truth! A truth that only I can provide!”

“Why don’t you provide it to me then?”

 That was the easiest thing for me to ask. But how did I know that he wasn’t the one lying? I only met him today… Immediately I changed my question.

“And why would I believe you? I don’t even know you and of course you don’t know me!”

“Here Sora, you’re wrong. I know you… and sometimes I wish I never did!”

My eyes widened in sock.

“What do you mean?”

He sighted.

“Look Sora, I’m not in a very good situation, I don’t have time. I have to go somewhere or else…”

I raised one eyebrow in confusion.

“Or else what?”

“Anyway! You’ll come with me and I promise you’ll learn everything!”

If it were for anyone else, I wouldn’t trust him. I had no idea what Nathan had in mind.

“On one condition”. 

“What condition?”

“I want to know who you are!” I said determined.

I needed to know who he was if I were to trust him. Not who he appears to be, but who he really is. He looked away.

“That I can’t… I can talk about anyone else except myself, I don’t want to! You know my name and that’s more than enough!”

“And how do you expect me to believe you if I don’t know who you are?”

“I’m Nathan!”

“This is not what I meant and you know it…”

He blandly raised his shoulders.

“Do whatever you want but you’re not going to find anything out about me! Not now at least…”

“But…” his words interrupted me.

“I’ll come by at night to get you… Think about what I told you and I’ll see you tonight…” he said and with an incredible jump he landed on a branch, then on the roof of my house and lastly he disappeared in the distance.