(Enjoy the unedited version of my work in progress from the Highrum Universe)
Mother took me by the arm and yank me to the ground. “Shh.” She raised her finger to her lips. Dark wavey hair whipped around her head, hiding her eyes and part of her mouth. Over the howling wind I heard the Creations plodding through the woods, cutting down the bushes and branches in their way.
I cradled molly in my lap as we crouched behind a large tree log that had fallen some time ago. Moss grew on the opposite side and it was nestled now a part of the dirt.
Thunder sounded in the distance. I placed my left hand to the ground to feel the earth rumble. I lifted my gaze to mother, expecting to see the smile of her delight that lightning will provide us with our escape. A storm was coming, and this was the best news!
Mother wasn’t smiling. Fear sewn in her eyes, her bottom lip trembled as she peered over the log.
Molly whimpered and wiggled to break free. I placed her paws to the ground but kept her in my clutch.
“Let her go,” Mother instructed. I could hardly hear her over the wind.
“But she’ll run away,” I whispered.
“We need the diversion, Paskel. Let her go.”
We’d lost so much already. Our home had gone up in flames from the Creations trying to smoke us out. My father and brother were captured and murdered to bring Mother and I out of hiding. They had captured their light and didn’t think twice of the damage they’ve caused to our hearts. Mother had forced us to run. To leave the city and we were still running. Creations were relentless. Once they had their eyes set on their target, they were designed to see the mission through. By order of the Guidance.
I picked Molly up and kissed her head. “I’ll find you again. Promise.” Slowly, I lowered her to the ground and let her go as mother demanded.
The world blurred as a pool of luminescent tears filled my eyes.
“Do not let a tear fall, Paskel. You will blow us all away.”
I sniffed, trying to control them, but my vision didn’t clear. I blinked, and the tears crashed onto my cheek and quickly skated over my skin, racing for the ground.
Mother struck forward and scraped her hand across my face. “Do you want to live?” she asked, angered. “Are you trying to give us away? It’s just a damn dog, Paskel. She’s not worth our lives.”
I looked away from mother to the flicker of flashlights cutting through the darkness.
Mother gave Molly a pop on her rear end, and Molly took off, yapping her puppy barks as she fled. There was no time to see what happened to her or if the diversion mother needed even worked. Taking me by the arm, Mother jumped to her feet with me stumbling to mine, and raced through the woods.
I stumbled over low branches that she cleared and did my best to stay at her side. The flashlights were coming from every direction, flashing in front and behind us. “Mom, we’re running right into them. We need to do something.” My heart was pounding, and the fear trickling down my spin soon made it to my legs, forcing them to feel like water.
The worst was yet to come. I heard the rain before I felt it. Millions of rain drops pounding against the leaves before making it to the dirt or my flesh.
“Shit,” Mother cussed. There was rain and thunder, but still no lightning.
The Creations we’re closing in on us, and our two options were to be captured or death. They won’t kill us if we fight back. The Guidance wanted us too badly. But the torture, the experiments that they would put us through wasn’t something Mother wanted us to go through. But death, it was a torture for every Itteix. Somehow every Itteix being was linked to each other; we strived off of each other. In large groups we could harness the power of the sun. Alone, we were only as bright as a flashlight, with little impact on this world. Unless we were to die. Like a supernova, our deaths were catastrophic. An explosion that packs the impact of a missile. Our tears alone were like small explosives.
The Creation’s footsteps drew nearer. Their flashlights grew stronger and mother… Mother was all out of options.
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-FA
