“Then let us go,” I whisper dreadfully.
At this, his gaze focuses on mine, and it’s like he’s considering it.
Moving my hair out of my face, he says, “You have strange eyes.”
My sluggish heart cracks down the middle. He looks so sad. Confused. Drained of that golden sunshine light. Every ounce of warmth inside him has faded into a restless fog.
“Striking. Beautiful. But strange,” he adds to himself.
“I get them from my parents.” Something in my words feels like a threat. One I don’t even understand yet.
“If you let us go, I’ll spare you,” Niklaus grunts, yanking his restraints hard and fast.
Uncle Niles shifts on his heels, still watching me thoughtfully. “I’m afraid you’re not really in a position to be making threats, my friend.”
“I am not your friend.”
My uncle stands, twisting to the side to pop his back, sighing at the sound cracking along his lower spine.
“Maybe in a few months, you’ll think differently…”
“A few months?” I shriek.
The complete stranger in front of me backs away a few steps, while looking right through me. He offers a small, pathetic wave goodbye.
“I’ll have friends coming over soon to meet you two,” he says his parting words and jogs back up the stairs, shutting the door behind him. A few clicks and there’s movement of cogs and bolts. We’re locked in.
And I will no longer refer to him as Uncle Niles.
I have to separate the two. For the respect I have for the uncle who helped raise me and for my own unraveling sanity.
He isn’t Uncle Niles at this point in time.
He’s just Niles.
14. Generational Curses
“Sapphire! Sapphire! Where are you?”
My hands claw at a cluster of roots tangled on the edge of a cliff. The grand mountain winds roar in my ears, whistling through my hair and attempting to pry my sweaty grip from the lifeline of a very old oak tree.
“I’m here!” I scream against the frigid storm of rain that has almost transitioned to snow.
With a sky full of charcoal angry storm clouds, a dancing aurora borealis, and a gentle dusting of cosmic stars—I try to distract myself from my impending death. A plummet down to a rocky terrain. I have to say goodbye! I have to tell my mother I love her!
“Sapphire! I’m coming! Do you hear me? I’m coming for you!”
That voice is so familiar. I’d recognize it anywhere. It’s a warm, comforting blanket at midnight. It’s the words of reason when my temper runs rampant. It’s my brother’s voice.
My twin.
“Krimson!”
“By all means, scream forhim louder. They’ll definitely hear us now…”
My eyelids stick as I blink away the reality I was in moments ago.
I heard Krimson…
