Evangeline - (rough beginning)

Lia followed the river’s edge, walking quickly enough to be mistaken for a jog. Throwing a wary golden-eyed glance behind her she kept following the well-worn path beside the lazy river. She mentally smacked herself for getting the other orphans mad at her. More importantly, she had made a smart remark to Nik, the ‘leader’ when she should have just kept her mouth shut. Now as she hastily weaved between a few trees lining the path, she was being followed by the angry mob of kids looking for a confrontation. Lia tilted her head to the side and listened. She couldn’t hear the other orphans anymore, so she slowed down to a bold walk. It was times like this that made her wish that Betty, the owner of the orphanage, didn’t have to leave so often. Betty always kept an eye out for her; she knew the kids gave Lia a hard time. Thomas, Betty’s son, who watched over the orphanage in Betty’s absence wasn’t much help. He’d rather sit in the kitchen, eating chips and watching episodes of Star Trek. How Betty could give birth to someone who grew up to be so lazy, Lia never understood.
Glancing once more behind her, she slipped into the shadows under a bridge that ran over the water. Brushing a few spiders aside, she sat down on a cold slab of rock. If they were still following her, she hoped they wouldn’t see her and just pass on by. She pulled her bare legs to her chest and wrapped her tanned arms around her knees. At least it’s cool under the bridge, she thought. She sighed loudly and then caught herself, glancing around to see if anyone heard. She relaxed a little. Lia began her usual pastime: dreaming.
She dreamt about having adopted parents, who were kind and lived extravagant lives, unlike her own. More than that, she wished she was with her real parents. She didn’t even know if they were dead or alive. Mother Betty, as they called her, had told Lia of how she was left at the orphanage many times; Lia demanded it often. She knew it off by heart; she didn’t need to hear it frequently. Lia was waiting for Mother Betty to slip up, to change the story. She never had but there was always something in her eyes. It was an old knowledge, a different knowledge than the one she was telling. She didn’t like repeating the story but she did it for Lia. The story was the usual orphan story told in many movies, with a twist. Lia had been left, swaddled in blankets, on the steps of the orphanage. She was found right away, because Mother Betty had heard a woman crying from grief and pain at the front door. When she got there, only the baby could be found. One more odd thing was the two long bloody cuts found trailing down the infants back. They had obviously been burnt shut. It was amazing that she had even survived. Betty had bluntly concluded that whatever had cut Lia had done the same to her mother, but she probably hadn’t survived. Lia felt that this was somehow wrong.
She reached back and traced the puffed white ridges on her jutting shoulder blades. Sometimes when she stretched her back, she could swear she felt a twinge of pain from beneath both scars. Lia grimaced and plopped her chin onto her knees. Her situation wasn’t that bad. She had food, shelter, a loving foster mother. Her only problems were the other orphans and getting adopted. In a few years she would be legally able to take care of herself. People looking to adopt didn’t want teenagers, possibly for that reason. Also because teens are supposed to be unruly. Then again, she was only fifteen and a half. In her mind, her rebellious years wouldn’t start until she could legally drive a car. Then maybe she could be illegally intoxicated and accidentally crash the car. Yet she supposed she would have to have a real family for that to happen.
She felt cold, suddenly engulfed in shadows as the sun was blocked out. Kids stood on both sides of the bridge. They varied in size, looking like dark, mismatched paper dolls. Lia mentally smacked herself again. She knew she should have taken a book to the basement this morning, instead of trying to play with the other kids. None of this would have happened.
Note to self: Shut your mouth!
Sighing heavily she stood up; she could see Nik’s outline ahead of the kid’s on her left. She jumped off the rock to stand in front of him. He was taller than her by three inches, making her tilt her head slightly to look at him. He wasn’t the tallest or the biggest but he was still followed by of the others. Mother Betty said Nik just tormented her because he liked her. Must be some hard-core love, she thought. Lia wasn’t exactly girly. Being almost sixteen, she still hadn’t kissed a boy. She had enough sense to know that Nik was cute - hell he was hot. He had an athletic body, short black hair, icy blue eyes and a quirky tilted smile. None of this mattered when he decided to harass you. Lia hated his piercing eyes, his elf-like ears and his mocking dimples. Her jaw began to hurt from her teeth clenching.
“Don’t tell me you’re mad. After your pathetic stand against me this morning, insulting me for no reason. I’m the one who should be mad.” -Lia huffed aloud and rolled her eyes.- “I think you owe me an apology; you really hurt my feelings.” He pouted charismatically, making the other kids laugh.
“Sorry.” Lia muttered. She began to push past him but he moved in front of her.
“Lia, that wasn’t a very honest-sounding apology. If the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree than your parents must have been barbarians.”
“Your parents must have been jackasses.” She retorted and surprisingly a few kids laughed behind her.
“Watch yourself Lia, Mother Betty’s not here to protect you.”
“I’ll be scared the day you can back up your words.” More kids laughed, knowing that what she said was true. Lia began to nonchalantly walk from under the bridge into the sunlight. Nik followed her.
“Maybe I’m saving that privilege just for you.”
“For me? Really Niki? You must really like me.” More tittering.
“Ya, I really must because I dream about you all the time. I dream about punching in that loud mouth of yours.” His face was turning maroon.
“Aww, sorry Niki, I’m not into the whole hitting thing but I’m sure one day you’ll find that right girl.”
“You wish you were that girl.” The other orphans looked confused, beginning to wonder if this argument held some weight.
“About as much as I wish for the clouds to rain glass shards.”
Lia looked up the hill, looking for a way out. Her only chance was the woods. None of the orphans would go in there. Even she didn’t want to, but she didn’t want to test Nik’s patience for hitting a girl. The Damarin woods were old. The trees were taller than most four storey buildings, if not taller. They creaked and moaned with age. It wasn’t that, but another noise, an undertone of whispers coming from the woods that scared people. Adults even avoided those woods. Right now, they looked better to Lia then the group of parentless kids surrounding her. Although, now they looked uncertain, like they partially sided with her. Nik was sounding a little too sure of hitting her and that seemed to scare them. He was watching her and started to follow her gaze, so she glanced back towards town and then sighed as though she had better things to do. She wished she did. Lia slowly sidestepped around Nik, putting herself between him and the woods. He was watching her like he knew; Lia was losing the advantage.
“ Are you going to drop this? Or are you going to hit me?” She watched his body stiffen. “Well?” Jutting her chin out to make it a better target.
Nik’s fists clenched, some of the kids were booing and pushing him towards her. Someone shoved him hard enough to end up face to face with Lia. He was close enough now to see that her creamy skin had greyed and her eyes were suddenly wide. Lia tried to hide her surprise but it was hard knowing that her nose was about to be flattened. I like my nose. His body told her that he could hit her but she searched his cool blue eyes for any hint of doubt. Just when the orphans whoops and yells were too loud to bear, she thought she saw a flash of something in him. Nik saw her victory, saw the truth he had let out. Maybe she’d be able to dodge it, Nik hoped.
At least he threw his fist out slowly wishing she would. It felt excruciatingly slow; time had stopped. There were no yelling kids, only then and a balled fist that he could no longer stop. Faintly he heard the sucking of air into many mouths, one was Lia’s before she twisted to the side, his fist landing on her shoulder. It pushed her around so she no longer faced him. And that was it. She was gone and time was back to normal. She was racing up the hill, sprinting for the woods. Lia couldn’t believe him, he had hit her. Stupidly, she had hoped… She didn’t want to look back now, this was her only chance. She could hear Nik’s yell of surprise and the kids scrambling up the hill - some in anger, some just wanting to see the outcome of the race. Nik was glad he hadn’t hit her in the face, but she had just gotten away and he knew the kids would make fun of him for that. He took off after her.
God she’s fast.
Nik put on a burst of speed, but knew he wouldn’t be able to keep up with her for long. She was heading for the trees, Oh not the woods, I can’t stop now. If she goes, I go.
Lia felt heat pulsating around her body like a heartbeat. She didn’t know if she was scared or excited. Trees were looming in front of her, large and creaking. Even the trees had raised their eyebrows in surprise that a child would dare enter their woods. She was glad her heart was pounding loud enough to drown out all second-guessing thoughts. She took a large leap at the tree-line and landed with the audible crack of never stepped-on branches. She was in. She wished she could back out. Nik was behind her and catching up. The kids had dropped back finally, not wanting to follow any further. Nik was still coming. She ran in deeper, fighting the scratchy limbed protest of the trees. She hoped he wouldn’t follow her further, maybe just ‘chase’ her in and leave her for the woods to deal with. Lia dove behind a particularly large trunk and peeked around.
Nothing.
Something.
Nik. He was having a hard time with the branches as well.
“Hey! Lia! I see you! Stop hiding, you’ve gone far enough. Don’t make me come get you.” He sounded almost pleading.
She almost obliged.
Not.
Lia dove in farther, holding her arms in front of her to take the brunt of the tearing branches. She was not some child for him to scold. She’ll turn back when she’s ready. He was the last person who would try and take care of her. Hell, he just hit me! She wasn’t over that yet. Maybe just a little further. Things were getting dark around her and she admitted to herself that it was a bit eerie.
“Oh that’s it, I need to stop.” Lia muttered through gasps of air. She doubled over and clutched the nearest tree, its ripples of bark large enough to fill her whole hand. A hot, strong hand landed on her shoulder and yanked her around. She didn’t even hear him over her stabbing breaths. He looked mad, and exhausted.
“Lia! What do you think you’re doing! Running into the woods?!” He was clutching both shoulders now, shaking her for emphasize.
“You hit me! You actually hit me! I never thought you’d hit me.”
“Well, I threw it slow. I thought you’d dodge it.” He slumped a bit.
“Thought?! Hoped, you mean, if that!”
“Listen, I am sorry. Things did get out of hand.”
“Its all for them, isn’t it? Showing them you’re the big man. I’m alone; I have no one. None of the other kids will hang out with me and you still insist on bothering me. I guess it’s about time you finally got your wish: to hit me.” Nik had stopped looking her in the eye, he even looked embarrassed.
“Lia, I’m sorry.” She rolled her eyes. “I really am! I know I’m stupid around the other kids but what would they think if I didn’t give you heck for mouthing me?”
“ Who cares!” She shrieked. She yanked away from him and started to stamp through the brush again. Nik stood stunned for a few minutes then took off after her, falling into stride.
“ You’re right. You are. I’ll stop. I’ll try.” When she threw him an exasperated look. He grabbed her arm again and pulled her around.
“I don’t care if you’re mad right now. I’ve said I’m sorry and that I’ll be nice when we get back. We have other problems right now,” Lia looked confused, “we’re lost!”
“ What do you mean we’re lost, we just have to turn around and walk straight back out!”
“ No, did you watch where you were going at all?” At this, Lia blushed a little. “You didn’t run exactly straight. I have no idea how to get out. As far as we know, either way could get us back out.”
Lia flipped around and looked out one way - it looked dark. She turned and looked the other way - it looked dark too.
What have I done.