Echo
K. A. Miller & R. C. Thomas
Prolouge
Moores and humans never got along. It all started with a bloody, dark war. Those were called the Red Days. The humans won. Now the moores and the humans are separated by a giant, deep forest. The moores are all supernatural. No human has gone near the forest in years, neither has any moore, except for me. I’m not scared of what will happen.
My parents are both dead, the only family I have now is my big brother, Owen. Our parents died when I was 8, he was 12. We were asleep, I woke up and I went to go ask Mother and Father if I could sleep with them because I had a nightmare. When I saw them, there was someone in a black outfit and holding a bucket. I called for Owen, but when he came down, the person in the black outfit was gone, Mother and Father was already killed.
The stranger in the black outfit poured water all over them, and made their flame go out. Since we are made of fire, we can’t touch water. If a drop hits you it only stings for a little bit, but if a lot is poured all over your, that’s when it’s fatal. The nightmare still haunts me in my sleep.
The first time I found out I was a moore was when I got angry and fire came out of my hands. When I told my mom and dad, they were overjoyed. They told me that I am the youngest moore to find my powers. I was 3 years old and Owen was 7 years. He found his after me.
Now I am 18 years old. and can control my powers. Every once in awhile, I run in the forest and hide in the place. When I was sure I alone, I let my powers flow freely around me. I would hold the fire in my hands and be amazed every time. Until someone saw me. It was a human boy. I heard him say something, but I didn’t answer. “Wait!” he yelled. I ran as fast as I could so he couldn’t hurt me like my parents.Footprints
When I woke up, the world was still asleep. It was dark. I lied back down, and stared at the awake stars. I guess I’m not the only one awake. I try to sleep, but I can’t. So I stood up and decided to take a walk in the forest, see if that makes me tired. I start walking, when I got to the forest, I stepped up on a big rock and jumped off, then I continued walking, not caring where I was going. I just looked down at my feet.
After 30 minutes of walking, I see the sun coming up, “I might want to start heading back before Owen freaks out that I’m not there” I thought, then I hear footsteps. No one has been in the forest for years. Unless, it’s a human! “I need to hide before I end up like my parents!” I thought.
I hid behind the closest bush that I saw. I couldn’t move. Couldn’t make a sound. Couldn’t breathe. I peek over to see if my theory was right or if it’s just an animal. I was right, it’s a... boy. The boy had to be as old as me. “Should I say hi? Should I do it?” I thought. I got up and said, “Hi...” He stared at me, I stared at him, then he said, “You’re… you’re-”
“Made of fire?” I finished.
“Yes, how is this possible?”
“Well, it’s possible, who are you and what are you doing here?”
“I’m Adam, I was walking and I guess I didn’t know where I was going. You?”
“Reign, I woke up and couldn’t fall back to sleep and I decided to take a walk. I guess I didn’t know where I was going either.”
“Interesting name.”
“Thanks. Why haven’t you ran away scared of me?”
“Why should I? You’re so interesting, I mean, I’ve never met a girl made of fire. Is there more like you?”
“Yes, lots.”
“Wow…I have to go.”
“Okay,” I turned around about to head back home.
“Wait!” he exclaims. I turn back around and said, “What?”
“Will you be here again tomorrow?”
“Yes, why?”
“Maybe we could meet up here again tomorrow morning, get to know each other.”
“I’d love to.”
“Great, see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow.”
Then he walked off, I smile a little bit. I need to get back to Owen. He’ll throw a temper tantrum like a 3 year old if I don’t get back soon. I ran as fast as I could and after thirty minutes, I make it back, lucky me, he’s still asleep. I just lied back down and closed my eyes, then fell back asleep.
“Reign, get up!” Owen exclaims. I sat up and asked, “Why are you freaking out?”
“Something going on.”
“What’s going on?”
“Someone found human footprints in the woods.”
Adam. “Who went in the forest?”
“Devin.” Owen replied.
Devin’s like Owen and me, made of fire. Owen and Devin have been friends for years. Him and I used to be lovers, but not anymore. Owen didn’t know a thing, still doesn’t, but it’s better off that way. Devin and I never talked ever since we’d split apart. This was going to be fun.
When we found Devin, he had his hands on the nearby tree whispering to the trees. Then a beam of light shined down and she appeared. The woman has bright blonde hair, a green dress,
and a flower hair band. “Mother Nature” I thought. When me and Owen got to Devin, Nature asked “What’s going on?”
“I saw human footprints.” Devin answered.
“Where?” Nature said.
“In the woods.” Devin answered.
“But no human or moore ever walked in the woods in years.” she exclaimed.
“Why did you go in there in the first place?” Owen asks.
“Doesn’t matter.” Devin says then glances at me, he saw me. I just look down at me feet. “Where are these ‘human footprints’?” Nature asks, we just call her Nature.
“Right there.” Devin answers pointing at the spot where he found it. I walked by that spot with Nature.
“You’re right.” says Nature, “These are human footprints, who would dare to step foot on our side.”
Adam does. “Maybe we should ask The Man in the Moon tonight.” I say, “Maybe he might know something.”
“Doesn’t sound like a bad idea.”, Owen says.
“That settles it, meet me up here at sunset and we’ll ask him, see if he has any ideas.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Devin says.
We all get out of the forest, another beam comes down on Nature and she disappears. Owen walks out of the forest.Guilt
It was just Devin and me, I know he’s about to lecture me. “I saw you talking to that human, how could you?” Devin yelled at me.
“So what?” I yelled back.
“Maybe because you could be killed!”
“I’m 18 now. I know how to defend myself. Besides, he wasn’t going to hurt me.”
“You just covered him! All you ever care about is only yourself.”
“Stop! I’ve done nothing wrong.”
“Ever since your parents died, it’s been hard for me to recognize you.”
“Don’t you dare talk about them that way! Then why did you kiss me all those years ago.”
“I was blind back then, now I see the real you, selfish, only care about yourself.”
“You must be talking about yourself! I’m leaving.” I said, then I ran off, sobbing. How could he say those things? He knows how scary Mother and Father’s death was for me. It stole my childhood. I still have nightmares about them.
Am I selfish? I don’t know anymore. I ran deep in the forest, I ran up to a tree and curled up against it crying an ocean. All the memories of the night Mother and Father were killed ran through my head, then the memories of mine and Devin’s first kiss.
3 years ago
We sat on hill, just sat there watching the stars, he was showing me all the constellations, and what they meant. Like the Orion, where all the stars are born. Also where all the Gods and Goddesses are born, like Mother Nature and The Man in the Moon. Only few are chosen.
I felt his hand touch mine. He turned to me and said, “Your mother and father are one of the stars, all our ancestors are up there.
When we die, we’ll be up there, with them. Can your promise me when we die, your star, will be right next to mine, for all eternity.”
“I promise.” I said.
“Close your eyes.” he says and leaned in and kissed me.
present
It’s hard to believe that he said that to me all those years ago. We both broke that promise, but blames me, when it’s really no one’s fault. I thought it was true love, that he was the one. But it wasn’t our fate. I learned that everything happens for a reason. Everything is up to fate.
After 30 minutes of crying, I hear footsteps. “Devin, I told you to stop!” I yell.
“Who’s Devin?” Adam says.
“Oh,” I say standing up, “It’s you, what are you doing here?”
“I couldn’t wait till tomorrow. You look like you're crying, what’s wrong. Is it Devin?”
“Yes, me and him used to be lovers a long time ago, him and I were yelling at eachother.”
“What about?”
“Well, do you think I’m selfish?”
“You don’t seem like a selfish person to me. But yet again, I just met you this morning. So I’m not sure.”
“He called me selfish and brought up my parents.”
“What about your parents, did something happen to them?”
“They got killed when I was 8, and my older brother, Owen, he was 12, if it wasn’t for him I’d be dead by now. Devin said I became a bad person after they died.”
“He sounds like the selfish one.”
“That’s what I told him and ran off then here we are.”
“Sounds like he’s trying to break you, maybe because he feels like when you two split up, that you broke him, so now he’s trying to break you.”
“But I didn’t break him, fate did.”
“I guess he doesn’t get it.”
“I feel a whole lot better now that you’re here.”
“You look a whole lot better with a smile.”
“Thanks.”
“I’m going to have to go, I’ll meet you right here at midnight.”
“Sounds great.”
“Bye, for now.”
“Bye.” I waved goodbye. I’ll have to remember, midnight. Oh no, Owen! He must think I got killed. I ran as fast as I could. After a hour of running. I make it back to Owen. Devin was talking to him, I backed up. I need to come up with a lie. I’ll just say I went for a long walk. Maybe when Devin leaves, I can bust him, tell him what happened, and what he said about our parents. “There you are. I was getting worried.” Owen said.
“Where were you?” Devin said with a devious smile.
“I was taking a walk.” I replied to their questions, glancing at Devin with a sheepish smile. Then he just gave me a guilty look.
“Where?”
“Along the water fountain.”
“Good enough, I’m going to go home.”
“Bye Devin.” then he left.
“Why is he mad?” Owen asks.
“I don’t know, I guess he woke up on the wrong side this morning.” I reply. “I’ll ask him later.”
“Okay.”
“What do we have to do?”
“Well, I’m going to go out in a little bit to go hunt and fish for some more food, maybe you could go by the gardens by the fountain to see if there’s anything we could collect.”
“Okay.”
“Make sure to meet me back here by sunset so we don’t miss Moon.”
“I will.” I said picking up my metal basket Moon made me. If I touch wood, I get a bad rash.
“Be careful.”
“I’ll be careful. Bye!” then I ran off.
On the way to the gardens I couldn’t stop thinking about Adam, when I was around him, it was like my heart was skipping a beat. I never felt anything like that before. This isn’t normal. Is this love? I haven’t felt that in so long I forgot what it felt like loving someone. He probably didn’t feel the same, he’s probably in love with another girl. A human girl. A normal girl. Not me.
When I finally got to the gardens, pixies and orbs were around the Youth Fountain. I have to ask the fountain first if I can harvest anything, or else I would be stealing. I stand in front of the fountain and asked, “Sorry to bother you but is okay if I harvest some of your fruit?”
You have to listen carefully to hear a response. The wind from the fountain said it was okay. “Thank you.” I say. Then I went to the Youth Garden. I went up to the apple tree and picked 5 apples, then picked 4 grapes, and a lot of raspberries, blueberries, and
strawberries. The baskets almost full. It’s almost sunset, I didn’t know it took me that long. I say goodbye to the fountain and ran off.
When I came back, Owen wasn’t there, he said for me to meet him up here, he’s probably just late. It’s sunset now, I should head to the forest, maybe we’ll meet up there. If he’s not there, I’m stuck with Devin, at least Moon and Nature will be there, just in case he tries to pull something. He’s always been a bomb ready to go off. Even though all of us are. Someday we’ll explode.
I make it to the forest. Owen wasn’t there, now I’m starting to get worried. Nature, Moon, and Devin looked at me and Moon said, “Do you know where Owen is?”
“I don’t know, the last time I saw him was when he asked me to get some fruit from the gardens and that he was going to go hunting and fishing, he said he’d meet me back home close to sunset, so we don’t miss you stopping by, when I came back, he wasn’t there. I thought he made it here already.” I answered, I’m starting to get scared. This has been the first time he’s ever been late for a situation. This isn’t normal. Something's’ wrong.
“Where does he usually hunt?” Moon asks.
“In the mountains.” I reply.
“I guess we have one place to look.” Devin says.
“I just hope he’s alright.” Nature says.
“This isn’t normal, he’s never late for anything.” I say.
“Now let’s focus on the footprints for now.” Devin says. I’m about to bash his head open right now! Owen missing is way more important than footprints.
“Well I checked out the footprints and they’re obviously human, I searched for other footprints and I found new ones.”
“I see.” Devin says, looking at me.
“What are we going to do?” Nature says looking at Moon.
“Let's wait it out and see if we find more.” Moon says.
“So you’re saying to wait it out?” I ask.
“Yes. I’m sure it was probably some stupid farm boy.” Moon says, “You all should go back home, it’s getting dark.”
“But, Owen…” I say.
“We’ll start searching in the morning.” Moon says, “Devin, meet me back here tomorrow morning.”
“Yes, sir.” Devin says. Then, Moon and Nature disappeared, along with Devin. I better leave before he starts lecturing at me.