《The Unfinished Story (Dropped/Old)》 Prologue I¡¯m dreaming again and I know it. I¡¯m in a field this time, surrounded by the scent of hundreds of roses. The wind whispers past, bringing the petal of a rose to fall on my nose. I giggle as I brush it off. It¡¯s midnight and the moon is shining bright which seems to make my dream all the more beautiful. Far in the distance, I see a glow. A glow that begins to fill the sky. The dark and the light fight for space, battling in an ongoing war. Dark is pushed away as a figure is seen in the distance. The silhouette comes closer, crossing the field as the sun lights her way. A girl with skin the color of melted chocolate and hair like the midnight sky comes and sits across from me as I look to the sky, wondering where my night has gone. ¡°Riley,¡± she whispers, her voice almost song-like. I look back at her,wondering how she knewmy name. She meets my gaze with eyes of blue, adorned by flecks of gold. ¡°I am here to warn you about an aspect of the night, the stars.¡± ¡°Stars will not guide, they will mislead and betray like darkness of night.¡± I start to object when she says, ¡°Trust the light. It will guide you to safety.¡± At that point, the cover of night took over once again, extinguishing the light in the sky. I was beginning to feel more at ease until I sense something was missing, the moon. Although with no moon, stars litter the night sky, shining brightly and giving a sense of security. The girl beside me shifts uneasily, distrust evident in her eyes. Up in the sky, the stars start to spin. Around and around like a ferris wheel they spun. They seem to come closer and closer until they almost seem close enough to touch. Suddenly, a boy appears beside me. With eyes of blue with copper shrapnel embedded into the iris, he turned to me and reaches to the sky to grab a star. The girl looked at me, took my hand, and started to run. I grew furious, a strange desire to stay with the boy burning inside me, and started to claw at her to let me go. She let go and stared in disbelief as I ran back to the boy who controls the stars. I ran and collapsed in the boy¡¯s arms, not wanting to ever let go for as long as I lived. I looked into his eyes and what I saw confused me, I saw sympathy.This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. As I tried to wonder why this was the expression he chose to wear, I felt an excruciating pain on my wrist. I screamed as I tried to wrench my arm from his grasp. He remained firm, letting something mold into my skin. The look in his eyes frightened me as he spoke softly, ¡°With this mark, you are now mine.¡± Terrorized, I stared at my wrist. My mark was in the form of a star. The girl finally reached me and cringed when she saw my wrist. She stared into my eyes and whispered in panic, ¡°We need to go now.¡± As we tried to flee, the boy looked up to the sky. The stars turned an ominous blood-red and seemed to started to fall. As they fell to the earth, the girl¡¯s eyes filled with terror. I soon realized why the stars were so terrifying. As the stars collided with the earth, they exploded and made the once peaceful field end in utter destruction. I almost couldn¡¯t believe it. It seemed to have instantaneously turned into the Devil¡¯s realm. The once beautiful flowers had erupted into flames, the ground seemed to be launching itself into the air, almost like some child was using it as an old trampoline. An old trampoline that was fraying and splitting to the point where the whole trampoline crashes to the ground. The girl looked at me and shouted to me with panic evident in her voice, ¡°Adleremse, that¡¯s my name. Remember that.¡± She turned to run when a star bursted and hit her in the leg like shrapnel and her screams were deafening as she hit the ground. The world spun as destruction and Adleremse¡¯s screams filled my surroundings, making me fall to the ground. The boy looks over me and states calmly, ¡°You see, look at what the stars can do in the most terrifying circumstance. They can destroy, they can hurt, they can betray. But stars do not always lead astray. They can bring light, hope, and happiness. They lead the way in the darkness of the night. Riley, join me and we will be together as the moon with her stars. If you see reason, you¡¯ll know where to find me.¡± He turned and took a step, but he turned back. ¡°Please,¡± he whispered as his eyes filled with longing. ¡°Come back to me.¡± He turned and continued to walk away. As he left, Adleremses¡¯s blood-curdling screams filled my ears and all goes black. Chapter 1 I jolt up in my bed with the screams still ringing in my ears and the pain fresh in my mind. I look around my bedroom, making sure all was in its place and not in a patch of roses turned chaos. While doing so, I am frantically repeating to myself, ¡°It¡¯s just a dream, it¡¯s just a dream, it¡¯s just a dream,¡± and staring at my wrist to check and see if my scarsare hurting. The one on my wristis throbbing which didn¡¯t make sense, but I guess it doesn¡¯t really matter. It always hurts whenever I have these sort of dreams. This isn¡¯t the first time I have dreamed of this girl, Adleremse. Or of the boy either. Both look strangely familiar, yet I can not place them. Once I had calmed down enough to not be considered ¡°hyperventilating¡±, I glance over at my clock. 3:03 in the morning. It is very early which explained why it is still dark out and the moon¡¯s white, crater-filled surface seems to call out to me. Seeing that Iam not going back to sleep, I grab my faded red sweatshirt with a logo that has seen better days and my black converse from my closet. After putting each article on, I climb out of my window and onto the flat roof outside to escape the remanence of my dreams and observe the moon. It isat the stage of a waxing crescent, which means it is on its way to a full moon. Even though most do not understand my obsession with ¡°the rock in the sky¡±, I have always admired the moon¡¯s beauty, ever since I could remember. In the fifth grade, I remember creating a model of the moon and its effect on earth¡¯s oceans. It didn¡¯t get first though, apparently it seemed dull compared to the solar battery on the latest iphone. I guess the people of Logan, Utah don¡¯t care about the moon in 2020. I seem to be one of the only citizens in a town, where such diverse people reside, who is actually interested in the one thing that orbits around the earth. That¡¯s why I¡¯m an outcast. I¡¯m not into the hoverboards that seem to combust at will, the headsets of deceit that makes the coding of games so lifelike, or the ongoing iphones that have taken over the planet. I¡¯m more of the ¡°nature¡± kid compared to some at my high school. This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. I love the quiet whispers of nature from the swaying willow tree that¡¯s lived at my house for as long as I can remember. I love the conversations crickets have under the moonlit sky, the harmonious chirps that can cover the sound of silent tears. I love how a blade of grass, so vibrant, so full of life, can be trodden down by many a creature and still get back up. Can still stand tall even when it¡¯s severed by the sharp, degrading voice of the lawn mower, how it always comes back. I wish I was like that blade of grass. But, since almost nobody likes this stuff anymore except me, I¡¯m considered the outcast, loser, odd one out. The only one I can turn to is the moon. She never looks at me like I don¡¯t belong. I almost think that she appreciates me talking or gazing at her when I can¡¯t sleep at night. I know, I¡¯ll consider myself crazy, but I will do anything to just get away and be with the moon. I mean, science believes that we have explored everything about the moon. It believes that the moon is just a rock and there¡¯s no mystery to it. But I think they¡¯re wrong. I believe that science overlooked the greatest object in space and have had the public label it simply as the rock in the sky. Maybe my parents took it upon themselves to curse their only child to be known as the carrier of the name of the forgotten stone, Riley Luna Stanton. But, whatever. I love the moon, and the moon appears to be my only friend. Even though I¡¯m a social freak and a nerdy sixteen-year-old girl who is extremely interested in the moon, that doesn¡¯t explain my dreams. Or my scars for that matter. The moon on my shoulder is why my parents gave me the middle name Luna, but the star on my wrist is a mystery to us all. Whenever I have these dreams of the boy who controls the stars and Adleremse, it burns like crazy. But nobody believes me anymore. Nobody cares. My parents try, but after eight years of non-stop dreams and ¡°so-called¡± pain in my wrist, they don¡¯t. The doctors think that this pain is not real and is just a way for me to ¡°express myself, because I am a very lonely child who wants attention.¡± Give me a break. Is that what I am? The crazy child who just wants attention, so she screams at night and is sobbing uncontrollably because her wrist hurts so bad? I don¡¯t think so. That¡¯s why I keep it to myself. Nobody needs to know my pain because nobody cares. Only the moon cares, and that¡¯s how it¡¯s been for a long, long time. Chapter 2 Somehow around 5:30 in the morning, Igo inside and fall back asleep. Problem is, I have to wake up at six every morning if I don¡¯t want to miss the bus. So when six o''clock rolls around, I am dead tired. I slowly open my eyelids, knowing that quickly I must get dressed, eat breakfast, get ready, and leave for the bus. I close my eyes, feeling like all of my energy has been sapped from my skinny body. I know I have to get out of bed, but some other part of my half-dead brain wills me to stay in and sleep. The battle of the morning is in full motion, both sides fighting relentlessly against the other. I finally decide to intervene and get ready for school by getting out of bed. What I don''texpect is that I roll off of my bed and onto the floor. With a thump on the ground, I am now more awake than before, in pain, and am tangled in my bed sheets on the ground. Thankfully my parents go to work early so they wouldn¡¯t have to see me in my predicament. Red with embarrassment, I¡¯m struggling to get out as I see my cat, Twinkie, eyeing me with suspicion. I could almost see that in her eyes, she was laughing at my sudden downfall. ¡°Don¡¯t breathe a word of this to anyone, understand?¡± I whisper to the yellow tabby cat outside my door, her green eyes still staring me down, almost like she was challenging me. ¡°Do you understand?¡± I repeat with a little bit more conviction in my voice. At that point, I guess I wasn¡¯t interesting enough to maintain her attention, so with a flick of her tail, she left me in my bedroom. After a couple of minutes, I had somehow manage to unravel my blankets from around me and I check the clock. 6:47. ¡°Oh, crap!¡± I exclaimed as I grabbed my sweatshirt and shoes from the night before, and the first pair of pants I set my eyes on. Even though my roomis a total disaster, I know if I book it out of my house I might have the slightest possibility of making it to the bus stop on time. 6:52. I¡¯ve changed into all of my clothes that I¡¯m wearing for school and I grab my backpack from off of it¡¯s hook. I hurry and grab an apple to take with me for breakfast, then I run out of the door. I¡¯m outside now and I am running faster than if I was being chased by a grizzly bear that weighs 800 pounds, faster than if I was running from a cheetah, faster than if I saw a big ol¡¯ juicy cheeseburger with chunky green guacamole, ripe red tomatoes, crisp green lettuce to give the exact amount of freshness and crunch, a sizzling burger that smelled like heaven, gooey cheese melting down the sides, a fresh sesame seed bun, and to top it off¡­ with strips of bacon layered in the inside. (Bacon makes everything taste better!) My legs were moving faster than even if I saw the burger made from heaven on the end of the street. Hey, I do have a sweet spot for cheeseburgers. I continue to run when I see the bus-stop, it¡¯s just at the end of this street. I check my iphone, 6:58. That almost seems to give me the energy I need to sprint to the end of the street. I see the bus pull up and high school kids file onto the bus, almost like the bus is there to pick them up for a prison sentence. As the bus starts its engine again, I shout, trying to get the driver¡¯s attention so I don¡¯t have to walk the couple miles to school. Even though 2 miles may not seem like a lot, there are not too many teenagers who delight in walking that long whenthey''re already running late. At the last moment when I see the bus close her doors, I put my hand in the way of the shutting doors that I know will hurt if it closes completely. Thankfully, the bus driver sees my hand, and in a panic, slams on the button that opens the doors. I breathe a sigh of relief and climb into the awaiting bus while the bus driver seems to mutter something about me being a stupid sophmore. As I walk to the back of the bus, I get the privilege of having all of the people on the bus stare at me, much more than usual. I sit down in my designated seat, embarrassed as the rest of the bus resumes to whatever conversations they seemed to be having previously, almost as if what just occurred never happened. I pull out my book to review what I had been studying for the last month in preparation for my test when I feel this sudden sickness in my stomach. I start to have thoughts of escaping this place in which I have no desire to be in, to be free, be who I want to be, be with the moon. As they come into my mind in a frenzy, I realize that something¡¯s wrong. I don¡¯t know what, but I have this sick feeling in my stomach that I cannot find the origin of. I try and shake the thoughts from my head when I finally notice someone sitting beside me. It must be a new girl, because she doesn¡¯t seem familiar and she must have not heard of my psychoness. And yet, shelooked familiar as well. She has this rich brown skin with no flaws whatsoever and luscious black hair that was carefully plaited into the most intricate braid I had ever seen, any girl who cared about her looks would be either praising her or planning how to take their revenge for this newcomer taking their ¡°title¡± of looking the hottest. She had a fitted white shirt, a red leather jacket, and a long golden necklace hanging from her neck with the most delicately designed sun as the emblem. It looked as if the sun were bursting and was captured in gold. I¡¯m pretty sure she¡¯ll fit right in with the rich kids. She''s wearing these black ripped skinny-jeans and these bright red high heels that I swear make her six inches taller. Her face is what draws my attention. She looks like she spent hours in the bathroom that morning just to do her makeup and she was good at it. Her lips were more of a caucasian skin tone, but darker, and her eyeshadow seemed to shimmer from gold to copper, both seeming to be fighting to dominate the other. But what catches my eye is her eyes, they were blue with golden flecks. They almost made the illusion of a sunken ship¡¯s treasure twinkling as it sinks into the sea. She seems to notice me staring her so she looks at me, almost like she was trying to figure out who I was as well. Recognition appears in her sea-blue eyes as she says, ¡°Hi. I¡¯m Adeline Porter, but you can call me Addie. Can I sit here?¡± I cannot believe my ears. It may be the shock of someone not immediately looking at me like I¡¯m an alien or of hearing her melodious soprano voice saying words to me, but she wants to sit next to me? She even told me her name! For heaven¡¯s sake, I thought that nothing could be weirder until I heard myself reply ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t mind¡­ Are you sure you aren¡¯t confusing me with someone else?¡±The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. ¡°Nope, I¡¯m pretty sure I¡¯m talking to a girl who is wearing a kind of run down sweatshirt. No offense. What¡¯s your name?¡± ¡°Riley,¡± I replied cautiously ¡°Riley Stanton.¡± ¡°Hm,¡± Her iphone apparently wasn¡¯t keeping her attention anymore. She was focused on me and seemed intent on talking to me. ¡°What grade are you in?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sixteen, so I¡¯m a sophomore.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yeah¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to this school too. Hopefully they don¡¯t have much more of this electricity stuff there.¡± Luckily the school bus stops or I might have a heart attack. I was not ready for this much human interaction. As the students file out of the school bus, this weird odor seems to make itself known. It smells like rotting fish sitting out in the sun for a long time. Just then, my brain pulled one of the memories I had filed away so long ago. - - - - - I waseight years old at the time. I was with my parents and we decided to go on a family vacation to San Francisco. I was elated and could hardly stay in my seat, I mean, how could you when this was your first time out of your hometown and you were not extremely mature? As soon as the plane touched the ground and passengers were told to exit the plane, I raced out of the plane, into the terminal, and was wandering around the airport. My parents didn¡¯t mind that much because they had one of those phone watch things on my wrist. My jaw dropped as I wandered from terminal to terminal, shop to shop. I had even purchased a bagel with cinnamon sugar from my parent¡¯s credit card, my parents still have never figured out why a hundred or so dollars have vanished from their crediting account. They never would have guessed that I, their only daughter, would have memorized the code of their credit card. After wandering around the airport for hours, taking in all of the colors, music, and the energy of it all, I felt my wrist vibrate from the watch and my mom¡¯s face appeared on the screen. I sighed aloud, knowing that my parents were trying to find out where I was via facetime and direct me back where they were. I suddenly had an idea. I was passing by a restaurant and grabbed the closest knife as I passed. Quickly I answered the call and yelled, ¡°Bathroom break!¡± and hung up. My parents never want to be in the middle of my private business, so they let me be. I saw my chance. I ran into the bathroom, into a stall, and I took a deep breath. I quickly took the knife and tried sawing at the material keeping the watch on my wrist. This idea, of course, didn¡¯t work: I¡¯ve tried that trick too many times, so my parents have found a tougher material to keep the watch secured. Exasperated, I quickly exited the bathroom (not before washing my hands thoroughly because, ew, I was in the bathroom). As I returned to the shops, I gazed in wonder and awe at each shop, person, and even luggage bag that passed my direction. Eventually I wandered out of the airport and started to walk outside in the city. I hear the buzzing noise with, again, the picture of my smiling mother. Knowing that yelling bathroom break would not work a second time, I ran as fast as I could to get behind the building. Looking frantically and hearing the ringing piercing my eardrum, I laid my eyes on a garbage can. While I tried not to gag, I scoured the garbage for something sharp enough to cut whatever material this was. After a couple of minutes of rummaging through the trash, I heard a voice behind me. ¡°Looking for this?¡± A boy about my age was standing in front of me with hair as wild and black as a frightened cat whose fur is standing on end and he had the most interesting eyes. They looked like my eyes, but with copper instead of silver flecks. He wore a white t-shirt with a gray sweater and he wore corduroy slacks. He had these white tennis shoes and a mischievous smile as he looked at me. In his hand he held a knife, a well made knife that would cut effortlessly into any material I could think of. With wanting evident in my eyes I summoned as much authority as I could muster, looked at him and replied ¡°And who are you?¡± ¡°Who am I? I was just about to ask who you were. A homeless person searching for food in the trash, a young child who got her wee fuzzy bunny thrown away and is hurriedly looking for the piece of fuzz, a girl who wants a knife so she can cut the annoying device off of her arm?¡± I gazed in astonishment at the boy. He just guessed the exact reason why I was searching through the garbage can so thoroughly. I looked up with suspicion, ¡°Why are you asking?¡± ¡°Because I have a sharp object that will penetrate that fabric easily and won¡¯t do something bad to your body. In other words, I¡¯m your only option.¡± ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Eight, and you?¡± ¡°Eight¡­ What¡¯s your name?¡± The boy looked at me and then looked down, his expression was twisted with indecision. ¡°Siris... You don¡¯t need to know my last name, so you can call me by my first name. Now before you fly away to your parents, do you want to cut the cellphone watch thing off or not?¡± I feared I had no other option. My ears seemed to be bleeding internally and I shoved the guilt from ignoring my parents into the back of my mind as I replied ¡°Fine. Just give me the knife.¡± With the slit made in the rubber attachment, the watch fell from my arm and landed on the ground. It then shattered upon impact and was now lifeless. I looked at the boy and eyed him warily. ¡°Why did you help me? As you so clearly stated before, I¡¯m an outsider, the new kid. Why would you want to spend your time helping me?¡± ¡°Because,¡± he spoke softly with a goofy grin spreading across his face, ¡° I have to finish something from an... arguement we had earlier.¡± In my confused state, I didn¡¯t comprehend it fast enough until the boy had pummeled me to the ground. We wrestled as fiercely as eight year olds could until, out of pure exhaustion, I fell down. He grabbed my arm and searched for something from his pocket. He pressed it to my wrist and started to murmur something in a low voice. Amidst my struggles I felt this searing sensation on my wrist. I screamed in agony as I wriggled in pain. It was the most painful thing I had ever experienced, even now the pain I have with my dreams don¡¯t compare to what I felt that day in San Francisco. Close after, I squeezed my eyes shut in hope that it would deaden the pain. After what seemed like hours, the boy¡¯s hot breath was on my skin as he softly whispered, ¡°My name¡¯s Siris. You mean a lot to me. Please remember that, no matter what happens.¡± I felt the breath leave my face and then my body being dragged by my leg. I was exhausted from fighting this boy that I was limp as he dragged me across concrete passageways and wooden planks that left splinters in my skin. My wrist was still aching as I felt him stop. I looked up for a brief second and now I wish I never did. The pennies that hid in his eyes glittered as he looked upon me in pity. He looked down upon me and said ¡°With this mark, you will now be mine.¡± I happened to have the strength to raise my arm a foot or two to take a glance at my wrist. The scar was in the form of a star. When I was distracted with my wrist, the boy pushed me off of the old wooden pier. I was surrounded by the putrid smell of fish as I landed in the net full of the wriggling slippery catch of the day. With a wave of utter shock, my eyes rolled back and all went black. That was when my dreams began. Chapter 3 As I staggered out of the bus, the feeling of the same fear and desperation that I felt that day many years ago came flooding back. The putrid green fog started to sneak its way into the bus as I felt bile rise in my throat. I could almost see the piles of rotting fish that were laying out in the sun, almost see the piers with the oceans of San Francisco, almost feel the pain from my scar. I look down at my wrist and it¡¯s glowing a bright white light. The pain starts flaring once again. Addie looks at me and grabs my hand saying, ¡°We¡¯ve got to go.¡± She bolts out of the bus with me in tow and sprints to the vacant field by the school. I¡¯m sluggishly stepping behind her because the pain is excruciating and I can¡¯t concentrate on anything except for silently pleading for the pain to stop. She stops, looks at me and says, ¡°He¡¯s near. We need to go now.¡± She turns to the center of the field and softly whispers, ¡°Tiephriam. That¡¯s the location. I¡¯m Adleremse with a friend. Please welcome Yelir.¡± A swirling white vortex descends from the sky and touches the ground with a gentleness that seems beyond its capabilities. It looks like millions of electric eels are contained in a vase without an exterior and are trying to find an escape, squirming violently and sliding past each other. This further reminds me of San Francisco and I heave up my breakfast into the grass nearby.You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. The girl looks at me with pity in her eyes, it¡¯s evident that I¡¯m not going to enjoy what happens next. ¡°Riley, I¡¯m really sorry. This is going to hurt.¡± ¡°Wha¡­,¡± As she walks into the vortex with me in tow, I feel pain. More pain than I¡¯ve ever felt in my life. More than when I broke my arm riding the seesaw when I was two, more than when I fell from the willow tree when I was six, more than when I knew my parents no longer believed me, no longer cared, more than that day in San Francisco. It¡¯s almost as if my whole world was pain. It¡¯s so hard to describe with words. Imagine all the pain that has ever existed, physical or mental, and just wrap that into one excruciating, painful experience. I almost wanted to die. I just wanted the pain to end. My eyes rolled back and I fell to the ground like a limp sack of flour. I was out. Chapter 4 My head hurts. That¡¯s the only way to state it simply. As I lay, I feel waves that seem to crash against my skull internally. I want to die. Everything is black and miserable. I¡¯ve never felt this kind of pain before. My limbs feel like they are disconnected and glued to the ground, my ears are ringing so loud I feel that is the only thing I¡¯ll ever hear, and my heart the only steady thing in my body. I try to open my eyelids, but they refuse, and I remain in darkness. The stench of grease burns my nostrils and make tears come to my eyes. I feel a course warm thing, which I assume is a blanket, draped over my thin frame. I try to remember what happened or how I got here, but I simply can''t. It''s almost as if an impossibly tall and thick wall is separating my memory from my functions. As I lay on the bed, a pair of footsteps ascend up the stairs with a creaking sound into the room that I lay in. Voices fade in and out of my head as I lay listening. "You sure she''s okay? She looks kinda beat up." "Yes Mailliw, she''s fine. Of course she looks a little rough after what she''s been through. I''m surprised she didn''t have more injuries in her...condition." "Well, it has been a couple of hours. Isn''t she supposed to be up and running by now?" "Mailliw, you really are an idiot. She''s not a machine, you don''t just need some oil or steam to fix her up! She needs some time to rest. Now shoo and don''t try to wake her up. I mean it!" The footsteps return down the steps in a quickly, but quiet fashion. During the conversation, I somehow was able to find the energy to crack one eye open to study my surroundings. I was in a sunlit room with walls that seemed to be yellow at one point in time and worn wooden floors. A dresser sat at my left with a blue sock with holes draped over one of the open drawers and papers were hung to the wall with nails that had all sorts of designs. I can''t tell what they are. A lighter set of footsteps creeps up the stairs and a girl appears in the doorway. She has black hair pulled back into a bun with a grease stained apron hanging onto her figure. Her stained, once white, shirt and black pants accompany the apron to create the look of...my memory''s failing. I don''t remember. Her perfect latte like skin with a little grease stain on her left cheek is adorned by these beautiful blue eyes adorned with...gold flecks. At that moment my memory comes back to me in a flash. The bus, the memory, the pain...I have to get out of here. As an effort to sprint away from this person keeping me hostage, I leap out of bed. Unfortunately as I attempt to do so, I forget about the blanket. The blanket restrains me from my escape and leaves me to sprawl on the ground. Tangled in bedsheets, I worriedly shriek, "Get away from me! I don''t know who you are or where you''ve come from, but let me out! Where are my parents? They''re probably searching for me right now and I need to get home and I..."If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "Calm down sister, it''s me Adleremse or Addie, whatever you prefer. Let me explain," I wrestle with the sheets and try to crawl out the door. "for heaven''s sakes child don''t move!" I abruptly stop, worrying about her tone of voice. Addie begins again, "So, I''m assuming by now you remember, but there was a portal and it made you hurt really bad and such and now you''re in Tiephriam. You''ve been resting for a couple of hours from the portal''s impact but you should be fine by now." "You''re here because of something...I''ll explain later. Just know now that when you''re here, you''re safe. Any questions?" I have millions of questions racing through my head like a nest of angered hornets, but my mouth can''t seem to open and ask her any of them. I just open, then close, and open, then close my mouth for a couple of seconds. I am trying to completely understand what just came out of Addie''s mouth, but I find that I don''t really get the opportunity for the knowledge to really sink in. "Come on." Addie walks up, grabs my arm, and almost drags me down the stairs. Once I reach the bottom, I am upright and standing up. I hear two other voices and footsteps in another room. "Mal, Ma, come here." A lady in about her mid forties with graying black hair and glasses comes in first. She is wearing a cream woolen shirt that''s covered in flour and a gray woolen skirt. A smile joined with a dimple in her right cheek greets my appearance as her green eyes sparkle in delight. "Riley! You''re here! How nice it is to meet you." She strides on over to me and takes me into a big embrace. "You look so much like your father, I can see his eyes." She winks at me as she backs away. "Mom! Let''s not freak her out. She just got here." A boy around thirteen comes in next with the most vibrant color of orange growing out of his head. His freckled face was the canvas for his big boyish smile and his bright green eyes. He wore a faded red shirt with grease stained overalls that seemed to cling to his skinny frame. "She woke up!" he exclaimed, "I''m glad that you aren''t dead," he addsin a more serious tone. Addie gives the younger boy a glare that would make the devil himself fear for his life, "Mailliw! Show some courtesy!" "Adleremse! Manners?" The woman then gives Addie a look with raised eyebrows that seemed to say more than she was saying. "Sorry Riley, where are my manners indeed. This is my mother, Neleh, and my younger brother Mailliw. My older brother and father are at the factory, so they will be here later. And I''m Adleremse, the middle child. Sorry for all the craziness." Addie looks at me with hopeful eyes as Neleh and Mailliw seem to stare at me with curiosity. I look around the somewhat sparse room and reply, "Ummm, I''m Riley, but you kind of seem to know that..." I trail off because my social skills aren''t really up to par. With my breath shortening and my eyes wide, I grasp frantically for another conversation starter, "Thanks for, uh, letting...me...uh" I''m really bad at conversing with other people. Neleh comes up to me with a big smile on her face. "Don''t worry sweetie, we''re glad you''re here." She looks at her children for affirmation and looks back at me, "Addie here will show you around Tiephriam." Neleh looks again at Adleremse with a look almost telling her not to argue, "Won''t you?" "Yeah Mom, I''ll go do it." Addie then takes my hand and starts for the door, "Come on, there''s so much you need to see!" When she opened the door, I could never have guessed that her statement could be so true. Chapter 5 As I look out the doorway, I don''t really know what I was expecting. I think something along the path of either a dark and dreary world that literally reeks of technology, or a world of sunshine, rainbows, and unicorns grazing in the nearby field. Neither of these fantasies are the case though. There are these black, locomotive-like cars that chug down the street with a trail of white puffs of smoke coming from the exhaust pipe; and there are people, some completely black from head to toe, walking briskly up and down the streets. This whole scene reminds me of the industrial revolution, almost like I stepped into one of my old history books and was now standing in the polluted streets. One thing catches me by surprise as I look to the sky, it''s blue. It''s not the gray color of a polluted city or covered in thick clouds of smog a city like this would traditionally have. It''s a clear sky with little wisps of white clouds sprinkling the sky. I smile as I feel the sun''s warmth seem to sink into my skin. Addie looks at me and with a smile, she says, "Not what you were thinking, were you?" "No," I whisper in surprise, "not really." She winks at me and replies, "Come on, there is more in this world to see than just my front lawn." Addie then grabs my arm and starts walking down the road. I stare in awe and curiosity, wondering where in the world I am. That''s right, I''m in Teiphriam. I look at Addie and then look back down at my feet, which I suddenly realise is covered in a worn brown boot that I don''t recognise. Addie notices, stops, and looks at me with one eyebrow raised, "What''s on your mind?" "Uhhh...well, ummm...I don''t really know...I mean...I..." She rolls her eyes and speaks in a sarcastic tone, "Have you even talked to another human being before? I mean, no offense, but you should be able to form a single sentence." "Sorry...I didn''t mean..." "I''m teasing," she looks at me with a look bordering on disbelief, "really, you don''t have to apologise. I understand." I must be looking at her with a question written with permanent marker on my face because she goes on to saying, "You''re in a new place that you don''t recognise and you really don''t know anyone. I don''t know where my mind has gone because you probably want to know the history or at least what this place is," Addie looks at me for a look of conformation, "right?" I''m nodding my head and open my mouth to say something, but Addie doesn''t catch it. "Okay, so the world you''re in is Tiephriam. Tiephriam, unlike your strange world, is solely dependent on steam and cogs. That''s what''s in our cars, homes, and basically everything that is here. Steam is pretty efficient considering that all you need is water. We''re much more efficient than earth ever will be. Anyways, another aspect of Tiephriam are people''s names. Ummm..." she has a look of consideration painted onto her face, "let me explain this in a way you understand.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. "Our names here are kind of the reverse of what they would be on Earth. For example, say I was...I don''t know...Sadie on earth. If I were to travel through the portal and go to Tiephriam, my name would now be Eidas. Does that make sense?" "Yeah, kind of..." "Why? What''s up?" "Ummm," I look at her, a little worried about what her reaction might be, "why do you call me Riley instead of...you know..." "Yelir?" "Yeah." I look back at the ground, feeling the unwelcome warmth of a blush spreading across my face. "Don''t worry," Addie lifts my head with both hands, "we just didn''t want you to, you know, freak when you got here. Even though you kind of did. But that doesn''t matter, I can call you by Yelir if you want me to." I look at Addie''s determined yet sympathetic gaze, "Ummm, I don''t...uh...really care...ummm..." A look of decision flashes across her face, "Nevermind, I''ll just call you Riley," she grabs my arm and starts walking again down the street, "anyways, where did I leave off?" I look at her and mutter softly, "You mentioned something...umm...about...ummm...a portal?" Addie looks at me with a look of an older sister who has run out of patience, "I swear Riley, if you say ''ummm'' one more time, I will smack you!" She looks dead serious too. "Okay, I won''t say...uh," she raises her eyebrow, "that again. Sorry." "Eeesh...anyways, where were we? Ah, the portal. "The reason why at the portal I had to call you Yelir is because you have to call yourself what your name is in the world you''re going to. Does that make sense?" I shook my head in disagreement. "Okay, so for example, when I was going to Tiephriam from earth, I had to call myself Adleremse because it''s my earth name but spelled backwards. Now, if I were going to earth, I would have to say ''Earth. And my name is''," a look of repulsion crosses her face, "''Esmerelda.'' Since that''s my name on earth." Addie looks at me and says, "I know I''ve probably boiled the frog for too long, but do you get my point?" I look at her with my face in utter confusion, "Boiled the frog?" "Yeah, boiled the frog. When you talk about something for more time than needs be?" I just look at her and give Addie a shrug of the shoulder. "Anyways, then the portal opens up to the other world, you walk in and boom, you''re there. Any questions?" I start to open my mouth to ask a question about the logistics about the portal until I see that we reached a plaza with booths bordering the perimeter. Banners were lifted into the air advertising different goods, people were squished together like a pack of sardines walking from stand to stand, and children were running around laughing, blowing bubbles for entertainment. I stare in amazement around the scene, taking it all in, when my eyes are suddenly drawn to a figure in a nearby stall. He has dark brown hair worn in almost a messy fashion, freckles peppering his skin like snowflakes on a winter''s day, a smile that seems to greet anybody who comes to meet him, and these bright green brilliant eyes that seem to smile along with his mouth at any person who passes by. He wears a black flour stained shirt that seems to add contrast to his tanned muscular arms with brown pants with holes in the knees. I feel my jaw drop and Addie''s smile widen as I stare at this holy figure. I turn to look into her blue and gold eyes as I ask, unintentionally, in the most daydreamy voice, "Who is he?" "That," she turns to look at the boy who is now selling bread to a mother with two active children racing around her figure, laughing as they show him how fast they can go, "is Semaj." Chapter 6 I can''t take my eyes off of him. Semaj keeps selling bread and pastries to customers and is somehow looking extremely hot while doing so. I feel a blush start to creep up my neck towards my pale face and I feel my jaw start to drop slightly. Addie rolls her eyes and laughs, bringing me back to reality. "Yeah, Semaj is attractive, isn''t he?" The blush goes twice as fast to cover all of my face. "No, I mean, uh, yes? But I''m...uh..." Addie begins to laugh even harder, "I think you might have a crush on him. Come on." With that, Addie grabs my arm and starts to drag me in his general direction. My heart starts thumping against my chest like I''m experiencing an adrenaline rush or a rabbit that''s cornered by the fox. I''m the rabbit approaching the fox. I am dragged by Addie towards his booth, silently screaming no repeatedly in my head. She stops once we reach the booth and I realize that I am within direct sight of Semaj if he looks in my direction. From this distance I can hear the sound of his voice. He has this light, joking voice that seems to lift in and out of conversations. I notice that he has a dimple in his right cheek that appears each time he smiles, which seems like every other second. I feel like I''m about to die. It''s not that I''ve never encountered a cute guy before, my school has a lot of those guys. But those are often the guys who trip me when I''m walking down the hall and laugh in my face as I scramble to pick up my books. Those are the guys who will move out of their way to either make fun of me or avoid me at all costs. Those are the guys who will spend time with me and pretend they care and then send a picture of themself making out with their new flavor of the week texting "U thought!", just when I started to think that they cared. These hot guys are some of the tormentors I have in my daily life. I can''t stand it if Semaj is the same way. I start to turn around when Addie grabs my shoulder and literally forces me to turn back around. "Semaj." Her melodious voice caught his attention. "Hey Adleremse! Haven''t seen you in a while!" "Yeah, been kinda busy this week. Looks like you''ve had some business lately." "Yes," his smile returns, "business has been good. People really do like pastries this time of year." Semaj then breaks eye contact with Addie and looks at me, "Who is this?" I can''t talk. Literally, I try to open my mouth and make use of my vocal chords, but I just can''t. Addie comes to my rescue. "This is Riley. She''s visiting us for a little while." He smiles brightly, "Hey Riley! I''m Semaj. I make pastries and at market, sometimes I get to steal a glance of pretty ladies such as you when I''m working," he then winks at me. I didn''t even realize that this stuff even happened in real life. He''s gotta be one of those cruel, yet attractive people. I start to form a mental wall between myself and this angel. "Uh...hi? I, uh...am...well...you know...uh" I just fumble on. I seriously can''t english now or ever. With a smile on his face and a dimple showing up on his cheek, he replies, "Don''t worry about it. I mean," A blush starts to creep up his face, "That was probably a little TMI if you know what I mean. I mean, I meant what I said, but" He rakes his right hand through his hair, giving it a more tousled look. Semaj then gives a sigh, mutters under his breath about what an idiot he is to start a conversation like that, and then directs his green eyes at me. He looks freaking gorgeous. "I probably should have worded it in a different way." Addie just laughs outright, "Oh my heck Riley! You are truly amazing! You can make a boy speechless within the first couple of minutes that he meets you!" She smiles brightly, looking off in the distance, mumbling slightly, "Your powers just never seem to end, do they?"This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. I am a tomato. That is just now a fact of life. I am so red from mortification and embarrassment and just communicating with people who don''t seem to hate me in general. Addie, fortunately, notices, "Goodness, look at the time!" Addie looks at her bare wrist, "We gotta be heading out! I mean, Ma needs some bread and we need to get some pastries for little Mal. Can you get those for us Semaj?" "Sure thing Ad! Coming right up!" Semaj looks at me and turns around to grab the items for Addie. He grabs each item with a gentle touch and carefully places them in a brown bag. "Here ya go!" He gives the bag to Addie and looks at me once again, "See you Riley and it''s good to see you." His dimpled smile returns along with a sparkle in his eye, "If you''re ever in this area passing by, give me a hoot and come and get a pastry from me." He winks. "Have a good day!" "You too!" Addie says as she grabs my arm. She pulls me away from the crowds and back towards her home. She whispers quickly into my ear, "You''ve already been here for longer than you''re supposed to be." I look back at her, "What do you mean?" She looks at me and sighs, "Right, I guess I forgot to tell you another part about the portals. The longer you stay in a foreign world, the harder it is to go back to your time. Look," she grabs me by the shoulders and stares me straight in the eyes, "Since you''ve been here a couple of days, it''s going to be kinda hard for me to return you back to the time you left, so you don''t appear missing or anything like that. "With the portals, they''re unpredictable. An average person could try to get back to their homeworld only to find that they''ve gone fifty or so years into the past," Addie flips her hair, "But lucky for you,I am no average person. I can make you a portal pretty easily going back to your own time, but the longer you''re here, the more of a chance that the portal will choose the time in which you return. Does that make sense?" I look at her with a look of the most serious expression I have, my heart is starting to thump rapidly like a horse galloping across the plains, "Will I be able...ummm...to come back?" "Oh! Forgot to tell you that part. You can teleport too with the leftover energy that you''ve used. It''s kinda weird, but when you go through a portal, you have the capabilities to teleport on your own once or twice. It''s tough, but it''s not impossible. Anyways, you gotta go!" "But wait...I" Addie is pushing me along with a hurry in her steps, "What? You gotta go! No offense, but if you want to go home, you gotta go now!" "I, uh..." I look at her, fear seeping out of every pore in my body from the memory of my last trip through the portals, "how do I make it not hurt?" "Oh!" Addie smacks her head, "Yeah, apparently forgot to give you that too. Here." She handed me this small blue pill, "eat it." The pill honestly looked like it came straight from one of those ''Don''t do drugs'' commercials. Every instinct I have tells me not to eat it, I look warily at it, "Are you sure?" "Yes! Or don''t eat it, but you''ll suffer the consequences. Hurry up!" "Okay." I grab the pill from her hand and cautiously put it into my mouth. Gosh it tastes bad. Bile is rising up my throat and my gagging instinct is working pretty hard to get the foreign nasty body out of my mouth. Tears are coming to my eyes since I''m squeezing my eyes so hard. The initial taste honestly isn''t bad, but then there''s an after taste. It slowly climbs from the back of my throat and slowly crawls onto the rest of my tongue. If you guys wonder what exactly it tastes like, take some couple week old trash, blend it into a food processor, and then eat it. It''s nasty. After a minute or so, I am finally able to swallow the foul pill. Addie juts rolls her eyes and mutters, "Of course she''s being overly dramatic." In a louder voice, she calls out, "Planet: Earth, send Riley back home." The eels are back and are swirling in a giant vortex that''s being created right in front of me. The gust from the portal takes my breath away and I just stand there.No, I don''t want to go back, there was all of this pain. I have to go, now. I try to turn around and run, but Addie spots my movement and shouts, "Oh no you don''t!" She shoves me into the vortex and my screams accompany me. The white, slithering strings of the cyclone are closing in around me, seeming to draw my every breath and leave me with no air. Along with my problems of being an outcast, I''m also claustrophobic. They close in tighter and tighter and I feel like I can''t breathe. The stress and the scariness of the situation starts to make my eyes flutter. Things are now starting to blur together and I feel a little dizzy and light headed. My eyes finally give into gravity and all goes black. Chapter 7 I have a little bit of a headache, but it''s not as bad as it was last time. Everything is a little foggy, but whatever the blue pill was, it definitely helped the travel. The sound of laughter and snickers fill my ears as I slowly open my eyes. Teenagers step over me and keep walking on, some snickering as they pass or talking about how the crazy girl is finally getting what she deserved. A teacher stands over me with black curly hair and these thin glasses strapped onto her nose. She scrunches her nose and looks at me with a concerned expression, "Are you okay?" I blink my eyes and respond, "Yeah," I rub the back of my head, "I think so. What...uh...happened?" The teacher searches my face with sympathetic gray eyes and reaches out to my hand on the floor, "You fell dear and you seemed to have hit your head, are you sure you''re alright? I can take you to the nurse''s office if you''re not feeling well." I shake my head and push myself off of the ground, "I''m okay...um...have I missed any classes?" "No dear. First period is about to start, do you need me to walk you back?" My face starts to turn red from mortification and I quickly shake my head. I''m already bullied enough for just existing, but to be taken to my classroom by a teacher like an elementary student? Is she suggesting that I never have a moments peace or sanity again? I pick up my books, mutter a quick thanks, and head down the hall. I look down to the grimy tile floor with my blond hair hanging in my face. The laughter and sneers are thrown at me as I limp down the hall. I seem to have hurt my leg somehow when I fell. I look up and realize that that was a mistake. A tall tanned senior with his gel-drenched hair looks at me with a smirk. I recognise the guy from my chemistry class, Derrick Hale. he notices my arms that are struggling to hold all of the books I have and gives another ugly smirk. "Hey kid! You need any help carrying those books?" He extends his leg outward, causing me to trip. I fall to the floor and my books seem to fly out of my grasp. His laughter is joined by the snickers of his fellow "friends". I grunt softly as I lift myself off of the floor. I hear an angry male voice overhead almost yelling at Derrick for performing such an idiotic action. I look up to see the teacher dragging Derrick by the ear and another teacher peering down at me. "Goodness! Are you alright?" The concern is evident in her warm brown eyes, she mutters under her breath about how the students here need to be more civilized and how they shouldn''t try to bull one with...difficulties. "Here, do you need a lift up?" I''ve had enough embarrassment for today, so I quickly shake my head. I pick up my books and start to head down the hall. "Young lady! Hey, are you so certain that you are alright?" I turn around, nod my head, and softly whisper an affirmative. While I head back down the hall, the teacher''s heels click clack as she comes running beside me and hands me a slip of paper, "You might need this for your class so you aren''t marked as late." She gives me a quick smile and turns back around towards her classroom. I reach the door to my math class and slowly twist the knob. Class has already been in session for fifteen minutes, so I know I''ll draw some unwanted attention once I step inside. I open the door, and like I expected, twenty nine eyes turn to my direction. An uncomfortable warmth climbs up my neck and splotches my face. I cross the room, hand the red slip to the teacher, and walk to my desk in the back of the room. Eyes follow me, boring into by back. I sit down, and like a snap, class returned back to normal.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. I exhale, look at my profanity etched desk, and let the math lesson pass from one ear through the other. A though sneaks up into my head and I am reminded of what happened.Did it really happen? Flashes of pictures and places go through my mind. The girl Addie and her family, a world of steam and the boy with the pastries that makes me sigh with content.Can that truly be real?Every logical part of my body strains to label the experience of that other world as "dreams" or "make believe", but for some reason, I can''t. I take a sigh and look to the white ceiling littered with dots. I close my eyes and mutter, "Welcome to reality Riley." ----- The shrill of the bell reverberates through the classroom and students shoot up from their seat, eager for the next class, lunch. I slowly stood up, gathered my books, and walked out of the classroom. I like lunch because everyone is focused on themself and their friends. No one spares me a glance, no insults are tossed my way, and I can just disappear. I make my way to the lunchroom, after making a stop at my locker to drop off my books. The scent of overcooked noodles and burnt sauce invades my nostrils.Great, spaghetti for lunch. Despite the smell of our meal, a line of students make the perimeter of the lunchroom. I walk to the back of the line, making sure to keep my head down to protect myself from unwanted attention. The line is shorter as I get my plate full of processed carbohydrates. I start to walk out of the lunchroom, making slow steps to the door, when this figure runs into me. To my horror, the plates of food refuse to stay stationary. The read sauce and brown rubber noodles fly towards the kid, landing on his stark white t-shirt. His hair and face is now littered with spaghetti sauce dots as he looks at me with a flabbergasted expression. The whole lunch room goes silent, the tension in the air is almost thick enough to slice through. He''s going to kill me. I barely breath. I want to run away, but my legs won''t listen. My heart is thumping a million miles an hour and my jaw drops. The boy''s muscles tense underneath his shirt as he grabs my arm and yanks me toward the open metal doors, making me drop my tray in surprise. The lunch room explodes. Shouts and jeers are thrown at me, shredding any resolve that I had before. People start throwing their lunches and I feel every particle of food that lands on me. My cheeks are damp with tears and I try to apologize, but all I can make are gasps. The boy doesn''t look at me until he drags me from the lunchroom and into the hall. He glares at me, shoves me against the lockers and yells, "What the crap was that for you clumsy idiot? You freakin just got my shirt screwed up and you will pay." He brings his arm back, winding up for the swing and whispers, "Get to the girls bathroom." I have no idea where this came from. I try to open my mouth, but nothing comes out. My body starts to shake and more tears stream down my face. "This is an act, get to the bathroom now. If you want to know if Tiephriam is real, get there." My eyes widen with shock at the mention of Tiephriam and my jaw drops. He notices my movements and he shoves me, harder, against the old blue locker. He yells, "Don''t think this is the last you''ll see of me! You''ll see." The boy releases me and stalks off down the hall. Suddenly air fills my lungs as I take loud gasps, I guess I''ve been holding my breath the whole time. Mumbles travel down the hall as I slump against the wall. Footsteps clamor against the floor and jeers cover me, bury me, engulf me. A pain shoots up my thigh, but I simply wince. What do I do? How do I know what that kid said wasn''t an act? He seems very familiar.My mind races and I close my eyes, my gut seems to trust this. Surprise fills my conscience and I take a shuddering breath. I slowly stand and make my way towards the girls bathroom. As I walk, my mind races and tries to figure out what happened. This boy, who yelled and shoved me against the lockers, wants to tell me about Tiephriam, a place anyone else would call imaginary. I reach the bathrooms and stop.Do I really want to do this? And for the first time in my life, I trust the hand that hurt me. Chapter 8 The bathroom is dimly lit as I tentatively walk in. My eyes scan the bleak and dirty bathroom. Grime clings to the sink and paper towels litter the floor. The boy isn''t here and I hold my breath. Where is he? I turn to look at the mirror covered in fingerprints. I can''t see details, but I peer at the mirror and see a figure standing behind me. I whip around and the boy is behind me. Oh my heck, he''s really here. Every doubt that I had comes back in full motion and I can''t breathe. The boy looks at me and looks me in the eye, "You came." I nod and he replies, "I''m sure you came to hear about Tiephriam or the ''Land of Steam''." My mouth drops. He laughs, "Amazing isn''t it?" Instantly I start to build walls in my mind. What am I doing? I stumble backwards, "Umm, I gotta...uh...water my...uh...fish, so I...uh" He grabs my hand and stares me in the eyes, his eyes are blue with copper flecks and his hair is swept into his face. I look down to my scar and it finally clicked. "You aren''t going anywhere." I gasp and the floor beneath me starts to swirl, the black and white tiles make a cyclone underneath my feet. I feel so sick, and it''s hard for me to stay standing. I close my eyes as my legs just topple beneath me. I land with a soft thud and my stomach is spinning like a top. Any remains of my breakfast are thrown up onto the slippery, smelly floor and into the curls of my hair. I feel my hand being lifted up and something puts pressure on my wrist. On my scar. I scream, it hurts so bad. I thought that it was bad last time, but this time is so much worse. It feels like bone, muscle, nerve, anything and everything is being torn apart and shredded by a meat grinder. I can''t feel anything but pain.l A whisper enters into my conscience. "Tiephriam. Siris and Yelir are coming back." It''s too much. I can''t think, I can''t process anything. I take a gasping breath and then all goes black for the second time that day.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. - - - - - I am just laying on the ground in pain when I feel a force slap me in the face. "Wake up Riley!" My mind is so foggy, it is so much more worse than last time. "Ow." "Wake up sunshine. We have to go." Colors swirl around my vision and bile rises up my throat. "Come on, it''s not that bad. You should be up by now." I squint my eyes open and I swear there are at least three identical guys hovering over my body. My stomach lurches and I hurl the remains of anything still left in my body onto the floor next to me. My head is spinning, eyes are heavy, and all I can make is a groan. I hear a sigh of impatience and a force makes me sit up and it plugs my nose. Nerves send shooting pain through my body and my head pounds like someone is bashing my skull with a hammer. I open my mouth to take a breath and I feel a liquid fill my mouth and run down my throat. It burns as it slithers down my throat and drips into my twisted stomach. I lean over to dispel this nastiness and I hear a "Oh no you don''t!" The force leans me back down and releases my nostrils. Sweet clear air fills my lungs and I take a couple of loud gasps. I crack open my eyes again and the three blurry identical men lean over me, "Sorry Riley. It''ll hurt, but I promise it''ll be for the best." I see the men simultaneously reach up and grab a blazing star, they shudder and they bring it to my wrist, the one with the scar. "Sorry Riley." Pain sears through my body, I scream bloody murder and my cheeks are wet with tears. I don''t even know how to describe the pain and I don''t know if I can fully comprehend it myself. All I feel is pain, all I can think of is pain, and everything around me is pain. My world is now pain and, thankfully, everything goes black. Authors Note Hey guys! I know it has been a long time since I updated this story, but I''ve decided that I may have started this story wrong. There are multiple things wrong with this plot, so I want to try and clean it up a little bit so then my story can be more exciting and concise. I am truly sorry to everyone that has waited a long time for updates on the Unfinished Story, I''ll be trying to update every couple of weeks or so. You all are amazing and if you still want to follow the progression of this story, please follow "Children of the Galaxy" under the username cetgrjx. It''ll be different, but hopefully a good different. Thank you guys!Stolen novel; please report.