Growing Pains

Amara's POV

When I was ten years old, I kept having the same nightmare every night for a week. It was always the same thing; I'm walking through the woods like I normally would carrying a basket. I was wearing a white dress with a red flower embroidered on the collar. As I continued down the path, a shadowy figure would appear in the distance.

I would find myself calling out to the shadow, trying to see if it was lost. As I got closer, it would back away from me as though it dared not come any closer. It would start to run, leaving me to chase after it. We kept at it as we passed the trees that surrounded us. until he disappeared from my sight.

I would stop to notice the trees had begun to bend out of shape, twisting around me like a spiral lollipop. Frightened, I would curl up into a ball as the bark walls consumed. Then I would wake up at my grandmother's cottage. Though she would comfort me, letting me know that everything would be alright.

Until one day it wasn't.

. . .

After they dinner was done, Kiera and Kaiden headed back to the apartment while Amara stayed back to take care of the fire. She sucked in a breath when she felt the pain pulsating up her arm.

"Damn," she thought to herself. " the pulsating was happening more frequently. She had been taking some herbs to help with the pain. It helped somewhat but it didn't do much.

As she put dirt over the fire, she let out a tired breath. What was she going to do?

. . .

Some time later

Kiera rolled around her sleeping bag, unable to relax because the mixed up feelings stirring up within her. Sitting up, she could feel the sense of uneasiness rising within her.

"Mar?" She around in her dark for her sister, but only found cloth and emptiness.

Wiggling out of her sleeping bag, she shoves her feet in her boots. She makes her way to the living room area where Kaiden was.

He was still sleeping, snoring softly on the beat up couch.

"Mar?" She asked the darkness. She grabbed an old flashlight, praying that the batteries still worked. The light flickered on and off. Kiera patted it against her hand until the light flickered back on. She wasn't in the the apartment. She headed towards the front door, since they were in the first floor she was able to see out the dim windows, her light flashing.

She could feel the pain that her sister was in, who was desperately trying to hide what was going on with her.

Amara sighed as she heard the door open behind her.

"Hey."

"Hey."

Kiera sat down next to her sister on the pavement step. She turned off the flashlight and look up into the midnight sky. A few stars winked in and out, the crescent moon casting bits pale light across the land. Silence stretched on between the two for a few moments.

"When we're you gonna tell me?" Kiera glanced at Amara's silhouette.

The older girl shrugged, unable to give a quick answer.

"Maybe," Kiera begins, "if we head to the city together, maybe we can find out more about..."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Kiera could feel her sister's mood change.

"Kiki..."

Amara cast an downtrodden expression at her naive sister. "You know that's only wishful thinking."

"But it's better than just giving up!" Her voice was caught between desperation and hope which pained Amara greatly.

She runs a hand over her face. "I'm not giving up." Amara says, looking up at the black sky. "I'm being realistic."

Kiera could barely speak

"I'm not gonna leave you here by yourself!" She exclaimed, then suddenly covered her mouth. Amara finally looks at the her younger sister.

"You know what's gonna happen to me," Amara reasons, "there's no other option. Remember what Gram said-"

"She said that we're supposed to stay together," Kiera interjects, "no matter what."

"She also said that if anything goes wrong, we're supposed to head to the city."

"Yeah, together." Kiera points her finger to her sister and back to her.

Both girls were silent for a moment.

. . .

He was already, glancing at the window. "Good morning," he says when he notices Anita.

"Morning."

"Where's your sister?"

"She's sleeping in."

She glance at where he was looking. "You leaving?"

Kaiden nods his head. "I still need to find my friends. Plus, I don't think you're sister likes me very much."

Kiera shakes her head. "It's not that she doesn't like you," She begins, "she just doesn't trust others very easily."

Kaiden stares back at her, contemplating her words.

"Living in the outskirts like this," Kiera continues, "there's a lot of dangers out here. And few people that we do meet aren't very trustworthy, so we keep to ourselves. "

Kaiden looks back into Anita's dark eyes. "I'd wish you'd come with me."

She stilled, feeling his emotions wash over her. She could tell that he was genuine; the rawness of concern and longing for her to join him. Anita knew she should go with him.

"How about we get some fresh air?"

...

They stroll around outside the depilated buildings around them. Except for a few plant life here and there, with some wildlife, the abandoned buildings appeared abandoned.

I didn't realize it was like this, Kaiden commented.

Kiera kicked a rock.

"It's only like this because we're a part of the outer districts. The closer you are the the main cities, the more resources you have. They used to sent something out here once a month but it's been happening less and less."

"We barely have running water out here; medicine and other resources are hard to come by. So many of us have started learning how to fend for ourselves. Amara usually hunts in the woods behind us, though it doesn't come without it's dangers."

"How do you guys get the news?"

"We have a radio. When we get reception,

It helps us stay updated with what's going on ..."

As she trails off, Kaiden notices her expression change.

"What's wrong?"

Suddenly, there was loud sound of a vehicle. Both teens spotted a large transport vehicle sit in the middle of the road.

A tall female stepped from the vehicle. Long seneglase twists cascade down her back, her high cheek bones and deep brown eyes stared coldly the two teens.

Another figure stood not too far from her; A young man that looked about Amara's age, stood tall with clean cut dark brown hair with a handsome face that was lightly faded. He wore the same outfit as the young woman.

"Well, we'll," the young woman said, w sinister smile on her face. "Looka like Kaidy found a friend."

. . .

Amara wakes to the screams. She bolts up from her spot, noticing that her sister was gone.

Her dark brown irises trace over the various weapons stored inside. Amara grabs a machete, along with a quiver of arrows, a black-colored crossbow, and two hunting knives. equipping them all of the weapons on her person.

Amara approaches with her crossbow aimed at the two figures her. There were 3 others on the ground, with the same uniforms. The woman was wearing a gray shirt, with black leather jacket with pants and boots to match.

"Mar!"

Amara notices her sister suspended in the air. She was banging her hands against an.. invisible wall.

"LET HER GO!" Amara puts her finger on the trigger, aiming her weapon at the other woman over her sister. The woman just smirked, and a dozen other solders stepped from the large vehicle, with their weapons drawn.

Amara's eyes widened, Kiera struggled out of the invisible field around her. The woman just laughs.

"You think you can stop us?"

Amara's weapon is suddenly flew from her hands. She then feels invisible hands wrap around her throat. She tries to grab at her throat, only to feel nothing there.

"So pathetic," the young woman chided as Amara struggles to breathe.

Kaiden tried to use his powers to help her sister but Tobias uses his powers to incapacitate him. Kiera watched in horror, becoming more hysterical as she watches her sister lose consciousness.

"Diana."

The woman turns to the young man beside her.

"Let's not waste anymore time."

Diana rolls her eyes.

"Fine."

She turns back to Amara. "Looks like play time is over."

She slowly lifts her in the air, with the poor girl kicking her feet in the air. And flings her into the side of a an abandoned building.