Marley Brooks . d7 . finished

"Mum? Mummy where are you?"

Around her, trees reached into the night sky, (reaching for clouds which were far from reach) there branches dancing with the wind, swaying to a song unheard by the ears of the young girl. Green eyes, wider than the moon, search wildly for anything remotely familiar.

"Mum? Mummy I am scared."

Hugging her small body tightly the girl presses her back against one of the trees, looking wildly from side to side. The sun had kissed the horizon when she had left the house, her body burning with adventure as she left the shelter of her home and wondered into the woods, determined to discover something new. 

But then, before she knew it, the sun had disappeared, eaten by the earth, and she, little Marley, was lost. The trees around her were different under a different light- a light she was not used too. When the sun kissed their bark they seemed to glow with a warm light, guiding her through the forrest and back to her house which lay at the very edge of the district, isolated from civilization. But when dancing in the light of the moon she could not see the lights that guided her home, they did not glow, instead they seemed to merge into one another, and she didn't know what direction was left to right. 

"Daddy?"

There was no reply, the girls eyes welling with tears, sliding down her porcelain skin like delicate crystals. As the fall from her shin, the shatter, hitting the earth, breaking into tiny shards. 

The hours go on, the darkness slowly prowling closer and closer, closing in on the small girl as she shivered into her arms.

"It's okay. It'll be okay. Mum and dad will find me. I am fine. I a strong. It'll be okay."

She repeats the words to person as she presses closer to the tree, hoping that the sun would soon begin its long climb into the sky, lighting her way back home. 

Suddenly a flash of red catches her eyes and she freezes, her heart pounding a million mils in her chest. It was like it was beating throughout her, pulsing through her whole body. Her eyes widen as she hastily wipes away the tears, her eyes looking widely around, trying to find the flash of movement. Her body begins to shake, and she begs herself to not be afraid, to be brave like her father. To be strong like her mother. To be courageous like her brother. Unbreakable like her sister. 

There it was again. Closer this time. Her bottom lip begins to tremble, her body pressed to hard against the trees bark that she could feel it poking into the skin of her back roughly, making her wince in pain. Its okay. It'll be okay. Its okay. Taking in a deep breath she forces her herself to calm down, closing her eyes for only a few moments. 

When she opens them she finds herself only face to face with a small creature. Hugging her knees she looks into the creatures huge wide eyes. It stared back, its head titling to the side slightly as it examined her closely. As she stared into its eyes she could feel her fear melting, and a small smile painted itself across her lips. It was beautiful, its fiery red fur dull under the moons gentle light. 

Slowly a small hand reaches out to the animal. Instantly it becomes alert, backing away slightly. But it does not run, its curiosity getting the better of it. Instead it sits still, watching the girls small hand extended in its direction. 

"I wont hurt you,"

her voice is gentle, soothing almost. It was as though the fox understood her, creeping closer, its small nose reaching out to touch her fingers tips. The touch tickles, her face crinkling up as she tried to fight the giggle that bubbled at the edge of her lips. 

"That tickles."

The squeak escaped her lips and the fox looks back to her, creeping closer. It sniff around her legs, the small girl sitting extremely still, not wanting to scare the small creature. She smile as it circles around the back of the tree, breathing in her scent until it became something familiar. She didn't know how long they stayed like this for, she didn't even realize the sun as it climbed into the sky- or even the voices of her loved ones calling her name. 

It wasn't until her new little friend bolted, her brother stepping from the trees, did she realize that she was no longer afraid or alone. Disappointment, mingled with happiness soared through her and she jumped to her feet, running into her brother arms. 

"There you are M. You scared the shit outta me."

He holds her tightly, wrapping his strong arms around her small body. 

"Please don do that again. Ma, pa, I found her! She is okay!"

With that he guided her through the forest, his fingers linked with hers. As they leave she looks over her shoulder, and to her delight there the little fox is, watching her with clever eyes. She smiles, giving a small wave, hoping that she would see it again.

Brother: Ezra

"M, look at you, you grow up so quickly. I remember when you were still cute."

"Hey! I am still cute!"

He chuckles, wrapping his arms around her necks, using his other arm to ruffle her dirty blonde hair.

"Hey! Hey stop that!"

She giggles, trying to push her brother off of her. But she was not as strong as him, her arms not built up with muscles like his own. He worked  in a near by lumber station, his schooling limited, him putting his family and work before his own education. 

"Yeah, your right. You are cute." 

Smiling he lets her go. Her brother and her had have always been really close. He was her best friend and she knew that if she ever needed anything that she could go to him. He was always there for her when she needed him, when she was scared, when she was lonely, when she was sad and when she was happy. He was always there to share her feelings. Always there for her, no matter what. 

"You know, M, I love you. And never, never will I ever et anything, or anyone hurt you, okay?" He smiles at her, once again, placing a gentle hand on her small shoulders. "I will always be here for you, okay."

Marley smiles back at her brother, hugging him closely because her friendship with her brother meet more to her than anything else. 

"I know. And I love me too, by the way,"

her smile turns into a grin as his fingers attack her stomach, her giggles turning into wild laughter. 

"Okay! Okayokay!" she squeals, "I love you too."

Sister: Alice

"Alice? Alice can I ask you something?"

The question encourages the girl to look up from her book, her eyes distracted as they take in the small for of her sister. She places her book to the side, patting the seat beside her, a small smile plastered to her lips. 

"Sure, come, Mar."

Marley enters the room, it smells of smoke, and stale clothing. Marley often worried about her sister. Not long ago she had been a very tidy girl, one who was pure, one who was kind hearted and gentle. But a few months ago things started to change. The house was now filled with the voice of my sister mingled with my parents as they fought, as they fought to control my sister and her suddenly wild behaviour. 

"Why do you argue with mum and dad all the time?"

Her sister stiffens beside her, and Marley fights the urge to recoil. She had not wanted to upset her sister. She just wnated to understand why she had changed. She just wanted to know what happened, she missed Alice, she missed her big sister who was kind, who cared, who never said a word wrong against their parents before. 

"I- I dont- I mean i doesnt matter, we dont-"

"Stop. Marley just stop." 

Her voice is cold, her eyes matching the ice cold steel laced with her words. Alice had never used this tone with her before, and the young girl flinches, climbing to her feet quickly.

"Im sorry I asked, I'll just leave-"

"No, Marley! I am sorry. I- I shouldn't have snapped at you. There are just a lot of things that you don't understand.. You are young, when you are older though, you will come to understand. There- this is just adult things. things that in years you will understand. Please, Marley, I am sorry for snapping at you, I never intended to hurt you. Oh and please dont repeat any of this with Ezra, I know how close you two are. He doesnt need to know."

A smile, forced, spreads across her tight lips. Marley looks at her sister. She wanted to understand. She wanted to be able to share this thing that she was going though with her sister. Marley wanted to be able to empathize with her, but Marley also knew that her sister was dancing on the edge of her control, and Marley knew that she shouldn't push her to far. After all one day, she wanted to be able to be as close to her as she was with Ezra.

So instead of pushing, she just leaned in for a small hug, wrapping her arms around her older sister, as though she was creating a protective ring around her, protecting her from whatever it was that had happened to her. Protecting her from the veil, from the things that she didnt understand. Then, without a word, she left, the sheild she had created slowly fading the further away she got.

And thats when she understood that she couldn't protect Alice, and that it was up to Alice to protect herself.