1 Orphans

The sound of the door being kicked in violently was all it took to rouse Jake from his deep sweet sleep.

He quickly climbed down the bed and dashed to his sister's room, Liz was also wide awake. The shock and look of utter confusion spread over her face. Jake took her by the hand and headed out the door and toward the stairs.

They could still hear the sound of glasses breaking, wood being shattered and also the whoosh sounds from the elementals using their power.

Holding Liz's hand he came to the top of the stairs, the sight that met him made him cringe in horror. His eyes were as wide as saucers, threatening to bulge out of their sockets.

One of Jake's unusual abilities was to stay calm, even in the worst of situations. But this was one beyond what he could handle, he opened his mouth but no sound came out. Then he remembered Liz and quickly turned to close her eyes, but the damage had already been done.

They were looking at their father who was sprawled on the floor with patches of blood on every inch of his body.

Whoever they were, had broken into the house and murdered his father. There were three of them, all clad in black standing over his father, taking relish in a job well executed.

It was at that moment that Liz fell to her knees and released an ear splitting scream, before the sound would completely leave her lips, Jake clamped his hands over her mouth. But not before the elementals turned to look at them.

Jake made eye contact with one of them, his eyes carried a murderous stare. They began to make their way towards Jake and his sister, Jake tried to run but it felt like his leg was glued to the ground. He knew that he had little or no chance of getting away alive as he willed himself to run.

But it seemed like the more he tried, the more stuck his legs became.

Just as one lifted his hand. Jake's father, with his last strength shouted "run" raised his hand and casted a cloaking spell, concealing Jake and Liz who immediately vanished. It seemed as if life returned to Jake's legs which instantly responded, grabbing his sister by the wrist. He ran back and climbed out the window and jumped right on the ready platform, helped his sister down and together they disappeared into the night.

The elementals were thoroughly pissed at the thought of the children escaping.

"You shall not lay your filthy hands on my children" Quincy spat.

Turning back, with hands shrouded in flames the first elemental burned a hole in Quincy's chest.

Hising in annoyance, he sent of his subordinates to go after the children. They ran off as soon as the order left his mouth and soon disappeared into the darkness. He proceeded to ransack the house, cursing under his breath hole desperately looking for something.

He flipped the chairs over, tore the fabric beneath them. Nothing, he threw out the drawers spilling their contents all over the floor when he saw those two empty also, he turned and shot a flame at the bed in annoyance. In less than a minute, the bed was reduced to ashes.

He proceeded to look from room to room, thoroughly combing the entire house. Seeing nothing, he came out in frustration. Blinded in a moment of fury he touched down the house. Just then, his subordinates returned.

"We couldn't find them" one of them said.

He turned, the look on his face was one of disgust and dissatisfaction, they immediately cowered in fear and bowed their heads in apology…

The fire could be seen from afar. Some villagers came out to inspect the cause of the fire. Seeing as the fire was coming from the direction of the Turrets, they ran towards the house to make sure no one was stuck inside.

Joe who was a friend of Quincy Turret, the father of Jake and Elizabeth walked up to the porch and stuck his head through the open door, but the raging fire had escalated and wouldn't let him go anywhere closer. Coughing, he pulled back.

"Quincy, Quincy" he shouted into the burning house but there was no answer.

"Jake, Elizabeth!!!" coughing a little more, he took a step forward. "Any of you in there?" he shouted a bit louder.

Still silence

He turned back to the mass gathered outside the house and shook his head. There wasn't much he could do now, they all turned back and returned to their houses…

Jake was woken by the Ray's of sunlight falling directly into his eyes, he propped himself up on the grass and looking to his side he saw his sister sleeping soundly beside him, ger clear silver hair tousled across her face and his jacket wrapped protectively around her slender figure.

The slipper which had fallen off her feet revealed a fair skinned feet with nicely trimmed nails. As he looked around his surrounding, he recalled the events of the previous night. They had run till they collapsed on a clearing in the woods just outside the village.

Jake recalled his father's face in his dying moments, tears welled up in his eyes. He thought about how helpless he was, how he stood transfixed to a spot unable to do a thing or even move an inch. He cursed his weakness, he looked at his sister and in that very moment, he swore to grow stronger. He swore to protect her even if it was the last thing he did. He bent and kissed her exposed forehead swearing to protect her at all costs. He remembered how she had cried herself to sleep last night. He was overwhelmed with mixed feelings of regret, anger and sorrow.

Liz stirred in her sleep, rubbing her eyes, she opened them slowly and blinked multiple times to adapt to the brightness of the daylight. She was starting to wonder why she hadn't woken up on her bed when the memory of last night's event came flooding back, having exhausted all her energy from crying and running the previous night, she sobbed silently..

Jake felt more pity for her than himself and tried to console her, he hugged her tightly to himself

"Don't worry. We're gonna be okay" he assured her, but within him he doubted his own words.

"They killed dad" she sobbed tearfully.

"I know, they're going to pay for what they did"

"Where are we gonna stay now?" her tearful eyes brimmed with concern as she looked up at Jake.

They had run quite a distance the previous night, when they looked back and saw their house in flames.

"We'll go to Uncle Mike's" he replied quietly. Jake bent down to pick her slipper, he slipped it into her leg, he stood up and reached for her hand.

"Come on, we've got to go. We can't afford to get there after dark". She gave him her hand, Jake pulled her to her feet and checked the position of the sun, he then headed North, Liz tagging along with him…