Rosenschnee

"Life's bittersweet. You get thrown into this man-made world full of possibilities and yet you don't have a clue what to do. I didn't ask for this. Yet here I am. So I exist. I was forced to live for others. Now it's my turn to-"

"Smells like teen spirit, Ray. You ready to leave then? Cause the train's gonna be at the station in 10 minutes or so." Ray looked surprised at his uncle as he did not hear him entering his room. "Oh, I thought out loud again, huh ? Anyway, thanks for helping me with this, Charles." Ray looked outside the window beside his bed and admired the evening sky. The clouds were like individual paintings aligned next to each other to create a beautiful view. Of course it was only viewed this way by Ray, anyone other than him would've called the evening 'average'. But for him his life would change forever that day. "Don't sweat the details, Ray. I was pretty rebellious in my teenage years as well. Besides, no one can tell you how to live your life. Rememeber that." "I wish my dad would understand that, though." Charles moved and placed his hand on Ray's shoulder. "Forget about that idiot, now's your time to shine, remember ? Now, get going. I'm gonna go downstairs, cause some distraction. Use the opening to escape, okay?"

"The Church" was an ordinary church, however it were criminal people who resided within it. People who made money by blackmailing, stealing and sometimes killing. All members of "The Church" had some kind of cross on them. Some had tattoos, while others decided for an earring with a cross attached to it. Ray chose for the latter. It served for a sense of community and recognition by their leader, Ray's father who was celebrating another day of survival with the members by drinking and toasting just two floors under Ray's room. The boy had finally made his way down in order to escape this dreadful place and catch that train which would lead him to his freedom. Charles was standing atop a table while toasting praisefull to their success and his loyalty to the family. He claimed everyone's attention with his emotionally filled speech. Ray almost let out a laugh knowing fully well those words Charles spoke were filled with nothing but lies. He slowly made his way to the exit smiling with excitement while doing so. There were barrels beside the door which were filled with fine alcohol the members had been using to raise their mood for the celebration. He reached for the door handle but was instead the one getting a hand laid on. He didn't turn around. He already knew it was his father's hand. His heartbeat rose. Because of anxiety and anger. "Where to, kid ? Come, celebrate with us." Ray turned around and let his rucksack slide to the floor, slowly. As the door left his gaze along with his smile he saw a dirty man in a fine suit. "Sure, dad. Oh, you want me to light that for you ?" He pointed at the unlit cigarette hanging loosely in his dad's mouth. "You sure you can control it that well already, boy?" Ray emitted a spiked flame from his thumb. It had a beautiful orange colour which leaved his father impressed. He closed his eyes moved his head forward so that the cigarette would get lit. The flame touched the white part and Ray pulled his hand back a little, emitting bigger flames and thus covering his entire left hand in a burning orange. "Boy?" He opened his eyes. Ray grabbed that jaw with his flaming hand causing serious burns and smashing his father into the barrels causing the ignition of a bigger fire. Shocked stares. Ray grabbed his rucksack and rushed out hoping to catch the train still. The ruckus of course made all the members tyring to help their leader who shouted his son's name in agony. The exit was now blocked by flames. Only the Blackwood-Family comitted themselves to the art of fire which consisted of Ray, Charles and his younger brother, Christoph. They ordered Charles to follow the responsible one but he faked being too drunk and so just "passed out" on the floor. "Good luck, Ray. Change the world, be alive and be yourself.", Charles whispered and actually fell asleep smiling. "Change the..."

The rush of the wind. The cutting sound constantly passing his ears. The coldness of the night on his skin. The smell of fresh air. Ray opened his eyes. He was laying on the roof of the train. His head resting on his rucksack. Arms and legs both extended to cover the area of the roof. T'was the beginning of a journey.

The moon shined on his blonde hair and the air made it dance. Ray ate some of the food he'd brought with him considering if he should sleep or stay awake. He stood up and tried to make out at least something with the help of the moon. "Yeah. No, I can't see-", the train suddenly slowed down and Ray realized the train had entered the woods. The tension grew immediately as the peace of the night was interrupted by the howling train's engine. After the train came to a halt he beacame curious and suspicious: "Why stop here, though.. and where am I?" Ray figured it'd be best to stay quiet, wait and observe the situation. Ready to defend himself if necessary he closed his rucksack after taking out a survival knife for the worst case scenario. Just after he'd put it inside his trousers pocket he gasped as all of the train's doors opened at once simultaneously. And out came people dressed in white clothes carrying torches they lit after they had stepped outside the train. Ray was amazed by the view. The people formed a rectangle and moved deeper into the woods. "A white bottom layer with a burning top layer..", Ray thought, "They look like one, big birthday cake". He chuckled as he followed them from a safe distance. He was no longer under pressure, in fact he was relaxed and focused. A situation such as this wasn't new to him either. The experience of taking another's life had already been gained because of his familiy's buisness. His father had sent him on a number of missions in which Ray was forced to use violence that could cause potential death. A stained life of sins. That's what Christoph Blackwood had forseen for his son once he'd pass away and leave the buisness as heritage. But with the action Ray had taken this evening he clearly refused and was now free from the choices his father had made for him. They stopped. He stopped. Ray looked at the building they have stopped before. It was a smile of irony his mouth formed. "No way. That's just funny." It was another church and the people gathering before it were true followers of a God. He came out of the shadows trusting that they wouldn't want to harm him if he just walked up to them as a normal boy. So he walked, making his way to the doorman to ask for information. He already was depicted as an outsider by the way they looked at him. Their big eyes felt like knives stabbing him, while some whispered words in a soft tone of voice hoping he would not hear them. Ray ignored the discomfort and finally stood before the doorman in a bright spot inside the woods. It may have been ignorant for him to boldly present himself but he wouldn't just wait around for the train to move again. He wanted to live, to experience and to achieve that, one had to take risks. "Uh, hey." The doorman was thrown into reality when Ray spoke to him. Lost in thoughts, he had not see him coming. The taller man looked down to him. "Oh? You're not one of us, right?" "No." Ray was fearful inside. The doorman as well as the other followers came to Ray and surrounded him with bright faces. Ray was overwhelmed : "Wait.". "Thank you Lord,for sending us a savior!" They cheered and praised their God while Ray's tension turned into confusion. "You see, young man", the doorman spoke, "Our Lord forbids us the act of murder." "Huh?" "Listen, we're here to sustain peace for the world. And for that the source of evil must be exterminated. We've captured the devil himself." "The devil?" Ray got a hold of himself again. "We've captured him inside" The doorman pointed towards the church with his torch. "Though we cannot end him, I'm afraid." "Yes, I understand. You want me to take a life to bring true peace into this rotten world, right?" "We'd be glad if you could help us, young man. Will you do it ?" Ray felt like he could be useful of his own accord for the first time in his life. "Yes. I'll do it." Everyone cheered again. The doorman smiled at Ray with relief and expressed his gratitude, he even pointed at the cross attached to Ray's earring and said: "I knew you're the savior".

*Thud*

Ray closed the massive wooden door behind him, leaving the religious group praying behind. He slowly walked through the thick air. It was full of silence and the smell was heavy. It was dark now but there were lights up ahead. He'd been given a silver dagger to commit the murder which he held in his right hand.

He entered the nave and as his eyes adapted to the lights he saw dried bloodstains covering not only the floor but the pews as well. Stained knives and dead torches scattered across the floor. He tried avoiding stepping into them, walking further into the center with the help of candle-light and there he saw it: A thin pale body, long brunette hair, light fades of red on both the lips and the tip of the nose and a covered lower body. "A girl ?" Ray moved closer to the person laying on the cold floor where he was greeted with a warm pair of cold magenta eyes. "Uh-Uh" "Huh?" "I'm a boy, I think", the body spoke with a weak voice. Ray wasn't sure if the boy was his target. "You're the devil, right? I was told to kill you." "Who knows what I am. They label everyone under something else to fit them under something. They told you to kill me because they labeled you as their savior. Well we're a match, then." "Wait, am I not the first?" The boy gave him a smile of disagreement. Ray sat atop the torso, pointing the edge of the blade against the boy's throat. He kept smiling. Ray increased the pressure. He kept smiling. It wasn't a foolish smile but rather a smile of relief after having endured a years-long torture. Ray saw the sorrow in his eyes and put the knife away. "We're the same, y'know?", Ray began. "Yeah? How come?" "Those adults forced you into this, just like me. I'd be killing an innocent person, or rather myself. I had my life planned out for me as well, though I chose to abandon it." The boy gave him a confused look. "So. I choose to help you abandon yours as well" Ray grabbed one hand and helped the boy up but the boy fell on his knees. "Hey- " The boy looked fragile and in distress. Ray was reminded of a girl he played with when he was younger than ten years old. He hadn't seen her since but she was also fragile just as this boy. Ray kneeled down and asked for his name after telling his own. The boy stood up and spoke: "Leo."

The church was now filled with the followers of God who had sat down on the pews. Ray and Leo were in the chancel. Leo was kneeling and facing the crowd, whereas Ray stood behind him. "My brethren, ( Leo smirked,) Ray began speaking, "I will now cleanse this world from the roots of the evil. Liars, who ruin the pure futures of the youth only to fuel the greed of their own." Ray threw the silver dagger in the center of the nave and ignited the pews. Screaming and shouting filled the room. "What is this ?!" "Traitor!" "You betrayed God, you!" "You fool!" "May God forgive you and us for keeping another devil alive!" The male followers all pulled out silver guns, pointed them at Ray and started shooting. Ray saw bullets coming at them. It was as if time slowed down just so he could rethink about his decisions he made that day. Was he happy? Was he satisfied with the outcome? It was hot. The tension, the increased temperature, the discord of either saving himself or saving Leo. "Leo..", he thought. Ray wasn't sure about this feeling but it's as if he knew it could've become something greater than just today. "I'll dream about it, once I'm dead." Ray closed his eyes, smiling. Black and a burst of flames.

He felt something. A calm touch. A hand poked his face. It tickled him. Then it squeezed his nose long enough, so he- *Haaah* Ray inhaled and quickly he came to his senses. "Ray, you need to get us out of here or we'll die suffocating." Understanding the situation he lifted up Leo and carried him outwards. While passing the nave he saw the religious people hanging from the ceiling. "Everyone was hanged?" Ray kicked the door open. Thankfully the moon provided enough light for Ray to find back to the train. It was still there and hadn't moved an inch. "Nice, we can easily get outta here." "Oh, nice ride, Ray. You rich or something?" "Sort of." *Achoo* "Oh yeah, you must be freezing. Let me get you some clothes. Ray put Leo down on one of the seats and climbed to the roof to get his rucksack. He reentered the interior by simultaneously throwing a shirt and some trousers at Leo who was supposed to catch the clothes before they hit his face. "Thanks, I'll change when I'm able to move again though." "About that. Does it have to with- " "I hanged them. Because you would've been imprisoned otherwise." "Th- thanks for that, I guess. Uhm, Leo?" "Yeah?" "How did you-?" "Well, I'll tell you when you dress me in that shirt, 'cause it's colder out here than inside that church. "Fine by me." As Ray moved Leo's arms he could feel the bruises and see some scars from up close. "Your willpower determines the outcome of the change you want to make happen, basically. The bigger the change is, the more pain you'll have to endure. I ended the lives of about twenty people in there. The scars you're seeing across my body are not from the torture." "So that's how it-?" "The ropes were made of hardened blood. I've also found out that you can lessen the pain of the change when you use something that already exists. You're flames from before are a good example-" "I never even considered that." He finished dressing up Leo and sat down beside him. "My dad always told me that if I'd put my heart into it, it'll happen. The flames, I mean." "So you transfer the damage to your heart. How bold, ha" "Wait. Oh." "So you understand?" "Yeah. Damn. I could've died twice so far." "Twice?" Leo looked at him curiously. "I guess I misunderstood you, then. Sorry." "Huh? What did you think of me?", Ray asked "Well, I didn't think you'd be..so bold to kill someone.." "Why look at you. You killed about twenty people probably without blinking while looking like you're about to die any second ypurself. Why didn't you kill them sooner?" "It became comfortable.", Leo said. Ray was perplexed. "Some people are too afraid to change because they become comfortable even in toxic environments but also growing more and more fearful to leave them behind." "'Cause then, they'll lose their existence.", Ray said. Leo looked into his eyes. "So, where will you take us next? You oughta give us a goal, Ray." Ray stood up and said: "Then, let's get outta this place already. I'll go and find the driver's cab, you stay here." Leo looked dumbfounded. He barely got to move two steps into the dark interior of the train without having his arm grabbed. Turning around he saw Leo standing close to his back with shivering feet. "Don't mind me, man. Just keep walking." "I would if you'd let go." "I-" "You're afraid of the dark? It's obv-" Leo poked his tongue out. "Yeah, all right.", Ray said exhaustedly and lit his right thumb, illuminating the interior and moving slowly forward together with Leo on his back."Weird. There's no driver." Ray pointed at the empty cab. ""Guess, they must've been one of your brethren.", Leo added. Both chuckled at the comment. "It's still strange, though. A whole train and railway dedicated to one religious group.", Leo thought out loud. "Yeah.", Ray said, "I guess they must've been pretty popular.". "And we killed them." "Huh?" They both looked at each other, realizing they had killed a known religious group. Ray started the engine immediately to escape from that place. "What a way to start a journey.", he whispered. "Isn't it exciting?", Leo whispered back to which Ray smiled. "You should get some rest. I'll handle it for the night." "If you're all right with that, Ray. Tell me what you want me to do to repay you, then." "Heh, change the world for us.", Ray said so while focusing on the railway. "Yeah, sure. Wake me up, when I can be of use for something." He waved goodbye to Ray and went to sleep on the seats afor the driver's cab. "What a day..", Ray thought, sitting down on the driver's seat. But he was happy. And he was satisfied with the outcome he'd gained. The moonshine illuminated his green eyes with determination. "I'll find a city where we can drop off without having to stop the train. There's probably going to be a search. I'm basically a criminal now in the eyes of the rotten thing people call justice. But there will be a better world one day without any of this. I hope so, at least."

It became midnight and the night quiet. The only sound was the train, running through the still scenery of the forest. Leaving behind old pages, both boys were ready to encounter a morning awaiting them with new possibilities to get one step closer to freedom.

End of Exordium: Dämmerungsfalter