Shards of Skye (The Skye Chronicles Book 1)

by Anna Moranski

  Lucille searched the area, screaming for Skye the whole time but never saw her. Her panic of losing Skye had taken over her fear of running into the two twins again. She had to save Skye from them. A police officer finally ran up to her grabbing her trying to calm her down.

  “Ma’am, please calm down and tell me what is wrong.” He held her tightly to get her to stay still.

  “My daughter Skye is missing. We were in the park down the road and two men tried to kidnap her. They attacked me and she ran off to get away from them. I can’t find her. Please?” she cried frantically at him.

  “Little blonde girl with big blue eyes? About eight years old?” he asked. Lucille gasped nodding her head.

  “Yes, yes that’s her.”

  “She’s at the station. She ran in quickly but wouldn’t say what was wrong. She just wanted her father. We called him and he’s on the way. She said you would be out here. Come on down to the station and we can take your statement.” Lucille was in shock but followed him to the station down the street.

  She walked in and saw Skye sitting with several officers. She ran quickly over to Skye and picked her up hugging her. Skye was shocked at the action but hugged her back.

  “I was so scared. I thought those men got you.” Lucille said.

  “What men, Mommy?” Skye asked innocently. Lucille looked at her confused.

  “You saw them. They grabbed me and tried to grab you.” Lucille said a little louder.

  “No, Mommy I just got lost, so I came to the cops.” Lucille put her back on the ground and huffed in anger.

  “You’re a little liar! You saw them, I know you did! Why are you lying?” Lucille yelled at her. The police officer that had brought Lucille in stepped between them.

  “Ma’am, please calm down. Let’s go sit in the office and you can tell me what happened.” Lucille looked at him giving him a short nod. She glanced back at Skye who was acting as if nothing had happened.

  After Lucille finished giving her statement to the officer she saw Gary run into the police station. Lucille jumped up from the man’s desk and tried to go to him, but he ran straight to Skye. Skye ran directly into his arms and hugged him happily. Gary kissed Skye’s head as he pet her hair softly.

  “Gary.” Lucille spoke softly to get his attention. He turned and frowned as he saw her.

  “Why aren’t you two home? What happened?” he asked calmly, but Lucille knew he was holding back the anger he felt.

  “She was bored and rambunctious so we went to the park. I was watching her the whole time. She was swinging and singing to herself, but two men tried to kidnap her. They even attacked me. She ran off and came here.” Lucille said frustrated. The officer that had took her statement stepped forward.

  “I’m not sure what happened, sir. She gave me her statement about the alleged attack but no one in the park reported seeing anything. I sent an officer out to ask around, but we got nothing back. Your daughter claims she got lost and couldn’t find her mother there, but she knew to come find us.” The officer said. Lucille shook her head.

  “She’s lying. I was right by her!” Lucille almost yelled. Gary shook his head then looked to the officer.

  “I am so sorry for all of this. I believe my wife has an active imagination. It happens occasionally and I am so sorry it has taken up some of your time.” Lucille’s jaw dropped open at his words.

  “Are you freaking kidding me? You are the one who thinks she’s a magical child and evil demons or something is after her. He’s insane.” The officers looked to Gary and he sighed again.

  “I blame myself for not giving her enough attention.” He said softly. Lucille suddenly realized that he was playing the victim husband and she was playing the crazy wife perfectly.

  “No, you don’t give me enough attention. It’s all to your daughter. Then all you do is wish her real mother was still around. I’m just a shitty substitute.” Lucille then stormed out of the police station.

  “What is mommy talking about?” Skye asked. Gary kissed her cheek.

  “We will talk about that later. Mommy is just stressed out and tired.” He whispered to her.

  “Sir, maybe you should have your wife be seen by a professional?” the officer suggested.

  “I believe it may come to that. Again thank you for your time and I apologize for the drama.” Gary carried Skye out of the police station knowing he was walking into a war when he returned home.

  Chapter Two

  Gary sent Skye to her room once he walked in his home. Lucille was sitting on the couch with her legs crossed and she was shaking from anger. He knew she was ready to tear into him. Once Skye was out of sight Gary sat down across from Lucille on the loveseat and waited.

  “You’ve turned her against me. She lied, flat out lied, about what happened.” Lucille spoke softly which worried him more. He knew the eruption was on its way.

  “I did not turn her against you. She loves you. In fact, you hurt her feelings and confused her when you said you weren’t her real mother. Thankfully she’s too young to know what you meant.” Gary said.

  “She lied! They almost had her, and I put myself in between them and her to save her. They attacked me and she ran off and she lied!”

  “She didn’t lie. She doesn’t remember it!” Gary let out a breath rubbing his hands over his face then looking back up to her. “When those things happen the magical part of her saves her from the stress of it and wipes it from her memory. She’s almost been taken several times, and each time she forgets.”

  “Oh, here we go! There’s the crazy magic talk you lied about and said that I believe in.” She threw up her hands in anger. “I can’t win here!”

  “Even if you refuse to believe the truth it’s still the truth. She is special and we have to save her. I’m so thankful that you did put yourself in front of those men, but I hate that you were hurt from it. This is why I demand she stays home where it’s safe!”

  “I’m tired of being caged up like an animal, Gary!” she yelled at him.

  “It’s that or you both will be in danger from these things. I would rather you be safe and bored at home than dead.” He groaned wishing she could understand.

  “They were men. Kidnappers and probably pedophiles, but they were just men.” She said smugly. “They didn’t use magic to put me down on the ground. They used their hands.”

  “And normal men can make a whole park not see it? Normal kidnappers can make an attack invisible to the human eye? No one saw it.” He retorted.

  “It happened!” she screamed at him.

  “I believe you! That’s my point, it happened but no one saw it because they didn’t want them to.”

  Lucille paused shaking her head. She wanted to fight him on it, but couldn’t explain how no one had noticed the event.

  “Someone had to see it. I was loud and they were large men. Why didn’t anyone see it?” Lucille finally allowed herself to cry. Gary moved to sit beside her and pulled her into him. He held onto her as she sobbed. He didn’t say a word until she calmed down.

  “I know you don’t believe in magic, and I can’t say I blame you. Before… well, I didn’t either.” Lucille sat up straight looking at Gary’s face. His bright blue eyes looked tired. He looked older than he was. She knew it was the stress he was under. He constantly worried about their lives and she knew it wasn’t healthy.

  “Skye’s mother. Is that what you were going to say? Before Skye’s mother?” He nodded.

  “I lead a normal “apple pie” life before I met her. I watched football, hung out with my friends, and dated normal girls. I didn’t give magic or fantasy a fraction of a thought. But now I have to.”

  “Gary, you never talk about her besides the fact that you still miss her. Who was she? Where is she?” Lucille had to ask. She had always wondered about the other woman that Gary never seemed able to let go of.

  “Her name is Cloud, which is why I named my daughter Skye. There are other worlds besides ours, Lucille. There ar
e dimensions right beside each other and between them are pockets that we can get through to the other dimension if we can find them. Cloud came through one of those pockets. We fell in love. But her family came and demanded that she go home.” Gary’s eyes seemed a thousand miles away, as if he were reliving it.

  “Why did she go if she loved you?”

  “Her family is royalty and it’s practically impossible to say ‘no’ to them. She came back to give me my daughter and then left. Cloud warned me that Skye would always be in danger, so I live my life to protect her.” Lucille wondered if she was crazy for even asking these questions.

  “I know you still love her, Gary. It kills me inside. I try so hard to be what you want, what you need. I feel like I’ll never be good enough. I can’t live this life anymore. I want a normal life. I don’t want to live in California anymore. I want to go home.” Gary sighed at her words.

  “Well, I agree we have to move but I’m not sure going back to Charleston will do any good. What if they are still looking for her there?” Lucille knew he wasn’t truly asking her.

  “I’m going back home with or without you, Gary.” She stood up as she said the words. He looked to her shocked.

  “Lucille, please don’t say that.”

  “I’m done with you and with your daughter. I’m sick of both of you. You don’t love me.” Her lips curled in disgust as she spoke.

  “I’ve tried to love you the way you deserve. I’m sorry I let you down, but please don’t leave Skye. She loves you. She needs a mother.” He stood up looking into her eyes pleading.

  “I don’t love Skye, Gary. I can barely stand to be around her. I’ve barely tolerated her since I married you. Then today I worry about her and realized I wasn’t truly scared that she was hurt. I was scared about how mad you would be at me. I even thought of how we could finally have a real life if she were gone.”

  Gary’s mouth opened in utter shock and pain at her words. He saw in her eyes she wasn’t bluffing. He knew she was done and he had no idea what to do at that moment. A small sniffle was heard and he turned his head to see Skye standing on the steps looking at them. Her eyes were red and full of tears.

  Gary ran to her, picking her up in his arms, cradling her to his chest. She cried softly against his neck. Gary turned back to Lucille who didn’t show any emotion at all. She stood still, devoid of any emotion.

  “Then I guess we’re done.” Gary finally said.

  He started to turn to walk Skye back upstairs when the front door burst open. Two men rushed inside the house and stopped only a few feet away from Gary. Lucille let out a small scream then ran behind Gary for protection.

  “It’s them! From the park!” She whined from behind him. He quickly turned giving Skye to her then turned back to the men.

  “Give us the girl or we will destroy both of you,” the twin with the brown hair promised. Gary stood in front of his wife and daughter refusing to move.

  “Leave us alone!” Gary yelled. “She’s mine.”

  “Silly human,” the black haired twin laughed. “You act as if you can stop us. We are only giving you a choice as a courtesy that we do not have to give.”

  “He still smells like Cloud.” The twin with black hair sniffed the air as he spoke.

  “Ah yes, that is why it’s been so easy to track you. She shared part of herself with you. Your human half covers the girl, but Cloud’s distinct smell emanates from your body. We will always find you.” The brown haired twin grinned menacingly.

  “I’ll die before you hurt my daughter,” Gary vowed as he squeezed his fists tightly.

  “We don’t want to hurt her… not too badly anyway. She is to be our slave. Our meal even. Her blood will sustain us.”

  The black haired twin moved forward. Gary jumped forward without thinking tackling the man. Lucille tried to run up the stairs with Skye in her arms, but the other twin grabbed her ankle causing her to fall on the steps. Skye escaped her arms and moved to the top of the stairs watching in horror. Lucille kicked at the twin trying to get him off of her.

  Gary managed to get out of the black haired twin’s grip and grabbed the other twin pulling him off of Lucille. They tumbled down the stairs. Both brothers grabbed Gary, pulling out daggers from their pants.

  “No!” Lucille shouted. She ran the few steps to the top of the stairs and rushed into her bedroom grabbing the shotgun Gary always kept loaded under their bed.

  She ran back to the top of the stairs where Skye was frozen in shock. Lucille pointed the gun at the twins. They stared at her for a moment, not moving. She held the gun pointed at the brown headed twin, her hands shaking badly. She knew, as well as they did, that she could easily miss and hit Gary instead.

  “Take care of her!” Gary blurted out. Lucille looked in his eyes and saw the determination there. She gave him a stiff nod. She knew there was nothing she could say at that moment.

  Gary pulled his arms together bringing the twins closer but he wasn’t strong enough to escape. The twins both moved quickly stabbing their daggers into Gary’s chest. Lucille saw the blood pour from his body. Her finger twitched and the shotgun went off. She fell back, knocked completely off of her feet into the wall behind her.

  Skye was screaming hysterically and racing down the steps. Lucille’s eyes went wide as she forced herself up to grab Skye. She fell forward instead and tumbled down the stairs. Lucille cried out in pain, her leg was twisted and she knew it was broken.

  She looked up seeing the men standing over Gary’s bleeding body and then noticed that Skye’s body was draped over him crying. She tried to drag herself over to the two of them, but froze when the men looked to her. One tried to bend over to grab Skye, but paused instead as Skye looked up at them.

  Her face was covered in light lilac covered tears. Skye screamed as she put her hand up with her fingers outstretched. A light purple burst of light came out of her hands causing the twins to disappear into thin air. Lucille almost choked on her own scream at the sight.

  Skye rested her head back on her father’s chest crying. Lucille managed to crawl slowly to them. She looked into Gary’s open eyes and let out a cry. He slowly blinked looking down at his chest. His breathing was labored and loud.

  “Skye,” he whispered in between breaths. Skye looked up to him then placed her hand on his face.

  “Daddy don’t die, please don’t die.” She begged him.

  “Death… is only… the beginning baby girl. I’m always… with you. I love you.” His eyes never left hers.

  “Daddy, I love you too. Please don’t die!” as she cried his body disappeared in front of them. All that was left behind was dust. Skye screamed loudly, her lilac tears covering her face.

  Lucille stared at the spot where her husband had just been. She put her hand in the dust, shaking badly not believing what she had just seen. The pain in her leg throbbed uncontrollably reminding her of her own injuries. How had she forgotten them? She put her hand on her leg and cried out in pain.

  After a moment Skye turned to face her. Skye put her hands on Lucille’s leg making her scream again. The same light that had come out of her hands moments earlier causing the men to disappear, appeared again on Lucille’s leg. She felt the bone snap back into place, and nearly threw up at the feeling.

  Skye released her leg and sat staring at the only mother she had ever known. The mother who only minutes ago had declared her lack of love for the girl. Lucille took a long breath before letting it out slowly.

  “I hate you.” She said to Skye.

  Chapter Three

  Skye sat alone on her bed in her dark and lifeless bedroom. She enjoyed the silence surrounding her and let out a small breath. She couldn’t stand to hear any noise at that moment, whether it was a whisper or a scream. She was close to breaking down again.

  Skye looked around her room at the walls that were hidden behind laminated paper. Her room was covered in posters of musicians. Her mother Lucille hated the posters and the music Skye listened to.
Lucille always complained the music was evil and that it was affecting Skye, making her too dark.

  Her mother always did worry that Skye’s reputation would be ruined by the way she dressed in dark, ripped clothing and the so-called “evil music”. Skye had stopped caring about reputations when she turned eleven and everyone around her suddenly changed.

  Friends she had known her whole life had quickly become strangers to her. Too many of her friends had gone from free loving kids to stuck up preteens that seemed to always be in a popularity contest. Skye had never cared about popularity so she no longer fit in with her old friends.

  Skye rolled her eyes just thinking about how life had once been. She sometimes missed the happy go lucky girl she once was, but she knew that little girl was dead inside and was never coming back. Skye considered that what she was now was the left over product from a dying heart.

  She grabbed an elastic band to put her hair up in a rushed and very messy pony tail on her head. She just couldn’t bring herself to cut it. Her father had always loved her long bright hair. She didn’t want long hair, but she kept the burden for her father.

  In her right hand she held her salvation. The small light peeking through the dark curtains in her windows made the object glint. It shined with promises of relieved pain. Promising release from her momentary sorrow.

  She carefully ran her fingers over the blade, feeling the sharpened edges. She sucked in a breath as she closed her eyes for a moment. When her eyes opened, she looked down as the blade ran across her inner thighs cutting slowly.

  Her blood dripped slowly from the cut making her sigh feeling relieved. She repeated the process two more times before wiping the blade with her black comforter and then hiding the blade under her mattress.