The Lores of Lyra - Rising Star

A biting itch woke Miriam from her slumber. She wanted nothing more than to swat at it and scratch, but something prevented her from using her arm. It took a moment for awareness to settle in, so she felt extremely confused to find herself bound to a tree, a rope wrapping across her torso several times.

She looked around, the plantation before her was not the same place she had fallen asleep. Flowers in vibrant purples, fiery oranges, and electric blues bloomed everywhere, releasing soothing fragrances on the light breeze. Birds called from the trees and zipped freely from bough to bough. The idyllic scene was almost enough to make her forget the unnerving strangeness of waking up tied to a tree.

Beside her, Annabell snored, softly. Though Miriam had sensed her sister immediately in her mind, it still felt good to have visual confirmation that she was, in fact, alive. That left only the boys to worry about… She didn’t see, nor heard, any sign of either Blake or Joshua. She quietly hoped that nothing serious had happened to them.

It was as if someone flipped a switch. Almost instantly, the breeze ceased blowing, and the birds silenced their playful calling. The glen’s pretty tranquility evaporated under darkening clouds. An unexplainable fear clawed at Miriam’s heart, and she fought to keep from shivering. She jumped when Annabell snapped awake, gasping for breath.

“What’s going on? I could… feel you, or your fear. What the Hell? Why are we tied up? Where’s Joshua?” Annabell fired off the questions without waiting for answers, straining against their bonds. She was angry, but Miriam detected anxiety as well and it only increased her own fear.

She didn’t see where he came from. For all she could tell, Blake just appeared in the middle of the glen. She tried to rationalize it in her mind, but the small clearing left no place for hiding. One minute he wasn’t there, and then he was head down, his hair hanging oily and heavy over his eyes.

He let out a dark, menacing laughter as he slowly straightened his back. The sound made goose bumps appear on Miriam’s bare skin. The short hairs stood straight, and she found herself struggling to catch a breath when his black eyes found hers.

“My dear, Miriam,” he said. He sent as wretched skewed and smile that bore no signs of his usual charm, “I apologize that you will have to see me like this.”

He gestured to his eyes and let out a faked sigh, “It was not the plan to reveal this yet, I promise!”

Miriam couldn’t speak, fear had clogged her airway, and she was paralyzed in anxiety. Where’s Joshua? Who is this guy? Where is the real Blake?

Questions swamped her senses, and she watched with horror as Blake started pacing in front of her.

“You know… I almost got killed several times last night,” he said. He was looking away, and Miriam thought he might not be addressing her until he jerked his head around to face her, “That’s something I should write in a diary – that is if I had one.”

“Blake, untie me. Right now!” Annabell commanded furiously. He switched his attention to her.

“That would be absolutely no fun at all. I’ve been listening on you two bantering about hope, love, and prophecies for so long now! And every day, I was forced to wait patiently as your powers grew,” he paused for dramatic effect, “Honestly though, I am sick of waiting. I am hungry, and all this ‘shielding my true nature’ is starving me.”

He walked over to Miriam, squatting down in front of her.

“It would be so easy to consume your light, right now. It would be a divine pleasure,” he whispered. He reached out a hand, aiming to caress her cheek, and Miriam tried to jerk away.

“What are you?” Annabell asked. The question made him stop; he turned towards her, his dark eyes shooting daggers. His lips curved in a terrifying grin, and Miriam found it hard to believe that she ever had thought he was handsome. He rolled back on his feet and extended his legs. Towering above them, he laughed heartily – a sound so horrid that it pained Miriam to listen.

“That’s a good question, dear. Who am I? More importantly, what am I? Am I more than just a hungry – and handsome – beast? But all things in its own time, love,” he said. Blake gestured to their right, “Also, we need prince charming over there to stop snoring at some point.”

Miriam strained her neck but couldn’t see whom he was pointing at, her position wasn’t in an angle that left much of a view, she was convinced that it was Joshua though.

“What have you done to him?” Annabell yelled, demanding to know the truth. Miriam could feel her straining against her -bonds, and she gasped when her sister’s movements caused the bonds to tighten around her.

“That won’t work; you’ll only bring more pain to your sister.” Blake smiled, “But that’s something you’re used to, isn’t it?”

Miriam could feel hear her sister’s gasp, along with the tainted thoughts that followed Blake’s remark. Her heart bled, and she tried to send comforting thoughts to Annabell, the thoughts were blocked though, and she couldn’t get through. She hadn’t seen Blake move, but he snorted at her feeble attempt to reconnect their mind.

“Silly, silly humans…” he muttered, tilting his head he studied Miriam. His black eyes tearing into her core as he continued, “You’re all so engrossed in feelings. Love – what is that?”

He reached out a hand and covered her shoulder – the shoulder that was sore from sleeping on the ground.

“Don’t touch her!” Annabell shouted.

“Be quiet!” Blake snapped at her and resumed his attention to Miriam. He forced her head up to face him, and their eyes met.

“What?” Miriam tried to move her head. She had vaguely registered that she had located her voice box.

“You just make me so darned hungry! And I suppose I’m sorry… You were so much fun, I hope you know that,” he said. He winked once before dramatically proclaiming, “It’s just… It’s not you, it’s me…”

Miriam didn’t reply – shame filled her over her own stupidity, and it was accompanied by guilt over the fact that she had brought him here.

Blake laughed, “You are my hostage!”

‘I hadn’t noticed… Jerk,’ she thought with sarcasm. No, it wasn’t my thoughts. Annabell had opened up for the block. Miriam tried not to react, but the knowledge that they were still connected gave her renewed strength.

“Is this supposed to be a joke?” she asked, “Because if it is, your humor fails miserably.”

Blake stopped laughing and narrowed his eyes at her, “You’re no fun!”

He rose from them, and started pacing again. Miriam followed him with her eyes, contemplating what to say and do.

“What would be fun then?” she tried. Blake diverted his eyes to her and smiled.

“Well, you could do as I ask, and this would be far less painful,” he said. Then he added, “For any of you.”

“What is it that you want from us?” Annabell chimed in. Miriam was thrilled to see how fast her sister had caught on; they needed to get him to speak in order to have time to think.

‘What’s should we do?’ Miriam asked Annabell through their mind link.

’I have no idea. Just let him keep talking for now, hopefully Joshua will wake up soon,” Annabell replied.

Blake spun around abruptly and stomped over to where the girls were tied. Kneeling before Miriam, he stared angrily at her with bloodshot eyes and she could feel his hot, stale breath wash over her skin. Before she could blink, he hit her with a stinging backhand across her face. Just as quickly, he stood back up, an awkward smile spreading across his face.

“Girls, girls, it’s not polite to talk about a person like they’re not even here… Do it again… And things will be less than pleasant,” Blake said. His voice was smooth and lilting, yet it chilled Miriam to her core. Her face stung, and she could feel her heart breaking into pieces.

“Why are you doing this?” Miriam asked angrily.

“Why does the cat eat the mouse? Why does the spider eat the fly?” he asked rhetorically, when they didn’t answer, he answered, “Because they hunger! To feed is the essence of survival, and I am so very, very hungry. You wouldn’t want me to starve, would you? To waste away into nothing?”

His shoulders shook, and for a moment, he began to weep.

Miriam wasn’t sure how she should react. Mesmerized she looked at the stranger because that’s all that he was - a stranger, nothing like the guy she had given her heart to.

“Now, pay attention; otherwise this is going to take forever,” Blake answered, sitting down in front of the two girls. He had stopped crying, and the expression on his face was one of bored aloofness.

“You still don’t get it, do you? I don’t know how I honestly thought you were smarter than that. Maybe I actually fell for your cuteness after all,” Blake said, locking gazes with Miriam. He pursed his lips and blew a kiss.

“You really shouldn’t have killed the good doctor yesterday,” Blake said with a chuckle, a mirthless parody of genuine laughter, “That sad sack was the only thing holding me back. Congratulations on a job well done by killing your last line of defense!”

He clapped loudly, beaming a smile at them. For extra flair, he faked wiping away a tear.When he resumed speaking his voice held a tinge of an icy seriousness. “Don’t get me wrong; you did fantastic. I had hoped for that outcome. Though the cost of your own body only made you so much more delicious.”

“You’ve planned this all along?” Miriam asked, sadness lacing her words. The dense mass of betrayal sank in her gut, and she wanted to be sick. Even more, she wanted to hide far away, she was so embarrassed that she had walked right into Blake’s web. In that second, she hated herself almost as much as she hated him.

“Something along those lines, yes. I can’t take all the credit, of course. But, when I first moved into your house, Johansson and I were working together. Can’t say I liked it. He was always so attentive and hesitant. At every turn, he pulled me back. All I wanted was a little taste…” Blake drifted off for a moment, a lustful spark jumping to life in his eyes as he looked at Miriam. He licked his lips and stretched his neck, causing his hair to veil his eyes.

However, I see myself as more of a lone wolf. I don’t need guardians watching over me just because they can’t get the results they want.” Taking a dagger and a piece of wood, Blake started cutting what looked like a stake.

“What do you want with us?” Annabell asked, afraid of what the answer was going to be.

“I am going to consume your whole life essence,” Blake answered as if the answer was perfectly obvious; he did not bother to look up.

‘He’s insane,’ Annabell thought.

’I think he might be a black hole,’ Miriam thought back.

‘That would make…’ Annabell didn’t finish that thought because a singing slap was directed to her face. At the speed of light, Blake had moved to stand in front of them.

“What did I say about talking in your heads?” Blake said with malice, raising his hands to hit the girl again.

“I’m sorry!” Miriam screamed, hoping it would stop Blake from hitting her sister. Blake lowered his hand slowly and looked at her.

“Don’t do it again,” Blake warned, and he went back to his dagger. Kicking the stake away, he picked up the knife and started wandering.

“The problem is,” Blake thought aloud as he paced, “I could absorb your life essence right now and here, but I need your extra power. So, I have to force you two to reach your full potential.”

Stopping in front of them, he nudged Annabell with his foot, “How much do you know of the prophecy?”

“I don’t know anything about it. I haven’t even looked properly at it,” Annabell spat.

Blake didn’t seem convinced, but nonetheless he walked out of Miriam’s eyesight. She presumed that it was to retrieve the prophecy from Joshua. She heard a muffled hump as if something was being thrown forcefully to the ground. Blake walked back over to them as he looked over the folder paper. His eyes skimmed the prophecy before he exploded in anger.

“You stupid girl! This is only the first part of the prophecy!” Blake pointed at Miriam with a crooked finger.

Miriam looked up at him confused. …Only the first part of the prophecy? Is there more?

Blake inhaled and exhaled deeply, blowing up his cheeks and slowly released the air before he asked, “Where is the rest?”

“That was all I found, there wasn’t any other piece of papers,” she answered. She hiked her chin upward, trying to fake bravery.

“There were three missing pages from the book, this is only one. Where is the rest?” Blake repeated, his voice rising with every word.

“I didn’t find any more!” Miriam yelled back. She was fuming, and if looks could kill – it would have been the end of Blake.

A groan reached her ears, and Blake’s face erupted in a wicked grin, “Look who has finally decided to join in!”

He leaped over to the direction, and Miriam lost sight of him. She could hear a dull thud and Annabell gasp.

“Don’t hurt him!” her sister pleaded.

Blake came back into view, dragging Joshua’s fighting figure behind him. He released the body and placed a foot on Joshua’s back, holding him still.

“You snore unbelievable loud,” he pointed.

“Blake, you two-faced piece of shit,” Joshua muttered, the ground muffled his words, and he struggled to turn his head enough to breathe. Miriam saw him turn his head towards them, and she saw the anger blazing in his eyes as he looked at Annabell.

“What is this?” he said and fought against his ropes. His arms were tied behind his back in an unhealthy angle.

“We’re playing hostages,” Blake exclaimed and jumped away from Joshua’s back. He sat down beside the fighting form while stroking an imaginary beard, “We’ve gotten to the part where you tell me all you know.”

Miriam tried to move her hand slightly and finally found Annabell’s cold fingers.

“Do you know anything about the rest of the prophecy?” Blake’s tone of voice had changed entirely. He reached out, tangled his fingers in Joshua’s hair, and pulled hard.

The strain was evident on Joshua’s face as he gritted his teeth from the pain.

“What are you talking about? There isn’t more to the prophecy,” Joshua answered through clenched teeth.

Blake groaned in frustration and released his grip with a rough push. He stood up and paced twice. Miriam wasn’t sure what made him so uneasy, but she didn’t mind that he used his time on something else than harming them.

“Okay, we have to work our way through this,” Blake said as he sat down in front of them again.

“Daddy’s little boy over there, said that we had to decipher the prophecy one by one. And that you two…” He pointed at them, “Are the ‘key’ to the Rising Star.”

He ran his hands through his hair, “Gah! If only those nasty lion’s had stayed clear. My mind is so muddled from shielding my true form from them.”

Miriam wasn’t sure what he was talking about – he had been sitting right there with them. She wished that they would come back to them now.

“I can ‘feel’ your power, it’s so tempting…” Blake rubbed his hands over his face. When he looked up, Miriam thought he looked older. His face was sunken, and shadows were visible on various spots. He didn’t look healthy, and the black eyeballs stood out in the pale skin.

“I’m starving!” he yelled. He pulled at his hair, “If I could just eat one…”

He stopped and looked towards them. A broad smile lightened up his face, and for a bit Miriam saw the guy she had fallen for – the memory was awful though, and she could feel tears well in her eyes as her heart broke.

“That’s it! Oh, Blake… You’re such a genius!” He jumped up and fist pumped the air before returning his attention to them, “You have to become one!”

“What?” Annabell interrupted.

Blake ignored her outburst; he started wandering still muttering to himself, “The problem is how though.”

Miriam watched with tears streaming down her cheeks. He has gone mad. We cannot become one! What does that even mean? Oh, Blake… What happened? Did I do this? The questions seemed never ending. Had he always been a Black Hole? – Miriam couldn’t answer, and as her heart continued to break, she didn’t want to either. She didn’t care anymore, everything inside her hurt.

She swallowed her sobs, and stayed silent as she tried to come up with ways to escape. She looked to the side; Joshua was trying to roll over and Annabell was struggling against the rope still. Miriam wanted to say that it wouldn’t help. They couldn’t get away with Blake so near.

Her hand clenched the two fingers of Annabell’s that she could reach, and the touch alone gave her the strength to stop crying.

Blake was looking over the prophecy, but it mustn’t have showed him anything new because he grumbled and tore it to pieces. Letting go of the small pieces of paper, he made sure to release them right over Joshua.

“When I get free, I’m going to kill you,” Joshua threatened.

“Funny, because you won’t get free,” Blake mocked, he sat down on the stub and started throwing small pebbles at Annabell’s boyfriend. Miriam could see that several hit him spot on and the sight cause her to cringe.

“Stop it!” Annabell screamed. Her sister broke down crying, and the sound caused anger to plunge into Miriam.

“I trusted you!” she began to scream as she fought against the ropes.

“Yes, you did, but do not worry. Trusting the enemy so easily is something that is entirely human. You should have learned by now you can’t trust anyone. Didn’t your own mother lie to you for your whole life too?” Blake taunted. Miriam gasped at his callous comment as her heart twisted. Many times, she parted her lips to respond back, but it seemed as if she couldn’t form any coherent sentence.

“I can feel you all staring at me with such hatred; I wonder what I have ever done to receive this form for punishment. I am just trying to survive here.” Blake sighed.

“Let me go, and I’ll show you exactly how I feel for you,” Annabell threatened. Miriam could sense the fierceness returning, and she saw hope at the end of the tunnel when she saw Joshua manage to sit half up.

“Your words wound me oh so much,” Blake answered with sarcasm.

“Blake! It won’t work,” Joshua spoke; his voice was calm this time.

“What do you mean?” Blake demanded to know, he averted his focus to the boy on the ground.

“You are lacking the last part. If you try push it on them, it could be fatal.”

“Do you know what the last part is?” Blake asked, suddenly interested. He walked over to Joshua. Towering above him, he smiled at his prisoner.

“I have an idea,” Joshua answered bluntly.

“Joshua!” Annabell gasped. “What are you doing?”

‘What’s he doing? Is he betraying us?’ Annabell’s mind panicked in her own. Miriam wanted to answer, but Blake shot her a look. He took out his dagger and held it to Joshua’s throat.

“Don’t even think about it, Miriam,” he said with menace. He pressed the blade closer and said, “Tell me about this idea of yours.”

Joshua gulped slightly, “I c-could be wrong. And if I’m right, you won’t succeed anyway.”

Blake spat on the ground and rewarded Joshua a blow to the face. Blood squirted out on the ground, and Miriam had to close her eyes to avoid looking at it.

“Tell me!”

Miriam dared to open her eyes again, this time surprised to see Joshua smile at his captor. A little ray of hope shone through, and she hoped that the guy had a plan.

“It won’t work for you, Blake. You are too much of a soulless creature to even comprehend the concept,” he taunted. She saw Blake grit his teeth.

“Nevertheless, enlighten me!” he demanded and slid the blade slowly, a rich crimson line showed on the skin, and Miriam was afraid that he had severed a vein.

“The Stars thrive of love. Love for the world, love for the nature, and love for each other,” Joshua rasped. He blinked twice, “And since you’re incapable of grasping the concept of love, then you can’t make them love you.”

“What would that even mean?”

“I’m willing to bet that for them to unite and jump to their full height – they would have to be filled with love and pure feelings. All you produce is hate and disgust. And even if they knew how to do it, they wouldn’t do it for you,” Joshua explained.

Blake roared and released his hold on him. Backing away from him, a growl escaped his lips, “That can’t be right.”

He looked around in despair before resuming his attention on Miriam, “You know something!”

“I don’t know anything,” she protested. He staggered over to her and grabbed her face.

Miriam looked at him with pure unaltered hatred; she couldn’t look away. A drop slid down her cheek, she wished for nothing more than to close her eyes and escape this horrible nightmare.

“I know nothing,” she repeated.

“I don’t believe you,” he muttered to himself. He jerked her head forward, “I can feel that you’re hiding something from me. If you don’t want this suffering to go on longer, I suggest you start talking.”

Even if, Miriam would have thought of anything to say, she couldn’t speak. His hand burned ice cold on her skin, and freezing sensation was nothing but pain.

Blake roared and turned his back on her. Going back to his stub, he sat down to think. He covered his face with his palms as he tried to think.

“Love … not … for me … one,” Blake mumbled into his hands, thinking out loud. When he looked up, he was staring at Annabell. Miriam gasped when he looked between her sister and Joshua.

“No,” she muttered when his intention stood out to her. Miriam wasn’t about to let him hurt any of them.

“Well, since I can’t make you love me…” he said. His tone had a sense of ominous gloom, which affected Miriam, “I know what can make you do it.”

Annabell gasped when he went over to kick Joshua’s ribs, he smirked as he pulled him up from the ground.

“Bid your farewell’s to the ladies, wonder boy,” he said and turned around to face them. Joshua tried to boot with his head, but Blake simply stepped to the side, “Now, behave! We have a date with death, you and I.”

“I will kill you,” Joshua threatened.

“I’d love to see you try,” Blake said teasingly with a wink, tapping his foot impatiently he faked a yawn, “Do hold your goodbyes, Joshua. Your pretty little Stars won’t see you again.”

“Where are you taking him?” Annabell whispered. Miriam looked over and saw that her sister was pale as a ghost.

“Oh, love. Don’t worry. You’ll hear from him in a little while – well, his screams at least,” Blake mocked.

“Don’t do anything, Annabell, I’ll come back here. Don’t give in,” Joshua yelled as he was forcefully dragged away from them. He kept repeating the words over and over again until finally the silence fell around them.

Miriam looked towards the way thy had left to ensure that they were out of hearing range when the sounds of sobs reached her ears.

“What should we do?” Annabell cried. She sniffled loudly and looked up to meet Miriam’s eyes. Her brown eyes were filled with sorrow and personal anguish, and in that second, Miriam wished she could take the pain from her sister once more.

“I think that I have an idea,” she started. Miriam wasn’t entirely sure, but she could sense a plan forming within her mind.

“Yeah?”

“Veronica used to sew sharp buttons into my dresses. She said it was pivotal always to be prepared for the worst – but she didn’t agree with purses. This shirt is an old dress,” she explained.

She tried to move, and bent her shoulder towards Annabell, “If you can reach, then tear of this emblem and spit it down to my hand – we’ll be able to cut the rope with that.”

Annabell arched her neck, and bent down to grab the clasp between her teeth. She tugged, but it wouldn’t give.

A painful scream resounded throughout the place, and Annabell’s sobs started up again. She let go of the button, and cried out in agony. Her scream mixed with Joshua’s and Miriam wished she could make it stop.

“Annabell! You need to focus,” she said. Her sister stopped howling, and returned to her endless sobs, “I can’t do this without you, sis. We need to get free so we can help Joshua.”

Annabell didn’t reply but continued her sobbing. Another scream of pain sounded, and she froze.

“I can’t do this alone,” Miriam whispered. Her own heart was caught in her throat, and it was hard to fight off the increasing despair.

‘You’re not alone in this, Annabell,’ she thought. Fear had paralyzed her tongue, the terror filled screams continued to reverberate around them.

Annabell sniffled and dried of her face on her own shoulder. Once more, she attempted to control the fastener. When the button was caught securely between her clenched jaws, she pulled with a strained neck. Miriam tried to bend the other way, hoping that it would help the little line to break.

“Nis sis sard…” Annabell mumbled.

“I know, just keep trying. You can do it!” Miriam encouraged. Third’s the charm, she thought as they went at it again.

Finally, the cord cut and Annabell could spit it down to her hands, Miriam caught the button, and together they helped to unscrew the lid.

The edge of the little button was sharp, and Miriam felt it penetrate the skin on her thumbs, but she didn’t care. She coiled her fingers and attacked the rope with several flicks of the wrist. Sweat formed on her forehead as she focused on the task.

“Do you think that he’s dead?” Annabell whispered. Miriam hadn’t noticed that the screams had stopped, and her heartbeat sped up when she thought Blake might be on his way back.

“No,” she answered and she hoped it was true.

“I think that I love him, he can’t die. He was the only one to understand me,” Annabell rambled on.

“I’m so sorry, Annabell. We’ll find him!” Miriam encouraged. She didn’t know where the strength to stay positive came from, but she knew that it was her only option.

“Can you try to wiggle and maybe tug a bit on the rope?” Miriam asked.

Annabell nodded, and started to trash from one side to the other. Another scream followed, and both of the girls gasped in horror, followed by a sigh of relief. Joshua isn’t dead! There’s still hope.

The rope broke as soon as the button’s blade went through the thick layer. She threw the button away, and started to loosen their bonds.

“Alright, let’s go save your boyfriend from my ex,” she said. Helping each other, they managed to lift the heavy ropes over their heads, and detached themselves from the tree. Accompanied with Joshua’s painful cries, it seemed like hours before they finally managed to stand up.

Miriam tugged at Annabell’s hand, and they started to race towards the sound. The trees grew close, and different branches whipped at their faces, but none of them cared – they had to get to Joshua.

The screams stopped abruptly, leaving only a deafening silence in its wake. Without the sound, Miriam’s ears hurt, and she cringed as she took a step, the dead withered leaves crunching loudly.

They scoured that forest floor. There weren’t any indication of direction, but Miriam didn’t give up. She staggered slowly ahead, surveying the broken branches until she finally got a hint of where to go.

Fear filled her as they walked in hurried steps – their footsteps echoing louder than church bells on a Sunday afternoon.

Annabell gasped loudly and halted, “Look, ahead!”

Before them, a vast opening spread out – not much different from where they just had come from. The sky above was a similar grey, and only the fact that there were no bonds or stub proved they were somewhere else. Miriam didn’t want to say anything in fear of giving away their position. She couldn’t see Blake anywhere, but that didn’t mean that he wasn’t near.

This whole place was so different from the clearing with the Star Lions. Granted, Miriam hadn’t been awake to see much, but this must be another place. The grass looked scorched, and nothing resembles the peace that she had felt before. She wondered briefly how Blake had managed to transport them there, but she shook the thoughts away – she had no desire to know the details.

They took a hesitant step on, and Miriam could hear a gasp escape Annabell. Turning around she saw her sister pointing at something. She followed the way with her eyes to discover a faded place in the middle of the clearing. The ground was cleared and bleak. It reminded Miriam of a black and white photograph, yet this seemed to give off a sense of desolation too.

Shock filled Miriam’s body to the brim, leaving her to stare at the ground. The sight before her was conclusive proof that Blake was indeed a Black Hole. She had seen it coming, but as she stared at the rock hard evidence, she couldn’t stop her heart from dropping.

Thoughts of Joshua re-entered her mind, and she took a step forth. Something teased her peripheral vision, and with Annabell’s hand safely in hers, she walked over to the colorless spot.

Her heart hiked up to her throat as she saw what was before her, deep pools of crimson blood were splattered around the place. She could see an outlining of where a supposedly injured person had lain in the middle. Panic rose within her when she realized something terrible. Slowly, she turned to face Annabell.

Her sister’s eyes met her own, laced with tragedy, concern, and fear.

“Where is he?” she whispered. Miriam didn’t know what to answer her.

Annabell let go of her hand, and screamed of all her might, “Where’s Joshua?”