z o m-bee-k a t
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- Posted: Fri, 19 Jun 2009 04:29:20 +0000

|♥| Echo The B e a u t i f u l Muse |♥|
There's a place for you to come and stay,when ever you can get away...This place is warm and sits inside my c h e s t...
"All I ever wanted...Was to see you smilin'...I know that I love you....Oh baby why don't you see?"
The soft words of the music flowed into the ears of the soundly sleeping girl. She always slept with her music on, playing softly. It blocked out the silence, the eerie, unwanted silence that she hated so. But the sounds of her music weren't the only sounds echoing throughout her mind within the early morning hours. The music was never the only thing within her mind. No. She had far too many things in her mind for that to just be it. The music was perhaps the softest thing she could hear. Everything else was louder than the music. She sunk further and further into the dreams that always haunted her. The dreams that never left her.
'With strong arms, he held her tightly against his warm chest. Her eyes were closed, peace upon her fragile expressions. The two were underneath a willow tree, far out in some meadow. There were no large buildings, there was no pollution filling the air, no noisy cars, nor bustling streets. Just...Silence. She could swear she heard every blade of grass move individually, every wisp of wind floating by. The beating of his heart resounded within her head as she laid there, simply listening to him breathe. There was a light smile upon her face as she laid there, within the arms of the one she loved. The sun was warm, and kissed her skin through the long vines of the willow tree that was hoovering over them almost in a protective fashion. She could feel his fingers tracing her cheek, his fingers were slightly rough, calloused from hard work, yet they held a unique tenderness within them. He was always gentle, he always handled her with care. His breathing was soft and slow, yet it reminded her that he was alive, that he was there, that he existed. It wasn't just some dream that she had conjured up in the middle of the night. Oh no. Finally, her eyes opened, one a glistening green, the other a pinkish-orange the resembled the most beautiful of sunsets. She tilted her head back a little just to look at his handsome face, that goofy smile upon his lips as he looked down at her. She reached one hand up, and tenderly laid it upon his cheek, rubbing her thumb back and fourth affectionately. His pale skin glistened in the sunlight, just as her own did. Nothing could take them away from that moment and they both knew it. The power of love was great, and it bound them together. She was sure this was a forever thing...
"I love you..." he whispered, and with that, her eyes closed, and her smile grew.
"Say it again..." she whispered, snuggling in closer to him, trying to get as close as possible. Her grip around him tightened. She didn't want to let go. She never wanted to let go of him. Oh what she would have done to stay within that moment forever. Butterflies rattled restlessly within her stomach, and her heart was racing a million beats a second. Her thoughts were still. Her worries were gone. She was happy.
He chuckled. "I love you..." he said again, his voice caring, his voice sweeter than any other voice that had graced her ears.
They stayed there until night fell upon the horizon, stars lighting up the sky in place of the ever burning sun. They walked, and he left her at home. It was a beautiful, luxurious home for that time. The best in the land. She was after all, the daughter of the richest man in the region. Her father was thought of to be of near king stature. A tender kiss, a hug, and a good night, and that perfect day ended. She retreated into the warmth and comfort of her home with a smile on her face, a twirl in her step, and love in her heart. She hugged and kissed her father, and greeted all her siblings. Her mother, had died years ago, and though they all greatly missed her, they were happy that her pain and suffering had ended. Portraits littered the walls as she went up to her room. There were stuffed animals, trinkets, and all kinds of beautiful stones and shells about the room. Her family was rich for one reason. They held the key to the rarest stone collection in the land at that time. The stones were beautiful, and worth multiple fortunes put together. They were enough to start a war. Valuable, and beautiful they kept the stones a secret. One always hung upon her neck, though many just thought it to be a simple rock. She changed, and soon she blew out her last candle and she went to sleep. Happy underneath the covers, she slipped into her dreams. She slept for what seemed like an eternity, but she was awoken by the screams of her younger sisters. Then yells from her older brother. She shot up in bed, only to have someone jerk her out of her bed. She could not see their face in the darkness. She kicked and tried to break free but she just couldn't. She clutched her favorite stuffed animal to her heart. Little did she know it was the key to everything.
They were all taken to the living room and as she was pulled in she looked in horror at her family. Bound together, and gagged. With light in the room she noticed three boys that she knew. They were his friends. But...Why?!
"Where's the key to the stones!" the person holding her called. Her eyes widened at that voice. It was a voice she could never mistake. She turned her head and her eyes met with the eyes that belonged to her heart. She was turned, and then he tenderly touched her cheek. "Darling. Please just tell me where they are... We could start a war with our rivals. And we could defeat them. Think of the territory we would gain! Think of the riches. Please... You could be my queen." he said, his voice had returned to that ever intoxicating tone. Tears pricked her eyes at what she was hearing. She was shaking within his arms. She looked up to him.
"Remove the gag from my father, this instant." she said softly, what little command she had in her voice crumbling before him. With a gesture of his hand, they did as she had asked, and her father roared loudly. "How dare you come into my home demanding this! You heathens! You shall be condemned to death! Leave now and never come back and you shall be spared, but stay and you will be killed." he hissed, his voice strong and threatening. She was shaken gently by her beloved, and her attention turned to him. His eyes were begging her. "Darling. Think of the life we could have. I love you..." he spoke softly. She cringed at those words and looked again at her father. She was searching for an answer...
"Dearest think of the lives that would be lost! The innocents that would be murdered if this war was brought upon the land. War is not the right route. This is not a plea of love. It is a plea of greed. It is not the right thing to do." her father spoke, his tone serious yet caring. She returned her gaze to her beloved. He spoke again. "Does your heart lay within my hands, or your father's?" he asked, releasing her slightly. The others by that time had completely ransacked the house. They could not find the key. She knew where it was. She looked down, and her tears fell. "I'm sorry..." she whispered softly. And then, she was brought down with a harsh smack against the face. She fell to the ground and stayed there. "Then your family shall be killed off one by one, until you tell me..." he hissed. One of her sister's were taken and as they untied her, the second sister got free, and that's when things got crazy. As the men dealt with the unnaturally powerful little girls, she untied her brother and father. And they started to fight. She, stayed helpless on the floor. Her father held her beloved against a near by wall, by the throat. "Daddy--Wa--" she was cut off as a knife was easily slid across her father's throat. She screamed then, and in horror she knew what she had to do. She ran, leaving the house in the black of night. The stuffed animal lay on the floor of the house, a hole tore in it's stomach. The key had been in the animal, and was now clutched within her hands as she ran for her life, for what was right.
After her family members were slaughtered, her beloved realized that she had the key and the chase began. Day light was starting to fill the sky again, and it didn't take them long to catch up to the girl as they had horses. She could not hide. She was the only girl with green and orange hair, and differently colored eyes. And so, she threw the key into an abyss that would never be thought upon. She was found a ways away from that abyss, and was thrown against a tree, the very knife that had taken her father's life pressed against her throat. "Tell me where it is!" he growled, pressing it hard enough to draw blood. She was still crying. Her eyes shut, and she uttered the last words of her mortal life. "I...I cannot tell such a secret to a man who has evil in his heart." she said softly... A growl later, and her jugular was slit open...'
Oceanic blue eyes shot open, and she sat up quickly, a gasp escaping her lips as she sat up. Her hand was already clutching her throat as she sat there, breathing heavily, cold sweat trickling down her brow. She seemed to calm down rather quickly, realizing that it was only a nightmare. A horrid, horrid nightmare. She gently released her throat, and her hand instead grabbed onto the silver chain upon her neck. Her slender fingers traced the chain downwards to the beautiful stone that hung upon it. Her eyes closed as she rubbed the smooth surface of the stone. A single tear fell from her closed eyes but was quickly wiped away like a simple irritation. Her muscles relaxed and she took in a very deep breath, steadying her racing heart beat. It was a dream that she tended to relive every night, one that always awoke her in a fear, in a heart broken sorrow. Mornings were not something that Echo enjoyed, not in the least due to those dreams. She could always feel her heart hurt, feeling as if his strong fist were clenching it until it exploded. She placed her hand to her chest, as if she were to have a heart attack, and then her eyes opened. She could still hear the screams of her family. She cringed at the memories of her past that no one else knew of. Memories she could never, ever share with anyone other than herself. Memories that would haunt her for the rest of her eternal life. No matter how many decades she lived through, or how many times she changed her location, her hair, her eye color... Those memories would stick with her until the end of time. With her body and mind calmed, she looked to the nearest clock. It was nine. It was around the time she usually woke up.
She turned her body, and slowly slid out of bed, her feet sliding off of the bed first. She sat there for a moment before her feet touched the floor, and she straightened out. Her small, thin body stretched out wearily, covered only in a pair of shorts and a tank top that hugged her body tightly. Her beautiful turquoise hair lay past her shoulders messily. She pulled the ear buds from her ears and turned off her iPod after first finding it within the mess of comforter and sheets that was her bed. After wrapping the headphones around the iPod she wandered to the curtain and then she pulled it open. She was greeted by a sudden burst of sunlight that made her cringe for only a moment, but then her beautiful eyes adjusted. She smiled faintly as she looked out to the city below. Such a beautiful morning. She took in a breath, and then wandered about her room, moving to her walk in closet to get some clothes so she could shower. Breakfast would be ready soon, as Naimah usually was up before her and tended to make some, or at least leave her something to eat. She smiled faintly at the thought. Food. Yum. She walked in and didn't take long to pick something. She grabbed a pair of light jeans, with frayed ends and a hole in the left knee. She also grabbed a yellow tank top, with white stripes, and then a pink tank top that wasn't cut as low. She also grabbed a soft pink belt with blue and yellow polk-a-dots on it, and some cute slip on shoes with small colorful doodles all over them. She then started off for the bathroom, only to pause at the body sized mirror. She stared at herself, not in pride, nor in any egotistical manner. But instead, she examined what she could change. Perhaps she should get some bright highlights, or dye her hair all over again. It had after all been every color of the spectrum at one point or another...
She did this for a few moments, and then she felt something slowly curling around her ankle. She didn't need to look down, as she knew it was her companion Luce, the snake. He curled around her body, moving his way up until he was wrapped around her upper stomach, his head able to rest upon her shoulder as he looked in the mirror with her. "Echo my dearesssst. Niamah leffft you thissss note. Sssshe leffft pretty early thissss morning." he hissed softly, as she flicked his tail up towards her, the note held within the tight coils. She plucked it from this tail graciously and then unfolded it to read it. Her eyes drifted across the words.
"Echo,
Went to work early. Couldn't stand the silence. I probably won't be home at all today. I'm kinda feeling restless. So don't worry about me ok? I'll likely be home kinda late, so don't wait up for me. Nano should be around to pick up What The Bleep Do We Know sometime after five. At least, that's what he said. You should, you know, hang out with him. After all, the guy utterly adores you! (Haha. Just kidding.) But ya. Seriously Echo. Have a good day ok? Don't worry about me - I'm just in one of those moods. No big deal really. Have fun with your surfer boy, and smile a lot. For me, ok?
-Niamah."
She smiled faintly at the words, but she rolled her eyes at the Nano part. Niamah didn't seem to understand the complications of a relationship. Nano was a very nice guy, cool, funny, sweet, and there was just something about his smile that got to her... But he would only be a friend. He had been for the last five years. And she hadn't felt her heart beat like it did around him for any one else...But of course she would never, ever admit that. She wouldn't even admit it to herself. She was in complete denial over how much she liked him, and how much he liked her. He could sing her a love song, with her name in it, and she would some how convince herself that he was only being nice and substituting her name for some other girl's. Too stubborn to realize it, she could never see how close they actually were. She thought it was silly how everyone thought they were so cute together. They weren't a couple, and they never could be. Echo and Niamah had one year left in San Fransico and they would have to leave. Again. They would have to abandon all of the people they had grown close to over the last ten years. They would leave their home, their lives there, and they would do it all over again. Nano was a boy, she could never have. He was a boy she would never deserve. She couldn't allow herself to grow close to the boy, despite the fact that he had broken down many of the barriers she had put up. She couldn't get into anything serious. He would only be a friend, no matter what happened. She would have to leave him in a year. And then he would forget about them. And he would move on with his life. And while Echo would never forget him, she too would move on. There would be other boys who liked her. Other people who managed to get close. But none, could stay within her or Niamah's life...
Her heart ached again at that thought, and so, she turned away and started heading for the shower. Luce slithered down her body and landed gently on the floor before she reached the bathroom door. She opened it, and then closed it again, before stripping down and entering the shower. Now she, unlike her best friend had the sense to let the water run for a second before actually getting in. She stepped into the warm water, feeling as her skin came alive with the heat of the water. She stayed within the shower for a pretty long time. Long enough to fill the room with steam and the scent of blackberry-ember body wash. She was out, dried off and dressed within half an hour after that. She had spent a little longer on her hair, on her make up that day... Perhaps it was just because Nano was coming over. She smiled faintly at the thought of him. She found herself doing that more and more often at the thought of Nano. But again, she would simply brush it off. She finished and headed to the kitchen, figuring that if Niamah had left so early, she probably hadn't made breakfast. Echo could smell oranges and figured that had been Niamah's breakfast. And so she made her own breakfast, consisting of a nice bowl of fruit salad she had made the night before, and some orange juice. She ate quietly, joined by both Luce and Jack. She shared her breakfast, giving Jack some bits of Cantelope and Grapes while Luce especially liked the Strawberries and Honeydew Melon. She smiled silently as she ate with her friends. Though, it was eerily silent. She missed the sounds of Niamah singing softly, or humming at least. She was so used to the those sounds that when silence surrounded her, she began to miss her dear friend.
Niamah. Echo's one, true friend. The only one Echo trusted with her life, with her secrets. Echo was the only one who knew everything about both of them... And she had to keep it that way. She had promised God, she would not tell Niamah of her past... Forever bound to that promise. Echo cringed at that thought. She hated not being able to tell Niamah of the man she loved... Or of her past. It broke her heart to know that all of Niamah's questions could not be answered. Not by her at least. The guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders every day. Every time she seen Niamah staring off into space, thinking, trying to remember, Echo felt horrid. She had even kept the journal that she had wrote the happenings of that night with Niamah and Razeal down in. It was safely hidden, never to be seen by Niamah. She hated having to deny her one true friend her memory, her past, her love... But it had to be done. For Niamah's safety especially. And so, she continued on throughout that eternal life with the biggest burden upon her fragile little shoulders.
With her food diminished, she looked at the clock. It was nearly eleven now, and she had plenty of time before Nano came over. She found that in Naimah's mentioning of the silence bothering her, that she too had become bothered by it. The silence only gave her time to think about all the awful things that haunted her, of all the hurt she would soon have to go through once more. And so she would simply escape it, and leave, as she did with everything. Standing up, she put her bowl into the sink before grabbing her white hoodie and skateboard before heading outside. Jack was perched upon her left shoulder, while Luce was curled around her lower torso, only his head showing as it was protruding from her hoodie which was zipped up half-way. She was out and on the streets within seconds, and with her board down and her right foot planted on it, she used her left to launch her into motion. She moved forward and with a few more pushes, she was cruising down the sidewalk at quite the decent speed. She had no idea where she was heading, but she often did that. She liked the thrill of not knowing exactly where she would end up. In living for decades the thrill of life is easily lost, and so Echo kept that trill alive with all she could.
She swerved deftly between the many people walking in the opposite direction, with little concern for the looks she was getting. She had become accoustomed to it. People had stared at her for her entire existance, even when she was a human her natural beauty and oddities made people stare. She didn't even notice it anymore. She simply stared forward to make sure she didn't run into anyone. She took a sharp turn, heading down a less busy street. She was heading towards the quieter part of the city, in order to get just the right amount of peace. Just as Echo hated silence, she hated noise and bustling people. After several minutes, she came to a halt, her eyes having fallen upon a small park. There were a few children there, but it was relatively unoccupied otherwise. Picking up her skateboard, she headed into the park, sitting down upon the swingset. She set her skateboard off to the side, and pushed herself, pumping her feet to keep herself going. She leaned her body back, her eyes falling to the beautiful sky. She stared at the heavens above her, almost longingly. She missed it. She missed heaven. She missed the other muses, and the angels all around her. She missed the warmth and she missed the soft clouds. The peace of that place had instilled within her, and in her leaving, that peace had disappeared only to be filled with a constant urge; a longing to go back. But she could never go back. She had abandoned heaven for her one true friend, condemning herself to live eternally upon the Earth.
Heaven had provided Echo with an escape. Heaven had taken away a lot of her pain, the torment that had engulfed when she was murdered by the very one she had devoted her whole heart to. The man she loved had murdered her for power. She had used her last moments of life to conserve the peace, the balance of Earth, only to leave it unwillingly. She had loved living on Earth when she was human. She loved her father, her sisters, and her brother. She loved her life and where she lived. It was beautiful, having lived before all the corruption and massive buildings destroyed the world's beauty. She had adored being the only girl with odd colored hair. And in leaving Earth, she had thought she would never return. When she reached Heaven, she was given a new life. The life of a muse. One of the most beautiful muses of them all. She'd spent years in the clouds, living the best life she could have lived. She had friends there that could never be replaced, friends she would never see again. She had given up the very grace of God himself to be with Naimah, and yet; while she missed it, she did not regret her decision. She knew that what she had done in the end was the right thing. She could have never lived with herself if she were to let Naimah return to Earth alone. She knew deep in her heart that spending her eternal life on Earth was what she was meant to do. It was her purpose. It was her everything.
Her eyes shut, as she came to that conclusion. She drifted away into her thoughts.
'She ran to him, her eyes brimming with tears as she approached him in a sorrowful frenzy. She threw herself down to her knees, something that she rarely did. With her head bowed low, she sobbed softly, struggling to gain her composure. Her body was shaking. She could feel his all seeing eyes upon her, knowing that no matter where she ran, no matter what she did, those eyes would always be upon her. There was no escaping those eyes, no getting away from them. She could not hide anything from him.
"I beg of you, my lord. Allow me to go down to Earth with Naimah."
Her voice cracked under the pressure of the sorrow weighing on her heart. She was giving up everything. She was giving up the heaven she had learned to call home. She was losing her friends, her loved ones, her eternal salvation to go down to Earth with the one she loved the most. Shew knew that it was the right thing to do in her heart.
"I could not live with myself otherwise. Naimah is frail. She cannot live on Earth by herself, she will surely die. What she did was wrong. But keep in mind that I knew of it and allowed it. Allow me to suffer in her punishment, I implore you."
Her words though shakey, were firm and sincere. She would not allow for her to be sent down to Earth alone. Naimah needed her, and Echo needed Naimah just as much. She sniffled, attemping to compose herself in front of him. The muse was pouring herself out to her God. She was begging him with every fiber of her soul. Her eyes finally rose to him, peering from beneath strands of her beautifully multicolored hair. His facial expression was softened, and his eyes stared at her as if peering into the very depths of her soul. His lips parted.
"Echo, you have graced the Heavens with your presence for decades. Your presence has made this place better. Without you, Naimah would not have been as strong. I can sense this is what you really want, and so I will grant you this. There is one conditon."
His pause caused her to shudder. She could feel shivers shimmying beneath her skin. She knew it couldn't be good. She gave him a slight nod.
"I shall follow whatever word is your's, my lord."
She spoke softly, knowing that in obeying him she would be granted what she wanted. But in doing so, she also knew that she would not be able to break her word. A promise to God is binding. Echo would not be able to break it, no matter how badly she would want to. It was impossible.
"Naimah is not to be informed of Razeal. She is to know nothing of him. She is to know nothing of what she once was, or of who she really is. She is to know nothing of this place, or of what happened. She is to know nothing of your origin, of her past, of none of this. She is to live eternally, without knowledge."
Echo listened to his words, and with every proceeding one that fell into place, her heart sunk further. She was bound to do exactly what he had told her. Her eyes diverted to the ground, as more tears fall. She stifled her sobs, and gave a nod. She would do as God had wished her to do. And in those moments, everything around her faded. It would be the last time she was to see Heaven. She was sent down to Earth with Naimah by her side. She clutched onto the book holding everything about Naimah within it. Her eyes stayed low. Naimah could know nothing. The pain that struck Echo in those moments was indescribable. She had ruined Naimah's life. She had sealed her friend to a fate of answerless questions. Her eyes closed.
"What have I done?"'
The soft words of the music flowed into the ears of the soundly sleeping girl. She always slept with her music on, playing softly. It blocked out the silence, the eerie, unwanted silence that she hated so. But the sounds of her music weren't the only sounds echoing throughout her mind within the early morning hours. The music was never the only thing within her mind. No. She had far too many things in her mind for that to just be it. The music was perhaps the softest thing she could hear. Everything else was louder than the music. She sunk further and further into the dreams that always haunted her. The dreams that never left her.
'With strong arms, he held her tightly against his warm chest. Her eyes were closed, peace upon her fragile expressions. The two were underneath a willow tree, far out in some meadow. There were no large buildings, there was no pollution filling the air, no noisy cars, nor bustling streets. Just...Silence. She could swear she heard every blade of grass move individually, every wisp of wind floating by. The beating of his heart resounded within her head as she laid there, simply listening to him breathe. There was a light smile upon her face as she laid there, within the arms of the one she loved. The sun was warm, and kissed her skin through the long vines of the willow tree that was hoovering over them almost in a protective fashion. She could feel his fingers tracing her cheek, his fingers were slightly rough, calloused from hard work, yet they held a unique tenderness within them. He was always gentle, he always handled her with care. His breathing was soft and slow, yet it reminded her that he was alive, that he was there, that he existed. It wasn't just some dream that she had conjured up in the middle of the night. Oh no. Finally, her eyes opened, one a glistening green, the other a pinkish-orange the resembled the most beautiful of sunsets. She tilted her head back a little just to look at his handsome face, that goofy smile upon his lips as he looked down at her. She reached one hand up, and tenderly laid it upon his cheek, rubbing her thumb back and fourth affectionately. His pale skin glistened in the sunlight, just as her own did. Nothing could take them away from that moment and they both knew it. The power of love was great, and it bound them together. She was sure this was a forever thing...
"I love you..." he whispered, and with that, her eyes closed, and her smile grew.
"Say it again..." she whispered, snuggling in closer to him, trying to get as close as possible. Her grip around him tightened. She didn't want to let go. She never wanted to let go of him. Oh what she would have done to stay within that moment forever. Butterflies rattled restlessly within her stomach, and her heart was racing a million beats a second. Her thoughts were still. Her worries were gone. She was happy.
He chuckled. "I love you..." he said again, his voice caring, his voice sweeter than any other voice that had graced her ears.
They stayed there until night fell upon the horizon, stars lighting up the sky in place of the ever burning sun. They walked, and he left her at home. It was a beautiful, luxurious home for that time. The best in the land. She was after all, the daughter of the richest man in the region. Her father was thought of to be of near king stature. A tender kiss, a hug, and a good night, and that perfect day ended. She retreated into the warmth and comfort of her home with a smile on her face, a twirl in her step, and love in her heart. She hugged and kissed her father, and greeted all her siblings. Her mother, had died years ago, and though they all greatly missed her, they were happy that her pain and suffering had ended. Portraits littered the walls as she went up to her room. There were stuffed animals, trinkets, and all kinds of beautiful stones and shells about the room. Her family was rich for one reason. They held the key to the rarest stone collection in the land at that time. The stones were beautiful, and worth multiple fortunes put together. They were enough to start a war. Valuable, and beautiful they kept the stones a secret. One always hung upon her neck, though many just thought it to be a simple rock. She changed, and soon she blew out her last candle and she went to sleep. Happy underneath the covers, she slipped into her dreams. She slept for what seemed like an eternity, but she was awoken by the screams of her younger sisters. Then yells from her older brother. She shot up in bed, only to have someone jerk her out of her bed. She could not see their face in the darkness. She kicked and tried to break free but she just couldn't. She clutched her favorite stuffed animal to her heart. Little did she know it was the key to everything.
They were all taken to the living room and as she was pulled in she looked in horror at her family. Bound together, and gagged. With light in the room she noticed three boys that she knew. They were his friends. But...Why?!
"Where's the key to the stones!" the person holding her called. Her eyes widened at that voice. It was a voice she could never mistake. She turned her head and her eyes met with the eyes that belonged to her heart. She was turned, and then he tenderly touched her cheek. "Darling. Please just tell me where they are... We could start a war with our rivals. And we could defeat them. Think of the territory we would gain! Think of the riches. Please... You could be my queen." he said, his voice had returned to that ever intoxicating tone. Tears pricked her eyes at what she was hearing. She was shaking within his arms. She looked up to him.
"Remove the gag from my father, this instant." she said softly, what little command she had in her voice crumbling before him. With a gesture of his hand, they did as she had asked, and her father roared loudly. "How dare you come into my home demanding this! You heathens! You shall be condemned to death! Leave now and never come back and you shall be spared, but stay and you will be killed." he hissed, his voice strong and threatening. She was shaken gently by her beloved, and her attention turned to him. His eyes were begging her. "Darling. Think of the life we could have. I love you..." he spoke softly. She cringed at those words and looked again at her father. She was searching for an answer...
"Dearest think of the lives that would be lost! The innocents that would be murdered if this war was brought upon the land. War is not the right route. This is not a plea of love. It is a plea of greed. It is not the right thing to do." her father spoke, his tone serious yet caring. She returned her gaze to her beloved. He spoke again. "Does your heart lay within my hands, or your father's?" he asked, releasing her slightly. The others by that time had completely ransacked the house. They could not find the key. She knew where it was. She looked down, and her tears fell. "I'm sorry..." she whispered softly. And then, she was brought down with a harsh smack against the face. She fell to the ground and stayed there. "Then your family shall be killed off one by one, until you tell me..." he hissed. One of her sister's were taken and as they untied her, the second sister got free, and that's when things got crazy. As the men dealt with the unnaturally powerful little girls, she untied her brother and father. And they started to fight. She, stayed helpless on the floor. Her father held her beloved against a near by wall, by the throat. "Daddy--Wa--" she was cut off as a knife was easily slid across her father's throat. She screamed then, and in horror she knew what she had to do. She ran, leaving the house in the black of night. The stuffed animal lay on the floor of the house, a hole tore in it's stomach. The key had been in the animal, and was now clutched within her hands as she ran for her life, for what was right.
After her family members were slaughtered, her beloved realized that she had the key and the chase began. Day light was starting to fill the sky again, and it didn't take them long to catch up to the girl as they had horses. She could not hide. She was the only girl with green and orange hair, and differently colored eyes. And so, she threw the key into an abyss that would never be thought upon. She was found a ways away from that abyss, and was thrown against a tree, the very knife that had taken her father's life pressed against her throat. "Tell me where it is!" he growled, pressing it hard enough to draw blood. She was still crying. Her eyes shut, and she uttered the last words of her mortal life. "I...I cannot tell such a secret to a man who has evil in his heart." she said softly... A growl later, and her jugular was slit open...'
Oceanic blue eyes shot open, and she sat up quickly, a gasp escaping her lips as she sat up. Her hand was already clutching her throat as she sat there, breathing heavily, cold sweat trickling down her brow. She seemed to calm down rather quickly, realizing that it was only a nightmare. A horrid, horrid nightmare. She gently released her throat, and her hand instead grabbed onto the silver chain upon her neck. Her slender fingers traced the chain downwards to the beautiful stone that hung upon it. Her eyes closed as she rubbed the smooth surface of the stone. A single tear fell from her closed eyes but was quickly wiped away like a simple irritation. Her muscles relaxed and she took in a very deep breath, steadying her racing heart beat. It was a dream that she tended to relive every night, one that always awoke her in a fear, in a heart broken sorrow. Mornings were not something that Echo enjoyed, not in the least due to those dreams. She could always feel her heart hurt, feeling as if his strong fist were clenching it until it exploded. She placed her hand to her chest, as if she were to have a heart attack, and then her eyes opened. She could still hear the screams of her family. She cringed at the memories of her past that no one else knew of. Memories she could never, ever share with anyone other than herself. Memories that would haunt her for the rest of her eternal life. No matter how many decades she lived through, or how many times she changed her location, her hair, her eye color... Those memories would stick with her until the end of time. With her body and mind calmed, she looked to the nearest clock. It was nine. It was around the time she usually woke up.
She turned her body, and slowly slid out of bed, her feet sliding off of the bed first. She sat there for a moment before her feet touched the floor, and she straightened out. Her small, thin body stretched out wearily, covered only in a pair of shorts and a tank top that hugged her body tightly. Her beautiful turquoise hair lay past her shoulders messily. She pulled the ear buds from her ears and turned off her iPod after first finding it within the mess of comforter and sheets that was her bed. After wrapping the headphones around the iPod she wandered to the curtain and then she pulled it open. She was greeted by a sudden burst of sunlight that made her cringe for only a moment, but then her beautiful eyes adjusted. She smiled faintly as she looked out to the city below. Such a beautiful morning. She took in a breath, and then wandered about her room, moving to her walk in closet to get some clothes so she could shower. Breakfast would be ready soon, as Naimah usually was up before her and tended to make some, or at least leave her something to eat. She smiled faintly at the thought. Food. Yum. She walked in and didn't take long to pick something. She grabbed a pair of light jeans, with frayed ends and a hole in the left knee. She also grabbed a yellow tank top, with white stripes, and then a pink tank top that wasn't cut as low. She also grabbed a soft pink belt with blue and yellow polk-a-dots on it, and some cute slip on shoes with small colorful doodles all over them. She then started off for the bathroom, only to pause at the body sized mirror. She stared at herself, not in pride, nor in any egotistical manner. But instead, she examined what she could change. Perhaps she should get some bright highlights, or dye her hair all over again. It had after all been every color of the spectrum at one point or another...
She did this for a few moments, and then she felt something slowly curling around her ankle. She didn't need to look down, as she knew it was her companion Luce, the snake. He curled around her body, moving his way up until he was wrapped around her upper stomach, his head able to rest upon her shoulder as he looked in the mirror with her. "Echo my dearesssst. Niamah leffft you thissss note. Sssshe leffft pretty early thissss morning." he hissed softly, as she flicked his tail up towards her, the note held within the tight coils. She plucked it from this tail graciously and then unfolded it to read it. Her eyes drifted across the words.
"Echo,
Went to work early. Couldn't stand the silence. I probably won't be home at all today. I'm kinda feeling restless. So don't worry about me ok? I'll likely be home kinda late, so don't wait up for me. Nano should be around to pick up What The Bleep Do We Know sometime after five. At least, that's what he said. You should, you know, hang out with him. After all, the guy utterly adores you! (Haha. Just kidding.) But ya. Seriously Echo. Have a good day ok? Don't worry about me - I'm just in one of those moods. No big deal really. Have fun with your surfer boy, and smile a lot. For me, ok?
-Niamah."
She smiled faintly at the words, but she rolled her eyes at the Nano part. Niamah didn't seem to understand the complications of a relationship. Nano was a very nice guy, cool, funny, sweet, and there was just something about his smile that got to her... But he would only be a friend. He had been for the last five years. And she hadn't felt her heart beat like it did around him for any one else...But of course she would never, ever admit that. She wouldn't even admit it to herself. She was in complete denial over how much she liked him, and how much he liked her. He could sing her a love song, with her name in it, and she would some how convince herself that he was only being nice and substituting her name for some other girl's. Too stubborn to realize it, she could never see how close they actually were. She thought it was silly how everyone thought they were so cute together. They weren't a couple, and they never could be. Echo and Niamah had one year left in San Fransico and they would have to leave. Again. They would have to abandon all of the people they had grown close to over the last ten years. They would leave their home, their lives there, and they would do it all over again. Nano was a boy, she could never have. He was a boy she would never deserve. She couldn't allow herself to grow close to the boy, despite the fact that he had broken down many of the barriers she had put up. She couldn't get into anything serious. He would only be a friend, no matter what happened. She would have to leave him in a year. And then he would forget about them. And he would move on with his life. And while Echo would never forget him, she too would move on. There would be other boys who liked her. Other people who managed to get close. But none, could stay within her or Niamah's life...
Her heart ached again at that thought, and so, she turned away and started heading for the shower. Luce slithered down her body and landed gently on the floor before she reached the bathroom door. She opened it, and then closed it again, before stripping down and entering the shower. Now she, unlike her best friend had the sense to let the water run for a second before actually getting in. She stepped into the warm water, feeling as her skin came alive with the heat of the water. She stayed within the shower for a pretty long time. Long enough to fill the room with steam and the scent of blackberry-ember body wash. She was out, dried off and dressed within half an hour after that. She had spent a little longer on her hair, on her make up that day... Perhaps it was just because Nano was coming over. She smiled faintly at the thought of him. She found herself doing that more and more often at the thought of Nano. But again, she would simply brush it off. She finished and headed to the kitchen, figuring that if Niamah had left so early, she probably hadn't made breakfast. Echo could smell oranges and figured that had been Niamah's breakfast. And so she made her own breakfast, consisting of a nice bowl of fruit salad she had made the night before, and some orange juice. She ate quietly, joined by both Luce and Jack. She shared her breakfast, giving Jack some bits of Cantelope and Grapes while Luce especially liked the Strawberries and Honeydew Melon. She smiled silently as she ate with her friends. Though, it was eerily silent. She missed the sounds of Niamah singing softly, or humming at least. She was so used to the those sounds that when silence surrounded her, she began to miss her dear friend.
Niamah. Echo's one, true friend. The only one Echo trusted with her life, with her secrets. Echo was the only one who knew everything about both of them... And she had to keep it that way. She had promised God, she would not tell Niamah of her past... Forever bound to that promise. Echo cringed at that thought. She hated not being able to tell Niamah of the man she loved... Or of her past. It broke her heart to know that all of Niamah's questions could not be answered. Not by her at least. The guilt weighed heavily on her shoulders every day. Every time she seen Niamah staring off into space, thinking, trying to remember, Echo felt horrid. She had even kept the journal that she had wrote the happenings of that night with Niamah and Razeal down in. It was safely hidden, never to be seen by Niamah. She hated having to deny her one true friend her memory, her past, her love... But it had to be done. For Niamah's safety especially. And so, she continued on throughout that eternal life with the biggest burden upon her fragile little shoulders.
With her food diminished, she looked at the clock. It was nearly eleven now, and she had plenty of time before Nano came over. She found that in Naimah's mentioning of the silence bothering her, that she too had become bothered by it. The silence only gave her time to think about all the awful things that haunted her, of all the hurt she would soon have to go through once more. And so she would simply escape it, and leave, as she did with everything. Standing up, she put her bowl into the sink before grabbing her white hoodie and skateboard before heading outside. Jack was perched upon her left shoulder, while Luce was curled around her lower torso, only his head showing as it was protruding from her hoodie which was zipped up half-way. She was out and on the streets within seconds, and with her board down and her right foot planted on it, she used her left to launch her into motion. She moved forward and with a few more pushes, she was cruising down the sidewalk at quite the decent speed. She had no idea where she was heading, but she often did that. She liked the thrill of not knowing exactly where she would end up. In living for decades the thrill of life is easily lost, and so Echo kept that trill alive with all she could.
She swerved deftly between the many people walking in the opposite direction, with little concern for the looks she was getting. She had become accoustomed to it. People had stared at her for her entire existance, even when she was a human her natural beauty and oddities made people stare. She didn't even notice it anymore. She simply stared forward to make sure she didn't run into anyone. She took a sharp turn, heading down a less busy street. She was heading towards the quieter part of the city, in order to get just the right amount of peace. Just as Echo hated silence, she hated noise and bustling people. After several minutes, she came to a halt, her eyes having fallen upon a small park. There were a few children there, but it was relatively unoccupied otherwise. Picking up her skateboard, she headed into the park, sitting down upon the swingset. She set her skateboard off to the side, and pushed herself, pumping her feet to keep herself going. She leaned her body back, her eyes falling to the beautiful sky. She stared at the heavens above her, almost longingly. She missed it. She missed heaven. She missed the other muses, and the angels all around her. She missed the warmth and she missed the soft clouds. The peace of that place had instilled within her, and in her leaving, that peace had disappeared only to be filled with a constant urge; a longing to go back. But she could never go back. She had abandoned heaven for her one true friend, condemning herself to live eternally upon the Earth.
Heaven had provided Echo with an escape. Heaven had taken away a lot of her pain, the torment that had engulfed when she was murdered by the very one she had devoted her whole heart to. The man she loved had murdered her for power. She had used her last moments of life to conserve the peace, the balance of Earth, only to leave it unwillingly. She had loved living on Earth when she was human. She loved her father, her sisters, and her brother. She loved her life and where she lived. It was beautiful, having lived before all the corruption and massive buildings destroyed the world's beauty. She had adored being the only girl with odd colored hair. And in leaving Earth, she had thought she would never return. When she reached Heaven, she was given a new life. The life of a muse. One of the most beautiful muses of them all. She'd spent years in the clouds, living the best life she could have lived. She had friends there that could never be replaced, friends she would never see again. She had given up the very grace of God himself to be with Naimah, and yet; while she missed it, she did not regret her decision. She knew that what she had done in the end was the right thing. She could have never lived with herself if she were to let Naimah return to Earth alone. She knew deep in her heart that spending her eternal life on Earth was what she was meant to do. It was her purpose. It was her everything.
Her eyes shut, as she came to that conclusion. She drifted away into her thoughts.
'She ran to him, her eyes brimming with tears as she approached him in a sorrowful frenzy. She threw herself down to her knees, something that she rarely did. With her head bowed low, she sobbed softly, struggling to gain her composure. Her body was shaking. She could feel his all seeing eyes upon her, knowing that no matter where she ran, no matter what she did, those eyes would always be upon her. There was no escaping those eyes, no getting away from them. She could not hide anything from him.
"I beg of you, my lord. Allow me to go down to Earth with Naimah."
Her voice cracked under the pressure of the sorrow weighing on her heart. She was giving up everything. She was giving up the heaven she had learned to call home. She was losing her friends, her loved ones, her eternal salvation to go down to Earth with the one she loved the most. Shew knew that it was the right thing to do in her heart.
"I could not live with myself otherwise. Naimah is frail. She cannot live on Earth by herself, she will surely die. What she did was wrong. But keep in mind that I knew of it and allowed it. Allow me to suffer in her punishment, I implore you."
Her words though shakey, were firm and sincere. She would not allow for her to be sent down to Earth alone. Naimah needed her, and Echo needed Naimah just as much. She sniffled, attemping to compose herself in front of him. The muse was pouring herself out to her God. She was begging him with every fiber of her soul. Her eyes finally rose to him, peering from beneath strands of her beautifully multicolored hair. His facial expression was softened, and his eyes stared at her as if peering into the very depths of her soul. His lips parted.
"Echo, you have graced the Heavens with your presence for decades. Your presence has made this place better. Without you, Naimah would not have been as strong. I can sense this is what you really want, and so I will grant you this. There is one conditon."
His pause caused her to shudder. She could feel shivers shimmying beneath her skin. She knew it couldn't be good. She gave him a slight nod.
"I shall follow whatever word is your's, my lord."
She spoke softly, knowing that in obeying him she would be granted what she wanted. But in doing so, she also knew that she would not be able to break her word. A promise to God is binding. Echo would not be able to break it, no matter how badly she would want to. It was impossible.
"Naimah is not to be informed of Razeal. She is to know nothing of him. She is to know nothing of what she once was, or of who she really is. She is to know nothing of this place, or of what happened. She is to know nothing of your origin, of her past, of none of this. She is to live eternally, without knowledge."
Echo listened to his words, and with every proceeding one that fell into place, her heart sunk further. She was bound to do exactly what he had told her. Her eyes diverted to the ground, as more tears fall. She stifled her sobs, and gave a nod. She would do as God had wished her to do. And in those moments, everything around her faded. It would be the last time she was to see Heaven. She was sent down to Earth with Naimah by her side. She clutched onto the book holding everything about Naimah within it. Her eyes stayed low. Naimah could know nothing. The pain that struck Echo in those moments was indescribable. She had ruined Naimah's life. She had sealed her friend to a fate of answerless questions. Her eyes closed.
"What have I done?"'
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The s t a r s are out tonight my dear, have you ever seen them so c l e a r?
If I c o u l d, I would take you up...To take one d o w n...
If I c o u l d, I would take you up...To take one d o w n...


