Citizen

Chapter fifteen // p1

~ Quick author's note ~ a big thank you to everyone reading this because without you I'd be nothing. I'm dedicating this chapter to TheWattys as today I made the longlist! It's a huge honour and I'm so thrilled I was even considered.

Thank you so so much to all my readers! You guys are so helpful and honest with your feedback, it's helped me get where I am right now.

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Thunder rumbled overhead like a threat, drawing a pair of young hazel eyes to the dark wall of clouds above. The few rays of sunlight that slipped through bounced off the city river and scattered the light as though it was made of diamonds. Kyra sat down on the edge of the footpath and slipped her legs through the bars separating her from the water below; it was oddly peaceful staring at her rippling reflection, so familiar and yet so different all at once.

"Have you ever tried to describe the water?" a voice near her shoulder asked.

Glasses, hazel eyes, close cropped hair and a smile that could make all the monsters under her bed disappear. Though the man's reflection was distorted, the voice alone gave away his identity. Hunter, her father.

Kyra shook her head. "Not yet dad. It's too hard, with all the ripples and colours and lines..." Kyra babbled until her voice faded into nothing.

"Don't doubt yourself, you have to have courage in yourself and what you want to do. If you don't you won't go after what you want. You can do anything you put your mind to." Hunter took a seat next to her on the concrete, sitting as close as he could to the fence. "You and I, we're the same."

Kyra frowned. "No we're not dad. I'm eight, you're twenty eight. I'm tiny, you're tall. I'm a bookworm, you're an artist." She giggled and looked him up and down. "Not to mention we're different genders. That's quite a big difference."

Her father laughed. "That's true. I did notice that." He nudged her gently in the ribs. She grinned and nudged him back.

Smiling, he said, "What I meant was that we both doubt ourselves. You're more talented than you'll ever know Kyra. Don't hide your talents for anyone, and don't put yourself down for not being who you want to be. You're beautiful just the way you are - just like the river. I know you'll do it justice."

A warm feeling spread through her. She shuffled over and wrapped her arms around her father's waist, nuzzling her head into him. "Thanks dad."

"Anytime kiddo."

A metallic click rang through the air. Kyra looked up with furrowed brows; she'd never heard thunder like that before - part of her, the part that enjoyed scary stories, guessed it was something else entirely. The noise was different, more like a sharp knock on metal than a clap of thunder. Her father stiffened against her. She frowned, staring into his icy eyes, taking in his clenched jaw.

"Dad, what's wrong?"

He didn't reply. All of a sudden she was on her feet, being led away from the river. Her father's grip on her arm was so tight it was almost painful. She didn't dare try to break it.

"What's wrong with the thunder?"

It took him a while to reply. His eyes were wide and darting, and when they rested on Kyra they only looked wilder. He set his jaw and stared forward.

"Nothing, I promise. Just keep moving, okay? We have to keep moving..."

Questions died on her pursed lips as Kyra nodded. A burning need to understand settled in her chest, a thirst for knowledge stronger than anything she'd ever felt before, but the rest of her told her to continue forward and listen to her father. For once, her irrational side won. Though every fibre of her being screamed at her to do what she was told, to get out of that place, she couldn't.