Note: The italics are flashbacks.
November 23rd, 2030- Three Years Later
Josie's POV: I smiled to myself as I watched a wooden dummy go up in flames. My eyes traced over the dancing flames as I turned around to greet the girl leaning against the wall, watching me. "I think you're getting better at that", she complimented.
"Thanks", I replied shyly. "But that's not the hard part", I admitted, narrowing my eyes as I closed my palm, waiting for the flames to distinguish. I deflated as the flames grew brighter, glaring back at me as if trying to mock me. "Not again", I whined, throwing my hands up in defeat. "I give up", I huffed.
"That quick? Come on. It's easy", the raven-haired girl encouraged. "Just concentrate on the target, and-"
"I don't need fire lessons from a gold", I scoffed. "Don't you have better things to do than to just stand there, and watch me? Why don't you stick your tongue to a light-bulb or something, and leave me alone", I glared, causing the girl to smile. "I'm sorry, Penelope", I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "It's just so frustrating. Fire is literally my life, and I can't even get that right", I stressed as my eyes flickered a red hue.
"Well, if you actually participate in training like the rest of us, then we wouldn't be here", Penelope challenged, her eyes swimming with amusement. "What's got you in such a good mood", she chuckled.
"It's none of your business", I shot back, grabbing my bag before hurrying from the gym.
Walking out behind the school, I headed toward the old mill before sitting down against the wall. Pulling my knees against my chest, I sniffed, wiping at my eyes shakily.
"We got a red", someone yelled, as I grabbed my sister's hand, pulling her toward the gate.
"Jo, stop. Slow down", Lizzie pleaded, breathing heavily.
"There's no time. We...", I got out before noticing the soldiers blocking our path.
Hearing someone sit down beside me, I looked up into Penelope's concerned eyes, causing me to immediately look away. "I want to be alone, Penelope", I sniffed, hiding my face in my knees as I tried to take calming breaths.
"Everyone's worried about you. They said that you haven't been yourself lately", she explained, causing me to lift my head as my eyes met hers.
"What do you want, Penelope? To gloat", I asked, looking over at her angrily. "To run back to all your friends and tell them that 'perfect' little Josie Saltzman had a meltdown", I accused, causing her to look away from me guiltily.
"I want you to tell me what's bothering you", she explained.
"Nothing", I defended.
"There they are", a soldier yelled. "It's quite amusing that you girls thought you could get away from me", he smiled cruelly.
"Josie", Penelope questioned, shaking my shoulders.
"Will you just stop", I snapped, shoving her away from me. "Stop doing that", I glared, causing her to furrow her eyebrows in confusion.
"Doing what", she asked, genuinely confused.
"Let me go", I yelled, struggling against the soldiers holding me as my sister's screams echoed around us. "Stop it! Please, you're hurting her", I yelled as they kicked her again.
"Please, stop. P-please...", Lizzie sobbed, causing my eyes to burn before one of the buses nearby blew up.
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Penelope's POV: Noticing the distant look in Josie's eyes, I frowned in concern as I shook her shoulder once more, causing her to nearly growl under her breath as she looked up at me in irritation. "Will you just stop", she snapped, her brown orbs fading into red. "Stop acting like you care", she growled.
"But I do care", I admitted, trying to ignore the pang in my chest.
"No, you don't. You just want gossip to tell your friends", Josie spat, causing my expression to fall. Breathing deeply, her eyes returned to their warm brown as she looked over at me apologetically. "I'm so sorry, Penelope. You...you didn't deserve that", she sighed, leaning her head against the wall. "I've just had a lot on my mind recently", she admitted, wiping at her eyes once more.
"Do you...want to talk about it", I questioned, causing her to bite her lip. "It might help", I offered.
"No, Penelope. I don't want to talk about it", she said, irritation bleeding into her words.
"Hey, I'm not trying to get you to confess your sins or anything, but I'm also not so good at this comforting thing", I explained, holding my hands up in surrender. "So...mind throwing me a bone", I asked rhetorically.
"Ten years ago, when all this started, my twin and I were sent off to Fort Valley, Georgia to a place called Triad Industries", she started, causing my eyebrows to raise.
"Whoa, hold up", I interrupted. "You have a twin", I exclaimed in shock.
"Had", she corrected. "We were fraternal", she told me.
"Is she as beautiful as you are", I asked with a slight smirk, trying to lighten the mood.
"W...tha...that's not the point", she blushed, before clearing her throat. "Anyway, when we got to the camp, they were separating us by color", she said, causing me to nod in understanding. "We tried to stay together, but when they found out what I was, they tried to take me away to be used as a weapon for the government", she explained. "We attempted to escaped, but we didn't make it...", she sighed. "They were so angry that we tried to get away, so they...", she trailed off as her voice cracked.
"Hey", I frowned, pulling her into a hug as she covered her mouth with a choked sob. "Shh, it's okay", I whispered, rubbing her back.
"My parents don't know...and it's all my fault. It's my fault", she cried, burying her face into my shoulder.
"It's not your fau-"
"Yes, it is", Josie exclaimed. "It was my idea to run, so, when we got caught, they took me away from her, she panicked and lost control. The soldiers killed her", she stated. "They killed her, and it's my fault", she choked, causing me to pull her closer, trying not to let the tears leave my own eyes.
Clearing my throat awkwardly, I quickly searched my mind for anything to say to cheer up as I felt myself begin to panic. "I've done it, you know", I blurted out, causing her to pull away in disgust.
"Ew", she exclaimed, scrunching her nose up cutely.
"Oh no. Not...that", I blushed. "The light-bulb", I said, watching her disgust melt away to interest.
"You stuck your tongue to a light-bulb", she gawked. "What happened", she questioned, watching a small spark of excitement ignite behind her eyes as a smile tugged at my lips.
"It lit up", I snickered, causing her to slap my arm playfully.
"No way. You can't just raise my expectations like that, and then just...", she huffed, causing me to laugh lightly.
"If it makes you feel any better, I licked an electrical outlet when I was seven and blew out all the electricity on our whole block", I admitted. "It would've killed me if I was normal, but that was the day I discovered that I was anything but", I smiled to myself as Josie studied me closely before a small smile spread across her face.
"Huh...that does make me feel better", Josie hummed.
YOU ARE READING
The Darkest Legacies
FanfictionThere's a war raging on, and everything is slowly falling apart. With the help of her friends and family, can Josie finally put an end to the war while also uncovering things from the past that doesn't seem to add up?
