The Darkest Legacies

Chapter 16

March 15th, 2020- Ten Years Ago

Lizzie's POV: My mouth watered as I waited impatiently for mom to get something to cut the cake with. "Jo", I whispered, gesturing toward the unguarded cake before rushing forward. Grabbing a handful of it, Josie smiled as she copied my actions with an excited gleam.  

"You try it first", Josie offered, holding her handful of cake out toward me.

"No, you", I said, attempting to hand her my handful.

"Together", she asked, looking me in the eyes questionably.

"Together", I nodded, before we basically fed each other the cake. I saw a flash, causing me to jump slightly, as I spun around to see dad taking a picture of us while mom was laughing softly. "What's so funny", I frowned with a mouthful of cake.

"Lizzie, no talking with your mouth full", Josie whispered.

"Who's ready for presents", mom asked us.

"Me", we both shouted, rushing toward our parents' sides. 

"Here we are. It's from both of us", daddy told us before we ripped open the present to see a set of necklaces.

"There so pretty", Josie whispered, hugging our parents as I looked them over thoughtfully.

"I want the red one", I told them, taking the one with Josie's name on it.

"But that's Josie's, honey. Yours is the blue one", dad frowned.

"But I want this one", I told them stubbornly, stomping my foot as Josie watch me silently. 

"Sweetie...", mom sighed.

"It's okay, mommy", Josie told her, taking the blue one. "She can have it", she smiled.

"I'll never understand you two", dad sighed, shaking his head as I helped Josie put the blue necklace on with a secret smile.

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Clinging to Josie's arm, I stumbled forward as someone shoved us forward, urging us to go faster, as we walked off the bus. "I'm scared. I want my mommy", I whispered tearfully. 

"I know", Josie said, walking into the building before another kid was shot, causing me to flinch.

"Alright you two, you're next", someone told us, grabbing my arm, before he went up in flames, causing my mouth to drop open in shock.

"We got a red", someone yelled as Josie grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the gate. Stumbling forward, I attempted to keep up with her as my chest tightened uncomfortably. "Jo, stop! Slow down", I pleaded, breathing heavily.

"There's no time! We...", she paused, coming to a stop as we spotted soldiers blocking our path.

"There they are", someone yelled as my heart stopped. "It's quite amusing that you girls thought you could get away from me", the man smiled cruelly.

"J-jo...", I said fearfully, looking around us. 

"It's okay, I'm right here", she assured me before multiple soldiers around us caught fire. I flinched, clinging to my sister's arm tightly as I shut my eyes.

It's just a dream. 

Just a terrible nightmare. 

When I wake up, I'll be in bed in our room. 

I slowly opened my eyes only to nearly drop to the ground when I realized that this was real. Turning my head, my eyes widened fearfully as Josie's brown eyes glowed a bright red. "Jo...", I got out shakily before someone grabbed me. I felt myself hit the ground as the air left my lungs. I gasped as one of them kicked me in the stomach, causing me to curl into myself as tears dripped down my face.