INTERNAL SIN

(Kai's Point of View )

The night sky was ablaze with color. White hot flames shimmered through fierce yellow and into burnt orange as the flames licked the trees.

It was the true definition of grisliness yet I didn't look away, watching that catching fire and withstanding the urge to run in but my legs remained embedded on the ground, I was unable to move, not even his enigmatic screams and laughter, or the look of anguish, betrayal, and fire in his eyes that peered back at me was able to haul me in.

The flames crackled with hunger, its desire was never satiated as it greedily devoured everything on its path, nothing was spared, including me as it burnt through my clothes and set my soul on fire yet I didn't move cause the fire never hurt me, it burnt but not my flesh.

Suddenly, he was standing in front of me, dark, soulless eyes blazing with flames, gawking into my essence. "I won't let you burn with me!"

I managed a smile, my hand reaching out to caress his cheek and I watched him lean to my touch just as he usually did. "It's too late," I told him and watched his eyes widen while the fire finally burnt through my flesh, turning me into dust before his eyes.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't save you," the words left my lips in a whisper.

"No, No, No, please!" He yelled, but it was too late; I sensed myself burning and fading until there was nothing left of me but ashes; nevertheless, that flame was drawn out as I felt an ice liquid splash on me.

I bolted awake, my eyes dilating while a cough spewed from my throat as if I was being immersed and smothered at the same time while a tingling sound went on in my ears, followed by peals of skewering laughter that pulled me out of my trance and back to reality, a reality where I was encircled by my classmates, cackling up at my distress as if it was the nuttiest thing, maybe it was.

"Looks like Kai has been sleepwalking again!" A voice I recognized all too well poked fun at me and the laughers got louder. I peered around my surroundings, finding myself in the school's canteen but I remembered falling asleep on my desk in my classroom, how did I get here? 

Did I really sleepwalk...again? And what's with that dream?

A sigh left my lips and I pulled myself from the floor, drenched from head to toe, I shook my head and straightened my uniform, and turned to leave however, my path was blocked and I found myself staring at Kyrell Johnson, West High's biggest tyrant, and jerk, one of the worst things that had ever happened to me. 

"Going somewhere, Kai?" A pretentious smirk curved at the corner of his lips.

"What do you want?" I queried in an indifferent tone which he took offense and grabbed me by the collar of my uniform, heaving me close, and snarled down at me with his grayish-brown eyes.

"What I want is something you can't give, Kai!" He gritted, fanning his repulsing breath of intoxicant on my face. I felt like puking.

"Your breath is nauseating," I articulated and his eyes magnified for a quick second but he recovered too soon as his fist collided with my jaw, the impact drove me to the hard floor and I spat out the metallic substance I recognized as my blood.

"Why don't you repeat that, bitch. You have no one to save you from me!" He cracked his knuckles and his friends joined at his back, sneering and ready to charge at me.

However, he was right, in a world of soulmates and guardian angels, I had none.

"I'm going to finally crush you under my palm!" He chuckled darkly but the moment was short-lived when a female voice interrupted.

"Kyrell, that's enough!"

Rose, Kyrell's soulmate brushed through the little crowd, glaring at her boyfriend who immediately thawed at the sight of her and backed away. "This is your lucky day, Kai. Better watch your back!" He hissed at me and reeled, placing an arm over Rose's shoulder, and walked away while the crowd immediately departed, leaving me on the floor.

I lifted myself and sauntered out of the cafeteria.

School hours were over three hours later and I found myself sauntering home, my bag pack hung on my shoulder and a hoodie over my head, and my gaze on the pathway, not wanting to see the contentment and blissfulness around me, for some reason it suffocated me.

As a result, I felt forgotten in a world where people had guardian angels, soulmates, and happy families. My angel, in particular, had abandoned me just as I needed him most.

I lived in a world where you were assigned an angel on your 12 birthday, his job was to keep you company his presence, keep you safe at all cost, and on your 16th birthday, your angel was gone and you meet your soulmate instead, the one you would spend the rest of your life with.

Growing up without a family, I'd always wanted to feel the presence of my angel. They said the feeling was nice, having an Angel's presence made you feel safe, protected, and warm, however, I felt cold and bleak on my 12th birthday.

I was forgotten.

Years passed, I became 16, and I was supposed to meet my soulmate, but no one showed up.

I had been forgotten.

And now that I was 18, in my final year of high school, I resolved not to care any longer; I had accepted that I would be alone forever on my 12th birthday.

I was the odd one out.

To be continued...!