Under the Shadow of the Moon

Chapter 55

Lily's eyes fluttered in her sleep. She couldn't tell in her listless state, but she was squirming under the thin blanket that was thrown over her, cold sweat beading against her skin, muttering words softly. Tears were forming in her eyes as she re-lived moments from her past. She could hear their voices, see their faces, feel her heart break again.

"My beautiful, beautiful flower..." came her mother's voice. "You look so beautiful, all dressed up like that."

She could see her mother's warm smile. Lily reached out to touch her, but she faded from view. She then saw her brother run by, chasing a younger version of herself. He was so innocent, big blue eyes taking in the world, blonde hair falling into his eyes. A bright future ahead of him. She reached out for him, her fingers so close to brushing against his shoulder, until he too, faded away.

Lightning struck the ground behind her. Now she faced her burning house, the thick smoke that rose to the sparking clouds, the red flames licking at the walls and bursting from the windows. She watched Silas break down the door and get her out, coughing and about to pass out. She watched Elijah take off, laughing to himself as he drifted into the sky with his dark wings.

Lily watched the scene fade away, now newly resurfacing in her memory. She had come so far since that day, she couldn't just fall back into the crushing feeling of being alone. She couldn't go back. She remembered every moment, every feeling.

She was inside the house now, flames licking the room around her.

"Stop! Elijah, don't do this! Please... don't do this..." her younger self pleaded.

Her former older-brother-figure laughed in her face. "As if I'm going to listen to the words of someone like you... a waste of breath. A mistake."

"Please... I know you can be better! I know you were a good person... you can be that person again... I'm not going to just sit here and watch you destroy everything!"

"Why even try? Your words don't mean anything to me... I'll just destroy your family before anyone can stop me."

"Elijah..." The small girl sobbed, reaching out for the younger version of Elijah. He kicked her hand away, leaving her squealing in pain. "Silas!" She screamed out. Lily could feel the burning in her own throat. "Silas please!"

Lily could remember the feeling she had that day, lying helplessly on the floor under Elijah's boot, watching her house burn and her world shatter around her. She remembered the hopeless feeling she had felt, and how desperately she clung to her last hope, that Silas would save her.

"He's not here to save you this time... And besides, aren't you a bit tangled up at the moment?" He shoved the toe of his boot between her tiny ribs, causing her to cry out.

"Help me! Please!"

Lily felt a wave of heat against her.

The door finally caved under Silas' kick, sending glass shards flying everywhere around him. He stormed up to Elijah and shoved him aside. Back then they were still the same height, evenly matched in every aspect.

The two of them had been like older brothers to Lily and her brother, present for almost her entire life. It wasn't until the few months leading up to the moment she was watching now that Elijah had begun to slip away.

Silas scooped the younger Lily up off the floor, hugging her to his chest as he ran out of the house. The house collapsed in on itself behind them, sending splintering, burning wood flying everywhere. She could hear Elijah laughing as he left the house and disappeared into the smoke.

Lily stood outside now, watching Silas console her on the sidewalk. "It'll be okay, Lily, I promise you. I'll make sure you stay safe." He held onto her until the Department of Family Services showed up and took her to her first foster home. That had been the last time she had ever seen both Silas and Elijah, up until that summer.

She sat up in her sleeping bag, panting hard. She missed them all immensely, but she knew she would never see any of them again. She had hope that she would see Silas again, but she knew the others were gone. The Elijah she knew hadn't been around for almost six years. She hugged her pillow against her, the feeling of being alone washing over her with a strength she hadn't felt since the first time she woke up without her brother in the world.

She looked a few feet away from her, at the mop of lemon blonde hair snoring softly in a clam sleep. The soft rise and fall of his chest steadied her racing heart. Lily sighed, standing up carefully. She couldn't shake the feeling that she needed to hold onto something, something she held the most dear to her. She walked over to him, careful not to make a sound. She sat beside him, wincing silently as her knees popped.

She gently twirled the ends of his hair between her fingers, careful not to wake him up. He was all she had. They were all she had. Her friends. Who loved her. Who cared so deeply about her they would give up anything for her. Not just them, but she too would give up the world for them all. She had never had a group of friends who cared about her. She never had a group of friends she truly loved. But no one cared about her as much as Lloyd did. She was eternally grateful for him. For him and all the others. For everything she still had.

Before she could stop them, tears began to spill from her eyes, falling to her feet. She wiped them away smiling. She pressed her lips to Lloyd's forehead, careful not to nudge him, before standing silently and walking over to the entrance of the house.

The moon was bright that night, shining high above her, casting a bright blue glow all around her. She thought back to the first time she had met Luna, and when she found out Sylvia was her sister. And how welcoming they all were to the both of them. Lily had everything.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, pulling her into his chest. "You really thought you could watch me like a creep while I slept and not wake me up?" Lloyd whispered into her ear, his tone light and amused.

Lily smiled as she turned to face him. "I was hoping you wouldn't," she replied sheepishly.

"Is everything okay? I can tell that you've been crying," he said as he wiped a tear off her cheek.

"It's nothing, just..." She sighed, dropping her head against his chest. "I had a dream—a-a nightmare... I saw my mother and brother... and I just had to see that you were okay. To convince myself that I hadn't lost everything..."

Lloyd hugged her tighter. "Aw, I'm your everything?" Lily scoffed as a playful grin rose to his lips. "I'm joking," he responded as he lifted her chin. "I promise, as long as I have breath in my body, I will protect you. I will be here for you."

Lily smiled, standing on her toes. "I promise I'll always be here for you to protect. I'll always be here for you."

He leaned in, pressing his lips against hers. Lily found solace in his arms, holding on to the last thing she had. And she never wanted to leave.