The Beginning of Addison and Amanda Flynn
The moon hung low in the sky, casting pale silver light over the dense woods where two small figures darted between the trees. Twin girls, no older than six, their bare feet barely made a sound on the damp earth as they ran, their hands tightly clasped together. They didn't know exactly where they were going—only that they had to keep moving.
The scent of pine filled the cold night air, mixed with the distant sound of barking. Their pursuers were close.
Amanda, her heart hammering in her chest, tightened her grip on Addison's hand. "We have to hide," she whispered.
Addison, slightly ahead, glanced back. Her green eyes, wide with fear, met Amanda's navy blue ones. The same scars marred their pale skin, fresh from whatever torment they had barely escaped. Their past was hazy—a series of dark halls, cold hands, voices whispering about their powers. About what they were.
Amanda felt the familiar tug in her mind—the telepathic bond they shared. Over there.
She turned to where Addison was looking: the roots of a massive oak tree, hollowed just enough for them to squeeze inside. Without hesitation, they dove into the cramped space, holding their breath as the barking drew near.
Heavy boots crushed leaves and twigs nearby. A low voice muttered something in a language neither of them understood. The girls pressed closer together, shaking but silent.
A minute passed. Then another. The footsteps faded.
Amanda let out a slow, quiet breath. Addison, always the braver one, peeked through a gap in the roots. "They're leaving," she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Amanda shivered. "Where do we go now?"
Addison didn't answer right away. The night was vast, and the world beyond the forest was unknown. But she knew one thing for sure.
"Anywhere but back."
Amanda nodded, her fingers curling around Addison's again. They had no home, no family—just each other. And that would have to be enough.
Hand in hand, they crawled out from their hiding place and disappeared into the night, the whispers of the forest the only witness to their first steps toward freedom.
The Fire
Hours passed as they wandered through the endless woods. The darkness no longer felt as comforting—it was cold, stretching forever, pressing in on them like an endless abyss. Their tiny feet ached, their breath shallow from exhaustion.
Then, suddenly, the air changed.
Amanda stopped first, her nose twitching. Smoke. A thick, acrid scent curled around them, carried by the night wind.
Addison turned toward it, eyes narrowing. "Something's burning."
Amanda grabbed her arm. "We should go the other way."
But before they could move, a distant glow flickered through the trees. Then another. And another. It spread too quickly to be anything but a wildfire.
A gust of wind howled through the forest, feeding the flames. In seconds, the orange glow became a raging inferno, racing toward them like a hungry beast.
Panic surged in Amanda's chest. "Addy, run!"
They sprinted. The fire chased them, crackling and roaring as it devoured the dry undergrowth. Smoke thickened the air, stinging their eyes, burning their throats. Embers rained from the sky like fiery snowflakes.
Amanda coughed violently, her legs screaming in protest. She stole a glance at Addison, who was struggling just as much. They couldn't outrun it.
Think, think, think.
Their minds connected. In the shared space of their thoughts, Amanda saw what Addison saw. A river.
"This way!" Addison shouted, yanking Amanda toward the left.
The trees thinned, revealing a steep slope leading down to a dark rushing river. The fire was closing in behind them, but there was no time to hesitate.
Amanda swallowed hard. "Jump?"
Addison nodded.
They grabbed each other's hands and leaped.
For a split second, they were weightless—floating in the air, the fire reflecting in their terrified eyes. Then the icy water swallowed them whole.
The river yanked them under, its current twisting and pulling them away from the burning forest. The last thing Amanda saw before darkness claimed her was Addison's hand still gripping hers.
They would survive. They had to.
Because they only had each other.