Louis's POV
I stood before the old, three-story house, vines clinging to the windows like emerald fingers. We’d moved to escape my father, Mark, and to start anew.
“Loubear!” Mum’s voice boomed from the moving truck.
“What?” I called back, turning around.
“Can you watch your sisters and brother while the workers unload?” She yelled.
“Sure,” I replied, a small smile tugging at my lips.
“Lottie, Georgia, Fizzy, Daisy, Phoebe, Ernest, Doris! Meet me in the backyard!” I shouted, already heading for the rear of the house.
I rounded the corner and stopped. The “backyard” wasn’t a yard at all; it was a forest, thick with trees and shadows. Before I could process it, two three-year-olds latched onto my legs, giggling. A chorus of small voices followed.
“Can we play hide and go seek?” Daisy asked, her eyes shining.
“Sure,” I said, trying to disentangle Doris and Ernest from my knees. “I’ll give you a head start.”
Finally, I managed to wriggle free. “Okay, count to twenty and we’ll hide.”
Daisy closed her eyes and began to count, her small voice clear and earnest. “One… Two… Three…”
I darted toward the trees, finding a sturdy oak to hide behind. After a few minutes, I heard the sound of rushing water and curiosity pulled me forward. I followed the sound, pushing through branches until I stumbled into a meadow bathed in sunlight. A patch of wildflowers bloomed in vibrant hues, and I was drawn to them like a bee to honey. I sat down amongst them, weaving stems together, and began to create a flower crown. As I neared completion, I heard a giggle. I looked up, expecting to see one of my sisters, but instead, I saw a girl.
She had chocolate brown curls and was swinging on a swing tied to a tree at the far side of the meadow. Her face was alight with joy. I quickly finished my crown and placed it on my head, then walked towards her.
“Hey, I’m Louis,” I said, reaching her.
She stopped swinging, her eyes widening in shock.
“You can see me?” she asked, her voice small and hesitant.
“Why wouldn’t I be able to?” I asked, confused.
“Gemma!” she screamed, tears welling up in her eyes.
“I’m sorry,” I said, offering her the flower crown.
She stopped crying, taking the crown with trembling hands.
“Why are you so nice?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” I began to respond, but before I could finish, I was shoved against a tree. A girl with the same brown curls as Gemma pinned me there, her grip tight around my neck. Her eyes, however, were not Gemma's gentle brown, but a startling, blood red.
“What did you do to my sister, demon?” she hissed, her hand tightening around my throat, cutting off my air.
Demon?
Her grip tightened, and black spots danced before my eyes. I gasped for air. The last thing I saw was a boy with curly hair and green eyes rushing forward, trying to pull her off me. The world swam in darkness.