Remnya

A soft drizzle caressed the bruises on Remnya's pale face, numbing the pain as she climbed to the highest branch of an old oak. The spot had a privileged view of the hazy city beyond the walls of the orphanage. They weren't allowed to leave, but dreaming was free and helped her to forget the punishments.

She curled up, allowing herself to get lost in the mysterious landscape. Droplets soaked her long black hair, where two tiny horns grew like thorns on a rose, a testament to her particular nature. Perhaps, that was the reason they had forced her to wear that device around her neck. A weird collar that emitted an obnoxious beep at night, interrupting her nightmares.

Why was she the only one wearing it? That incident hadn't only been her fault.

In her thirteen years of life, there had never been time for weakness. The survival of the fittest was the norm in that prison they called home, an ancient building with decaying walls looming over a large front yard where the orphans drowned their misery every afternoon.

Breaking the rules was a great way to feel alive, but the caregivers showed no mercy to problematic kids. Discipline meant pain and scars, a reminder of what not to do.

At least her bruises healed quickly.

The sound of feet splashing the wet soil brought Remnya back to reality. Beneath her, she saw her friend, Zeo, holding a bag in his hands. She eased herself to a lower branch and jumped off the tree, landing smoothly like a cat.

"Why are you here alone, Rem?" Zeo asked, wiping his thick-rimmed glasses with his white shirt.

"I wanted to see the city towers, but it's too foggy today." Remnya shrugged and brushed two strands of wet hair sticking to her face. "What's that?"

"Oh, this is for you." Zeo drew a lunch box from his bag and handed it to her. "You haven't eaten yet, have you?"

"Thanks." Remnya rushed to open the box and found a chicken leg dipped in mashed potatoes. The caregivers had punished her without food for two days, but Zeo always found a way to receive an extra meal from the kitchen, where he worked.

Her friend smiled, his cheeks turning pink. Zeo was one year older than Remnya, but his delicate face and malnourished body made him appear younger. He had long, pointy ears and messy hair that fell over his green eyes.

"Let's go back inside. It's getting cold." Remnya closed the box and motioned for Zeo to follow her. He rushed after her, trying to keep up with her long and fast legs.

They crossed the front yard, passing by a wooden shelter where the older kids gathered every afternoon; faceless orphans, who saw her differences as a crime and always reminded Remnya she didn't belong there.

Focusing on the void of her mind, Remnya sped up her pace, trying to ignore the judgemental eyes locked on her. However, the nasty murmurs had already started.

"Horned witch," someone whispered.

Remnya clenched her fists and shot a poisonous glance from the corner of her eyes, yet she continued.

"Such a nice couple of freaks," a girl, called Gina, sneered, followed by the laughter of her friends. She was her roommate, and such comments had become routine.

Remnya halted, slamming her feet on a pond of brown waters, and turned to them with a glare, heat building up in her chest. The girls exchanged scornful looks and gossiped. They always talked behind her back but never dared to confront her directly.

"She's so ugly, she doesn't even look like a girl."

The high-pitched laughter from the group echoed in her head, over and over. Like waves of unjustified hatred, they cut her skin.

The chain holding her back snapped, and as if a demon had possessed her body, Remnya began to walk toward them.

But Zeo grabbed her arm.

She looked at him, her teeth gritting. "Let me go." Her voice sliced the rain.

"Rem . . . " Zeo shook his head, his lips trembling. "They're not worth it. I don't want you to get in trouble again, please." The last time she had fought, her roommate had ended up in the infirmary, but Remnya was locked in the basement for one week, not without a previous beating from the caregivers.

She stared into Zeo's tender eyes for a moment, and the demon in her chest seemed to calm down.

Taking a deep breath, Remnya swallowed her anger. He was right, her wounds were still fresh, and her time in the orphanage was coming to an end. It wasn't worth it. She forced her ears not to hear and strode toward the building while a fire burned her insides, threatening to explode through her mouth and fists.

As usual, Zeo tried to distract her, and from his bag, he grabbed a book. Remnya was allergic to reading, but her friend always bugged her with new interesting facts about the world.

"I found this at the library," Zeo said, displaying the cover of his new book. It read The Fourteen Wonders Of Nature in faded letters. "I was learning about the Nephilims." He looked away, embarrassed by his statement.

"Nephilims? That weird thing again!" Remnya scowled at him. She hated him reading about the Nephilims. Everyone knew the last one had disappeared during the Blood War; the powerful creatures who protected Earth and brought peace thirteen years ago. Now only a few hybrids remained, the offspring of Nephilims and humans.

Zeo claimed she was one because of her horns and tail. Her tail was long and thin, with an arrow-shaped tip she always tried to hide. Remnya wished she didn't have such weird things on her body. Though, Zeo insisted there was nothing wrong with her.

None of it mattered. All Remnya knew was that she was different, a freak in everyone's eyes. Her unique ability was to get in trouble and get beaten for it. If anything, being a Nephilim was a curse.

They headed to the dorms through the main corridor. Windows on the left and drawings glued to the wall on the right. Visitors usually sat there to watch the kids playing in the yard and then picked one like a puppy. The scent of damp lingered in every corner, accompanied by cobwebs swaying around pale lights.

"I am making a going-away present for you," Zeo whispered, hiding his face.

"Really? What is it?" Remnya's eyes shone, forgetting her anger for a moment.

"It's a surprise." He giggled

Remnya smiled and patted her friend's back. "I guess you were right, after all."

"About what?"

"If I kicked Gina's face out there, we wouldn't be able to spend our last days together," she murmured, and the spark of joy in her quickly faded away.

Silence.

Zeo dropped his gaze and rubbed his hands together. "When are you leaving?"

"I don't know, but the old hag said soon." Remnya glanced at his downcast eyes and swallowed. Mixed feelings tangled around her heart. Remnya was glad because she would finally have a family, but leaving her friend behind would be the hardest part.

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"You need to learn how to defend yourself before I leave!" She raised her fist.

"I know, Rem, I know . . . " Zeo sighed. All he wanted was to read and learn in peace. Instead, he was the target of cruel jokes and the boys' punching bag. "Wish I didn't have these ugly things." He tugged his ears.

"I think they're cute." Remnya smirked. "Anglish ears, was it?"

Zeo stifled a chuckle. He had shown Remnya an old book that narrated the story of the Anglishes, an ancient race from far away. They concluded Zeo looked like them, except they were strong and brave, traits he considered the opposite of his own. If Nephilims were a rare wonder, Anglishes were the holy grail of evolution. But unlike Nephilims, who faded out as they mixed with humans, Anglishes had been exterminated long ago.

They sat on a humid bench in the courtyard, separating boys' and girls' dorms.

Remnya's stomach growled as she opened her lunch box, but before she could take a bite, Zeo jumped from his seat and put his hands on his head. "I forgot my book in the kitchen!"

Remnya put her lunch box on the bench. "Let's go for it."

"Don't worry, Rem." Zeo smiled and gestured at her to stay in her seat. "I'll go for it myself and be back before you know it." Before she could reply, he dashed into the corridor. His shoes echoed against the tiles until they faded in the distance.

*°*°*

Remnya raised an eyebrow, wondering if he was hiding something, but preferred to trust his word. She grabbed her plastic tableware, eager to try the food, and slowly took the first bite.

Smiling, she savored it, enjoying every ounce of flavor, knowing how lucky she was to have at least one meal a day, unlike other orphans, who had to fight for a plate of food. If it weren't for Zeo, she would be in the same situation.

Remnya observed the younger kids playing in the courtyard. They rarely made fun of her horns and tail, so she tolerated them and even laughed at their antics.

As the minutes passed, the drizzle turned into a shower that punished the ancient structures of the orphanage and flooded the floors. The kids disappeared, seeking shelter, and Remnya finished her meal, wondering why Zeo hadn't returned.

She waited by the corridor, leaning against the wall to avoid the spray of water sprinkling from the roofs. The autumn rain had always been unpredictable.

In the distance, she spotted a little girl running in her direction with tears in her eyes.

Remnya called out to her, "Amy! What's wrong?"

"Zeo is in trouble!" The little girl sniffled.

Her blood froze. "Where is he?"

"The backyard!"

Silence.

"I'll take care of it," Remnya said, wiping the tears off Amy's cheeks and squeezing her soaked body tightly between her arms. "You go back to your room and change your clothes, okay?"

Amy nodded, sobbing, and then Remnya rushed toward the scene.

Remnya sprinted through the corridors, dodging kids and caregivers in her path. She kicked the back door and bolted outside. Her worn sneakers and white socks turned brown as she hopped over puddles of mud. Her heart raced at the thought of what lay ahead, but her legs moved on their own.

Under the branches of an old maple, Remnya spotted her friend.

Zeo lay on the ground next to a pile of debris and trash, surrounded by three boys. His glasses and his book lay buried in the mud, and blood spilled on his white shirt.

A menacing shadow loomed over her friend. She recognized him, Liam. A tall boy whose face reminded Remnya of an angry rat.

"Get up!" Liam yelled, burying his foot in Zeo's back.

Trembling, Zeo placed his hands on the moist soil and tried to sit up, but before he could regain balance, a fist smashed against his face, sending his head like a stone to the ground.

Everyone laughed as he bit the dirt.

Remnya clenched her fists and sneaked behind a dead trunk, fury burning her insides. She recalled her last encounter with them, the night they had locked her in the bathroom and tried to force her to kiss a boy.

She glanced at two mossy rocks dug into the soil. They were huge.

Liam grabbed Zeo by the collar of his torn shirt, forcing him to stand, and pushed him against the tree. Zeo's green eyes glistened with tears.

"Butter! Pull his pants down," Liam ordered an overweight kid who followed him everywhere.

Butter walked forward, making Zeo flinch and bump his head on the tree.

"No, please, don't!" He cried while Butter yanked his belt. Instinctively, Zeo smacked Butter's fat hands, trying to keep his arms off him.

The resistance was brief. A punch in the stomach shattered Zeo's will to fight. He writhed in pain and let out a muffled squeal.

"Shut up!" Liam grunted, gripping his throat. "Santi, hold his hands!" he commanded his other friend, who watched with discomfort.

"Isn't this too much?" Santi asked, grimacing at Zeo's sobbing. "He's bleeding. The old hag is gonna get mad at us!"

"The old hag doesn't care." Liam sniggered. "Do it! It'll be fun."

"He's a coward too," Butter said, slapping Zeo's hands away. Zeo froze, afraid of receiving more punches, and allowed him to undo his belt.

A loud thump resounded throughout the yard, and suddenly Butter's hands were paralyzed.

His eyes turned white, and his smirk faded. He sprawled over Liam, forcing him to release Zeo, and dropped to the ground like a bag of cement.

Liam noticed the bleeding wound on his nape and a rock next to him. His eyes widened, scanning his surroundings until he spotted the culprit standing a few meters away.

"Leave him alone, stupid suckers!" Remnya yelled, drawing back her arm to throw another rock.

"The horned witch!" Liam roared.

"Go away, or I'll open your head too, rat-faced jerk!" Remnya shot a menacing glare at him, her eyes spitting fire. Liam was twice her size, but Remnya wouldn't be easy prey. Despite her slender body, she was taller and stronger than most boys.

Liam hesitated for a moment and glanced at his friends. Butter was on the ground, groaning in pain, while Santi hid behind a tree. He bared his teeth and snatched a broken metal pipe from the trash pile next to him.

"Come on then, bitch! If you dare."

Remnya swallowed through a closed throat while a bead of sweat rolled down her forehead. Her instinct yelled at her to flee, but her heart didn't allow her to abandon her friend. She loosened her shoulders and tightened her fingers around her only weapon and hope.

With a violent jerk of her right arm, she threw the rock as hard as she could.

The projectile missed Liam's cranium by inches, scratching his earlobe with a trail of sand and mud.

Like an enraged animal, Liam charged at her, shouting unintelligible curses. Remnya stood still with her pupils locked on his movements.

Liam aimed his weapon at her head. But she ducked and leaned back, avoiding his blows.

Furious, he stomped at Remnya again. She leaped aside, kicking his knee as he blindly passed next to her. He groaned with frustration and swung his pipe aimlessly.

Remnya evaded all her clumsy attempts, but as she took one step backward, her foot slipped on a mud puddle.

Using her palms, Remnya avoided the fall and pushed herself back to her feet. However, when she lifted her eyes, she witnessed Liam over her, about to land a full blow on her face.

Unable to evade it, she closed her eyes, waiting for the impact.

It never arrived.

Zeo jumped on Liam and pushed him with his whole body to the ground.

Remnya felt a burning pain on the side of her face. A long red line had formed where the sharp edge of the metal cut through. If it hadn't been for Zeo, Liam would have smashed her head. Her blood boiled with anger and frustration. Despite her unmatched reflexes and agility, she couldn't fight him, not with solid metal threatening to break her skull.

A loud thump resounded in her brain, and suddenly, everything was spinning. Remnya staggered as acute pain spread through her head. In her confusion, all she could see was a massive fist impacting her head for a second time.

Unable to react, thick arms wrapped around her from behind. Butter had recovered and crushed her body with a tight grip. Liam's high-pitched laughter echoed throughout the backyard as he kicked Zeo away from him. He lifted his weapon and strolled toward Remnya.

Remnya twisted her body, unable to break free from Butter's grasp. He was three times her weight, and being two years older, matched her strength. She regretted not using a heavier rock. His head was so thick he barely received any damage. She kicked his legs with her heels and tried to headbutt him, but he was shorter than her, and she couldn't hit his nose.

"Hurry!" Butter screamed, desperation in his voice as she buried her nails into his stomach.

"Liam, don't do it, man!" Santi shouted from behind the tree.

"Shut up!" Liam roared as he loomed over Remnya. If he hit her, she would end up in the hospital again. Nobody wants to adopt broken kids; that's what the adults always said. Her chances to leave would crumble.

And who would protect her friend? Without her around, Zeo would suffer a terrible fate in the hands of those monsters.

No way in hell she would allow that. As long as those people existed, they would keep causing harm.

She had to get rid of them.

Remnya felt her heart burning as if dipped in boiling water. Her hot hands hissed as they dug into Butter's skin. An unbearable heat flowed through her veins like magma until it erupted through her skin like a volcano.

A crimson flash blinded her, and tongues of fire caressed her face.

Butter let out a terrifying shriek and released Remnya just in time for her to dodge Liam's hit.

A loud crack resounded throughout the backyard as the metal landed on Butter's forehead, and a spurt of blood showered Liam's face.

Remnya couldn't understand anything until she stared at her arms. They were covered in crimson flames, burning her clothes. She panicked and sprinted toward the nearest bathroom, leaving a trail of embers and sparks behind her.

Her heart was in her throat, choking her as she stormed into the bathroom and turned the shower on, putting out the fire. She panted and trembled, her heartbeats hammering in her brain. With dilated eyes, she scanned her skin, terrified of the horrible burns she had gotten.

There was nothing.

Her skin was intact, smooth, and pale as usual. She lifted the remnants of her burnt shirt in front of a cracked mirror. Her stomach, arms, and hair were undamaged.

Remnya brushed her hair with trembling fingers. She could swear it was on fire, but it was still as long and perfect as always. Why?

Even the terrible pain in her head had disappeared.

Leaning against a corner, Remnya dropped to the wet floor. She curled up, burying her face between her knees, and trembled as guilt tore her insides apart.

"What did I do?" she mumbled, her voice cracking. "I didn't want to do it, I didn't want to . . . "

*°*°*