Black and red.

That's how I always saw her, dressed in black and red. It was something she had got from her mother. An obsession with the two colors. I never really understood why but to be honest, I never wanted too. 

There were too many things about her that made no sense. Sometimes I considered it my unfortunate luck that I was stuck with her but when I looked and saw the people around her, I would instantly feel better.

There was no one else I would rather be stuck with.

Here is a fact: you will hate me by the end of the book.

I just know you will but that's okay because this isn't my story, it's hers.

I am just a part of it. Consider me as your narrator if you must.

I first realized she was absolutely insane when she drowned a thirty year old man to death. She was 6  years old then. I have always been a little terrified of her since then.

5 year old Myra was terrified of monsters and a year later, she realized that she was one.

A monster. 

They all were. 

But for the sake of their own sanity, they called themselves the markeds. Two small black lines engraved on their skin was the reason for all their misery. It was what made them the monsters. 

Not bloodshot red eyes or two horns on their heads, but two small black lines. 

I actually found it quite funny sometimes.

They all lived beyond what they called the mist. A black wall of void darkness which went all the way from the ground to the sky. It surrounded the entire town like a prison and there was no escaping it. No one from either side could cross the mist as it would burn whoever tried to touch it to ashes.

But it wasn't always like this.

Until 18 years ago, the town of Cantabridge flourished in happiness and peace under the rule of the markeds but it all went crashing down when the cursed fever hit the city. No one knew where it came from or what caused it. Hundreds of people were dead in a matter of months and the markeds lost all of their powers to it.

So of course, the council chose this very moment to declare war and the markeds were banished from Cantabridge and that's when the mist was made. After their banishment, they made their own council of which Myra's mother took control and after her death, Myra took control.

None of the council members were too thrilled about receiving orders from an 18 year old but there was absolutely nothing they could do about it. 

She had a privilege.

                                                                                              ***

It was just another cold morning when Zach burst into Myra's room, panic written all over his face.

"S-something is happening!" he stuttered, sneaking looks outside the window as if he was expecting something to burst through any moment.

"What?" Myra asked lazily as she pulled her blanket closer to her.

Now for most people, Zach was terrifying. He was insanely tall and broad, you could easily say he worked out quite a lot. Sometimes, I wondered how he fit through the tiny doors in Myra's house and whenever he walked, I swear I could almost hear the floor creaking. But that could be because the house was too old. 

"What?" Myra repeated her question, a little louder this time. 

"Something is happening to the m...s-someone is coming through....I think s-something-"

"If those words don't come out of your mouth in the next two seconds, I'll make sure no words come out of  it ever again"

So you can see where I was going with the 'most people' thing.

"Someone is coming through the mist!!" 

"What did you just say?" Myra raised her eyebrow as she slowly got down from her bed, making Zach take a step back.

I wasn't sure why. I mean it could be because he was terrified of her which I knew he was but it also could be because she looked like she had stepped right out of a kids horror movie.

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Her pitch black hair which was incredibly long was flying in all direction and I don't want to say this but it almost looked like hundreds of malnourished snakes trying to escape. Some people said her eyes were her best feature. 

'It's like sunshine through a glass of whiskey' 

'It reminds me of the sweetest chocolates' 

'swirled with caramel crescent moons' 

'it's like honey cuddled by sunlight' 

All bullshit. It was just brown. Honey cuddled what now?

Some also said they were exactly like her mother's. I however, would like to disagree. Sure the color was same but from what I remember, her mother's eyes were kind.  It was almost like a subtle flame inviting you to know and trust that there is goodness in everyone. There was a  warmth in them that would set your heart ablaze.

Myra's was...quite the opposite.

There was a fire in them that looked like it could burn you if you stared for too long. They reflected hatred and anger buried deep beneath. 

Oh sorry, where were we?

Yeah, the mist!

"Someone's coming through the mist" Zach repeated sounding a little less hesitant this time.

"Did you eat something weird Zach?" Myra walked over to the window. There was absolutely no way Zach was right.

"No I swear I-"

"What the hell is happening outside?" Myra opened the window and her mouth simultaneously. The last time she had witnessed something like this was when her mother had died, 8 years ago. People were running around, some were screaming, some were crying. There was absolute chaos everywhere. 

"Did someone important die again? Wait no that can't be...I am alive. So what the hell is happening outside?!"

"I told you, it's the mist....we think someone is coming through it" Zach exclaimed but Myra was already out the door.

                                                                                      **

Zach was right but he had also missed out an important point.

"Let's kill them!!" the crowd chanted behind Myra. The news had spread like wildfire and almost the entire town had gathered, grabbing whatever weapon they could find. Myra even saw a women holding a bunch of combs in her hand. She wasn't sure how it would help but there was no time to stop and ask. The mist was opening and looking at the crowd, she knew that whoever was coming through wouldn't leave back alive. Not that they should.

The mist which was usually pitch black and looked like it was engulfed in darkness was now slightly cracked from the middle. It was opening for the first time in 18 years. 

"This is not possible right?" It was Serena who walked up to Myra from the crowd. 

"Not really"

"What should we do? The crowd is gonna go wild" Serena said looking back at the crowd looked like a volcano ready to erupt. 

Out of all of Myra's friends, not that there were many, Serena was the slightly sane one. Maybe because she was a year older or maybe it was because of the way she was treated.

Imagine being called a monster by the monsters.

18 years ago, after the partition, Serena's mother was among the few who were accused of helping the Cantabridge council in making the mist. And although they had cried and begged for forgiveness, they were shown no mercy. They were all burnt alive at the town center. 

Their families were murdered overnight and before they could get to Serena's family, Myra's mother had issued a rule that anyone who harms anyone from Serena's family, their entire family and generations to come will be thrown across the mist and Myra made sure that the rule was followed. Her mother had said that she believed that only the accused should be punished.

Sometimes I wonder why she didn't say that before the murders.

But anyways, the rule did not stop people from talking or doing things. To this day, at least twice a week, Serena helps her father erase the word 'traitor' painted outside their house,

"Kill them!" "Kill them all" 

"No one does anything until I say" Myra screamed at the crowd and silence overtook instantly.

"Why not?" It was Ian and all you need to know about him was that he had severe hatred for Myra, and no one knew why. Serena had suggested that it had something to do with Patriarchy "We are going to kill them; we are not going to be waiting for your orders this time" 

"Didn't you hear her?" Serena snarled at Ian "No one does anything until she says" 

"How dare you talk to me you filthy little tra-"

Uh oh.

A rush of energy and darkest winds immediately dawned upon the city as Ian collapsed on the ground instantly. Myra's hands were balled into fists and her eyes were fixed on Ian who was gasping for air.

"Anyone else has a problem?" she yelled as the winds got stronger, almost suffocating.

A few people screamed, some covered their eyes, and some ran away.

"Myra stop..." Serena said as she tried hard to breathe but Myra wasn't listening. Her eyes were focused on Ian whose mouth was now wide open as hundreds of bugs crawled out of his mouth as he was trying to scream.

Filthy. He had said.

"Stop!! What are you doing?!" Sebastian screamed from the crowd as he rushed towards Myra, pulling her out of trance.

"Oh relax" Myra rolled her eyes "He is not dead, just take him to Calum's dad" 

"You are insane" 

I know right?

Sebastian signaled Zach to take Ian away and he immediately got to work.

"Anyone else got a problem with not overreacting?" Myra asked the crowd and silence answered her question.

"Alright great, now let's deal with this" she smiled as she walked closer to the part of the mist that was changing its color. There was a strange light coming through the dark void and it only got stronger and brighter.

It was only for a few seconds, but Myra could swear that she saw the other side. It was bright and warm. A strange but beautiful smell filled the air.

Flowers, Myra thought.

Her mother had a few dried ones that had somehow survived the war. 'They are special' her mother had said as she locked them in the vault.

Myra had only got to touch them twice. She even stole a dried petal once and buried it in snow, hoping more flowers would bloom. She watered it every day for 3 months but to her disappointment, she never saw any flower or that petal ever again.

"You have got to be kidding me" Sebastian muttered through gritted teeth.

The brightness and warmth had disappeared, and the mist was back to normal but standing in front of it were 10 people.

Nine of them were carrying guns which were aimed at the crowd but what caught Myra's attention was the boy standing with them. He looked around 18-19.

 He was the only one without a weapon and he was the only one who did not look terrified.

He smiled slightly as he slowly walked towards Myra with a confidence that felt both amusing and insulting to Myra.

Who did he think he was? Walking into her town like its his?

"Hi" the boy smiled "we need to talk"