Call of Caldiria chapter 1 rough draft

Call of Caldiria chapter 1.

The screaming did little to drown out the sound of gunfire that ran out through the darkened streets. Veredel was unable to see where it was coming from, and the sound bounced off the buildings around her making it sound like the shooter was right behind her. The pounding rain and people rushing about her added to her anxiety, she had no idea what was going on besides someone was shooting, and she had to get out of here.

She ran under a flickering streetlight, pushing her way through the crowd of people, themselves desperate to get away. She took a moment to look over her shoulder, and she tripped, landing hard in a dark puddle. “Damit.”

Her dark hair becoming further soaked.

She forced herself to her feet. She had to get out. She wasn’t sure why she was so urgent to get way but knew it had nothing to do with the chaos before her. She just had to…

Veredel Stanwhick woke up, sweat on her brow. She was trembling. Forcing herself to stand, she walked to the door to her room, heading for the kitchen. The world was still dark, it was another hour until she was supposed to be up and ready for school. It was her last year at the high school before she could finally leave that dammed school and move on to college. She hated it, the work, being an outsider, everything sucked. At least at the end of the week, it would be over.

She reached the kitchen and grabbed herself a bottled water, quickly unscrewing the cap. It was the sixth time in the last two weeks she had had the dream, it was starting to drive her crazy. She did not know what it meant or why she had it. She had a hunch that her fear of a school shooting happening at her own school was the reason why she was having nightmares. She set the water down after she had called down a bit.

The lights suddenly flicked on. “Veredel, you’re up?”

She didn’t need to turn around, recognizing her mothers' voice. “I just needed a drink of water.” She didn’t say anything about her nightmares. Veredel didn’t want to make a big case about it.

Her mother moved to stand in front of Veredel. She had short dark hair, like Veredel. She looked at Veredel with her amber eyes with concern. “Something seems wrong. Everything ok, you haven’t been getting much sleep lately.”

“It is just hard studying for finals, that is all.”

“Ok.” She didn’t look convinced. “I need to change out of this nightgown and wake your brother. If you need anything…”

“I know. Thank you.” She hugged her mother. As she left, heading back up the stairs to her brother’s, Sean’s, room, Veredel followed.

She decided while she was up, she would greet her brother and get ready for the day. Sean, he was half her age and a pain in the ass at times, but also one of the brightest parts of her life. She loved him more than anything in the world. Of course, she loved her whole family, but she hated to say her little brother was her favorite. Her mother couldn’t be trusted with secrets, the important ones anyway.

Then there was her father. He was not around much, working as a security guard during most of the daylight hours. She really only saw him around six at night and later. When he was home, he was either sleeping or abusive. There were too many stories to sum it up in a few words, but it felt like whenever he saw her, he would take out all of his anger onto her. She usually bore the brunt, but Sean and her mother also were struck from time to time.

Veredel climbed back up the stairs, heading back to her room. She needed to change out of her pj’s. On the way, she passed Sean’s room and saw a tried looking Sean rubbing his eyes, staring up at her. “Vere, can I ask you something?”

She knelt down beside him. He was eight years old and half of her height. His blue eyes stared into hers. “Of course you can, there never is a time when you can’t.”

He tried to smile, even though he was still waking up.

“Can you buy me the Call of Caldiria game? Mom says she won’t, but it’s my birthday tomorrow.”

Veredel looked past Sean at their mother, who was picking out his clothing, her green eyes boring into her back. She then whispered to her brother. “Don’t’ tell Mom, but of course I can.”

Sean seemed to wake up all at once. “Really!”

She held her hand to his lips. “Don’t tell Mom. Remember.” She assumed the reason why Sean couldn’t get the game was that their father said no.

Call of Caldiria was expensive so she could see why they usually wouldn’t buy it for him, but it was his birthday tomorrow.  Why does our father have to cheap out for Sean?

She also did not want word getting back to him so he could flip when she went behind his back and bought the game for Sean. He hated her enough already.

“Go get ready for school.”

He hugged her. “Ok, I love you, sis.”

She gently hugged him back. “I love you too.” She stood up and headed for her room. She had to get ready for a dreary day of exam prep. That was all school was now, prepare for the exams as they are your life and death for getting out of here. She didn’t care all that much, she just wanted to take the exams and be done.

The school was just one annoying step in her life; she was ready to finally be done with. Besides, she had more prominent issues in her life to worry about.

One problem, she needed a job and fast. Her father was going to kick her out if she wasn’t employed the day after her graduation ceremony. She had no idea where to even begin looking, partly because she had no real interest in taking a job like at the local MacDonald’s. When she finally went to work, she wanted it to be her passion, whatever that turned out to be. She had yet to figure that out.

Veredel entered her room and closed the door.

She tried to push the thoughts aside as she picked an outfit out from the mess of clothing on the floor. Her room was the definition of organized chaos, clothing, and paper covering the ground and her computer chair and desk.

She did not have a problem with the situation though she knew where everything was. Veredel quickly dressed herself in a plain shirt and a pair of jeans.

She then grabbed her backpack, untouched from the night before. The thing about exam week was she had no homework to deal with. She took a quick moment to straighten her hair in the mirror before rushing back downstairs to make her breakfast.

As she passed by Sean’s closed door, she could hear voices on the other side. But something was odd. She didn’t hear them with her ears as she passed but instead felt them in her head.

"I can’t wait for Veredel to buy me the game."

She blinked her eyes after she passed his room, rubbing the side of her head.  What was that? I must be imagining things.  She shrugged off the strange feeling, hoping it was just that, a strange feeling she had imagined.