Ashes to Embers by Abigail Livinghouse (best book reader txt) 📕

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We dumped the body outside the wall before anyone else could see. It didn’t take us long to find how the Dead had gotten in. Luis, the one who is supposed to be watching the gate, had fallen asleep at his post. The gate had been easily jostled open because not only had Luis passed out; he had also failed to lock the gate correctly.

We weren’t sure what kind of punishment this deserved, so we just sent him home and brought someone else to keep watch instead. It was around three in the morning when we made it back to the complex and calmed everyone down enough for them to go back to bed. Dimitri and I made it upstairs last. I barely stripped myself of my clothes before collapsing on top of our mattress.

I closed my eyes hoping for sleep, but only saw the Dead with its gaping jaws and jagged figure, trying to grab one of us, to make us its life source. My eyes snapped open just as Dimitri lay down next to me. He turned to face me, gently brushing his knuckles against my cheek. I wanted to close my eyes again, but didn’t, fearing I would only see the soulless inhuman being again.

“Are you okay?” He asked, his mouth turned down in concern.

I nodded, although I wasn’t too sure. Dimitri gave me a knowing look. He could tell I wasn’t being honest. Even though I’d only known him for a few months, he knew me better than anyone since my family who were long dead now. There really was no point in keeping anything from him. He would get it out of me sooner or later anyway.

“Lilith wants to go after Felix.” I whispered.

Dimitri cocked an eyebrow, encouraging me to go on.

“I told her it was impossible. We would be sacrificing a group of innocent people searching for a needle in a haystack. Who knows how bad it is out there? And I mean really out there, not just slightly beyond the wall. Felix gave no indication of leaving at all let alone where he could’ve gone.”

“Did you explain that to her?” He asked.

 I tossed my hands up. “You think she listened to me?”

Dimitri pursed his lips, picking up my hand and rubbing my palm with his thumb. He was trying to relax me, but I was wound so tight based off of all that had happened tonight. I knew I would be getting no sleep.

“You can’t control what she does.” He murmured, bringing my hand up to his lips and kissing my fingers.

I sighed. “Don’t I know it. And that’s not even what I want. I don’t want to control anybody. I just want her to understand the dangers and risks of a search party, especially for someone like Felix.”

I knew Felix. Definitely not as well as Lilith, but I did know that he was stubborn. Like I had said before, if he didn’t want to be found then we wouldn’t be able to find him no matter how hard we looked.

“You should really get some rest.” Dimitri said softly, smoothing down my unruly hair.

“Funny joke.” I barked out a laugh.

“I wasn’t joking.”

I laid my head down on the pillow just to appease Dimitri. He watched me for a few seconds before turning around. It wasn’t long before I could hear him snoring softly. Usually that sound was enough to put me right to sleep, but every time I shut my eyes all I saw was the . . . I shuddered to think of it that way, but all I saw was the zombie.

I wasn’t sure why that particular creature had left such an impact on me. I had seen millions of the Undead in the years the Plague had gone on. Millions of ragged, bloody, and soulless corpses walking around the streets hungry for human flesh. And for some reason, a pathetic, skeletal Undead being that had wandered into our civilization left me shaking and my skin crawling.

For a moment it had seemed Dimitri felt the same way about the Dead corpse he had shot, but he hadn’t said anything to me or brought it up, so I certainly wasn’t going to.

I checked my watch. Four in the morning, and I was about as close to sleeping as I was to stepping outside the wall with sausages slung around my shoulders. I got up, careful not to jostle and wake Dimitri, shoved some clothes on, and headed into the hallway.

It was light enough to see in front of my face, but the stairs were a little darker being as there weren’t any windows around. I opened my palm and exhaled as a small burst of flame ignited, pulsating and radiating a comforting heat in the center of my hand. My fire gave off enough light to illuminate the staircase, and I headed down.

I was halfway down the stairs when a voice startled me enough to snuff out my makeshift flashlight.

“Couldn’t sleep?”

I jumped as my fire vanished and I pressed my back against the railing, gripping it so hard my knuckles burned.

“Who’s there?” I called out louder than I probably needed to.

“Chill out, Sirenia.” A flashlight clicked on, and illuminated the round face of Maddie and her twin brother Matthew, both of them grinning mischievously. They were obviously proud of scaring me to the point of jumping out of my skin.

I let out my breath, feeling my heart pounding hard. “What are you kids doing here? It’s four in the morning.”

Maddie shrugged. “The same reason you’re here. We couldn’t sleep.”

I looked at Matthew, who stayed silent. His and Maddie’s hands were interlocked, and I realized that must’ve been the reason I couldn’t see them. Matthew’s powers of invisibility weren’t limited to just himself. If he was touching someone or something while invisible, that object or person would also become invisible.

“Do you children get enjoyment out of scaring people to death?” I muttered.

Maddie giggled and Matthew smiled slightly.

“Only on occasion.” Maddie said sweetly.

“Can I have that?” I held my hand out for the flashlight, which Maddie handed over.

I shone the beam on the stairs, and we all continued our decent.

“Sorry for scaring you.” Matthew apologized on our way down.

“It’s alright.” It wasn’t the first time I had been scared tonight.

“We didn’t expect a little zombie to frighten you so much.” Matthew commented absently, and I nearly stumbled down the stairs.

“Matthew!” Maddie scolded. “What’s wrong with you? Sirenia has been through so much. She and Dimitri just saved us all. Great way to show your appreciation.”

Maddie sounded very embarrassed and angry at her brother. Matthew didn’t say anything more and neither did I. I didn’t want to cause any problems between the twins, but it seemed something was bothering Matthew. And if something was bothering him, it was probably a subject on others minds here at the complex as well.

Once we got to the lobby, Maddie apologized for Matthew’s behavior and then roughly grabbed his hand before they disappeared. I went outside and into the backyard, seeing a figure sitting on top of the old practicing car. Expecting Lilith, I climbed up and sat down next to them. When I got a better look, I saw that it wasn’t Lilith, but Izzy. I could tell it was him because of his slouched posture. His twin brother Isaac never so much as let his shoulders fall forward. Izzy’s elbows were resting on his knees and he had his chin propped up in his hands. He seemed to be staring out near the wall, deep in thought. He didn’t even flinch when I appeared next to him.

“Oh, I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else.” I apologized, only realizing how bad the words sounded once they were out and it was too late.

Izzy shrugged. He didn’t look at me, so other than that I wouldn’t even have thought he had heard what I said. We sat in silence for a few minutes before I let out a loud breath and leaned forward to watch the sunrise.

“What are you doing out here so early anyway?” I asked.

He didn’t answer at first, and I worried that I had overstepped my boundaries. After another awkward chunk of time went by without either one of us saying a word, I was ready to leave before Izzy finally looked at me. His gaze stopped me in my tracks. His usually bright and inspired blue eyes were dull and glazed over as if something had happened to seriously upset him. I opened my mouth to ask if he was alright.

“I’m not, Siren.” He blurted out.

I blinked, taken aback but staying quiet. I had a feeling he had more to say than just that.

“I’m not-okay. I’m really, really awful.” He said so softly I barely heard him. “My own brother wants me to leave the Haven because he feels ‘I’m a waste of time and space’. What the fuck am I supposed to say to that?”

My skin prickled at the sound of Izzy cursing. Everybody did it except for the younger children, but hearing Izzy swear just seemed wrong. I wanted to comfort him somehow, pat his arm and tell him that everything was going to be okay. However I wasn’t a very touchy feely kind of person, and I sucked at lying. I figured keeping my mouth shut was the best alternative in this situation. Izzy seemed like he would keep going without any coaxing from me.

My assumption proved wrong when Izzy looked away from me and back at the skyline. I once again had my mouth open to speak, but couldn’t find any words seeming fit to deal with this situation.

I knew it sounded like a poor excuse, however I had never dated anyone other than a woman until Dimitri came along. I didn’t know how to deal with boys very well, especially when they were upset. Dimitri rarely ever got upset. Izzy was overemotional at best. I was very, very much uncomfortable and out of my element.

I swallowed, hoping to clear my throat of anything wrong I could say. “I’m sure he didn’t mean that.”

Izzy laughed, but it was flat. “Yeah fucking right.”

I winced every time he cursed. “He’s your brother and he loves you.”

“Shut up, Siren. Don’t bullshit me.” He snapped.

“Excuse me?” I asked, my eyes widening in shock.

“You heard me. Shut your spoiled mouth. Jesus Christ, just because you can throw fire doesn’t make you any more special than the other Prophets. God you’re so fucking privileged. It’s absolutely sickening.” Izzy scoffed.

Despite myself and knowing that he was just hurt and taking his anger out on me, I could feel my blood beginning to boil and my hands itch. I wanted to throw some fire right now, at his feet so that he could run screaming like a scared little girl.

“Who do you think you are?” I questioned.

He rolled his eyes. “I should be asking you the same thing.”

I clenched my fists and stood up on the hood of the car, hovering over Izzy. He looked up at me, his eyebrows raised and waiting. I pointed a finger at him as I yelled, not even caring who heard.

“Have you lost your mind? I’m trying to talk to you and help you, and all you wanna do is fuck with me? Are you serious? Is this why nobody here likes you? Or is it because we all think you’re a fake and can’t do shit to even protect yourself? How in the hell did you even survive out there without your brother to hide behind? Oh I know, because not even the Undead wanted your ass.” I finished with relish, noting the small flame bobbing from my fingertip like a lit match.

Izzy’s blue eyes had widened and filled with what I could only assume were tears with every word I said. I shook out my hand to extinguish the small flame and