Broken by Joyce Raley (13 inch ebook reader txt) 📕

only other piece of furniture was a comfy looking chair that sat next to the bed.
Alec stood in the doorway looking utterly surprised. "Freya!" He said in delight. He disappereard. I was confused for a short second before he reappeared next to me on the bed. His ice cold arms were wrapped around my waist, pulling me into his lap. Almost as soon as I was setteled, five others filled the room smileing happily. Still, I kept my expression blank. I studdied their faces. There was the girl with the orange wavy hair, I realized that her features were pixie-like. Beautifully innocent. Then there's a small boy about my age maybe-at least he looks it-with black curly hair and stunning blue eyes. His smile was crooked but warm and inviting. He held the hand of a girl with brown hair that was cut short and stuck out a little bit. Her face was pixie-like as well. Her eyes shone like the sun and her smile even warmer. Both girls were slender and absolutely breathtaking. Then there were two more boys who looked exactly alike. Their hair wasn't quite blonde or brown. Kind of in the middle. It was cut short but still shaggy and they were smiling so hard their dimples had dimples. Every boy was well packed with mucles and extremely good looking.
"Freya, how do you feel?" It was Alec. Dispite how cold he was, his breath on my ear was hot. But I didn't answer his question. He spun me around to face him, my legs wrapped around his waist. "Freya?" His eyes gleamed with anxiety, and I couldn't help but smile and answer, "I'm fine. um...Where exactly am I? And who are these people?" He chuckled softly.
"You are at my home of course. These people are my family."- He pointed to the orange haired girl-"That's Emily, the other girl is Nikkie, the twins are Krin and Yue, and blue eyes over there is Jacob." I noticed Jacob blush slightly and Nikkie smaked him. Alec laughed at that and gave me an almost bone crushing hug.
"Alec, who was that Marquez guy?" Everyone's smiles fadded at the name, even Alec's.
"He was my brother. His soul purpose seems to be to make me furiouse and upset."
"Why?" He shrugged. The others had come beside the bed to say a few things. I didn't quite catch what they said, but I listened carefully to their voices. I had a growing suspision that they're the ones that were in my head...


Alec stayed with me no matter what. Though I never knew him well, I began to really like him. Whenever he was there I could think straight, though it is still very difficult for me to form complete thoughts. I never asked what these people were or why. I know what I am and they seem to understand that. No I'm not human, nor will I ever be again, but that's not really the point. Or maybe it is. I wouldn't know. But what I do know is that my mother still lives, though she is kept under lockdown while I still wait for that one man who said that he'd take care of me. Was that Alec? Most likely, but I'm too afraid to ask. Too afraid of what his answer might be. Like my past. It doesn't bother me, other than my mind being shattered. What I am, our minds are fragile but sturdy. It depends on the situation and what species you are.
I'm getting ahead of myself. I am a nymph. A love nymph and a wood nymph put together to be exact. My species is said to be the most gorgeous thing on the planet. Nothing can compare to our beauty, though I still feel that there are others that look much better than I. I'm much too self-consciouse. I guess I am very pretty though. I have silver hair and am excedeingly skinny. My narrow features and slightly paled lips go perfectly with my radiant skin tone. But I'm very small and very frail. My kind is the weakest, yet very strong at the same time. Weak because of stalker human men looking for a cute girl in the night. Strong because we can ward him off easily if we know how. Weak because we have been the other nymph's slaves since the bigginning of time. Strong because we can win over the affection of anyone. I have never used my strengths before.

Alec fell in love with me on his own accord.
Chapter 3

"Alec, where are we going?" I asked as Alec led me through the forest, setting a quick pace. "Somewhere...fun." He answered with a playful smile. I smiled back and he blushed, looking away. My smile grew wider and we fell silent.
We soon arrived at a dark part in the woods. It was a clearing with a huge tree in the middle. Its roots came up out of the ground, twisting this way and that. And right in between the roots was a glowing pool. Alec went and sat by it, pulling me into his lap like he always does. "Just don't touch the water. It's like acid." He grimaced at a memory-probably-of touching it. "Where does it come from then?" I asked curiousely.
"The tree." He replyed absently. "Freya, do you love me?"
"No, I don't. Not the way you want me to." I answered him quietly. He remained silent.
"At least you do love me. If not that way, then in some way."
"Yes." I ripped a long piece of grass out of the ground and dipped it in the pool. It blackened and shrivled up. Alec wasn't paying attention, so I cautiousely dipped my finger in the glowing water. It felt cool. Cold almost. "Alec, how does this burn?" He looked down and gasped, pulling me away.
"Are you okay?" He asked fitfully.
"Yes. How does it burn?" He examined my finger, confused. "How does it not burn you?"
"I don't know. I can barely form complete thoughts." Alec looked concerned when I said that.
"You can't?"
"No."
"That's why you don't try to talk much?"
"Yes."
"How?"
"Broken" I answered, giving him a much-needed smile.
My mother used to beat me. And murder other people in front of me. Once I tried to run and she became very angry. She attacked me with a knife, sliceing at my stomach tirelessly. I still have a few of the scars to prove it...
"But-" I held up a hand to silence him and unbuttuned my shirt. The worst scars I had were two long jagged lines leading from my right shoulder to left hip, left shoulder to right hip, creating a painful 'X'. Then there are a few others, smaller, lining my stomach. Alec looked absolutely horrified.
"My mother did it. She broke me. Shattered me. It's been ten years since I've seen her." Alec gently traced one of the scars. "How old were you then?" He asked, voice cracking.
"Three." He shook his head, the horror fading. "Let's go home then..."


* * *
"Hey Emily, can you keep an eye on things while we...go out?" Alec asked his sister.
"Sure!" she answered cheerfully. Alec gave her a nod and everyone -other than Nikkie, Emily and I- took off.
"Emily, where are they going?" I asked after a few moments of silence. She looked a little befuddled. "Not sure, actually. The guys don't tell us where they're going half the time. Hey Nikkie, can you fix us up something to eat? I'm starved. And-" I stopped listening after that. Emily could go on and on about everything and change the subject in an instant. It hurt to talk to her sometimes. Actually, now that I try to think about it, it hurts to talk to anyone. Emily had followed Nikkie into the kitchen, babbling about some movie or another, so I got up and decided to go for a walk. I wouldn't mind being alone for a while.
The air in the forest was crisp and chilly, but it felt good. I remember my father very faintly, though I know he used to love nature. But he died when I was three. Mother probably killed him. Mother was a nymph of nature, Father a nymph of love. My mother was great at first. Sweet, loving, funny. Or so I read in my father's journal. But then something happened, and it hurt her deeply. A nature nymph is among the strongest, though I hold very little of that blood. Of course, nature nymphs feed on nectar like butterflies. So, I do too. It's a little weird to have two tounges...
Suddenly the air around me grew cold very quickly and a dark aura came over me. "Well, well. Isn't it the little nymph my brother fell for." I kept my expression blank, trying desprately to hide my fear, as I turned to Marquez. "Hello, Marquez." I said softly.
"Ah, I can see why too. Never before has a love nymph and a forest nymph been put together. Astonishing beauty." I felt my face flush ten shades of red and he grinned."And she must like me! Wonderful! It will make this so much more fun."
Anger welled inside me. "I do not like you, nor will I ever!" I shouted. He laughed and pulled me close. I tried to squirm away, put his grip was strong as ever and it only tightened. "Now, be still Freya." He whispered. I grew still, unable to stop myself from obeying. "I know just how much you want to die. You want to be rid of the pain of this world. You want to be rid of your confusion that causes you pain everyday. I'll grant you that wish." My breath stilled as he let me go and pulled out a slim gold chain, a black oval hanging from it. "This is my mark. Put it on, but keep it hidden. If they see it, they'll try to make you take it off. They can't take it off themselves of course, but take precausions." It sounded so great. So wonderful. Just to slip away from this world like I've done before, but not come back. To be forever at totall peace. To be set free.
I turned and held my long wavy hair to the side so Marquez could fasten it on. He smiled as then necklace fell perfectly into place under my shirt. "I'll come back for you, my sweet meal, in time. Keep it hidden." With that he vanished, and the fear finally set in. What would Alec think when he found out what I'd just done?