Memories flashed through my mind as the tall, elvish man approached. His head was shaved, his face and body scarred, and he was missing an eye. He'd been part of the labs then. The flashback hit her, sending her spiraling back into the past.

"Shia! Did you hear? They found an elf! A real elf! Ears and magic and everything!" Shia laughed, shoving her brother playfully. She was turning nineteen this years, and she had finally developed the skeptical side necessary to be around her almost constantly joking brother. You never knew when he was kidding, unless he went outrageous. She hadn't believed until later that day when he'd been shot in front of her by the elf he'd claimed they'd found.

They'd chased him, of course, and tried to catch him for study- who knew how dangerous they were, after all- and he'd been cornered so badly he'd taken down a human or three before barricading the building he was in and burning it to the ground. They didn't even find his bones to study, just a cats.

She'd mourned until she heard on the news that another had been found and taken, this time alive- she'd escaped almost an hour after capture. This time, the entire complex had blown up after some unexpectedly flammable liquids had hit the generators. Or... so they thought. They didn't seem entirely certain why it's blown up, though magic was a suspect.

They caught their third elf a month later, killing him on sight to ensure they had a body to study. This happened three times before everything went to hell.

The war started, and Shia had thought herself safe in Alaska, far away from any elves or people. Then the elves had started shifting into animals to track down their prey.

Shia snapped back to the present as the elf roared, lunging for her, and she screamed, cowering even more than she already was, hiding her face and pulling her knees more tightly against herself as she raised her arms futilely to block the attack. A loud bang sounded, followed by a thud, and Shia peeked, seeing the elf dead only a foot and a half from her.

"Are you Alright?" She looked up, seeing a man in black, lightweight armor, his helmet badly broken and bloodied as it sat near his feet. He was bleeding down one side of his face, and his hair looked as if it hadn't seen water in days.

She nodded, watching him in awe and shock. It hit her, then, that she'd almost died, and she froze up, her breath growing panicked and shallow. He dashed over to her, dropping his gun next to him as he pulled her into a hug, letting her sob against his chest.

It felt Safe and comfortable there, and she clung to him in desperation. She couldn't lose this, not now- she'd be lost without the kind of safety he represented. She wouldn't last a week from the pain of her brothers loss. Not now her dam had finally broken.

"Don't leave me here alone..." he nodded, whispering a promise that she refused to let him forget. She had found someone to hold her, to comfort her.

Just close your eyes, the sun is going down...

She wouldn't let go until she died.
______________1 1/2 years later___________

Shia locked the window, shutting the blinds as the fire started to spread. She had to leave soon, but first... she hadn't grabbed her letter yet. She needed to know.

"Darling, everything's on fire..." she hummed the tune as she moved, remembering his lullaby to her.

She snatched the mail from its slot and dashed into the mudroom, grabbing the keys before slipping into her car. She opened the garage door and slipped out at a reckless speed, outpacing the nightmarish elves that chased her. The few that could fly easily had been mostly shot down early on, and now the majority stayed near the front lines- otherwise she'd have been dead soon.

Shia drove, zooming through the burning city as fast as her car could carry her, wincing as the adrenaline made her stomach ache. She didn't dare touch her stomach, or even consider how her fear must be hurting their child. 'Mark...' the name made her ache with longing and hope. He'd find her, save her and their child like he had he first time.

The letter in the passenger seat made her giddy, and she pushed away her fear as she drove. He'd find her at their safe house- then he'd protect them- her and their child.

She drove for hours, leaving the city far behind, and passing a few hours worth of plains and pastures. This was still human territory, the elves hadn't pushed them out quite yet, so she could get to their safe house and hide long before the elves made it to this place. She had the A/C on at full blast, still unused to the extreme heat of Texas in the summer, even after having spent two years here.

She reached the secluded cabin after driving into a forest, the national park only a few square miles- not too big, but big enough. The trees kept it cooler here, and warmer at night. It was plenty to keep the four room cabin nice and perfect.

She stepped into the cabin, breathing out a sigh of relief, and closed the door. It was dark outside now, but she had candles. Running water had been enough of a risk- they hadn't chosen to give the cabin electricity. Still, this was now home.

She sat down at the table, a lit candle providing plenty of light for her to see by, and she read the letter. Slowly she reached the end, He last words thrumming through her mind as the personal words at the end of the letter confirmed the official script above.

"Even when the musics gone... gone..." Mark was dead.
_____________4 1/2 years later___________

Shia stood, her eyes catching on something. The sun was setting, but she still saw the striped shadow stalking towards her son. "Mark? Come inside honey, the sun is going down." The sun was setting, but Mark didn't hesitate. He glanced at her, then ran into her arms. His eyes were wide and scared, and she carried him inside, quickly locking and blocking the door.

Then the sound of shattering glass came from the kitchen, along with a roar. Mark screamed and Shia ran from the door past the kitchen, scooping up Mark as she ran past him and carrying them both into the far back room. She shut he door, locking it and breathing as quietly as possible. She hugged Mark, glancing around for a place to hide him.

He whimpered and something banged the door, making her jump, pulling him to he bed as the banging continued. She helped him get under the bed and he curled up, staring at her with wide, desperate eyes as he covered his ears and tears started to form. She smiled, tears starting to burn down her cheeks as she shushed him, touching his cheek.

"Just close your eyes." BANG.

"You'll be alright." BANG.

"Come morning light, you and I-" BANG.

"Be safe and sound." CRACK.

Mark stiffened, curling up extremely tightly and Shia felt a hand grab her ankle, yanking her away from her son. She screamed, desperate and panicked as she tried to free herself, before the man stabbed her chest, his eyes cold and furious.

Shia gasped, her lungs feeling odd before he threw her against the wall, a second crack accompanying the sudden loss of feeling in her body. She slumped against the floor, gasping as she slowly started to drown in her own blood. Another man entered the room, only slightly smaller than the first- both of them enormous brutes that made her feel cold. 'Mark.'

The larger man bent down, looking under the bed silently. Then he started reaching under the bed and Mark began to scream. Shia tried to move, tried to do something, her eyes wide, frantic, and crying as she gritted her teeth. Her hand shuddered, convulsing slightly, but that was all- she couldn't raise a finger to save her child.

She cried, whispering as she begged them not to kill Mark. She sobbed, gasping the words as she began coughing up the blood in her lungs, desperate to clear them and beg for her sons life. The smaller man watched her coldly, then his eyes seemed to grow pained. The larger man stood, Mark struggling and screaming, tears streaming down his face as he tried to get away from the monster holding him.

Shia hacked up a large amount of blood before sucking in a ragged breath and screaming again. "PLEASE!!!" The world was beginning to go black, spots dancing in front of her eyes as she cried, her head beginning to fuzz.

The large man stared at her, his eyes cold and and harsh, the screaming four year old in his hands seeming not to bother him at all. His eyes were so cold... Shia heard someone yelling as they ran up the hall and she blacked out, her chest no longer moving.

Her sun had set, no one could hurt her now; Come morning light, she was finally safe and sound.
_____________The End_____________
(A/N) ... 😈

Till next time, Sept-Mates!

Your Poet and Scribe,
~ShadeFinder<(0^0)>

P.S. the picture is thanks to Leo, also called the_SkeletonKing . Thanks Leo! 😁

Pluviaphilia will get the references as well. 🙂