Ashes Fall

Ashes Fall

Adrian J. Smith

Smashwords Edition

Supposed Crimes LLC, Matthews, North Carolina

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

First Edition

All Rights Reserved

Copyright 2014 Adrian J. Smith

Published in the United States

ISBN: 978-1-938108-37-2

Smashwords Edition, License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you're reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Prologue

She opened her hand and closed it. Looking at her fingers, she opened her other hand and closed it. Licking her lips, she concentrated. Her fingers moved away from her palm, and a centimeter tall flame stood against her skin. The fire warmed her and threatened to burn, so she quickly clenched her fist again.

Uncurling one finger at a time, she watched, and when all of them lay straight, a stream of fire curved around her ring finger, twisting down and into her palm. Her flesh heated and turned a light pink, but her eyes remained trained on the lick of fire as it circled her hand and slithered up her arm.

Lily!

She was jolted out of her reverie. The fire went out as her dark eyes flicked to the door of her bedroom. The wood snicked open without hesitation.

Lily, I thought I told you to clean your room, her mother said, anger prevalent in her tone.

"I am cleaning it."

James stood with two hands fisted on her hips as her honeyed eyes scanned the still-dirty room before her brows raised in a silent question.

Fine, I'll start cleaning it now. I just don't see what the big deal is.

It's messy, James responded, exasperated. They'd had this conversation before, one too many times.

It's not like anyone comes in here except me.

I come in here.

Against my will.

Lily rolled her eyes and got off her bed. She hoped to avoid a response to her angry retort by starting in on the cleaning. A confrontation would only anger her mother, and she didn't think it was necessary to get into a heated argument before dinner. They were having their once a week sit-down meal, and Lily did not want to be stuck in awkward silence and random questions.

See, I'm cleaning. Picking up a pair of dirty jeans, she tossed them into the empty laundry basket against the far wall. She then turned to her mom and smirked.

I see that. James turned after another second of supervision and left the room.

Lily sat against her bed again after tossing a sweater in with her jeans. Opening her fingers, the small flame burst forth. The fire started blue and turned red as it worked like a snake around her wrist and up to her elbow. She scanned the room carefully. After finding the dresser to her liking, she stood and walked over to the bureau, sitting with her back against the wall. She pressed her palm flat against the side of the wood.

Sizzling sounded. A strange smell of plastic burning filled her nostrils. She counted down: twenty, nineteen, eighteen... she curled her nails into the burned wood. Seventeen, sixteen, fifteen... her palm hurt, the flames licking up to her shoulder, barely touching the strap of her tank. Fourteen, thirteen, twelve, eleven, ten... she ripped her hand off the dresser and stared at it. Her skin looked sunburned--an oddly shaped pattern. Red streaks twirled around her arm like stripes on a candy cane.

Lily? Are you cleaning? Her mother's voice carried through the closed door.

Yeah! she called back and stood, racing to the window to open it for ventilation and to rid the smell from the room and lit an incense stick.

Turning back, she slid her hands over her jeans and looked around the room. Her mom was right; it did need to be cleaned. She moved to her desk and picked up a plastic bag. Shoving some pieces of trash and extra papers into it, she cleared off her stereo. Gnawing on her lip, Lily put her iPod on shuffle and waited for the first song to ring through the speakers. Joan Jett's Bad Reputation burst through the room. Lily smirked and pressed the volume button repeatedly until she could hear nothing other than the lyrics and notes.

Much better, she said.

Picking the clothes up off the floor, she deposited them into the laundry basket without checking to see if they were clean or dirty, which meant her floor was picked up in no time. Continuing with her desk, dresser, and nightstand tops, she threw most everything away. She paused when she found a notebook set on the corner of the desk. Opening the cover carefully, she smiled. The book was her diary from years before. She read through the first few pages but set it aside and decided she would finish cleaning first.

Twenty minutes later, she sat on her bed and opened the notebook. The cover had pink and purple sweet peas painted on the front. They had been her favorite flowers for a few years. The first page contained a This Book Belongs to Alyssa a.k.a. Lily Stanton-Matthews written carefully in bubbly letters with a swirl just under the last line. She had scrawled about the boy she liked in middle school and the teachers she hated. Lily smiled at the memory and reached into her nightstand for a pen. Opening the book to the first blank page, she wrote.

My mom is dating someone new, and I don't like her. I think my mom suspected I wouldn't. They met on a dating website of all things. I never thought she would go on one of those, but I also never thought she would date again either. Not after Addy.

The new chick is a bitch. All she does is glare at me. She hardly ever speaks to anyone other than my mom, and she never has any fun. Not that a pharmacist would have fun. She also never leaves. She's always here. I'm pretty sure she's even coming to our dinner tonight. I don't like her at all. I miss Addy. Now, I'm stuck with queen-B and her attitude. My mom deserves so much better than her.

Lily paused and read over what she wrote. The words were like a real diary entry, and they satisfied her. Tapping the pen against the paper, she heard her door open again. Looking up, she watched as her mom walked into the room and turned the stereo down.

Looks good, she said, scrunching her nose as she sniffed the air.

I try.

James rolled her eyes. Are you done, then?

Yeah, just have to take out the trash, and I'll vacuum tomorrow.

Sounds like a plan. Might want to bring up an air freshener, too. James stood awkwardly halfway between the stereo and the bed where Lily sat. Want to come down and help make dinner?

Sure, what are we having?

Butternut squash and parmesan breaded chicken.

Lily grinned. My favorite.

I thought you'd like it.

I'll be down in a second. I'm going to take the trash out.

She watched as James nodded and left the room. Lily opened her book up to where she had written her previous entry. She scribbled down a quick sentence before grabbing the small grocery bag filled with trash and heading down the stairs. Leaving the book open on her bed, Lily gave it one glance before exiting the room. No one would see what she had written. She fully believed what she wrote was truth, but even if someone did see it, they probably wouldn't think she was serious.

Darcy Greystone must die.

Chapter One

The door to her locker slammed shut. Lily pushed off the dirty linoleum with the palms of her hands, standing straight before she hauled her bag onto her back and turned to face her best friend. Frankie leaned against the locker with a smirk, his green eyes staring at her.

You ready?

Yup, she said, giggling. Last day of tenth grade!

He walked next to her as they headed for the front doors of the school. Kids lined up outside, waiting for the buses to arrive. Both Lily and Frankie bypassed them, skirting through the crowds until they got to the corner of the block.

I'll be so glad to be out of Mrs. Olsen's French class, Lily said. She's beyond stupid.

Frankie shrugged. She's hot.

Ew. Gross.

Lily shot him a look, wrinkling her nose. She watched as he sent her a quick glance before a blush came over his cheeks. Her brows rose, and she pointed a finger at him.

Oh my God! You're taking French next year, aren't you?

She's hot, he whined.

You are unbelievable. She shoved his shoulder, making him stumble into the grass.

He brought his hand up to his face, wiping it under his nose before he narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips, giving her his best look of seduction. What's it to you if I like her?

Just gross. She shook her head and giggled.

Whatever.

They stopped at the end of the block, barely looking both ways before stepping off the curb. A brief silence passed over them, and Lily let it linger. Neither saw the need for it to be broken until they took the step up onto the next sidewalk.

Lily turned to him and said, Hey, so my mom said we could have s'mores after dinner tonight because it's the last day of school and a celebration and all that. She said you could come, if it's all right with your parents.

Cool. He pulled his phone from his left pocket and tapped on the screen.

Lily watched as he kept it in his hands while he waited for a reply from whichever parent he had texted. She caught movement out of the corner of her eye and turned her head to fully see two other students walking opposite them. A feeling of unease settled into the pit of her stomach with each step they took. As she and Frankie walked down another curb and across another street, the panic increased. She barely noticed when Frankie typed furiously on his phone again. Her eyes were glued to her surroundings as she tried to figure out the cause of her anxiety.

They made it halfway down another block before it ebbed away. She shrugged it off, shaking her head to clear the feeling completely. When her attention came back to Frankie, he was giving her a funny look--he squinted at her, his thick brows coming together.

She ignored his concern. What's the verdict?

It's a go.

A smile bloomed on her face as she took step off the next curve. She turned to face him, bending down and getting ready to pounce in the air as tires squealed. Frankie reached forward and grabbed her arms. She twisted around so she faced him, and the squealing tires stopped as the car came to a halt.

Lily pressed a hand to her rapidly beating heart as the first burst of air reach her lungs. Frankie ran his hands down her arms. His cheeks were pale, and his were eyes wide. Lily shook her head.

I'm fine, she said. Are you okay?

Yeah, he muttered. He turned to face the driver of the green four-door sedan. His lips parted to shout before the woman emerged from the driver's side.

Are you guys okay? She barreled around the front of the vehicle, her cheeks flushed.

We're fine. Frankie glared.

The woman let out a sigh, air rushing from her lungs. Lily glared. She crossed her arms over her chest and threw as many proverbial daggers as she could. Her palms heated, and the skin sweated while her nails embedded deeply. If she said something, she would regret it. One utterance and she would be grounded for a week. She bit her lip as the heat worked from her hands into her elbows.

Frankie spoke first. You didn't see us?

Lily was glad he did. Fear worked into her, and it overpowered the intense anger. The heat faded from her skin, cooling quickly. Her joints were the last to keep the warmth, holding onto it as she stood staring.

You jumped out into the street! You're lucky I had time to stop.

We weren't far enough out that you would have hit us. Frankie took a step forward. He was inches away from the woman, his shoulders set.

Lily waited for the last bit of anger to die before she blinked to clear her haze. The woman's lips were parted as she was about to speak, but Lily spoke first.

What are you doing here, Darcy?

The tension in what could have been a volatile situation diffused. Darcy's shoulders relaxed, and her lips thinned into a line. Lily took a breath, knowing the conversation of who was in the wrong and almost caused the accident was put to an end--at least for the time being.

I was coming to pick you up from school, Darcy said, changing the subject.

Well, you're late, Lily stated.

I know. There was this thing at work, and it got a little crazy.

Lily went to the backseat of the car, muttering. She pulled the handle and wrenched the door open.

I missed that. What did you say? Darcy asked.

I said I don't know what kind of emergency or craziness there could be for a pharmacist at a grocery store. Lily plopped into the seat and swung her legs into the car before she slammed the door shut.

Darcy gritted her teeth before going to the driver's seat. Frankie dutifully followed, hopping into the other side next to his best friend. They sat parked in the middle of the road until everyone was safely in their seats. Lily rolled her eyes and glanced at Frankie. They pressed their backpacks to their feet and shoved their seatbelts on so Darcy would move the vehicle.

Darcy turned her head around to look at the two in the backseat, checking their belts. Lily threw another glare in her direction before Darcy twisted back around front. The engine started, and they pulled away from the curb. Lily pulled her phone from her bag and started a text message to her best friend, something they often did when in the presence of James' new girlfriend. Neither was fond of her. Frankie mostly didn't like her for Lily's sake, and he'd once told her they had to present a united front.

Within five minutes, they pulled into Lily's newest home. The house was painted the ugliest three shades of teal, only one of the sides and the back of the house had the same color. Each outside wall boasted a different shade, and the trim was an orange-brown that looked like vomit and rotten carrots. That had been one of James' first promises to Lily when they moved in--they would paint the house. Four years later and it still had the same disgusting colors gracing the wood paneling.

Stepping out of the car, Lily swung her pack over her shoulder and headed for the house. Darcy had parked on the street, saving the driveway for James' truck when she arrived from her shift. Lily thrust her key into the lock with Frankie hot on her heels. She wanted to get inside and into the basement where Darcy wouldn't bother them--that was her theory anyway. She threw one last glance over her shoulder at the woman, descending the steps as quickly as possible.

Darcy dropped her keys into the bowl by the door and watched as the two of them left. She really wished Lily would like her. She had known it would be tough to get close to Lily, especially with some of what James had told her about Lily's past. Yet the kid seemed to make it unbearable at some points.

She shook her head and went to the kitchen. Maybe she could make a snack for them and that would win her some points--well, she could either win points or it might seem like an apology for almost running them over. Sighing, she opened the cabinet next to the stove and scanned the glass jars, bags and boxes of food. Her girlfriend was a health fanatic, which was something she neither liked nor disliked. Darcy rolled her eyes and grabbed for a jar of thin pasta. James had called them ramen noodles, but Darcy knew better. This was not Ramen but some healthy version of it James had made.

She filled a pot with water and started it to boil on the gas stovetop, hearing sounds of the video game playing in the basement all the while. Normally, Lily would be doing homework, but since it was the last day of school, they had free reign. When she had met James, there had been no mention of a child, not that Darcy minded being in a relationship with an older woman who came with a family, but it would have been nice to have it mentioned before their eleventh date.

Biting her lip, Darcy stared at the water and lost herself in thought. It was rather odd to not have mentioned her teenager before then. They'd even had sex before James had brought Lily up in conversation. Darcy smiled to herself as she realized she'd been so scared to mess up any type of relationship she'd babbled on about her life for the better part of every date. She was always worried about doing something wrong and losing the only woman she had ever been with.

Darcy reached over the heating pot and grabbed a wooden spoon. She nearly dropped it when screams echoed through the vents into the kitchen. Her heart moved into her throat as she stumbled toward the stairs, stopping once she heard the laughing. Darcy took two deep breaths and calmed down, realizing it was only the game the kids played. She'd discovered in the past few months that Frankie, while a great kid who stood by his best friend, truly was a sore loser.

Darcy re-ponied her hair and took a deep breath, bolstering herself for her walk downstairs. Each step she took into the basement felt heavier and heavier. Once she'd finally met James' daughter, she knew why James had delayed telling her. The girl was not right. She stepped down onto the last step, her bare foot hitting the cold concrete. I should not be afraid of a sixteen-year-old girl, she kept reminding herself as her fingers slid along the walls, tension coiling in the pit of her stomach.

Hey, Darcy said.

Darcy wrapped her arms around her middle and rocked back on her heels. The entire room was pitch black save for the television light and the small amount sunlight coming through the standard basement windows. She waited until the round of whatever game they were playing finished before speaking again.

I'm making ramen for a snack. Do you guys want any?

Sure, Frankie replied without giving her a glance. The chicken kind, right?

I'm pretty sure. Darcy pulled her lip between her teeth and turned her eyes to Lily. What about you? Do you want some?

Yeah, Lily responded, glancing up at her quickly.

Darcy held her gaze, saying nothing more. All she could see was the slight outline of Lily's head, her curls tinted blue from the color of the screen behind her and her dark eyes cast completely in shadow. Darcy's stomach twisted tightly, and she took an instinctive step back. Lily's eyes glowed red where the color brown should have been. Darcy gasped and turned on her heel, retreating up the stairs. Her heart pounded in her chest as her lungs constricted with fear.

She stood against the kitchen counter with a hand over her heart as she attempted to calm down. She was making it up. She hadn't seen anything. She shook her head, clearing the image from her mind's eye and thinking through every reason Lily's eyes could have been red. The light from the video game had been what caused the odd hue. It was the only explanation she could think of, and it fit.

At least twice a day Lily scared her like this. If it wasn't for James coming home soon, Darcy would have left the kids alone and headed back to work. She would stay though; she was lucky to have James in the first place, and it would be horrible if she messed it up after being together for months. If James wasn't so great, she would probably leave and let it be.

The water boiled, and Darcy stepped over to the stove and poured in the entire jar of thin, twisted noodles. They would be soft soon, and she would need to add in the flavoring. James had put the spice in a small baggie that had rested on top of the noodles. Darcy removed the baggie of seasoning and took a deep breath as she dumped it into the boiling pot. Her hand shook.

###

Frankie slept soundly in the Papasan chair in the corner of Lily's room--his typical place to completely pass out. The light on her nightstand was still on, and Lily saw the faint lines she had written a few days before. Did she really believe them? Most of the time she did, but that didn't mean she had no doubts. She looked at Frankie and smiled. She should show him some of the first entries because he would find them amusing.

The sound of a late night TV show drifted up from downstairs, the man's voice booming through the living area and down the hall to Lily's bedroom.