Zanien's Point of View

-After everything turned black, I started seeing things. I heard your life flashes before your eyes when you die.. so I wondered...Am I dying?
-I could barely see or hear it, but I knew it was there. I felt it, more than anything. I felt it in my head, and in my heart. I could faintly sense someone else with me. But it seemed surreal...

"You alright? You look sick," Torien's voice quivered.
"I-I think so," I managed to choke out.
"What happened?"
"She... beat me."

-That's right. I remember now. We were nine at the time, and our mother had always dispised me for my intelligence. She said it made our family look bad, since we lived in a poor society of elves. Intellectual quality was looked down upon, in fear of a war that would begin among the kingdom. The king never did like being proved unintelligent.

-Torien cradled me in his arms for a moment. I could feel his whisper on my flesh.
"We'll get away from her some day."
He gingerly rested his hand on the tender skin of my arm where a new bruise was already beginning to take form.

-Then the next scene began.

"You little pest, I told you to get rid of all these books. You know what your mother will do to you if she finds them," my father barked.
I took the books in my arms and retreated to my room where Torien was waiting.
"You know dad is going to tell mom, right?"
"Yeah, I know," I nodded.
"You should listen to them so you won't keep getting hurt."
"You should know I can't put these books down."
Then Torien sighed and didn't say another word.

-My brother usually looked out for me if he could, though sometimes he did side with our parents. Sometimes I never could quite decide if he was doing it for me or not. He was probably disappointed in me.

"Zan, why can't you just listen?"
"I'm not abandoning my most valued interest. It will do me some good someday."
"It's certainly not going to do you good any time soon. We still have two years until we can legally move out at eighteen."
"I'm not waiting that long," I retorted.
"So, what? You plan on running away?"
"It's better than living in this filthy place."
"You're lucky they haven't gotten rid of you yet," Torien sneered.

-No, he could never be disappointed in me.

"If you're leaving tonight, then I want to come with you."
"I don't want you to get a punishment that you don't deserve."
"I deserve any kinda of punishment that you do. I'm not going to just let you leave like this."
"Then pack your stuff," I smiled.

-After this flashback, I knew which one was coming next.

"Come on, brother. We gotta get outta here," Tor hissed.
"I just have to grab one book."
"No, Zan! You can't go back inside!"
-As I ran back to the front door of the small house, a light snow began to fall. I peered into the dark window of the small house to search for the book. It was right where it always was; on the side table by my favorite big, cozy recliner. I always read my books there.
-While Torien and I were exploring this small wood, he happened across this small abandoned house and we turned it into my study. This was always my favorite place to go when I felt down.
-I reached for the door, but noticed it was already open. Someone was inside. I crept in and snuck down the hallway to the study. As I came to the next door, I could hear my parents' voices echoing from within.
"This place makes me sick!"
-Then, there was a loud crash. I stepped inside to see my lantern shattered on the floor.
"What are you doing?!"
-Both of my parents turned around with hate blazing in their eyes.
"What do you think you were doing in here, boy? We'll report this to the king," my father threatened.
"I don't care what you do, it won't work anyway," my voice cracked.
-I could feel my knees shaking under me. All I could do is watch as both of them advanced towards me, and each of them grabbed an arm. A small fire had begun to ignite the study from the gas in the lantern.
"I say we throw him in the flames," my mother's harsh voice scratched at my ears.
-My glasses slipped off of my nose as they jerked and pulled me to the fire. A sharp pain coursed through my body as I was thrown to the ground next to the fire. I could feel the heat scorching me back.
-With hazy eyes I surveilled them as they fed the fire with my books and papers. It was my mother who picked up the same book I came in here for and started tearing the pages out, leaving nothing but a bunch of wrinkled and wadded up uselessness. As I watched them destroy all my belongings, I felt every ounce of my confidence being stripped away, slowly but surely. Black smoke started surrounding me as the flames consumed the materials, and I felt the oxygen in my lungs lessen. My throat felt clogged, and my head felt light, then everything turned black.

"Zan? Ugh, come on, brother. Speak to me."
After several coughs, I opened my eyes and saw Torien staring down at me.
"You...came for me," my unfamiliar hoarse voice spoke.
"Yeah, of course I did."
"Wh-where's mom and dad?"
"They fled. C'mon we gotta get outta here before we burn to a crisp."
He hoisted me up then wrapped my arm around his neck.
"Can you walk for now?"
"I should be able to."
We made our way out of the burning house, and into the cold snowy night. Once we got outside, I asked Torien if I could rest, so we sat down and watched the flames from a safe distance.
"Oh, before I forget," Torien said as he reached into his jacket.
He pulled out my book, and examined it.
"The edges are a little burnt, but nothing completely bad."
I gently took the book from his hands.
"But... How did you...?"
"I took the book and gave the other one a fake cover that looked like this one," he smiled.

~End~  ^^
-Tell me how you liked it, and how it could be improved. :]