Trauma. That is what comes as I giddily stare outside as the sun dips below its horizon.

“Its almost time!” I whisper to my older sister.

It’s just me and her, our parents long gone. Not lost, not dead. But abandoned. We abandoned them. The opposite of what usually happens. The last streams of light fade. And at last the one thing that makes me strong, makes me brave comes. The dark. Others fear this glorious gift. They believe in the light. But why do you think they say, “Don’t go into the light.” Because the gods above never meant for us to have the light. It was never supposed to comfort us. The dark was. It’s embrace gives us strength. Gives us Power! That’s all any of us want anyway. Power.

“Don’t” My sister commands as I am about to climb out the window.

I give her a quizzical look and then embrace her.

“Don’t worry Emma. I told you a million times. The darkness is meant for us. That’s what we’ve believed.”

“No! That is what you’ve believed. I never did. The darkness is cold. But the light is warm. I love the feeling of it on my face. It’s not my destiny to go out there.”

A crushing feeling takes me away in one fell swoop.

But then it’s gone. It is the dark. It takes away all of the bad things in this world. It’s our saving grace.

“I will do anything for this power. I’m afraid you can’t stop me. I have free will.” I say as I grit my teeth

She pulls a paintbrush out from behind her back. The darkness is pushed away. Out of me. Replaced by dread.

“You’re….you…..a painter?” I softly murmur.

The one thing that can remove my darkness.

I leap off. Out the window. Into the only embrace I know. My only family. The Dark. And no one. Not in all of this land can stop me. Not even my traitor sister. What happens when we seek the darkness?

Oh that’s easy. We become stronger. So come. Join me. Join The Dark.