Asteria Delaney strikes again...

You know, when I was a kid, breaking into small houses was actually kind of fun. I just didn’t know how far that would really bring me... 

“Ugh” I groaned as I waded, and the deep flows of water passed and folded around my waist. “I just got dry, come on...”. 

 You probably don’t know me. My name is Asteria. Asteria Delaney. Yeah, all the wanted posters for the mass theft of the Ontario National Bank, the news of suspicious activity from gangs, the police cars all around the block that I last hit. That, Asteria Delaney. Yes, that’s for sure me.    

It all started when I was a kid, my mom was very sick, and my dad was in prison. The ideal family, right. I might as well have lived on my own since all my mom did was make it harder for me. She hated my guts and whenever I brought money home from my part-time job at the café, she always took it for alcohol, her dumb addiction only made it worse for the both of us. That’s when I decided to join the Blackthorns. I was just fourteen years old, and I was now the youngest gang member in history.  

If you think that training for years to be the perfect gang member would be fun, you’re dead wrong. Yeah, it made me some cash, but it would never be easy. I was just a kid.  

“Oh, come on Asteria, you’re fine. It’s only water.” Calem called over from the other side of the rushing river. “Why couldn’t we just use a boat?” I yelled to him. “Character building, hurry up now!” 

That’s Calem. Calem Wood. He’s my best friend, and probably the second youngest in my gang. He’s always been there for me; lately best friend doesn’t seem like enough. We’re way closer than I can even describe, closer than siblings. 

I trudged up to the riverbank and shook off my clothes, it really didn’t help. I was soaked to the bone. Good thing it was warm out, otherwise I would kill Calem for dragging me along.  

“So why do I have to come? I mean you’re only picking off the small bank across the way. Why do I need to be here?” “Well, Asteria, as you know you are the best of the best. Any gang would long to get their hands on your talents. “Yeah, yeah, I know that already. I still don’t get it though.” I said while pulling some branches out of the way to pass through without getting hit. We were now approaching the smallest cottage on the outskirts of town.  

“This is Dawesville, right?” I checked the sign to make sure. “Spot on!” Calem said as he pulled off his grey hoodie. “So, why we here?” I was getting bored of Calem avoiding the question now. “Asteria...” “Yes.” “You are here to make your first kill.” “Who is it?.” I asked grimly. “The person you hate the most.” He answered simply. “How? I paused. “How is he here?”  

“Easy question, he escaped his life sentence and came here.” Calem was now pulling his bag off his shoulder and setting it down. Rolling out the kit he flicked up his head. “Pick your weapon wisely Asteria. It’s a tough choice.” 

I knelt down, adjusted my rough garb and grabbed my favourite throwing knives. “My father is going to pay.” 

I thought back to before he clunked into jail. I thought back to the terrible things he did. It hurt to even remember. You can’t just unsee your father killing your mother then coming at you with a bloody knife. I can still remember her still body on the ground, a growing pool of dark red slowly surrounding her. Then the last rasping breath leaving her lips as the thin steel blade was pulled from her chest.  

Even the idea still haunts me. How could anyone do that to their own family. I was only fourteen. I wasn’t even a legal adult yet.   

I found myself unconsciously running my finger down the blade of my first pulled knife as I walked with Calem along the trodden dirt roads leading to the old house that Calem said he was staying in. 

I was backing away, crying, screaming. I didn’t know what to do. What do you do when your father is chasing you with a knife?  

I almost fell but I felt Calem’s firm hands catch my waist. I was bleak, “Calem, I want revenge for what he did.” “I know, I know.” I could feel him now cradling my body against his as he reassured me. “Anyone would.” He said while running his hand up along my body. Coming from his firm grasp on my hip to resting on the long scar that ran across my face. I blinked my eyes, and I felt a small tear leave my milky coloured one.  

“Why would he do this to me.” “I don’t know Asteria. If anyone didn’t like you, they would be missing a lot.” I focused my one good eye on his eyes and burst into tears. His hand caressed my head as I buried it into his chest. “Thank you for being here Calem.” I said quietly while now quenching my tears. “Of course, you're like a sister to me. More.”  

I was ready for revenge. I pulled away from Calem and wiped my face. “I’m ready for him to feel the same pain as me, Calem.” “That’s my girl” Calem smirked. 

I busted the door open, and dust rose into a firm cloud. The air cleared and my father came to the door wielding a small cane.  

“Who are you?” He asked. “I demand that you identify yourselves!” His voice shook, it racked my head. I wasn’t going to make him feel just the pain for my blind eye. I was going to make him feel all my pain.  

Strutting across the room I pulled out my biggest knife. “Oh, dear father. Do you not remember me?” I said as I showed him my blind eye with its unruly withered scar.  

“Asteria, my daughter Asteria?” Those were my father’s last words.  

The long walk back to camp made my back ache. I felt free, rejuvenated. Yet I was dizzy, tired, and weak. We had crossed the river back and I had almost fallen victim to the rough currents that had picked up while we were gone.  

I wanted to let my body collapse into the fresh water. As I began to pass out my other senses dulled while my hearing remained. I could hear everything. The blissful running water to the quiet chirping of birds in the swaying trees. I was so focused on trying to hold onto Calem that I almost missed the whizzing of an arrow fly over my head and enter deep into Calem’s chest.