Chapter 1: C.1 : This Can Not Continue

The chirping of insects in the short grass drew Rowan's attention for a moment, his brown eyes and average features drawing little to no attention from anyone aside from his little sister who skipped back towards him cheerfully.

"Did you forget something?" Rowan smiled gently and shook his head as it wasn't the case, and if it was this little bundle of joy would use it as an excuse to stay out even longer.

"Rosie is going home that dreadful? I thought you were hungry?" Rowan looked at this adorable little sister of his and smirked when she made a face in confusion.

"I do want to eat! But I want to play too! At school... Nevermind. Big brother, guess what? I got all A's on my homework." Looking at his proud younger sibling, he patted her head and took her hand as he resumed walking.

Due to various reasons, his family lived in the rather rundown side of the city, something he aspired to change by working two part-time jobs in order to contribute to the family's needs.

"Good job. When I was in school, I barely passed." Rosie looked at her brother who was barely over eighteen and smirked knowing although she had excellent grades, he wasn't too bad either.

The walls of the buildings went from relatively well maintained to cracked and marred by various markings and paints that rendered one unable to tell what color some of the walls were originally.

Rosie held his hand tightly and Rowan could briefly guess what she was thinking. While others their ages could play and relax, she simply couldn't afford to do so, so she could only look on as others had fun.

"Do you think we will be like everyone else someday?" Hearing her words and seeing the wistful and hopeful look in her now dim blue eyes, he felt his heart ache and wished he could grant her her wish to be normal.

"I believe it. Soon. Very soon, you and mom and dad will be just like everyone else. You will enjoy life like you deserve." Rowan didn't know what the future held, but he didn't believe such nice people would suffer so needlessly.

"Brother is so cool." Rosie buried her face into his side and leaned against him, and Rowan was once again reminded of how rough their life was. Her build was slim and petite, not to the extent of being malnourished, but she was undoubtedly smaller than kids her age.

"Oh! Brother, I found you a present!" She dug in her pocket and pulled out a rusty bronze ring too thick to be modern and looked at him expectantly, her big blue eyes blinking in anticipation.

"It's beautiful Rosie! Thank you." He kissed her forehead and smiled when she swatted his face away lightly and wiped her forehead gently in apparent 'disgust'.

Even with her face scrunched up, she still had a smile she couldn't hide, but as she looked back to the front, the smile faded, replaced by an anxious frown leaving her forehead filled with lines.

"What's the matte-?" Rowan didn't even get to finish when a voice filled with arrogance and ridicule came from that direction, causing Rosie to lower her head in shame.

"Is this that little teacher's pet? Oh, not even the teacher likes you, my bad. What was it? Josie I think? Aren't you supposed to be working for scraps like the piece of trash you are?! How about this, pick this up and I'll give you a dollar." A boy wearing fashionable clothes, maybe sixteen years old kicked a trashcan over and looked at Rosie with disgust.

You are reading story The Light at novel35.com

"Stop talking." Rowan inserted himself in the boy's line of sight, blocking the distressed Rosie behind himself, ignoring the two men flanking the boy. How could he let someone bully his sister like this?

"Did you find a man? I knew you were a slut! A poor slut is all you ar-" The boy's eyes widened when Rowan stepped forward, fist flying at his face. The men besides the boy reacted but it was too late as Rowan's fist left a bruise on the boy's face.

"You mongr-" Rowan kicked the boy's leg and grabbed his arm, throwing him off balance and sending him sprawling to the ground. Before Rowan could continue, the two men were upon him, and both fists and kicks rained down on him relentlessly.

"Brother!" Rosie rushed forward, her fright forgotten as she watched hee brother being beaten for defending her, but before she could intervene, she was backhanded away and sent to the ground roughly.

Rowan saw this and immediately rolled to the side, ignoring the sharp pain as a foot hit his arm, rushing to Rosie. One of the men, who happened to have shorter hair and the more bulky of the two punched Rowan in the back, but he didn't stop and grabbed Rosie up off the ground, rushing towards the boy who hadn't recovered and directly running over him.

"Ahk!" The boy screamed and the men who were going to give chase stopped and tried to help him up, dusting off his face and clothes since Rowan was not kind when stepping on him. His legs, chest, and even face were all fair game.

"Are you okay Rosie?" Rowan didn't need to take that particular path home. Because he wasn't popular in school, he had multiple ways back so as to avoid his bullies at those times.

"Yes. Sorry..." Rosie whispered as tears rolled down her cheeks, causing Rowan to look down in worry, unable to tell if it were her bruised hands or face that was causing her pain.

"What happened? Are you hurting?" Rowan placed Rosie on the ground and looked her up and down for any signs of more painful wounds in panic.

"You got hurt trying to help me! I don't want you to get hurt brother!" Rosie dove into his arms sobbing heavily, and Rowan couldn't help but have vicious thoughts to those bastards for causing his sister such distress.

"Rosie, look at me. I am here to protect you. Don't cry, it doesn't even hurt anymore." Rowan gently pulled Rosie along to their house a few blocks away, every step causing him discomfort.

Rowan stopped outside a small house, more suitable to be called an apartment or something similar. Rosie gave him a hug and went inside, leaving him standing outside with clenched fists staring at the skies with wrathful eyes.

"She is someone who has had a hard life! Where is the justice if she has to suffer like this for no reason? This can not continue! This will not continue! Even if I have to do something myself, I swear to God or whatever exists, I will not let anyone harm her!"

In his pocket, the bronze ring's rust faded and the ring gained a vibrant golden color as a faint light enveloped it, and a warmth shrouded Rowan's body, and subconsciously, his hand entered his pocket and touched the ring, the blood on his hand vanishing as he did so.

You can find story with these keywords: The Light, Read The Light, The Light novel, The Light book, The Light story, The Light full, The Light Latest Chapter