^{If you missed the first book - Fireflies - you might want to start there. It's here in its completion, written for Steemit. If you enjoy it, feel free to ask to be added to the subscriber list for the sequel, where new chapters are being released daily.}

Entry 3

"Hi there. Beautiful morning, isn't it?"

She opened and closed her mouth like a fish begging to be returned to the safety of the water. "What?"

He came closer, almost bouncing down the polished steps. "I said - beautiful morning. Looks like we're gonna miss that storm after all."

He reached into his pocket, and pressed the button, unlocking his car door. A familiar beep brought Talia back into focus. That was her mother's car. She felt sick. Fireflies were coming into her vision, and she couldn't stop them. He saw her knees about to buckle and ran quickly to catch her. Immediately, the fireflies disappeared into the vortex, and she was jarred back to life in this world.

"Are you ok? Do you need some help? I can grab you some water or something."

He had no idea who she was. The explosion had wiped his mind completely. She huffed lightly, with the tiniest smile twisting the edge of her lips. What goes around, comes around, she thought viciously. She had no idea what this meant, but she knew it changed everything. She stood up and thanked him, but brushed his grip off of her arm.

"Thanks, but I'm fine. Just low on energy lately." She waited for any hint of understanding and saw none.

"You sure? I don't mind. You don't have to come in or anything. I can bring the water out to you."

She scanned his eyes, left to right, determined to find any trace of who he once was, but there was nothing. He was a new creature. Her mind was swimming with unanswered questions, but she was sure it was a rare opportunity for some type of retribution.

"Not at all. I'm fine, really!" She tested further, "Have I seen you around here before? You look so familiar."

"Hm. Not sure. I usually don't forget a face, especially not a pretty one." He extended his hand in an official introduction, gracing her with his magnetic smile. "I'm Derek."

She swallowed the bile quickly rising in her throat. The man who murdered her mother was actually flirting with her. She grasped his hand tightly, letting him feel her gentle power, her confidence, and most definitely - her determination. She flashed a brilliant smile, hoping that it didn't appear as if she was baring fangs. In a quick decision, she decided to use a different name.

"I'm Aria."

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