It was snowing outside and the small house was silent, aside from the crying of a young boy of fourteen. He kneeled next to a bed with the body of a women resting on it. She had long passed and he still sat beside her. His china doll skin tinged pink and his face wet from his tears.

Another boy stood in the dark hall listening to his twin brothers sobs. Their uncle… Or caretaker… Or whatever he was, was gone. Taken away by others who thought themselves to be angels…

'Angels?'

Erick thought silently to himself as his brothers sobs slowly turned into hiccups. They had called Erick and his brother demons… Erick was quick to believe it as fact and have an answer to why they were different to other children. But Joseph refused to believe that they were such. He insisted that Michel was going to come back. That Mama was going to wake up and hold them. He insisted that they were creations of god like Michel had told them… Yeah right. Michel was not coming back and they were alone now. Erick angrily stomped down the hall and into their mother's room. He grabbed his brother and shook him like a rag doll with the strength no child should have.

"STOP CRYING! She isn't going to wake up so get that through your thick skull you-" He was cut off by Josephs fist.

"Let go! LET GO!" Joseph got free of Erick's grip and backed away. "Ma'ma can't be dead… She said she would never leave us! She said! She promised us!"

"Don't you get it! Promises mean nothing when the person is dead!" Erick shouted. He snatched up a small oil lamp that burned on a side table and smashed it on the ground. Grabbing his brother he started to drag him out. He didn't care if this place burned or not. After all there was nothing left here for them. The last thing Joseph saw of his mother and the room was the flames spreading and filling the room with heat. And he screamed in protest and hatred for what his brother did to their place of birth.

Joseph P.O.V.

It has been four months since we became orphans. And four months since I left my twin out of hatred.

I was determined to continue to believe that I wasn't a demon… And if I was then I was only HALF! I believed that thanks to my mother, I have a chance to not be condemned… But Erick… He has always been… More…. Eeeesh… I know he loved mother to but after that day, even though we were apart now, I could feel him falling into darkness… I was determined not to fall.

I may only be fifteen but there are a few small jobs I could do. Like one job I was able to do was a paper boy. During the afternoons I would stand on the corners and shout out the headline of the day while trying to sale the paper. Then I also have a job in the evenings at the docks. I almost didn't get the job because I was so thin and didn't look strong enough to handle the heavy lifting but I proved that I could lift MORE than the other workers. I have been making good money and have been able to keep myself fed… Wonder what my brother was doing for food? I also was able to keep myself clothed though in nothing fancy and nothing like the clean pressed cloths I used to wear. I wore a loose fitting shirt with a brown vest and a pair of long brown pants that I kept tucked in my boots to keep from tripping over. My hair was covered by a slightly big messenger hat.

Today was Wednesday and I was finished with one job and I was on my way to the next. As I ran up the street trying to get there on time I crashed into another person and we went down.

"My word! Get off my daughter you street rat filth!" The voice of an older gentlemen shouted. It took me a moment to gather my wits one more before I realized that the person I had taken to the ground with me was in fact a young girl my age… Give or take. I was running late but I remembered the lessons in manners that Mother had taught me and I was not about to ignore them. Getting up I gently took both of her hands in mine and pulled her to her feet swiftly.

"I apologize young miss…" I breathed I attempted to make sure she was unharmed.

"Let go of her!" Older gentlemen shoved me to the side and into the road. I heard a few people shout at me to move and the next thing I knew, I was in the way of a horse drawn carriage. The horse reared and I as the hooves came down I swiftly stepped out of the way. I then heard the sound of Big Ben signaling the hour and I panicked… I was very late for work.

I bolted out of the road and shoved past the on lookers as I ran as fast as I could without using my inhuman ability's.

I was late and the boss was very mad at me but luckily he didn't turn me away and I got to work. Around three the boss had left to go run a quick errand and left me and all the other workers to load and unload crates and bags from the ships. But the thing is that once he was out of sight… The others started to slack off and a few even stood around and shouted at me to keep working… I didn't complain because it wasn't like I got tired easily. But it was a hot day and I had lost my hat at some point. My black hair stuck to my face and I groaned a little whenever I dropped the load I was carrying. But he only did it to make it seem like the work was taking a toll on him. He didn't even look up when one of the other workers called to him.

"Hey pretty boy! Why don't you join us huh? The boss ain't here so enjoy yourself kid."

But I didn't stop until I heard the voice of a girl calling me.

"Boy… Hey boy!" I looked up to find the noble girl I had knocked down a few hours before hand. She stood there a good distance away and in her hands she gripped my hat. "I have been looking for you… You left your hat." She said. I stared at her hit my mouth hanging open slightly. I hadn't paid attention before but now I realized that she was very lovely. She had cream colored skin and golden hair that was cascading into a waterfall of curls. Her eyes were a gray color but in them I could see a happy glow that made me feel warm. Swallowing I realized my mouth had gone dry. I moved faster so I could drop the two large bags that I had been carrying on my shoulders. Once I put them down I tried to straighten my cloths and rubbed my sleeve across my forehead to dry the sweat and to unstick my hair. I then made my way over to her and she held my hat out to me. I took it and bowed to her in one fluid motion. She laughed lightly and I felt pleased with myself.

"You are very polite for a street rat." My face heated up and I took a step away from her.

"I am no street rat Madame. I am me. I am a hard worker, a fighter, a dreamer, a believer. And like you a creation of our lord… Street rat… Is NOT who or what I am." I corrected her and she stared at me with a shocked expretion. I could make out the red spreading across her face as she studied me and I sighed and I placed my hat on my head. "Thank you again for my hat… But I must get back to work." I said and I started unloading and loading once more while the others still sat around. The girl remained and she watched me work until I made out a voice.

"Emily… What are you doing here?" A second latter the boss appeared by her side.

"I wanted to see you uncle… But…" She kept looking at me and I realized she was bringing the situation to his attention. The boss stood there looking between me and the other workers for a second before he started shouting.

"WHAT ARE YOU LAZEY BUMS DOING! I LEAVE FOR ONLY ANG HOUR TO FIND YOU SLACKING OFF!" He started shouting and they all started to scramble back to work. "YOU! BOY PUT THOUGHS DOWN AND TAKE A BREAK!" He snapped at me and I looked at him. I dropped everything and just laid on my back right there… I wasn't tired at all I just did it for show. I heard a door slam and I knew that the boss was inside his office and I quickly looked around to see that the girl was gone as well. With a sigh I put my head back down and stared at the sails to the ship that was docked nearby. Something caught my eye and I squinted to look at it better through the sun… It was a Raven, a red eyed raven perched on the mast… Looking at me. I felt something rise in me, something blood thirsty and violent. I closed my eyes and forced it down… I would not submit to that side of me no matter what. Something landed on my chest and I could feel it shifting around as it got settled. I rubbed my eyes in attempt to stop the burning and once it subsided I opened them again it was the red eyed Raven.

'You are a determined one.' A dark voice spoke in my mind and I just stared. 'You fight what you are and try to live like them.'

"I am never going to be like them… But I do have a choice and I will make it… I have made it." I whispered and I heard it chuckle darkly.

'Just like your mother…' It… HE whispered in my mind.

"My… Mama? You know my mama?" I felt myself become hopeful. The Raven just chuckled and spread its wings and took flight… I knew what the demon was doing… He was tempting me with my mother… But I will not fall like my brother… I have a choice!

Speaking of my brother I again wonder what he was doing now…

"Hey boy!... Come on in and have a drink!" The bosses voice shouted. I jumped up and ran toward him and he stepped aside for me to go inside his office and I was met with Emily's smiling face. I stood there as I was given a drink and smiled back.

"Emily says you were the one unloading everything while the others sat around… Is that true?" He grunted. I looked down

"I just feel I should earn my pay… That's all." I mumbled. The bosses gave a chuckle.

"Honest to… Well the way I see it is that you earned more than a pay… I say you are now my right hand man."

I stood there in shock and silence…

I think I just got a promotion.