Cursed family

Eli's eyes snapped open, his gaze met with an eerie, pulsing glow. The Evil Mark on his arm seemed to throb with malevolent energy as if feeding off his every breath. He lay in the dirt, his family's worn wagon looming above him. The memory of their banishment from Ashwood City still seared his mind like a branding iron.

"Get up, Eli!" his father, Malcolm, barked, voice lace with desperation. "We need to keep moving."

Eli rose, his joints aching from another night on the unforgiving ground. His sister, Ava, stood nearby, her own Mark glowing with an otherworldly light. Their mother, Rachel, sat in the wagon, her eyes sunken, her spirit broken.

As they trudged onward, the weight of their cursed existence settled upon Eli like a shroud. He knew their marks made them outcasts, feared and reviled by all. The prophecy echoed in his mind: "Bearing the Evil Mark, they shall wander, forever alone."

After being banished from Ashwood City, the Blackwood family travelled for days, seeking a place to settle and hide from those who fear their Evil Marks. They venture into the unknown, guided by Malcolm's rough maps and Rachel's intuition.

As they trudged onward, leaving the familiar forests behind. Weeks passed and the landscape shifted - rolling hills, vast plains, and eventually, the harsh desert terrain. The sun beat down relentlessly, draining their canteens and spirits. Malcolm's maps led them astray, and Rachel's intuition grew cloudy, Ava's optimism began to wane, and Eli's Mark pulsed stronger as if sensing their desperation.

After months of traveling, the Blackwood family found themselves lost in the desert's endless dunes.

Their wagon wheels creaked, and supplies dwindled.

The family decided to camp, hoping to find refuge from their pursuers and a chance to replenish their resources.

So while Malcolm and Rachel set up the tent, ava and Eli decided to go fetch a stone to make a fire.

"How do you think we could find a stone in this desert? all i see here is sand." After a long walk, ava broke the silence.

"What do you mean, we can only try, who knows we might find something to replace a stone or far better than a stone." Eli said trying to be responsible.

Ava looked at him surprised, how come he is being so sensible today?

Eli already knew finding a stone in a desert was a merry chase. But he thought they might be just so lucky to stumble upon one. Hence, they kept on moving, while squishing the sands with their foot for any hard substances.

While they continue to search, Ava finally stumped upon a stone looking very okay, she quickly stretched out her hands to pick it up, before she got a snap on her hand.

"Ouch!", she screamed.

"I saw it first, so keep searching, who knows you might find yours." Eli said as he picked the stone up.

Ava looked at him with an expression, "Why are you doing this to your little sister, you and i know, i saw it first, Please just give it back, or Else..."

"Don't worry, i will be here waiting for you while you keep hunting for your stone." Eli said giving out a smile.

Ava's eyes narrowed, her eyebrows furrowing in frustration. "Fine keep the stone. See if i care." She crossed her arms, her lips pursed in a scowl.

Eli chuckled triumphant, but his smile faltered as Ava's expression darkened. He held out the stone, a peace offering. "hey, come on, ava. Don't be like that."

Ava's gaze lingered on the stone before shifting to Eli's face. Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "You're going to regret this."

The desert sun beat down upon them, relentless in it's ferocity. Sand swirled around their feet, stinging their skin. Ava's hair whipped about her face, her ponytail coming undone. Eli's eyes squinted against glare, his forehead creasing in concern.

As they stood there, locked in a silent standoff, the only sound was the wind rustling through the dunes.

Finally, Eli relented. "Okay, okay. I'll help you find another one."

He knew that, without following Ava to find a second stone to light the fire, she won't move an inch.

So together, they combed the desert floor, their feet sinking into the scorching sand. The air was heavy with scent of creosote and mesquite. Ava's eyes scanned the ground, her face set in determination.

At last they found a second stone, its surface etched with ancient patterns. Ava's eyes lit up, her face alight with excitement.

"This one's better! I want it." Eli hesitated, his grip on the stone tightening.

"No way, i found it!" Ava's face fell, her lover lip jutting out in a pout. "That's not fair!"

Eli gave a smile, "It doesn't matter who found it, it's a matter of who touch it first."

The arguments began again, both of them not relenting.

As the argument escalated, Malcolm's voice boomed from the distance, "Ava! Eli! Let's head back to camp! We need to start a fire before nightfall!"