Pitch Black Heaven

It was only when we hit the border of Michigan did the enormity of the change occurring really hit me. I had been sitting stiff in my seat, my fingers clawing to the seat as i felt like I was being sucked into a tornado of new and unfamiliar things. I peeked at the side mirrors to see the usual sight of four other cars, one large van and two sleek sports cars. If we were going to Toledo, Ohio. The gang was coming too.

"Are you okay?" Zach whispered as the city of Toledo spread out before us just over the horizon, the buildings tiny dots in the distance.

"I don't know." I replied. I had no idea how I felt, my dad was dead and I wouldn't be present for the funeral. The fact that his death was my fault was hitting me harder than a fall of a fifty story building. His eyes rolling back into his head and the books showering around him replayed in my head over and over and over again, it was becoming a nightmare.

"You should sleep, you haven't had a wink since two nights ago." He requested, his voice quite firm.

"I can't." I mumbled in a whisper. I was too scared to sleep for fear I would dream of the horrors lurking in the deepest caves of my mind. My fathers bloody death, one of the many my brain had picked from my ever changing life. "I just can't." I muttered. With that he pulled to the side, and like a snake the other cars pulled to the side too.

"Why don't you drive with Scar for the rest of the drive..." He offered, leaning over and pushing my door open. I shakily left his car just as Scarlett slipped out of Marcus's Yellow Lotus.

"He wants me to drive with you." I informed her shyly, worried she would turn me down.

"Sure, Marcus go ride with Zach." She ordered him. Marcus slipped out of the car and walked to Zach's shooting me a grin on the way. Scarlett's face was darker than before as I got into the amazing Lotus sports car.

"This is an amazing car." I muttered trying to lighten up her face.

"It's actually Zach's you know... he gave it to Marcus." She said causally, as we set off again trailing behind Zach's confident lead.

"Mmm." I looked out the black tinted window watching the scenery flash by.

Scarlett broke the silence. "It must be hard for you..." She murmured. "... Losing your dad and all." She continued. I could see the sun slowly rising, peeking over the horizon making sure it was okay to come out. "You know I lost both my parents."

I nodded remaining silent, my lips slightly pursed. I knew there was a story coming up. "My brother?" I finally said. She too nodded. "Will you tell me the story?" I wondered lightly

Her breathing was the only thing I could hear before she finally jumped right into the story. "My father was Jillian Griffits, my mother Martha. Mum was a famous fashion designer..." She said, her voice cracking so softly it was almost a gurgling sound.

"Griffits? Yeah, my mum has some of her clothes. There beautiful." I commented, nodding for her to continue. I could see that the evil was about to make an appearance in the story from the look in her eyes.

"I loved them... but I also had a little brother..." She almost growled the words.

I paused, questioning whether I should ask or not. I finally did. "Was he- uh... killed?" I asked quietly.

She laughed a flat laugh. "No." The sky was lighter as darkness became the morning light. "He was taken I believe... I also believe he is still out there." She noted glancing at my expression, wondering whether she was scaring me or not. "Well I had stayed late at a dinner ball my family had been invited to. My parents and my little brother left earlier, I however remained chatting with the many boys who craved my attention." She scoffed at the thought. "I was foolish to stay... I came home late that night at around midnight. The lights were off, except for my fathers study and my parents bedroom." A sting of pain rippled through my body as the scene painted a familiar picture in my head.

"As I entered the house, I could hear mums TV buzzing on up in her room..."

- SCARLETT'S FLASHBACK -

"Hello?" I whispered, it echoed lightly in the empty entrance hall. I pulled the door shut behind me and creeped up the three flights of stairs to reach my parents fourth story bedroom, I could here the TV's nasally buzzing.

"Mum?" I murmured pushing the door. She was laying under her sheets, the remote sitting in her limp hand. Her eyes were closed so I assumed she was asleep, I walked to her and lovingly pulled the sheets over her freezing shoulders. Something dripped onto my silver shoe, blood? I staggered back, terrified. "Mum?" I whispered, my lower lip trembling. I grasped her shoulders and shook her viciously she didn't move at all. I leaned my ear to her mouth, she wasn't breathing either. I tossed between running away or pulling back the sheets. I went with the sheets. My fingers were ridged as I rolled away the Burgundy sheets.

"Help! Mum!" I screamed, turning in all directions praying someone would jump out and save her. "Help! Dad!" I yelled. My eyes bored into mums five stab woulds, blood pumping out of them tap. "Mum!" I screamed. I ran to dads study, he too was on the ground flood flowing. I collapsed in the doorway, my world collapsing around me. I robotically got up and stammered to Blake's room, his little CD player was humming out nursery rhymes as I edged towards the crib with the large canopy floating around it. I peered into the cot, empty. Blake was gone. I considered finding a knife and killing myself here and now, what was left for me now. But I didn't, I dragged my dads corpse onto the bed next to mum. I took his hand and placed it in mums, I took a step away from them and stared at their lifeless, blank faces. I kissed both their for heads and went to the phone.

"Hello Police?" I muttered after calling 911.

"What is your emergency?" A dull lady mumbled in response.

"There's been a murder, Talaris Way Seattle." I said grimly. I hung up, not prepared to give and further information. I slipped into the night like a black cat, unnoticeable in the deep black of the darkness.

- END FLASHBACK -

I sat their in shock, staring at Scarlett's blank face. Our eyes held for a few seconds of silence before she looked away, I took turning back to the window soon after.

"So you see I had it pretty tough. I'm actually one of the newest members to Rapture, I spent almost two years searching for my brother and living on the streets stealing from others just to stay alive." She said breaking the awkward silence. "Then I met Marcus and he introduced me to the group, and I was egar to join." She finished.

"Did you know it was Liam's gang who had killed your parents?" I asked in a small voice.

"Yes," She nodded. "My parents were murdered long after the others guys parents, I was older than them when I lost them." We stopped at a traffic light, her eyes seemed to dull at the scene outside. "Oh great... its snowing..." She muttered glowering at the scene outside. I said nothing seeing as I loved the snow. Just like earlier when Arron's car and Zach's black Camero swerved to the side, Scarlett spun the wheel sending us snaking after them as they lead us down and nice enough looking Cabin Hotel. One by one each car parked side by side and everyone shivered out of their cars longing for warmth.

"Are we staying here?" Marcus asked, making a disgusted face.

"Well our cars aren't really fit to go any further in this snow so we'll have to stay here the night till we can get our cars sorted out." Arron answered looking just as disgusted.

"Ugh, so we have to stay in those cabins?" A girl I knew as Julia questioned.

"We don't have much choice do we..." Arron grumbled. The group then dispersed into the reception building but I remained behind, planted in the snow feeling very responsible for dragging the gang out to bloody Toledo, Ohio in the middle of winter when it just happened to start snowing.

"Damp wavy hair... suits you." Zach commented from behind me. I turned to see him quirking a brow, a wide grin spreading across his amused face.

"Shut up..." I muttered, shying away from his eyes. Before I could turn I caught a glimpse of worry in his eyes.

"Is something wrong?" He questioned walking to me.

"Aren't you even slightly pissed that we're on the run because of me..?" I mumbled keeping my eyes on my tangling fingers. He didn't didn't speak. I stomped my foot in frustration. "You are aren't you!" I shrieked stomping away.

"Rhi!" He called. I could feel the snow sinking around my feet and the sound of Zach's following footsteps right behind me.

"Go away." I mumbled childishly.

He laughed shaking his head. "Don't act like this Rhi." He pleaded, reaching for my wrist. I took a step backwards but tripped in the snow conveniently... Just great... I was buried under the sparkling snow, I squinted up through the snow up at Zach's chuckling figure. A pale white hand brushed the snow from my face. He knelt beside me, his lips coming closer and closer. I felt like being a child so I did what I child would do.

"Get off." I grumbled pushing him away. He only chuckled to my relief, I was worried he would feel hurt.

"I'll make this up to you." He promised solemnly as I stalked off toward the reception building.

***

"What did I do?" Zach asked as we walked to our run down cabins. I ignored him and rushed through the door to where Scarlett, Julia and Sammy were waiting. Apparently Sammy and Julia only joined the gang because they once had a crush on Arron. I pursed my lips, I felt like they didn't belong, harshly enough.

"So what did he do?" Scarlett queered. I ignored her too, not needing to explain. I wanted to sleep and get away from the world for a few measly hours. I layed face down on my bed until they turned the lights out and I could finally get to sleep.

***

"Wake up." Someone hissed. I opened my mouth to scream but a hand cupped my mouth, capture seemed to be some what of a daily activity for me. "Its only me. I'm here to make it up to you." He said in a hushed voice. When I relaxed he pulled out a picture and held it infront of me.

One tear slid down my cheek. My beautiful family, Mum even Liam but the only face I could look at was my fathers smiling face, smile lines creasing his skin, his wispy brown hair and his bright blue eyes. Identical to mine, my mother would always say. "Thank you." I breathed hugging his relieved body.

"Told you I'd make it up to you." He teased.

I rolled my eyes. "No quite..."

His mouth popped open. "Fine." Zach muttered. "Then get up and get dressed, we're going for a walk." He commanded. I stared at him for a few moments noticing how his hair color seemed to change from black to dark brown, it made my brain loop the loop. He left me to pull on a coat and some trackies over my leggings. I jumped around till my shoes finally slipped onto my feet, I finally made it out the door with out making a fool of myself. It was snowing and not to mention bloody freezing!

"Its f*cking freezing!" I shrilled, rubbing my arms repeatedly craving some sort of warmth.

"Lets go." He said, wrapping one arm around me controlling some of the shivers trailing down my body. We walked in silence for a few minutes as we headed into the snowy forest, it seemed foolish to be walking so late at night and through the snow. The wind was harsh, it bit at my face like a pack of vicious wolves, Zach's arm tightened protectively around me. We walked deeper and deeper into the trees, I wondered if we'd ever find the cabins again.

"You were jealous of Carmen weren't you?" Zach whispered as we sat under a large pine tree, its branches winding and winding above us up into the sky.

I stared forward as I answered. "Do you take amusement from that?" I asked back. He chuckled quietly to himself.

"Yeah... I guess I sorta do." He replied, his tone cheerful.

"Did you really choose her side over me?" I asked. I feared his response, was it stupid of me to think he would choose me over his 'family'?

"She was family..." He defended. "Well... not really, but you get the point..." He shrugged, his expressions showing no interest in my complaints.

"But I can't believe you didn't believe me..." I grumbled, my voice turning to a growl.

"Well your claims sounded pretty idiotic." He rettorted defensively. I got up, shoving his arm off my shoulder.

"Hey, we're in a gang together now. Don't you think I deserve a little more trust?!" I shrilled, it pierced the night.

"Oh c'mon, I though she was my cousin. Did you expect me to choose you over my own blood?" He seemed surprised. I could feel tears of anger building, I clenched my fists hoping I could clench the tears back.

"I can't believe this!" I fumed. "You said I was 'the most important girl in your life'!" I quoted, my hands rising in the air. "Or were you just settling for second best!" I shouted. He scrambled to his feet.

"Hey! if you were in my situation who would you have chosen? Your family... or me?!" He yelled back. I froze. He wouldn't have chosen me... but I knew in my heart if I had, had the choice I would have chosen him. His mouth dropped forming a small O, I knew he knew my answer. Pain stabbed me in the back and I'm pretty sure it hit my run button because I sprinted off, far away from Zach. His expression was filled with shock as I stumbled off as the snow drifted from the sky like earlier. I tripped often seeing as the snow was almost up to my knees surprisingly. I pulled my hood up as the wind whipped my hair into my face, the snow came down harder and in larger amounts to the point where I could barely see a thing. I hit a tree and collapsed at its base, curling up in its roots. I sniffled as the angry tears turned to tears or fear and hurt.

I was sick of being stabbed in the back over and over again.

"I want to sleep." I whispered to myself, rocking back and forth. I forced myself to think straight, I was now quite sure I was caught up in some form of snow storm the the thing that terrified me the most what how I had no idea how I would find my way out. I couldn't keep my eyes open, the drooped till everything was black. I could still her the wind rocking my body, I blocked my ears and tucking my head between my knees. I clenched my fist to my heart and held it there.

"Rhiannon!" Someone yelled. "Rhi!" The voice faded and just kept fading till it was just the wind. I felt so numb, so god damn numb.

So it was going to be one of those nights... and you know what..? ...I think I'm dead.

Pitch Black Heaven - © MemoriesdonoJustice / Rose Tonis 2009