Pitch Black Heaven

Yep. She was on top of him, lingerie and all. His confused expression was on her, then turned to despair when he saw me. She saw me standing in the door way and was quick
to act, she grabbed his face in her hands, pressed her lips to his and made out with him
fiercely. I wanted to run away and cry but my feet were glued to the ground, I was paralyzed.

I clenched my hands into fists, I didn't know how else to react. 'I hate you Zachary Benson!" I
screamed. I stomped out - my feet finally moving - my life was over. I didn't want to seem
hopeful, I wished he would run out after me just so I could see him away from Carmen. But
he didn't follow. Angry tears washed my skin as I grabbed my duffel bag - still unpacked -
and stormed back to his room, my gun in my hand.

"You whore!" I screamed. She was driving him into a corner when I saw them. I shot at her
leg, seeing the shot she jumped out of the way. "I'll kill you!" I shouted in hysterics. Two
more shots followed, they echoed in the silence.

"I'll have you locked away for this!" She growled, rolling across the bed. I shook my head like a uncooperative child and pulled the trigger again. It merely missed her head, I laughed at this. She took Zach's gun off the side table and shot back at me, I kept advancing, weaving through the bullets. I was soon only meters away, she glared at me and dropping the gun, she rammed me to the ground and ran off.

“Get back here!” I commanded, she didn’t come back. I turned to Zach - half undressed.
"Your nothing to me.”

“Rhiannon wait!” He called after me but I didn’t turn, I didn’t flinch, I made no response to my name. I had enough money on me to buy a ticket back to Michigan, I wouldn’t bother to tell Scarlett she would only try to stop me.

“Please don’t go!” I could hear him bounding after me, pulling a shirt over his head. I got into the elevator and pushed him out the doors as they closed.

With my head held high I caught a taxi to the airport, I bought the tickets there and waited to board the plane. Once I was finally in my seat and we were ready to take off I made the decision to leave Rapture, and to go back to school.
I couldn’t do this anymore, I couldn’t let my life be consumed with trying to kill Liam. My mission was to kill Carmen, detective or not she is going down.

***

A week passed without a visit from anyone in Rapture, not even Zach dared to show his face at my place. Well at least mum was glad to have me home. I could see how hard she was trying to stop herself from blurting out questions of my sudden return to her and school. I silently planed my man hunt for Carmen, and I knew graduation was coming up so I would need to study extra hard to make up for my absence.

I spent most days at home, Tiarne knew I was back but I didn’t go to see her except for school. I refused to show how broken I was. I remembered how I’d once thought I’d had too much to loose, now I had nothing to loose. Life seemed so normal for me, as if I had never met Zach or anyone in Rapture or found out about Liam’s dark secret. I was just Rhiannon Balker, youngest and only daughter of Fiona Balker. I lived on a normal street, in a huge house just like many others.

I was nothing special.

Most days were filled with study, taking a break I signed onto MSN. I was bombarded with questions from Hannah and a few other ‘friends’ from my school, the asked where I had been and why I had been on TV. So I immediately logged off squeezing my eyes shut, pinching the bridge of my nose. It wouldn’t just go away, would it?!

Someone drummed their fist loudly against the front door, I rose from the chair and hit mute on the remote, muting the movie playing - unwatched - behind me. I sighed, it would probably be Tiarne trying to force me out of my shell like she did every weekend. Since I’d gotten back it was an impossible task. I ambled to the door still in my big Grey jumped and purple boxers, I slipped into my ugg boots and answered the door.

“Don’t slam the door.” Zach begged. Ignoring his plea, I slammed it right in his face. Before I could turn back around there was another drumming on the door. I sighed louder this time, I thought about shoving a butchers knife through the mail slot on the door. I giggled darkly at the image playing in my head.

“Please, please open the door, we need to talk!” He pleaded again.

“We? There is no we!” I retorted in a shout. He started banging his fists over and over again on the door, I want back to the TV and hit mute again then turned up the volume till the floor was vibrating. I recited all the lines of Finding Nemo along with the DVD, I felt like a little kid watching it but if it was drowning out Zach’s constant banging I was happy to play along. I went to the kitchen and grabbed a bag of chips.

“Ahem.” My head snapped up to see Zach leaning against the door frame.

“Get out of my house!” I ordered. He shook his head so I took my gun from my belt - I still kept it there - and aimed it at him. But he has disappeared, there was a loud click and I knew he was behind me. He poked the gun to the back of my head and laughed.

“I’ve been doing this my whole life, did you seriously think you could keep me out of your house, let alone hold me to gun point.” He scoffed, a slight edge to his tone.

I spun around and glared at him. “I hate you, now get out or I’ll shoot you in the foot and call the police.” I threatened, aiming for his foot.

His face fell. “Can we please just talk about this, I need to explain what happened last week.” He put his gun away and grabbed my wrists, trying to keep me there. I jerked them away and went to the phone, my fingers ready to dial 911.

“Get out!” I stabbed a finger in the direction of the door.

“You can’t stay away from me.” He said with a smirk. “I know you like me.” He grinned, so sure he was right. My jaw dropped with outrage, I could feel a blush building.

“I-I-I...” I didn’t know what to say. My cheeks went bright crimson and he quirked a brow.

But his face turned serious now.“Rhi, Rapture needs you, I need you.” He reasoned. I said nothing and pointed to the door. He shrugged and took a few steps to the back door. “If you feel like talking, I’ll be waiting by Lake Saint Clair.” As he reached for the knob he said. “Or maybe I could come see you and Cupids Cafe.” He winked and then he was gone. The door flew open with a gust of wind and bangs repeatedly against the back wall, I walked shakily to it and pulled it closed.

Anger built and I pushed back the door and stormed out after him. Zach was no where to be seen, but knowing his sneaky ways he was probably watching.

“I so do not like you, you stuck up asshole, and I will defiantly not come to see you!” I lied. It was no use lying to myself, I liked him allot. But the feelings were dying, the pressure on us was far too much. No point trying when you know you’ll fail, right?

I stood in my backyard for a long time, then I remembered something I hadn’t for so long. Liam’s motor bike. I also reminisced of the time Scarlett had taken me riding on her own bike, the freedom of the experience and how light headed you felt afterwards was something I suddenly craved for. I walked to the garage and pulled the royal blue cloth of the shiny black bike sitting lonely in the darkest corner, it was stunning and just screamed wild. I didn’t know how to ride it but Scarlett had sort of mentioned how to work it once.

“Take a chance.” I muttered to myself, the encouragement I had hoped would come did not. I most likely looked foolish sliding onto the leather seat, but what I looked like didn’t matter to me. I fiddled around for a while until to my huge surprise I kicked it to a start, it buzzed under me so I hit the automatic garage door button and it opened. I shot forward like a bullet from a gun and screeched onto the street. I bounced up and down, struggling to keep control, I thrummed along till I reached the main road.

“Holy shit!” I hooted as I drove trough a red light, there were a few angry horns going off but I didn’t feel the need to worry, I was already a wanted criminal wasn’t I? Wanted criminal or not, I felt freedom on this motorbike. My hair was whipping the nape of my neck, my shirt flying out behind me. The air was dry and icy, biting like wolves at my skin. The sensation I felt gave me a tight feeling in my chest, I liked it.

Then my cell phone went off ruining the moment, so I pretended it was someone else's. I had no time for everybody else's bull shit, I didn’t care if I was being selfish and pig headed, but I had worried too much about others and now was it too much to ask for just a few weeks to cool off? To live a normal life? Again my phone rang.

“God, will you stop!” I yelled, I grabbed my phone and threw it onto the road behind me. I heard a loud crunch as the car behind me crushed it. I laughed so loudly I wondered if I was going mad. I wanted to go faster! So I reeved forward and sped through another red light. I rode for at least an hour going into the deserted forest roads for most of the ride, unexpectedly the engine began to splutter and I knew I was running out of gas.

“No, no, no! Fucking hell, keep going you piece of shit!” I tried to wiggle forward with the bikes last burst of huge speedy but the bike began to fish tail and it jerked to a stop sending me flying over the handle bars in a somersault.

I layed on the edge of the road for what seemed like hours, the bike was laying on my leg, I couldn’t be bothered pulling it off. It started getting dark but my head hurt so I didn’t get up. I suddenly heard gravel crunching and a car door open and close.

“Are you okay Miss?” A male voice questioned, he came to my side and lifted the bike off me. I looked up at his face, his eyes were almost as blue as mine but his hair was blonde, almost white. He was probably my age, maybe older.

“Totally fine...” I grumbled sarcastically.

He smiled. “Are you okay to ride back to your house?” He pulled me to my feet by my hand. I felt dizzy, my head was whirling.

“Yep.” I lied. I tried to smile, but even to me it felt wrong. My vision was blurry and all I wanted to do was ride again. “Oh... I forgot, I don’t have any petrol.” I mumbled unhappily, I really was upset. I wanted to ride forever, if I rode in the darkness it would be even more thrilling.

“Well I’ll give you some petrol if you let me escort you back to your place. I don’t trust you behind the bars of a motor bike, you look... uh...” His eyes leered to the side as he chewed on his lip, unable to finish his sentence. “I’m Dale by the way.”

I rolled my eyes. “Whatever, now make with the petrol.” I ordered him. He chuckled and walked to the back of his truck, pulled out a carton of petrol and filled up my tank. I watched him imagining he was Zach, wishing he was Zach. But Zach was a hurtful bastard and as far as I was concerned, I hated him.

“Thank you.” I said once he finished.

“No problem.” He grinned and steadied the bike for me. I got on but I’d forgotten how I’d turned the bike on before. “You do know how to start the bike don’t you?” He stared at me, a worried expression on his face. I hated people second guessing me, but he was right, I didn’t really know how to start it.

“Fine Mr. Smart guy. How ‘bout you teach me.” I challenged, smirking. He shrugged and nodded. He went through all the steps with me, and after about five minutes I was able to get the bike to start without any reminders.

“Bravo!” He enthused when the engine roared. I grinned, pleased with myself. “Wait here.” He ran back to his truck and U turned so that he was right beside the bike. “Lets go.” He said.

I guess you could call what we were doing racing, most of the time one of us would yell out ‘first one to the blah, blah, blah win’s’. Overall, I won but he beat me to my house.

“I win!” He cheered, jumping out of the car.

I got off the bike glumly. “But I wont six of the eleven races, so I win!” I corrected him with a cheerful laugh.

“Nice job.” He raised his hand for a high five, I slapped it still grinning. I hadn’t smiled this much in weeks.

“Yeah nice job Rhiannon...” Someone murmured from the darkness of the porch. Zach emerged, unsmiling, a mask of no emotion over his usually warm face. His arms were folded and his gun - usually hidden - was poking out of his front pocket easily seen by Dale.

“Zach what are you doing here?!” I asked, venom coaxing my tone.

“I should go-” Dale began to say.

“Shut up.” I commanded Dale. “You don’t have to leave for him.” I sneered. Dale stood awkwardly there, caught up in out little spat. Zach and I scowled at each other before Zach broke the silence.

“While you and this ‘Dale’ guy have been off racing.” He began. “I’ve been trying to fucking call you to tell you Liam’s got Scarlett bloody hostage! But you obviously don’t give a shit because all you care about is yourself!” His voice rose to a shout and I realized he had been the one calling me before. “Now if you excuse me I’m going to try save her before Liam slits her throat!” He growled, he shoved passed me and walked across the road to where his Camero was parked.

“Oh Dale, have fun with your new girlfriend. Cause she's all your!” He spat, slamming his door. I was frozen on the sidewalk, unable to accept how much of a bitch I had been.

“I already have a boyfriend....” Dale mumbled, answering Zach far too late, he was already cruising away. “I’ll just go.” He backed away and ram to his truck. “I’ll see you around Rhiannon, nice meeting you!” He called as he sped off. I couldn’t wave or reply, I was such a horrible person. I didn’t deserve a new friend and I especially didn’t deserve Zach.

Wait a second? Did Dale just say Boyfriend?

***

Another day didn’t bring a fresh start, Scarlett’s capture was eating away at me. I felt like ripping my hair out with the self hatred I felt towards myself, I sat at my desk, my gun in front of me. I stared at it, deliberating whether to show my face to Rapture and offer my assistance. The clock was ticking on the wall shouting at me, telling me to make my mind up.

“Ugh!” I cried, grabbing my gun. I stormed out the door and slipped onto Liam’s bike, it roared with enthusiasm and I shot forward. Going to the forest shack could be either good or bad. Good if they forgive me but bad if they don’t and decide to shoot me in the mouth. I didn’t need anyone to help me find the shack. The moment I skidded into the mud beside the forest I wheeled my bike into the trees just next to the ribbon marked path and sprinted into the forest.

For the first time in so long, I actually felt scared running through the dense woods. Of all nights I could hear everything step I made, every snap of a twig and every cry from the animals that lurked in the twilight. It was nightfall when I got to the shack, I crept in noiselessly and pulled the trap door open. Only two people were in the room, Arron and Luke.

They both looked up when I entered the underground hideaway.

“Rhiannon?” Luke examined me.

“Zach said you’d left us...” Arron indicated. I gazed at them, wishing I knew what they were thinking. Did they think any less of me?

“Does he hate me?” I wondered, falling into a chair beside theirs.

“No way, he likes you heaps.” Arron replied with a reassuring grin.

“Angry probably.” Luke assumed.

Arron pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it in the fire, he drew it to his lips. “What exactly did he say to you?” He queried in a light puff of smoke. I didn’t answer, I didn’t like recalling the words he said and the ones that went unsaid only to spare my already hurt feelings.

“That bad huh?”

I nodded glumly. “Really bad in my book.”

“I suppose he told you about Scarlett.” It wasn’t really a question.

“Yeah...” I looked off into my own little space, I wished I could stay day dreaming forever. Living through this nightmare was just becoming torture. "Where is everyone." I searched for the others but no one appeared.

"They're out looking for Scarlett by the forests around Liam's base." Luke replied, studying a map layed out before him. At first I wanted to ask them why they hadn't joined them but thats when my plan snapped into my brain, I needed to save Scarlett. She one good friend and I would rather give myself as the ransom to Liam than see her die at his hand. So my plan was to get Arron and Luke to drive me to his gangs base then I would give myself up to Liam, save Scarlett and everyone would be just fine.

Except for me.

"Hey guys..." I said sweetly. "Would you give me a lift?"

Pitch Black Heaven - © MemoriesdonoJustice / Rose Tonis 2009 .