Pitch Black Heaven

You’d think boys only did these kinds of things in movies, but Zach had done something so much more magical.

It was so simple, but so perfect in every way. The trees laden with shinning lights were so emerald it was almost blinding to gaze at them. A simple stereo playing soft music in the background was all it needed to make the little clearing perfect. The lights in the shack were on for the first time, standing beside it were nearly every member of our little gang, our little family.

“You did this?” I stammered, not taking my eyes away from the sight.

“Well you should really thank Scarlett. She set most of It up.” Scar waved from beside the table, stacked with CD’s and speakers. “You should see what she did to the shack as well.” Zach added with a grin.

My childhood had been dull, full of social dinners and meeting dad’s colleagues or mums friends at women’s clubs. For the first time I felt a bubbly feeling deep in my chest, the feeling you’ get when the excitement of the moment was far too much for your body to handle. I felt like a child in a candy store, or a tiny girl entering her most loved fairytale.

There were so many things I could have said at that very moment, but silence seemed appropriate – plus I couldn’t manage another word.

Zach watched me in my stunned silence. There was no need for words. “You like it?”

I was further shocked as to why he would even ask such a stupid question. “Of course I do!” I, the only thing I could do without stuttering uncontrollably.

“You don’t have to say that, I know it isn’t much. If you like I can drop you off at your school prom?” His expression was indifferent.

Once again, I was shocked beyond my years. “Don’t be silly!” I hit his arm. “It’s perfect.”

His face instantly brightened. “Come here.” He held his arms open wide and I hide my blush in his chest. I towed him to the middle of the clearing and just stood in his arms, there was no need to dance. Five minutes past of romancing silence. Perfection was hanging in the air.

“Rhi, are you sick of this life?”

His words puzzled me. “What life are we talking about exactly?”

“Gang life, Rapture.” He elaborated.

The moment he spoke a few things darted right into my head space. Why would he ask me this? And was he planning on leaving? I swallowed down my panic. “Why?”

“Just curious…”

My eyes narrowed at him suspiciously. “Your never just curious… what is going on up there?” I tapped his head.

He looked down caught up in his thoughts. “I’m just worried that one day you’ll want to leave us, leave me…”

There goes my theory. “Zach, you know I’m as committed to Rapture as you are.” Even I could hear the declaration I was hinting.

“C’mon Rhi… are you seriously saying you want the demise of Liam to be your goal in life? To consume your days hunting him down, saving ungrateful people who’ll never even know what we’ve done for them.”

“Is this what it’s about? Being recognized as a national hero?” I retorted, pulling out of his arms.

“No of course it isn’t. I’m just worried about you. I don’t think you realize how bad I feel, pulling you out of your life and don’t deny it, you had a good one. Now you’re missing out on school, seeing friends, leading a normal life all because of a war that you were dragged into.”

“I wasn’t dragged into anything! It was Liam’s war against you and your war against him. I’m here because I want to be.” I could feel the pledge becoming deeper and deeper. I knew the commitment was great, but I had no time for thinking straight.

Zach exhaled sharply. “Rhiannon, before you met me didn’t you have goals? Didn’t you have a plan for the future? Your graduation is in less than two months for god’s sake!”

I could see the others staring at us. “Zach.” I said firmly, my tone more civilized. “Before you came along my life was pointless. To be honest, I had no goals, the only thing I’d ever wanted to be when I’d grown up was a fairy princess and I’d wanted that when I was four years old. I’m seventeen and I sure as hell have nothing going for me…”

Zach scooped me up in his arms and carried me towards the shack away from the gentle music and unhurried dancing couple. He could have thrown me down the trap door and had the same affect. He lowered me down by my arms into a dramatically changed room. What Scarlett had down was incredible. Everything was lighter, so much more bright and open. The clutter was gone but the antique charm remained.

I turned on my heels to face Zach as he descended with ease, landing on the balls of his feet like a superhero would. I began to fiddle nervously.

“Rhiannon, I’ve been thinking.” Zach began walking towards me, cornering me. His eyes were smoldering, a blaze with some emotion I couldn’t identify.

My eyes darted up, I felt so small compared to him. “Yes?”

“Have you ever considered making it… official?” He whispered tenderly as I backed into a corner. His face was so close I fell backwards into the seat behind me.

I gulped. “Make what official?” My throat began tightening.

“You,” He breathed in my ear. “Me.” My eyes widened, I couldn’t breathe, and my throat was so tight I was almost choking. “Rhiannon?” I could hear the hurt sweeping into his tone though his eyes hid any feeling.

I craned my head and kissed his lips softly. His lips didn’t make any movement. He was frozen till one corner of his mouth turned up in a crooked smile. “Is that a yes?”

I nodded. Bending down to my level he got to his knees and took my face in his hands like a fragile doll. He brought our lips ever so slowly together. Parting mine, I felt a rush of warmth passing through me. His hot breath fanned my lips as I brought my hand to the nape of his neck pulling him closer. He got off his knees and stood up before immediately lowering himself above me not once breaking the kiss. I could feel him turning his head up wards signaling the end. I felt dissatisfied left yearning for more but we kept our heads close together for what seemed like an eternity.

He pulled me from the chair and sat me on his lap.

I adjusted my dress very glad I’d missed the school prom. I congealed at the sound of screams from up above. As if our minds were linked Zach and I both looked to each other before scrambling up the trap door.

The moment we surfaced Zach pulled his gun from his back pocket and pointed it ahead of us, keeping one restraining hand forcing me behind him. I turned back and rolled the carpet over the trap door just in case. When were reached the front door of the shack Zach peered out the window, easing his eyes towards the glass. With one quick peek he ducked and squatted as he looked to me.

“I don’t have a gun!” I hissed, ducking too. He pushed one across the floor, it hit my feet and I grabbed it with shaking hands, loaded it at backed up to the other window glanced outside. I could barely keep the gun in my hands when I caught sight of a dark figure standing beside the front door.

I bit my lip and pointed at the door. Zach frowned before he too looked out the window and realized the boy on guard.

“I’m not really good at doing this, but I’ll give it a try.”

My brows pulled together tightly. “Huh?” Zach pulled the door open slowly and ducked out ahead of me. I rushed out after him to see his arms wrapped tightly around the boy we’d seen earlier, one hand on his mouth the other around his neck. He released the boy and he dropped limp to the ground. “Is he dead?” I quietly shrieked.

“Nah, he’s just unconscious, learnt that move from Aaron.” He winked.

“What is wrong with you?” I muttered jokingly. His expression became grave and he stepped in front of me. Suddenly there was a fizzing sound and the shimmering lights weaved in and around the trees exploded in a frenzy of glass to darkness.

There were a few echoing claps, a long pause between each one. “Bravo, be the hero Zachary, stepping in front of the lady. You know it’ll only get you killed one day…”

It was Liam.

“What do you want Balker?” Zach said grimly.

“No hello?” Oh how I hated his games.

A low rumble came from Zach’s chest. “Enough. Tell me why you’re here!” Zach ordered no gracious welcome on his part.

“Oh I’m just a tad angry…” Liam’s eyes were menacing. “My own little sister dobbed me into the cops, that Detective Blackwood has been quite the nuisance this evening, snooping around my part of the woods.” Liam’s eyes still seemed to find me in the darkness.

“I’m not your sister.” I barked in a whisper.

Liam raised on brow skeptically. “Though you may wish it, it just so happens that I am legally your brother, biological or not.”

I wanted to spit at his feet, I wished there was a way I could make him look inferior. “Legality means nothing to me… you are not my brother.”

Liam shrugged. “Whatever…”

Zach decided to intervene with our squabble. “Where are the others?”

“Ran off.”

Liam took a step forward, we took a step forward. Liam stepped forward yet again till I was pressed up against the shack. Zach took a protective stance in front of me.

“Don’t try to change the subject Benson.” Liam hissed, leaning over him. “Listen up you two. If this Detective finds anything out about my gang and me it’ll be because of you… So let me just make this very clear, if this does happen the consequences for you will be grave.”

“You’re so full of shit Liam!” I shouted, spitting at his face. God it felt good.

Liam closed his eyes, exhaled loudly before rubbing it off. “I was considering leaving you two alone for one night but well stupid old Rhiannon just makes me so damn angry. I told you Mi-Mi, you don’t belong in this life, and spitting on me is one wrong decision you’re going to regret.” There was suddenly a gun directly pointed at me. “No one disrespects me and gets away with it.”

“Run!” Zach howled. He grabbed my wrist and yanked me out of the way as the gun exploded sending a bullet my way. I fell to the ground before hurling myself forward, my arm outreached for Zach’s.

“Follow them!” Liam roared, bounding after us.

I ducked under the web of hanging lights, Zach holding my hands tightly. We were together now, he wouldn’t let go and neither would I. Neither of us would leave the other behind. Weather this was some form of reassurance I wasn’t sure, but I feared this would only be another complication.

A crackle in the trees made me jump, it was just the wind. The screeching of the birds high in the trees almost sent me toppling over. My stomach was flipping around till bam! Something hard hit the side of my head and my consciousness seeped away.

“Get away from her!” Was the last thing I heard from Zach.

~

My body was like a block of ice. My joints were sore and my body felt so crap. I tried to roll onto my side, as I did a jolt in the floor made me roll on top of someone.

“Ugh!” Zach’s eyes popped open and lit up the room. “Rhi your okay!” He hollered, grinning.

“I can’t move my arms.” I tried to pull free but it became obvious I was tied up. Well wasn’t Liam just an A class criminal. Zach held up his wrists bound together with tattered cloth. “He got me too.”

I was actually surprised. It wasn’t usually Zach in a tricky situation, it was more often me.

I knew we were in the back of a car, the darkness and the light seeping through the trees and through the windows gave the car an eerie feeling. I began to panic. This was one situation that would be extremely tricky to get out of. “What are we going to do?!” My eyes were welling up with tears of frustration and terror.

“Are you crying?” His tone was full of shock.

“No.” I whimpered, looking down.

“Hey don’t cry!” He wiggled till our bodies were beside each other. He pulled his bounded arms over my head and pulled me in close. He pressed his lips to my ear “It’ll be alright, we’ll get away.” He gave my shoulders a tight squeeze before kissing my hair.

An uninterrupted silence followed. Goosebumps covered every inch of my body, just my body pressed against his. The only warmth came from his light breathing on my hair.

"How are we going to get away?” I whispered as I pulled my knees tighter to my chest. The rope was grinding against my ankles leaving them red and sore, my cast was dam, the signatures running like a water color painting. In most situations there was always a clear, obvious way to get out of the situation. This time we were locked in a speeding car driving to god only knows where tied up and with no backup what so ever.

We were doomed.

I could feel his jaw stiffen on my head. “I won’t let him take you Rhi.” He pledged, eyes cold and hard.

There was a jolt and Zach and I toppled forward smashing into the back door.

I hissed as my head began to throb.

“Are you okay?” Zach reached out and using one finger, held my chin up and assessed my face.

“I’m fine.”

The were loud thuds as doors opened and closed then the back door flung open and a burly bloke grabbed me roughly and slung me over his shoulder. The other man grabbed Zach and pinned his hands behind his back as he tried to struggle free.

“Get the fuck off her Flynn!” Zach growled.

Flynn chuckled. “Shut up…”

“Put me down!” I screamed in Flynn’s ear.

He cringed away before dropping me onto the soggy ground. My clothes were covered in mud and the rain decided to pick up just in time. Lucky me… Before I could wipe the mud off my face Flynn pinned my arms behind my back and shoved me along.

“Where are you taking us Flynn?” Zach shouted.

Flynn scoffed. “We’re going into hiding for a bit, and your coming with out.” His bad boy grin really aggravated me. They were all a bunch of twisted crooks who joined the wrong leader.

They blindfolded us. I couldn’t see where we were going so it was very easy for me to stumbled and trip over my own feet. I could hear the sticks cracking under my stride, I could feel the ferns brushing my arms and legs but most of all I could smell the purity of the air, so fragrant yet so pure.

Flynn’s huge hands pushed me to the ground and he removed my blindfold then tied me to the tree. The small area of forest became bustling with activity, they began setting up tents and gathering things till the place looked like a campsite.

A boy who looked much younger than the rest, only fifteen or so untied me to helped me up towards a small tent. “Get in.”

“Where’s Zach.” I demanded, stomping my foot into the ground. I refused to obey anyone until I was with him again.

“Just get in, you’ll see him later.” I wondered if I should press the question further, but I gave up and did as I was told. Once in the tent I walked to the very back corner and huddled up there. The young boy sat in front of the door way and watched me like a hawk.

“What?” I asked snappily.

His eyes narrowed. “Your Liam’s sister hey?” I could see he was just trying to make idle conversation.

“No… well, I am… but his adoptive sister.” Even I could hear the regret and resentment I felt towards Liam in my tone. I hated knowing that deep down he was my brother, adoptive or not.

“Well you’re defiantly nothing like him…” He mumbled.

The silence that followed gave me time to asses this boy. His features looked so familiar, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. His choppy Bistre hair fell over his eyes, he brushed it away. His eyes were a deep Myrtle and his skin was so chalky yet held a translucent shine to it. He had a resemblance to someone I knew, maybe a younger Zach, or maybe I was just seeing things.

“Do you mind if I ask you something?” I asked softly.

The boy looked up. “Depends.”

I took that as a yes. “Why did you join Liam? You look so young...”

The boy’s eyes were filled with hurt. “I’ve grown up with Liam, he’s like a dad to me… my parents were killed when I was younger, Liam said he found me abandoned at a train station… he said my only relative left me there.”

I was slightly shocked that he would say so much. “But why didn’t you just leave him… peruse dreams or start a new life?” I ignored the irony of my question and focused on his myrtle eyes.

He shrugged. “I can’t… I never went to school and Liam’s been so good to me, I owe him.” The way he spoke of Liam was so fondly, how anyone could possibly believe Liam was a good person was beyond me.

“Doesn’t it bother you that he’s ruining your life, he’s turning you into a Criminal uh-?”

“Blake.” He prompted.

I smiled my thanks before my solemn mask came back on. “Blake, he’s ruining your life… he’s made you a criminal, look at you, your running from the law. Don’t you ever wonder what you could do if you broke away from all this, from Liam?” I could see my persuasion getting to him.

He started fiddling with his fingers. “Of course I’ve wondered but…” He failed to finish his sentence.

“Just think about it, you could do anything if you just broke away from Liam, I could-”

“Do you see what she’s trying to do to you?” A mellow voice entered the tent. A gust of wind gushed through and Liam entered. “I told you she’d try to make you turn on me. Don’t listen to her. She knows nothing about what we’ve been through, what you’ve been through.” A smirk was hiding in the creases of his face. He always seemed to think he could beat me at everything. This war was one thing I would never let him win. “Rhiannon stop trying to mess with my boy, he’s like a son to me and you shouldn’t put your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

I glared at Liam.

“It’s okay Liam, I wouldn’t turn on you.” Blake looked down glumly, I could see my talk had gotten to him in some way. Liam didn’t notice.

“Good.” He patted Blake’s head like he was a dog. “We’ll you will be on night guard till two tonight then I’ll take over.”

“Where is Zach?!” I snapped, leaning forward on my knees.

“He’ll be spending the night under the stars.” Liam winked and clasped his hands together. “Well as much as I’d love to stay and chat I’ve got things to do, night, night.” He strode off and Blake looked up.

“I understand you’re just trying to help and I appreciate it but it’s too late for me. So I’m going to help you. After Liam and I switch over he usually leaves the hostage alone for five minutes to talk to me about what I’ve learnt, it’s all about him trying to teach me to be a gang leader, and you’ll have around five minutes to get away.”

“Why would you do that…?” I breathed.

“I know Liam’s a bad person… and the fact that you’d try to help me out its really nice, you’re obviously nothing like him. It’s too late for me, but I don’t want you and your boyfriend to go down too.” He explained shyly, simpering.

I threw my arms around him. “Thank you.” I whispered.

He breathed a laugh. “I’ll wake you before the switch. Just sleep till now.”

I snuggled down in the corner of the tent and pulled a sleeping bag over me. I got to sleep easily knowing all would be well soon.

~

“Rhiannon, wake up.” A was shaken to conscientiousness.

“What?” Five minutes till the switch. Here,” He handed me a big fluffy hooded jacket. “Just say you stole it from the tent.”

I smiled. “Thank you.”

“Shit he’s coming, pretend you’re sleeping.”

I quickly collapsed under the sleeping bag and closed my eyes, I was good and faking this kind of shit.

“Is she asleep?” I heard Liam ask.

“Yeah, but I’m barely awake.”

“C’mon I need to talk to you.”

I heard Blake get up. “Okay.”

I waited a second before grabbing the jacket and peeking out the tent, no one was around. I ran out into the open, I felt so venerable. “Zach! Zach!” I hissed, peering around in the darkness praying I would find him before someone else found me. I walked across the campsite and passed the warm fire till I saw a dark figure lying against the tree.

“Zach!” I agonized, falling at his feet. Blood was running down his face while a tear ran down mine. “What did they do to you?” I kissed both his cheeks, forehead before kissing his lips. His eye was swelling up.

“Rhiannon, I’m so glad your okay!” I could see how it pained him to smile.

“Hold on I’ll get you out.” I scrambled around the tree on my knees and scratched at the rope till the knot came loose and I pulled him free. “Let’s go.” I squeezed his hand and he ran to catch up with me.

After we ran a while I stopped him and grabbed his face. I pulled him down to my level and locked my lips with his. “I thought I’d lost you.” I whimpered, kissing him again.

“I know Rhi,” He replied kissing my cheek. “But we have to keep running or he’ll catch up to us.”

I nodded and dabbed away the tears that had gathered in my eyes. “C’mon.” He took my arm and gave it a loving squeeze and we ran off.

If I wasn’t just imagining things I swore I heard a furious scream from back at the campsite. “Faster!” I squealed, alarmed at the fear that had taken me over.

“I hear water.” Zach whispered.

“Benson!” A scream came from the trees behind us.

My jaw began chattering. “How did he find us?!”

“I know what to do.” Zach answered, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on my hand. H tugged me forward till be broke through into the open, a rushing river spanned out before us.

“Where are they!” Another bark came from the woods.

“We have to jump into the river, there’s no time to find another way to cross.” The authority was plain to hear but I froze.

“You can’t be serious! We’ll drown!” I shrieked.

Zach turned to me and grasped my shoulders and stared me in the eye. “Rhiannon we have to do this, we’re together now and I need you to trust me.” I could see my reflection in his eyes, my lips were trembling. “Please.” He begged.

“Okay.” Zach bent down and kissed me passionately, his lips were trembling as he broke away.

“Ugh! There you are!” Liam exploded through the trees in fury, gun pointed ahead of him.

“Jump now!” Zach shouted. I grabbed his hand and knowing I could possibly die, this could be the end.

If you’re gonna go down, go down fighting so they say.

Pitch Black Heaven - © MemoriesdonoJustice / Rose Tonis 2009