Pitch Black Heaven

They say when your facing death right in the face, its a peaceful occasion. They're wrong! Dead wrong. I had never been so shaken in my life. I was alone in the forest and I had no idea if Zach was alive or dead. A crackling and rustling startled me. I instantly held my breath. Footsteps echoed in the eerie silence, I curled up in a ball and snuggled into the branches of the tree.

"Blue ribbon..." A boy mumbled, he had his hood up and he played with the ribbon in his fingers. I gasped ever so quietly. That was all it took, the boys head snapped up and saw me whimpering. I couldn't hold it back I let out a blood curdling scream, it pierced the silence like a knife through butter. The man pointed his gun at me, I closed my eyes as the explosion went off.

No pain, no numbness, no nothing.

I opened one eye, the leaves of the tree I sat in appeared, I opened the other and looked down. On the ground, dead - blood oozing out of a wound on his back - was the man. His lifeless bodies eyes were still wide open with shock. What frightened me the most, was the fact he was only a boy, no older that eighteen or nineteen. More footsteps bellowed towards me, I was sure death was near.

"Rhi?" A soft voice inquired.

"Zach oh my god I was so scared!" I yelped jumping out of the tree and into his arm, he caught me and placed me onto my feet. I wrapped my arms around his freezing body, he wriggled his arm around till he could slip his gun away. "Where did you go-" I croaked to a stop. Blood stained onto my leg, soaking my ripped, dark demin skinny jeans. "W-w-w-what h-a-a-p-" I stammered backing away, my mouth wide open

"Chill Rhi, I just got grazed by a bullet. Happens all the time." He brushed it off with a shrug. My jaw dropped and didn't close as I stared at the wound on his leg.

"Give me your shirt." I commanded.

"But I'm cold." He whined, pouting his lips. "Use your shirt." He winked at me. What a dick, stupid Jerk.

I glared at him. "You can use my jacket, its massive anyway. Now hurry up and give me your shirt before you bleed to death. He sighed and slipped off his top. Okay lets hit pause and never touch play again. Under the shirt hid a muscular frame. An eight pack rippled down his stomach, his arms hinted he might work out. But he didn't look like the type. I soon realized why he had been able to carry me over such a long distance. He handed me the shirt.

"Can we please hurry up, I'm freezing." He mumbled impatiently. I laughed, unzipped my jacket and threw it at him.

"Now hold still." I folded his shirt and wrapped it around his thigh, tying it tightly. It almost instantly soaked soaked up the blood, but it did its job and the blood flow seemed to slow.

"Thanks." He mumbled shyly with a slight blush.

I grinned. "No problem." He opened his arms and beckoned me into them. I moved in and hugged him tightly, taking in his beautiful smell. He smelled like nature, like the lake, like the needles of a pine tree, like the fresh air on a hiking trip. It was like he was a part of nature.

He seemed reluctant when he said "We should go."

I nodded agreeably. "Lets go." He took my hand and held it firmly. Then off we went, sprinting again. It seemed like we were running just for the sake of running, but I didn't care.
I had forgotten about the gunmen tracking us through the forest.

"Uh... Zach, where exactly are we going?" I asked as we weaved around the branches shooting out at us.

"Were going to find this track me and my gang made-" Gang? What gang? "I mean, a track that me and my friends found." He corrected himself. I didn't buy it.

"Uhuh..." I mumbled chewing my lip. I half tripped as we broke out onto a tiny dirt track, we followed it down until we entered a tiny clearing only the size of my bedroom. "Why are we waiting here?" I questioned looking over the tiny open space.

"Luke is bringing Tiarne here." He said smiling.

"Shit man!" Luke and Tiarne stumbled in just in time, also hand in hand. My hand began to sweat, it was still intertwined with his. Tiarne and Luke both stared at our hands. "Uh... sorry." He mumbled skittishly releasing my hand.

I fought back the giggles. "Its okay." I tried to say, but it came out all muffled and weird.

"Zach we've gotta go." Were they going to leave us here?! "Now." He pressed, already half turned.

"Okay you two." Zach turned to me and Tiarne who were once again arm in arm. "Run straight ahead that way, in around two minutes you'll find yourself on the edge of the lake again. Then finding you way back to your car is you own job." He explained pointing in the direction we would run.

"And where are you going?" I found it difficult to think about what he would most likely do with us girls gone.

"Me and Luke have to deal with some guys." He said, discreetly looking down.

"Oh... will I get to uh... see-"

"me again?" He prompted with a grin. I dipped my head and gave him a small nod. "Yeah of course." Tiarne suppressed a giggle, I kicked dirt back at her with my heel.

"I'll see you soon." I gazed into his eyes and made it clear I did want to see him again. Well truthfully I needed to see him again, I needed more answers about my brother. I also had a craving to find out what his secret was, though it was quite obvious right now. I didn't just want answers, I wanted to see him again just because.

"Bye... I'll see you at the cafe tomorrow kay?" He breathed. I just nodded. He squeezed my hand and ran off, right on the heels of Luke.

"Pfft... some jerk." Tiarne laughed, excitement buzzed in her eyes.

I smiled to myself. "Uh... we'd better get out of here." I led her in the direction Zach had pointed out. We ran for a couple of minutes before sunlight gleamed ahead of us.

Freedom.

***

"Study up kids, test is in three days! Okay class dismissed." Mr Harding waved his hand at the door and we all rushed out. Jackson ran to my side.

"Heyyyy Rhi." He greeted me.

"Its Rhiannon to you..." I muttered, not up for his bullshit.

"Hey, hey baby. Temper, temper. Just wanted to ask you something." I inhaled deeply and turned to face him.

"What?" I snapped rudely.

"I was you know... wondering if you would go to the dance thing going on?" My forehead creased. I hadn't heard about any dance? I peered over his head, a large sign was pined up on a cork board.

SCHOOL DANCE THIS FRIDAY. Was printed in large, bold letters on the sheet. It was kinda pathetic how I was so unaware of these seemingly huge events of school life.

"No. I'm not going." I told him. His face fell, I usually felt sorry for guys like him being
rejected. But he has been an ass to me all my life until I matured grew boobs and started to look decent. Braces and Curly hair hadn't done much for the boys in grade five. Now that I had gotten my braces removed and discovered the straightener and eyeliner I was suddenly the 'hot loner chick' that intruiged guys ran after.

This did nothing for my popularity, I was still the outcast and unaccepted because of my 'emo freak, loner' status with the girls. Tiarne, Hannah and our small group were the only friends I had at school.

"Why not." He seemed to regain some hope but he looked crushed when I said.

"None of your business." I turned away from him leaving him rooted in the floor with no hope left.

"So, who are you taking to the dance?" Tiarne creeped around the corner. She was like a happy, eccentric leech. I still loved her like a sister... a leech sister.

"No one, I'm not going." My tone was flat. I wasn't in the mood for a stupid dance. I was more worried about Zach's life.

"What?!" She exploded. Great I was going to get a lecture. "You have to go, this is the big dance! If you don't go I'll hate you. There are loads of guys who would love to take you, just you wait. Please go, I promise it will be fun." I sighed heavily as she ranted on. I pushed it back till it was just background noise.

Wait a second. Maybe I could take Zac- No. No. No. Impossible. He is supposed to be Mr Jerk, the asshole I love to hate. What the hell is wrong with me.
I stopped right in front of the sign advertising the dance, I was about to rip it. But something caught my eyes.

--

SCHOOL CAMPING TRIP
Not going to the dance? Come enjoy this camping trip in the forests by Lake Michigan.
Activities will be planed and it will be a load of fun.

--

I stared at my freaking life saver. I ripped a little tag from the bottom and turned to Tiarne who was still babbling on.

"I can't go because I'm going on this camping trip." I held forward the little paper tag, she peered at it.

"Hmph... fine, if your going I'm going too." She pushed me out of the way and ripped off herself a tag. I laughed.

"Awesome, then camping it is." I loved camping trips, amazing I know. Goodbye dance and hello great outdoors.

Pitch Black Heaven - © MemoriesdonoJustice / Rose Tonis 2009