Pitch Black Heaven

Darkness covered the campsite.

"Today was surprisingly fun." Tiarne commented smiling to herself.

"See. I told you this trip would be fun." I replied eying her playfully.

"Yeah, yeah... you were right." She breathed, laughing. We entered the tent and, Sophie and Erin had already gotten dressed and were snuggling into their sleeping bags.

"Night guys." Sophie yawned.

"Night." I responded as I drooped to the ground kicking off my shoes, I couldn't be f*cked getting dressed for bed. Tiarne turned off the little battery powered lamp and the last thing I heard was the rustling her sleeping bag made as she slipped into it.

***

I walked into the forest, I could hear Zach's soft voice beckoning me into the deepest part of the forest. I stumbled towards it. I tripped constantly as I ambled around in the darkness.

"Rhiannon, come, come into the darkness." He lured.

"I'm coming!" I shouted back. I suddenly tripped and hit my head on a large branch in the way of my path, I fell limp to the ground my head hitting something cold and hard. But it wasn't my head that hurt, it was my chest.

"Help!" I screamed. "Help it hurts!" I squeezed my eyes shut trying to numb my body. Foot steps clattered towards me, my eyes popped open to see Zach. "Zach help me, I've bee-" I looked closer, he was bleeding. There were gun shots all around his body, blood flooded out of them like a never ending stream. "Zach what happe- your bleeding!" Suddenly there was a gun shot he jerked back like someone had punched him. Another wound on his chest bled like crazy. I looked to see who had shot him, I felt like I was choking when I saw Liam with a gun.

"Rhiannon come here." He commanded. I didn't move, fear possessed my body. Blood suddenly soaked my shirt, Zach was leaning over me blood flooding onto me.

"Zach!" I screamed jumping to my feet.

"Mi-Mi come here!" Liam shouted furiously. "Now!" He yelled.

"No!" I screamed pulling Zach to his feet. How was he still alive?!

"Fine." Liam whispered, eyes narrowing to slits. He raised his gun and pointed it at Zach.

"No!" I begged as the gun clicked. Liam didn't stop, he aimed at Zach's head and shot. I immediately dove in front of him, I felt the bullet pierce my skin and I fell to the ground spluttering violently.

"Zach help me!" I wailed. He and Liam walked to me and laughed, there was an edge to the laugh. It frightened me. "Please...!" I wept. The both shook their heads and walked off into the darkness leaving me to die.

"NO!" I screamed so loudly it hurt my ears, I shot up from my sleeping bag. I struggled for breath, I gasped wildly.

"Fuck Rhi!" Tiarne grumbled as she rose from her sleeping bag, we were quiet as we waited for someone to wake up. No one did. "Are you okay?" Tiarne asked, I looked up her alarmed expression. Only then did I notice I was shaking.

"I-I-I-I-" I didn't know what to say. I waited anxiously for her to say something but she said nothing. "It was just a nightmare." I muttered sheepishly.

"Wait here I'll get you some water." Tiarne rose from her feet and shrugged into her jacket before stepping outside the tent. Now that she was gone I was able to fully calm down and remember what had happened. The zip suddenly came down and Tiarne entered the tent, wait. That’s not Tiarne.

"He-" I began to scream but someone’s hand cupped around my mouth, if this was Zach I swear to god I would murder him myself! I shook as the shadows dragged me out into the frosty air outside the tent.

"Mmmmphh!" The sound was muffled and nowhere near loud enough for anyone to hear. I only prayed that Tiarne would come back and see them abducting me. Some form of cloth was used to gag me as two men grabbed my arms and my legs, carrying me like I was a pig to be cooked on a spit.

We walked for at least half an hour. The group of men rotated in carrying me, dropping me like a piece of wood every time they exchanged. We finally entered some sort of camp site, it hadn't been there for long, that much was obvious. The men dropped me and one removed the gag.

"You are fucking cunts!" I screamed. They only laughed and untied my arms and legs from a very uncomfortable position.

"If you shut up we won’t gag you again." One man said. I glared at him, he scoffed.

"Get Balker!" The guy grunted warming his hands by the fire. He looked to be some sort of leader, maybe second in command seeing as he wasn't the one dealing with me.

"Ah, good work guys!" I recognized the voice. It was a voice I had known all my life.

"What the fuck is going on here Liam?!" I barked wriggling into a seat position.

"Well hey there sister. Great to see you too, yeah I've been great." He joked. I glowered at him demanding answers. "Sorry I had to drag you in. I didn't think Benson would let you go so easy... wow." He remarked with surprise.

"Who's B-" I began to said, but he cut me off.

"How is little old Benson and Luke? Killed any more of my men yet?" He asked. He didn't let me answer. He was acting like a freaking bastard. "Has he been getting a little to close to my itty bitty Mi-Mi?" He wondered, talking like a little child.

"I don't know who you’re talking about!" I finally got to say.

Liam quirked a brow. "Ah... he hasn't told you? Or is my Mi-Mi too stupid to figure it out?"
Liam had never spoken to me this way, he had always been so quiet and shy. Where was this smug bastard attitude coming from?

"Wait no... Little old Mi-Mi ain't dumb. She was smart enough to figure out that I was being a 'bad little boy' in L.A. Well you did get one think wrong, but we won't go into details." I was completely lost in his words. What the hell was he on about?! He pulled a cigarette and lit it with dads old lighter. I just observed him as he drew it to his lips.

"Since when do you smoke?!" I asked.

Liam scoffed. "Since forever..." He grumbled as Grey smoke drifted out of his mouth.

"What’s going on Liam?!" I yelled, changing the subject back to my capture. He rolled his eyes. I saw a flash of white in the trees behind Liam, Tiarne? I wanted to pull my eyes away knowing that Liam would notice but I just couldn't.

Liam chuckled. "Boys, get whoever is in the trees behind me and bring them to me now!" He shouted, cockily. I glared at his smug face. He thought he was pretty damn smart didn't he? A pair of stocky men ran into the forest and the next thing I saw was Tiarne trashing in their restraining arms.

"Let her go, she has nothing to do with this!" I snarled. He just laughed, eyes narrowing to slits.

"Tell me their plan!" He shouted looking evil. I had never been so petrified of my brother in my life. Liam stood over me, towering above my quivering body. "Tell me!" He roared again.

"Who's plan?! I don't know!" I shrieked diving at him, before I could even come within meters of him, two of his 'body guards' thrashed me into the ground, I screamed in pain. He strode to me and raised his hand above his head. He wouldn't. Tiarne tried to scream but it was just squeak for they had gagged her too.

"You have no idea how much shit you've caused me." He paused between each word making me shiver. His hand came down and slapped my hard across the face with enough force to jerk my head to the ground. As I clamored to my knees I drew in a jagged breath, I got no justice from the slight remorse in Liam's face.

"You bastard!” Tiarne bellowed through the gag. “You low, sick dog!" The men watching her covered her mouth.

"I'm-" He tried to speak, but failed.

I shook my head wordlessly. "Don't." I breathed shakily. He reached out to touch my face. It would bruise in no time. I turned away. "Get away from me." I whimpered, moisture gathering in my eyes.

"No-" He grumbled lifting my chin, making me meet his eyes. "I'll make you a deal." He began. I didn't know whether I wanted to hear it or not. "You stay away from Zach and his gang and I'll tell you everything about him." He bargained. Well he had already told me one thing, Zach was in a gang. I was tempted, it was a good deal. But I found it impossible to even think about staying away from Zach, it should be a much easier task.

"Only if you let Tiarne go now." I growled making a bargain of my own. I eased up when

Liam nodded and told the other guys to let her go. "Thank you." I whispered. The men
guarding her untied her and removed the gag. She stumbled off into the forest.

A smile played on his lips. "No problem. Now I'll tell you what you need to know." A grin wanted to explode out of me, but I held it back and nodded for him to continue.

I was finally being pulled out of the dark.

"Well... Zach and I are sort of enemies.” His eyes became so alluring, I couldn’t look away.

"I won't lie to you Rhiannon. I've done some bad things in my life." The edge to Liam's tone terrified me.

"What sort of things?" I squeaked, my voice low and hoarse.

He laughed dryly, his signature evil grin spreading across his face. "Oh my dear Rhiannon..." He began, our eyes locking. "You don't want to know." As his voice darkened I found the lump in my throat choking away my last sense of trust and security.

“Please, tell me. You promised.”

“Rhiannon, I’ve killed people before.” It was unnerving to see him so calm as he talked about killing people. “But they deserved it… Zach deserved everything he got.”

"How, why?!" I squawked remembering Zach's solemn face, how I wished I could see him right now.

Liam exhaled loudly. "Well I was in Washington and well-"

"Balker we have guests!" A man shouted. Liam rose - and of course - pulled out his black, shiny gun. Two familiar faces came into the light out of the trees. I wanted to scream to the heavens when I saw Zach casually walk towards us, Luke trailing behind him.

But there were other faces, faces I didn't recognize. All armed with guns the stood aiming at the small group Liam had nestled in this small clearing.

"You’re outnumbered Liam, give us the girl." Zach's face was blank, like a mask covered it. He didn't look at me, and I flinched when he referred to me as 'the girl'.

"Run Rhi, run!" Liam yelled. I stammered to my feet not sure where to go. I felt horrible about what I was about to do to my own brother, I ran straight to Zach against his wishes.

"Mi-Mi? What’s going on?" I could see the fury building behind his eyes as I ran into Zach's arms.

"I'm sorry." It wasn't the only thing I was sorry for. I hugged Zach though his arms were stiff and his body tense.

He nestled his face in my hair and whispered. "Run to my car in the camp car park Rhi." He said, I barely heard him. "You and Tiarne drive far away and don't come back. He instructed.

My body went ridged.

"I'll find you." He finished in a whisper.

"W-what about you?" I stammered, feeling faint and weak.

"Rhi. Just go." He commanded as his hand slipped his keys into my back pocket.

"Quit stalling Benson!" Liam shouted. "Get away from my sister!" Liam said with more force. Zach's eyes locked with mine as he gazed into my unwilling eyes.

“Tiarne now!” With one nod from Zach I found myself running with Tiarne right on my heels.

"Get back here!" Liam shouted fiercely. I gunshot just missed my head. I stayed low leading
Tiarne back to camp though we wouldn't be staying there for long.

I could hear someone running after us. Another shot went off and this time it hit a little too close to home.

Pitch Black Heaven - © MemoriesdonoJustice / Rose Tonis 2009