Torment

Santa Carla Boardwalk,
19th June, 1983.

The boardwalk was thriving with life, people of all ages were walking around, going on rides and surrounding the stage. In the distance, waves were rising and crashing down on the defenceless rocks but the noise of the crowds all but drowned this out.

"Annie," she huffed. "One more ride and then we'll go home." Her fourteen year old sister grinned and pulled her towards the tallest ride in the park.

"I'm going to kill you, Annie," Christie growled as they took their seats on the rollercoaster.

"Why?" she asked innocently.

"You know about my fear of heights."

"My bad," she chuckled in amusement.

"It will be," Christie threatened.

Nausea rose in her stomach as the ride jerked forward, causing her to swallow deeply. Annie held out her hand and allowed her older sister to clutch it tightly. A shriek clawed it's way up her throat as the rollercoaster shot down the tracks at a startling speed.

"Calm down CC," said Annie in what Christie guessed was meant to be a soothing voice.

"I have to get off this ride," she stuttered, closing her eyes and waiting for it to be over.

As soon as the ride finished, she was the first one off. Christie took deep, slow breaths as she waited for her sister and tried to forget the three minute ordeal she had just undergone. A tingling sensation crept up her spine and turning slowly on the spot, she saw four bikers leaning against some railings, watching girls walk past.

Christie remained staring at them, even when Annie stood by her side. As if feeling her eyes on them, their heads turned in her direction. She could tell that the platinum blonde was trying to intimidate her, so stubbornly, Christie refused to look away.

"CC, why is that brunette watching you?"

Prompted by Annie, she glanced at him, and gasped as a vision hit her at full force:

Annie stood cowering against the wall as the four bikers closed in on her, their faces leering menacingly at her.

"Goodnight princess," the platinum sneered and they lunged, sinking their fangs into her.

Annie's screams echoed in Christie's ears as she was pulled back to reality. Her sister held onto her arm, gazing at her in concern.

"What's wrong CC?" she asked, her voice high with worry. Christie didn't respond, instead she grabbed her sister by the arm and began pulling her away from the boardwalk, only looking back once.

"Where are we going?"

"I'm taking you home, now," she stated simply.

"Why?" she mumbled.

"I had a vision, there are vampires in Santa Carla and they're going to kill you if I don't get you home now." Her eyes widened in fear and her grip on Christie's hand tightened. She couldn't tell if it was Annie's palm that was sweaty or hers.

"Annie, I won't let them hurt you, I promise," she soothed, her voice coming out a lot more confident than she actually felt.

"You shouldn't make promises you can't keep," came a teasing voice from behind them.

Christie gulped and started running, pulling Annie along behind her. The fact that Annie's legs were shorter than hers soon became evident as she was lagging behind.

"Hurry Annie!" she urged, giving her arm a tug.

Christie was taken off guard as a warm body slammed into her, sending Annie and herself tumbling into a dark alleyway. Hurrying to her feet, she pushed herself in front of Annie.

"Who are you?" she asked, her voice cracking.

"Your worst nightmare," a wild haired blonde, the source of the voice, stepped out of the shadows.

"You won't hurt her," Christie growled, a fierce sense of protectiveness rising within her. "You'll have to kill me first."

"That's no problem." A second blonde with a jacket decorated with patches appeared. Annie whimpered behind her and she squeezed her arm reassuringly.

Footsteps sounded behind them, the platinum blonde and the brunette had successfully trapped them: there was no escape. Then a thought hit her. It only had a slight chance of working, but she would do anything to keep her baby sister safe. Christie dropped to her knees in front of the platinum blonde, and gazed up at him.

"Please, let her go," she begged. "Let her go and take me, I'll do what ever you want, just let her go."

He roughly grabbed her upper arm and yanked her to her feet, pulling her closer as he did so. Christie shook lightly as his fangs poked out from behind his smirk.

"Why should we?" he asked tauntingly.

"B.. because she has her whole life ahead of her," she whimpered.

"We could kill her and come back for you..."

"I know you're vampires, and I'm not afraid of you, but please spare my sister," Christie paused, staring at him pleadingly. "I love her, please just... please." Her voice trailed off hopelessly.

"David, we could use her for our own entertainment," the twisted sister wriggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Good idea Paul," David smirked.

"Yeah, good idea Paul," said the other blonde with the patchwork jacket.

"Thanks David, Thanks Marko." Paul cheered.

David turned to her, his face had returned to normal.

"You're sister is free to go, but you are ours now." Christie felt no dread for her future, only happiness at the thought of Annie being free.

"Thank you," she murmured.

"CC, you can't," Annie wailed.

Pulling her arm from David's grasp, she pulled her sister into a hug. They gripped each other tightly as her tears soaked Christie's floral print dress.

"Annie, I'll be fine, I promise." Christie took a deep breath. "But you need to go home and tell our parents that I love them and I'll miss them, but I had to do what was right, and they have to understand that." She nodded sadly.

"I love you CC," Annie murmured whilst giving her sister a weak smile. Christie lightly brushed her cheek and kissed her hair, breathing in her scent one last time so she wouldn't forget it. Regretfully she pulled away from her.

"Go home, love."

"Marko, take Annie home," David ordered.

Marko wrapped an arm around Annie's shoulders and pulled her away, she glanced back at her, frightened.

'I love you,' she mouthed, it was all Christie could say.

As soon as she disappeared from sight, Christie fell to her knees in front of David. He simply stroked her blonde hair and whispered a soft taunt.

"Welcome to hell, darling."