I was that girl, who fell in love with the boy, the high school boy that every girl flocked over, that had the age old good looks, tall dark and handsome.
He was six foot, with a head of shaggy black hair, and the most stunning bright blue eyes I had ever seen on a boy, they almost reminded me of the ocean.
Also, as well, he was of course on the football and soccer team, sad isn’t it? But, he was different, that’s what every girl main character says isn’t it?
The one who doesn’t want to admit she’s just another cliché in love with a man who thinks they are all too good to even look your way.
But, he really was, he wasn’t normal, but I found that out all too late, and I had become something that not even I would ever be, or even think would be real more than completely irrational and absurd, nothing far from a child’s vivid fantasy.
But that was something that happened later, much later, after I finally was able to speak to him and that is right where this story will begin, the day that I finally get the nerve up to actually speak to him, to actually look him in the eyes and say something, even if it was a simple hello. I stood at my locker running my fingers through my hair repeatedly, I looked disastrous actually I did every day of my life, it basically drove me nuts, my hair was tangled everywhere, it was like strands of caramel strings sticking out in various places.
I let my brown eyes glance to the side catching a glimpse of him; it was him of all people, Alan Dresden, why did I have to have the locker next to his?
He was perfect, he was six foot of muscle, shaggy black hair, and the brightest ocean blue eyes I had ever seen, the quarterback to the football team, and goalie of the soccer team. This was the day I decided I was going to actually get the nerve up to talk to him, I had to.
“H-Hello.” I smiled looking at him ‘Moron, now he thinks you have a speech problem!’ my inner voice yelled.
“Hey.” He replied smiling at me, god his smile was dazzling.
“S-So,” I paused clearing my throat “Sorry about that, So how’s it going today?” I said trying to sound normal.
“Pretty good, hey I’ve been meaning to talk to you for a while.” He said smiling still before scratching the back of his head “I was wondering if you wanted to maybe hang out, tonight maybe?”
I stared at him before realizing I hadn’t answered him yet “Y-Yeah, sure that’d be great.”
“Great!” He shut his locker handing me a paper “So call me when you get home we can plan when to go.”
I took the paper gingerly, my heart thumping a mile a minute in my chest, the one guy I actually liked, wanted me to go out with him, tonight.
This had to be some sort of bad dream, but it felt so real, I watched as he walked towards class and made my feet move walking to my own class, I couldn’t help but think about it the rest of the day, and that caused everything to go by in a blur, one massive blur.
By the time I realized it, I was on my way home clutching his number tightly in my hand, I focused on the road as I drove, I was seventeen years old and finally going out with the guy I’d liked since fifth grade.
I pulled into the drive way of my house and got out of my beat up car running inside as fast as I could, I got the house phone dialing his number and nearly passing out as it rang, by the third ring my stomach as in a knot and I wanted to vomit, my heart was beating so fast I could hear it in my ears but I kept the phone there and he answered.
“Hello?’’
“Hey, it’s me.” I said.
“Oh. Hey, Gina.”
“My name’s Gabriella.”
“That’s what I said, Gabby.”
I furrowed my brows and shook it off as me hearing things “So, what time do you want to go?”
“How about, I come get you around seven?”
I smiled nodding even though he couldn’t see me “Yeah that sounds good.”
“Alright, see ya then.”
“See you then!” I hung up throwing the phone on my bed as I looked at myself in the mirror, it wouldn’t do, not for this.
I raided my closet pulling out a light white and black stripped tank top with a pair of faded blue jeans, I never wore them yet, and I had only bought them a day ago.
I grabbed my black high tops and got changed quickly then flew down the stairs past my mother and locked myself in the bathroom brushing out my hair and trying to pull it up into various hairstyles, none of which would do for me. I took some mousse and rubbed it in my hands before taking my hands and crunching my hair on each side, waves stiffening as my hand moved away, it looked better than it had so I let it alone, then I started on my makeup, once I was done it was about six thirty, and I couldn’t stand it.
I walked out talking to my mother telling her that I was going on a date and she seemed pleased with it but wanted me to be careful, it was something I expected and blew it off acting as if I had heard her, but to me it went through one ear and out the other, I grabbed my jacket still pretending to listen to her as the doorbell rang.
It was him, it had to be him.
I walked past my mother quickly opening the door to see him standing there, he was in a black polo shirt with baggy jeans, his hair was wet he looked like he had just gotten out of the shower, he smiled at me then nodded to his car.
“Ready?”
“Yeah, bye mom!” I shouted going out the door and shutting it quickly “So what’s the plan, Alan?”
“I was thinking we could go to my place, hang out a bit.”
“Sounds like fun.”
“Alright, my parents won’t be back till late tonight so it’s safe.” He winked at me and I flushed. The drive there was quiet but the farther we got away from my house the tighter the knot in my stomach got.
I didn’t think his house was this far away, it had to have been a good forty miles away now, he pulled into a back road and hit the gas until we got close to a house with nothing around it, it looked as if it were falling apart and abandoned I turned looking at him worriedly.
“What is this?”
“It’s nothing come on.” He said as he parked the car getting out.
I reluctantly got out of the car following him into the house, it was dark inside no power, and no flashlights, I reached in front of me and realized he wasn’t there and my heart began to pound harder in my chest, I couldn’t see a thing and fear swept over me.
“Afraid?” He asked and sounded as if he were next to me I turned reaching out and felt nothing again.
“Don’t be so afraid, Gabby.”
“Alan? Alan stop it, it’s not funny.”
“Aw, come on Gabby.” His voice sounded as if he were amused, not too long after did his hands grip my hips all too roughly and I get shoved into a wall my clothes being viciously ripped at, I screamed and he only laughed at me as he managed to rip my shirt from my body, his hands traveled my body roughly before I turned punching him in the mouth and spitting on him.
“Now, you shouldn’t have done that.” He said plainly before I punched him again and an inhuman growl sounded from him “Now I’m mad.”
I squirmed as he tried to hold me down and managed to slip away running through the dark house trying to find the door.
I heard his footsteps but then went headfirst into him, his hands grabbing me as he threw me into the wall I heard a crack in my leg then let out a scream as the pain rushed over me.
His hands gripped around my neck as he began to squeeze before pressing his lips to my ear. “Any last words?” He laughed coolly.
“I’ll see you in hell.” I choked as I felt something cold travel up the side of my leg and realized it was a knife.
But realized all to soon as I felt it plunging into the flesh of my chest and rip down A gasp of pain sounded from my lips before the same metal ran across my throat and all I could feel was the pain and feeling of drowning but I couldn’t move just choke, and choke until everything was black.
***
It felt like I was falling forever fall
ing, I thought I was dead, no I knew I was dead. I remembered him killing me, the inhuman growl that came from him I remembered it all, but if I was dead, why could I still function this way? Why could I still feel my own heartbeat? What was going on?
I opened my eyes and looked down seeing the ground closing in becoming closer and closer before I finally hit it, but I felt no pain nothing, just the cold rock from the ground.
I stood up dusting myself off then realized I was dressed oddly, A black dress fit tightly around my frame, the curves of my body showing off in it easily, the top of it was a deadly dip down my cleavage, and my hair was tied up, I didn’t understand it.
My legs started moving on their own as if I was being beckoned to move somewhere, I walked down the rocky area and moved towards a cliff with a wraparound path that had at the most maybe ten inches of width, I was frightened and wanted to stop moving but no matter how hard I tried I couldn’t.
Finally my body stopped and before me was a man, he smiled at me with a smile that said in the purest form that he was nothing but evil, his eyes blazed red and his flesh wept with bloody streams.
Skin fell from different areas as he began to make his way over to me patting my cheek lightly with a blood stained palm, I felt the stickiness of dried blood on my skin and shuddered as he spoke slowly.
“Gabriella Montgomery.”
His voice was like ice sending straight chills through me I couldn’t do anything more than stare at him then the grotesque creatures forming behind him as what looked like people stared from afar.
“You told him, you’d see him in hell, and that’s where I want him back.” He spoke again “That boy, Alan was it? He’s mine, and I want him back.” He hissed “You, you can get him you can bring him back, live your life again, if you make a simple deal with me.”
He pled before waving to the others “Or spend eternity in this place, all I ask of you is to become my reaper, reap the dead that walk among us, send them back to me - or your precious world may be doomed, you saw what he did to you, did you know that was him being generous?”
I narrowed my eyes then stared at him for a long moment “What are you Satan? If I make a deal with you that makes me forever yours.” I shook my head taking it in “I can hardly walk in a straight line half the time what makes you think I could be a reaper?” I asked.
A laugh that almost sounded more like music escaped from him “My dear child, you won’t be mine necessarily, but you will do my bidding, you will reap those who you see belong here, the demons of your world, the supernaturals that once died.”
“Excuse me, demons? Supernaturals? What are you babbling about?”
“My child those who live an eternity are no mere mortals, demons do breed here and form, as for the supernaturals, you will meet many of them.” He said “Will you live here or go back?” He asked.
At that moment I did something I never thought I’d do, I became someone who in films I’d shout don’t do it to, I stared at those hidden, the chains I never noticed hanging from their necks the blood caked skin they had, the red eyes, then looked to him, Satan, the Devil, I was selling my soul I knew it, but I couldn’t do anything more than, “I’ll do it.”
“Very well, may you learn how to properly use your powers?” He said smiling and before I could say a word a pain that was more than unbearable struck through me and I passed out.
***
When you wake up after seeing something like that, the first thing you think of course, is it’s a dream.
You think your imagination was running wild and that it was all an entire dream that you had because you had horrible thoughts and passed out somewhere, rational human thinking.
But in my case, I thought that all till I realized I woke up in the old shack of a building covered head to toe in a thick crimson liquid, and see that your outfit is missing and there are pieces of what looked like flesh everywhere, and organs, then you notice the body of the man who asked you out sitting in the corner sound asleep with blood caked all over his mouth and hands.
I covered my mouth muffling the shriek that almost came out; I didn’t know what to do at this point other than sit there staring at him until he stirred.
That’s when I noticed I had to move, only I still couldn’t, I felt something inside me, something different, afraid I still was and yet, I wasn’t.
He opened his eyes staring straight at me as I pulled myself up to my legs finally to stand his face was twisted in horror as he stared before moving his mouth to speak.
“Wh-What are you, why aren’t you dead, I killed you!”
My eyes narrowed and that small change in me grew bigger as I heard the word ‘killed’. He stood up shaking his head before smiling a little bit and turning his eyes into nothing more than slits as he stared.
“No worry, I’ll just kill you again, and make sure you’re dead.” He spoke as his eyes changed to a vibrant red color before charging towards me and trying to punch me, instead of my normal shriek and run I grabbed his fist surprising myself and him as well.
I followed what seemed to be right and twisted his arm snapping the bone ignoring the sound as he yelped, then my hand shifted slipping around his throat, no mercy was left in me, he was a killer and tried to kill me, succeeded but would fail a second time.
I felt my lips curl up in a sick smile as I squeezed his throat until I heard the snapping of bones and his gurgling as he tried to get air before his body fell limp in my arms, I threw his body going back into my normality and began to shake.
I looked down noticing I was stark naked with only blood to cover me, I ripped off his shirt and put it over myself before running outside towards my house, it was dark, had to be early morning, my mother would be at work thankfully.
I got to my house opening the door with shaking hands and running inside towards the bathroom, once I had gotten in there I passed the mirrors staring at myself even if I was killed I shouldn’t have killed in return, not that way.
I was disturbed by all that happened and ripped of his shirt running to the shower and sliding inside as I turned the knobs water hit me shedding the blood from me as I watched the drain swirling with it before disappearing.
I couldn’t move just let the water beat down on me as I felt the burning in my eyes, tears brimming before falling down my face. “All of this, it’s a horrible dream, just don’t think anything of it.” I murmured “You’ll wake up in bed soon.”
I stepped out of the shower towards the large glass mirrors in front of me, I changed no doubt just by looking in the mirror I could see it. My hair was perfect light brown waves around my face now, and my eyes were a gold color.
My pale skin looked amazing on my body now, my lips were perfectly shaped, my nose wasn't too big on my face anymore and my eyebrows were no longer bushy they were perfectly arched on my face.
My body had grown curves suddenly, I had a waist now that was perfectly curvy looking compared to my body and my chest suddenly was bigger. Yeah, I was what he wanted now, I was a Reaper and I suppose that changed my appearance as well. "It's ok Gabby, mom will just think you finally hit a growth spurt, and she'd blame everything on puberty." I nodded and pulled on a baggy t-shirt and shorts that were two sizes too small now - uncomfortable as hell.
I stepped into my bedroom quickly and sat down on my bed, crossing my legs Indian style I thought about everything that happened tonight. I felt like my life was beginning to fall apart now with this, and it was that stupid boys fault.
I cursed under my breath and then started hitting my pillow repeatedly; this is what I got for being a total moron who was infatuated with a man I could never ever have. "Idiot!" I screamed, and then launched the pillow across the room, watching as it hit the mirror and it fell down.
I covered my face with my hands and shook my head falling onto my side taking in multiple deep breathes, trying to calm myself down. "Just, sleep." I murmured "It's all a bad dream, that's it... you'll wake up perfectly normal." I muttered I cu
rled up, hugging another pillow and pulled the comforter around my body rocking back and forth for a while until my body finally relaxed. It didn't take long after that for me to fall into a nice, long sleep.
In the Dark: The Beginning
I crossed my legs quickly looking around the room, my eyes found my friends as I finally got comfy on the barstool, Sarah and the others were out dancing having fun, I knew I probably should’ve been out joining in but, I felt better here.
Break ups do that to you, you get really closed off, and just want to be kept locked up in your home comforted by chocolate ice-cream and vodka. It’s a much simpler way to live really, but I guess doing it for around four months is a little too long, my friends were right really, I need to start again and now was the time.
Though to be completely honest, that thought was easier said than it was done, start again wasn’t going to be something I plan nor was it going to be painless and easy this time around. Nope, no childhood crushes to keep me going and stupid shit like that. This time it was all me, and I was going to have to grow up and be an adult about it all.
Oh well, really what can I do? I have to make the best of all this and that was exactly what I am going to do. I picked up my Whiskey shot and downed it quickly tasting the burn of the alcohol down my throat before looking back out at the others.
“Angie! Come on!” Rebecca shouted, I sighed looking sadly at my untouched Gin and Tonic but decided to listen to her this time around.
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” I yelled back smiling a little bit as I stood up and began pulling my dress into place; I looked down for a moment making sure everything was covered and setting perfectly and then fixed the halter part of it.
It wasn’t my favorite outfit by far, too revealing but Sarah and Rebecca had insisted on me wearing it so I complied this one time - I regretted it now.
It was a white halter dress, it was short really, and barely covered my ass and it was cut so far down that my belly button had shown a lot, I constantly was making sure my cleavage was covered because of it.
I sighed for a moment as I closed my eyes a prayed to any god that existed - not that I chose to believe in any of them - and then fixed my dark brown hair so that it was all on my right shoulder. Just like that I was walking into the crowd with my friends and beginning to move my hips and sway my body to the music with them.
The Darker Side: Short Stories Page 8