Katie’s POV
“Come … here you … freaking … ugh.” I dropped my arms back to my sides as I sent a silent scream of frustration up to the ceiling.
Why in the world did people set up huge ass shelves in their storage rooms? I tell you why: It’s a freaking conspiracy against young female employees! I mean seriously, saving space buy building the racks up high, that’s one thing but putting the boxes with frequently needed supplies like the plastic bags for the customer’s purchases onto the top shelf? That was pure evil.
Granted, I wasn’t the smallest person around – I knew at least two people who were tiny compared to me – but seeing that, even though I was standing on the top step of a small stepladder, I couldn’t reach the box with the content I needed. Not even when I stood on the tips of my toes.
“Katie, did you die in there?” Mrs Madison called from outside the room. And of course the door flew open and revealed her perfectly styled figure. I swear everything about that woman was neatly arranged, starting with the slim but well-toned body to the expensive necklace around her neck. She had bleached blonde hair curling past her shoulders, framing her perfect face. Mrs Madison was a beautiful woman. If there wasn’t that bossy and arrogant way she treated me.
“What are you doing? I need you to clean the changing rooms and tidy up the accessory area.” She said, her grey eyes slightly glaring at me.
“But … the drawers with the plastic bags were nearly empty so I thought …” I started softly, feeling pretty intimidated already. Mrs Madison scoffed and put her hands onto her hips.
“Do I look like I care what you think?” She spat. I opened my mouth to say something but she continued, “Get that damn box. In half an hour the changing rooms are clean and presentable.” My boss turned on her heels and slammed the door shut, leaving me behind defeated.
If it wasn’t for the money and the convenient location of the shop I wouldn’t be working for this ugly witch in disguise. I have been so close to quitting so many times but then would come home and see my dad, so tired and broken; it always made me change my mind. After all, nothing I was going through was as hard as the things that happened to my father.
I had just been finishing high school when my mom, seemingly out of nowhere, had packed her things and left us to start a new life with a rich banker in Miami, Florida. Everything had changed since that day. The plans I had for my life lit up in flames and burned to a pile of ash. All my hopes and dreams were gone. Just like that.
She didn’t even take pictures of me with her. Nothing that reminded her of her old life went with her to Florida. That was actually the most devastating thing about this whole situation; next to watching my father die a little more with every day that my mom, the love of his life, was gone. The fact that I couldn’t pull him out of the pain of his broken heart was slowly destroying me.
I was a real daddy’s girl and I loved my father with everything I had. Only my two best friends were as close to me as he was. But nothing I did, nothing I said would make it better. He didn’t eat, he didn’t sleep, he didn’t leave the house. My dad was a dying man alive.
I had been hurt and confused. I even hated the woman that had given birth to me. God, I had been filled with so much hate. I had been crying more out of anger that I couldn’t hurt her the way she hurt me and my dad. I wanted to scream at her, claw her skin and shove her face right into that stinking and rotten pile of memories that meant nothing but pain anymore. But thanks to my two best friends I managed to let go of this useless rage. In the end there had been this one question I had to face: Why should I invest my time and precious energy in hating a woman that abandoned not only her husband but her little girl that needed her guidance more than anything? The answer was and still is: I shouldn’t. She wasn’t worth it. At all.
So while I was dealing with my own pain, trying to adjust to a new family situation, I had to study for my final exams at school and apply for college. I tried so hard to focus on getting back on my feet while I took care of my father. I did all the shopping, the cooking, the cleaning and I paid the bills with his money from his shop. But soon there was hardly any money coming in anymore.
My dad was an antiquarian and owned a small shop where he bought, fixed and sold old things. But since mom had left he had been in his own world. No one could tear him out of it, not even his friends. He wouldn’t leave the house so the shop had been closed for a long time until a good friend of his offered me – who was in charge of the household now – to open it again so we made some money again. I had gladly accepted but we had lost almost all our regular customers. My dad’s friend did his best but he was a mechanic and not a salesman, so he let the few customers we had haggle the prizes down to the deepest pits. Again we were struggling with paying the bills, not only our private ones but now the shop ones as well. And my dad didn’t care at all.
That’s when I had decided to take matters in my own hands. I threw away the application forms of the colleges me and my mom had selected and took a 4 weeks intensive course in accounting and marketing at the city library. I was so busy studying and helping my dad that I hardly spent time with my best friends. But if anything else in my life was going down the drain I could be sure to have the most amazing friends that this world had ever seen.
Alejandra, or Allie, and Cailin – you better call her Cay or she would rip off your fingernails – were always there for me when all that happened 6 years ago. They didn’t have an easy life themselves and I tried to bother them as little as possible but they understood. At school they would hug me tightly and helped me surviving each day. Even though our personalities were as different as the sun and the moon we were connected by an unconditional and forever lasting friendship. Inseparable till the end.
So as I stood there in the storage room, again so close to quit it all, I heard the voices of my friends in the back of my head, kicking my ass.
‘You want that fucking bitch to win? Fuck, Katie, don’t be such a cry baby and get your ass in motion! Ignore her, the money is worth it.’ – Wow, thank you, Cay, I can feel the love.
‘Babes, I know it’s hard but Cay is right. You need the money. Besides, it’s almost closing time. Hurry up, the ice cream tub is waiting!’ – Awww. That’s more like it, thanks, Allie.
Taking a deep breath I tried to reach the box again and this time I was successful. Granted, I nearly fell and hurt myself, again, but it’s not that anyone around the shop cared if I died in the storage room or not. Mrs Madison would fire my dead ass as a reward for dying in her shop. Ah well.
At the end of my shift I managed to fulfill all the tasks I had been given as well as several others I had found myself but it still wasn’t enough. Nevertheless I got paid a good amount of money which helped keeping the burning knot of frustration in the pit of stomach contained. Ever since I started taking care of the bills I had this weird, sickening feeling in my stomach and it didn’t vanish even when my father got back to his feet, more or less. Yes, he was working at his shop again but I still had to help him. I wanted to. That’s all I was capable of now, without a decent college education.
Relieved that this day was over now I walked home, my earbuds blasting the music I loved so much. Good old heavy metal. The fast melodic guitars and the heavy drums helped me a lot during the bad times. I managed to calm down on my way to our small house. I noticed that my dad’s car was gone as I checked the empty mailbox. Smiling in relief I got inside the house and put my keys into the small bowl on the cupboard next to the coat rack. I pulled out my earbuds and came to the kitchen, seeing a pile of letters on the counter. It made me frown, my dad must have been here already but where was he now?
I set down my purse onto the counter next to the letters and found them unopened. My dad had the nasty habit to ignore letters and bills containing the uncomfortable truth. It made me groan in annoyance.
“Ugh dad, when will you ever learn?” I muttered under my breath and started to open them. More bills and two dunning letters. Reading that we could soon be without electricity made me cringe. I pinched the bridge of my nose. This was just perfect. Again, the knot in my stomach grew, nearly making me puke. I knew that I had to do something but with my stress level being over the moon I first had to clear my head first. So I went upstairs, grabbed my heavy book bag and left the house to go to the library.
Ever since I took the intensive course there to safe my father’s store I fell in love with books. Next to spending time with Allie and Cay I often escaped into the different worlds of Charles Dickens, Jane Austen or John Green, to name a few.
I loved the old building of the city library. Every time I stepped inside I took a deep breath and inhaled the musky and dusty scent of paper, ink and leather. I could feel a smile appear on my lips as the worries of my reality stayed outside the broad and heavy double doors. I was looking forward to feel that weight being lifted off my shoulders but this time something was wrong.
The moment I stepped into the library cold shivers ran down my spine. Instead of the usual lightness I felt like something would happen any minute now. Something that would change my life as it was. And not in a good way. As I walked up to the desk where Ms Rogers was taking back the borrowed book I felt like someone or something was watching me.
“Oh hello, Katie. It’s nice to see you again.” Ms Rogers smiled and looked at me through her round-rimmed glasses. With a shy smile I set my bag onto the counter.
“Hello, Ms Rogers. How are you today?” I asked softly but I didn’t really listen to her answer. Instead it seemed like the world around me drifted away and a light whisper reached my ears.
“Sorry, what did you just say?” I asked Ms Rogers, cutting her off rather rudely. Of course she was confused and taken aback by my unusual behavior.
“I was asking you of you enjoyed reading these.” She said and pointed at the pile of books between us. I frowned as I looked around for the source of that whisper. Shaking my head in confusion I focused back on the woman in front of me.
“Err yes, oh yes I did a lot. Especially the one you recommended me.” I smiled but then I heard that light voice again and my head snapped up to the ceiling, only to see that there was nothing.
“Honey, are you alright? You seem a little … distracted.” The librarian asked irritated.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a little stressed. I’m going and get some new books.“ I said, grabbing my now empty book bag and left without waiting for her reply.
As I walked down the main aisle towards the far back the whispering grew louder. I could hear it mumbling in a weird language that I didn’t know and it scared the hell out of me.

Beidh mo flesh beatha an Demon

The feeling of being watched got more uncomfortable too. I tried to hide behind the huge racks that were stuffed with books of all sorts but it was of no use. Wherever I went I could still hear that whisper that brought up an unknown fear; so cold, so deep that my heart was hammering against my ribcage, trying to escape.

Uimh triail, i gcás ar bith ar chúis

My head was spinning and all I could hear was this eery noise that was filled with the voice, repeating those words over and over again. They filled my heart, they crushed my soul and I couldn’t do anything against it.

Bainim roghnaithe a íoc le mo shaol

I had no idea what was going on. I just wanted to run, to leave this place and to never come back again. The pain in my head was getting stronger, making me want to scream from the top of my lungs but I couldn’t. It seemed like something or someone had taken my voice away.
With a hand on my throat I hurried along the book shelves. I had no idea where I was anymore but I needed to find Ms Rogers. She had to do something. I took a few turns and past a few very old wooden racks that were slightly covered in dust and spider webs. Right when I thought I had found the main aisle again I ran into an invisible brick wall. The impact sent me flying back a few rows and I landed hard on my back, my head hitting the foot of one of the racks. Just in time I opened my eyes to see a huge old book falling off the top shelf and rolled out of the way. It landed with a loud thud right where my head had been a second ago.
“Holy fudge, that was close.” I plopped back onto my back and stared at the ceiling. That’s when I realized that the noise and the whispering was gone. With a frown I sat up and looked around but no one was there. It was so weird.
Turning back to the book I noticed that the old brittle leather binding had no decoration or embossing whatsoever. The once dark red color was very much faded and covered in a thick layer of dust. As the daughter of an antiquarian old books intrigued me a lot. With a shaking hand I reached for my evil attacker. My heart was still racing in my chest but when my fingertips brushed the binding I felt shockwaves running up my arm. My breathing hitched and a small voice in the back of my head told me to open it.
The pages were yellowed and dry. The dark ink of the handwritten words was not black but dark grey after god knows how many years. The writing was neat and curvy. It looked really pretty but I couldn’t read a single word. The language that was used was so strange, I had never seen anything like it before. It wasn’t really words but more a random succession of letters. Nevertheless I tried to read the first three lines of what seemed to be a dedication:

Beidh mo flesh beatha an Demon
Uimh triail, i gcás ar bith ar chúis
Bainim roghnaithe a íoc le mo shaol

Nothing happened. A small part of me was a little disappointed. I mean, you always see it in the movies that after reading some sort of spell out loud or touching a magical item usually something happened. Deep down I had expected something similar but then again, what should could have possibly happened?
Shrugging it off, I grabbed the book and stood. I wanted to check the internet for that language and maybe translate some of it to understand what I had just read. I found my way back to main aisle of the library but as I walked towards the entrance with Ms Rogers’ desk I noticed that it was way too quiet and empty at this hour. Usually high school students and book worms of all sorts were here to find a new book or at least bring some back but right then the whole building seemed abandoned.
Wondering what was going on I came to Ms Rogers’ desk and put the book onto it. I brushed the dust off my shirt and looked around.
“Ms Rogers?” I called out but flinched at the sound of my voice echoing through the halls. What was going on?
“Ms Rogers? Hello? Anyone?“ I called out again but no one answered. It was so weird and I grew really scared. What was happening? Where was everyone? That’s when I heard a rumbling noise from above my head that it tipped me over the edge. I had goosebumps all over my body and my little hair stood on end. In panic I grabbed the book and stuffed it in my book bag when I suddenly felt something wet on the back of my neck. With a frown on my face I wiped it away but another few drops hit my skin, making me jump. I wiped them away and saw that it was a reddish liquid. What was that? It definitely dripped down on me from the ceiling. So I lifted my gaze and squinted my eyes, only to have the liquid drip onto my face now. Unconsciously I licked a couple of those drops off my upper lip and froze in disgust.
Blood.
Wiping my face in horror I felt my lunch coming back up my throat. I grabbed my book bag and turned to run towards the exit when suddenly hell broke loose.
The ceiling collapsed and a sea of blood plunged down on me, right into the main hall of the library. The bloody tsunami hit me like a huge construction vehicle, ripping me off the ground. I was holding my breath and clutched the book bag to my chest when the waves of blood smashed me against one of the huge stone pillars, knocking the air out of my lungs. My head hit the pillar hard and the last thing I felt was the blood filling my lungs, choking the life out of my body.

---

Cay’s POV
It was just one of those days when I should have stayed in bed instead of trying to make an attempt to live a normal, uneventful life. But apparently God, or whoever thought it was funny to torture me, had a different plan for me.
I was juggling the five Starbucks cups filled with hot coffee down the packed sidewalk, dodging ignorant tourists, cussing them out under my breath, while I had one of three packs of drawing paper under my arm. It was a difficult task, not spilling any of the precious drinks and run back to work. I could already here Jim’s harsh voice complaining.
A couple of turns and a quick jog across the street and I had reached black building containing my working place. The windows were blinded and packed with photographs of the guys’ amazing art. Every time I walked past them to go inside I had to smile. Each and every one of them was so incredibly talented and I was proud to learn from them.
I pushed open the door and the deep guttural scream of Phil Anselmo hit me right in the face. Sweet lord above. But this heavenly moment was destroyed by the creepy and very annoying voice of Charlie’s parrot, screeching ‘Welcome to Painted Flesh Ink’ and making me jump. Of course I spilled some of the hot coffee over my hands.
“Ow, Jerry, you stupid bird!” I cried and shook out my burned hand. “Fuck, I was so close …” I muttered, talking about me successfully protecting the drinks only to fail so close to the finish line.
“There you are! Did you bring my Blueberry White Chocolate Muffin?” Charlie came skipping from the back, a bright smile on his face. Almost his whole body was covered in tattoos and he had several piercings too – stretched ears, a septum, snakebites and an industrial in his right ear.
“No, dude. But …” I set the coffee cups and paper pack onto the black and red painted counter and opened the zipper of Mike’s backpack that I had borrowed to pull out two brown Starbucks paper bags. “… I got you a simple Blueberry Muffin and a Double Chocolate Chip Brownie. You can easily combine them.” I grinned and he looked at me as if I was an angel or something.
“Oh my fucking buttercup! You girl are a genius!” He picked me up and kissed my cheek sloppily.
“Ew, what the fuck? Get off me!” I laughed and punched his stomach.
“Wow, so much hate.” Charlie laughed and grabbed his food supplies. “Oh and … Jim is looking for you.”
“Did he say what he wanted?” I asked, frowning. I had told him that I was getting coffee and new drawing paper. Why was he looking for me?
“Nope, I have no clue. Now, my next client comes in ten minutes. If I’m not at my desk I’m outside in the back enjoying these beauties right here.” He said, waving the paper bags with his muffins as he disappeared behind the red velvet curtain that separated the back from the sales area.
Chuckling I put my purchases onto the counter and then started to distribute them. I gave Mike and Tera their coffee and put new drawing paper on their desks before grabbing Jim’s share to bring it to him.
I found him in his office. The white room was packed with boxes full of merch and tattooing stuff as well as several crates of empty beer and soft drink bottles. A few prints of tattooed work were decorating the walls. There was an old wooden desk with an iMac and quite some paperwork on it as well as pictures and little tokens from conventions, family and friends. The wall behind it was covered with wooden book shelves that were packed with books and files. Jim, the owner of the shop and my boss, was sitting at the desk, glaring at the screen of his computer. It seemed like he was in a bad mood.
“Hey Jim. Charlie told me you were looking for me?” I asked and placed his cup onto the desk as well as the sandwich I had bought him.
“Yeah, I was. Where the hell have you been?” He growled and typed something into the computer, not even looking at me for a second. That was pretty rude and although he was my boss and mentor I expected from him the same respect that I showed him. So this behavior was getting to me.
“Err I told you, I was going to get new drawing paper and some snacks. You guys hardly ever eat when working.” I said, really annoyed.
“And that took you two hours? Fucking shit!” Jim spat and shoved the keyboard away from him. Unfortunately it hid the coffee cup, knocking it over and spilling the hot content all over the desk and paper work.
“Fuck, Cay, can’t you watch out for once?!” Jim jumped up and picked up the cup only to spill more coffee, especially over himself. He was angry but why would he blame me? I didn’t do anything wrong. Being the good apprentice I was I grabbed one of the rolls of paper from the first box and ripped off a stash of tissues to throw it onto the desk. Of course it was too late. The whole paperwork was drenched in coffee, also a few drawings that Jim probably wanted to use for future tattoos. He was groaning and cursing under his breath.
“Jesus, Jim you need to calm down. It’s just fucking coffee.” I rolled my eyes as I cleaned the table.
“Oh please, save it ok? I can’t deal with your slacking attitude right now.” He threw a handful of soaking wet tissues into the bin and grabbed the roll again to get new ones. I on the other hand stopped dead in motion.
“What the fuck? My slacking attitude?” I frowned.
“Oh please, don’t gimme that ‘excuse me sir’ tone.” He glared at me. “You are slacking, in everything lately and I have no idea why. But it just shows that everyone around me was right about you.” I threw the dirty tissues in my hand into his bin and glared back at him.
“I have no fucking idea what’s wrong with you today but I’m one hell of an apprentice and you fucking know it.”
“The only thing I know that you keep running around bragging about being an apprentice of mine but never do I see you actually draw something that looked like a tattoo.” His voice grew louder, which pissed me even more.
“That’s because you keep me running your fucking errands!” I was so close to jump at this guy. “Not just you but everyone in this fucking shithole. I never get to do anything but making your fucking appointments and getting you guys overpriced coffee! And you know that’s true, so don’t gimme the fucking ‘your attitude is the problem’ speech.” I spat which ticked him off as well. He slammed his fist onto the desk, knocking over some of the pictures.
“Don’t talk to me like that! You are nothing! You have to learn to respect the people that grand you access to their knowledge, the things they have taught themselves because they weren’t so privileged like you!” Jim yelled at me. His face was turning an unhealthy red and a thick pulsing vein appeared on the side of his neck, making the face of the geisha he had tattooed right there look almost as distorted as his face was.
Jim Barnes was a tall and well trained tattoo artist. He was one of the best I had ever met and when he had accepted my application, letting me learn from him and his friends at Painted Flesh Ink. He had been my idol from the start but right now he was a total dickhead.
“You don’t even gimme a chance! Nothing I ever drew was good enough for you, Mr I’m-so-buff.” I flailed with my arms. “But you know what? I don’t need that shit.” I turned on my heels and stomped out of the office.
“Hey! Where are you going? I’m not done yet!” Jim yelled after me.
“Oh and look how many fucks I give.” I scoffed, walking up to the front. I was done for today. This was absolutely ridiculous. And before he fired me because I had more or less accidently killed him I rather left the shop with everyone unharmed.
I didn’t even wait for Jim or anyone to keep me from leaving. I grabbed my cropped jean jacket and purse and stormed past Jerry who screeched an annoying ‘See ya later, asshole.’ I swear, one day I was going to grill that fucking pair of wings.
To avoid the annoying crowds of tourists walking along the beach I took a turn to the left and into a small alley that led me up into the city. I was deep in thoughts about what just happened. It was so weird, so out of the blue. Did I give the impression that I was comfortable with running their errands, cleaning their spaces and desks as well as arranging their appointments and travel?
That was fucking bullshit! Yes, that stuff was important too and an apprentice had to do all of that but I was with them for almost two years now and I never got the chance to actually tattoo anybody. That was unfair! My drawings weren’t that bad. Yes, I had to practice and I would do that if they gave me a chance. Of course I spent most of my spare time with drawing but instead of taking me aside and showing me how to do things right Jim and his crew often only criticized my art. And that just pissed me off most of the time.
“God, Phil, I fucking miss your crazy ass around.” I muttered and looked up to the sky. “It’s not fair. It never is and it never will be.” I sighed and looked back down to the ground, watching my feet drag me further away from the little shop of horror. I bit my bottom lip when I felt the urge to cry and my fingernails dug into the soft skin of my upper arm and shoulder.
Phil was my brother. My dead brother. He got hit by a semi when he took his best friend home from partying too hard. The driver of the semi as well as his best friend lived. Only my brother was dead. Impaled by a huge metal piece of the driver’s door. Not only did it shred Phil’s insides to pieces, it ripped out my heart and soul as well.
He had been everything I had left after our parents had died. He was 10 years older and taking good care of me. My little heart had been broken to pieces but thanks to him it got fixed again. He had been 20 years old when we moved to Huntington Beach for a new start.
I had the time of my life back then. Phil and I had been the perfect team, managing every hard situation together. And when Allie and Katie came into my life it got even better. My life wasn’t the perfect American dream but it certainly was full of love and long lasting memories. I had been happy, until the day God took my brother away from me in such a gruesome way. That was now five years ago.
Right then I had really gotten into drawing. I wasn’t the type to talk much about her feelings so I put everything down on paper, mainly using coal or black ink. It was so hard to feel anything but sadness and hate towards anything in this world that I rather locked them up before I hurt my precious friends. The two girls had been with me through everything and I couldn’t bear seeing them hurt from my doing or anybody else’s. No one was breaking their hearts and lived. They had encouraged me in taking classes and then I had applied for an apprenticeship since I was very much into tattooing as well, sporting some bodyart myself. Thanks to them I wasn’t going completely insane.
The sun was slowly setting and I still was walking through the streets. Since I had been deep in thoughts I didn’t notice where I was going. Huntington Beach was a small town and quite safe but like every other city it had its dark corners and creepy alleys that a girl on her own should avoid. I never gave a fuck though. No one that was out there could hurt me more than I already was.
Nevertheless, hearing those footsteps and a light whisper sent shivers down my spine and I picked up my pace. I was speed walking like a champ but instead of dying down the footsteps started running, the whisper turning into mumbling. I didn’t understand the words; it seemed like a strange language that I didn’t know. But I knew that it was freaking me out.
I never was one to be afraid of anything but when I dared to look over my shoulder I felt my heartbeat quicken and cold sweat ran down the back of my neck. There was nothing there to see but the footsteps were still after me, echoing from the stone walls of windowless buildings.
Everything seemed to melt away, like ice cream in the sun. Stones and metal dripped down onto the street and the cars. The street lights slowly snapped and melted to puddles of metal. Everything around me caved in to an impalpable heat. What was happened?
I was running from the waves of stones and construction material but I was too slow. Stumbling over rubble and rocks the boiling dirt soon knocked me off my feet. I landed face first onto the concrete, feeling my skin being peeled off my cheek. I wanted to scream, I tried to pull myself out of it but I couldn’t. Something was pulling me into the deadly mix of smoke, melted metal and stones. The pain as I felt my skin and flesh being burned off my bones was insane and I just wanted it to stop. My fingernails broke as I clawed the shaking ground but it was of no use. The toxic lava crawled over my body, into my nose and mouth, choking the miserable life out of me.

---

Allie’s POV
Let see how this goes…
Today was the day. I had a date with Tanner. My insides were concerned and excited all at once. There’s always that thrill of something good happening on a date but I had no idea how it would turn on. Dates are never the same as hanging out with your best friends. It is more pressure. Which is funny considering how a friend’s opinion matters more no matter what.
Tanner and I were studying medicine together. He was a great guy, always smiling and helping others. Not to mention his looks. He was the type of guy with the dark hair, average muscle, tall, and striking ocean eyes. My excitement came from the fact that I never thought he would return the feelings. I’m not easy to figure out and maybe all he needed was to get to know me enough to date. A couple of days ago he had asked me if I wanted to have coffee down the Pier with him. I hesitated even then but I have a major coffee lust. It was my only addiction that I would never give up. So, in the end, he won.
As I came out of the bathroom, I nearly fell over our dog, Bronx, who was sprawled all over the floor.
“Oh shit! I’m so sorry, Bronx!” I chuckled and crouched down to ruffle his dark fur. The only reaction I got out of him was a satisfied growl. “You’re so cute.” I grinned before I kissed the top of his head. You bet your ass Bronx is a husky. What’s different about him is that his eyes are brown instead of the dominant blue-eyes most huskies have, I loved that and he knew to use his puppy brown eyes against me when he wanted something. I set him down and began to raid my closet for a good outfit for today.
“Where did you come from?” I said, aloud. I was holding a shirt I had never seen, or at least that I hadn’t remembered to buy. That was my closet, half of it had clothes with tags that I forgot I had. It worked well in my case since it’s not often I accept dates from guys. I decided on a leather skirt with a red flannel and my favorite black Vans. Before exiting my room I took one last look in the mirror. This is okay, right? It’s coffee anyways. I shook my head and left.
“Allie! Breakfast is ready.” I could hear my mom shout as I tried not to fall on my face down the stairs.
“I’m right here.” I grinned and received a kiss on the cheek from her. There was fruit and eggs in the table, I was the only one who wasn’t here already.
My mom was pulling the muffins out of the oven and smiled at me but before she could say something, Mike, my step-dad, made a comment. I couldn’t tell if he was curious or serious.
“Isn’t that skirt too short?” He cocked an eyebrow and looked at me questioning.
I came to hug him and kissed his cheek, “Nope. Good job on the parental question thought.”
That was my relationship with him. Mike had never been a father until my little half-sister, Andrea, was born about two years ago. He was the type of dad with a laid-back mind and needed help with Andrea from me. Mom of course was there for parenting too, but he was very straight on feeling like he should start being a full-time dad. Even with a stepdaughter my age.
Andrea giggled at her food and was in the process of creating a huge mess on herself. Responsibility flowed through my veins when she came into my life, my sister signals were on high. Most of the time, it was me who could make her stop crying or played with her around the house. Besides my two real best friends, she was everything. I kissed her and hugged her tightly. She keeps me sane when I’m struggling myself, it’s amazing what a baby’s laugh can do.
“I’m always worried, you know that.” He smiled, trying to be serious and went back to read his sports magazine. He knew I was responsible and I proved that to him every time I could, no for my mom, but because I had seen my family break apart once and I wasn’t going to have that again. Not as long as I can help it.
“I’m 21.” I got up and snatched a hot blueberry muffin off the plate.
“So?”
“She is not a teenager anymore, darling.” Mom said, having my back again.
“She will always be my little girl. Just like this little bug right here.” Mike poked Andrea’s cheek.
“Daddy!” She whined and everyone laughed. I finished my muffin while getting my purse ready and then looked at my family with a proud smile.
Yes, I was proud to be part of this little group of people right there. I loved all of them to pieces, although Mike wasn’t my biological father. But he was more of a father than the jerk that broke my mom’s heart ever could. My relationship with my real dad was never great to begin with and I had no reason to forgive him now. Many people say that its between the parents and the children shouldn’t feel like they can’t see their other guardian when they fight, but truth is, I don’t want to see him. Not unless I have to and mom or Mike don’t encourage me to either.
I was little when my parents got a divorce. Back then I didn’t understand why my dad was leaving with a huge suitcase and why he didn’t come back. I saw my mother cry a lot during the early years after the divorce. This made me question love and being in a relationship a lot. But when she met Mike everything changed. I witnessed how he picked up the pieces of her broken heart little by little and how my mom slowly fell in love again.
Mike was working for a big insurance company and was a really down to earth guy. I loved him from the start, especially because he liked the same music and the same food. We had so much in common that I quickly forgot about my biological father. Mike was my dad and that’s the was it was going to be.
“Alright you guys, I’m out of here. I’ll be back in time for the Lakers game.” I grabbed my dark sunglasses and pointed at Mike, letting him know that shit was going to get down tonight.
“Take care, sweetie.” Mom waved, looking up from washing the dishes.
“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Mike winked at me which earned him splashes of dish water and the laughter of his little daughter.
“Oh my god, I don’t know any of you.” I said, my eyes wide. I shook my head as I headed out.
The pier and the beach was packed, just as usual. During spring break everyone spent their days off at the beach to tan, to play volleyball or to surf the wonderful waves. Huntington Beach was paradise to me. It was heaven on Earth.
Of course I was way too early. While I waited for Tanner to show up I looked out to the ocean, letting my thoughts wonder. My family was fun and my best friends, Cay and Katie, brightened up my days. They were so different but that’s what I love about them.
I stared out to the horizon when the light breeze turned into a strong wind. I knit my eyebrows as I stared on. It was weird. My long hair was a mess, but not one sun hat flew around, no one seemed to notice. Where the hell is this wind coming form?
It was freezing cold out of a sudden although there were no clouds in the sky. I could hear a whisper, there were weird words being mumbled into my ear. Words I couldn’t understand because the language was unknown to me or I couldn’t catch hat it was saying. Wait. Why am I hearing voices in the first place?
The wind got stronger and stronger but no one was affected by it. People were lying in the sun not having any care in the world and here I was fighting against a rising tornado that tried to pull me away.
I was screaming for help. Why didn’t anyone notice that I was nearly flying away? The air around me was hot and dried out my throat. The louder I screamed the weirder the taste in my mouth got. Was that blood? Oh my god, what was happening to me? I screamed for help once again when my legs were ripped off the wooden planks of the Pier.
I was a leaf in the storming rage. I felt so helpless. My arms grew weak and I could feel my hands slipping off the metal bar I desperately held on to. I didn’t want to die. I was about to have coffee with Tanner. A cruel invisible force ripped me off the barrier, crushing the bones in my legs.
I flew around like a weightless sun hat but my horror nearly killed me inside when I hit the water hard. All air was knocked out of my lungs and the deeper I got dragged down the ocean the more my body was crushed. Mentally, I knew I always floated up whenever I tried to go deep in the water. Always. Which is why I knew the force still dragged me down. Faintly, through watered eyes, I could catch the circular form of the sun bleeding on the ocean. My head felt heavier and with the lack of panic I seemed to have mustered, my lungs gave out.

Notes

Here's chapter one!
Let me know what you guys think,
comment below!

Next chapter will be posted this weekend.
-Don't forget to Rate & Vote!
Thank you!
---Allie, xxX