There are times when you just want to give up in life but then you remember the faces of those who you love but that’s not the only thing stopping you, the curiosity, the anxiousness of the future of what lies ahead of you stops you right in your tracks.
She walked at a snail's pace as stares and glares from unknown eyes made their way to her, challenging her every motive, which was nothing but pure. Her lips quivered mirroring her steps as the cold bit through her coat. She remembered the cause for this a bitter memory, not too far, invaded her mind. Heavy odour of cigarettes and alcohol ruled the eerie silence that lingered in the air. Pieces of broken doors and glasses scattered here and there, some with bullet shots while the others just with fate.
“Hey little Bella” the mocking tone of a fatuous creature reached her ears, otherwise known as Liza Johnson. The somehow glory of Brondesbury high school. Her silky blonde hair cascaded down her back as her bright blue eyes shown with mischief, though all her beauty discarded by her hideous motives.
“I’ve heard you want me to leave you alone, huh?” Bella gave in an unwanted nod, as a smirk appeared on Liza’s face.
“Well then, you just need to complete this single dare and you’ll be free forever” she announced, the wicked smile never leaving her face. A shaky breath left Bella’s throat as she saw a light of hope through her misery.
“Go to the all too famous alleyway behind the building of Wilson”
That’s where the light dimmed.
“…and don’t feel too happy, go there and give this to Winters”
And that’s where the light went out.
A bitter expression made its way on her face at the mere thought of Liza, who had bullied her for ages and doesn’t seem to have enough. She would have rejected her but she knew better that it was more of an order; it was just presented to the world as a dare. She was too frightened from this world to neglect it, because of which she found herself standing in front of the same building she dreaded for years. It is an abandoned building with nothing other then broken junk. It is a famous spot for the school’s trouble makers. No, not those kinds who prank people and spray paint walls. The ones involved in guns and gangs, weed and drugs.
She stumbled her way to the back of the building where some people with red hair, spiked up like a shark, tattoo covered arms and bodies resting on motor bikes came into view. She tried her best to go unnoticed by anyone as she didn’t quite fit in this kind of crowd. She made her way deeper in the area when suddenly a shot rang through the air followed by more, overpowering shouts as more people appeared all geared up in guns and weapons. She tightened her hold on the thin white envelope that was given by Liza. Her body rooted itself in the ground, as much as she tried to move, her legs neglected her. People ran, shooting and shouting. Her body trembled as she saw her life ending until she was pulled in a corner by cold, slender hand grasping her elbow. Her body was forced to turn around coming face to face with the infamous Elliot Winters.
Eyes of heavy secrets and fading oceans turned Bella's way. Elliot raises her eyebrows to see someone so fragile in a place full of hate. Fear overcame Bella as she took slow trembling steps backwards but Elliot's dark but enthralling voice didn’t allow her.
"Wait"
“Please, let me go” she pleaded.
Elliot let out a deep sarcastic chuckle, “if you want to die then go ahead.” She said as she gestured behind her, where now it had become eerily silent. A few bodies lay lifeless on the ground, bullet shots covering them making her lunch come back up.
“B-but I can’t see anyon-“she couldn’t complete her sentence before a man covered in black appeared out of nowhere left to Elliot. Fear made another entry, stronger this time, conquering her logical senses. Everything happened so fast as soon as he pointed his gun towards Bella, Elliot left arm rose shooting the man straight in the heart in a split second. When Bella turned towards Elliot seeing she didn't even flinch, her eyes were continuously on Bella not even moving when she shot him.
“Y-you k-killed him” Bella said baffled.
“Surprised?” she raised her eyebrow returning her arm to its original position. Bella didn’t have the courage to look at all the blood not even at Elliot eyes because they continuously gave the vibes of deadliness, no emotion stirred like they are in a grip of tough metal. She seemed so invincible like nothing could touch her, and maybe even that’s true.
“Come on girly, gotta get you home. Wouldn’t want your mommy worrying huh?” she smirked. Although her comment offended her a bit she kept her mouth as she was her only hope, Bella wouldn’t want her getting angry. She put her gun in her back pocket of her jeans and started in the opposite way she came. Bella silently followed her giving the unknown man a last glance. She avoided looking towards anyone dead there, as she followed Elliot who walked in front, hands in her pocket. Her breath turned to mist in the freezing weather of December, as her long black hair flew with the wind.
She stopped in front of a black Mercedes, which looked quite odd in this alley type way. Eliot gestured her to sit in the passenger seat and made her way towards the driver’s seat. Bella hesitated before opening the heavy door and settling in. Elliot roared the engine to life as she drove the car a bit too fast for Bella, but she didn’t complain.
“Wear the belt.” Elliot stated in a monotone. Bella quietly followed the order, because that’s the only choice you got if you don’t want to get killed in the lions den.
“..And if you would like to tell me where you live?” she glanced Bella's way. After telling the address the ride was extremely silent, most people at least turn on music, but Elliot was just not one of them nor did she seem as the talkative type.
About 15-20 minutes of silence the car haltered to a stop in front of her house. Then she remembered the reason why she went to such a dreaded place, she turned towards Elliot with a helpless expression and handed her the envelope for which she was told not to tell Elliot that Liza gave her that.
She didn’t grab the envelope but asked “what’s that?” leaving Bella’s hand mid air.
“S-someone gave it for you’
“Who exactly?” she raised her eyebrow grabbing the envelope and ripping it open.
Bella didn’t open her mouth as watched Elliot’s jaw clench and eye’s twitch due to anger as she read the letter. Bella didn’t know what was inside but it sure wasn’t pretty.
“Who gave it you?” She asked harsher this time trying to maintain her calm.
“I- c-cant tell, sorry” Bella uttered a she lowered her head.
“Tell the fuck who freakin’ gave it you or your in trouble!” Bella flinched at her harshness as she got no option. Liza or Elliot she had to face someone’s wrath and Liza seemed to be better at this moment.
“L-Liza, Liza Johnson” she uttered and quickly got out of the car. She stumbled in the process hurting her knee. She shut her eyes tightly and mumbled a few “Ow’s” before glancing back at Elliot. Her anger was gone, replaced with her infamous cold physique. She was watching Bella with a blank look and sped away after closing the door, faster then before. But not before mumbling “If you stumble at every step how will you learn to fly?”
Liza backed Bella on the worn out wall sneering at her. She glared at her furiously as she asked her "Why did you tell Elliot that I sent the letter?"
The hallways were quiet, not a single soul wandered. Everyone has returned home except some who were in detention. Bella whimpered under her glare shifting her eyes from here to there.
"S-she wouldn't let me g-go otherwise"
"And how does that matter to me?"
She slapped her across the face which left a stinging feeling on Bella’s cheek. Fear danced alone the tears in her eyes as she came over the realization that she can do nothing about this. She can't talk Liza out of this nor can she talk to Elliot. She slid on her back down trembling; first time when she thought that her so called home is better than this school. The excuse for a human kept kicking her, continuously repeating the same question that why did she told Elliot. Bella didn't even know how Liza got to know that she told Elliot. Elliot probably would've told her. But if they were on good terms she wouldn't be that angry yesterday thought Bella.
“Why don’t you ask the person she told?”
Both of their heads turned towards the figure leaning on the door frame.
“Elliot” Liza whispered, fear clear in her eyes. Never in her life did Bella thought that Liza would be scared of anyone. After all she was the one who bullied everyone form primary to high school. She likes to think that she is the most superior of all... and maybe she is. Elliot was the only one who ever talked back, she never said anything. She would silently nod if you say hello, not getting into others business neither letting anyone in hers. Nobody knew who she is, where she came or what she does. The popular hate her because they know that they can’t ruin anything for her. So they choose easy targets as Bella, targeting the people who think nothing of themselves, just trash littering the ground. Elliot carried an aura of quiet danger around her, confidence where ever she walked and independence in whatever she did. Everyone knew better than to mess with her. She never did anything to prove that she has anger issues but what can you say that gives people the perfect chance to spread rumors, rumors that she is involved in gangs, drugs and alcohol. You can’t hundred percent say that they are false, but we don’t even know if they are true.
Elliot walked closer to them, with slow and steady steps. She pushed Liza away from Bella without much effort and stared into her eyes silently telling to back off. Liza knew that message quiet well; after all she is the one who got it the most.
“You should go” she said to Bella, still not moving her gaze from Liza. Bella scattered away rubbing her smudged eyes. After she was gone a loud thudechoed through the hall as Liza’s back slammed the wall and replaced Bella’s position earlier.
“How many times have I told you that I’m not going to do you’re nasty jobs” she sneered at Liza.
“You would be stupid if you think I won’t know it’s you, if you fucking want weed then get it from where ever you want. I know you want it from Gabriel, that old stinky freak. I do not have any contact with him and I don’t even give one flying fuck where he is. Though you just don’t fucking understand! If I get one more letter with that crap written in it, I swear you won’t be seen after that.”
She didn’t gave Liza anytime to reply and turned to walk, not that she was actually going to and Elliot knew her affect on people quite well.
“...and” she turned back on her heel and pointed a slender, pale finger at Liza “If I see you one more time getting your nose in others business and bullying them, I’ll make sure you don’t reach the hospital in time.” With that said she turned away and walked out with her hand stuffed into her pockets protecting them from the icy cold winds that blew throughout the halls.
Elliot opened the door of a dusty house. It stood tall in a lonesome street. It was a double story house though it looked like an endless path to hell. The chipped beige paint struggled to stay on the walls; the floor creaked with every step. A woman trudged her way to the kitchen, silence ruled. She grasped the sink with her weak hands, her old dress danced with the cold breeze. Her eyes were wide taking everything as an enemy. She yelped like a dying fish on the floor, her voice echoed through the abandoned halls. There was nothing to be happy for her, even if there was she didn’t welcome it. Because the idea of sadness and sorrow was carved into her mind so deep that not the soul of a saint could change it.
Elliot walked towards her, long but slow steps were taken cautiously as if the women would attack anytime. The fragile frame of the women lied lifeless on the kitchen floor as Elliot reached her. She sat down next to her but couldn’t look into the wide, soulless eyes of her. The women stared at the ceiling with fear, fear of her life. Slowly she coward away from Elliot and backed herself on the cabinet under the sink. For a split second Elliot’s eyes showed an emotion that the women yearned to see for years. But that was the notion of a split second, nothing more nothing less. She tried to reach towards her but the women slid away and away.
Chapter Two
She lived with hurricane eyes and he fell in love with the way the waves collapsed onto her cheeks. - Christopher Poindexter
Chapter 2
“Hey kiddo, how’s my girl going?” he entered the hospital room and took a seat next to the bed, where a little frail girl sat. She asked him with innocent eyes that where was he.
“Oh, you know just getting food for you.” His lies hid the real reason for his absence, how he was struggling to get some money for her operation. “Did you miss me or was Mama giving you company, huh?”
“I missed you a lot.” She asked drawling out the ‘o’ and making a gesture by spreading her arms as wide as she could. “You’re not going to leave now?” she asked, replicating her father’s French accent but with a softer tone.
“I’m afraid I need to go now kid…”
“But why daddy?” she whined and demanded an explanation again drawling her words.
“I’m sorry.” Was all he said, a horrified expression overtook the girl’s face. The walls started melting in an endless river of guilt. The floor shook and so did her heart. He started walking backwards, towards the door that had already been vanished. Now all that was left was a black universe with swirls of horror and her father’s screams of agony, as bullet by bullet his body gave into the currents of the black river. The water started to overflow the shaking bed as she held on for dear life, ‘no use’ she thought, as she gave into the blackness which had previously trapped her father. Her head disappeared into the water, her lungs burnt but she made no move to save herself, to save her father.
Eliot’s head bolted up from her pillow, sweat conquering her body. She exhaled deeply to calm her nerves. Her coal-black hair clung to her forehead and her eyes were wide open. She sighed and looked at the clock on the side wall, 5 o’clock it read.
As soon as her head fell back on to the pillow a loud ‘thud’ from behind her door woke her up. She cursed under her breath as she thought about her mother getting hurt. She ran out the door in a split second and climbed down the old, creaky stairs. A big vase lied broken on the floor, the dead flower sprawled in front of her mother’s feet. She lightly sobbed as she looked at the broken vase, her eyes comparing it to her broken life. Elliot looked at her wearily and called the maid to come down.
A thin women, probably in her thirties, Elliot never really bothered to ask, ran down the stairs from her bedroom which Elliot had given to her to look after her mother.
“Do I give you money for nothing?” Elliot asked glaring at her.
“I’m sorry, I fell a-asleep and th-“
“Did I fucking ask what you were doing!” the maid took a step back. “Look here Hannah or Anne whatever the hell your name is, if you can’t look after her then I don’t need you here, ‘kay?”
“o-okay” the maid stuttered.
“Good, now get this mess clear.”
Cadence, Elliot’s mother, was standing in the same spot till now, staring at the broken fragments of the vase. She raised her head to stare at the maid and cocked her head to the right.
“Get her back in bed.” Elliot stated before walking back to her room. She lit the lights as the first ray of sunlight that hit England was never before seven am in winter.
She loved her mother dearly, but her mother never accepted her touch, the reason why still unknown to her. She quickly pulled on black jeans and a gray full-sleeve shirt. Opening the window she checked it is raining or not, and was satisfied when she found light sprinkles of cold water land on her outstretched arm. While making her way to the front door, she pulled on a black jacket and grabbed her car keys. Her high ponytail danced as she stepped down the stairs of a dusty front porch. She welcomed the cold rain drops on her face as she looked into the sky, glistening with dusty light.
*
Bella rushed out of their small apartment with her younger twin sisters on her tail.
“Wait, Emily you forgot your lunch!” Her mother exclaimed from inside. Her younger sister -Emily- rushed inside to grab her lunch. After a while Bella got tired of waiting and went inside to check on her.
“Emily! What is taking you so long?” called out her other sister, cassia.
Their apartment was extremely small for a family of five, but that’s the most their father could do and they did not mind. They liked living like a close, happy family in these worn out walls of their only shelter.
After leaving her sisters at their school, Bella walked to her school. The wind was blowing hard, making it even more difficult to walk. The light sprinkles of rain poured deliberately on the ground. The windows and doors of the houses were sealed shut to save the inhabitants of the chill outside. Bella secured her thick woollen scarf around her neck as a sigh escaped her trembling lips, turning into mist in the crisp air of January.
She hurriedly entered the school gate. There wasn’t anyone around as she reached school a bit too early today. Bella never liked being alone, the silence always got to her. She jumped, surprised at the sound of a locker closing harshly. She turned around the corner to see who did it, as soon as she noticed it was not a unicorn, ahem, as soon as she noticed that the person was Elliot, she turned back. She silently prayed that Elliot would not have noticed her, but then the thought of thanking her conquered her mind. She peeked around the corner and saw that Elliot was using her phone. She quickly turned and took deep breaths to calm herself. ‘Okay you can do this Bella…’ she whispered to herself. ‘Just one thank you.’ she chanted.
She closed her eyes and turned in the corridor, Elliot was still using her phone. Her hood was up on her head as Bella walked towards her. Elliot still didn’t notice Bella even when she was just four feet away. Bella cleared her throat lightly to gain her attention; she tried again when she failed the first time. She tapped her shoulder lightly. Slowly did she turn around, giving Bella a blank look. Bella gulped and took a small step back. Elliot tapped her foot on the ground as she leaned on the lockers behind her impatiently. When Bella just stared at her light green, almost magical but dead eyes, she moved to walk away.
“Wait!” Bella yelled unexpectedly.
“What do you want?” Elliot turned around, a deadpanned expression on her face, annoyance oozed out of her tone.
“Uh...i j-just wanted to say….”
“You wanted to say?” Elliot raises her eyebrows expecting an answer.
“I just wanted to say….t-thank. Thanks.” Elliot stared at her with a blank look on her face. Her grip on her phone tightened as fear filled Bella’s eyes. And she walked away, just like that.
‘At least she didn’t kill me’ Bella said to herself and tried to think positively as she hurried to her first class.
*
When Bella reached her home she quickly closed the door behind her. Water dripped from her hair due to the heavy rain. She was taking her shoes off in the corridor when she heard her parents talk in a hushed manner. She leaned on the living room door to hear more clearly.
“Do you think they’ll give us?” her father asked.
“They give it to everyone, why not us?” stated her mother.
‘What are they talking about?’ thought Bella, confused.
“Then I am going to ask them tomorrow.” decided her father as her mother agreed.
Bella decided to go inside, as soon as she entered her parents jumped up, greeting her nervously. She decided to let it slip as they seemed really tense and greeted them back.
*
The next day, Bella’s father –James- entered an extravagant mansion. The walls were a light cream colour and wooden furniture ruled the place. It stretched to a great distant. A guard walked him in and told him to wait.
“Mr. Reynold will be here soon.” He stated and made his way out. James felt extremely uncomfortable and out casted as he looked at his not-so-formal clothing and then the beautiful, palace like house. A man -Mr Reynold- made his way down the staircase with a cigar in one hand and a stack of cash in the other. His body was clad with a red pure silk robe with black lining. James stood up as Reynold made his way to him.
“Here.” He handed him the cash. “Remember only one week, that’s all you get.”
“What? But you said a month?” James was surprised, how will he be able to return such a big amount in such a short period he thought. But he was desperately in need of it and won’t be able to turn down the offer.
“Well, a person’s mind can always change, can’t it?” said Reynold.
“Yes sir.” James agreed. But what he did not know was that Reynold was not a ‘person’, he was a devil who ran his own little hell.
*
She turned to walk away. Her old, black Mercedes stood in the parking lot of the small cafe she worked in. after grabbing all her belongings and cleaning her hands, Elliot opened the door of her car, only to be stopped by a large pair of hands clutching her jacket. Her leg kicked up on instinct, hitting the man’s weak point. The unknown man’s grumbles could be heard in the silence of the night. Facing him, Elliot wasn’t surprised to find that it was Colt.
“Look who made an appearance.” She said, amused.
He got up from the ground, sending deadly glares to Elliot as he did. Colt was one of the people who claimed the highest number in her hit list, not that she had any but to the rest of the population there was an imaginary list of people she despised. Colt, the eldest son of Reynold, but surprisingly not the most feared. There are still people in the family of Reynolds she has yet to meet. She scoffed at the glare that made people cower in fear.
“You can’t kill a person with those girly glares of yours Colt.” She smirked.
Colt took a step towards her, a smirk of his own etched on his face. “Do you know how many times you got away form me?” he asked more of a rhetorical question. He pretended to think with his finger on his chin and his head dipped on one side. “More than a hundred probably.”
“I don’t think that’s something you should cherish.” The way his eyes darted behind her every few seconds, she could tell he has someone on the back to attack. The way he was acting just confirmed it. He didn’t reply, all he did was smile a menacing smile. His dead grey eyes flicked a last time before she could hear some crunching of leaves. He could not make a worse plan, she mused.
A pair of arms clutched her just as she spun around. The guy behind was huge, but lacked the quick reflexes. That’s the mistake Colt always makes. The guy missed her arm as Elliot’s elbow darted behind, aiming for his stomach. Her elbow crashed against his chest as an uproar of pain left his mouth. She held him in a head lock, quick breathes leaving his mouth. Till then Colt was already darting towards her. He tried to get a hold of her legs but she rolled out at the last moment. Colt’s fist joined her jaw, she stumbled back a few step before regaining her balance. Her fist connected with his eye, followed by his neck. As soon as her fist hit his neck, a cry of agony left his mouth from the severe pain. She wiped the blood from her lips as she turned back to the other man. He was still knocked out cold from the pinch on the vein of his neck.
Looking back at Colt, she shook her head slowly. She could kill him right then but she was smart enough not to do it. Any serious damage to his ugly little face and a gang of rifles and AK-47s will be behind her, not that they aren’t already. She made a swift exit turning on her car and speeding off the empty roads before any more people showed up.
She reached her house after about 10 minutes. The door creaked as it opened and closed back gently. She looked around the cold house; the windows had a sense of dread to them. Every door seemed like a passage to hell, and her mother stood in between of all this. She stared at Elliot’s busted lip and the scars on her arms as she shook her head in disappointment. Cadence walked towards Elliot slowly but stumbling on her way. When she reached the couch nearby, her lips pursued a frown.
“When did you become like this?” she asked, her tone held nothing but disgust and sorrow. Elliot looked her dead in the eyes, no emotion playing in the green orbs. No word left her mouth, these types of one sided conversations happened quite often. She learnt better than to reply. “You know because of this- because of this your father died!” Elliot stayed silent, makes sense she thought sarcastically as she was only seven when he died. She could not possibly be like this back then. All this of what she had become was to protect her mother and what she got in return was something she hadn’t expected. But the mental state of her mother after the chain of tragic events led to this blaming. Cadence looked at her without any word, and slowly made her way back upstairs. Elliot heaved a sigh and made her way to her room. The walls in her room were dark; the almost blackish blue colour reflected the street lights, a number of stripes of light on the walls created by the blinds on her windows. The soft light shone on the pure white covers, in which she hardly ever slept. She walked towards te side of the bed, her back connected with it as she sat on the floor. Her stomach grumbled, but she ignored it. Her head ached, but she ignored it. All that mattered was the picture of a man with coal-black hair and green eyes in her hands, as she fell into a dreamless sleep.