Fantasy When Darkness Comes.

[Pride&Perfection]

Lyric Grace De Caste - Werewolf

"Chief? Huh." She muttered, only half listening. "A gun store?" Her eyes lit up. Finally something worth driving to. They'd need to fuel up the truck before they headed out, plus she had something she needed to do.


"M'kay. Get some sleep, but try not to bleed on the backseat."


Lyric closed the door. Ven hadn't slept in god knows how long. The girl needed to rest if they were going to leave tonight. But before they left she needed to check something out. It was a scent. She'd smelled it earlier when Jax had been shot, and it was there now. The scent was feline...or at least partly. Her gut told her that something wasn't right about doing this alone, but she knew that she could handle herself. Being an agent kinda prepares you for anything. Her steps were careful, pinpointed directly as to keep herself silent. The scent was growing stronger. It seemed to lead into one of the buildings up ahead. "WALKERS MUSEUM." The name didn't ring a bell.


Despite the growing sense that she was being watched, Lyric made her way into the large architecture, eyeing the shadows cautiously. Her hand slipped down to her right boot and she puled the knife out from where it sat. The black handled dagger rested easily in her hand, ready to be used if necessary. A bloody stench drifted through the building, making her scrunch up her nose. Someone had been here, recently. That smell was fresh.


Her body tensed in the apprehension of a fight. Zombies? No she would have smelled them already. It was the cat. Or half cat. Whatever it was, this creature wasn't human. Lyric followed the feline scent up the stairs, prepared for anything.

​

@Chelsea Griffin

​

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven grunted in reply closing her eyes. Within a few minuets she fell asleep, being sucked into her own head.


Alli smiled, swinging her feet of the edge of the pier. "Do you think it's ever going to be like it was before Venni?" The younger girl questioned as she looked at the blue water rippling below her feet. Vennett shrugged, leaning back on her elbows as she basked in the morning son. "Don't know, kiddo." She mused, opening one eye to look at the smaller girl with short red hair and blue eyes. A frown creased her freckled face, "I hope it will. I want Daddy to come back." Ven held back a snicker at her sisters wishful thinking. Their father was a coward, he left them alone when they needed him the most. "Sure you do." Ven sighed looking out at the ocean. The sun was starting to set, a watercolor sky stretched out before them. She admired the beauty for a moment longer, enraptured with the way the light caught the sky. Ven stood, "Come on. Let's get inside." She looked down at where Alli had been. Panic struck Ven in the heart as she whirled around screaming her sisters name. Something caught her eye in the water, a body surfaced. The pusing form of a bloated body rotated revealing the dead face of her younger sister. Ven tried to reach for her, and suddenly she was 30ft in the air. The ocean sparkling below her as body after body popped up, a sea of dead surrounding her. Turning around, tears flushed down her face and her heart lept at the sight of Aleks. He looked cleaner, shaven, like he would probably have if insanity and the apocalypse hadn't had him in their clutches. "A-Aleks?" She questioned, hesitantly reaching her hand out towards him. He tilted the fedora on his head, looking at her from the shadows of his hat. That rugged smile of his spread slowly across his handsome face. Ven took a step towards him, the ground under her feet breaking away and she was falling. He was letting her fall into the pit of death and decay...

 

[Jason Carlile]

Jax watched her go away. He felt that isolation kick in again. He hated it now more then ever. She pushed me away. For Jax this wasn't usually a problem. But that pain hurt worse than anything else. He got up and put his shirt back on and walked out into the hallway and heard a blood curdling scream.


Jax ran to see what it was and saw it was Aleks with a man. Upon closer inspection as he got closer it was the Australian, beaten up by Aleks it seems. Well you got what you deserved. He looked at Aleks with cold eyes. He nodded and walked away, he didn't care what happened to that man. Aleks can have his way with him and he sat down on the bed with head in his hands. I am a mess, I need to focus. He was angry, at himself for letting his guard down and for letting his emotions get the better with him. "To hell with this." He laid down. But in his dreams he wasn't followed by cheery thoughts, only his inner most personal demons..


It was dark, everyone around him was yelling as Jax sprinted up to his house. There she was, Scarlett. His love on the floor screaming in pain. "No..NO NO NO NO!" Jax yelled and got her up. She was breathing heavy. Jax felt her pulse, her heatrate was fluctuating all over the place. This was the first time in many years Jax panicked.


"I am dying Jax." Scarlett said sadly. She seemed at peace. "Tie me up, I don't want to hurt you." She looked serious and she knew what was best.


"Okay, just remember you told me to." The man said trying to keep positive. He tied her up gently but also tight. He sat down next to her and they talked. Jax was trying to find a way to reverse it. "I will save you. I promise." He tried, contacting everyone until the last moment. Then she started to scream.


"Kill me now." She said with the aggression of a mad woman. Jax sat there stunned. He couldn't do it. He shook his head and looked at her.


"I can't do that." Jax said with tears in his eyes. "I am lost without you." He got on his knees and begged. Not that it would work but he had to tell her that he couldn't do it.


"Do it, I won't hate you. Its for the best. Just know I will always love you." She said with serenity and peace in her voice. Jax looked up with tears in his eyes and nodded. He got up and put his hands around her neck. He had tears falling down his face. He sat there for a minute, breathing. Scarlett at peace.


"I love you.." He whispered and quickly broke her neck. "I am sorry..." He broke down trying to tell himself it was for the best. Just then it got dark, Scarlett was in front of him.


"Why didn't you save me?"


"I tried... but-"


"NO YOU DIDN'T. YOU ARE WEAK!."


"I'M SORRY!"


"LIES!"


"I AM SORRY! I AM SORRY! I AM SORRY!-"





Jax woke screaming. Sweat covered his body, he was breathing heavy. "Oh god. No, not again." He wept silently trying to hold back the pain of his demons haunting him. "I'm sorry. I tried." He looked up, hopefully seeing Lyric but no one was there. He sat there, alone with his past and told himself that he would try to make it a better future.

 

[PKCV2]

The man was lifeless, his body limp, hands pinned above his head, drenched in blood, it looked like a crazy cultist had been here. A blur of motion, hands slammed into the wall with force, landing under the man's armpits. Aleks's face was in close and he was practically straddling the man as he was on his knees, which were on either side of the Australian's legs. Blood was spattered on his own face and clothing.


"Thank you for the fun...give my regards to whatever deity you belong to."


Aleks backed away, observing his work and fell backwards on the tile, his bottom landing hard. His left and right leg were stretched out and bent in 90 degree angles. He almost looked like a child, a child that was covered in blood. Rapid breaths left his open mouth, curled in a smile.


His breathing slowed, his lips uncurling and turning into a frown. Adrenaline left his system and he was staring at a horribly mangled corpse. He looked at the body in confusion. Had he done that? He had. Why? He scooted backwards until his back hit the wall, he was hyperventilating. What the hell kind of monster was he. Dammit! Why did he feel like this? He never felt like this after a session...then again he's only done this maybe once or twice before, maybe more, he didn't know anymore.


He couldn't think with that body in the room. Aleks got up, a bit unsteadily, and went to a place he knew he'd be alone. The roof. Almost 10 minutes later he arrived at the roof, the very place he was training with Lyric. Kicking some gravel he laid down, staring at the sky.


Soothing...that endless expanse of blue, orange, red, black, pink...


I get it...the sky is pretty.


Aleks sighed...he never was alone. His thoughts wandered to Ven and her supposed loneliness.


Screwed it up didn't I?


We'll see, keep your head up high friend.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven sat up frantically, mute screams erupting from her. She let her fingers tangle with her red hair. Taking deep breaths she forced her shaking body to calm down. She had fallen off the seats and onto the car floor. With a huff, Ven pulled herself up, opening the car door and stumbling out. She looked up at the late afternoon sun, realizing that she had slept longer than planned. She wondered if Lyric had told Chief about the weapons store on Highland Avenue. Putting her bow and arrows back around her shoulder, she closed the car door with a loud thud. She needed to make sure the group was ready to move. They'd have to move quickly. The reminder of her dream still lingering in the spaces between her unsaid thoughts. Passing back in the hotel, she looked around for Chief hoping to find him quickly. "Chief! Hey, I need to tell you something!" Ven called as she headed towards him oblivious to his own inner war going on inside him.

 

[Jason Carlile]

Jax heard Ven and quickly dried up his tears and put his legs on the floor looking over to her. She looked at him with her mixture of colored eyes. He chuckled and got up. Walked to her and patted her shoulder. "Feeling okay kid?" As he waited for an answer he studied her wound. Not bad work Aleks. He gritted his teeth trying not to show pain in his shoulder.


"What is it that you have to tell me?" Jax walked over slowly and sat down in a chair waiting for Ven to answer. He shoulder was hurting and he was tired after his nightmare. Ven looked tired as well, and he was wanting to sleep the remainder of the day. He lost all his energy and he felt like he couldn't do anything. Damn it all.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven glanced at him, noticing the tired expression on his face. Had he been crying!? Nah, not chief. He's too...Cheif to cry. She thought, her own comment not even making sense to her. "I thought you should know there is a gun shop at the corner of Highland and Sibyl. We can check it out as we make our way out of town. We shouldn't stay too long, people come to raid during the days as I'm sure you have noticed." Ven commented looking at his shoulder. It looked like lyric had fixed it up for him. Part of her wondered if there were any meds in the pharmacy still. "Don't worry about packing. I have it covered, just relax. I'll drag Aleks down to help if I need it." She stated confidently. Truth be told he did NOT look like he should be doing any physical activity.

 

[Jason Carlile]

Jax looked at Ven as he looked at his shoulder. Well at least she volunteered to pack. He nodded and said quietly, "Thanks, kid. Don't stress yourself. You are hurt too." He laid down and looked up, trying to suppress his demons. He hated how the isolation now makes him crazy, how Lyric was able to change him more. He didn't hate Lyric, hell he wanted her here. He just hated how his feelings make him feel like this.


"We will leave when you guys ready. All I am is just a slab of meat." Jax chuckled and looked up at the ceiling. He closed his eyes and started to fall asleep in silence. Lets hope its not soon.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven cracked a slight smile, nodding a little before heading to where the pharmacy section should be. She paused, rifling threw pill bottles. Finding an empty medical bag she decided to fill it up with as much medicine as she possibly could. They may need it later considering how prone to injury the party seemed. Managing to zip the bag closed, Ven carried it towards the car pausing at the set of stairs leading to the roof. She was sure Aleks was up there..she just..really had no idea if she wanted to talk to him or not. His whole, "venting" process scared her. She didn't know how willing she was to face him at that moment.

 

[PKCV2]

Darkness...he only saw darkness. Then he remembered...he couldn't sleep, his eyes were buried in the crook of his arm, his mouth covered by his other arm, he was laying face down on the gravel now.


"AHHHHHHHHH!"


Aleks yelled but it came out muffled. He had been yelling for almost half an hour, sadly this wasn't helping.


"AHHHHHH!"


Still wasn't working, his throat lightly burned but he kept screaming. He pictured Jax's cold gaze, watching him. He seemed accepting of it, he seemed as if he didn't care...then there was Ven...she seemed fine but...she sounded sullen...maybe she wasn't so fine with it. Damn her! She had screwed up his mindset on torturing people. He slammed his fist into the gravel, covered his mouth, and screamed again.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Hearing muffled screams from the roof as I put things in the car, my concern outweighed my fear. My feet moved up the stairs quickly, hoping something wasn't wrong. And empty pit in the bottom of my stomach started to form as I suddenly became worried that he hurt himself or something happened. Frantically pushing open the metal door, Ven gasped for breath as she looked for Aleks. She moved to him quickly, sliding down to her knees ignoring the slight burn from the gravel. She quickly inspected him, her bow and quiver on the gravel besides her. Ven relaxed when she realized he was perfectly fine. "I thought you were hurt, I heard a scream and-" she cut off her on rambling probably looking like a complete idiot. She shook her head, looking towards the ground. This is stupid. I'm being stupid. What's the point of being concerned anyway? He HURTS people...for FUN!

 

[PKCV2]

Having hurt his throat, Aleks resorted to groaning, low groans emitting from his being. About 7 groans in, he heard the rooftop door open and someone sliding through the gravel...odd. A few moments if silence and rambling...Ven. She was ranting and raving about how she thought Aleks was in trouble, but she stopped abruptly. Aleks rolled over and looked at her face. She looked unsure.


"Why do I matter enough to check up on? After what you saw."


Aleks chuckled.


"After that...freak show...why?"


Aleks turned his gaze back to the sky, watching the endless plane.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven let out a sigh, "Are all boys such idiots?" She breathed. Leaning her head down, she placed her head on his shoulder. It disturbed her how much she cared for him, even after that little display the feelings wouldn't fade. She felt as if...in an odd way she could help him and he could help her too. She wasn't going to deny what he did was messed up, but she wasn't anyone to judge. This life did weird things to people and it occurred to her that he might just be grasping onto anything he could from his previous life. Like grasping at straws in the dark. Slowly, she put her arms around him.

 

[PKCV2]

"Are all boys such idiots?"


Aleks continued staring, not making any facial expressions, unsure of how to approach this. He didn't know anymore...this revelation drained Aleks of all thought and energy, he had turned into a sack of meat that was still alive for reasons he didn't know. He had fallen so far, grasping onto a branch, grasping onto something that made him feel like himself. Lyric and Jax...they only made him fall that much farther.


Now he was waist-deep in quicksand, no matter how much you struggled, insanity always pulls you in, faster than before. Ven was there too and he saw it...she was only ankle-deep in the quicksand, she sunk so slowly, but he knew how it would end...they'd both get consumed...eventually.


Arms slipped around his body, nothing...he didn't feel any emotion towards this, but he wrapped Ven in his arms too, carefully embracing her. He was thigh-deep now.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

"Hey, look at me." She said softly, putting her hand to his cheek. Her heart fluttered in desperation, he looked like he was looking at her but he wasn't /seeing/ her. Whatever he was beating himself up about it was consuming him slowly. Her throat felt like she suddenly couldn't produce any words. She wanted him to wake up, to stop looking like an emotionless heap.


Ven took a breath, pulling him closer to her so her mouth was by his ear. "Aleks....I need you to understand...no matter what you do, I could never hate you." She didn't admit to loving him, in fact she didn't even really know how she felt towards him. She just knew it was the furthest thing from hate.


"You matter because I trust you'll be there to catch me if I fall....to save me from drowning. Because I will, Aleks, without you I will drown." She muttered, remembering her dream. She fought the urge to cry, she wasn't sappy but seeing him like this. Just broke a little part inside of her.

 

[PKCV2]

His head was directed to Ven's face, made to look at her. His face was pointed to her but his eyes were unfocused, he didn't know what he was looking at.


"Aleks....I need you to understand...no matter what you do, I could never hate you."


What? A split-second flash of disbelief spread over his features, but disappeared as quickly as it had appeared.


"You matter because I trust you'll be there to catch me if I fall....to save me from drowning. Because I will, Aleks, without you I will drown."


That was it. The sand receded, insanity receded, Aleks was left standing in they eye of the storm, walls of insanity surrounded him but didn't touch him. He looked around, he was alone.


No.


Standing above him at the very edge of the walls was Ven. But Aleks was there...and when she fell...he'd make damn sure he was ready and if his legs broke in the process, he didn't care, as long as she was safe.


He whispered back to her, his voice teasing.


"You love me."


His eyes focused, he was staring at a beautiful face.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

She felt the blood rush to her cheeks, love was a strong word. She didn't think that she loved him yet...maybe she liked him...a lot. She didn't know. She narrowed her eyes at his teasing tone, thrilled that he was back.


"Shut up." She muttered not completely serious about it. Ven sighed, looking at him a small smile coming to her lips. She didn't want to move away from him not that he was back but she promised chief that she would pack up. "Come on..I need you to help me move things." She chuckled, trying to stand up but his arms were still around her.

 

[PKCV2]

His lips curled into a smile, not a smile of bloodthirsty satisfaction but a smile of happiness. She felt like she was poised to attack.


"Gotcha."


"Come on..I need you to help me move things."


Aleks groaned, even in the apocalypse he was forced to do peoples' work. More squirming occurred in his arms, he watched Ven struggle to get up, he watched in amusement, keeping his arms locked around her. 8 seconds later he let her go and stood up, wiping the dust from his clothing.


"Alright...what're we moving now?"

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

She rolled her eyes, "Supplies. We need to move by tonight and Cheif is too injured to do anything right now." Ven stated moving towards the door, her face still red from that smile he gave her. She reached out to open the metal door, realizing it wouldn't budge. Tugging at it again, she used every ounce of strength to try and open the door. Ven panicked for a moment, wiggling the knob trying to see if it would turn.


It wouldn't.


She was stuck up here ...


...on the roof of a five floored building


With a boy she didn't know if she feared or loved.

 

[PKCV2]

"Oh...Jax is really that hurt then..."


Aleks watched Ven walk over to the door, a bit faster than usual.


What'd I tell you boy? Kept your head high and everyone's happy.


I don't think I'd say I kept my head high. Did you see what happened?


Yeah I did...entertaining really.


He watched Ven grasp the doorknob and twist it, only it didn't twist the whole way, it got caught soon after she turned it. Locked?


Aleks quickly walked over, stopping behind her.


"So...what's the plan boss?"


He sounded a bit unworried because if worse comes to worse he could shoot the door off it's hinges are something similar. Jax was apparently too injured to do anything and Aleks could only hope Lyric was still in the building. While waiting for an answer he had to sheepishly suppress some weird ideas.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven sighed angrily, "Stupid door." She muttered before turning back towards Aleks. She let her fingers detangle her hair, looking between the door and Aleks. They could shoot off the hinges...but that causes a lot of noise. They could risk breaking some arrows or climb down into an open window. Or, they could wait for Lyric to come back and find them. Ven gathered her red hair, twisting it into a ponytail. "Oh so I'm boss now?" She teased, looking at him in slight amusement as she let herself lean against the door. At least she had all the light stuff in the car already.

 

[PKCV2]

Seeing that they might be on the roof for a while Aleks began to wander. He made his way to the closest ledge from where the door was, still in earshot. He leaned over, looking at the streets below, hands in his pockets. For the first time he studied the streets. Abandoned cars and miscellaneous items littered the roads, buildings that obviously haven't been touched in forever, windows smashed in, no electricity, no light, the sun being the only source of light. The scene almost looked like the I Am Legend movie, might as well considering the amount of people left in the world. Then his thoughts went to how many people were actually alive, maybe there was some big community somewhere, maybe they're safe while everyone else is living like savages, constantly hunted down.


Realizing he was droning on with his thoughts he turned from the ledge and sat himself onto a fan unit. The warm metal spread throughout his bottom.


"Of course you're the boss, after all a boss usually likes to take control."


He was teasing back now.

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

Ven watched him, absorbed in the way he leaned over the ledge. This sun illuminating only half of his face while the other half stayed dark. She memorized as much of his standing like that as she could before he pulled away. Her eyes followed him as he sat down on an air conditioning unit. She smirked slightly, moving over towards him.


"Is that your way of saying I'm wearing the pants in this relationship?" She teased, going over to the ledge where he had previously been.


Ven leaned over, keeping her hands on the cement out of fear of falling. She stared at the abandoned roads and belongings. It was almost unreal...almost. A part of her liked the world now than how it was before, the other part was just...overcome with the idea that this was all a dream. She would wake up, in her own bed and get ready for another boring class. She let out a breath, leaning back not wanting to risk leaning too far and falling.

 

[PKCV2]

Ven moved closer, Aleks watched her figure as she walked, memorizing her gait, watching her body movements.


"Is that your way of saying I'm wearing the pants in this relationship?"


Aleks looked up to the sky again, now how does someone approach this situation?


"Hm...pretty much...but if you get a big head then I have no problem taking your pants..."


What?


Did I-


You did.


"I didn't mean that...I meant...um...hypothetically. I'll take your pants off hypothetically."


She moved back to the ledge, leaning over just as Aleks was a few moments ago. She looked...peaceful, her worries melting away into the empty streets, he liked seeing her like that, like she hadn't a care in the world. She leaned backwards.


"I'm bored...should we try to break down the door?"

 

[Hell0NHighWater]

She giggled lightly at his blabber. She found it ridiculously cute that he didn't seem to understand the expression in the way she intended it to mean. I wouldn't mind him taking my pants. Oh god did I really just think that? She shook her head, forcing the blush down. She faked a look of hurt.


"Am I that boring?" She pouted turning to look at him. She thought for a moment that her look of fake hurt actually worked because of the way his expression changed but she decided against it. Acting was not in her skill sets. Besides if they broke down the door she was worried it might wake Jax and anything else on the other side of those chained doors. Though it did seem like a good idea at this point.