A world of Night

I have no idea why I chose this option but then none of my options were that good. Apparently this therapy involves writing down all your thoughts and feelings. If I write everything down then I will realize the visions are not real. I will see that all of this is faked and none of them are what is happening. Except I know it is not fake. I know that my visions are real. But there is nothing else I can do trapped in this tiny room, the walls a weird yellow and the rain pouring against my window. It just me and my laptop; I have to make this work. I have to get better because I have no other choice.

Everyone has left me. They say that I will be safe here. But I can never be safe.

Do they not realize that not even I can protect myself from me?
"You can make this all better."

Well they can keep saying that. But when you’re already standing in the middle of the hole watching the sides turn to mud you know it is too late. You cannot save yourself because you do not want to. You’re afraid. When the voices and the visions stop haunting you then what will be left. What if all the personality quirks they put down to the sickness are real and you are the person that you hate.

What if you are the person that they hate?

Well you want the answers … then stick around.

Authors Note: Know its short. First chapter is much longer.

Chapter one: Standing on the icy edge

She stood on the edge of the ice plane and looked out over the water. It was slowly melting to such an extent that it was almost visible. The ice slowly sinking into the waters even as her azure eyes watched it. Half closing them so the world now appeared in a haze of black and shaking her head the woman thought hard. She may be able to outrun the icy death but where could she run to. There was only so long she could run for, well actually she could run forever, but sooner or later the purpose would sink away and steal with it the energy and desire.

Taking a deep breath, which caused her chest to rise; she then released it and watched the steamy air float away. It was time to go now before she lost the will too. Antarctica had been her home for as long as she could remember but sometimes thoughts must be changed in order to become memories. Her eye-lashes slowly lifted revealing the world completely again. Turning, as if the motion was automatic and not a decision she had made, she began to run.

She had not been moving silently across the icy terrain for long when she was brought to a sudden halt. The reason behind this was the instant knowledge she was not alone on the ice. She glanced around and her gaze zoned in on the intruder to her space, a figure standing on the snowy hill nearby and watching her with intensity as though he knew her. Stepping closer the man, who was dressed against the cold in many layers of coloured furs, spoke 'I am going to tell the world that you exist, you think you can get away with this ...'

'Sure tell the world that you seduced a teenage girl' she taunted turning to face away from him and smirking with pleasure. She kept walking at a constant pace as she felt bored with his presence. As she walked she heard his footsteps behind her. Shaking her head as though she pitied him and added in a silky voice 'If you can convince them you're not insane but in fact correct, maybe I will be willing for death ...

Ariella woke with a start and sat up shaking and breathing heavily. She had been having the same dream for weeks. The woman in the dream looked so similar to her. The man looked like no-one she had ever seen. The dreams frightened her with their air of mystery and danger. Sitting up and sliding out of bed Ariella wrapped a blanket around herself.

Living in the coldest place in the world did prone her to nightmares. Pushing her hair out her eyes she padded over to the window she looked out. It was really just a hole but it did its purpose. It was pitch black outside. As she looked into the darkness more images began to dance across her vision. She closed her eyes tight but they still played. The man was talking again now and the voice made her shake. She dropped to her knees as the pictures played out.

'Please, you do not have to do this ... don't make me tell' the man had sunk into desperation from anger. He watched her walk away and turned back towards the town. Walking quickly, his head hung low, hoping something would happen to make her turn back.

'It's too late now Kia ...' the woman whispered and suddenly her face was visible completely. Her hair dragged out the way by the wind. Her eyes open wide and her mouth twisted.

Ariella was allowed to come to her sense again and the visions melted away. She held onto the wall to stand up. Shaking as she considered what she had seen. So she now knew the man's name to be Kia. But who was the woman and what was she going to do. More importantly why did she look like Ariella?

The place to come, when she needed to think and consider the random and confusing ideas which plagued her, was the church. Normally empty on any day but Sunday the small wooden building packed beneath layers of snow was warmer than outside. Plus it held a feeling of peaceful serenity. This is why, a few moments after her visions had passed, Ariella could be found kneeling on the muddy ice floor and bowing her head in silent thought behind one of the cracked and peeling pews.

Even as she struggled with understanding what she had just seen a noise behind her dragged her wonderings in a new direction. A small frown, as though such a gesture was forbidden in the place of god, graced her features and turning she saw him. The gaunt and yet handsome face was instantly recognisable. A piercing scream echoed through the air and Ariella suddenly realised it was coming from her. Then man slowly spoke 'you pray for the souls of others but you are lost!'

Ariella continued to scream as she backed away. Her heart beating a warning this man was not safe. Her skin buried beneath the furs shook. She then felt a strange force causing her to stop. Pausing she watched him and her mouth closed silencing the scream. Sliding down she hit the floor and the ice caused her vision to shatter and go black.

When her eyes flickered open again the man was gone and she was alone. Shakily sitting up as best she could Ariella held her head. One sweeping glance showed that she was still in the church and it was as though nothing had happened. Maybe the man had not really been there and was indeed just a picture like the scary images that morning. But she knew what she had seen was really there. She just knew it. Using the nearest piece of wood to hoist herself to standing, she headed for the door. She had to find out who these people were and why they seemed to be haunting her. The first place she was going to visit was the library.

Kia closed his eyes and stood once again on the hill top looking over the icy plains. She was running again, it seemed she was always running, but this time fear drove her not pain. He thought he had found her in the church today. But such a feeble creature could not be what was left of her. If she had in fact been forced into such a form then she was suffering as she should be. As she had made him suffer for what she did to him. He would follow that pathetic excuse for life and find out if some spark still survived. He still loved her beauty as much as he was disgusted by her cruelty. Maybe it was time to stop running and face it. Maybe he had been wrong and in fact she had stopped running...

Ariella could find nothing in the books about the man or even the woman. It did not help that her walk to the library had been interrupted by pictures. Plus she had to break into the building because it was closed. Not that breaking in was that hard the door just needed a tap. She was lost as she threw the fading manuscript at the wall in frustration. Before regretting her action and hastening to retrieve it. They had precious few books surviving and it would not do to ruin this one. It could not be blamed for not holding the answers she craved. Putting the book away she exited the room and banged into another person. Literally; her body protested against the icy barrier. Looking up, for the person in her way was much taller, Ariella found herself looking into her own eyes. Deep azure which faced her every morning in the shard of mirror were now penetrating her. The gaze searched Ariella's face for clues. Then as sudden as the marble woman was before her the room was empty again, leaving Ariella frightened and more confused than ever. Something was going on and she had no control over it. She had that strange and deadly feeling she was a pawn in someone else's game. As if to prove her point she found more pictures floating into her mind. With a resigned sigh she did not fight the intrusion.

So this is the new and improved me? The woman thought as she did indeed stop running. She looked scornful and somewhat insulted. She had been reduced to a girl who shrieked at memories and got scared by visions. She had been twisted. This truly was the final and complete revenge ... but she would not give up so easily.

Her eye lids drooped slowly until they were completely closed. Her breathing, which until then had not been there at all, gently fell into a relaxed rhythm. It would be pushed into erratic when she needed it too but for now she would practise regular. Feigning sleep was a skill which years of practise had turned into an art form. This time it was different though as it was not just sleeping she would be faking but her own death. Her present position was lying sprawled across the rough dirt track. Her perfect chest had been marred with blood, that was not her own, but appeared to be coming from a wound dragged down her body. It was self inflicted and truth be told would heal in mere hours. But for now anyone glancing at her would assume, as she wanted and knew they would, she had been a poor victim of a speeding car. She knew it would be a while till someone ventured down the wood track but she could wait. She had time; all the time in the world.

When about an hour had passed, the feeble sun was about to rise and destroy her plan should the shade of the trees not remain, she heard the noise for which she was waiting. The heavy thump of fast steps eroding the dirt caused a small smile to grace her features. Before she forced the expression to melt away and an expression, as false as the rest of her, filled with anguish to take over. As the steps came closer and closer she brought her regular breathing into erratic. She knew all the steps to make this work. It took her endless self control not to react when the smell of earthy skin and coffee filled blood hit her sensitive senses. It would all be ruined if she moved so much as an inch that was not according to the plan. The steps stopped when they reached her motionless form and she instantly knew he was right beside her. It was all going perfectly and her body filled with desire when the figure knelt down to inspect her further. She made sure to flicker one eye lid and let out a small breath, anything to give a distant sign of possible life. She measure where the sun was and how long she could rely on the shade which bathed her.

As though he knew her plan, though to condone it would be stupidity, the walker completed the next steps perfectly. He leaned closer to her and listened to her breath, his head next to her chest. She timed it exactly right and just at the moment he turned his head away her eyes flickered open and she moved. In one lightning move he was trapped and she was moving in. Closer and closer...

Ariella did not even have the will to scream as her mind granted her a reprieve from what she was watching. The images shattered and dissolved. Shaking Ariella closed her eyes and hugged herself tight. Swaying slightly to see the meaning in the horrific vision? Or was it a Dream? They seemed to be nothing more than the bloody nightmares of an exhausted mind. But this did not answer the many questions which she had. She knew that frightened her most was how real it all seemed. They were so cruel and vicious yet so beautiful, how could someone act that way? Even as Ariella thought it another set of images clouded her sight. These ones seemed to convey time as she had never seen it before.

Kia watched the motionless form of the woman he loved, a woman who he was not even sure could feel anything at all let alone such an emotion, with disgust. Well tried to but her rare and undefined beauty kept replacing the feelings he should feel with an awe he defiantly should not. He stepped slightly closer but the sound of footsteps had him quickly moving away, changing his direction instantly. He had to constantly remind himself that he was in fact human and must choose his moments with great care. The smile that he saw for such a brief moment showed her true intent. Her facial expression could always speak a thousand words. He had taken years but her silent language was slowly becoming audible. He wondered at her allowing this, because allow it she must, the obvious sign of a slipping mask. He knew that falling shards of a melting world was her greatest and only fear. Her home was slowly being destroyed drawing her further into the populated world; of people. He knew more about her than anyone else in the world. Well anyone except the others, the ones she never spoke of, the ones whose fate was unknown.

As Ariella rose, as if in a dream, from her vision and walked slowly forward she did not pay attention to what was around her. She later stuck to the story that she never heard the car. But in actual fact it was more likely that cars were so rare in her home that she refused to believe the noise was real. Whatever the final reason the facts remained the same. She did not move until the car had struck her.

She was not sure exactly what happened as she was unconscious from almost the second of impact. But she was painfully aware of what followed her waking up. The sounds of the night returned before her vision did and she heard movements. They were recognised as footsteps and she soon smelt a strong stench of alcohol and coffee. Then there was the weight of a bulky person leaning on her chest restricting her breathing. She held out her hands to push the bulky man away and at the same time opened her eyes. The instant she had she very much wished she had not. Hastily scrambling away from the body, which she now saw was male and dripping blood, she managed to somehow get to her feet and sprint all the way home.

The next day Ariella found that she had no visions at all. Her entire morning was relatively peaceful for where she lived. Well when using the word peaceful she was jamming the images of the bodies and all the other horrors out of her mind. Using the well practised technique of selective memory loss, which would she knew not work for very long, but for now she was thrilled with the respite especially considering explaining the visions had gone very badly.

The incident had occurred later in the day and proved what she had been starting to think; she was on her own completely now. It had been about lunch time and as she was still head ache free she, maybe foolishly, visited her sister Arianna. For some reason she felt it was completely good idea to mention the subject to her. As Ariella could have pretty much guessed her sister looked expressionless, simply staring at her in that unsettling way of hers, and then commented in a low voice 'you see people that don't exist?'

Ariella paused to try and understand how to put her next sentence. She then took a deep breath and responded, shaking her head as she spoke, 'they exist just somewhere else ... like in the past maybe!'

'So they are on holiday?' Arianna asked, becoming more confident as she thought she had finally got an answer to the question. Not really aware her comment made little sense.

Ariella closed her eyes and sighed. Before looking at her sister again and replying 'No! Just no'

Arianna shrugged and disappeared off to take the cups away. When she returned Ariella had gone. She had walked out down the lane. The reason being her vision had blurred slightly and she thought maybe a vision was coming. She was not willing to share that much with Arianna.

The woman was along again now; as she preferred it. She could not function properly in crowds as they seemed to provoke a sense of anger and even worse resentment in her. Feelings she did not normally allow. It could provoke that single mistake which she could not afford. Mistakes were a fool's punishment.

The icy plain which she now sat on was much smaller than the previous day. She nursed a frown with bubbling worry for her home. Sure she may destroy lives with one sweep of her fatal body but humans were destroying whole livelihoods without any help from her at all. It was time to call on her people. It was time to make a stand. She let out a shrill piercing call which flooded across the plain, echoing through the cracks and dying down eventually. She had started the chain. They would come.

Ariella did not hear the screaming, she saw the woman open her mouth and the beautiful features distort but in her head no sound played. The silence of the pictures seemed to play with her mind far more than if she had heard the noise. She took a breath and then stopped walking as another scene began playing in her head. This one was very different from all the other pictures as it seemed to be set in a vastly different place. Closing her eyes she waited for inevitable.

The voice echoed through the trees and caught the attention of two figures standing near the edge. She ignored the calling as her interest was captured by serving him. He however instantly turned and pushed her away. Stalking back through the trees towards the cliff edge where he knew he would hear well. She hastily righted herself and within seconds had caught up with him. Her low snarl of annoyance was twisted slightly as a hint of a whine crept in. This happened every time the wind changed direction and he pinned. Her expression melted from annoyance to startled when she realised that this time the sounds were real. They were being called across the ocean to where the ice touched the sky.

Listening carefully the man translated every line in a hushed whisper not even audible to his companion. 'Time we make a stand Autumn' he finished before closing his eyes and growling in frustration that the screams had faded. Opening them once again he turned away. Did she really need them? They could not abandon her again ... not this time. 'We go Ashley' he snapped loudly to the other drifting figure 'we go!'

'But you promised' Ashley hissed shaking her head and refusing to move an inch, even though it was merely figurative. She could not decide if she was angry or upset but some emotion was flooding her as she protested. Putting a hand on his arm she held tight and pleaded 'you promised no more of her!'

'Julie! Steven!' Autumn called into the wood and was rewarded by a figure appearing through the shadows and coming to a halt near to them. Her pale face was blessed with a small smile, a smile that rarely left her features, but her eyes were filled with question. She brought with her another man whose hand she held tight. So tight it was clear she would never let him go. He was not as generous with his smiles she but rarely got one and they would only receive an icy glare which warned them. He would not be signing up for any mission which may endanger her.

'She is calling for us, we must go help her' Autumn briefly instructed with a firm voice which showed he was not going to discuss this. He then turned and strode towards the sea to test the waves. Their journey must begin as soon as possible. Ashley of course hurried after him and catching up held onto his arm with a clingy possessiveness. She instantly forgot she was making a stand in her urgent need to be near him and go where he went. Autumn had that kind of power over her and that is why she hated loving him.

Julie moved silently forward to survey the scene and make her choice. She would not be rushed into anything which she deemed required thought. This was one of those occasions and she took her time. Leaving the Island where they could be free and though they must remain in shade they could go where they liked. No-one was ever here. Swapping that for hiding in tumble down houses and backstreets of an icy wasteland was not her idea of a good choice. But she would do this for her and so the decision was made. The minute she moved towards the shore line to follow she knew that Steven would come to. He would never leave her and if he showed a hint of not coming, nothing on earth would cause her to budge too. In reference to this loyalty she turned her gaze to lock with his. Steven held her close for a second before nodding and she was released from his arms. His nature did not allow for much affection no matter how much he loved her.

The vision faded at this point leaving the creatures to their journey and Ariella to her frightened wonderings. The respite from them had not lasted long. There were more of them and from the sound of it they were coming here. But that did not make sense because her visions were not real right. Standing up and brushing herself off Ariella hurried to the wooden peg by the door. Taking down her coat which was beginning to fall apart she slid it on and tied it tightly up. Taking a deep breath, which did little to calm her; she put her hand on the door. The warm flesh had barely connected with the rotting wood when it collapsed. The crash it created caused her to flinch despite fact it happened every day.

Negotiating her path around the fallen wood she set off for the town hall. Well the area of land which the locals referred to as such. A swift kick, and a short pang of pain, had this door swinging free and letting her in. Hurrying over to where Aaron, the unofficial mayor of their settlement, stood and putting her hand on his arm she waited.

'How can I help you Ariella?' Aaron asked though his deep voice always sounded angry and like he was sorry to have been disturbed. Maybe he always was. He folded his arms and looked down on her. Making no attempt to look less scary for the shaking girl, Aaron waited.

Ariella, in a barely audible whisper, began to tell all about the visions and what she had seen. She got to the part about her beliefs the visions were real or some kind of warning. At this point she was silenced by Aaron shaking his head and letting out a low growl. 'Sometimes a dream is just a dream!' Aaron informed her with a shake of his head. But there was something about him. He seemed angrier somehow and something else; frightened.

She tried to speak again but heavy footsteps drowned her out. The mayor's handyman Darien came into the room at his harsh request. The next thing Ariella knew she was being dragged from the house and thrown out into the snow and ice.

Ariella set out a quick pace for her next stopping point. It was her second best shot at getting some answers after she was thrown out of the town hall. She saw the little hovel bathed in the light of the icy refraction up ahead of her. Coming to the door Ariella knocked on the faded wood and then slipped into the small crack the door allowed. Seeing the woman, the reason for her visit, sitting by the fire Ariella silently joined her; well as silently as she could. As she felt the relief and warmth of a heated building she considered removing her furs before instead cuddling deeper into them. In a hushed voice she asked 'tell me the stories nana; tell me the stories of old! The stories of the night beings'

Rosetta leaned forward and coughed hard causing her whole body to shake. She then started to speak in her low creaking voice. 'Back when time first began, well that is how the legends first start; there existed a race of creatures that were so evil they feasted on humans just for fun.' Rosetta rubbed her forehead. She then continued to talk ...

They had free roam of the earth and the world was covered in ice and darkness. Ahead of them was a queen who ruled in tyrannical cruelty and showed no mercy. She was so twisted that the very earth she walked on turned red with blood when she looked upon it. She was sadistic as she was beautiful. But the time came when the queen would suffer for her actions as she would commit treason and be tried for it. Disguised as a teenage girl she would seduce a human for her meal, but that human would not only walk away with his life but her heart. When her people found out they rose up against her and she was punished. The queen of the immortals was forced into the most hideous and weak form on earth. She was chained into the bonds of human shape. Mortified and furious the queen swore her revenge for this ultimate betrayal.

Ariella looked lost in thought as the story came to an end. Rosetta leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes. Taking the hint Ariella silently rose and crept softly from the room. Making her way down the track back towards her house she considered her new facts. Well you could hardly call the legends such but they seemed to hold answers in there somewhere to unravel the weirdness of her current situation. If only the whole thing was obvious. Maybe it was and she happened to be strange. It would not be the first time. Well now was the time to find out everything that she had been missing. Well so she hoped as she once again headed for the library.

Chapter two: Losing control

Kia and the woman, she was sitting in the lowest branch of the one of the icy trees and he was striding down one of the dirt tracks near the town hall some distance away, both felt it at the same time. They felt a strange and cold feeling which spread through them both. Different reactions come from this feeling depending on the heart of them both. She, who had no care or respect for life in general, knew that something must be done and this woman should be stopped. She did not care that the stories were only legends they still posed a threat. Kia on the other hand did not bother about it and pushed it straight from his mind. Choosing to ignore the whole thing completely as he hoped in ignorance it would disappear that way.

She looked around the area which was now enveloped in the dark of night. Night was a comforting blanket which she knew so well. The sounds of the night were clear and perfect to her. Instantly she knew which hut was the one she needed. Flipping of the branch she was walking even before the thump of her landing was heard by the silent air. She strode forward and finding the hut pushed the door open. A slow smirk graced her features as she leaned on the door frame and watched the old woman sleeping. Shaking her head she stepped forward and kneeled down. Slipping her gloves off, she buried them in her pockets and placed an icy hand on the older woman's shoulder. She made sure the cold filled the whole woman and caused her to wake. The suffering expression was her favourite part so they had to be awake. She then put a hand over the mouth area and began to press down harder and harder. She was satisfied by the struggling and pleased when the woman fell still not to move again.

As soon her job was done she left the hut and walked into the darkness again, It was just routine to her now, nothing particularly special, but this time was different from the others, made instantly different by her hearing the noises of someone else about, and sure enough the familiar figure was moving towards her. Shaking her head, though it barely caused her plait to shake at all, she spoke to him, 'well you know it had to happen.'

'It always has to happen doesn't it, always except with me, guess I got lucky, unlike that poor woman" Kia responded in a almost disgusted voice which hid a very faint trace of amusement. He took a deep breath because he needed it and then made to speak again. He changed his mind almost straight away and turned to move away again. Why did he even bother to continue to communicate with her? She never showed a single sign that his words even sunk into her; in fact they bounced away into the sky and dissolved.

'Don't push it, luck changes, your get out of hell card won't last forever' the woman responded as she closed one hand tight around the door of the hut. If she slammed it then it was bound to wake people up. They both knew who would be caught if the humans came running. She was tempted but decided against it. In fact she never really had any intention to but watching his expression flicker was amusing. She watched him watching her and went from amusement to boredom in seconds; she had a woman to manipulate and several other people to visit. Plus she was hungry, she was always hungry, and light would confine her to shadows all too soon.

'I hope you see my face, with every person that you hurt every single one' Kia softly murmured in a barely audible voice. He then waited for her to leave. He knew she would leave without another comment as she always did. Sure enough she strode off into the darkness. He refused to budge an inch until she was actually out of sight. Then he strode away too into the darkness.

Ariella did not even make it to the library; the vision was too much for her and she had to take a moment to sit down on the track. Only a moment however because she needed to get back to the hut and check that her pictures were not real, that she was not being tricked. The place looked normal enough when she entered it again. Rosetta lay fast asleep on the bed.

Ariella walked right over to where she lay and squatted down beside her. She looked so peaceful and so happy in sleep. Even as she looked at her Rosetta just stopped breathing. One minute she was breathing in sleep and the next she just wasn't. Ariella just stared at her in confusion. It just did not make any sense she decided. She took one careful step backwards. Then another and another before she broke into a run and turned around. Sprinting through the streets until she fell and hit the ground with a crash. The ice caused a painful and hard landing.

'Now that wasn't the smartest move'

The voice was deep and soft and most defiantly male. He leaned down and offered her his hand. But before she could accept, and actually take it, he simply took her hand and hoisted her to her feet. I He stuck out a hand to brush her off and looked very amused. 'You really know how to land!'

Ariella was in a sort of trance like state. She had not really spent extended amounts of time with other people. In fact living in the arctic was a choice for this very reason. Well that and she felt obliged to remain here after her parents went missing. Why on earth was this guy even talking to her? She needed to get rid of him before another vision came, before he found out about the death of her grandmother.

'Now take a breath sweetheart, and tell me why you were nose diving into ice' her new companion informed her as he place a comforting hand on her arm.

'Sorry but do I know you? I didn't dive... does it even matter' Ariella responded looking at him with a frown, already attempting to walk past him.

'Don't worry about it; we will forget it ever happened ... my name is Harvey, now do I have to guess yours?' Harvey replied in a relaxed and laid back attitude you never see in this kind of place.

He was acting like he already knew her bar the not knowing her name. Or maybe he did know and he was messing with her head, he defiantly seemed to be messing with for some reason, Ariella closed her eyes and shuddered. She then mumbled 'umm well my name is Ariella and I really need to go! Like now ...'

Harvey showed a look of surprise, some emotion for the first time in the five minute's since they met 'no flashing lights? No well telling the future? Nothing at all?'

All Ariella could think were several impolite words in her own language. She then spoke up 'umm what?'

'Well I was told to expect something amazing' Harvey looked very disappointed by the whole thing. She was nothing like he had been warned. He was expecting something a lot better. In fact right now he was getting nothing at all.

'Well I am sorry if ...' Ariella trailed off almost immediately and closed her eyes tight. Then she shook slightly and knew a vision was coming. She did not have time to ask him to leave or to say anything more at all.

Autumn had finally found the place where the screaming was coming from. Everywhere he could see ice and therefore he had finally stopped running and could take a stop. He was soon seated in a smallish booth in a rundown drinking house. The walls barely holding together just like every other building. Ashley was in the nearby woods occupied in something that was questionable in both morals and sense but was making her happy. He did not really care, as much as he loved her, because any remote part of worry was completely drowned by relief that his arm was free of Ashley's weight. Pulling his drink towards him, he let it continue sliding till it crashed to the ground. He then kicked the shattered pieces towards a nearby table where a family sat.

His favourite game was glass flicking but right now he could not be bothered too. His gaze flicked to the door every few minutes as he waited. She should be here soon but then she had no record for keeping things on time. In fact she did not even care about leaving him there all night.

He glanced around to see where the other members of his party had gone. Julie, as the prettiest of the group, was the easiest to spot. She was in a nearby booth watching her drink spin round and round in its glass. She was easily amused for someone with her intelligence. The spinning was induced by her straw and her fingers twirling slightly faster than they should. She was dressed quite unsuitably for the weather. The cold nothing to her. Steven looked bored and to somehow induce some form of entertainment had begun to make a pattern in the table with his nail, intricate meaningless patterns which destroyed their canvas. Neither of them bothered if anyone knew who they were, they were less than subtle.

Turning away from them he frowned and made to stand. He had just kicked his chair away when she strode into the room and headed towards them. Rolling his eyes he sat down again, bringing the chair beneath him just in time, settling it in the time it took to sit. She sat opposite him and folding her arms took a moment to survey him. It had been years, more than that, too long.

'I don't need to tell you that it takes time ... that we need time'

She didn't understand what he was feeling or how much he had wanted this. She only thought about her revenge. It consumed her to such a degree that she was bound to make a mistake. Her nails dug hard into his arm as she looked at him. She wanted him to be loyal like he once was and he couldn't give that to her. In fact finding the girl and killing her would be so easy. Too easy, far too easy, and yet so tempting. 'May I remind you that this is not an excuse for personal revenge' Autumn responded in a condescending tone. Well if she wanted to pretend there was nothing then so be it.But he was going to make this petty, ruin something beautiful by forcing her into defence, keep her punished.They both knew all that she wanted.

'Don't do this Autumn, I am not going to argue with you, either we do this or we don't' the woman retorted trying to keep her temper, right now was not the time to start a fight.

'Why do I remember those words, oh right, tell me how is Kia? Come on Arieya play with me' Autumn taunted playing on her limited patience and pushing for a reaction. He knew how long she would take down to the last second. Everything that would make her angry and in temper, she would destroy the plan. Somehow only the same betrayal would make him happy. He had never used her real name before. It was the Spanish version of her human name, even all that time ago when they had first met; sometimes she even considered he didn't know it. Well now it seemed he did. It disgusted her because it brought back memories even burning could not destroy.

Arieya, the woman was no longer able to hide behind her anonymity, could not form a reply. So she dug her nails deeper until they were buried in his arm. He knew what she was doing and he nodded slightly. No pain caused by her meant she was not really trying, despite what it looked like, and she could forgive him, but deep pain running in shattering rhythms through the very veins like it did now meant expect no mercy and he instantly knew what he would do.

The two rose and his arm was released. The ridges which anyone else would have filled with spots of blood faded away even before he had moved the arm. The two figures melted away into the dark. It took a while for Julie to notice, well actually to acknowledge she had noticed. She then rose and followed taking with her Steven. None of them thinking they were leaving Ashley behind.

Ariella came out of her vision with a scream. She cuddled herself close and shook. Ariella ... Arieya ... Ariella ... Arieya. She couldn't think straight right now. So the woman finally had a name and now she was desperate to take away the picture and undo the words. She didn't want to know any more. She didn't want any of it anymore, well scrap that she never wanted it, but she even more she didn't want it now. She wasn't aware what she was doing as she started to walk. She did not notice Harvey, now looking excited, followed along behind. She was going to get some help and she was going to find out what to do if it killed her. Maybe it would.

She had walked for quite some time before it came to her she actually had no idea where she was going. While something can be said for the benefits of a good wonder when you have nothing else to do not much credit can be given to it being productive in anyway especially should you be in a hurry.