Out of the Darkness

189 Anna's POV

"Did you really have to let Rambo in her room to poop though? That was pretty harsh." Livvy shrugged, with a smile. "Hey, I wanted revenge. Seemed like a good plan at the time. The best part was definitely sneaking the pic when Stacia got home and stepped right in it." "Oh my God, she was so mad! I still remember how her face turned red, and she automatically screamed your name," Holley replied, wiping a tear of laughter from her eye. "Yeah," Livvy sighed, her smile fading. "I really miss her. When I had the kids though...that was the worst. I wanted her with me so badly. I wanted her to see these babies that brought so much joy to my life. I wanted to share that with her." I couldn't stop the silent tears that streamed down my face. "Oh honey, I'm sure she was with you," my mother said, patting Liv's hand. "Even if it was only in spirit, she was with you." Only, I wasn't with her. I had been lost, not even knowing who my family, or even who myself was. I put my hand over my mouth to stifle the sob that threatened to escape. "I miss her too," Hols said. "But, like Ma said, she's still with us. Even now. She watches over you and she knows how much you love her." I stood and took the few steps to my sister's side, needing to be near her. I reached my hand out and stroked the top of her head, wanting nothing more than to comfort her. She gasped and I jerked back, watching as her head swung from side to side, her eyes wide. "What? What's wrong?" my Mom cried out, looking around. "I thought- I thought I felt...Stacia," Liv said, still wide-eyed glancing around the room. "What do you mean, you felt her?" my Mom asked. "I don't know," Liv answered. "I felt someone touch my head, but it was more than that. I felt her. Her presence. I haven't felt that since she disappeared. Am I going crazy?" Holley looked around the room, probably trying to figure out where I was at. "No, honey, you're not going crazy. I told you, she's watching over you. It's nothing to be afraid of," she cooed to her. "Oh," my Mom exclaimed, putting her hand over her mouth. I noticed how her eyes were glistening, and my heart wrenched again. I couldn't handle this. It was too much. I had to get out of here. I didn't even bother going to the door. What was the point? That was for real people. I was just a ghost, a memory for those that I loved. I flew through the front wall, and ended up outside, staring into the window that I had just crossed through. Holley had her arm around Liv, leaning in to speak to her. My mother was being hugged by her nurse...Andrea, I think, and my nephew, Aiden, was rubbing her back. I choked back a sob and fell to the ground. I shouldn't have come here. It was just too real, too vivid a reminder of what had been stolen from me. What I would never get back. Now, I had to sit here, and wait for Holley to finish her visit. Only God knew how long that would take. I sighed, and lay back on the grass. The sky was a clear blue with a few cotton ball clouds floating along. There was a breeze in the air, so I was sure that it felt nice. I couldn't feel it at the moment, being in my ghost state. Colby flitted through my mind, and I recalled the memory of him and I lying on the back of his car, staring up at the sky. I wasn't a memory for all the people that I loved. I did love him. I knew that. As strange as it was, there was no denying it. I was still so scared that Lilith was going to take control of me, or hear something she shouldn't, so that she could hurt him. I was playing with fire, but I couldn't seem to make myself stay away from him. Where would I go? I hadn't felt any pull from the Darkness lately, but it was making me antsy. Was she biding her time? Making a plan? The waiting was almost worse than her actions. Her actions...Colby's arm came to mind. His injury. He said that it was okay, but I didn't believe him. It was infected and grody. The salve he was using wasn't healing it. I wasn't sure that anything could. That terrified me. I didn't know much, but I did know that the infection could get into his bloodstream. He could lose his arm. Hell, he could lose his life. "But then he would be with you forever." The voice broke through my thoughts and made me shiver. SHE was back. "I don't want him like that," I muttered, sitting up and crossing my legs. "Yes, you do. Don't lie to yourself, Anna. You love him. You need him," she cooed. "I love him enough to want what's best for him," I replied, a little louder. "I want him alive." She laughed inside my head, making my ears ring with the shrill sound. "Oh, sweet Anna, don't fool yourself. We both know that he isn't going to last much longer with that wound. A demon bite is something that only a very rare few know how to heal. He will die. Now, what happens after that is up to you." The image of Colby, lying dead, black lines led from his wound all the way to his neck and across his chest. To his heart. "NO," I shrieked, jumping up from the ground. I grabbed both sides of my head, and sobbed. "Get OUT OF MY HEAD!" "How DARE you disrespect me like that!" she screamed, making my head throb from the intensity. "I think I've let you believe that you have some sort of freedom for too long. You can't run, or hide. I will always find you. You exist ONLY because of me. You are with him ONLY because I want him. You are replaceable, sweet virgin. NEVER forget that." With the last syllable that she spoke, a searing pain ripped through my head, and traveled down my body, setting every nerve I had on fire. I was being torn apart, from the inside out. I collapsed on the ground again, and curled into a ball, as I screamed. I couldn't pass out, I couldn't die. I could only endure whatever she did to me. It felt like I burned forever. For weeks, months, years. There was no end to the searing pain that I was in. It never weakened.