Almost two years after Irina Davenshire got her third lease on life, she is just coming to terms with two things: life with chronic hallucinations and night terrors is inevitable, and life without him will never be the same. But just when Irina thou...
Hey guys! Welcome to Chapter One! Tissues and cheetos are that way XD Just kidding. Also a hurricane is headed for my state so uh it might be awhile before I update. Enjoy!
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"I know you, I walked with you once upon a dream. I know you, the gleam in your eyes is so familiar a gleam." Once Upon A Dream by Lana Del Rey
Running. I was running. Hard and fast. My chest felt like someone had punched a hole straight through it.
My legs suddenly slowed as I fought to free them from the mud that surrounded me. The thick red liquid soon took over my whole body, sucking me down into it's depths. It was all around me. I couldn't escape.
I shot straight up, almost falling out of my bed.
The light of the early June morning peeked through my white curtains as my breathing slowed. I was alive, I was alright. It was just a dream.
The room grew silent as I gained some form of balance on the bed. My heart was still beating fast when I finally closed my eyes and drifted back into sleep. It was anything but peaceful.
"Irina, you're awake!" Penelope smiled her wide smile as she rushed past me into the kitchen. The house was filled with people I didn't know. Penelope loved to throw parties, I just came down for the necessities and then played hermit in my room.
"Hey could you take these to Alex? I've got to get more ice." She handed me a six pack of screwdrivers.
A jock who smelled like cheese walked by and snatched one from the cardboard package. I turned, rolling my eyes. Violet sat on the couch, her bleach blonde hair bouncing as she cheered on two emo-looking guys who were battling in Call of Duty.
"Oh Irina! I have something to show you!" she squealed, jumping up.
One of the guys cursed her as the bottom half of the screen reloaded. "Look who liked my picture!" I glanced at the photo. It was of the two of us. I was sitting on the bed, flipping her off as she posed with her tongue out, the bright green ring exposed.
"Who, xxfallen.onesxx?" I asked, snorting. "No, look!" she said, pushing it further into my face. My stomach flipped as I saw his name. What was he doing liking this photo, you could barely see me.
"Isn't that cool!? Chris Motionless! The Chris Motionless." I had to get out. "Yeah fucking great." I grunted as I pushed past her and walked out to the back patio.
Outside college-age kids mingled. Some swam in our pool which had been a nasty shade of puke green when we had moved in. Luckily Penelope had rehabilitated it and made it the shimmering blue architectural masterpiece it was.
"Hey there's my favorite depressive!" Alex called, standing up from the hot tub (a Craigslist find). He stood up, adjusting his shorts as a joke to hide his arousal. The two guys and one girl that were with him smiled as I handed them their drinks.
"So when is that man of yours coming by?" I rolled my eyes. "He has work and he's mine. Back off bud." I snapped lovingly. He handed me the last drink and I twisted off the cap. The orange stung my chapped lips as I stood by the hot tub.
"Now I wonder who that could be in that old black Camaro!" Alex said loudly enunciating each words. My heart leapt as I turned hopefully to the driveway which was visible through the chain-linked fence. His mess of blonde hair appeared, then his tanned hands as he climbed out of the car. Lance started for the front of the house as Alex screamed.
"Hey good looking!" Lance glanced around until his eyes landed on me. Swiftly, he jumped the fence and made his way to my side.
"Hey babe." He planted a small kiss on my jaw, wrapping his arms around my waist. "Hey, how was work?" I asked, my lips forcing a small smile.
"Work...I'm gonna go find the Fireball." he said as he bumped my chin with his knuckle. I sighed and made my way to an available lounge with a cushion that had topless mermaids on it.
The sun was setting as I took in the soft breeze that rolled through the yard. The smell of marijuana burned my nose as I finished off my drink.
Before I could stand to get another one, I was in the air, then smacking against the cool water. Memories flooded my mind as the chlorine burned my eyes. I surfaced and glared at Lance who's face held a toothy grin.
"I hate you!" I spat playfully, treading water. He smiled and jumped in right beside me, grabbing my foot, and pulling me under.
One memory in particular: his warm lips breathing life into me. I surfaced and gasped for air, clutching the side of the pool for support as Lance came at me again, still smiling like an idiot.
"S-Stop." I said, lungs burning. He grabbed me again and once more I was dragged under. When I finally reach the surface, Penelope was at the side of the pool, yanking me up like a ragdoll before Lance could grab me again.
"Cut it out asshole!" she screamed as I lay prostrate on the cool concrete. "Calm down Penelope I was just fucking around!" Lance shouted back as she pulled me up.
"Are you okay?" she asked, one hand on my cheek inspecting my eyes. I nodded. My lungs burned as I shivered.
"Come on, get in the hot tub." Penelope draped an arm around me, glaring at Lance.
The rest of Alex's friends had disappeared as I sank into the hot tub. She smiled at me as two of her friends showed up. He was a bigger guy with orange hair and gauges. The girl looked to be Asian and had a bright blue bikini on.
"So Penelope, tell us about this trip." Alex put his arms around Penelope and I and looked at her.
"Well there's the contest being held by Time Magazine. You have to write about something odd/creepy and it will be featured in the October issue. That is if you win." "And you will." Alex said reassuringly. She scoffed.
"And if you do win, what happens?" "You get your story in the magazine, and a year-long internship learning underneath the best writers." she gushed like a Katy Perry fan.
"So where are you going to get this crazy stuff?" the girl asked.
"There's this town called Centralia in Pennsylvania. Coal fires have been burning for about 30 years now. Almost everyone has moved away apart from a few people." she explained.
"How'd you even find this place?" he asked.
"Violet helped me. She said she heard about it on Tumblr and had wanted to go for a while."
"Cool well good luck, a whole weekend up there will kill ya." the guy joked as they all laughed.
I coughed and dropped my eyes. Pennsylvania will kill you.
Lance
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There's Chapter 1! i am excited to get this story out to everyone and like I promised it was ready by October!
