Powerless

first breath

Ch. 18

First breath

[Marias POV] 

"Eric... Calm down. It was probably an accident."

"No, Maria... You dont understand... I... I love her..."

I watch Erics face. When you think about someone loving someone you think of compassion and softness, but Eric thinks of rage and pain. 

"Eric. There was a time when you loved me too remember? And Rebecca, and Tanya, and Lauren... Must I go on?" 

"why am I even telling you this... You can't understand. You haven't ever loved because your a stone cold-" I cut him off.

"no. I just know that every girl you 'love' seems to mysteriously get hurt. Ariel has been through enough. From the moment I met her, I could sense all the problems her body is dealing with. She has stress, horrible headaches, mild depression...I just don't think that Ariel is the one. You always find another, and with your looks you could probably get any girl you want. Eric, I know you hate me now, but speaking as your childhood best friend, someone who genuinely cares, please just let this one go." I see his face go into deep thought as he furrows his eyebrows.

"I dont think I can."

[Ariels POV]

 I slowly walk up to a girl in a flowy dark blue satin dress that pools around her feet in elegant ripples of fabric. Her blond hair hangs straight, complimenting her ocean blue eyes. She has a faint glow enveloping her, making her seem different,... Unearthly. She urges me to come with her, holding out her hand for me to take. I grasp her hand, only to suddenly pull back as a bolt of steaming hot electricity creeps it's way up my arm, down my whole body. She smiles at me, and urges me on. I follow close behind her, watching her graceful footsteps. She suddenly stops, I gaze upward and she is gone, the only thing left is a casket in the middle of an open field. I go over to it and pear down. I see the girl. Her glow is completely diminished and her body lay on the cold hard wood, so aganizingly still. I get the sudden urge to shake her, to see I she Is trying to trick me, but resist. I hear a shuffling of footsteps and rip my eyes from the vision in front of me. Eric is standing there, looking at me with his cold dark eyes. He has splatters of blood on his face, hands, and clothing... he holds a crimson stained knife tightly in his hand.

"she knew too much..." he says, glancing down at the girl. Panic courses through my body as Erics face contorts into a wicked smile, leaving chills running down my spine. I close my eyes for a split second to try and escape this nightmare. When I re-open them, I am lying down. I look all around me and see wood. I am in the casket...

I look up an see Eric. His face is calm, serene. He smiles lovingly...

Then thrusts the blade down with both hands.

[Erics POV]

I walk quietly to my room but stop when I hear a faint cry coming from Ariels room. She's awake. 

I open the door to find her facing away from me,  chest heaving as she takes in fast ragged breaths. 

" are you ok?" I say soothingly. When she hears my voice, she jerks backwards, hitting her head on the headboard. 

"Eric... could you please just leave me alone..."

"but..." 

"PLEASE!" I am so shocked at her sudden outburst that I stand there, speechless. 

"please Eric... I just need to be alone."

[Ariels POV]

I let the steamy water wash away the sweat that had covered my body. that was a very creepy dream... I cringe as I think about Eric... The girl... The knife. I run my hands through my hair, all tangled and matted. I slowly run soap through it and scruch it up, making it a white foamy mess. I wash out the soap and sit down on the warm tile of the bathroom shower. I let the hot mist clear my pores and all the pent up dirt from my body. I inhale and exhale slowly, trying to make this last.