Breaking Violins

Ring or fire - Jonny Cash

Bryce emptied the last of his things into the trunk of his Mustang. His car had been missing and then it reappeared in a different spot earlier that day. He could not even begin the fathom what antics had gone on involving his car but he could barely get to the bottom of it now. He was being evicted from October Hill. He was filled with anger and malice. He wanted to go back inside the house and murder each of them. But murder wasn't his crime. He didn't know what to do with his life now. He couldn't go back to his trailer park in North Carolina. His alcoholic mother had probably sold their trailer anyway. He hadn't heard from her in years. He placed his ashen hands on his hips. He was at a loss and he was fighting depression. With a sigh, he got into the drivers seat and started it up. The engine turned over but the car didn't start. He noticed that the gas tank was on E.

"Mother Fucker!" He yelled. As if his day couldn't have gotten worse. He yelled a few more obscenities before resolving to go out back to the shed near the pool and snag a gasoline tank. Outside the garage, the night was pitch black and the air was thick with smoke.

"What the-" He said.

Curiously he looked for the source of the smoke. It was a cold night, so he assumed that a few stragglers may have started a bonfire. The cool wind blew through his hair and his butterscotch eyes were outshined only by the moonlight. He walked around the mansion toward the back. The first thing to enter his field of vision was the drogues of odd looking kids standing in the backyard. Motionless they were. And they weren't all dressed like patients. There was something strange about them that Bryce couldn't place his finger on but he ignored it.

"What the hell are you kids doin out here?!" He asked incredulously. None of them even glanced in his directions. The crowd was still and their eyes were locked on something in particular. It became evident to Bryce as to what they were staring at when he came further into the backyard. He saw Elijah standing with his back to crowd, surrounded by a ring of fire. The mansion was aflame...

"Elijah, stop!" Emberlynne screamed for what seemed the thousandth time. Her throat was dry and her voice was hoarse. She wanted so desperately to be near him. To save him from the absolute pain he was feeling. But she could not. He had surrounded himself by a ring blue fire. He had kept everyone out, even her. Sheer panic was coursing through her veins. Army, Hart... They would all die. Some of the patients at October Hill were as young as 6. She let out another wail, pleading for him to stop. But he did not. His eyes never once tore away from the ancient monstrosity that was October Hill.

Emberlynne helplessly spun in circles, her ebony curls flailing about as she searched for someone to sympathize with her. But no one returned her glance. Not even Alex or Paxton. They too had been frozen by the immensity of what was taking place. The place that had cursed them all, the evil monster, was finally being defeated in a fiery justified light. She looked inside herself for strength. She was not helpless and weak. She could stop this. She could not let her friends die. She could not let those children perish. And another thing, As much as she'd hate to admit, in some odd way, Mother was Emberlynne's blood. Or Emilia's at least. Regardless, she was family. They all were. And Elijah was her love. She needed to be the one to console his pain. She clenched her fists, despite her bony knuckles threatening to tear through her brown skin. She ran forward, charging fearlessly toward the flames. Paxton caught hold of her before she could get anywhere near the fire. She thrashed desperately trying to break free. Her eyes locked on her target, Elijah, as if she was feral.

"Paxton, please!" She cried.

"No way, you could get hurt." He said. Emmy broke her focus to look at him. His mouth was pressed in a thin line of resolve. His cat green eyes shimmered with the reflection of the flames.

"Elijah would never forgive me- er us, if we let anything happen to you." He said. Alex stood still, but he was watching them. No emotion was displayed on his face. Emmy couldn't see reason though; she could only feel her soul being pulled in Elijah's direction.