Crown Of Thorns

Surprises Surprises

"I'm telling you!" Ashtyn said, as her and Rem left the gymnasium once they finished their class

"Mr. Wayland hates me," Ash continued, Rem rolled her eyes as she took her hair out of her bun. Sweat gleamed on the back of her neck, and her freckled face was red from the intense class

"He does not, he just sees the potential in you. So he treats you much harsher than the rest of us," Rem said, with a shrug. Ash shot her a look, from behind her glasses. 

"Yeah, sure," she mumbled.

Rem flicked through the pages of her Codex. As her headphones hung loosely in her ears. She was sitting at her desk in her's and Ash's dorm room. Ash was taking a shower, she could smell the scent of her apple body wash from here. Ash tended to take longer showers when ever she was feeling stressed. And ever since gym class she had been tense. Rem wasn't exactly sure why. Ash always told her when something was wrong. But lately, it was like she stopped opening herself up to her. Rem knew Ashtyn like a book.

Now it seemed like she wasn't even sure which page she was on. 

Rem sighed a little as she focused back on her Codex, turning the page, she saw she was in the Demons section. Rem felt the skin on her arms prickle, as she turned to page 67. Reading down to the middle, and stopping at one word. 

Azazel

Otherwise, known as the very demon who had murdered her brother 4 years ago. She spent so much time reading the section dedicated to him. Over and over again. It was the only page in her Codex that has tears along the side. From her fingers, the page frayed. A few words were smudged, from her tears dripping onto the ink as she read. Thinking about that horrible night so long ago, it was burned into her memory. An image tattooed to the backs of her eyelids. 

She remembered every last detail about that night. The way the house seemed to be extra cold, even though it had happened in the middle of August. The noise of her Mother's cries, as she held onto William's lifeless body. The smell of his blood, the smell of her tears. The way Rem's skin seemed to have been replaced with ice, her throat closing to the point of choking her. The way she was too dazed to sob.

Azazel's horrific face staring at her from out of the kitchen's window. It's horns as sharp as daggers, its eyes as cold as the ice running through her veins. It's smile. 

Rem shivered, and slowly closed her Codex. Usually, Rem was able to go a little while without thinking about William. But lately, he seemed to be the only thing on her mind. She felt like he was... There. Next to her, whispering into her ear. She'd be able to hear his deep, strong voice saying words to her. She sometimes thought she could still smell his musky cologne, the one their Mother had always hated, said it gave her a headache. She'd be walking alone, and swear she could hear the sound of his boots walking behind her. Of course, she'd always turn around to look. But he would never be there.

And he'd never be there again. 

Rem blinked, feeling that familiar burn in the back of her throat, she knew tears were coming. She closed her eyes tightly, her hands slowly clenching to fists. No. She wouldn't cry. She had to be strong.

At first, she hadn't cried. Not a single tear had been shed. The only thing she could feel was anger, and rage. And a burning urge to avenge him. She'd lay awake at night, staring at her plain white ceiling as different plans raced through her mind. All of which ended with a dagger in Azazel's chest. Or eye. She liked to change it up. 

But, as the time went by, the more that rage turned into sadness. Emptiness, loneliness. But still, no tears had been lost. Eventually she grew quiet. Barely speaking to anyone. Avoided any man who had gray-blue eyes and dark brown hair. They reminded her too much of William. It hurt too much. It still did, sometimes. She hated walking out in public, fearing she'd walk by some happy family. She wouldn't be able to help herself from thinking that her  family had been like that once. Happy, not a care in the world.