The Birth of the Black Rose

  Hi. My name's Cory. And I am utterly average. Normal parents, normal sibling, normal friends, normal girlfriend. All-in-all, I'm pretty happy. 17 years old and already considering marriage to my lovely girlfriend of 5 years. Already went and got the ring and everything.... Now to find the perfect time to strike. I smiled inside, thinking about her reaction. Still just in my tank top and boxers, I got up and looked at the clock: 6:45 in the morning. Plenty of time... I ran into my bathroom and jumped in the shower. Make it snappy, I thought to myself as I washed up. I found myself thinking about a dream I'd had last night, and one sentence in particular. I should probably explain: I don't usually dream in images. I'll always dream in phrases or sentences. Like, for example, back in 8th grade, a sentence came to me: Pop Quiz. Definitely saved my ass on more than one occasion. Like when I met Jenny. But that's a story for later.

I jumped out of the shower and shaved juuuuust quickly enough to cut myself. "God dammit!" I yelled as it cut deep. I covered it up with a bandage and walked back into my room to get my clothes. Cold out. I went with a long sleeve LP t-shirt before I realized today was ROTC uniform day! I mumbled words under my breath that would've made my parents blush. I grabbed my Marine Reserve Officer Training Corps dress uniform and cap and put it on, remembering my name tag and 2nd Lieutenant ranks. For those of you who don't know, ROTC is sort of a junior military. There's Navy, Army, Marine Corps, and Air Force. I was thinking of joining the Marines after college. Jenny always says I have the build for it.

I had just about walked out the door when I heard footsteps behind me, followed by a yell. Time slowed. Relfexes kicked in. I could think clearly. I grabbed the attacker by the foot and slung her over my shoulder as she laughed. "Man! Didn't get ya this time either!" my little sister said. "And you never will, Theresa." I smiled, smug in the fact that I had just taken out a 14 year old girl. She made a face that didn't really suit her blonde hair. It was always striking how similar she looked and acted to a younger version of mom. dirty blonde hair with dark roots, azure eyes that pierced you through-and-through, looks that made a lot of guys at Booth Middle School obsess over her (or so she claims) And, of course, as her big brother, I have to show em all the door.  "Don't call me that!" I laughed and put her down. Her real name was Theresa Angelo Miles, but she preferred everyone call her Terra.

She looked up at me, little at 5"1 to my 6" even. "How do you do that?" She asked. "I honestly have no idea what you're talking about." I said, zipping up my bag and throwing it over my shoulder. "Don't pull that crap with me. I mean how you moved just then." I furrowed my brow. She was right. I had been in a lot of fights in my day, and had never lost one. I awlays thought my opponents were slow, but Terra's no pushover when it comes to claws, and moves as fast as a haywire lightning bolt. "I guess I just have better reflexes." I said as I caught an apple that had somehow materialized outside the bowl. I glanced at Terra, who was holding her hands behind her back, whistling. I smiled and walked out the door, then turned back and watched Terra smugly hold out my keys. "Thanks." I mumbled as I snatched them from her. I noticed something strange, too. "Why in the WORLD are you still in your underwear?" I said, holding a hand up to cover everything below her neck. She walked over and got an orange from the fruit bowl on the counter. "Oh, shut up. Not like you haven't seen Jen's before." She stuck her tongue out at me as i left.

Ugh. That was awful. She could at least put on some freakin shorts or something. God. I thought as I got into my Jeep. She wasn't the prettiest of cars, but she got me everywhere i needed to go. Or, on special occasions, everywhere me and Jenny needed to go. I turned her on and started to back out, trying to avoid the neighbor's car for the THIRD TIME THIS FREAKING WEEK! Damn, when will these people learn to park?! I shook my head and continued down the road. As I neared Jenny's house, I prepared to defend myself from temptation, as kissing, hugging, and anything considered PDA (Public Display of Affection) is taboo in uniform. Of course, Jenny would always unzip her jeans or unbutton her shirt a little just to mess with me each time. God, that girl knows how to drive me wild! I stopped next to her driveway and got out,  going up to her house with my cap on to knock on the door, when all of a sudden, I was assaulted by a girl in a navy blue hoodie. i pretended not to notice as Jenny plowed into me, but was able to catch her to avoid falling. I smiled and put her down, our lips mere centimeters away from each other. "Hey, baby girl." I whispered as our eyes met and hers lit up in that cute little I'm-so-innocent way (that turned out to be completely misleading, by the way.) "Mornin, Jarhead." She replied with a giggle. God, her laugh drove me crazy. I couldn't resist the one kiss I gave her.... or the other 15.

She grinned closer to her ears with each time our lips touched. I could feel her soft desert sand blonde hair underneath my fingers, could hear our hearts beating against each others' chests, the gentleness of her soft, full lips. "Jennica Crane, you have no idea how much i love you." I said to her when we broke apart. "You'll have to show me later." She smiled mischieviously, giving me a quick "inspection" of my uniform, although i couldn't help but notice that she lingered a little on a few areas in particular.

 "Can't stay here, love. We need to get to school." i said, grabbing her bag and putting it in the truck. She groaned and got in. I grinned. Jenny wasn't what you'd call a "good student" most of the time. Oh, she made solid enough grades. Just got in some trouble. A lot. A few minutes later, i pulled into my reserved parking spot and helped her out. "And who said chivalry is dead?" She said with another adorable giggle. "Oh, it isn't free. I expect to be paid later." I replied with a wink. She smiled and pecked my cheek. "I gotta go meet up with Kaelie. I'll see you after school?" "Course you will. I love you." I said, disappointed she had to leave. She smiled wide. "I love you too." She half skipped off in happiness.

I walked to the ROTC building and sat down at my desk. I loved saying that: my desk. I had recently gotten the job of Special Teams Commander. I took care of the drill, color guard, and honor guard teams. Also, from time-to-time, i handle disciplinary issues, which is just another way of saying i put the disrespectfuls on their face. Too many come to me for that lately. "This corp's going to Hell." I whispered to myself as i put up the picture of Jenny i always keep there. I heard the door open. "Anyone here?" said the deepest voice in the entire state of Georgia. "Yea, in the office, Hash!" Hayden Hash... what was there to say about this guy? Very dedicated, really cool. We always joked around that he hit puberty at the age of 7 on account of his very... ahem, "mature" voice.

He came in and plopped his stuff on his desk. "You're here early." He pointed out. "Yea. Jenny had a test she had to take, so i came in early. figured i might as well get some work done." i did have a lot of that to do. new memos came in every day since the announcement that we were looking for extended staff. I read through one. Freshman named Maria wanted to try her hand at special teams 1st sergeant. She seemed qualified. Always stayed after to help, on all the drill teams, helped set up military ball, etc, etc. "Hmm... approved." I said to myself, checking off her memo then realizing i left my pen outside. "Hey, Hash, could you get my--" i looked up. Hash was gone. What the hell? I thought, How'd he do that so quietly? I got up and went outside the office, getting the pen i had left on the table. I suddenly got a cold chill, like the devil himself had just walked through me.I turned around and saw a dark line coming from the hallway.

Stupidly, i followed it. And, strangely, the farther i wandered, the colder it got. Eventually, it ended, but not where i expected it to. The epicenter seemed to be a hunched over old man in a black robe. He was looking at something on the ground. "Excuse me, sir? i don't think i've seen you here before." I watched suspiciously as he turned around and took off his hood, then had to resist the urge to scream: half of his face was a bloody black skull. But not bare bone skull. There were still little bits of maggot infested flesh strewn about, with tufts of hair on each. When he talked, his mouth didn't move. Boy, you trespass into this realm with THAT blood inside you... you make a foolish mistake. I heard it, but i didn't. Somehow, it was in my head. "What? What do you mean?" A chuckle from the maniac in my head. Oh, poor boy. You don't have the slightest idea, do you? He stepped closer. Maybe i should just save you the hell you're bound to go through. My eyes widened, but i stood my ground. "Sir, i think you need to go to the hospital." I managed to get out. No amount of medicine will be able to help me... or you.

He disappeared, then, a second later, materialized in front of me, claws (no, actual bones that had been sharpened to the point of eagle's talons) reaching for my throat. I managed to move, but not fast enough to avoid a nasty cut across the shoulder. I yelled and lashed out with my fist aimed for his stomach, making direct contact. Then a searing pain went over my leg and i dropped. another laugh, this one a cackle of absolute madness. I'm going to enjoy killing you! His claws came up, and i prepared for a guillotine style death.