'Bang'.
I felt the pressure of the bullet pierce my shoulder. I couldn't scream. I couldn't shout. I just waited for death to take me. Slowly, my body fell lifeless and hit the squalid, dense ground. Lazily, I looked around myself surveying the atmosphere I would die in. The leaves dropped swiftly from the inanimate trees swirling around my body.
I wondered if my foster parents would miss me? Did they ever love me? Did he ever love me? Enormous combat boots approached me; a familiar scent filled the air. I looked up as I saw his face, the face I always loved from day one.
His strong, firewood scent filled the atmosphere throwing me into a frenzy of emotions. My eyes started to water overflowing with tears. My love...my love would be my saviour. He crouched down harshly against my ribs; sending ripples of pain through my useless body. I cried. I screamed. Then he smiled, he smiled at me softly; my pain and sorrow filling his soul with happiness and joy.
Slowly, he pulled out a small sharp dagger and rubbed it along my face. Sharply, he locked eyes with me and pierced my heart with the blade. He laughed heartily. Confusion filled my mind. I looked into his sea blue eyes before being swept into a new start.
My mind ached and buzzed with fear. Where was I? I knew I was dead because he killed me. He stabbed me in the heart; the heart that yearned for him day and night. My soul will live on heartbroken and betrayed...
Cautiously, I opened my eyes to the putrid, vile stench of rotting flesh. I breathed in the odour and sighed. "Home sweet home." As I slowly became comfortable to my new surroundings, my ear drums were pierced by a booming screech of orders. "Name, age, cause of death."
I looked around startled by the blaring sound which penetrated my delicate ear drums. I could see my surroundings much clearer by then. I was on a beach however this beach was unlike any other I had seen on earth. The sand was a frosty white colour as if it was crisp snow on a fresh winter's day. But it was the sea which frightened me the most, it was red. Blood red. It was as if all the souls of the people who had ever been here, squeezed every last drop of their blood and filled the sea with it.
Steadily, I got to my feet and looked around puzzled. My eyes tried to follow the sound of the shouting orders; but no one was there. It was just me. Alone on a demon beach.
Bewilderment filled my mind. "Well, how on earth am I suppose to register in hell if I can't bloody see anyone? Oh wait, I'm not even on earth so I can't exactly say that."
"Need some assistance?"
I jumped frightened of who had spoken to me, when I was convinced I was alone. Reluctantly I turned around fearful about who or what I might see. I looked up and saw a pale boy, with short blonde hair, emerald green eyes and stunning dimples.
"Umm...Am I in heaven?"
He laughed casually. "No, but thankfully you're not in hell either."
"Oh so where am I?" I said blushing as if the answer was obvious.
"The underworld, it's kind of like an airport terminal; a waiting area for the dead till they find out what they are going to be reincarnated into."
"Oh." I said disappointed.
"Where are my manners? I am Ryder Phoenix" He smiled blissfully "And you are?"
"Phoebe Willow Winters"
"Well, it's very nice to meet you Phoebe, you don't always meet a lot of nice people in the underworld and considering I don't get out much, its always nice seeing a new happy face"
I snorted sarcastically "Very nice? I'm dead...I wouldn't exactly call meeting you here something very nice."
"Oh." He said gloomily. I had obviously upset him by my remark as he no longer smiled or met my gaze.
"I'm sorry. I'm not usually this insensitive and negative. Its just well..." I hesitated slightly and he looked up giving me a reassuring smile. "I literally just died and I need to adjust to all this"
He grinned "Well, I know somewhere we could go talk about things, maybe we could talk about how you died?"
I breathed in harshly. The blood drained from my already pale face. I took a step back from him not meeting his eyes. All I could see was his face; the sea blue eyes, spiky brown hair, lean muscular arms and rich olive skin. The face that would always haunt my mind. So many questions whizzed around my head 'Why? Why did he do it? What did I do wrong?"
I stumbled backwards "N-no...no thank you Ryder. I need to get out of here."
He quickly seized my arm to steady me. A tingling sensation rushed through my body as our skin touched. I let out a small gasp for air, I looked up into his emerald green eyes.
I was transfixed.
I couldn't move; I could barely breathe I just had to wait mesmerised till he decided to let me out of his dominating glare. He smiled mischievously enjoying every second of his control over me.
Finally he released slowly..backing away, I could see his pupils grow smaller as my body relaxed. I sighed.
"I've been at the mercy of men once before and it was the most horrific experience I had ever encountered. I hate not being able to control my own actions. I hate not being able to be myself. Its like being in a cage but the reality of it is that your own body is the cage."
He looked at me bewildered by my sudden reveal of emotions but then his face softened "I'm sorry, I just felt like we had a moment there and I just didn't want it to end."
I looked at him baffled trying to figure him out. I gazed down at my arm still imprisoned in his grip; he watched my gaze and realised he was still holding me. He jumped back blushing showing his dazzling dimples "Oh, I'm sorry I didn't mean to still be holding you, please forgive me." He took a step back from me with pleading eyes as if what he had done was a crime which was punishable bydeath . The tingling sensation swiftly left my body and left me empty as if a part of me left. A part I would never get back.
A large sound roared through the air causing the waves to rock violently. I jumped startled, the sound was so loud I couldn't hear myself think. I squeezed the palms of my hands onto my ears to stop the sound destroying my ear drums. I looked at Ryder for help but his face went pale. His eyes changed, they turned dark. Troubled. He grabbed my arm and pushed me into a cave. I tried to resist but his arms were too strong.
"We have to get off the beach or they'll find us." His voice was low and frightened. I looked at him terrified it was as if the boy I had talked to only minutes before was lost.
