Aftermath: Awakening

Chapter 3: The After

2 years have passed since Erics death, Shannon stands over his grave staring down at the slab of stone that marks his final resting place. Shannon unfolds a small chair and sits down looking over the graveyard feeling closer to him then she has in awhile. "I'm sorry I couldn't come last year, I really wanted to. But operations had other ideas." She tells the open air. "I wish I could hear your voice, I miss it." She doesn't want to admit that she is slowly forgetting him, his face is slowly beginning to fade to a blur. She begins telling his grave everything she has done in the last 2 years but that she still misses him. An hour passes and the cloudy sky begins to look a little ominous, she falls silent after awhile. She remembers the first time that they met, how he sat down beside her and was willing to help a complete stranger. The look on his face was that of concern, genuine concern his eyes where troubled and yet somehow she knew he was good, just by looking at him, she could feel he was good. It radiated through him like the sun. Yet, it was still too good to be true, she doubted someone could radiate that kind of strength and energy about them. His emotions played out across his face and made him entirely readable; he himself was troubled and yet he still wanted to help. That's what made her trust him. Eric spent most of his summer working just to keep a roof over her head, even if It was a shitty hotel room, and even if she spent more time at his house then they did at the hotel. He never once asked anything of her. His parents were understanding of her issues when they finally confronted the both of them in a 'family meeting' where they let her stay in the spare room. She felt she finally had a home that cared about her. It was a shock when Eric finally told her his feelings for her when they were alone. She remembers a lot of the time back then, how even after she hurt him he still treated her the same, but she could still see how badly she had hurt him back then; but she had to see, she had to test him to make sure he was what she thought he was. In truth she wasn't sure how she felt about him until later, by that time he had moved on. Girl after girl broke his heart and she watched him seclude himself- a sudden burst of tears cuts off her thoughts, and she lets them come.

"Eric, wherever you are, I love you. I want you to know that." She leaves flowers at his grave as she packs up her legs feeling much to shaky. She decides to pay a visit to her parents back home, well Erics parents but she guesses they are as much hers as they where his. She takes an uber to where she used to live with them watching the world drift by through a rain streaked window. She pays the guy an extra $10 and watches as he drives away then walks up to the front door, feeling suddenly scared. The front door is ajar, the sound of a dog - Fluffy she guesses-growling ominously. As she pushes open the door a scream pierces the air. She rushes in as she see's Marcus Kane towering over Erics parents, Dad struggles against something she couldn't see pinning him to the couch. "You gave me up!" All she hears is that angry bellowing shout, Shannon hits some wall in the middle of the floor, suddenly unable to move. "Oh! Look! It's the Bitch that ripped out my fucking heart." His words came out in a harsh sneer. Shannon struggles to move, every muscle in her body working against whatever holds her. "Now that I have gathered you all here," he pauses and gestures to the house around him. "Let the party begin!" He howls with laughter as if he found that funny. "Now, this will be quite an agonizing experience, and it wont be over quickly. I promise you." His words drip with a menacing sort of kindness.

Marcus draws his knife brandishing in front of Erics father who still struggles to break the paralysis that holds him. "Ladies first, don't you think father?" Marcus eyes Shannon with a malicious glint in his eye. He approaches Shannon. "How could you? You know all I did was for us right?" A smirk stretches across his face. She realizes that Marcus, and Eric look very much the same, it made her heart long for Eric all the more. Shannon could see the knife as it flashed in front of her, but she couldn't move her head, or any part of her body no matter how much she tried. Marcus thruts the knife She expects to feel the stab of pain and closes her eyes. After a moment it doesn't come she reopens her eyes to see the veins popping out of Marcus's forehead as he struggles.
"You will have to get through me before you can get to them." A commanding voice, comes from somewhere behind her; not just any voice, but Erics voice. It can't be...