Garden of Shadows (on Hold)

Into the Dark

Love of mine

Someday you will die

But I'll be close behind

I'll follow you into the dark

- I Will Follow You Into the Dark, Death Cab For Cutie

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"Ok, Briar-Rose." My dad said, completely disregarding her request. He averted his attention from her to address the rest of us. "Now that everyone is here, I would like to make an announcement. Do you remember your Aunt Fawn?"

I nodded, the memory of my Dad's older sister, a dark haired woman with gentle brown eyes, coming to mind. She was a bit of an eccentric character if I remember correctly, but still very much lovable.

"Well," he continues,"she's dead." Great way to break the news, Dad. "I got the news this morning."

"Oh, Daddy I am so sorry!" Rose cries with tears already descending down her cheeks. This girl is one hell of an actress.

"Yeah thanks. Anyway, that's not what I wanted to tell you. You see, Fawn was a foster parent of sorts and before she passed, she had taken in a young man who I believe around the same age as Violet. Now, the reason I am bringing this up is because I know my sister. Hell, we're---well, we were---twins. And I may not have been there for her when she needed it but I'd be damned if I did not love her. So I've made a decision. Tomorrow he will arrive here and be staying with us until he is of age. I expect you all to make him feel welcomed. That's all." And with that he dug right into his dinner.

No one argued or asked any questions. We all knew that arguing with him was a lost cause. When he made a choice, all you could do was follow.

Dinner was quiet other than the occasional ass kissing from Rose. Rowan would gag every time it got to much for her, only to receive a glare from Rose and, boy, if looks could kill. Row stayed for a few hours more before heading to her house and Eden and I headed to my room like we did every night for our usual bonding session. All we really did was talk about random stuff. Well, I talked. He gesterd. I was asking him how he felt about the whole aunt Fawn situation when something caught my eye in the window. Standing from my bed, I walked closer to the glass to get a better look only to stop dead in my tractks. No, it can't be. I'm on the second floor. But there it was. There, clear as the stars in the sky, was a hand print. A chill went up my spine when I got close enough to see that the imprint, that had no logical reason for being there, had tiney shards of ice sticking out from every directin. Moved by an unseen froce, I watched as my left hand came into my view and pressed itself against the imprint. I should have felt nothing. There was no way i could feel the ice. Creepy as it was, the print had to have been made on the outside of the window because no one was in the room besides Eden and I. But I did feel it. I felt every shard of ice prick my hand hard enough to break skin and I watched as my hands turned crimson with my own bloodd.

"Eden!" The blood continued to flow, pooling out of my hand and onto the floor, each drop louder than the one before it. "Eden!" I spun around to fast, blood splatering on the walls of what should have been my room. But it wasn't. Gone was my bed and lavender wallpaper, my clothing askew all over the floor and personal belongings. Instead I stood in a small room of cement and dirt that smelled of rotting flesh and manure. And Eden was no where is sight.

The smell asulted my nose and brought me to my knees, dampening my pants with the vile mixture of dirt and blood.

Down on all fours, I began to crawl to my only form of salvation: the door. I crawled and crawled until the skin on my knees became raw and blisters formed on my already scared hands. But with every movment, the door just got farther and farther until it was no longer there. Breathing became harder and harder, my breath coming in short, quick heaves, and within seconds, breathing was but a dream. The already gloomy room got even darker as I began to slip in and out of counciousness. My arms scorched as my scars were set aflame and in my last bit of awareness, I locked eyes with another's.

I woke with a start. My lungs burnt from the lack of oxygen as I inhaled with imense greed. Damp with sweat, my hair and clothing were sticking to my body. Familar arms cradled me to a strong chest, sobs wraking through his body. The pain in my arms had subsided greatly and I welcomed the numb feeling that came about. The fluorescent light bulbs were enough to obscure my vision and I hastily shut my eyes once more. After a few moments I trusted my sight enough to glance at my surroundings. I was back in my room with the familiar light purple walls and overly decorative furniture. Eden's sobs had slowed down and his grip on my loosened enough for me to move. Seeing the look on his face when I gazed at him bestowed upon me that fact that the situation had been dire. I was about to ask him just what had happened but his hand firmly covered my own, ordering me to be silent. That's when I noticed her. Rose stood at the doorway looking extremely annoyed and highly unimpressed.

"Gosh, would it kill you to shut up? Some people are trying to sleep." she said before leaving and slamming the door behind her. The two of us sat there in silence even after we heard the slam of a second door down the hall. A few moment passed and the curiosity was just to much.

"Eden, what happened?" I inquired, my voice horse.

I could see that he didn't want to tell me, but he knew I would not let it go. With shaky hands he pointed to me, then took his palm faced up and turned it downward: You died.

I blinked once. Twice. What?

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I'm not exactly sure what I was thinking when I wrote this chapter... not as long as i would have liked but oh well. Till next time!