"A Broken Home"

There was nothing but complete darkness in the small house. The rain pounding against the windows as the lightning flashed and the thunder roared, but through all of this, there came a small whimper from a locked room. A child's voice that seemed to be begging for someone, anyone to help, at the corner of this locked room was and eight year old girl hugging her knees closely as tears stained her cheeks. Her raven hair falling over her eyes covering the pain that was built so deep into sapphire orbs that had once been filled with joy and laughter.

In the center of the locked room, was another child, his small figure laid spread out across the floorboards in a pool of crimson, his eyes looking straight at the girl, in a pleading manner that caused and eerie feeling to surge throughout the girl's body, she began to shake and mutter in a sorrowful voice..

" I... ..didn't... ..mean to..."

She repeated over and over until another voice came from the shadows.

" But you did! "

" No! It was an accident! "

" No, it wasn't, you've always despised him, admit it...you hated him! You wanted him dead! "

" No! I didn't! "

" But you did! "

" Stop! No, I didn't mean to...I never meant to!! "

" Face it, you killed him...you killed your own brother! "

" NO!... "

She buried her face into her arms wanting nothing more than to escape this hell, squeezing her legs tightly as she whimpered.

" It wasn't...it wasn't supposed to turn out this way... "

" But it did! You brought this upon yourself! "

A cloaked figure came from the shadows and walked over to the small girl, crimson red eyes glowing from under it's hood as a bony hand reached out at her. Hey eyes widened as she pressed her body against the wall and closed her eyes. She wanted this to stop, to all go away. As she felt the cloaked figure grab her and pull her towards a doorway that was painted black, she cried out and struggled to get free.

" No! ...No, I don't want to die! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!! "

Erika twisted and clutched her sheets, beads of sweat formed at her forehead. Suddenly, she sat up gasping for air as she looked around to find that she was still in her small hotel room. Taking deep breaths as she brushed her raven hair from her pale face. The nightmare that had haunted her for six years began to replay in her head. She placed a hand over her chest where a silver heart-shaped locket rested. Inside was a picture of her younger brother, Alex, his sweet little smile made her sick with grief.

Pulling the sheets up to her chin, Erika cradled herself letting the new formed hot tears fall from her eyes. A soft whisper came from her right side where another bed had been placed, the figure sat up, rubbing their eyes.

" Hey, Erika, what's wrong? "

Erika wiped away her tears and turned to face the other person, her best friend, Alexandra Kisiragi. It was easy to see the young girl in the dark, her silver hair tied back in a ponytail as she placed her gaze upon the weeping fourteen year old, her pale blue eyes filled with concern for her friend. Erika gave a weak smile.

" Nothing...just a bad dream is all... "

" Do you want to talk about it? "

" Not really... "

" Oh... "

Erika could see that the girl was filled with disappointment that she wouldn't tell her about her dream, like she was holding back a secret from her.

" Don't worry about it, Alexandra...just go back to sleep. I didn't mean to wake you up... "

Alexandra shook her head and kicked off her sheets.

" It's okay, besides, we still need to pay for this room and seeing as we both don't have any money at the moment... "

Erika nodded in agreement as she kicked off her own sheets and placed her bare feet upon the cold wooden floors. She walked over to the corner of the room where a pair of pants and a shirt laid. Alexandra had already slipped on her skirt and was now lacing her top, the white ribbons tangled around her slim fingers. Erika then stripped off the night shirt she had worn to bed and slipped on the black top, buckling up the front with metal chains that streamed across her chest. Alexandra gave a loud thunk as she sat on the cold floor, placing her feet into her boots, buckling them on both sides. Erika gave a small sigh.

" Hmm..what is it? "

" Huh? What's what? "

" That sigh you just gave right now...what's wrong? "

" Nothing really, Ale...you worry too much. "

" Well, what do you expect, I have over twenty million for my head and you getting involved also puts a bounty on your's, too... "

" ... "

" Hey, don't give me that! Something is bugging you and you're not telling me! "

" Would you stop?! I already told you nothing...NOTHING is wrong! "

Alexandra sat quiet for a minute, her eyes low, after about a moment of silence, she got up and went to the bathroom slamming the door behind her. Erika paid no mind as she continued to dress. Alexandra walked out, her hair fixed in a braid, a few strands of hair falling over her eyes. Erika was now sitting on her bed lacing up her boots. Leaning back against the cracked wall of the room, Alexandra waited, her violet eyes seemed glassy but held no emotion of being upset.

" You ready..? "

Erika replied with a single nod.