Outcast
by Eve
Well, this is my very first PE fanfiction ever. I, personally, loved the first PE...which is pretty evident if you check out
my nickname. Heheh. PE came to me at a pretty good time. It was a wonderful way to escape from school. Hey, being a
freshman in high school was hard. All I wanted to do was go home and escape for a good few hours in PE. I loved it from
beginning to end, really. Though the endings were quite confusing. Then earlier this year, PE2 came out. God, how I did
anticipate that game for a while. It seemed so cool...then I didn't think about it for a good few months until right before it came
out. After playing through it multiple times, I'd have to say that PE2 was a rip-off of RE3. The way Aya is now is reminicent of
how Jill was in RE3. And it's sad really. The thing had so much potential and they screwed up the story so bad. That and a
whole buncha other things I won't get into. Heheh. Getting more to the point of this, I decided to mix a little Stephen King into
this whole after PE2 thing. Hey, I can't really ignore the game now, can I? Yes, you will notice this is very much like Carrie
(for those of you who have read Carrie, or seen the movie...though the book is better). Veronica has a lot of me in her, but is
also a bit like Carrie. Having strange powers kinda way. This time, there'll be a different ending. I can guarantee that. So, this is
half of my story. My tortured soul. I just hope that even this can shed a little light on how terrible school and other people can
be. ~Vanessa "Eve" Cohen
Chapter 1: Tortured Souls
Crowded hallways and seas of chattering humans filled Orangetown Middle School. Throughout all the masses, one
blonde head poked out, making its way to the end of the hall connecting to the main entrance. The blonde head finally emerged
out of the ocean of students and stood with a few friends in front of the main entrance. The blonde head belonged to a female
student, her very light blonde hair reached down only to her shoulders and was shorter in the front. While her eyes were bright
and full of life, there was something about them that gave off something deeper was in her...something no one was supposed to
know about. This was Eve. Or at least that's what everyone called her. Not too long ago, a few months perhaps, she was
enrolled in the school and immediately became the life of the party. Popular, happy, vibrant; these were the words best used to
describe this happy teenager, Eve. Seeing her, chatting away with her friends gleefully, you'd expect she was the poster child
for normal teenagers. Yet, her life had been anything but normal from day one.
A slightly taller girl next to her, going by the name of Lana Ranco, with curly red hair and sparkling green eyes,
cheerfully asked, "So you comin' to the sleepover party on Saturday?"
"Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world! Aya said it was okay so I'm definitely there!" Eve answered, with great
enthusiasm.
Another girl, standing to Eve's left, named Kaitlyn Brantseg, commented, "Eve, where are your parents? How can you
only live with your sister? I just don't understand how that works. Doesn't Aya need parents?"
This one comment brought a dark cloud over the conversation. Eve's expression went from gleefilled to one of dark
contemplation. As if the flood gates had been opened and a deluge of bad memories were filling the river of her mind. Places,
feelings, events that she did not want to go back to. But as quickly as this dark cloud had decended on the conversation,
it lifted. Eve brightened her face and replied, "Aya's over 18, y'know. So she can take care of us both. Our mother died...while
she was having me...and father...died a few years ago. That's why it's just the two of us."
The two other girls 'ooohed' at Eve's answer and nodded in understanding. Then the conversation turned back to the
said sleepover party. All three of them giggling in happiness. As they began walking outside, another student bumped into them.
From first glance, you wouldn't think twice about Veronica Black. She was of average height, with shining dark brown
hair hanging down to her shoulders. Dressed in jeans and a black shirt, she looked like every other student you could meet.
But, once you looked closer, you could sense there was something different about Veronica. Her dark brown eyes seemed to
scream of sadness, anger, resentment, and pain all at the same time. The light blue circles under her eyes never left her, a
symbol of her abnormality. Her pale skin always the same light cream color that never tanned. And her mouth, usually fixed in
an unfriendly frown. Give her a leather jacket and sunglasses (to keep the tortured eyes from other's sight) and you would get
Veronica Black; a tortured soul. An outcast in our menial system of education. The one that was always made fun of, just
because of one small thing that separated her from the rest. She wasn't always unfriendly; she was made into it. Veronica tried
to be friendly. God, did she ever. But for poor Veronica, every time she reached out, her hand was returned to her burned and
singed.
Eve turned to look at the girl who had bumped into them and found Veronica, staring back at her from under her
sunglasses. For once, she was smiling. These days, it was a rarity to see Veronica crack a smile. "Hi, Eve, Kaitlyn, Lana." She
said, trying to keep her smile going.
"Hello Veronica." The three girls returned in unison. After the greeting was done with, the three girls went back to their
giggling and talking. Veronica remained by their side.
"I heard about this sleepover party you guys are having. I was wondering if I could come." Veronica blurted out.
Sounding embarassed and anixous all at the same time.
This stopped the three chattering girls. All three turning their attention to this lone, dark figure. Veronica took off her
sunglasses for a minute to look at them. An extreme rarity. For Veronica Black hadn't really taken off her sunglasses at school
since the 6th grade, already two years. Pleading, tortured eyes, the ones belonging to Veronica, looked from girl to girl for
reaction. Something. Something that would let her know if she was finally in. Nothing. Not a twitch from any of them. All her
eyes met from Kaitlyn and Lana were stone cold looks. Nothing again. But when Veronica looked at Eve...something
happened. Veronica had never felt something inside of her like this before. She looked deep into Eve's eyes and saw a bit of
herself. A bit of another tortured soul who was crying out for attention. While Eve had succeeded in her mission; Veronica had
failed. There was something else too. Something...evil. For a moment, Veronica felt her body get hot. Like she was burning up
from a fever. For a very brief second, her eyes went from their tortured dark brown to a vibrant, shining green. However, as
soon as the heat and eye color change had came, it suddenly left and the two were still staring at each other, as if nothing had
happened at all. A split second. That was all it was.
"Sorry, Veronica. We don't have enough room for you to come." Eve replied.
"Yeah." Kaitlyn piped in, "You wouldn't have a way to get there anyway."
This, for some strange reason, sent the three girls into an histeric giggling fit. The joke on Veronica once again. Quickly
putting her sunglasses on, Veronica turned to the sidewalk where a school bus was still waiting, engine revved up to go. Briskly,
Veronica walked off, still hearing the cackling laughter of her three classmates. Beneath her glasses, Veronica's eyes flashed
green again, but only for a second or two. With the laughter filling the air around her, Veronica fell into one of the aise seats on
the bus and blasted her eardrums with loud heavy metal music from her discman. Tears swelled up in Veronica's tortured eyes,
one of them falling down her cheek, glistening in the sunlight shone in from the window. A lone tear from under her sunglasses.
A feeling. Something that Veronica did not want to show anymore. This event pushed her farther away from the norm.
Veronica was becoming more different than she had ever been before. Each time she was rejected, she became less friendly.
As the bus roared to life and drove away from Veronica's humiliation and mocking laughter, she silently swore she'd
never try to do anything like that again. And again, her eyes flashed to a bright emerald green and back to dark brown again.
Yes, this was one day where Veronica Black had changed. Veronica was changing. In more ways than she even knew.
* * * * * *
Eve opened the door to her apartment that she and Aya shared and stepped inside. It was a nice apartment. Not too
large and not too small. Eve's room was at the other end of the apartment, Aya's being next door. In front of Eve was the
hallway leading to the living room and kitchen. After hanging her coat up, Eve walked into the living room. The cream colored
sofa was in the middle of the room looking comfortable and inviting. Golden sunlight streamed into the room through tall framed
glass windows. Nearby the sofa was a light brown colored coffee table and a television in front of that. An aura of warmth and
friendly eminated around the room. To Eve, this place was safe. As safe as she could be. Not like what had happened earlier
that day with Veronica. That was not right.
Eve personally didn't have anything against Veronica Black, but she had learned quickly that if you don't act like
everyone else, you're toast. But this time...something had changed. Looking deep into Veronica's eyes, she saw something she
hadn't seen before; another tortured soul. Eve had been experimented on and used her entire life and in Veronica she nearly
saw the same pain. The dull tiredness behind the facade of brightness, hopes dashed and pain beyond any pain normal people
would feel. Both these two teenagers had something in common; hidden pain. Two tortured souls; but one had lived an entirely
different life. Eve kept having nightmares; remembering fragments of her past. Remembering the experiments, the helplessness,
the feeling of being used. When Eve had looked into Veronica's eyes she saw the same thing, the helplessness. Like Veronica
had nightmares herself. And while Eve's were about her less than average past, Veronica's were about where she was now.
Her own private Hell entitled school. Yes, she wasn't experimented on, but the pain brought by her peers made her feel nearly
the same. Eve saw all that in Veronica's eyes. They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and this had proved it. But
while seeing herself in Veronica's eyes, she felt something else. Like a part of her growing hot and boiling over. She was a pot
full of hot water and looking at Veronica made her boil over, spilling something inside of her into Veronica. Eve could see it.
For a split second, the deep dark brown eyes that Veronica sported turned to a bright emerald green, then back to their normal
dark brown. Something had happened. Eve had given Veronica a part of herself. A part of herself she now believed she
probably should've kept. She remembered that she had had something inside her that allowed her to do strange things. Aya had
once explained it as mitochondria...or something of the like. It was something that Aya had too, but she controlled it. After the
whole incident, Eve wasn't able to do the things she used to and Aya had said that was for the best. But what if this...
mitochondria thing was still inside her, and what if she just gave it to Veronica Black by accident?
"Eve? Eve? You there?" Aya's soothing voice brought Eve out of her thoughts. She hadn't even noticed that Aya had
entered the room at all, but there she was, smiling. Aya's smile always made Eve feel safe and happy. It made her feel like she
was appreciated and loved. Aya's smile continued as she asked, "How was school today?"
Eve looked up at Aya and smiled back, "It was okay. Just the regular kinda stuff. I talked to Lana and Kaitlyn about
the sleepover party this weekend."
Aya then took a seat on the inviting cream colored sofa and nodded, "That's good. I hope you have fun this weekend."
"I will." Eve replied as she sat down next to Aya. This made Aya smile and she hugged Eve warmly.
"You're growing up so fast, y'know." Aya said, letting go of Eve.
Eve giggled. "Aya, I'm only in the 8th grade."
Aya shrugged her shoulders and smiled again, "Well, that's still pretty fast to me."
"Yeah. I guess..." Eve's voice trailed off as she began thinking about Veronica again. Should she tell Aya? Eve wasn't
sure. There was a possiblilty that she'd get mad at her. But...she didn't want to keep things from Aya. Aya was always honest
with her. Always there for her. Eve knew it was the right thing to do. She'd tell Aya. "Aya, I got something I wanna talk to you
about."
"Sure. Shoot, Eve. I'm ready for it."
"Today at the end of the day, Veronica Black came up to us..." Eve began.
"Who's Veronica Black?" Aya interupted.
"The most unpopular girl in the school." replied Eve, then getting back to her story, "She came up to us and asked if she
could come to the sleepover party."
"What'd you say to her?" asked Aya, genuinely curious.
"I told her we don't have enough room for her to come and Kaitlyn said something like she wouldn't have a way to get
there. It was pretty funny." Eve answered.
"Did Veronica think it was funny?" inquired Aya.
Eve paused for a moment in thought. "...no. I don't think she did. But that's not the point..."
Aya put a hand up to cut Eve off and said, "If hurting this girl's feelings wasn't the point of this story, than what is?"
"I didn't mean to hurt her...but...Aya...there was something wrong with her...with me..." Eve replied, a twinge of
pleading in her voice.
Aya squinted, her face looking more serious by the moment. "What do you mean?"
"When I looked at her...I felt something...deep inside of me...getting hot...y'know? Like a kettle boiling over or
something...and then Veroinca's eyes changed color. I remember you tellin' me about the mitochondria or something...and I
was thinking that maybe...I...gave what I have...to her..." Eve finally finished, letting out a deep breath when she was done.
Aya froze, her eyes wide with terror. She thought that Eve's powers had receded, that she was no longer like Aya. But
this proved her wrong. Aya had never thought of mitochondria powers being transfered to someone else...but what Eve had
said sounded like what it was. Eve had given her powers to some girl at school. She didn't understand why the girl's eyes had
changed color, but if it was just Eve giving her powers away; it shouldn't be a problem. As long as it wasn't Eve...the one she
had encounted back in New York City, everything was fine. This girl probably wouldn't be able to access the powers anyway.
Yeah, there isn't a problem at all. Aya's face then relaxed, her smile finally returning, "It's okay, Eve. This...Veronica probably
won't even know how to use what you had. She'll probably end up being the same way she always is. Just...remember to try to
be nice to her every once in a while."
Eve's face lit up, a big grin crossing her now happy face. Everything was okay. Veronica would be the same unpopular
girl that she was and Eve could return to her life without guilt. A great weight lifted off of the teenager and she hugged Aya
tightly, "Thanks, Aya. I'll try."
* * * * * *
Veronica came stumbling through the screen door of her small house, slamming it with great force behind her. She
hated that door, always had. It was loud, creaking every time she moved it, and nearly everyday it would become stuck. This
would cause Veronica great frustration as she tried to pry the door from its glued position in vain. Nothing would work. Then
by some unseen force, the door would magically open; Veronica's rage just bubbling up inside her even more. The interior of
her house was a mess. Literally. There were papers piled up in all places imaginable, cat food on one of the tables nearby, and
as much room to manuver if you were in a cardboard box. Veroinca hated her house with a deep passion, the place feeling
cramped and unmanagble for someone her age. Everything was always everywhere, the cables stuck out on the floor, the floor
itself sloping in several places. Yes, home was her Hell away from Hell. And her family did not make things any easier on her
already fragile phyche.
Betty Black was in the kitchen when Veronica had stormed in, nearly breaking a glass in response to the commotion.
Turning to her daughter she scolded patronizingly, "Hon, don't slam the door like that. It's wrong."
Veronica frowned deeply, her eyebrows arching inward in a menacing manner. "I'll try to be more careful next time."
"I need you to stop staying up so late, Veronica. It's unhealthy. Oh, and did I mention that you need to get more
exercise lately? Why, dear, you're wasting away! And you don't eat right! How and I raise a beautiful daughter when all she
eats is junk food and will never work out?" Betty again scolded, but this time with a more demanding, nagging tone to her
voice.
This time Veronica's frown curved into a sneer, her upper lip rising in fuming rage, almost exploding. "Yes, mother. I
have to go now. I have to do my homework."
With the dark air that always surrounded Veronica following her to the tiny staircase to the upstairs, her mother called
after her, "What about that sleepover you wanted to go to? Is it still on? Because if it is, you'll have to cancel. We have no ride
for you to get there."
Bitch. That's what Veronica immediately thought whilst she clenched her fists to keep from screaming. Her mother is
turning into a patronizing, demanding bitch. "No. It wasn't going to happen anyway." She finally called back from the stairs.
"Good." Betty chimed, momentarily going back to what she was doing. However, when Veronica was at the top of the
stairs, Betty called to her, "Oh, and remember to not spend so much money on phone bills and gas. You'll have no money left
for anything and then the phone company will shut off the service. You know how much your father hates explaining to you
about that."
Instead of responding to her mother's constant nagging, Veronica slammed the door to her room shut tightly, though it
rebounded back to her in defiance. There was no refuge in her house where she could truly be alone. Veronica's door would
never shut all the way, the door knob being broken, so anyone could, and would, come in whether she wanted them to or not.
The door also didn't help Veronica's music tastes as she had to leave her music always on her discman and never have the TV
on too loud. There was no privacy, no sanctuary, no solitude for Veronica in her entire house. Never a place where she could
be herself and not be judged by everyone on the planet.
Chapter 2: Haunting Voices
The dream was the same. It was always the same. Veronica would go to school, ready to be friendly, ready to be
accepted, and then be shunned by the entire school. The same nightmare every night. This time was different. In the corner was
Eve, Kaitlyn and Lana, cackling and laughing derisively, their voices echoing in her ears. Veronica put her hands on her ears
and closed her eyes to stop the laughing, but it wouldn't. It kept ringing, mercilessly, vindictively, hurting Veronica down to her
soul.
Then something changed.
The voices stopped laughing.
They were fading, smoothly being drowned out by music. A strangely familiar music. Veronica opened her eyes, and no
longer found herself at school. Something that had never happened before in her nightmares. She was in a red dress, on a large
beautiful stage, in front of an amazingly large amount of people.
But she wasn't in control of her actions. She felt removed, like a spectator in an event. An audience member watching a
movie. She could hear someone singing. No, wait, it was her singing, a lovely opera song. But she felt like it wasn't her, and the
sound came out soft and far away. Like drowning underwater, but not feeling like you needed to come up for air.
Not that this was an unpleasant change from her usual nightmares, but it still felt like it wasn't a dream...more like a
memory.
That's when the dream changed.
She felt herself looking at one blonde woman, and something inside grew overbaringly hot. Quickly she turned around
to her co-stars standing on the stage, and watched in glee as they suddenly combusted. Bright, red hot flames scortching their
bodies as they flailed their arms around in the hopes to put out the raging inferno.
As much as she hated to admit it, Veronica Black was immensely enjoying this dream. Even if it didn't seem her own.
Veronica could still hear her singing, the melodious voice never wavering. As she did, she could see countless people
bursting into flames, running about like chickens with their heads cut off.
Marvelous.
The heavy maroon curtains to the side caught on fire when one of her co-stars collapsed onto it, possibly in some insane
hope that he could put himself out with it. Now the curtains were burning too. Beautiful orange, golden, crimson fire racing up
the side of the curtain, framing her in the destruction, the chaos. It stretched across the entire length of the curtain, to the other
side.
People were falling from the balconies, rushing through the aisles, all pouring over each other to get out of the doomed
performance of the opera.
(Pretty beautiful work, isn't it?)
A voice was whispering to Veronica. It came out clear and unmuddled, unlike the rest of this dream. Veronica was sure
it wasn't her own voice. It was too deep, crisp, and alluring.
(This is my work, you know. All mine. Way back in New York. Carnegie Hall. Melissa Pearce...she was such a
good body to use. She had style for a human. So do you...Veronica.)
The panic around them slowed, and quieted, until it was all moving in a muted slow motion. Now the voice inside
Veronica was even louder, more overpowering.
"Who are you?"
(Very old. Older than you can imagine.)
"You're describing what happened at Carnegie Hall a while ago, during Christmas. Some crazy, weird lady named-"
(Eve. I...am Eve.)
"No way. Eve died. The real Eve. And she ain't in me. And I sure as hell ain't that girl at my school."
(Are you so sure Eve died? The real, Eve, I mean. That little girl...is no more than an experiment. A mockery of
what I am. I am power, Veronica. Much more than you've ever had. If you help me, you might be able to help yourself.)
"Look, this is great that you're talkin' about all this weird shit and all, but I'm not into riddles. That whole New York
thing was over a long time ago. That girl at school is just another one of them bitches that hate me. Parasite Eve is dead. I am
just developing a split personality in my dreams."
(How can you be so sure of that?)
Veronica woke up, sitting up stock straight in bed. Her small room looked even smaller in the dark of night, shadows of
her furniture looking bigger than they did in the light. Next to her bed stood a small wooden bedside table with a tiny lamp
carefully placed on it. Beyond that was the door and farther left was her dresser, with a medium sized mirror attached to it.
After that came a small white cabinet, that only had junk and masses of unused papers in it, while on the top sat her videogame
systems. At the foot of her bed was a large white bookcase where her small 13" color TV stuck out of, supported onto her bed
by a wooden board. Above it was a shelf with the VCR, various vidoes, CDs, and videogames in it. To Veronica's immediate
left was the window, a lamppost outside filling in fake moonlight through her ugly pink colored curtains. Above that was a shelf
where her best action figures were kept. There was little room for posters on her walls, but Veronica had managed to put one
or two up in certain places. Even after all this personal alteration, the room still felt like a box.
Veronica sighed, running a hand through her hair. That was definitely the weirdest dream she had ever had.
"Nothin' like my normal nightmares...some of that was actually fun..." she whispered to herself.
Except for the part where you start to develop a split personality, her mind responded. It was a sad thought, being
more crazy and alienated than she already was, but Veronica wasn't going to put much stock in that idea.
"Probably just my overactive imagination, that's all."
(Veronica...)
"Just an overactive imagination..."
(Veronica...)
"I am not insane."
Ignoring the calling voice, Veronica fell back into her bed, eventually falling into a restless, dreamless sleep. As she did,
she kicked the covers off of herself, feeling hotter than she ever had before. There was no way she could be going insane,
could there?
Author's Comments: So...after loooooong last, I came back to this story. I told you I would, didn't I? Sorry it took so
long. Life tends to get in the way of things like that. Oh, and sorry this chapter isn't too long. I'm trying to spread my
concentration over several projects at once. Don't worry, this one'll eventually get done. The next chapter will probably
feature Veronica in a new day of school, and the new presence of dealing with Eve. Why hasn't Eve fully taken over Veronica?
Is she too strong? Well, you'll just have to keep reading to find out. Please R&R, and stay frosty. :)
by Eve
Well, this is my very first PE fanfiction ever. I, personally, loved the first PE...which is pretty evident if you check out
my nickname. Heheh. PE came to me at a pretty good time. It was a wonderful way to escape from school. Hey, being a
freshman in high school was hard. All I wanted to do was go home and escape for a good few hours in PE. I loved it from
beginning to end, really. Though the endings were quite confusing. Then earlier this year, PE2 came out. God, how I did
anticipate that game for a while. It seemed so cool...then I didn't think about it for a good few months until right before it came
out. After playing through it multiple times, I'd have to say that PE2 was a rip-off of RE3. The way Aya is now is reminicent of
how Jill was in RE3. And it's sad really. The thing had so much potential and they screwed up the story so bad. That and a
whole buncha other things I won't get into. Heheh. Getting more to the point of this, I decided to mix a little Stephen King into
this whole after PE2 thing. Hey, I can't really ignore the game now, can I? Yes, you will notice this is very much like Carrie
(for those of you who have read Carrie, or seen the movie...though the book is better). Veronica has a lot of me in her, but is
also a bit like Carrie. Having strange powers kinda way. This time, there'll be a different ending. I can guarantee that. So, this is
half of my story. My tortured soul. I just hope that even this can shed a little light on how terrible school and other people can
be. ~Vanessa "Eve" Cohen
Chapter 1: Tortured Souls
Crowded hallways and seas of chattering humans filled Orangetown Middle School. Throughout all the masses, one
blonde head poked out, making its way to the end of the hall connecting to the main entrance. The blonde head finally emerged
out of the ocean of students and stood with a few friends in front of the main entrance. The blonde head belonged to a female
student, her very light blonde hair reached down only to her shoulders and was shorter in the front. While her eyes were bright
and full of life, there was something about them that gave off something deeper was in her...something no one was supposed to
know about. This was Eve. Or at least that's what everyone called her. Not too long ago, a few months perhaps, she was
enrolled in the school and immediately became the life of the party. Popular, happy, vibrant; these were the words best used to
describe this happy teenager, Eve. Seeing her, chatting away with her friends gleefully, you'd expect she was the poster child
for normal teenagers. Yet, her life had been anything but normal from day one.
A slightly taller girl next to her, going by the name of Lana Ranco, with curly red hair and sparkling green eyes,
cheerfully asked, "So you comin' to the sleepover party on Saturday?"
"Of course! I wouldn't miss it for the world! Aya said it was okay so I'm definitely there!" Eve answered, with great
enthusiasm.
Another girl, standing to Eve's left, named Kaitlyn Brantseg, commented, "Eve, where are your parents? How can you
only live with your sister? I just don't understand how that works. Doesn't Aya need parents?"
This one comment brought a dark cloud over the conversation. Eve's expression went from gleefilled to one of dark
contemplation. As if the flood gates had been opened and a deluge of bad memories were filling the river of her mind. Places,
feelings, events that she did not want to go back to. But as quickly as this dark cloud had decended on the conversation,
it lifted. Eve brightened her face and replied, "Aya's over 18, y'know. So she can take care of us both. Our mother died...while
she was having me...and father...died a few years ago. That's why it's just the two of us."
The two other girls 'ooohed' at Eve's answer and nodded in understanding. Then the conversation turned back to the
said sleepover party. All three of them giggling in happiness. As they began walking outside, another student bumped into them.
From first glance, you wouldn't think twice about Veronica Black. She was of average height, with shining dark brown
hair hanging down to her shoulders. Dressed in jeans and a black shirt, she looked like every other student you could meet.
But, once you looked closer, you could sense there was something different about Veronica. Her dark brown eyes seemed to
scream of sadness, anger, resentment, and pain all at the same time. The light blue circles under her eyes never left her, a
symbol of her abnormality. Her pale skin always the same light cream color that never tanned. And her mouth, usually fixed in
an unfriendly frown. Give her a leather jacket and sunglasses (to keep the tortured eyes from other's sight) and you would get
Veronica Black; a tortured soul. An outcast in our menial system of education. The one that was always made fun of, just
because of one small thing that separated her from the rest. She wasn't always unfriendly; she was made into it. Veronica tried
to be friendly. God, did she ever. But for poor Veronica, every time she reached out, her hand was returned to her burned and
singed.
Eve turned to look at the girl who had bumped into them and found Veronica, staring back at her from under her
sunglasses. For once, she was smiling. These days, it was a rarity to see Veronica crack a smile. "Hi, Eve, Kaitlyn, Lana." She
said, trying to keep her smile going.
"Hello Veronica." The three girls returned in unison. After the greeting was done with, the three girls went back to their
giggling and talking. Veronica remained by their side.
"I heard about this sleepover party you guys are having. I was wondering if I could come." Veronica blurted out.
Sounding embarassed and anixous all at the same time.
This stopped the three chattering girls. All three turning their attention to this lone, dark figure. Veronica took off her
sunglasses for a minute to look at them. An extreme rarity. For Veronica Black hadn't really taken off her sunglasses at school
since the 6th grade, already two years. Pleading, tortured eyes, the ones belonging to Veronica, looked from girl to girl for
reaction. Something. Something that would let her know if she was finally in. Nothing. Not a twitch from any of them. All her
eyes met from Kaitlyn and Lana were stone cold looks. Nothing again. But when Veronica looked at Eve...something
happened. Veronica had never felt something inside of her like this before. She looked deep into Eve's eyes and saw a bit of
herself. A bit of another tortured soul who was crying out for attention. While Eve had succeeded in her mission; Veronica had
failed. There was something else too. Something...evil. For a moment, Veronica felt her body get hot. Like she was burning up
from a fever. For a very brief second, her eyes went from their tortured dark brown to a vibrant, shining green. However, as
soon as the heat and eye color change had came, it suddenly left and the two were still staring at each other, as if nothing had
happened at all. A split second. That was all it was.
"Sorry, Veronica. We don't have enough room for you to come." Eve replied.
"Yeah." Kaitlyn piped in, "You wouldn't have a way to get there anyway."
This, for some strange reason, sent the three girls into an histeric giggling fit. The joke on Veronica once again. Quickly
putting her sunglasses on, Veronica turned to the sidewalk where a school bus was still waiting, engine revved up to go. Briskly,
Veronica walked off, still hearing the cackling laughter of her three classmates. Beneath her glasses, Veronica's eyes flashed
green again, but only for a second or two. With the laughter filling the air around her, Veronica fell into one of the aise seats on
the bus and blasted her eardrums with loud heavy metal music from her discman. Tears swelled up in Veronica's tortured eyes,
one of them falling down her cheek, glistening in the sunlight shone in from the window. A lone tear from under her sunglasses.
A feeling. Something that Veronica did not want to show anymore. This event pushed her farther away from the norm.
Veronica was becoming more different than she had ever been before. Each time she was rejected, she became less friendly.
As the bus roared to life and drove away from Veronica's humiliation and mocking laughter, she silently swore she'd
never try to do anything like that again. And again, her eyes flashed to a bright emerald green and back to dark brown again.
Yes, this was one day where Veronica Black had changed. Veronica was changing. In more ways than she even knew.
* * * * * *
Eve opened the door to her apartment that she and Aya shared and stepped inside. It was a nice apartment. Not too
large and not too small. Eve's room was at the other end of the apartment, Aya's being next door. In front of Eve was the
hallway leading to the living room and kitchen. After hanging her coat up, Eve walked into the living room. The cream colored
sofa was in the middle of the room looking comfortable and inviting. Golden sunlight streamed into the room through tall framed
glass windows. Nearby the sofa was a light brown colored coffee table and a television in front of that. An aura of warmth and
friendly eminated around the room. To Eve, this place was safe. As safe as she could be. Not like what had happened earlier
that day with Veronica. That was not right.
Eve personally didn't have anything against Veronica Black, but she had learned quickly that if you don't act like
everyone else, you're toast. But this time...something had changed. Looking deep into Veronica's eyes, she saw something she
hadn't seen before; another tortured soul. Eve had been experimented on and used her entire life and in Veronica she nearly
saw the same pain. The dull tiredness behind the facade of brightness, hopes dashed and pain beyond any pain normal people
would feel. Both these two teenagers had something in common; hidden pain. Two tortured souls; but one had lived an entirely
different life. Eve kept having nightmares; remembering fragments of her past. Remembering the experiments, the helplessness,
the feeling of being used. When Eve had looked into Veronica's eyes she saw the same thing, the helplessness. Like Veronica
had nightmares herself. And while Eve's were about her less than average past, Veronica's were about where she was now.
Her own private Hell entitled school. Yes, she wasn't experimented on, but the pain brought by her peers made her feel nearly
the same. Eve saw all that in Veronica's eyes. They say that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and this had proved it. But
while seeing herself in Veronica's eyes, she felt something else. Like a part of her growing hot and boiling over. She was a pot
full of hot water and looking at Veronica made her boil over, spilling something inside of her into Veronica. Eve could see it.
For a split second, the deep dark brown eyes that Veronica sported turned to a bright emerald green, then back to their normal
dark brown. Something had happened. Eve had given Veronica a part of herself. A part of herself she now believed she
probably should've kept. She remembered that she had had something inside her that allowed her to do strange things. Aya had
once explained it as mitochondria...or something of the like. It was something that Aya had too, but she controlled it. After the
whole incident, Eve wasn't able to do the things she used to and Aya had said that was for the best. But what if this...
mitochondria thing was still inside her, and what if she just gave it to Veronica Black by accident?
"Eve? Eve? You there?" Aya's soothing voice brought Eve out of her thoughts. She hadn't even noticed that Aya had
entered the room at all, but there she was, smiling. Aya's smile always made Eve feel safe and happy. It made her feel like she
was appreciated and loved. Aya's smile continued as she asked, "How was school today?"
Eve looked up at Aya and smiled back, "It was okay. Just the regular kinda stuff. I talked to Lana and Kaitlyn about
the sleepover party this weekend."
Aya then took a seat on the inviting cream colored sofa and nodded, "That's good. I hope you have fun this weekend."
"I will." Eve replied as she sat down next to Aya. This made Aya smile and she hugged Eve warmly.
"You're growing up so fast, y'know." Aya said, letting go of Eve.
Eve giggled. "Aya, I'm only in the 8th grade."
Aya shrugged her shoulders and smiled again, "Well, that's still pretty fast to me."
"Yeah. I guess..." Eve's voice trailed off as she began thinking about Veronica again. Should she tell Aya? Eve wasn't
sure. There was a possiblilty that she'd get mad at her. But...she didn't want to keep things from Aya. Aya was always honest
with her. Always there for her. Eve knew it was the right thing to do. She'd tell Aya. "Aya, I got something I wanna talk to you
about."
"Sure. Shoot, Eve. I'm ready for it."
"Today at the end of the day, Veronica Black came up to us..." Eve began.
"Who's Veronica Black?" Aya interupted.
"The most unpopular girl in the school." replied Eve, then getting back to her story, "She came up to us and asked if she
could come to the sleepover party."
"What'd you say to her?" asked Aya, genuinely curious.
"I told her we don't have enough room for her to come and Kaitlyn said something like she wouldn't have a way to get
there. It was pretty funny." Eve answered.
"Did Veronica think it was funny?" inquired Aya.
Eve paused for a moment in thought. "...no. I don't think she did. But that's not the point..."
Aya put a hand up to cut Eve off and said, "If hurting this girl's feelings wasn't the point of this story, than what is?"
"I didn't mean to hurt her...but...Aya...there was something wrong with her...with me..." Eve replied, a twinge of
pleading in her voice.
Aya squinted, her face looking more serious by the moment. "What do you mean?"
"When I looked at her...I felt something...deep inside of me...getting hot...y'know? Like a kettle boiling over or
something...and then Veroinca's eyes changed color. I remember you tellin' me about the mitochondria or something...and I
was thinking that maybe...I...gave what I have...to her..." Eve finally finished, letting out a deep breath when she was done.
Aya froze, her eyes wide with terror. She thought that Eve's powers had receded, that she was no longer like Aya. But
this proved her wrong. Aya had never thought of mitochondria powers being transfered to someone else...but what Eve had
said sounded like what it was. Eve had given her powers to some girl at school. She didn't understand why the girl's eyes had
changed color, but if it was just Eve giving her powers away; it shouldn't be a problem. As long as it wasn't Eve...the one she
had encounted back in New York City, everything was fine. This girl probably wouldn't be able to access the powers anyway.
Yeah, there isn't a problem at all. Aya's face then relaxed, her smile finally returning, "It's okay, Eve. This...Veronica probably
won't even know how to use what you had. She'll probably end up being the same way she always is. Just...remember to try to
be nice to her every once in a while."
Eve's face lit up, a big grin crossing her now happy face. Everything was okay. Veronica would be the same unpopular
girl that she was and Eve could return to her life without guilt. A great weight lifted off of the teenager and she hugged Aya
tightly, "Thanks, Aya. I'll try."
* * * * * *
Veronica came stumbling through the screen door of her small house, slamming it with great force behind her. She
hated that door, always had. It was loud, creaking every time she moved it, and nearly everyday it would become stuck. This
would cause Veronica great frustration as she tried to pry the door from its glued position in vain. Nothing would work. Then
by some unseen force, the door would magically open; Veronica's rage just bubbling up inside her even more. The interior of
her house was a mess. Literally. There were papers piled up in all places imaginable, cat food on one of the tables nearby, and
as much room to manuver if you were in a cardboard box. Veroinca hated her house with a deep passion, the place feeling
cramped and unmanagble for someone her age. Everything was always everywhere, the cables stuck out on the floor, the floor
itself sloping in several places. Yes, home was her Hell away from Hell. And her family did not make things any easier on her
already fragile phyche.
Betty Black was in the kitchen when Veronica had stormed in, nearly breaking a glass in response to the commotion.
Turning to her daughter she scolded patronizingly, "Hon, don't slam the door like that. It's wrong."
Veronica frowned deeply, her eyebrows arching inward in a menacing manner. "I'll try to be more careful next time."
"I need you to stop staying up so late, Veronica. It's unhealthy. Oh, and did I mention that you need to get more
exercise lately? Why, dear, you're wasting away! And you don't eat right! How and I raise a beautiful daughter when all she
eats is junk food and will never work out?" Betty again scolded, but this time with a more demanding, nagging tone to her
voice.
This time Veronica's frown curved into a sneer, her upper lip rising in fuming rage, almost exploding. "Yes, mother. I
have to go now. I have to do my homework."
With the dark air that always surrounded Veronica following her to the tiny staircase to the upstairs, her mother called
after her, "What about that sleepover you wanted to go to? Is it still on? Because if it is, you'll have to cancel. We have no ride
for you to get there."
Bitch. That's what Veronica immediately thought whilst she clenched her fists to keep from screaming. Her mother is
turning into a patronizing, demanding bitch. "No. It wasn't going to happen anyway." She finally called back from the stairs.
"Good." Betty chimed, momentarily going back to what she was doing. However, when Veronica was at the top of the
stairs, Betty called to her, "Oh, and remember to not spend so much money on phone bills and gas. You'll have no money left
for anything and then the phone company will shut off the service. You know how much your father hates explaining to you
about that."
Instead of responding to her mother's constant nagging, Veronica slammed the door to her room shut tightly, though it
rebounded back to her in defiance. There was no refuge in her house where she could truly be alone. Veronica's door would
never shut all the way, the door knob being broken, so anyone could, and would, come in whether she wanted them to or not.
The door also didn't help Veronica's music tastes as she had to leave her music always on her discman and never have the TV
on too loud. There was no privacy, no sanctuary, no solitude for Veronica in her entire house. Never a place where she could
be herself and not be judged by everyone on the planet.
Chapter 2: Haunting Voices
The dream was the same. It was always the same. Veronica would go to school, ready to be friendly, ready to be
accepted, and then be shunned by the entire school. The same nightmare every night. This time was different. In the corner was
Eve, Kaitlyn and Lana, cackling and laughing derisively, their voices echoing in her ears. Veronica put her hands on her ears
and closed her eyes to stop the laughing, but it wouldn't. It kept ringing, mercilessly, vindictively, hurting Veronica down to her
soul.
Then something changed.
The voices stopped laughing.
They were fading, smoothly being drowned out by music. A strangely familiar music. Veronica opened her eyes, and no
longer found herself at school. Something that had never happened before in her nightmares. She was in a red dress, on a large
beautiful stage, in front of an amazingly large amount of people.
But she wasn't in control of her actions. She felt removed, like a spectator in an event. An audience member watching a
movie. She could hear someone singing. No, wait, it was her singing, a lovely opera song. But she felt like it wasn't her, and the
sound came out soft and far away. Like drowning underwater, but not feeling like you needed to come up for air.
Not that this was an unpleasant change from her usual nightmares, but it still felt like it wasn't a dream...more like a
memory.
That's when the dream changed.
She felt herself looking at one blonde woman, and something inside grew overbaringly hot. Quickly she turned around
to her co-stars standing on the stage, and watched in glee as they suddenly combusted. Bright, red hot flames scortching their
bodies as they flailed their arms around in the hopes to put out the raging inferno.
As much as she hated to admit it, Veronica Black was immensely enjoying this dream. Even if it didn't seem her own.
Veronica could still hear her singing, the melodious voice never wavering. As she did, she could see countless people
bursting into flames, running about like chickens with their heads cut off.
Marvelous.
The heavy maroon curtains to the side caught on fire when one of her co-stars collapsed onto it, possibly in some insane
hope that he could put himself out with it. Now the curtains were burning too. Beautiful orange, golden, crimson fire racing up
the side of the curtain, framing her in the destruction, the chaos. It stretched across the entire length of the curtain, to the other
side.
People were falling from the balconies, rushing through the aisles, all pouring over each other to get out of the doomed
performance of the opera.
(Pretty beautiful work, isn't it?)
A voice was whispering to Veronica. It came out clear and unmuddled, unlike the rest of this dream. Veronica was sure
it wasn't her own voice. It was too deep, crisp, and alluring.
(This is my work, you know. All mine. Way back in New York. Carnegie Hall. Melissa Pearce...she was such a
good body to use. She had style for a human. So do you...Veronica.)
The panic around them slowed, and quieted, until it was all moving in a muted slow motion. Now the voice inside
Veronica was even louder, more overpowering.
"Who are you?"
(Very old. Older than you can imagine.)
"You're describing what happened at Carnegie Hall a while ago, during Christmas. Some crazy, weird lady named-"
(Eve. I...am Eve.)
"No way. Eve died. The real Eve. And she ain't in me. And I sure as hell ain't that girl at my school."
(Are you so sure Eve died? The real, Eve, I mean. That little girl...is no more than an experiment. A mockery of
what I am. I am power, Veronica. Much more than you've ever had. If you help me, you might be able to help yourself.)
"Look, this is great that you're talkin' about all this weird shit and all, but I'm not into riddles. That whole New York
thing was over a long time ago. That girl at school is just another one of them bitches that hate me. Parasite Eve is dead. I am
just developing a split personality in my dreams."
(How can you be so sure of that?)
Veronica woke up, sitting up stock straight in bed. Her small room looked even smaller in the dark of night, shadows of
her furniture looking bigger than they did in the light. Next to her bed stood a small wooden bedside table with a tiny lamp
carefully placed on it. Beyond that was the door and farther left was her dresser, with a medium sized mirror attached to it.
After that came a small white cabinet, that only had junk and masses of unused papers in it, while on the top sat her videogame
systems. At the foot of her bed was a large white bookcase where her small 13" color TV stuck out of, supported onto her bed
by a wooden board. Above it was a shelf with the VCR, various vidoes, CDs, and videogames in it. To Veronica's immediate
left was the window, a lamppost outside filling in fake moonlight through her ugly pink colored curtains. Above that was a shelf
where her best action figures were kept. There was little room for posters on her walls, but Veronica had managed to put one
or two up in certain places. Even after all this personal alteration, the room still felt like a box.
Veronica sighed, running a hand through her hair. That was definitely the weirdest dream she had ever had.
"Nothin' like my normal nightmares...some of that was actually fun..." she whispered to herself.
Except for the part where you start to develop a split personality, her mind responded. It was a sad thought, being
more crazy and alienated than she already was, but Veronica wasn't going to put much stock in that idea.
"Probably just my overactive imagination, that's all."
(Veronica...)
"Just an overactive imagination..."
(Veronica...)
"I am not insane."
Ignoring the calling voice, Veronica fell back into her bed, eventually falling into a restless, dreamless sleep. As she did,
she kicked the covers off of herself, feeling hotter than she ever had before. There was no way she could be going insane,
could there?
Author's Comments: So...after loooooong last, I came back to this story. I told you I would, didn't I? Sorry it took so
long. Life tends to get in the way of things like that. Oh, and sorry this chapter isn't too long. I'm trying to spread my
concentration over several projects at once. Don't worry, this one'll eventually get done. The next chapter will probably
feature Veronica in a new day of school, and the new presence of dealing with Eve. Why hasn't Eve fully taken over Veronica?
Is she too strong? Well, you'll just have to keep reading to find out. Please R&R, and stay frosty. :)