Chapter 1

It was typical California summer day, the blazing sun hot as it could get burnt her pale skin as she walked along a narrow, forlorn alley way. Something she would never have done unless dire circumstances forced her to. But today, the circumstance was indeed dire. She was already late from school and she had to get home early as possible if she could least take a wash and refresh herself before her shift at the cafe shop begins. And the heavens knew! One more late check in and the only job she had in a long that paid decently would be gone with the wind.

"Yo! Aline!" she froze as she heard someone call from behind, "walking home, alone again?"

She didn't bother to answer, instead just quickening her pace, her head bent low beneath the hood, hoping that maybe he was too drunk to notice it was her if she didn't acknowledge him.

Her hands clenched into fists as she heard laughter echo against the narrow building walls reach her ears. She knew who that voice belonged to. She'd recognise it anywhere. Samuel, her half-brother. And she also knew answering back would just mean more trouble. Especially considering the distinct slur in his voice.

Before long, Aline heard the heavy thud of large foot steps behind her, and she didn't pause to see who it was. Instead she broke into a run, a torrent of insults and various noises of insults following her back. Aline cursed as she realised with a start exactly where she was running to. And as if to confirm, as soon as she'd rounded the corner a looming brick wall peppered with spray paint drawings and crude remarks, appeared in front of her. She cursed under her breath, turning around.

"Why do you always run from me, little sister?"Sam's voice was the perfect mask of deception, almost earnestly as if the fact bothered him. In fact, she had a feeling that it 'humored' him, instead of bother him. "Its not like I would harm you or something. That's just not what brothers do."

Aline turned around, her mind made up, she was tired, tired of running away, tired of being afraid, tired of being weak, so she turned around, yanking her arm away from his. "Don't," she said, desperately trying to keep the panic off her voice. "you dare touch me, ever again."

He replied in a mocking voice, "Or what will you do? Hit me maybe?" She didn't answer, instead to his surprise and hers even, her fist connected to his face, as she felt something hard crack beneath her knuckles, just as pain shot up all the way up towards her shoulder blades.

Aline gasped, stumbling back in surprise just as Sam, his eyes wide brought his fingers to his nose only to bring them back coated in a red smear that could only be blood. Oh shit! she had time to think before she dodged, pushing him, as he made a grab, not slowing down until she reached home.

She bolted into her room, locking the door behind her. Her mother wasn't home, and it wont be long before Sam found her. "Shit!" she muttured as tears rolled from her eyes.

No one would believe her, not even her own mother. When she'd tried to tell her, it was Sam who hurt her and not the other way around, her mother would just shoo her away and go after her precious son.

Sam was the kind of boy who lit butterfly wings on fire, just to see them burn as they flew away. Of course, no one would believe her, Sam would never do such a monstrous thing. Sam who'd never hurt an ant. Sam the beautiful angel boy.

No wonder they confused innocence with beauty. A mistake she swore she never would make, well at least if she lived long enough for that. She heard fists pounding on her door, threatening to break it down. Aline scurried back to the corner of her room. She had nowhere to hide. He'd find her. He'd find her, and he'd kill her. She knew it. Damn! He was bad enough when he was drunk alone. Now he was drunk, injured and majorly pissed off.

From the other side of the door, she heard a swear. "Fuck Aline! I know you're in there. Open the door, or I'll knock it down. And trust me sister, you don't want that to happen. You really don't."

She could almost see him grinning, that maniacal grin that somehow managed to look beautiful and deadly at the same time. She knew there was no use hiding. He knew she was in there.

The door shuddered before it gave way with a deafening noise to the heavy battering, she wondered it hadn't given away earlier.

He walked in like a raging monster, eyes lost of all innocence, instead burning with pure hated. She winced as she saw the brown stain of dried blood, tainting his nose. What she'd inflicted.

Aline quivered in her corner like a cornered animal, her legs trembling. She closed her eyes, just as a cheshire grin spread up his face, the last thing she saw, etched to the back of her eyelids, yet another image to haunt her nightmares, before a sharp pain coursed through the side of her head, slowly spreading throughout her face, almost like a monster stretching its claws inside her head.

Her legs gave in and black spots danced in her vision, she fell down bracing herself for the impact of the cool floor, but it never came. Instead she felt her head hit something soft and the smell of something distinctly outdoors hit her. She had time the think, What have I done? Before the darkness pulled her within, and she sank gratefully, not knowing when, or for that matter whether, she would wake up again. But that was alright with her. That was what she wanted.

A/N : Reviews would be very much appreciated and welcomed!