(DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Sonic the Hedgehog or any of their characters and props. But I do own my OCs.)

Chapter One: Nightmarish Memory

"C'mon Chris! We're going to be late for dinner!" a 10 year old girl complained as she tapped her foot impatiently on the forest ground. Her red-orange hair shimmered against the soft rays from the sunset. Her tan complexion brought out her emerald eyes that happen to match her dirty sundress. You could barely see her freckles for there was dirt smeared across her face. "C'mon! You're going to get me in trouble again!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" called 8 year old boy. He looked a lot like the girl except for his eyes and skin tone. His eyes were blue while his skin was paler than the girl's. He wore khaki pants with a red button up shirt… which were also dirty. "Carrie! It's not my fault that you are a fast runner!"

"Well, I would've slowed down for you but you pushed me in the mud!"

"You like mud!"

"Not when I'm wearing this dress!"

"You hate dresses!"

"Mom made me wear it! And now I'm going to get in trouble because it's dirty! And you made us late so I'm in extra trouble! And it's all your fault!"

As they continued to bicker, they walked up to their mansion home. They were greeted by a younger Ella who was not happy with what she saw.

"You two!" Ella roared in annoyance. "You're all dirty and it's time for dinner!"

"Sorry, Ella," the two kids chorused apologetically.

Ella sighed took the children to the nearest bathroom. "Wash your faces and I'll be back with new clothes. Your parents have guests tonight so you must be on your best behavior!"

Carrie and Chris's faces were clean when Ella came back with a new pink sundress and new khakis and lavender shirt. They took turns changing in the bathroom. When they were done, Ella looked them over for approval.

"Aw, you two look just… darling!"

"I hate pink." Carrie said darkly as her arms were crossed.

"And purple is a girl's color!" Chris whined.

"Well, are they clean?" Ella asked sternly as she too crossed her arms.

"Yes," the two chorused as they looked down.

"That's the only thing that matters. The rest of your clothes are filthy!" Ella ushered the children toward the dining room. "And I can't clean them because you keep hiding them!"

"We don't like dress-up clothes!" Chris whined again.

"Yeah!" Carrie agreed childishly.

"Cry me a river, you two. Now, go to dinner!"

Nelson and Linsey Thorndyke and the two children sat with Mr. and Mrs. Honeybush and their 12 year old son, Justin, at the dinner table. Carrie hated Justin with a passion. Everything about him screamed 'conceited'. His neat, blonde hair; his cocky gray eyes that matched his suit. He looked exactly like his parents which infuriated Carrie even more. Chris felt the same way, but it was more of being protective of his big sister. Justin liked Carrie… a lot. With this knowledge, the Honeybush's decided on a proposal.

"Mr. Thorndyke," Mr. Honeybush's thick British accent disturbed the peaceful dinner. "Dinner, this evening, is quite delightful. But I'm afraid we are also here on family business more than for pleasure."

"Oh?" Nelson put down his knife and fork to be polite as he conversed. "Tell me, Mr. Honeybush, what brings you to our home?"

"We have a proposal."

"What kind of proposal?"

"Well, you see, Mr. Thorndyke, our family tree has diminished over the years. And we have decided to combine our family with yours."

"I give my deepest sympathy about your family," Linsey expressed. "But please explain further on how you are intending to combine families."

"We want an arranged marriage." Mr. Honeybush stated with a pompous attitude.

"Arrange marriage?" Nelson sat up more with confusion. "Arrange marriage for whom?"

"Our son… and your daughter."

"What?!" All the Thorndyke's exclaimed except for Chris, who clearly did not understand the situation.

"What's an arranged marriage, Dad?" Chris asked innocently.

"Something we are disagreeing to!" Nelson glared across the table at the stubborn family.

"I beg your pardon?" Mrs. Honeybush glared back.

"We decline your offer," Linsey stated sternly. "My deepest apologies but we can't possibly force our daughter to marry your son. We want Carrie to marry for love, not profit."

"And what is wrong with our son? Do you think she could never love him? Are you saying my son cannot be loved?" Mr. Honeybush stood up abruptly.

"Daddy," Justin whimpered in a fake manner. "They don't think I'm good enough for Carrie!"

"Now," Nelson held up his hand. "That's not what we meant."

"Ha!" Carrie glared at Justin. "I rather eat a bowl of WORMS than have anything to do with THAT twerp!"

"And it takes a lot for her to eat worms!" Chris piped.

"That could be arranged, brat!" Mr. Honeybush growled.

"ARE YOU THREATENING MY DAUGHTER?" Nelson roared.

"Mr. Thorndyke, contain yourself. You are acting rather… caveman-like." Mrs. Honeybush ordered.

"My husband is not acting like a caveman!" Linsey glared and she crossed her arms. "He's doing his job as a father and husband… protecting his child!"

"Again, Mr. and Mrs. Honeybush, we are declining your offer of an arranged marriage. Now, if you please… leave!"

Later that night, Linsey was tucking Carrie into bed. "Mom… I'm not going to marry that Justin, am I?"

"No, darling, never." Linsey smiled at Carrie's relieved face.

"Does this mean I have to eat worms?"

"Don't be silly, darling. That wretched family is not worth the torture… or the taste. Uck!"

"Yay! No worms AND no Justin! I really hate Justin, Mom."

"Hate is a strong word. But I see why you feel that way." With another smile, Linsey kissed her daughter's forehead. "Now, go to sleep."

"Night, Mom!"

"Night, darling."

Mr. and Mrs. Thorndyke were awoken by a piercing scream… their daughter's scream. "Carrie!" they called as they dashed out of bed. But when they entered their hallway, all they could see was smoke. Not just smoke, tear-gas. The couple instantly started coughing as their eyes became painfully teary.

"Nelson!" Linsey coughed out. "We must get to Carrie and Chris!"

"Let me go!" Carrie screamed as a man in black threw her over his shoulder. She kicked and punched, but it was useless. "I'm warning you!" The man ignored her. "Fine, have it your WAY!" With that, Carrie turned her body and jabbed her knee into the man's throat (she couldn't get his face for his was wearing a gas mask). The man choked on the pulsing pain as he tumbled backwards. Unfortunately for Carrie, he fell back into the wall… and in the process, she banged her head hard. They both fell to the floor as Carrie wailed in pain. Tears ran down her face from both the pain and the green gas. She coughed insanely as she tried to stand up. Blood trickled down her face from her forehead as she stumbled down the hall.

"Carrie!" Chris's voice called from his cracked door, which was three-feet away from her. "Get in!"

Carrie wasted no time; she dashed into the gas-free room and coughed out the wretched taste of the green smoke. "Carrie, what's going on? Are you ok?"

"Shh!" Carrie put her hand over his face.

"Children!" an elderly woman's voice called as she walked through the door.

"Gramma!" they ran up to their grandmother, who held a cloth over her face. "Your parents and Ella are looking for you! We must get you two out of here!"

"Dream on, lady!" a boy's voice declared behind the trio while holding up a handgun. He was dressed in all black including a mask… but was only wearing goggles instead of the gas mask (the rest of his face was covered with a cloth). When the grandmother turned around, she was instantly shot in the head.

Carrie and Chris screamed as their grandmother's blood splattered across their faces. "Gramma!" Chris called as he fell to his dead grandparent's side. He looked up at the assassinator and glared. "You killed Gramma!"

"Now, I'll kill you!" he growled as he aimed the gun at Chris. Right when pulled the trigger, their guard dog jump on the boy causing his aim to move. Instead of the bullet hitting Chris's chest, it hit the edge of his shoulder. The evil boy screamed bloody-murder as the dog bit down on his face, tearing it apart. "Dad!!!" the mysterious gunner-boy called.

"Chris!" Carrie cried as she pressed down on his wound to prevent more bleeding. Chris wailed in pain as hot tears streamed down his face. She looked up when she heard another gunshot. She looked to see their dog's head shattered into brainy pieces. "Butch!"

"Bitch!" it was the same guy from before… the one she kneed in the neck. With the handle of his gun, he decked Carrie in the face and shot her in the leg.

"Ahhh!" Carrie wailed. Chris cried even more as he watched his sister get hit again in the face, and then heaved over the man's shoulder. Another man in black walked in and checked on the boy.

"We better get the fuck out of here!" The other man exclaimed. With that, he picked up the boy and they left Chris alone in pain.

"Carrie! CARRIE!"

"CARRIE!" 13 year old Chris sat up in his bed sweating and panting. He looked around and realized he was in his room, in his bed with his blanket and bed sheets tangled. He sighed as he rolled up his sleeve to look at his scar that he got when he younger.