I do not own any of the characters except for Angel, everyone/thing else belongs to Gena Showalter! This is my first time writing fan fiction, let me know if you like it. I apologise for some of the spelling as I am Australian so some of the words might look different.
Alice and Angel are twins, but not identical. Angel Bell has blonde hair like Alice's but not as white, but she has the same blue eyes. Angel is very rebellious and, in many ways, different than Alice BUT both sisters are very smart, great fighters and over all very similar. The story is mostly from Angels perspective but sometimes will include Ali's. I have tried to keep it as similar to the main story as I could whilst still adapting it to mine x
A note from Angel:
Had anyone told me that my entire life would change course between one heartbeat and the next, I would have laughed. From blissful to tragic. Innocent to ruined? Please.
But that's all it took, one heartbeat, a blink, a breath, a second and everything I knew and loved was gone.
My name is Angelina Bell, and on the night of my sisters and I's sixteenth birthday we lost the mother we loved, the sister we adored and the father we never understood until it as too late. Until that heartbeat when our entire world collapsed and a new one took shape around us.
My father was right. Monsters walk among us.
At night, these living dead, these...zombies...rise from their grave and crave what they lost. Life. They will feed on you. They will infect you. And then they will kill you. If that happens, you will rise from your grave. Its an endless cycle, like a mouse running inside a barbed wire, bleeding and dying as those sharp tips dig even deeper, with no way to stop the lethal momentum.
These zombies feel no fear, know no pain, but they hunger. Oh, do they hunger. There's only one way to stop them-but I can't tell you how. You'll have to be shown. What I can tell you is that we must fight the zombies to disable them. To fight them you must get close to them. To get close to them, we must be a little brave and a whole lot crazy.
But you know what? I'd rather the world consider me crazy while I go down fighting then spend the rest of my life hiding from the truth. Zombies are real. They're out there.
If you aren't vigilant, they will get you, too.
So. Yeah. I should have listened to my father. He warned me over and over again never to go out at night, never to venture into a cemetery and never, under any circumstance to trust someone who wants you to do either He should have taken his own advice, because he trusted us – And we convinced him to do both.
I wish I could go back and do a thousand things differently. I'd tell my little sister no. I'd never beg my mother to talk to my dad. I'd Stop the tears from falling. I'd zip my lips and swallow those hateful words. Or, barring all of that, I'd hug my sister, my mum and my dad one last time. I'd tell them I loved them.
I wish...yeah, I wish.
Six Months Ago
"Please, girls. Please."
My twin, Alice, and I lay sprawled on a blanket in our backyard, both of us weaving half a daisy chain for our little sister. The sun shone brightly as puffy white clouds ghosted across an endless expanse of baby blue, I could make out a few shapes. A long, leggy caterpillar. A butterfly with one of its wings shredded. A fat white rabbit, racing towards a tree. Our Eight-year-old sister, Emma danced around us. She wore a glittery pink ballerina outfit, her pigtails bouncing with her every movement. She was a miniature version of our mother and the complete opposite of Alice and I. Both possessed a slick fall of dark hair and beautifully uptilted golden eyes. Mum was short, barely over five-three, and I wasn't sure Em would make it to five-one. But my sister and I? Alice had long white blonde wavy hair that went hallway down her back. But I had long, blonde, wavy hair that twisted to my waist but unlike Alice- it wasn't white, mine was the typical example of blonde. We both had big blue eyes and legs that stretched for miles. At five ten, we were taller than almost everyone at school and always stood out- we couldn't go anywhere without getting a few what-are-you-a-giraffes? stares. Boys had never shown an interest in us, but I couldn't count the amount of times I had caught one drooling over mum as she walked by or -gag- heard one whistle as she bent over to pick something up.
"Ange-lina"At my side now, Em stomped her slippered foot in a bid for my attention, I look next to me to see Alice sigh and give me an apologetic look.
"Sweetie, we've gone over this, like a thousand times. Your rehearsal might start while its sunny out, but it'll end at dark. You know Dad will never let us leave the house. And mum agreed to sign you up for the program as long as you swore to never throw a tantrum when you couldn't make a practise or a, what? Recital."
She stepped over me and planted her dainty slippers at my shoulders, her body throwing large enough to shield my face from the sun. She became all I could see, determined, shimmering gold pleading down at me.
"As I said to Alice, todays your birthday, and I know, I know, I forgot this morning...and this afternoon...but last week I remembered that it was coming up -youguysremember how I told mum, right?" she looks at Alice, causing the sun to glare down on me again. But its gone almost as soon as it came, Emma looks down at me, "- And now I've remembered again, so doesn't that count for something? 'Course it does," she added before either of us could say something. "Daddy has to do whatever you ask. So, if you ask him to let us go, and...and..." so much longing in her tone "...and ask if he'll come and watch me, too, then he will."
Our birthday. Yeah. Our parents had forgotten, too. Again. Unlike Em, they hadn't remembered-and wouldn't. Last year, my dad had been a little too busy being a drunk and mumbling about monsters only he could see, and mum had been a little too occupied cleaning up his mess. As always. This year, mum had hidden notes in drawers to remind herself (we'd found them), and as Em had claimed, my baby sis had even hinted before by flat out saying, "Hey, Alice and Angelina's birthday is coming up and I think they deserve a party!" but we'd waken up and nothing had changed. Whatever. We were a year older, finally sweet sixteen. Honestly, it wasn't a big deal. We'd stopped caring a long time ago. Em, though, she cared. She wanted their undivided attention.
"Since todays our birthday, shouldn'tyoube doing something forus?" Alice asked, trying to tease her into forgetting about her first ballet performance and the princess role she liked to say she "had been born to perform." Hands on hips, all innocence and annoyance, and, well my favourite thing in the world. "Hello! Letting you do thisismy gift to the both of you."
I tried not to grin and could tell Alice was too, "Is that so?"
"Yeah, because I know how badly you both want to watch me so badly you're both practically foaming at the mouth." I could hear Ali's giggles beside me as we looked at each other. Brat. but like we were really going to argue, we did want to see her preform. I looked over at my twin, our gazes locked, and I gave her awhat do we do?look, she shrugged back as if to sayit's worth a try,
"Alright, fine," I said on a sigh. We just couldn't deny her. I mean never had, never would.
Looking at me Alice stated, "we're not talking to Dad, though." I sighed again,
"no, we're talking to Mum and making her talk to Dad." I looked at Ali for conformation, she nodded her head, meaning I was right.
"Really?" Emma looked so hopeful.
"Yes, really." Me and Ali shared a laugh, we'd said it at the same time. It was true, twins really did say things together. At least we did. Alice handed me her half of the daisy chain and I started to put it together, to make one. Emma looked at the both of us, a brilliant smile blooming on her beautiful face. "You gotta talk to her now. Please. I don't want to be late and if Dad agrees we'll need to leave soon so I can warm up on stage with the other girls. Pleeasseee!" Alice sat up next to me, "You know the likely hood of success is pretty low, right?" She said, I know she wasn't trying to be cruel, but neither of us wanted to get Emma's hopes up. We would be braking one of the Bells' Household rules; you did not leave the house if you couldn't be home before dark. I had broken that rule a few times, but neither Mum nor Dad had found out. As far as Dad believed, any one out in the big bad world was without any type of protection was considered open season. My father's paranoia and delusion had cause us girls to miss out on numerous school activities and sporting events. Ali and I had never gone on a date. And yes, we could have gone on a weekend lunch date, but neither of us had the desire for a boyfriend. And honestly, we didn't want to have to explain to some guy that our dad was certifiable, or that sometimes he locked us in the "special" basement he had built as added protection from a bogeyman that didn't exist. I mean sometimes it was easy to laugh it off with my friends and act like the life that our dad had built us was normal, but we knew just how 'normal' it really was.
Emma threw her arms around Ali and I. "You can do it, I know you can. You girls can do anything!"
Her faith in us was so humbling, "we'll do our best" Ali and I said in harmony.
"Your best is- oh, ick!" Her face scrunched up with horror as she jumped away from us both. "You're all gross and wet, and you mademeall gross and wet." Me and Ali looked at each other with a smile, the same idea in our head. Laughing, we lunged for her. Squealing she darted off but she was no match for the both of us. We had run the hose over us about an hour ago, trying to cool ourselves down. Not that we'd tell her. The fun of sibling torcher and all that. Emma squealed again as Ali and I squished her in a hug, Em in the middle. We broke apart laughing, Emma stood up hands on hips, staring us down "so not funny." But we could see the smile behind her eyes, I stood up, Ali quickly following suit. Me and Ali paused, turning to each other, we looked down at Emma. "Stay here, okay?" Mum would say something that would hurt her feelings one of us would say something to make her feel bad for asking us to do this, and she'd cry. I hated when she cried.
"Sure, sure," she said, palms up in a gesture of innocence. Like we were buying that hasty assurance, she planned to follow and listen, no question needed.
"Promise, us."
"I can't believe you would both doubt me," a delicate hand fluttered over her heart, "that hurts girls. That really hurts."
"First, major congrats. Your acting has improved tremendously." I say with a round of applause, joined in by my twin.
"Second," says Ali, "say the words or we will go back to trying to achieve a tan we will never achieve."
Grinning she rose on her toes, stretched out her arms and slowly spun on one leg. The sun chose that moment to toss out an amber ray, creating a perfect spotlight for her perfect pirouette. "Okay, okay. I promise. Happy now?"
"It will do." As devious as she was, she never broke a promise. I turned to Ali and we strolled arm in arm to the house, our feet in sync, the sound of our flip flops creating a mantra in my head.Don't fail. Don't fail. Finally, we reached the glass doors that led to our kitchen, I spotted our mum, bustling from the sink to the stove, and back again. Ali and I paused to watch her, a bit sick to my stomach.
Don't be a wuss. You can both do this. I squeezed Ali's arm and we both took a breath, I put on my game face. I pushed my ay inside, Ali right behind me. Garlic, butter and tomato paste scented the air. "Hey," we said, I heard Ali slightly cringe, I squeezed her arm for comfort, she squeezed back. We removed our arms from each other. Mum glanced up from the steaming strainer of noodles and smiled. "Hey girlies. Coming in for good or just taking a break?"
"Break." We chorused. The forced imprisonment of night drove us to spend as much time as we could outside during the daylight hours, whether we burned or not.
"Well your timing's great. The spaghetti's almost done."
"Good."
"Yeah, okay." During the summer months we ate dinner at five sharp. Winter we switched it up to four. That way, no matter the reason, we could be up stairs and safe in our rooms before sunset. Just do it. Just say it. Ali beat me to it
"So, um, yeah." Ali looked towards me for help. I sighed and looked back at our mum.
"Today's our birthday."
Her jaw dropped, her cheeks bleaching of colour. "Oh...girls. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean...I should have remembered...I even made myself notes. Happy Birthday." She finished lamely. She looked around, as if hoping a present would somehow appear by the force of her will. "I feel terrible."
"Don't worry about it." I knew that Ali was trying to back out, without actually backing out.
"I'll do something to make this up to you. I swear."
I look at Ali who's already looking at me,and so the negotiations have begun.
"Do you really mean that?" Ali asks.
"Of course."
I square my shoulders, come on you can do this."Good, because Em has a recital tonight and I want to go."
Though our mother radiated sadness, she was already shaking her head. "You know your dad will never agree."
"So, talk to him." Ali states.
"I can't."
"Why not?"
"Because." a croak.
I loved this woman, I truly did, but oh she could frustrate me like no one else.
"Because why?" Ali insisted.
Mum pivoted, as graceful as Emma as she carried the strainer to the pot and dumped the contents inside. steam wafted around her, and for a moment she looked as if she was apart of a dream. "Emma knows the rules. She'll understand."
The way Ali and I had had to understand, time and time again before we'd simply just given up? Anger sparked, that wasn't good enough. "Why do you do this? Why do you always agree with him when you know he's off the charts insane?"
"He's not- "
"He is!" Ali and I yelled.
"Quiet," she said, her tone cautioning. "He's upstairs."
Yeah, and I bet he was already drunk. I looked at Ali, by the expression on her face it was obvious we were thinking the same thing.
Mum started to talk again, "we've talked about this, girls. I believe you father sees something that the rest of us can't. And before you cast stones at him, or me, take a look at the Bible. Once upon a time, our Lord and Saviour was persecuted. Tons of people doubted Jesus."
"Dad isn't Jesus!" Yelled Ali, we looked at each other again thinking the same thing; Dad rarely even went to church with us.
"I know, and that's not what I'm saying. I believe there are forces of work all around us. Forces for good and forces of evil."
I sighed, we couldn't get into another good/evil debate with her, we just couldn't. I believed in God and I believed there were angels and demons out there. "I wish you would divorce him," I muttered, then bit my tongue in regret-but even still I refused to apologise. Our mum deserved so much more. She was young, for a mum, and so dang pretty. She was soft hearted and funny and deserved some pampering of her own. But instead she worked home seven days a week as a medical transcriptionist and was always type, type, typing away at her computer. On weekends, like this fine Sunday, she acted like dad's nurse maid too, cleaning him up, fetching ad carrying for him.
"Most kids want their parents too stay together," she said, a sharp edge to her voice.
"We're not like most kids!" me an Ali yelled,
"You guys made sure of that." I added, there was an even sharper edge tomyvoice. It's just...we wanted what other kids had. A normal life. In a snap the anger drained from her face and she sighed.
"Girls, I know this is hard. I know you want more for yourselves, and one day you'll have it. You'll graduate from high school, go of to college, fall in love, travel, do whatever your heart desires. But as for now this is your fathers house and he make the rules. You will follow those rules and respect his authority."
Me and Ali looked at each other, that was straight out of the Parent's Official Handbook, right under the heading;What to say when you don't have a real answer for your child.
"And maybe," she added, "when you're in charge of your own household, you'll realise your dad did the things he did to protect us. He loves us, and our safety is the most important thing to him. Don't hate him for that."
I should have known. The good and evil speech always circled around to love and hate.
"What he protecting us from? Creatures of the night?"
"Have you ever even seen one of his monsters?" Ali asked.
A pause. A nervous laugh. "I have refused to answer that question a thousand times. What makes you think I will answer it today?"
"Consider it a late birthday present, since you won't give us what we really want." That was a low blow, and I knew it. But again, I refused to apologise.
She flinched. "I don't like discussing these things with you girls, because I don't want to scare you further."
"We aren't scared!" Ali lashed out, "You are! Over the years you should have seen at least one monster. I mean, you spend most time with dad. You're with him when he patrols the hose with a gun at night."
"Fine. No, I haven't seen them," not really a big shocker. "But I have seen the destruction they have caused. And before you ask me how I knowtheywere the ones to cause the destruction, let me add that I've seen things that can't be explained any other way."
"What type of destruction?" I peeked over to look at Ali who was focused on something behind her, I twisted and saw Emma on the swing set. She was rocking back and forth but hadn't dropped us from her hawk like gaze.
"That, I won't tell you." Mum said, "There are some things your better off not knowing. Your just not ready. Babies can handle milk, but they can't handle meat."
Oh, come on, we weren't babies, blah, blah, blah. Whatever. I turned to look back at Em, worry had contorted her features. I forced my self to smile, and she immediately brightened like this was a done deal. Like I hadn't failed her in this regard a million times before. Like the time she wanted to go camping with her Girl Scout group, or the numerous school events or all the times her friend Jenny had called asking if she could stay the night. Until, Jenny had just stopped calling. I looked at Ali and we both shared the same determined look. We faced our mother. She still had her back to us and hadn't abandoned the stove. She was forking the noodles, one by one as if it was the most important thing in the world. She was an avoider.
"Forget the monsters and what you have or haven't seen. All we want is to go to our little sister's ballet recital like a normal family. That's it. That's all. but if you don't have the guts, fine whatever. We'll call one of out friends and they will take us." Ali said, but I mean, really, we couldn't walk, it was a thirty-minute drive to the city.
"And you know what? If you make us take that route, you'll brake Ems heart and we will never forgive you." She sucked in a breath and stilled.
"Angel, Alice," She said, I gritted my teeth. Here it comes, the refusal. Not this time, "Forget about my lack of forgiveness. We willhateyou for this."
She glanced back at us and sighed. Her shoulders sagged in defeat.
"All right, I'll talk to him."