No Light

Chapter 1:

Screams. The only thing she could hear were screams. Blood-curling screams that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. She couldn't seem to pinpoint who was screaming only that they were loud and there were multiple people.

Suddenly her vision started to blur and she could start to see shapes, the screaming turned into wailing and then into a high pitch screeching noise that made her ears bleed. Her vision came into focus and she was back in that trailer. She was back there.

Images flew past her, every detail showed itself and she relived it and when Lizard pointed the gun at her the gun went off and the bullet whizzed at her and-

She woke up. The screaming echoing in her ears. It was quiet and the darkness of the room seemed to suffocate and come at her. She quickly reached for the lamp, fumbling to try to get it on. Light flooded the room and she tried to catch her breath. Pulling her knees up to her chest, she rested her head and tried to forget.

Her breathing evened out as she whispered prayer after prayer.

It had been a year.

One whole year since that…damned vacation. One year since they lost three members of their family. Since they had a normal life.

After the incident she and Bobby moved in with Doug. Their house was too big for them and the memories were everywhere. Besides, Doug needed help with Catherine, and Brenda knew that he shouldn't be left alone. He had a way of…taking the blame and drowning in his guilt and his hate and his despair. The last thing they needed was to lose Doug too.

Brenda continued with college and Bobby with high school. They each took up jobs at Doug's shop to help out there too.

Big changes happened in their life during that year. Brenda started hanging out with her friends less and less. Bobby started focusing more in school, something he had never bothered to do before, but now took it up with a vengeance. Brenda found herself being more religious, silently sending prayers at odd hours of the day, usually for the safety of the rest of her family.

Doug became more withdrawn, more protective. He took Catherine out of daycare, choosing to look after her in his shop. When Brenda and Bobby came in for their shift, they'd usually take over with watching her. But he wouldn't let his daughter out of his sight under any circumstances. The chances of her being taken away from him were too much for him to bear. It took him forever to even let them watch her when he couldn't.

Brenda had made it her mission to keep this family together. They had to make it through, if not for their own sakes, then for the family that was taken from them. They owed them that much.

She liked to think things were getting better. She had seen more smiles being freely given about than normal. More jokes were said and laughed about. A peace had finally started settling around them.

The nightmares were getting sparse. Now it was almost rare that she'd find herself bolting up in bed, a scream caught in her throat or hearing one down the hall. It still happened, and normally they'd be really bad when they did, but it wasn't as much now.

They were healing. They were moving on.

She didn't go back to sleep that night, but chose, instead, to continue on a paper that was due within a week. If she wasn't going to rest, then she could do something. Around 7 she got up and got a shower, getting ready for the day. She had a few classes today, and she thanked God it was Friday. Walking down the stairs she could smell breakfast and her mouth watered. It smelled good.

She bounded into the kitchen, "What is that heavenly aroma?" she asked. Doug chuckled from where he stood at the stove. "Thanks for the complement, but maybe wait till after you've tried it before giving it a judgment call." Brenda grinned as she leaned down to kiss Catherine on the forehead, "Hey, baby girl," she cooed. She then walked over to him and looked over his shoulder. "It looks good," she assured him. Then she side-eyed him, "Unless you did something to it?" He gave her an innocent look.

"Why would I do that? Besides, I wouldn't want to lose my best employees. Holidays are right around the corner." He smirked when she stole a bit of batter real quick, sticking it in her mouth and narrowing her eyes at him petulantly.

"Thanks. Glad we mean so much to you," she said sarcastically. He chuckled and she walked back over to the table, sitting next to her niece and playing with her.

The morning was quiet and peaceful. Bobby came down next, his feet making loud noises on the ground as he moved. The teenager seemed to show up right when food was ready; Brenda teased him as they got their breakfast. The small family ate together, enjoying the morning, not knowing that this would be the calm before the storm.

Brenda and Bobby left then, she dropped him off at school and then headed to her college for classes. The rest of the day passed with normal ease, nothing out of the ordinary happening. After her classes were over she went to work, helping Doug mostly with Catherine than actually selling cell phones.

It was only when they got a customer that asked to speak with Doug alone that she felt something was off. The man that came in had a stern face and an upright posture that screamed 'government'. He was very secretive in the way he acted and Doug stayed in the back room with him for a really long time. When they came out the man walked right on out the door. Doug had a grim look on his face, his eyes were vacant and his mouth was in a hard line. He walked straight to them and picked Catherine up, holding her close to him. When asked what had happened back there, he didn't answer.

It wasn't until that night after dinner that he told her.

The dishes were all put away and Cathy was sleeping and Bobby was upstairs in his room, working on homework. Brenda dropped onto the kitchen chair, tired all of a sudden. She smiled wearily at Doug across the table. He didn't return it.

Pushing up his glasses nervously, he leaned forward, putting his elbows on the table. "Brenda…I need to talk to you."

Brenda mimicked his movements, "What about?"

He hesitated and she took a guess, "Is it about that man from earlier?" He nodded jerkily. Running his fingers through his hair, 'he really needed another haircut' she thought absently, he tried to look her in the eye. "He's, uh…he's from the government."

Brenda had already guessed this, but it still sent a chill down her spine. "…yea…?" she cautiously asked him to continue. He let out a great sigh, his shoulders slumping. Deciding to just get it over with he spoke on quickly, "They want us to go back."

Her world stopped spinning.

"…what?" her voice was small in her ears.

He continued to stare at her, waiting for it to sink in. She tried forming a response but her brain stopped working. She suddenly couldn't sit anymore. Getting up, she began to pace the kitchen. "Wha-what are you talking about?! What do they need us to go back for?!"

Doug shook his head, "We're apparently the only ones to survive," he muttered bitterly. Brenda ran her hands through her hair, "This is-this is crazy! What does that matter? We're just civilians! We barely made it out last time!"

She looked at him and saw his expression. She stopped. "What did you tell him?" she asked fearfully.

Doug glanced up at her, his glasses hanging off his nose and looking for all the world like a man who was just run down by everything. He opened his mouth to answer, but no sound came out. His eyes told her everything. She was already sinking to the floor by the time he said:

"I told him yes."

She dug her fingers into her hair, and, bringing her knees up to her chest, she buried her face and tried not to scream. "Doug…why…?"

She felt him kneel next to her, placing one hand on her back and another on her hand hesitantly. She took deep breaths to try and calm herself, but it was difficult. Why would he do this? They lost so much the last time, why would they go back? It was crazy.

"Because, Brenda…what about other families? Those things are still out there, what happens when another poor family gets stuck out there? I don't want their blood on my hands." His left hand flexed and Brenda felt the stubs of his remaining fingers on her hand. "You don't have to go, though. I would never ask that of you-"

She didn't allow him to finish. Her head shot up, her bloodshot eyes staring incredulously at him. "You honestly don't think I'd let you go alone?!" His expression let her know the answer. She twisted her body to where she was on her knees in front of him. Gripping his hand, "If you go, I'm going too. I won't let you do that by yourself." She gave him a hard look, not allowing any arguments.

He studied her.

"Are you sure? I wouldn't think any less of you if you decided not to. I would completely understand."

She shook her head, "I'm not letting you go by yourself."

He silently exhaled, as though he had been worried and didn't want to show it. She squeezed his hand.

"I'm going too."

Both turned at the extra voice. Brenda paled at Bobby standing in the doorway. "No," she whispered hoarsely. She stood up, "You're staying here, Bobby."

He scoffed at her, "If you two are going, so am I!" His expression changed, eyes pleading with her, "Please, sis. Let me do this."

Looking him in the eye, unsure of what to do, Brenda stood there. She didn't want to put Bobby in danger. She didn't want him in that situation again.

He walked closer, "I want to avenge Mom and Dad and Lynnie." He grasped her arms, peering searchingly into her eyes, "Please. Let me do this."

She averted her gaze to the floor. She didn't know what to do. He gently squeezed her arms, "Please," he whispered.

Her chin trembled, "Fine."

He crushed her to him, "Thank you," he mouthed into her hair. She could only hold him back, hoping this wouldn't destroy them by the end of the journey.

She hoped she made the right choice.

Starting this little thing. This is a rewrite of HHE2, but it still includes scenes from the movie. Hopefully I'll continue it. Let me know if anyone likes it :)