At last! The next chapter is up! Thank you everybody for reviewing the last chapter! I wrote this listening to Casting Crowns Can Anybody hear her-which seemed appropriate, and I think it really adds to it. Please read, and don't forget to review!

A girl walked down a dimly lit street. Apartments crowded above her, closing in the amber washed path. Her hair was a black, cropped around her face. Dark rings circled around her eye's, and her skin was painted with white.

Her eye's darted across the street, searching for any harm. Danger seemed to lurk in every shadow, and harm seemed to lie in wait for it's prey.

Hurrying down the road, she moved to a particular door, lost in the many others. A metal Fifty-Four was nailed to it, though barely visible through the rust.

She pulled a key from her pocket and slid it into the lock, and the door creaked open. Darkness lay before her, but she walked in closing the door behind her. She walked up steep stairs, encrusted with dust, and creaking with every step in darkness. Shouting echoed through the walls, propelling her forward. Running faster, she passed doors, arguments rumbling out, too familiar to bear. At the end of the stair well she opened the last door, and tumbled in to her bland room. She flicked a switch by the door and a bare bulb hanging from her crumbling ceiling flickered to life. Ratty curtains hung in the window, a bed crumbled and un-made sat in the middle of the room, and a mirror and set of drawers, scratched and scarred were pushed against a wall.

She climbed on her bed, and crossed her legs. Rolling up her sleeves, viscous and crude lines curled up her arms. She tried to look away, but her eye's pulled back to her scars. Her lips trembled, and a blackened tear rolled down her cheek.

Something beeped, disturbing her. She pulled a phone from her pocket. A face appeared on the screen, a boy smiled up at her, and below his face a message appeared.

R u ok Lily?

She smiled. She had met him outside some religious place. He tried to tell her about it, but she wouldn't listen. But she was happy to be friends with him.

She wrote back

yup.

Lily tucked it away, and walked to her cracked window. Distant stars twinkled out at her.

Suddenly her phone rang.

'Hello?' She answered

'Lily?'

'Yeah, Mom?'

'Oh Lily! S-she's go-ne!' the voice cried ' S-she's dead!'

Lily dropped the phone, sobbing. Her back slid down the wall. her head resting in her hands, her shoulders shaking in agony.

Angry shouts and screams echoed around the building, mimicking her soul. She lifted her head-black mascara streaming down her checks, and lay her head on the wooden floor.

Lily stood on a stage, people crowding into the tiny chapel.

'...She was an amazing Grand-mother who always had time for you, no matter what. She would always welcome me with a hug, and make me sit on her couch, she-she would never listen to me until she had given me cookies and milk, like she did when I was a little girl. I loved her so much, and I know everybody will. We love you Granny.' She stepped down, and placed a rose on the coffin and sat down in a pew at the front crying.

Her mother got up, and gave her speech, and then after placing a rose on the coffin she stepped back up.

'Lily. Come up here please.' she said 'Your grandmother gave me something when she died, and I promised to give it to you.'

Lily came up, confused and worried.

'Lily-this was your grandmothers, and she treasured it dearly. She wanted you to have it.'

Her mother pulled out a small carved silver box. She handed it to Lily. 'Take it dear.' she whispered

Lily glanced at her mother, and slowly took it.

She gently opened it, and lying nestled in velvet lay a small glass vial.

Now I don't know if this was the best opening into Lily's story, so please-feedback! I need to know because if it needs to be improved then I can do that, and maybe come via a different route

the-lovely-anomaly:Thank you so much for your advise! I think I've replied to your review! Thank you.

Code-Green:Ah-my old friend! I haven't heard form you in ages! Thank you for the encouragement, a writer could not cope without it! Mm, I hadn't thought about a LoTR twist-but I can see what you mean.:D

Elvishkiwi's Venerated Ancestor: Wow, thank you for your lovely review-I'm really glad it was so enjoyable! You've made me puff up with pride and you know I'm a sucker for complements! Yes-I agree the last paragraph didn't work-MockingByrd beta'ed it after it was published and it has been edited now, have a peep at it and tell be what you think!. Thank you so much, I feel quite excited to read that each time(it makes me feel like maybe I'm not such a bad author after all-but you know-that chapter may have just been a fluke!)

Captian Fantastic: Hi Cap'in! *salutes* Thank you for reviewing-I'm glad you found it! Yes I had the lovely MockingByrd's Tune to beta the first chapter, but she did not agree to do this one, I think she may have been quite busy or something which I can understand. I see what you mean by ruining the effect. If you read what I said to EVA it says basically it has been edited with byrdy's help! ;D

Don't forget to tell me what you think about the way I've opened it into Lily's life-Does it work?