Title: Winter's Frost
Chapter 3: Welcome to her life.
Disclaimer: Still don't own it, although I wouldn't mind owning Warren…. Mmmmm… pyromaniac.
A/N: Here we go again! Enjoy.
P.S: I know your reading this god damn it! Toss me a review eh? I cant improve this unless people tell me what's wrong with it. Sorry this took so long.
Darkness was all around me, but I new there was light there, and people, well, not PEOPLE per say, but things. Defiantly THINGS. Suddenly flames flared up illuminating faces. So many faces that I had no idea who they were, there were hundreds, no, thousands, no… Hundreds of thousands if not millions of faces, the vastness of the sea of faces was just too much. They all belonged to people. Ragged, horrid looking people. All burnt and covered in ash, some were bloated and rotting, others weren't much more then walking skeletons. The light eliminating them flickered with an orangey tint. It was fire. It was all around, but it didn't burn me, even though it clearly burned these poor suffering fools.
Yes, fools. They were all fools to be tossed down here. They all deserved it the filthy vermin! I glance to my right and there are two thrones right beside me. One is higher then the other. They are tall and vast; both are black and beautifully twisted ebony, or hard black diamonds. I'm not really sure. They are strange unearthly sculpted works of art. Beautiful and terrible all at once. Seated in the one directly next to me is a smart looking man in his thirties in an all black pin stripe suite. Even his shirt and tie are black. His jacket buttons are silver and engraved. I know this even though I can't see them. He looks immaculate and is very handsome. But he isn't attractive. I bet he is rather tall as well while standing. His hair is dark, But not black, but it is. It's sort of smoky. In fact it looks like pure shadow really, dancing and swirling lightly in front of his eyes and reaching below his ears. He turns his head to glance down at me and smiles warmly; it is a kind and gentle smile. Which does not fit him, but I don't know why, just that him smiling kindly isn't natural. His eyes are the most entrancing shade of violet I have ever seen. They are absolutely amazing and I can't help but stare. His smile turns to a grin revealing elongated canines and he reaches out a hand and touches my hair lightly.
"Stand"
The word is kind and gentle; like his smile and touch, but there is millennia of echoes behind it and I can feel the power simply from the vibrations of his voice, I stand, not realising I had been sitting with his gentle guiding hand.
"Look dear one" he says in that strange whisper of a voice that sounds like a light breeze but I somehow know it could command the full force of a hurricane. My gaze falls to the figure next to this man on the higher throne.
This man lounges in an expensive deep red silk shirt with fitted black jeans that look like some kind of animal hide. Chains dangle from hips, to the legs of his pants and pool around his bare feet. There are silver earrings studding his perfectly pointed ears. His skin is as white as the moon and his hair falls in torrents around his shoulders. I suspect it is very long indeed. At first I think its black, but the flickering flames reveal it is rather black tinted red, or perhaps a very deep red, I'm not sure.
I do not know this second man, I am not familiar with him. All I know is that every inch, every hair on his perfect head, every thread of silk, every link of chain every pore of his body oozes a terrible and horrid power that simultaneously scares and hypnotises me. This man should be feared and respected with no questions asked. This man was breath taking and disgusting all at once. However these conflicting feeling of being both drawn to him and repulsed by him felt completely natural even though I did not know him.
"It is natural." The first man said reassuring me. I smiled at him briefly as he still held my hand and turned me to face this other darker young beautiful terrifying man before me.
His gaze was on something behind me and amusement was clearly written across his features, which made his face even more angelic then before in a very scary way. Then he looked up at me and locked eyes with mine. I think I was expecting red eyes. And I was greeted with them. Red iris, black where it should be white. It was absolutely breathtaking. His smirk widened to reveal a row of pointed teeth. And then he spoke.
It was like the deathly howl of the wolves and the horrid screeching of bats combined with a hissing like that of a snake as well as something mysterious and deep all on its own.
"Hello little one, welcome home child"
I jerked awake wide eyed and floundering in my own sheets. I was completely disorientated until I realised that I was in my bed in my room alone at about 6.30 in the morning. I sat up and ran a hand through my hair, the disturbing dream already fading from memory and leaving me with nothing more then my reseeding panic. Now that I was fully awake at this god forsaken hour I could no longer hold onto the edges of my dream as it had disappeared back into the recesses of my mind to be stored and resurface at another time. I blink, and it is forgotten.
I rub my eyes of sleep, yawning and stretching all the while wishing I was still unconscious to the world. I was damned tired but new I wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep so I resigned myself to the idea and got up to take a shower instead. A shower is the equivalent to shotting coffee strait for me. It wakes me up and keeps me buzzing until I can get my hands on my real caffeine heaven.
A good ten minutes latter I step out of the shower all squeaky clean and refreshed. I then began my morning routine. Hay, I don't have naturale clean skin you know! After my face treatment I then began straightening my unruly hair. I had recently discovered that the application of heat (eg, straightening tongs) helped keep my insane hair in check. I think it has something to do with me being fire proof. Heat is good for me, and I have found that if I get to cold then my hair gets really wild and my powers work a lot less. Heat and especially fire stimulates my powers IMMENSLY! That being said, usually I roll out of bed with barely enough time to shower, dress, and be ready to leave let alone straighten my hair. However today I had the extra time.
It was only after I finished in the bathroom and was fully dressed did that cold thing in the back of my head happen. And suddenly I had the shakes and was trembling. I new this feeling. I new it well. Fuck, where was my grog? I staggered to my school bag, which I had tossed at the bass of my bed. I rummage around until I found my water bottle that had the last dregs of my peach schnapps sloshing at the bottom. Fuck, there was barely a mouth full left and I could feel that dark thing creeping up my spine already.
If I didn't get my required depressant for the day there was going to be fucking hell to pay and I so didn't mean to rhyme just then. Fuck, fuck, fuck! After sculling the last mouth full I race down stairs, my black dock martins not making a sound on the stairs, shit, that's not a good sign, usually the clomped loudly. Shit. I needed alcohol NOW! Not clomping was bad.
Racing into the family room and glad I had shoes on so I didn't slip on the polished wooden floor I made for the glass cabinet or 'booz-a-torium' of the house and found for once it was actually locked. My eye's widened in a panic. Shit. Now I obviously couldn't go and ask my mum for the key, that's just stupid. And asking Steve is out of the question. Fucking arsehole that he is. Fuck I sware a lot more when my alcohol levels are low. Fuck. I rummage around and low and behold they left the key ON TOP of the cabinet. What was the point in locking it then? I mean, I'm not the only teenager in the house. I'm 16, (well, almost) and my step sister Miranda is currently 17. She's a fucking whore as well. Stupid bratty bitch. Anyways. I yank open the cabinet and scan the shelves, there's an already open bottle of Mescal. Excellent. That'll go down smooth. I gulp down a big mouthful and sigh. I only need a few shots of straight spirits for a day. So this should defiantly hold me for now. I'll sneak back down latter and tip a bit into my drink bottle along with whatever juice we have in the fridge. I cap the bottle and quickly shut and lock the cabinet. The alcohol will take a few minutes to hit my blood stream, in the mean time I better head back up stairs just in case anyone else is awake right now. I don't want to have to deal with my mother or anyone else at the moment. Don't get me wrong, I love my mum. But when I'm in this state, I can't be trusted not to say something stupid.
Just as I thought I was safe as I made a dash for the stairs, I see Steve coming down. I suppress an automatic growl and keep my head down, playing the 'half-awake-grumpy-teen'.
"Morning kiddo." Steve chirps at me in his irritating fucking arsehole voice. I try no to let my hackles rise noticeably, but I think he noticed anyways. He stopped and sniffed as I past. Fuck, I hope he couldn't smell the booze on me. It was only one shot's worth. My eye's narrow, not that he can see as I'm already past him and almost at the top of the stairs.
"What's that smell?" he asks in a voice laced with accusation. I only pause for a moment in my stride, I glance over my shoulder and freeze. In that split second, there is an empty void of silence… and something else. Something dark and oily that sticks to the back of my throat and threatens to rear its ugly head if Steve continues to press the matter. The very atmosphere between me and Steve seems to prickle with dark negative energy.
"I dunno." I grunt quietly in my rough early morning voice. The tone of my words should have told him to leave me the fuck alone. But now he is fully facing where I'm going, although I'm too interested in reaching the top of the stairs. That terrible inky vibe that has saturated the very air I'm breathing is rolling off me and down the stairs in waves.
"Then what were you doing down stairs?" Steve demands sharply. I stop for the second time on my way upstairs and fully turn to face him slowly. 'Don't get angry, don't get angry, don't get angry' I keep repeating to myself. The constant rage that bubbles right beneath the surface of my usually calm demeanour threatens to boil over at his oh so simple question that can oh so easily be explained away.
What I want to say to him is: "This is my mothers fucking house STEVE don't you dare fucking speak to me that way in MY mothers fucking house you sleazy, disgusting, dum arse leaching fuck! How dare you ask ME what I'm doing down here, what the fuck are YOU doing down here?!?!"
However, I don't say any of that. The black thing on the tip of my tong and at the base of my scull lay's in wait, but begins to ebb away as the small shot of Mescal and mouthful of Schnapps hits my bloodstream. Instead of saying all that I just raise a single eyebrow and smirk condescendingly.
"What do ya mean? I'm not aloud to be down stairs or sum'at?" I laugh and shake my head as if it's a joke and continue on my way ignoring anything else that stupid basted has to say, before his equally repulsive bitch of a daughter wakes up. I scramble back to my room and sigh and lean against the door once it is shut and locked. Well, I better rummage around for that old pack of smokes I always have stashed away. I don't smoke. Usually. I hate it most days. Except days when I cant get my hands on some liquor. And I'm now not quite sure I'll be able to get my hands on my alcohol so I better carry some smokes with me just in case I can't snag some grog on the way out.
After I rummage in my desk draws and finally remember the half a pack was hidden between my matris I turn to face my standing full length mirror near my window. Fuck, all that excitement from before has ruined my hair. Because of me almost loosing it and blowing my fuse my god damned fucking hair is back to its usual state of chaos and discord. It's back to floating around my shoulders as if it were smoke, or as if it were under water. I've heard people say it looks like one or the other on many occasions. Oh well, the mescal has finally kicked in and now I can't be bothered to care.
I find my books and throw them into my school bag and head back to the bathroom to try and re-straiten my hair. However the door is locked and I can hear running water and bad off key singing of my dum fucking step-sisters ugly voice belting out whatever shit MTV is promoting nowadays. I court lyrics like "My big ass, fly bitch" and "Pop it nice and hot and tight" or something like that. I wasn't really listening. So instead I travelled back down the stairs to the kitchen this time and poor some mango, pineapple, apple and passionfruit juice into my drink bottle. Fucking score! I didn't realise we had awesome juice of kick arse awesome in the house! BOOYAKA!
"That was supposed to last until Thursday you know Adriane." Steve comments while looking up from his newspaper at the kitchen table. Up until now I had been pointedly ignoring him.
"Well it's a good thing my Mum's the one who pay's for it huh?" I reply with fake cheer, and an even faker smile before quickly making my exit. If I stay much longer a fight is inevitable. As long as I always get the last word, I am happy, and as long as there are no raised voices mum is happy. Thus, my house stays standing and does not collapse around our ankles, metaphorically speaking.
I head back into the lounge room after I make sure Steve is well and truly not going to move and very stealthily steal some more mescal. Just as I thought I'd get away with it I turn around to come face to face with mum, whom has a scowl on her face and her arms crossed.
"And what do you think your doing pray tell?" She asks very quietly.
I freeze and hang my head. "It's not much mum, just enough to get me through the day. I promise." She sigh's heavily. She knows why I need it. We've had the argument a thousand times. Now, as long as I don't get trashed off my nut, do all my school work, don't cause trouble and I get to work on time she turns the other cheek and ignores my little depressant habit.
"Fine. Well, just so you know, there is going to be a meeting at work today and I won't be home until late ok sweetheart?" I smile and nod and give my mum a big hug and whisper "I'm sorry mummy" into her hair before scampering back up the stairs and to my room. I sigh in relief and sip on my drink. Mum works at a magazine in the city. It's a mixture between fashion, gossip, art and New's. It's all for alternative people: eg hippies, goths, punks, and anyone else who likes to live different. It's pretty damned popular as well. Mum is one of the editors and writers. Sometimes she enters my photographs to accompany articles. I think she does it just because I'm her daughter, but oh well.
Mum brings in most of the money. All Steve does is casual work as a chef. He's pretty good, and if he'd just settle down at one business he could bring in quite a lot of money for the family. However he is fucking lazy. So he works about three or four days a week for about five to six hours a shift and doesn't even bring in enough to pay for the water bills. (Which wouldn't be so big if his stupid skanky daughter didn't take so long in the fucking shower.)
Speak of the wench. She had finally gotten her ugly arse out of my shower. Now I could try and straighten my hair. 20 minutes latter I was almost done. And that street walking, disease infested tramp was trying to elbow me out of the way.
"There is enough room for both of us." I point out quietly.
"You're in my way! Just move it so can do my makeup." She whines back at me in her ever present bitchy voice.
"You've got a mirror in your room to do that." I reply calmly. She hates it when I speak so very calm and peacefully during one of our many 'confrontations'.
"The light sucks in my room. Besides YOU have a mirror in your room too! You can leave." She really thinks that she intimidates me or something. I suppose it's a power trip for her. She's a total bitch queen at her school, little miss 'popularity', unfortunately it doesn't work on me, and Miranda simply love's to forget who and what I am and try's to always play her little games with me. I pointedly ignore her and don't budge and inch. If she isn't willing to share neither am I.
She takes it to fare when she all out try's to shove me. I grab her hands and throw them away from me, once again my hair is swirling madly around my shoulders, and oblivious to the fact that seconds ago I had it straightened. FUCKING WHORE! SHE RUINED MY HAIR!
I face her off as that rage boils up again. "Don't. Ever. Touch me, you stupid fucking horse humping bitch." I say very slow and calmly.
Her eyes widen and all I have to do is bring the shadows up around me and allow my eye's to change as they have wanted to do the whole time. Now they are completely black all over. Very eerie. As I have successfully terrified Miranda and scared her away, I look back into the mirror and sigh. My hair is floating again. It has calmed down and my eyes are pale blue again. I slam the hair straightener down and storm out of the bathroom.
I can hear Miranda screeching at both our parents down stairs. I shrug and go to my room and pick up my bag. By now the buss will be here soon and I don't want to be late. No time for breakfast, so I head for the door. Steve is arguing with mum now. Something about controlling her daughter. I shake my head and put my headphones on and crank up the volume. No time to loose now. Out the door I go and down the street. I take a few more sips of my 'cocktail' drink on the way to the buss stop.
"Smooth" I mutter, satisfied by the burnt wood-y after taste. Surprisingly it sits well with the juice. I hadn't been quite sure of the mix until now.
I reach the buss stop just in the nick of time as the buss pulls up. I'm the only one at this stop, it depends on the location of the school to how many kids are on the buss by the time it gets to my house. Aparently it was closer to me today. The buss is rather empty so I head to the back and pick out a window seat on the left. The buss moves on down the street and I zone out not really thinking about anything and just sinking into my music.
(Zach's POV)
Wow, Magenta really is beautiful. I wonder if she even knows it? Man, I got it bad. Well, this morning is looking brighter and brighter from the moment I stepped onto the buss. I glanced around until I spotted my possy near the back. Warren is looking ready to explode with Layla sitting next to him and weaving little tinny vines into his hair as she plats it, tying it off with daisies. As soon as she finished maybe the fifth one Warren snatched his hair away and instantly the newly added flora goes up in flames leaving his hair back to normal except for a smattering of tinny braids.
This alone is funny as all hell, along with the fact all of my friends are snickering along. Including those dude-etts and dude from yesterday. The three from our year. Anyways. Enough laughs. I saunter up to Magenta just as the buss starts to cruise.
"Hay baby, it must of hurt real bad when you tripped off your cloud this morning and fell so very damn far from heaven." Am I smooth, or am I smooth? Magenta looks up at me and rolls her eyes. But I catch that little smile at the corner of her sexy lips. Damn my girl be fine. "Sit down Zach before you hurt your self." She replies while yanking me down in the spare seat beside her. To an outside observer you might think she was both annoyed and embarrassed by me. But really she was pleased with the compliment, and this was her way of showing it. She is bitter, she is cold, she is sarcastic, she is beautiful and under it all she is divine. Damn I'm the luckiest man alive!
It isn't long until the buss is flying and everyone is screaming like we're on a rollercoaster. Oh man I friggen love our school. Only down side. The villains are back, aka Lash, Speed and Penny. They are so not fly dawg. Anyways, the buss has levelled out now in the higher altitude and we're just cruising.
"Did you finish the Hero History homework Zach?" I smile nervously at Magenta. She was hassling me about it yesterday. She only makes me do my homework cause she cares. However I didn't do my homework so… shit.
"Well, I've almost finished it. I can finish up at lunch time. No sweat." It's just a little white lie, I mean, I've done at least HALF of it…
Magenta doesn't bye it though, I can tell with the way she narrows her eyes at me. She opens her mouth about to say something then there is a small strangled yelp behind us.
"OW! I can fucking hear you loud and clear Adriane." That was that guy from yesterday with his two lady friends. "You can stop it now Adriane." Our whole little group is now staring in curiosity at the threesome, wondering what that was about.
The dark haired girl… Adriane? Was giggling to herself while her friend was rubbing his head. "Well, you said you wanted help, I was just trying to help Basil."
"Shouting doesn't help. And it wasn't even anything important; you were just saying 'LOUD NOISES!' really, really loud."
"No one was shouting." Will said slowly as if the two of them were completely nuts. I had to agree with him there, "yeah," Chipped in Layla. Now the three friends noticed us all watching them. The third one what's-her-name was looking back at everyone and started giggling… girls.
"Oh, um… well, I was yelling. In my head." Adriane finally explained. Everyone sort of went "Huh?!" with there eye's at the same time.
"Uhhh…." Basil started but before he could say anything the buss started to shake through some turbulence and Adriane was thrown into her friends lap. This started a small fight.
"I said I was sorry Annie-Quinn!" Adriane was shouting through giggles. "Well tell that to my boobs, which you just crushed. And don't use the name 'Annie'!!!" Her friend huffed back. This seemed to end any interest in the group as people went back to their own conversations. Including me and my darling 'Genta about a certain hero history homework issue.
(Third person POV.)
It was one of those bright and sunny days at sky high. Well to be perfectly honest it was almost ALWAYS a bright sunny day as the school was usually hovering above the clouds, occasionally dipping lower into them from time to time.
It was day's like this that made Adriane cringe. She liked colder climates a lot more then warm ones, it was far more beneficial for herself and everyone around for her to be cold rather then warm, less chance of anything happening with her powers. Granted that they were high up in the atmosphere so this meant things like thinner air and colder temperatures, the school always managed to be warm. Her friend Quinn was in agreement with her, she too liked cooler weather. Basil also enjoyed the colder seasons. So between the three friends it was unanimous. Cold weather in, hot weather OUT! It was when Quinn commented on the warmer climate that Zach heard her and adamantly disagreed. Thus a debate sprang up.
Will and Zack adamantly believed summer was the best season, Layla and Ethan loved spring best. And of course Quinn, Basil and Adriane were lobbying for winter. To the surprise of everyone Warren put his vote down for autumn. (1)
Adriane raised an eyebrow at him. "I would have picked you for someone who liked hot weather. So why Fall?" Warren flashed an evil grin.
"Because in Fall, all the plants get all dry and crispy. Much more fun too burn." Adriane cackled at his remark, while every one else stared as if the two were insane. "What?!" Adriane demanded in 'outrage', "Burning things is FUN!" Quinn rolled her eyes. "Yeah, that's because you're a little Pyromaniac."
"Yeah fire child!" Basil added. "Although I must agree, burning things IS fun, almost as fun as destroying things."
The now much larger group ascended the stares into Sky High and scattered towards their individual lockers. Quinn and Adriane bouncing off arm in arm as their lockers were near by. "Those two are full of far too much energy for so early in the morning." Ethan commented as he watched them skip off.
"Just wait until my coffee hit kicks in and then you'll know what energy is." Basil said with a grin before ambling off.
"Come ON Zack! Hurry UP already!" Magenta fumed while tugging on Zacks hand.
Will and Layla giggled to one another. "Please don't ever drag me around like that Layla." Will begged with puppy dog eyes. Layla just shook here head and smiled. "Just don't give me a reason and I wont" she teased.
Layla looked over at Warren and noticed he was still standing in the same place instead of heading for his own locker. He had a far off look on his face, like he usually did, and he seemed to be thinking about whatever Warrens head decided to think about.
"Catch you latter Warren!" Layla said happily, "Come on Will." She said while playfully dragging on his sleeve.
I'm going to end this chapter here. Mostly because I cant think of anymore for this chapter and want to move onto the next one, I know this is shorter. Sorry dudes.
P.S Sorry this took so long, I lost my mojo for a while. I know I said it would only take a week to update and look at me now…. WEEKS latter…. Sorry my darlings.
(1): Autumn is the Australian term for 'Fall', I'm an Aussy hence me using Aussy terms.
Review stuff:
- Nelle07: Ok, say 'AnnieQuinn Walker' Now replace the 'Q' with a 'k' sound 'AnnieKin Walker.' Now add 'Sky' onto Walker and you have 'Annican Skywalker aka DARTH VADAR!' BWAHAHAHAHAAA! Ahem, well I thought it was clever at the time…
