So thanks to: BigTimeGleek, allqua, tetisheri, DarkFireAngel00 and kittykat6625 for reviewing. It means a lot guys, thanks :)

Chapter 10: Where it all goes wrong

Rays of moonlight filtered through the gaps in the clouds that lingered above the land like dark omens, and I shuddered when I realized that there wasn't a star in sight. Marko was towing me by the wrist towards the sound of blaring music. Not the hand; the wrist. He was still angry at me. I could feel that as he pulled me up into a tree and shoved me against the trunk, looking out over a group of kids surrounding a bonfire. They were about the same age as me, probably a little older. None of them seemed to be expecting the carnage they were about to witness.

I was trembling with fear; not fear for me, but for the innocent people who were about to be slaughtered right in front of my eyes. And I couldn't bear it. I glared balefully at Marko, who avoided my gaze.

"How could you do this?" I whispered through angry tears.

He didn't even look at me. "We've all got to eat, haven't we?"

I couldn't ignore the cutting, sardonic tone in his voice. How could I let this happen? This was my fault.

Please, God, if you're up there, don't let him kill these people. Don't let him. I begged silently in my head.

Marko and the rest of the boys waited eagerly for the right moment to strike. I could smell their excitement, and it made me sick. Sick to my stomach. A second went by before I noticed a change. I caught sight of Paul's hand tightening around the branch he was gripping, as he closed his eyes.

When he opened them, I had to hold back a scream. They were glowing gold.

"You're gonna want to see this, Al." He guffawed as he watched his brothers transform into monsters.

I couldn't even say anything. Not when I saw Marko, who looked just as eager to kill as the rest of them. It wasn't supposed to feel this way. Not love. I shouldn't feel like this about him – torn in two and unable to survive being ripped apart.

I yelled and flung myself out of the tree – towards Marko's motorcycle. I hit the ground running and clambered onto the bike as soon as I'd reached it. That was when the screaming started. Unforgiving, agonized shrieks rent the night.

I kick-started the bike without realizing what I was doing, and it bucked underneath me, trying to throw me off. I didn't know how to ride a motorcycle. But I was going to learn. Starting now.

I felt wind that hadn't existed before whip across my face as I sped across the sandy terrain. I didn't know where I was going, apart from away. I wished I could've saved those people. But I was a coward. I felt terrible shame bear down upon my shoulders as I rode further and further away.

When I finally reached a road, I tried to brake. But I couldn't. The bike swerved and jerked as I tried to stop. I screamed as it slid across the black asphalt to a halt, crushing my leg in the process. I felt the skin being ripped off my right thigh as I skidded across the road. Pain seared through my body, white-hot, unrelenting and utterly complete. I watched in slow-motion as my own blood was smeared across the tarmac.

There was a dull thud on my head and then everything went black.

When I opened my eyes, I balked. Everything was white. White walls, white ceiling, even a white bedspread. A machine beside me emitted a monotonous beeping sound every few seconds or so.

I was in a hospital.

And I wasn't alone.

My mother rushed over to me from across the room. She looked rough; her hair looked like it hadn't been washed in days. "Allie!" she said, relieved.

"Mum?" I mumbled, wincing as the word reverberated painfully in my skull.

"Allie, where were you? I was looking everywhere for you . . . and are you OK?"

"I'm fine . . . what happened?"

She looked at me sympathetically. "You went missing fourteen days ago. Remember? Like Tara. And then some people found you by the side of the road and called for an ambulance. You crashed a motorcycle . . . can't you remember anything?""

I racked my brains. A motorcycle . . . missing . . . the crash . . . "Yeah. I can remember." I said finally.

"What happened? Were you . . . kidnapped?"

In a manner of speaking. "No, mum. I got lost. Nothing to worry about. How . . . am I?"

She looked away. "Most of the skin on your right leg was torn off. And part of your arm. There will be . . . scars . . ."

I imagined the burning feeling as my flesh was torn away from my leg, and tears sprang to my eyes. "How bad?" I whispered. "How bad will the scars be?"

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry!"

"How bad?" I repeated.

"They'll be . . . quite bad."

My breath hitched in my throat. Quite bad . . .

"Was it only my arm and leg? Was there anything else?" I murmured, my voice thick with tears.

My mother shook her head, still not meeting my eyes. Her irises were a dark jade, like mine, and were filled with remorse.

"Mum, what aren't you telling me?"

She turned to me, and when she did, tears were sparkling in her eyes. "When you fell off the bike . . . you hit the concrete . . . and your face . . ."

"What happened to my face?" I sobbed, my heart thumping painfully.

"They tried everything they could . . ."

"Show me. Get me a mirror."

She shook her head, silent tears tracing her face.

"Get me a mirror. I'll have to see sooner or later anyway. Let me see."

Silently, she reached into her handbag and drew out a small pocket mirror. She flicked it open and handed it to me. With my left hand, I raised the glass to my face and stared into it.

"I'm so sorry . . ."

I couldn't reply. The right side of my face was covered in thick, purplish blemishes, from the bottom of my jaw to my cheekbone. The skin was bumpy and uneven, like reptile scales. I reached up and ran my fingers across it. The skin there was shiny and firm.

"I'm hideous," I whispered, letting my hand drop.

"No, honey. You're beautiful."

"No one will ever want me."

My mother didn't respond. I took deep breaths, in through my nose, out through my mouth. Calm. Relax. I can live through this, I just had to accept it . . .

"When can I go home?"

My mother glanced up at my whisper. "Soon, honey. Less than a week. Then you can come home."

"I want to go now. I don't want to stay here."

"Soon, Allie."

I stared into the mirror as my heartbeat slowed with a dreadful conclusion. I'd have to stay this way for the rest of my life. I'd never be the same.

Never.

I'm so mean to my characters - they never seem to get a break. Oh well. That's the fun of it, I suppose :)

PS I'm away until Wednesday evening, so I won't be able to update (unless I can find a source of internet :P) until then. Sorry guys. Don't hate me.