Calamity

"You must be swift as a coursing river! With all the force of a great typhoon! With the strength of a raging fire, mysterious as the dark side of the moon!" I could see the annoyance in Eric's step, but it was too quiet out here and he wasn't about to strike up a conversation.

"Will you stop that? You're going to get us killed."

"Why would I get you killed? Bears won't attack us as long as we stay away from them and Annabel's the only other person out here for miles. Plus, you're not talking so I've got to amuse myself somehow."

"Fine, if I start talking will you shut up?" He stops and turns around, glaring at me.

"Depends on if you're interesting or not, so start talking."

He turns around and we start walking again, side by side. "What do you want to talk about?'

"How did you get all the way out here without a vehicle?"

"Who says I don't have one?"

'Well you are walking."

"So are you and you have a car."

"Well I broke mine, what's your excuse?"

He was silent for a while. "How did you crash your car anyway? This is an open stretch of road."

"I'm a really bad driver okay? Or so people tell me…." I never saw anything wrong with my driving, but everyone else wouldn't even get in the car with me. My driving teacher tried to sue me for attempted murder, it didn't go through but I never did get my license.

"I can't imagine why." He grumbled as we approached my home. The windows were completely dark and when I opened the door a solid wall of shadows stared back at me. "Ummmmm…. Annabel? I found a creepy stalker boy out in the woods who wants to talk to you!" The only thing I heard was an annoyed sigh from Eric. All of the sudden I felt a cold blade against my throat as my arms were pinned and held.

"The traitor got to you first I see, but I know you're in there!" The shadows flickered only the slightest bit as he spoke. "I have a knife to your friend's throat and if need be I will kill her. So come out before I slit her throat!"

Damn what deep shit have I walked into now? I silently thanked Annabel for all those training sessions before making a move. I jerked my elbow back sharply into his stomach. Feeling the blade cut into my skin I grabbed his wrist and spun, jerking the knife and disarming him. I ducked as a fist came flying towards my face and kicked out my leg, or at least tried, to knock him down. I let out a yelp as his foot landed me in the ribs and I heard a snap.

An armored form came flying out of the darkness and tackled Eric. At first I thought it was Annabel then I saw the metal arm. I rolled out of the way as the two grappled in the dirt. The metal arm guy had Eric in a complicated arm lock when he got hit in the stomach. He immediately let Eric go and he's hands flew to cover his lower abdomen. I saw blood gushing between his fingers and so did Eric, who gave a devilish snarl and quickly took advantage of the wounded man.

For the next few moments Eric was on the offense, aiming every punch and kick at the metal armed man's wound. He was slowly backed up to the edge off the house when Annabel first made her appearance. Her eyes were all black and she stood rigid and emotionless. She slowly emerged from the building and faced Eric.

"You let me believe you were dead." She deadpanned.

Giving one last kick to the metal armed guy he let him slide to the ground. "Well, well, she finally shows her face. I wondered how many people I would have to beat until you came out of hiding." He turned to face her still smiling cruelly.

I slowly crawled over to the metal armed man as they talked, my ribs aching with every movement. His head was downcast and he didn't seem to be moving. His breathing came in shallow ragged breaths. I carefully took off my jacket and pressed it to his wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Do you even care that you left me to fend for myself? That you worked with the people who tortured and experimented on me?"

"You're so naive, why do you think Hydra picked you for experimentation? Out of all the people to choose from they picked a little nobody like you. I volunteered you when I signed up, that car crash was meant to happen so the extraction would be easier."

I watched as Annabel's eyes grew even darker, any light disappearing completely into the black abyss. She flicked her wrist and a dark shadow started to claw its way out from Eric's chest. I stared in horror as he choked and sputtered, unable to fight his sibling as she ripped away his soul.

"You killed our parents, you destroyed my life, you helped people torture me and then you have the nerve to come back? How dare you."

The metal armed man stirred slightly and I looked back to him. Bruises were forming on his face and forearm while blood pooled around him. I pressed down on my jacket in an effort to stop the bleeding, but it was futile. He was going to bleed out if we didn't get him to a hospital soon.

A low growl drew my attention back to the siblings. Eric was on his knees, almost completely surrounded by the swirling black mass. His lips were drawn back in a steely rictus grin, white teeth flashing. He locked eyes with Annabel letting out a choked laugh. Bright light exploded around him, chasing away the shadows that threatened to devour his soul just moments before.

Annabel's shocked face watched as he slowly stood. "You didn't really think I would let you have all the power did you? Remember when I said you're the dark to my light? Well I wasn't talking about personalities sister." He spread his fingers wide and I watched as golden rays flew from the tips and towards Annabel.

Her arms flew up, creating a wall of shadows that extinguished any light. They disappeared as fast as they came and I could see Annabel's strength waning. She's strong, but the shock of finding her brother and the shadow exertion was just too much.

She stared down her twin and if looks could kill he'd be six feet under. "You're not my Brother," It was a low whisper and it was carried away by the wind as she spoke. "You're an abomination!" With that she threw up her hands, causing a tsunami of darkness to crash down on Eric who shielded himself with a wall of light.

As the two of them fought for control I couldn't help remembering the time Danny made me watch the whole Harry Potter series. It was torture, but the fight scenes were totally worth it. Especially the fight between scar kid and no nose in the last movie. As their powers clashed in the movie so did Annabel's and Eric's.

As the light pushed its way farther into the blackness I realized I needed to do something before Annabel drained herself completely. I went to lift myself off the ground when I felt someone grab my arm. The metal armed man looked to me and said in a low whisper, "Don't. She needs to do this, she'll never forgive you if you take away the one thing that can help her redeem herself."

I looked to Annabel judging how badly she would need help. She seemed to be holding up okay, but if she didn't win soon her powers would be drained. Metal arm guy was right though, if I helped she'd never forgive me. I settled back down but kept on edge in case anything happened.

"You killed my family you heartless bastard!" Annabel pushed forward and I sat shocked as I saw her form through the darkness. She floated slightly off the ground, her skin writhed as shadows threatened to spill out. Her blonde hair darkened and whipped around her face. She looked at her brother with an emotion that never before had I seen on her face. It was one of pure hatred.

Eric's form was swallowed up completely by the shadows and he let out an ear piercing scream. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I could feel goosebumps traveling up my arms. If I had known who the man beside me was I'd have probably grabbed his hand. I looked away, shutting my eyes as my friend slowly tore her brother apart.

It seemed like days before the screaming finally stopped. I opened my eyes and found a disheveled Annabel standing over the twisted and broken form of her brother. Her hair had gone back to its original color, so had her eyes and skin. I flinched as she stooped and grabbed her brother's hand. She let out a growl and ripped out his soul, catching it and braking it to pieces.

"I have no family…"