Chapter Eight
The next morning, sun shone brightly, the sky, nearly cloudless, a clear, bright blue. So odd, Abby thought. The people here had no idea what they were in for. The new leaves budding on the trees, spring flowers forcing their pretty heads up out of the soil. If only things were that simple.
She figured she wouldn't get anywhere staying locked in her room, so she ventured outside to the park. She wasn't really sure what to do next- but she knew for sure that no one here was out looking for her.
If she wanted to find them, if she wanted to help them, she'd need to go look for them herself. How she should begin? She still had no idea.
It came upon her suddenly, without so much as a warning. In her mind, Abby suddenly saw the lovely villa, set high upon a hill. Though it was breathtakingly beautiful, pure evil roamed within its walls. He was there again, that same lecherous man, visibly gloating and ordering his servants about, setting a scene of seduction. A flash of light and the picture changed. In what looked to be a few rooms away, there was someone else, a man she vaguely recognized, with a talent for painting - putting a vision of hell, of chaos on canvas. He seemed in a trance, as if his brush was controlled by a force outside himself. The colors muted and faded to gave way to another picture. Here was the man she knew well, dark and mysteriously handsome, and she saw he was once again locked in a cage, deep below. Though she had seen how cruel he could be, her heart broke as she heard him, calling a name out, over and over.
Her mind went blank for just a moment, and a final image emerged.
This one was of Alison, dressed in a blood red gown, diamonds glittering from her wrist and ears. Her eyes were frightened as she bravely stood and faced the one who could possibly be the devil himself.
And then, as quick as they came, the visions were gone.
Shaking a bit, her heart pounding, Abby sat on a nearby bench and took some time to compose herself. After a few minutes, and even more deep breaths, she finally felt like herself again. She twisted her light brown hair back into a knot, feeling the light breeze on her neck. She reached into her bag for a clip to keep her hair in place, and then again to pull out a book. Always so thoughtful, Gwen had packed up half the store for her to take with her. A few frivolous romance novels, a couple of time honored classics and Gwen's very own, dog-eared copy of Dracula. Very cute, Gwen, Abby chuckled to herself. I really need to call her later, Abby thought and smiled just thinking of hearing the cheerful sound of Gwen's voice. You're never lonely if you have a book - she always said. She was absolutely right. Books had been Abby's friends for years. They never let her down.
Leaning back against the bench, she was just getting into Chapter Two of her first sappy romance when Abby was startled by the sound of someone running toward her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a dark figure stop right near where she sat. A pair of high-heeled boots came into view. Abby looked up and saw that the boots belonged to a small, petite, beautiful girl with long dark hair, dressed entirely in black. A heavy gold ring swung from a chain around her neck. Abby's hand instinctively went to touch the chain she herself wore, though the ring hanging from hers was a delicate diamond. She was bent over at the waist, exhausted from running. She looked scared. She looked odd. She looked..familiar.
It took everything she had to keep her voice light, but Abby finally decided to speak to her.
"Are you OK?" Abby asked.
"I'm fine." She replied
"Are you sure?" Abby dropped her book on the bench beside her and stood up, placing a hand on the girl's back.
"I said, I'm fine! Don't touch me!" she pushed Abby off and stepped away.
"I'm sorry, you just looked like you needed help"
"Well, I don't. I'm fine."
"OK." Abby said, and sat back down on the bench. She picked her book up and returned to the place where she left off.
"Why do you care anyway?" she asked.
Abby looked up again. "Oh, I don't. Not anymore. Since, you're fine." she replied, her eyes serious behind her tortoiseshell glasses.
"Well, maybe you can help me."
"Well, maybe I don't want to now." Abby said idly and returned her eyes to her book.
The girl in black turned and stared at Abby, and as she did, her head
started spinning.
She had never felt like this before. She was so hungry, so tired, and
so alone. She
needed to find him soon.
Suddenly annoyed, she snatched the book from Abby's hands.
"Hey!" Abby stood up quickly, more than ready for a fight, especially with her.
"Look --- I'm in trouble --" she began.
"No. You are trouble. I know all about you, Livvie Locke." Abby shot back, staring her straight in the face.
"What? Wait, how do you know me!?" Livvie asked, shocked.
"Oh, I know you alright - it doesn't really matter how. I know how you've lied, you've manipulated, and how you've tried to destroy everyone who's unfortunate enough to get close to you." Abby quickly reached out and grabbed her book back.
Livvie looked at the girl in front of her, taking her in from head to toe. Her dark glasses, her blue eyes filled with anger. There was nothing at all familiar about her. She was sure she had never seen her before in her life.
"Just who the hell do you think you are?" Livvie demanded.
Abby took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes, suddenly exhausted.
"Seriously, Livvie - why has this always been such a problem for you? That is really, truly, not at all the way to ask someone for help. Oh, and my name is Abby - by the way - since you asked so nicely." The words she spoke were thickly laced with sarcasm.
That was enough. Abby was done talking to her.
If she hadn't seen it herself, she would not have believed the devastation Livvie caused Alison and Rafe months before. As she sometimes could, Abby felt Alison's pain during that time, her heart breaking again and again as she watched Alison fight every day to try and make Rafe remember their love, despite all of Livvie's cruel lies. The feeling was still as real and as sharp as if it were her own. And this girl, standing in front of her now, who had supposedly been Alison's best friend, had done things to hurt them that were nearly unspeakable.
There was much more she wanted to say, but, honestly, it was hardly her place. And , more importantly, since she had recently seen in her mind that Livvie had been turned into a vampire, it probably wouldn't be smart to egg her on. Hurt and anger were still boiling dangerously close to the surface, but Abby took a deep breath and fought them back. She calmly sat down, put her glasses back on and opened the book again.
"I don't know anyone named Abby." Livvie responded with a bit of disgust.
"Well, now you do. And too bad, because if you'd been nicer, I might have been able to help you."
Livvie stared at the girl on the bench - now - completely confused. She couldn't believe a stranger's words could effect her so. This girl she didn't even know was so incredibly angry at her. Livvie knew she had done horrible things to a lot of people in Port Charles, and from them she knew she deserved, even expected, this kind of treatment. She suddenly had a thought, as strange as it seemed, but the way Abby talked, it almost - it almost felt like it was really Alison speaking to her.
At least that would make sense.
Livvie sighed and looked at Abby again. This wouldn't be easy, but at the moment, she was her only hope.
"I'm sorry." Livvie said finally.
The sound of those words coming from Livvie's mouth made Abby's head shoot up. She stared at her in utter disbelief.
If Abby didn't know better, she would think Livvie was starting to sound almost contrite.
"Oh, you can't be serious. You know as well as I do that there's a long, long list of people you need to say those words to before you could ever get close to my name." Abby said slowly. Her usually kind blue eyes suddenly turned cold as ice.
"Listen, since I don't think I even know you, I can't possibly imagine what I ever did to piss you off this much. Even though you are totally freaking me out right now - I, I, well, the fact is I really do need someone to help me." Frustrated beyond belief, Livvie's eyes filled with tears. "Please..." she said softly.
Upon hearing that word, Abby finally gave in. It was as close to begging as Abby guessed Livvie could manage. "OK." Abby said quietly, as she closed the book in her lap. "What exactly is it that you want from me?"
"I don't even know how the hell you even know who I am, but since it's obvious that you do, I'm thinking, I mean, I'm hoping that maybe you might know who Rafe is too."
"I do. I know of him." Abby replied. "Why do you ask?"
She was completely puzzled by Abby's words, but she was so desperate for help, Livvie took a breath and continued. "I just need to find him."
"For what?" Abby asked, still totally suspicious.
"I need to ask him something"
"Well, you'd better tell me what that is first - or there's no way I'm going to help you."
Abby knew that it was possible for Livvie to want to ask Rafe any number of outrageous things, but she was still shocked when she heard her say..
"I want to ask him to kill me."
The next morning, sun shone brightly, the sky, nearly cloudless, a clear, bright blue. So odd, Abby thought. The people here had no idea what they were in for. The new leaves budding on the trees, spring flowers forcing their pretty heads up out of the soil. If only things were that simple.
She figured she wouldn't get anywhere staying locked in her room, so she ventured outside to the park. She wasn't really sure what to do next- but she knew for sure that no one here was out looking for her.
If she wanted to find them, if she wanted to help them, she'd need to go look for them herself. How she should begin? She still had no idea.
It came upon her suddenly, without so much as a warning. In her mind, Abby suddenly saw the lovely villa, set high upon a hill. Though it was breathtakingly beautiful, pure evil roamed within its walls. He was there again, that same lecherous man, visibly gloating and ordering his servants about, setting a scene of seduction. A flash of light and the picture changed. In what looked to be a few rooms away, there was someone else, a man she vaguely recognized, with a talent for painting - putting a vision of hell, of chaos on canvas. He seemed in a trance, as if his brush was controlled by a force outside himself. The colors muted and faded to gave way to another picture. Here was the man she knew well, dark and mysteriously handsome, and she saw he was once again locked in a cage, deep below. Though she had seen how cruel he could be, her heart broke as she heard him, calling a name out, over and over.
Her mind went blank for just a moment, and a final image emerged.
This one was of Alison, dressed in a blood red gown, diamonds glittering from her wrist and ears. Her eyes were frightened as she bravely stood and faced the one who could possibly be the devil himself.
And then, as quick as they came, the visions were gone.
Shaking a bit, her heart pounding, Abby sat on a nearby bench and took some time to compose herself. After a few minutes, and even more deep breaths, she finally felt like herself again. She twisted her light brown hair back into a knot, feeling the light breeze on her neck. She reached into her bag for a clip to keep her hair in place, and then again to pull out a book. Always so thoughtful, Gwen had packed up half the store for her to take with her. A few frivolous romance novels, a couple of time honored classics and Gwen's very own, dog-eared copy of Dracula. Very cute, Gwen, Abby chuckled to herself. I really need to call her later, Abby thought and smiled just thinking of hearing the cheerful sound of Gwen's voice. You're never lonely if you have a book - she always said. She was absolutely right. Books had been Abby's friends for years. They never let her down.
Leaning back against the bench, she was just getting into Chapter Two of her first sappy romance when Abby was startled by the sound of someone running toward her. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a dark figure stop right near where she sat. A pair of high-heeled boots came into view. Abby looked up and saw that the boots belonged to a small, petite, beautiful girl with long dark hair, dressed entirely in black. A heavy gold ring swung from a chain around her neck. Abby's hand instinctively went to touch the chain she herself wore, though the ring hanging from hers was a delicate diamond. She was bent over at the waist, exhausted from running. She looked scared. She looked odd. She looked..familiar.
It took everything she had to keep her voice light, but Abby finally decided to speak to her.
"Are you OK?" Abby asked.
"I'm fine." She replied
"Are you sure?" Abby dropped her book on the bench beside her and stood up, placing a hand on the girl's back.
"I said, I'm fine! Don't touch me!" she pushed Abby off and stepped away.
"I'm sorry, you just looked like you needed help"
"Well, I don't. I'm fine."
"OK." Abby said, and sat back down on the bench. She picked her book up and returned to the place where she left off.
"Why do you care anyway?" she asked.
Abby looked up again. "Oh, I don't. Not anymore. Since, you're fine." she replied, her eyes serious behind her tortoiseshell glasses.
"Well, maybe you can help me."
"Well, maybe I don't want to now." Abby said idly and returned her eyes to her book.
The girl in black turned and stared at Abby, and as she did, her head
started spinning.
She had never felt like this before. She was so hungry, so tired, and
so alone. She
needed to find him soon.
Suddenly annoyed, she snatched the book from Abby's hands.
"Hey!" Abby stood up quickly, more than ready for a fight, especially with her.
"Look --- I'm in trouble --" she began.
"No. You are trouble. I know all about you, Livvie Locke." Abby shot back, staring her straight in the face.
"What? Wait, how do you know me!?" Livvie asked, shocked.
"Oh, I know you alright - it doesn't really matter how. I know how you've lied, you've manipulated, and how you've tried to destroy everyone who's unfortunate enough to get close to you." Abby quickly reached out and grabbed her book back.
Livvie looked at the girl in front of her, taking her in from head to toe. Her dark glasses, her blue eyes filled with anger. There was nothing at all familiar about her. She was sure she had never seen her before in her life.
"Just who the hell do you think you are?" Livvie demanded.
Abby took her glasses off and rubbed her eyes, suddenly exhausted.
"Seriously, Livvie - why has this always been such a problem for you? That is really, truly, not at all the way to ask someone for help. Oh, and my name is Abby - by the way - since you asked so nicely." The words she spoke were thickly laced with sarcasm.
That was enough. Abby was done talking to her.
If she hadn't seen it herself, she would not have believed the devastation Livvie caused Alison and Rafe months before. As she sometimes could, Abby felt Alison's pain during that time, her heart breaking again and again as she watched Alison fight every day to try and make Rafe remember their love, despite all of Livvie's cruel lies. The feeling was still as real and as sharp as if it were her own. And this girl, standing in front of her now, who had supposedly been Alison's best friend, had done things to hurt them that were nearly unspeakable.
There was much more she wanted to say, but, honestly, it was hardly her place. And , more importantly, since she had recently seen in her mind that Livvie had been turned into a vampire, it probably wouldn't be smart to egg her on. Hurt and anger were still boiling dangerously close to the surface, but Abby took a deep breath and fought them back. She calmly sat down, put her glasses back on and opened the book again.
"I don't know anyone named Abby." Livvie responded with a bit of disgust.
"Well, now you do. And too bad, because if you'd been nicer, I might have been able to help you."
Livvie stared at the girl on the bench - now - completely confused. She couldn't believe a stranger's words could effect her so. This girl she didn't even know was so incredibly angry at her. Livvie knew she had done horrible things to a lot of people in Port Charles, and from them she knew she deserved, even expected, this kind of treatment. She suddenly had a thought, as strange as it seemed, but the way Abby talked, it almost - it almost felt like it was really Alison speaking to her.
At least that would make sense.
Livvie sighed and looked at Abby again. This wouldn't be easy, but at the moment, she was her only hope.
"I'm sorry." Livvie said finally.
The sound of those words coming from Livvie's mouth made Abby's head shoot up. She stared at her in utter disbelief.
If Abby didn't know better, she would think Livvie was starting to sound almost contrite.
"Oh, you can't be serious. You know as well as I do that there's a long, long list of people you need to say those words to before you could ever get close to my name." Abby said slowly. Her usually kind blue eyes suddenly turned cold as ice.
"Listen, since I don't think I even know you, I can't possibly imagine what I ever did to piss you off this much. Even though you are totally freaking me out right now - I, I, well, the fact is I really do need someone to help me." Frustrated beyond belief, Livvie's eyes filled with tears. "Please..." she said softly.
Upon hearing that word, Abby finally gave in. It was as close to begging as Abby guessed Livvie could manage. "OK." Abby said quietly, as she closed the book in her lap. "What exactly is it that you want from me?"
"I don't even know how the hell you even know who I am, but since it's obvious that you do, I'm thinking, I mean, I'm hoping that maybe you might know who Rafe is too."
"I do. I know of him." Abby replied. "Why do you ask?"
She was completely puzzled by Abby's words, but she was so desperate for help, Livvie took a breath and continued. "I just need to find him."
"For what?" Abby asked, still totally suspicious.
"I need to ask him something"
"Well, you'd better tell me what that is first - or there's no way I'm going to help you."
Abby knew that it was possible for Livvie to want to ask Rafe any number of outrageous things, but she was still shocked when she heard her say..
"I want to ask him to kill me."