Chapter Four by angelinhell

angelinhell: Haha, and this is the chapter you've all been waiting for- it's from GABRIELLE'S POINT OF VIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gabrielle: Oh, stop already with the self-glorifying remarks.

angelinhell: They're not self-glorifying unless I wrote you- *realizes* Which means you JUST ADMITTED TO BEING WRITTEN BY ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Gabrielle: So?

angelinhell: You admitted it. I recorded it. *holds up tape recorder triumphantly* Therefore, legally I own you!

Gabrielle: You little- *starts to chase angelinhell around the room*

Jaguar: *no longer occupied with piece of meat* GRRR.

Gabrielle: *stops chasing angelinhell and thinks* *stares at jaguar*

Jaguar: *nods and starts chasing angelinhell around the room*

angelinhell: Hey, no bringing telepathically controlled teeth and claws into it!

Gabrielle: Would you rather I brought Penny into it? (For those of you who don't know, Penny is PennythePyro, my alter ego [or just me with a different e-mail address] and counter-conscience.)

angelinhell: *shudders and looks at approaching teeth and claws* I think I'll stick with non-flaming weapons.

evilemmylou: *bursts into film studio with triumphant grin on her face* Well, I DID IT!

angelinhell: Great, we congratulate you on whatever it is you've done, now can you please relieve this angry jaguar of its pastime of CHASING ME AROUND THE ROOM???????????!!!!!!!

evilemmylou: Certainly. *traps jaguar with spare set*

angelinhell: Whew!

Gabrielle: Great, now I have to chase her on my own! *glares at evilemmylou before leaping onto angelinhell's heels*

evilemmylou: *plaintively* Doesn't ANYONE want to know what I did?

Erik: I would. It would relieve the monotony of my sister chasing my favorite professional liar around the room. *sighs* Shoot.

evilemmylou: I rented park space which means we can do our exterior filming today!

angelinhell: *while being chased* Em, I haven't- frickin- WRITTEN- our outdoor- scenes yet! We're- still restricted- to- interior shots- because of this- god-damn- WOMAN- who happens to be- CHASING ME AROUND THE ROOM!!!!!!!!

Erik: Gabrielle, quit it. You're going to kill yourself.

Gabrielle: *glares at Erik but slows to a walk*

angelinhell: *to evilemmylou* How long do you think I'll have to avoid her after this?

Gabrielle: *annoyed* I heard that!

angelinhell: You really think I care?

Gabrielle: Well, I nev- *is cut off by secret door in wall swinging open and slamming her into the wall*

Nick: *emerges from secret door* Cool!

evilemmylou: I see you've discovered the passageway from MY writing studio *glares at Nick* to Em's film studio.

Nick: Yep! And I brought Penny with me!

Penny: *half emerging from the passage* Hi-

angelinhell: No! No! NOT YOU! *shoves door back onto Penny*

*strangled cry from behind door*

Nick: Hey!

Penny: *from behind door* MMF! (HEY!)

angelinhell: Anyway, on with the show! *holds up tape recorder* Haha! Just wait until this gets to court!

Gabrielle: ARGH! *resumes chasing angelinhell around the room*

evilemmylou: Oh, and by the way, angelinhell has not bought out POTO, as far as I know-

angelinhell: Just wait!

evilemmylou: -so she STILL doesn't own it.

angelinhell: Any day now... I'll have the necessary pictures to blackmail the owner into selling the rights to me...

Erik: Quite frankly, my friend, the owner is dead.

angelinhell: *stops running* Really?

Gabrielle: *runs past angelinhell and crashes into sets* shitshitshitShitSHIT!

angelinhell: Even if the rights aren't mine, enjoy! *aside* But one day I'll own them all... MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!

evilemmylou: Maniacal laughter is not in the script, Em.

angelinhell: Who gives? On with the story!

* * * * * *

That day had two significances- it was the twelfth anniversary of my and my brother's birth, and it was the day we ran away.

Our mother was at her worst. We knew because she actually looked happy, and Charlotte Reinchart never looked happy unless she was just about ready to drop a bombshell on us.

For a while, she had been angry because of the appearance of Shadow, mainly because the big cat tended to protect us from her physical attacks, and so now she had to resort to mental ones.

But that day she went too far.

It seemed so simple at the time. A little time, organized by Marie- Paulette, was set aside that day basically to congratulate us on being born, something we could not have avoided even had we wanted to. It was a pointless effort, but we both knew Marie-Paulette had worked hard for it, and so we didn't say so.

Things looked suspicious, however, when Charlotte appeared, a gift for my brother wrapped in her hand and ready to open. It worried me.

If only I had known how this would end up, I would have left right then and saved Erik the pain. As it was, I only watched with apprehension as he took it and unwrapped it.

It was a mirror. The irony was enough to make me scream, but I did nothing.

For which I will never forgive myself.

With typical naïveté he looked down. He asked a single question.

"What is that?"

And Charlotte smiled spitefully and answered, "You."

Marie-Paulette gasped and Erik dropped the mirror. It shattered with a crash like a gunshot. He bent down and picked up one of the pieces, the glass cutting his hand, and stared at it.

"How does it work?" he asked, gripping the shard with trembling fingers.

And Charlotte, willing to do anything (even lie) to hurt him, told him, "It shows us the color of our soul. It shows us who we really are." With mock concern she leaned forward. "Does it not show you what you wish to see?"

I grabbed Erik's hand. "We're leaving now," I said quietly, dragging him to his feet. "Shadow!"

The jaguar pounded up to me and stood between us and Charlotte. But she had no intention of stopping us from leaving.

"It's not going to work, girl," the mother I hated said. "No matter how far you run, you will never be able to hide him from what he is- demon's child!"

Erik groaned.

"And you will always remind him of what he is, for you are demon's child also! You think that leaving will hurt me? Leave! I loathe you with all my heart! Never come back, demons! Never!"

"Come on!" I hissed at my brother. "We have to get out of here."

And with one last parting glance towards Marie, he turned and ran with me through the garden and out into the world we had never known.

Now we would know it. We had no choice.

* * * * * *

It took us a while, but we built ourselves a tree house, made of large fallen branches and reed-rope. Through the entire week it took us, Erik never spoke a word. We ate what we could find, we built where we could, we made what we needed- but in total silence, It was like he had sealed himself up inside himself and no one, not even me, was ever going to get to him.

Then, a few days after we had finished, Erik asked me the question I will never forget.

"What am I?"

I didn't know what to say.

"What am I? Where did I come from? Why am I not like you?"

I took his hand. "I don't know why you're not like me, Erik, but you are human. You are my brother and I love you and nothing in this world is ever going to change that.

The next question surprised me more.

"Why does Mother hate me?"

And when I gave the answer, it was more true than I could have expected.

"Because she doesn't understand you."

I held him then, and his eyes expressed his gratitude.

But I didn't know how I was ever going to make it right.

* * * * * *

evilemmylou: Oh, Em, that's so sad! And evil... how could you let this happen?

angelinhell: Don't blame me, I'm just writing the story. I'm not controlling it.

Erik: Right.

angelinhell: Okay, so I am controlling it. But there are some constants! I have to explain... stuff."

Gabrielle: Can we please start the stupid filming and get this over with?

angelinhell: Oh, you're not in this. We got ten-year-old Amy Quinn to play the young you.

Gabrielle: So how are you going to work the eyes?

angelinhell: One word, lady- contacts.

Erik: Who's playing me?

angelinhell: *turns to evilemmylou* Em, who did you get to play Erik?

evilemmylou: *blushes* Well- I know you said not to let personal preference to influence my choice... but...

angelinhell: Oh, no... You didn't...

Schwartz: *walks in* Hey, guys! When do we start filming?

angelinhell and Erik: *faint*

ririchan: *while dragging the lifeless bodies out of the film studio* See you next time!

evilemmylou: Aren't you supposed to make some crack about the unconscious state of our two friends?

ririchan: *shrugs* That's how she usually signs off.

evilemmylou: *sighs* Pathetic but unchangeable. Bye!

(For those of you who are a little confused, Schwartz is a boy the friend represented by evilemmylou used to have a crush on, and he is extremely annoying and energetic, as will become clear in future disclaimers. Angelinhell out!)