Victoria stepped onto the airplane.
It was the first time she had ever been on one so she was very nervous about how it would turn out. She'd come prepared though with a c.d. player and a few books to read in case she had already seen the movie that they offered. She walked down the aisles of blue seats and smiled politely at the people sitting around her.
It had been her first time ever to be on an airplane so she had vied for a window seat. That way she could see everything when they took off and when they were landing. She just hoped they didn't crash.
She'd ended up with window seat 12A. She couldn't wait till she could sit down and get collected before the plane took off. Her nervousness was bothering her as walked down the small aisle. She ended up right in front of row 12 there were three seats set up and already someone was sitting there. Of course, that person was sitting in her window seat. Possessiveness took over as she quickly checked her ticket to make sure she was right.
"Excuse me, sir. You are sitting in my seat." she told him as she let her small red satchel drop onto the floor.
He looked over at her. He had been watching all the people outside doing their jobs. It took her aback for a second as she met his brilliant blue eyes. They were so intense. She wasn't sure if she had ever saw that color blue on anyone before. They were a bluish green that seemed to change with every thought he had to either color.
He was surprised by her outburst and looked down at his plane ticket to make sure he was where he was supposed to be.
"Uh, actually this is where I am supposed to sit. Are you sure?"
She looked down at her ticket, "Yeah, see it says right here seat 12A. I wanted the window seat so I could see the ground from the sky. It's my first time in an airplane." she told him. She realized she was telling him more information then he needed to know, but she didn't care. She just hoped the information would allow him to get out of her seat.
He leaned back in the very comfortable looking blue seat and looked out his window again to see a few flight attendants directing another plane to pull away from the airport. Then he looked back at her with a slight grin exposing perfect teeth, "So, it's your first time. You're like a virgin."
She gave him a look and rolled her eyes, "Very mature, Mister. Now would you get out of my seat."
"Nope."
"But that's my seat!" she cried.
"Yeah, but according to my ticket it's mine too. So unless you want to sit in my lap the whole way there you're not going to be sitting here. Unless, of course, we can strike a deal."
"What kind of deal?"
"I will give you my seat if you get coffee with me as soon as we reach the next airport." He added, "Oh, and I am Mark, by the way."
She looked out the window at the cloudy sky above them and laughed. This had to be one of the most exasperating situations in her life and now it was even more weird with a stranger who had stolen her seat was now trying to pick her up.
She looked back down at him ready to tell him where to shove it... and he was bended down on his knee. The plane was gone and they were standing at the docks at midnight. He had a small Celtic shaped ring that he held out to her.
The boats around them rocked in the clear blue-green waters and the moonlight shone down on them interfering with their privacy. She had never been so surprised in her life. Here she was with Mark and he was proposing to her.
It was like a dream
"Are you kidding me," she whispered a slight breeze blew around them.
"Nope," he replied, grinning.
"Marry you? But I thought you were a bachelor in training for life?"
"Yeah, about that. I changed my mind."
"Pray tell why?"
"It's a secret," he said kissing her hand lightly. Then he placed the ring on her finger.
"Now tell me you'll marry me before you ruin the moment."
"Fine, I guess I could pencil in a wedding into my ever so busy schedule," she laughed.
He burst up at her in excitement and kissed her.
Rain starting falling over them as she laughed. Mark grabbed her hand to get her to the nearest safe haven from the rain. But she lagged behind. Everything in this moment was right. It was perfect. He had proposed. Something she had never expected. She'd never expected him to ever propose to anyone in his life. It would have been the happiest moment of her life, but she was so overcome with surprise that she couldn't help it.
Everything was perfect except something was out of place.
It was the rain. It hadn't rained when he had proposed. That night it had been cloudless and perfect. Every star shone in the sky and the moon had shone the brightest down on them when he'd proposed.
Rain.. It didn't fit in..
All the feelings that she had been reliving were being driven from her. All she felt was some liquid form of pain rushing through her body. She didn't know what was going on. She didn't understand why it hurt so bad.
Then, she was sucked back up into reality.
Victoria burst awake coughing. Rain was slicing its way down onto her body. She was already soaked all over by it. Her head was pounding as if she had one too many drinks and her body felt as if a semi-truck had run over it a half a dozen times.
She stared above her for a moment not understanding where she yet.
She could see a few dark clouds leaking into her field of vision along with the bursts of raindrops that were running rampant in the sky. She could see the sky in between the roses and the white boards of woods crisscrossing of each other.
Where was she? Was she still dreaming?
Oh, no... Today was her wedding day. Had she missed it?
With the last thought she flew up into at sitting position. The world went black for a moment at her sudden actions and then her sight came back in a stilted dizzy way as she tried to breathe.
The sweet smell of roses washed over her.
There was a soft white glow all around her. She almost felt as if she had awoke in the center of a fairy circle that she had heard of so many times as a child. But she hadn't woke up among fairies she realized.
She was in the veranda. It seemed different though. In the middle was a large hole almost shaped like a human had plowed through it. She almost wanted to giggle at how silly it looked. It looked just like one of the holes you'd see in a cartoon when one of the characters had been thrown through a wall.
She felt something dripping down her face and she touched it to see blood. Now how did that happen?
She stumbled to her feet giggling lightly as she did at how much she wondered she had drunk at her own wedding. That had to be it. Mark had probably passed out on the veranda too from all the drinks that they'd shared from the millions of toasts everyone had given her.. Yeah, that had to be it.
But it wasn't. She turned to the side of the veranda waiting for him to be there laughing at her drunkenness. That's when it all came back. In a fit of nausea, she remembered standing there as the priest had started the ceremony. Mark had been holding her hands firmly in his hands, the priest had asked for his vows and then...there was a bright light. A piercing light that came to blind her and a shrieking noise that deafened her ears.
That's all she remembered.
On the other side of the veranda lay Mark. He laid against the wood wall crumpled like a doll a child had thrown in anger. His dark hair had fallen into his face and blood was pouring from a fresh cut on his forehead.
Everything in her body made her not want to go to him. To not see how bad he really was. She didn't want to know if he was dead or not. It would be better if she just didn't know and pretended he was okay.
As much as her denial wanted to keep her rooted to her spot on the veranda she still went to him.
She couldn't leave him there alone. She inched her way over to him since every movement she made hurt somewhere new all over her body. Splinters cascaded over her legs and her hands as she crawled.
Her feet couldn't carry her there. They were too wobbly to be reliable.
She didn't care if she was killing herself with all the pain raining over her body just to get to him. The one person she cared about most was laying there hurt, and he needed her.
Mark looked dead. His tan face was so pale now. His mouth was partially open and a thin trail of blood had escaped from it. He looked broken. She touched his chest so lightly as to not hurt him if he were still alive.
He had to be alive. It was their wedding day. He couldn't just leave her there all alone on their wedding day. It had been his idea in the first place. He had to stay with her. They had a future together that he couldn't miss out on. Maybe, even a family he still needed to see.
"Mark," she whispered.
She could feel his breathing. It was so slight though. So soft it barely made any noise or even rose his chest. His pulse was barely there. Like a light in the fog. Barely present against her broken palm.
He was still alive. That was good. There was still hope.
She had to believe that someone was calling for help. That there was still time to save him. She just had to keep him awake and talking to her. She knew that if he lost consciousness he may lose his life with it.
She wouldn't let him go that easily.
"Mark, can you hear me? Get up. Don't you dare leave me here alone! Not now. Not on our wedding day." she cried. Her voice was raw but her meaning was till caught by him.
His brilliant blue eyes fluttered. Not open, but it was a reaction.
"That's it. Come on, Mark. Please, wake up."
His mouth opened taking in shaky breaths. His eyes still didn't open.
"Mark?" she whispered, pulling him close to her. His body leaning against hers as she hugged him close. Not willing to give up on him or let go. "Mark?"
"Victoria," he sighed.
"Yes," she gulped in a breath of surprise and a bit of hope. "It's me."
"What happened?"
"I don't know. I don't know."
"I'm dying," he gasped as a rage of pain washed over his body. She felt him shaking in her arms as it hit him.
"No, no, no. Mark, you're here with me. You don't have to die. Someone's getting help. All you have to do is hang on for a little bit longer. You can do that for me, right. Just hold on."
"Where's everyone?" he asked.
"What?"
She slowly looked up to see her surroundings.
She hadn't even thought of anyone else. She hadn't even wondered why it was so eerily quiet all around them. There wasn't even the sound of crickets. It was as if everything had disappeared from the face of the earth.
She turned her blue-violet eyes to look at the place where everyone had been sitting watching their wedding. Her perfect photograph of her wedding dying in a blink of an eye.
"Oh god."
"What?"
"It's nothing. Just hang on, okay. "
She couldn't tell him what she saw. It was hard for her even to see. She still didn't believe it even though her eyes were showing her the scene. She felt as if she were trapped inside of her worst nightmare.
She couldn't help but stare at the gruesome image.
She felt as if she were inside of a wax museum. Everyone was still there. They were all still sitting in their places like they had been when the wedding had started. It was as if they were stuck in place. They were still. So still.
A few of them were still holding cameras, a few had dried tears over their face, a few were leaning back against their chairs covering their eyes from the light.
The worst of all of them were the ones that still were smiling.
They were the creepiest of it all. It was such a surreal look. It was like they were trapped in place. They weren't moving, they weren't breathing, and they were all dead. Everyone there. All her friends and all her family. Dead. Somehow.. They had died with their round eyes open and staring up at her sightlessly. It was like they were being held in position with smiles on their faces like discarded puppets.
They were all dead. Oh god. Alexis? Dad?
It didn't take long to find them. Alexis was lying on the ground trying to block the light and Jeremy was lying over top of her trying to protect her. Her father was lying on the ground a few feet away from them twisted like an upturned doll. A smile still plastered over his pale unmoving face.
Crazy thoughts ran through her head as held onto Mark.
He was the only one left there alive.
She felt so numb. She couldn't handle it. This couldn't be happening. It had to be a dream. It was a nightmare. She would just have to wake up soon.
But as much as she tried she didn't wake up.
She let go of Mark and rested him on the steps of the veranda. His eyes still hadn't opened. It was as if that took more effort for him to open them then anything else in the world.
He was dying. No one was coming to save him. No one had been alive to call for help. She was losing everything she had ever wanted or known in her life in only a few moments. She was losing everything the day she was supposed to be gaining everything.
"I love you." She told him softly. She traced her fingertips over his chiseled features softly. He was so cold. She could barely feel the breath he exhaled at her touch. "I'm sorry, Mark."
"Don't," he gasped out as his body convulsed again.
She sprang back afraid of what was happening then she took his cold hand in hers angry at herself for being afraid. And that's when he let go. He just left her to carry the burden of death alone. Without a goodbye or a happy ending like he'd promised.
He'd let go. He'd given up on living. He'd left her.
She pressed his cold, dead hand to her face.
No tears came though. No comfort came. She felt so numb. Like something inside her heart had stopped working. Her lover was gone. Everyone was dead. They weren't coming back she was alone and she didn't know why.
How did she deserve this? Why did she deserve this? What had she done in her life to bring this onto herself? Onto everyone she knew and loved?
She'd never hurt anyone in her life intentionally. She had always been good. She had always gone out of her way to help anyone that needed it. So why this? Why now? What had she done wrong? Why was she being punished?
She let go of his hand and placed it on his chest. To the casual viewer he looked so peaceful as if he were merely sleeping. But she knew better. It tore at what was left of her heart as she looked down at him. She saw the peace he had received in death. Peace she would never know in life. How could he be so at peace when she was so torn apart?
She hated him in that moment more then she had ever hated anything in her life. She ripped her water drenched veil off and dropped it on the wooden floor beside him and started back towards her house.
She past the twisted smiling dead corpses of the people she had once loved while they were alive that still smiled upon her from the catacombs of hell. She didn't look at them as she went past.
If she did she doubted ever being sane again.
It was the first time she had ever been on one so she was very nervous about how it would turn out. She'd come prepared though with a c.d. player and a few books to read in case she had already seen the movie that they offered. She walked down the aisles of blue seats and smiled politely at the people sitting around her.
It had been her first time ever to be on an airplane so she had vied for a window seat. That way she could see everything when they took off and when they were landing. She just hoped they didn't crash.
She'd ended up with window seat 12A. She couldn't wait till she could sit down and get collected before the plane took off. Her nervousness was bothering her as walked down the small aisle. She ended up right in front of row 12 there were three seats set up and already someone was sitting there. Of course, that person was sitting in her window seat. Possessiveness took over as she quickly checked her ticket to make sure she was right.
"Excuse me, sir. You are sitting in my seat." she told him as she let her small red satchel drop onto the floor.
He looked over at her. He had been watching all the people outside doing their jobs. It took her aback for a second as she met his brilliant blue eyes. They were so intense. She wasn't sure if she had ever saw that color blue on anyone before. They were a bluish green that seemed to change with every thought he had to either color.
He was surprised by her outburst and looked down at his plane ticket to make sure he was where he was supposed to be.
"Uh, actually this is where I am supposed to sit. Are you sure?"
She looked down at her ticket, "Yeah, see it says right here seat 12A. I wanted the window seat so I could see the ground from the sky. It's my first time in an airplane." she told him. She realized she was telling him more information then he needed to know, but she didn't care. She just hoped the information would allow him to get out of her seat.
He leaned back in the very comfortable looking blue seat and looked out his window again to see a few flight attendants directing another plane to pull away from the airport. Then he looked back at her with a slight grin exposing perfect teeth, "So, it's your first time. You're like a virgin."
She gave him a look and rolled her eyes, "Very mature, Mister. Now would you get out of my seat."
"Nope."
"But that's my seat!" she cried.
"Yeah, but according to my ticket it's mine too. So unless you want to sit in my lap the whole way there you're not going to be sitting here. Unless, of course, we can strike a deal."
"What kind of deal?"
"I will give you my seat if you get coffee with me as soon as we reach the next airport." He added, "Oh, and I am Mark, by the way."
She looked out the window at the cloudy sky above them and laughed. This had to be one of the most exasperating situations in her life and now it was even more weird with a stranger who had stolen her seat was now trying to pick her up.
She looked back down at him ready to tell him where to shove it... and he was bended down on his knee. The plane was gone and they were standing at the docks at midnight. He had a small Celtic shaped ring that he held out to her.
The boats around them rocked in the clear blue-green waters and the moonlight shone down on them interfering with their privacy. She had never been so surprised in her life. Here she was with Mark and he was proposing to her.
It was like a dream
"Are you kidding me," she whispered a slight breeze blew around them.
"Nope," he replied, grinning.
"Marry you? But I thought you were a bachelor in training for life?"
"Yeah, about that. I changed my mind."
"Pray tell why?"
"It's a secret," he said kissing her hand lightly. Then he placed the ring on her finger.
"Now tell me you'll marry me before you ruin the moment."
"Fine, I guess I could pencil in a wedding into my ever so busy schedule," she laughed.
He burst up at her in excitement and kissed her.
Rain starting falling over them as she laughed. Mark grabbed her hand to get her to the nearest safe haven from the rain. But she lagged behind. Everything in this moment was right. It was perfect. He had proposed. Something she had never expected. She'd never expected him to ever propose to anyone in his life. It would have been the happiest moment of her life, but she was so overcome with surprise that she couldn't help it.
Everything was perfect except something was out of place.
It was the rain. It hadn't rained when he had proposed. That night it had been cloudless and perfect. Every star shone in the sky and the moon had shone the brightest down on them when he'd proposed.
Rain.. It didn't fit in..
All the feelings that she had been reliving were being driven from her. All she felt was some liquid form of pain rushing through her body. She didn't know what was going on. She didn't understand why it hurt so bad.
Then, she was sucked back up into reality.
Victoria burst awake coughing. Rain was slicing its way down onto her body. She was already soaked all over by it. Her head was pounding as if she had one too many drinks and her body felt as if a semi-truck had run over it a half a dozen times.
She stared above her for a moment not understanding where she yet.
She could see a few dark clouds leaking into her field of vision along with the bursts of raindrops that were running rampant in the sky. She could see the sky in between the roses and the white boards of woods crisscrossing of each other.
Where was she? Was she still dreaming?
Oh, no... Today was her wedding day. Had she missed it?
With the last thought she flew up into at sitting position. The world went black for a moment at her sudden actions and then her sight came back in a stilted dizzy way as she tried to breathe.
The sweet smell of roses washed over her.
There was a soft white glow all around her. She almost felt as if she had awoke in the center of a fairy circle that she had heard of so many times as a child. But she hadn't woke up among fairies she realized.
She was in the veranda. It seemed different though. In the middle was a large hole almost shaped like a human had plowed through it. She almost wanted to giggle at how silly it looked. It looked just like one of the holes you'd see in a cartoon when one of the characters had been thrown through a wall.
She felt something dripping down her face and she touched it to see blood. Now how did that happen?
She stumbled to her feet giggling lightly as she did at how much she wondered she had drunk at her own wedding. That had to be it. Mark had probably passed out on the veranda too from all the drinks that they'd shared from the millions of toasts everyone had given her.. Yeah, that had to be it.
But it wasn't. She turned to the side of the veranda waiting for him to be there laughing at her drunkenness. That's when it all came back. In a fit of nausea, she remembered standing there as the priest had started the ceremony. Mark had been holding her hands firmly in his hands, the priest had asked for his vows and then...there was a bright light. A piercing light that came to blind her and a shrieking noise that deafened her ears.
That's all she remembered.
On the other side of the veranda lay Mark. He laid against the wood wall crumpled like a doll a child had thrown in anger. His dark hair had fallen into his face and blood was pouring from a fresh cut on his forehead.
Everything in her body made her not want to go to him. To not see how bad he really was. She didn't want to know if he was dead or not. It would be better if she just didn't know and pretended he was okay.
As much as her denial wanted to keep her rooted to her spot on the veranda she still went to him.
She couldn't leave him there alone. She inched her way over to him since every movement she made hurt somewhere new all over her body. Splinters cascaded over her legs and her hands as she crawled.
Her feet couldn't carry her there. They were too wobbly to be reliable.
She didn't care if she was killing herself with all the pain raining over her body just to get to him. The one person she cared about most was laying there hurt, and he needed her.
Mark looked dead. His tan face was so pale now. His mouth was partially open and a thin trail of blood had escaped from it. He looked broken. She touched his chest so lightly as to not hurt him if he were still alive.
He had to be alive. It was their wedding day. He couldn't just leave her there all alone on their wedding day. It had been his idea in the first place. He had to stay with her. They had a future together that he couldn't miss out on. Maybe, even a family he still needed to see.
"Mark," she whispered.
She could feel his breathing. It was so slight though. So soft it barely made any noise or even rose his chest. His pulse was barely there. Like a light in the fog. Barely present against her broken palm.
He was still alive. That was good. There was still hope.
She had to believe that someone was calling for help. That there was still time to save him. She just had to keep him awake and talking to her. She knew that if he lost consciousness he may lose his life with it.
She wouldn't let him go that easily.
"Mark, can you hear me? Get up. Don't you dare leave me here alone! Not now. Not on our wedding day." she cried. Her voice was raw but her meaning was till caught by him.
His brilliant blue eyes fluttered. Not open, but it was a reaction.
"That's it. Come on, Mark. Please, wake up."
His mouth opened taking in shaky breaths. His eyes still didn't open.
"Mark?" she whispered, pulling him close to her. His body leaning against hers as she hugged him close. Not willing to give up on him or let go. "Mark?"
"Victoria," he sighed.
"Yes," she gulped in a breath of surprise and a bit of hope. "It's me."
"What happened?"
"I don't know. I don't know."
"I'm dying," he gasped as a rage of pain washed over his body. She felt him shaking in her arms as it hit him.
"No, no, no. Mark, you're here with me. You don't have to die. Someone's getting help. All you have to do is hang on for a little bit longer. You can do that for me, right. Just hold on."
"Where's everyone?" he asked.
"What?"
She slowly looked up to see her surroundings.
She hadn't even thought of anyone else. She hadn't even wondered why it was so eerily quiet all around them. There wasn't even the sound of crickets. It was as if everything had disappeared from the face of the earth.
She turned her blue-violet eyes to look at the place where everyone had been sitting watching their wedding. Her perfect photograph of her wedding dying in a blink of an eye.
"Oh god."
"What?"
"It's nothing. Just hang on, okay. "
She couldn't tell him what she saw. It was hard for her even to see. She still didn't believe it even though her eyes were showing her the scene. She felt as if she were trapped inside of her worst nightmare.
She couldn't help but stare at the gruesome image.
She felt as if she were inside of a wax museum. Everyone was still there. They were all still sitting in their places like they had been when the wedding had started. It was as if they were stuck in place. They were still. So still.
A few of them were still holding cameras, a few had dried tears over their face, a few were leaning back against their chairs covering their eyes from the light.
The worst of all of them were the ones that still were smiling.
They were the creepiest of it all. It was such a surreal look. It was like they were trapped in place. They weren't moving, they weren't breathing, and they were all dead. Everyone there. All her friends and all her family. Dead. Somehow.. They had died with their round eyes open and staring up at her sightlessly. It was like they were being held in position with smiles on their faces like discarded puppets.
They were all dead. Oh god. Alexis? Dad?
It didn't take long to find them. Alexis was lying on the ground trying to block the light and Jeremy was lying over top of her trying to protect her. Her father was lying on the ground a few feet away from them twisted like an upturned doll. A smile still plastered over his pale unmoving face.
Crazy thoughts ran through her head as held onto Mark.
He was the only one left there alive.
She felt so numb. She couldn't handle it. This couldn't be happening. It had to be a dream. It was a nightmare. She would just have to wake up soon.
But as much as she tried she didn't wake up.
She let go of Mark and rested him on the steps of the veranda. His eyes still hadn't opened. It was as if that took more effort for him to open them then anything else in the world.
He was dying. No one was coming to save him. No one had been alive to call for help. She was losing everything she had ever wanted or known in her life in only a few moments. She was losing everything the day she was supposed to be gaining everything.
"I love you." She told him softly. She traced her fingertips over his chiseled features softly. He was so cold. She could barely feel the breath he exhaled at her touch. "I'm sorry, Mark."
"Don't," he gasped out as his body convulsed again.
She sprang back afraid of what was happening then she took his cold hand in hers angry at herself for being afraid. And that's when he let go. He just left her to carry the burden of death alone. Without a goodbye or a happy ending like he'd promised.
He'd let go. He'd given up on living. He'd left her.
She pressed his cold, dead hand to her face.
No tears came though. No comfort came. She felt so numb. Like something inside her heart had stopped working. Her lover was gone. Everyone was dead. They weren't coming back she was alone and she didn't know why.
How did she deserve this? Why did she deserve this? What had she done in her life to bring this onto herself? Onto everyone she knew and loved?
She'd never hurt anyone in her life intentionally. She had always been good. She had always gone out of her way to help anyone that needed it. So why this? Why now? What had she done wrong? Why was she being punished?
She let go of his hand and placed it on his chest. To the casual viewer he looked so peaceful as if he were merely sleeping. But she knew better. It tore at what was left of her heart as she looked down at him. She saw the peace he had received in death. Peace she would never know in life. How could he be so at peace when she was so torn apart?
She hated him in that moment more then she had ever hated anything in her life. She ripped her water drenched veil off and dropped it on the wooden floor beside him and started back towards her house.
She past the twisted smiling dead corpses of the people she had once loved while they were alive that still smiled upon her from the catacombs of hell. She didn't look at them as she went past.
If she did she doubted ever being sane again.