My quaint stillness that I had become accustomed to was broken the moment she lifted her eyes from putting her keys back into her purse.
Her earsplitting and gut wrenching scream cut through my silence as she tripped backwards over her own uncooperative feet, tumbling to the ground in a giant heap of phalanges. My mothers breath was coming out in shallow gasps as her clouded over and unbelieving eyes stared at my unmoving form.
"Nora." Her voice whispered, filled with shock and grief. Turning into a hysterical mess of sobs and wails on the floor she pulled out her phone with shaky fingers and from what I could tell she dialed 911. I wanted so desperately to call out to her and say, "Mom! I'm here, please don't cry, I'm still here! Can't you see that! Mom!" My feeble shouts didn't come out of my bodies mouth and it lay as still as ever. I was laying on my floor drenched in my own blood and yet my soul remained for some odd unmistakably wrong reason!
My name echoed off of her lips over and over as she murmured into the phone in a state of shock. My thoughts began to blur together and I felt the sensation of leaving, I knew it was time. Only there was something off about what was happening to me, I wasn't being welcomed warmly by that sensation that was suspected to be associated with heaven and I could hear the sounds of quiet shouts. Heat was radiating against me with a burning force and I began to worry. It was then that something invaded my mind, Hopelessness.
The whoop of sirens and the flashing lights outside my house awakened me from the dark world I was spiraling into, heavy footsteps thundered up the porch steps and came to a standstill next to my mom. Detective Basso blew out a gust of air and quietly ushered my mother from the room as his partners taped up the scene and quietly drew chalk outlines around my body. I felt as if they were violating me and I wanted them to stop! I'm still here! Stop it! I tried to scream at them but my pleas fell on deaf ears.
Given that Basso was so prone to snooping into other peoples businesses he picked up the phone after one short ring and answered in a gruff voice with "The Greys aren't home right now call back later." and with that he lay the old fashioned cord phone on its side and pressed the dial button- ending the call and making it so no calls could be received. I heard the faint squeak of Vee's voice just seconds before he hung up and I knew that she would be on her way here in a matter of seconds.
Afterwards my mind sank into a soft lull and I was hardly aware of my surroundings as I started to float deeper and deeper into a warm sea.
The screech of tires brought me out of my comatose stage and not a minute later I hear the second scream of my friend Vee.
"What happened! Nora!" she screamed frantically and started to hyperventilate. "Oh my God! Whats going on here! How!" Vee's screeching continued as the cops tried to shush her and take her out of the room. I saw Rixons dark form sail through the doorway and he stood there staring with a grimace. He went to go wrap his arms around Vee's torso as he pulled out his cell phone and speed dialed Patch's number. My mind seemed to block everything out and I was able to hear what he said as clearly as if he were speaking to me.
"Patch you might wanna get over to Nora's. Now." Rixons eyes darkened at his response and he slammed the phone shut, replacing it in his pocket he stood with his arms around Vee while staring expectantly at the doorway.
My mothers wails could be heard for miles around and I felt so guilty for leaving her. First my father was shot to death by the Black Hand, and Patch was the Black Hand. I couldn't bring myself to believe that Patch had finally chosen to be human and kill me. My mom must have snapped after seeing me and finally given up.
Patch's jeep pulled into the driveway and I hear his door slam with a force that I was sure had rocked the entire vehicle. His black locks ducked under the crime scene tape and I saw his wonderful body stand rigid and straight. His black orbs unmistakably tightened in a pain so great that I could see it physically effecting his body. His hands clenched into fists at his sides and I saw a single tear roll down his face as he charged out of the room and mutilated the tape. Patch's footsteps thundered down the steps and I hear his jeep once again floor out of the driveway, his tires screeching as they reached the pavement.
All of a sudden another pain washed through me and I was ripped upwards- away from my still body. I realized that I had been detached and looked down to where my corpse lay dead and unmoving. My skin was pale white contrasting against the bright crimson blood around it. I was laying haphazardly, my legs splayed sideways and slightly bent, my torso facing upwards with my back against the tile. My head was slightly turned with my cheek pressing against the floor and my eyes glazed as if they were staring into nothingness. My mouth was limp and my arms were splayed, one against my chest and the other resting on the floor. Running towards my mom to give her a hug my surroundings began to fade and it seemed like I was running into another world! Rustles echoed around me and I could feel a slight breeze, I tried to stop running but my "legs" wouldn't cooperate!
Anger coursed through my veins and I could feel it welling up inside me, threatening to break free. A foreign sensation swept across me and I felt numb, angered, dark, even deadly.
Footsteps couldn't be heard from my feet and I realized that they weren't quite kissing the floor. The fires burst forth again and I faded into the unknown- the breeze still coursing through me and I began to feel the small pricks of rain. I surged forth and my surroundings came whole again as I realized I was in the woods beyond my house. They always seemed to be friendly and warm- full of little Bambies as my dad used to say. We used to pretend to be explorers and go on exciting adventures while trekking through the wilderness.
Now the tall oaks loomed high above me, blocking my view of the stars while the small brambles of sticks and leaves left at the bottom entangled me. The shadows seemed to jump up as they caressed my frail being. The wind stirred the trees behind me and I somehow knew that I was no longer the only person in the woods. If I could even be counted as a person.
A dark chuckle reverberated behind me and I could feel the pricks of fear travel down my spine as goosebumps appeared on the back of my neck.
"Now I see whats so special about you. Your pretty important ya know, powerful, destined for greatness and all that crap. Even if right now your- to put it simple- dead. Your not too bad on the eyes either. Not too bad." His voice broke through the silence and turned my soul into ice. Turning slowly I saw his approving eyes slowly sizing up my body and finally traveled up to meet my own. Fiery coals stared back at me, setting my entire being ablaze in a hot sauna and making my mind go numb. They were too dark, too big to be human. The whites of the demons eyes were barely even visible.
Leaves and other limbs were lodged into his pitch black locks, as if he had been flying through the tops of the trees. Which brought me to my next observation. Valiant wings protruded from his back and lightly curled around his toned body- seemingly resting more than protecting. They looked as if they had been drenched in pitch, yet each feather was distinguishable and bathed in a brilliant shine as that of the stars.
His chiseled chest, for reasons unknown, lay bare and his rigid. Torn jeans hung low on his sculpted hips, it looked as if he had been mauled by a bear! Obviously, he had won. His feet were bare and soiled with the dirt of the Earth.
The stranger's mouth turned upwards into a smirk, "Ah so you like what you see too, huh?" His whole body began to tremor, followed by a deep chuckle. He stepped forward, "Now my princess, follow me and I'll explain."
That was the moment that would forever change me, change my being, change my ways, thoughts, and feelings. It would change my life.