Prologue
The cold metal fit perfectly in her hand; its metallic base was terribly cold and shook ever so slightly. Even pressed cleanly at her temple it still trembled. A thunderous silence that could shatter eardrums rang out in the hallway, and the frays of noise in the cafeteria itself were slowly coming to a pause. Her friends gaped in horror at this long realized act and all the bystanders froze as if hit by an ice-wave. This was it, the way out, out of the nightmares, the constant reminders, the people, the pressure, this was it. The faces surrounding her radiated her feelings inside. Fear. Regret. Too late now. She raised a thumb and a loud click pierced the mocking silence as the small silver revolver fell into place. She felt a presence next to her. Samul. She hated it for him. Her best friend, no matter what happened he’d never left her side. She shook the thought from her mind; it was too late to start regretting this now. A small “I love you” escaped his lips. That was all she needed. A crack rang out. Kathryn Eliza Walsh caught death quickly but still left her mark on the world. A mark that no one would expect, predict, or probably ever make again, one made in her very own blood.
Answers
His strong, sun-tanned arms cradled her lightly. Their forms were shadowed deeply on the emerald grass by a crimson setting sun. She nuzzled into his chest, inhaling smoothly a soft scent of antique furniture mixed with the tantalizing smell of cedar wood. His lips brushed her auburn hair lightly as he began humming a song she couldn’t quite pick up on. His eyes grazed the distance intently appearing to focus on something, something bright, and fiery. She squirmed in his grasp, turning her head slightly to catch the column of flame in act. A sudden need to see what was going on a few feet from her heaven gripped her skull, and she jumped up immediately, leaving him confused in the grass. She approached the burning pillar with trepidation; it seemed to recognize her, with outstretched arms, beckoning. She came within a few feet of the inferno and noticed that only the light was bright and blinding, the grass was still cold and none of the weeds caught. Was it really fire? A face materialized in the flame, and she realized who it was.
“Papa!!” her scream was inaudible and resembled a whisper. Her father’s face full of sorrow and fear still spoke love as he fell to the ground. She flew to him, never reaching his searing body.
Samul’s eyes flew open as Kathryn’s scream pierced the night. He groaned and rolled over. Red digitalized letters glared at him, 4:15 A.M. He fought the urge to drift back to sleep and ripped himself away from the warmth of his blankets. Breaking through the door and bounding down the narrow staircase, he sprinted his way to the guest bedroom. What he saw as he exploded into the room was not uncommon for Kathryn and he sighed at the routine. Anger welled up inside of him momentarily. Anger brought on by her uncaring form. Why? Why must she terrorize him? He quickly stifled it, this wasn’t the time. She was crouched in the farthest corner clutching a pair of scissors, her face and hands dripping with blood. The slices ravished her body, and in some places, the skin hung in little ribbons. Samul wondered what had brought on this latest attempt at her life. Had she been dreaming again? Normally when she woke him up from his room on the loft it was because her father had intruded upon the sanctuary of her sleep. Seeing his love cowering in the corner, Samul’s heart ripped out again. She shook ferociously and her bloodshot eyes appeared sunken into the depths of her skull. Samul strode over his lean six-foot form lifting her easily from the floor. He pried the scissors from her hands and set them neatly on her desk, wondering why he never got rid of them. He cradled her head as he slipped into the bathroom to retrieve a warm washcloth. Samul nimbly ascended the stairs and entered his room, very carefully trying not to wake his mother below. His lacrosse trained muscles got them safely onto his cold sheets without so much as stirring Kathryn’s form, which was still trembling slightly. He cradled her under his blankets and began lightly caressing her face with the washcloth. A soft moan escaped her lips as he guessed the cloth moved over fresh cuts. Good thing it was a Sunday morning, she wasn’t in any shape to go to school. The high school students would wonder, the teachers would question, and Samul didn’t have any answers. He didn’t even know himself. He suspected it was the recent death of her father that had sent her on this downward spiral of unending depression. Samul had tried to keep her company, show her the love and friendship he figured she needed. Hell, he’d even let her stay in his house after the fire. Not only did it destroy everything she and her father had owned, it had also claimed her father’s life.
‘Sa…” a soft whisper broke his thoughts.
“It’s ok Kathryn…” Samul touched her face lightly, the blood had stained it. ‘I'm here…,” he whispered into her ear, and a smile of content showed up on her scarred face.
“I….I….sorry” she managed to stutter. He smoothed out her matted auburn hair, attempting to shush her.
“Don’t worry about it, it’s alright, it’ll all be ok…...trust me.” As Samul uttered these words, he could feel Kathryn’s breathing even out as she drifted off to some much-needed sleep. Samul propped himself up on the headboard of his bed and closed his eyes. When she awoke he would get help, but for now, his conscious felt like roaming a dream world.
Heaven
Kathryn jerked awake in the darkness of her bedroom. The walls and furniture blended in a big haze. Was she awake? No. Kathryn felt her body move itself out of her bed. Kathryn tried to scream Samul’s name but was unable to breathe. Her dreams trapped her inside this half-awake, half-asleep state. Kathryn desperately tried to fight, get her muscles to respond. A deep panic set in and Kathryn began to shake, violently while her mind fought bodily impulse after impulse. She felt her hands reaching out for something, a cold sharp metal. Kathryn tried to resist but her mind ignored her. Something that her father had always said was the strongest part of her. She had never imagined its control, its serious power. Pain tore into her thoughts as a blade ripped across her skin. Countless times the flesh was sliced, Kathryn fought but felt her body draining, and strength was failing her. Her knees collided with the floor as more shockwaves were sent through her face. She was kneeling beside a window now, the moonlight streaming in. A black was slipping over the part of her mind that was in control and Kathryn felt that dreaming presence taking control. Her last look was of the stars twinkling brightly from their sentinel posts in the sky, as a last resort Kathryn again tried to scream for Samul praying he would hear her.
Kathryn felt something move under her. Was this heaven? Her eyes flickered open, she blinked past the salt tears that burned the whites of her eyes and was hit by another searing sensation. The sun? Well, if she was in heaven it was closer to the sun right? Kathryn had awoken staring right into the curtained windows and the walls beside them slowly came into view as the fog lifted. Wait, Metallica? There are bands in heaven? Really? Wait no, that poster it looked familiar. It was Samul’s, wasn’t it? Yeah, she twisted around and glimpsed his face. He was staring at her, his eyes delving deep into her. In the quiet of the small attic room his love screamed out at her. Kathryn’s mind rejected it and looked away. No! Why had she done that! Samul had saved her! Kathryn’s tears flowed inside, aware she was no longer in control of her mind, she wondered how long t would be before her mind took over entirely.
To be continued........
Additionally, Samul is a really pretty name (if I'm pronouncing it correctly?). They work well together, and I want to see what becomes of them.