The Dark World

Chapter 1

April

I gasped as the clock struck one.

Sweat breaking my skin as panic breathes me out. It's the same fucking dream over and over again.

Same Screams,
Same Room,
Same Horrors.

Dreams ought to fade after waking up. But mine doesn't.
It's always creeping under my skin gagging me until my last breath. I couldn't escape it. No matter how much I have tried. They will catch me like a prey wherever I go.

I looked around my room lit by midnight moonlight. There in the huge mirror, my reflection stared back at me.

Dark eyes, Dark hair and scars all over my pale sickly limp body. All so dark but Deadly.

I am like a piece of glass. Small, broken but lethal enough to draw blood.

Lethal enough to kill.

I hurled myself out of the bed, tied my long hair and slipped a white shirt over my torn body.

White is a colour I have been made into. Perfect and Posh but always dotted with blood.

It's never enough for them. Isn't it?

No matter how much I have tried to escape the 'Oblivion Day'.

It's never enough.

I can never escape from their praying hands. They are true to their promise. Every year it comes out of nowhere throwing me into a stupid puzzle to solve to make out alive. I tried to think of it only as a game. Of their strange way to make me pay the dept.

But for how long?

Last year I barely made out alive. Bloody hands as always. It never gets better only worse. More blood, more violence, more horror.

How much more do I have to suffer for a foolish deal I made as a kid?

Sometimes I fear it will never end. Go round and round in a circle until a point where I die.

I heard a knock on my door before Jared dashed into my room without warning.

"I need your room for tonight." He barked his ugly mouth at me.

"For what?" I sneered looking at his fucked up condition, the neighbourhood Jenny in his arms.

"I am not going to let you do your dirty work in my room.
Just find somewhere else!" He is a madman. I curse my every living moment that he is my step-brother.

"Are you ordering me, Sis?"
He raised his eyebrow threatening me. I so dearly wish, I could snap his neck right here but my obligations as a sister forbid me so.

"Fine, do what you want but make sure you leave before morning. I don't want to see you lying here when I come back". I picked up my car keys and moved out.

"Thanks, April!" Jenny murmured as the door of my room shut closed.

I ran down the stairs thinking of how wrong I was to get rid of my damn life when I made the deal. I thought It will change to something awesome, it only made it worse.

I went outside and pulled up my hoodie. It was slightly raining in New York.

No wonder Jared chose my room instead of the garage because his drunk friends were being stupid in his. And even though our house has many rooms mine is the one nobody bothers to enter anyways.

I got to the car and drove my way to the pub. The bright neon lights inside hit me and the loud music bombing in my ears. I tried my best to walk between the chaotic dancers and not to stumble when there in a corner, I saw my best friend Kevin sitting with her friend Mia.

"Look who's here. 21 and still single Stevie! My damsel in distress". Kevin exclaimed as he saw me. Definitely Drunk.

"Shut Up." I glared at him to stop calling me with that stupid nickname, that he named me after I did the grave mistake of telling him my crush's name. Even though the crush on the college boy is long gone now but the nickname still sticks with me to annoy me off course.

"Come on, I was just joking since you came all angry now." I sat beside him ordering two whiskey shots and waving a 'hi' to Mia.

"Just Jared, You know." I sighed and he nodded. "So, What's the reason to call me this late?"

He stared at me for a second and then came close enough to whisper in my ears, "It's Mia's Birthday".

"Ohh Shit, I forgot" The truth fumbled out of my mouth and I realised I forgot to buy her a gift. I tried to remember it a week before but there are more important things clouding my brain than her birthday.

Nowadays, I am just too busy thinking about the plans to make out alive for the Oblivion day that It's impossible to remember normal things. I sigh, Being Normal is impossible for me.

I stood up and went to the bar counter abandoning my whiskies. Kevin followed me, "I almost hoped you will not forget this", He looked at me with his pitiful blue eyes. His dark brown hair was a mess by running hands several times in it, his or someone else's fucking him.

"You brought me a gift?" I questioned him with a little hope. There should be something to give Mia. She was the sweetest girl in the college I ever knew. Even though sweetness is a trait I do not possess nor fancy it much. But she is my friend. Kind off.

"Come on, The kind of gifts April Valentine gives. Don't you know I am too broke for that?" He lifted his brows at me and I could see the mischief glinting in his eyes before he came closer to whisper in my ear.

"And why do you even need to buy one when you can use your little magic to surprise her".

My eyes widened, " I told you not to speak about it in public". I scolded him, reminding he is one of the  very few people who knows about my little secret.

"Forgive me sweetheart but I was just suggesting" I stared at him cold-eyed, A warning to never do it again.

"Fine Sorry. And for your save, I did buy a gift." He handed me a small pink box.
"I knew you would forget it and as your saviour, it's my job to protect you from social embarrassments". He grinned and I gave him a small appreciating hug.

"And.." He held my hand before I can go to Mia. "It's for you." He handed me the same but a red box.

"There was a sale. The shopkeeper gave me this for free. So, I thought to give it to you".

I took the box and went back to the table to Mia. Kevin ordered a cake which Mia
cutter after sharing a whiskey shot with me. She opened the pink box which I gave her, It contained a silver bracelet.

Soon after when Mia and Kevin went to the dance floor I chose to open his gift and took it out of my hoodie.
It had a strange red colour, like blood. No, it was blood.

I opened the lid and frowned, It wasn't a bracelet like Mia's. It was a key with a capital 'P' engraved at the hold.

And there was something else beneath the key. A shudder ran through my spine as I read the blood written note.