Another Life

Chapter One

Once I believed we walked this world alone, the woods were my favorite place to go. A place with solemn silence leaves gracefully falling to the ground. Frost is near as everything slowly dies away however, everything will bloom back. You were what brought me back to life.

Disrupted by screams ringing from the other side of the wall, ink splatters all over the floor. Creating aggravation within the basement. " They're fighting again." a sigh from the long raven-haired girl with dark eyes originating from the abyss. Her lips were red like vermillion yet she felt unreal. Marceline shifts off her chair, reaching for the doorknob she cracks it.

Her hands covered with crimson-colored ink stains the door. Listening to her coworker Nicole and her boyfriend George arguing about bills for their shared apartment. " I'm sick and tired of you being a lazy piece of shit! Just get a good job and this wouldn't be a problem. Maybe stop spending your money on alcohol every time you get paid!" Nicole's screams gradually grow. Of course, George was drunk again, and he slammed Jack Daniel's glass bottle against the ground. Shards flying everywhere onto the floor " I'm trying my damn best but you wanna be a needy bitch! Am I not good enough for you? Oh wait you cheated on me with that guy you always work with!"

Marceline steps out as George is about to lay a hand on Nicole in a violent manner "Let's all figure this out in the morning. I've been picking up extra shifts at the studio, I promise you we can pay these bills."
She can feel his glare burn her skull "Nicole is too nice to let a suicidal brat into our apartment. Be grateful that we gave you our basement. If it wasn't for Nicole and I, you would be on the streets dead now." Without hesitation, the drunkard slapped Marceline falling onto the broken glass on the floor.

It seems like everything is blurred in slow motion. The little dim light in the kitchen continues to darken. Her body shakes as her blood is on the floor. Evil lives here, a devilish smirk spreads across George's face "You know what Nicole, I'm gonna make you suffer tonight." He hunches over grabbing the raven-haired girl's arm, dragging her to his and Nicole's room. Slamming her unconscious body onto the bed, Nicole runs to the bedroom with a cascade of tears " George please don't do this! Leave her alone George!" Grabbing his shirt to pull him away from her, simply did no good. Knocking Nicole to the floor, George continued to the bed looking at Marceline. Glass shards stuck inside her skin in addition he found it beautiful.

Screams like banshees echo the darkness for miles, Nicole couldn't move off the ground and what she had to forcefully watch was beyond traumatic. Nicole's best friend's raven hair was covering her beaten face. George kept thrusting into her with no sense of control, making her bleed even more. Kept punching her right in front of Nicole. All he had on his face was a smile, that came from hell. Marceline could feel everything even if she was unconscious. She was screaming eternally feeling as if she was being stabbed with multiple knives everywhere in her body, especially her lower abdomen.

Not knowing the time or day, her dark mysterious eyes slowly open. She was all alone in her room in the basement. Marcy felt all the pain that she didn't all at once. Trying to pull herself up she has no power, weak. Don't give up. Forcing all the power from her body, sitting up against the wall on the floor she picks all the glass pieces out of her toes and arms. Feeling a burning sensation with each pick she did. Not realizing she had been crying this whole time until tears dropped on her paper, of her art. Was it a dream, did that happen to me?

The phone rings, and Marceline answers it while she stares at her Venom band poster. It was Nicole calling her from the hospital. "Marcy... I... you need to get out of there. George ran out after he took advantage of you. I called the cops and they should be taking care of it." So it's real. It did happen.

Silence for a while as Marceline holds the phone. Her legs shake as her eyes scan down there. Bruises and so much unbearable pain. She starts to cry uncontrollably while her back slides further down the wall, making her lie on the floor "he... took everything away from me! Nicole!! Fuck you for letting it happen! Fuck you for not doing anything to prevent this! I'll make sure I leave far away from you two. For good." She hangs up without an explanation. Not caring that she feels like razor blades are being pressed against her body everywhere Marceline stands up almost falling from the sharp pain in her abdomen. Packing everything important to her in a black luggage bag.

A leather jacket wrapped around her body, she packed all her clothes, books, artwork supplies, and necessities too. Without looking back she leaves the cheap apartment. As she walks she keeps her eyes down to the ground, not giving a damn if she bumps into anything. In one way or another Marceline makes it to the bus stop near the town she stayed at. Such a cold, cruel world we live in. She had just enough money to get a ticket to Norway. Back to her hometown, she hasn't visited in years. Stepping onto the bus, Marceline hands over her ticket and then takes her seat in the back next to a window.

her thoughts overwhelm her, and then the voices in her head start to consume her. I feel nothing, the more I breathe the less humane I feel. Pain is the only thing I can feel. The thought of being gone is the better option, isn't it?

Then a familiar face sits beside Marceline. A girl she was close with in middle school. "Marcy? Oh my god, it's been forever! Remember me? I was the guitarist of Cerberus!" She slowly turns her head towards the voice, Marcy's eyes lit up recognizing her. " Viva holy shit! " she instantly hugs her tightly "How have you been? How's the band?" Viva has a contagious smile as she hugs her old friend "I've been doing just fine, living the rockstar life and all. We are still Cerberus but ever since you left we haven't replaced you. What about you Marcy? How have you been?"

Just smile and fake it.

For a moment Marceline opened her mouth when nothing came out. She eventually spoke "I have been good. Would Cerberus like their vocalist back or not?" She has a forced smile. Viva immediately nodded her head "Your vocals are rare and unique compared to these posers nowadays, we welcome you back with open arms. But knowing Gara she's gonna be a tough cookie at first." Marceline holds her worn-out composition notebook close to her as she sketches "Gara has always been hard to deal with but she has a soft spot."

Marceline looks at her "Wait why are you out of the country right now if you don't mind me asking." Viva holds an unlit cigarette in her mouth "Trying to grow Cerberus popularity and had some meetings with some possible venues for the future!" Viva's curly orange bob covers her eyes "Oh my god I have to tell you something, so ever since you left we have been more serious about the band and me and Gara got a small house in the village side Kråkstad. We even made our recording studio in the home but get this.. a couple of days ago this group of guys moved in right beside us." The curly-haired girl removes the cigarette from her black-stained lips to her hand, waving it around " I think they're in a band too, when we get back we should maybe invite them to one of our gigs or go to one of theirs. Shit we could practice together too!"

Drawing a graveyard with trillions of bats flying with a grim reaper Marceline blurts out " I don't like talking to people, especially guys. I just don't have the best of luck with people." The past dwells inside her chest, making it feel tighter. Viva notices her body language and carefully puts a hand on her shoulder "First let's get you all settled in and we don't have to do anything you'll be uncomfortable with alrighty?"

The raven-haired girl slowly nods at her childhood friend. She slowly closes her eyes again waiting to arrive at her destination. Is running away really gonna solve every issue? It still feels like my problems still follow me like a shadow.