City of Time

Chapter 4: A Dreams Descent

[I finally have it done! Yes! My life is complete! LOL nooot really. Warning! There is somewhat of a gory scene, though it is short and brief because I am not used to such writing. If you don't like gory stuff in general then go ahead and skip the chapter, its not that important]

I walk down the busy street of the city of Richmond, backpack hanging off my shoulders. It was hot for November, my jacket tied around my waist because of the heat. Walking home was usually fun, as my parents would bring Aidan and Jonathan in their stroller to pick me up so we could return home together. But today they didn't show up, I had waited outside for them for over an hour before a Teacher told me to leave.

I tried to push the thought to the back of my mind thinking they were probably at work or had simply forgotten, but it wasn't like them to forget. Mom and Dad were always on top of things, they were organized people. I knew that they wouldn't just simply forget to pick me up from school.

After what seemed like forever, I reached our house. It was one of 4 homes connected together, they were all quite small and plain. It was settled in a more safe part of the city, a few blocks away were stores and shops where a few times a year carnivals would be held. I liked it here, I've always have.

Opening the front door, I called out through the house "Mom , dad. Ydych chi adref?". I had suspected to be called back by one of my parents. "Venice! Your back" or "I so sorry we forgot to pick you up". But the only thing that returned my call was absolute silence. Laying my back pack down in the hall, and closing the door I walked further into the quiet house.

If the lights had been off I would have thought they were out at the shops, but they were on. In the kitchen soup was on the stove, possibly dinner, and had been for a while as it was boiling over. I turned the burner off, careful not to burn myself. My stomach was now full of butterflies and I felt as if I would throw up.

Interrupting the silence of the house, a creaking sound came from behind me. I turned around with suspicion, to see the kitchen pantry opened slightly. I wouldn't have been worried because the door never stayed shut, it had been broken since we had moved in. The deep red stain soaked the wood of the kitchen floor, and it lead into the pantry.

My heart seemed to beat a million miles an hour, my vision blurred around the edges. However much it was I wanted to run away, I couldn't. Instead my feet led me to the door of the pantry. I opened the door with my shaking hand. Even before I opened it I knew I should have run, run far away, and never look behind for god only knows what I would see.

Two bodies hung from the ceiling of the pantry, metallic cord strung around their neck so tight there was blood. The bodies were bare, not clothes on them, not a single piece. Their stomachs cut open, insides spilling out, deep cuts were all over their bodies. The eyes were open and were staring at me, I knew that they were dead, the eyes had not life in them except for whar little remained of hope left in them. It was a sight that made me want to puke.

They were my parents. And they were dead.

I screamed, I scream loud and hard. Tears came on impact, as if they were there all along waiting to come out. My Parents were dead, they were gone. Someone did this too them. My screams drowned out, my lungs hurt, but I continued to sob. I didn't know what to do, my legs didn't feel like they could run, only hold me up. My eyes didn't leave my parents lifeless gaze until something dragged me back, picking up my weak body. I kicked and thrashed, my 7 year old body mustering what it could against this force.

"By the Angel-" I looked up at my captor, it was a man with dark hair and blue eyes, he was dressed completely in black as were the other people in the room who had appeared out of nowhere. In their hands they held weapons, swords or knives.

"Were too late" The Man said, hanging his head but firmly holding me against his chest as I continued to struggle.

"Os gwelwch yn dda helpu , Mom , Dad ! Helpwch nhw eu helpu" I sobbed, I knew my welsh was not going to be understood but it was the only thing I could speak right now. The man didn't understand me but gently stroked my hair, hugging me.

"Find the boys, they may still be alive" A woman's voice said, and most of the group ran off into my house. Aidan and Jonathan, they might be alive, but they also could be dead. The idea made me only sob harder.

"Shhh..." The man said, to me in what seemed to be a caring tone. One an adult would use to calm a child. He pulls away only to look at my tear stained face.

"Whats your name?" He asks. I cough a few times and wipe away tears before I answer.

"Venice...Venice Laura Bennett" I speak my full name with strength, making an attempt to overcome the fear and sadness swelling inside me. The man smiles at me.

"Well Venice, I'm Robert. I promise you're going to be okay" I nod in reply, looking at him I for the first time realize he has tattoos, and lots of them. Black swirls decorate his arms and neck, symbols that I don't know but understand just by looking at them that they symbolize power. The Women from earlier rushes into the room, not even glancing at my parents inside the pantry. I resist the strong urge to cry or throw up.

"Robert, the boys seemed to have been taken"

Following her words are silence, then a scream, and then eternal darkness.

My eyes open slowly to the lyrics of a song that is all too recognizable, I know immediately the song but refuse to sing along because my throat hurts too much. I groan and roll over in the bed, staring at the ceiling. The dreams have gotten worse since the incident at the Pandemonium, which was two days ago. I had started drifting off during the day, and having strange flashbacks. But they weren't just dreams, it was as if they were happening again, and again.

"-Masquerading as a man with a reason

My charade is the event of the season

And if I claim to be a wise man,

Well, it surely means that I don't know

On a stormy sea of moving emotion

Tossed about, I'm like a ship on the ocean

I set a course for winds of fortune,

But I hear the voices say"

I slam my hand of my radio clock, shutting off the lyrics. This was one morning I was not in the mood for music. The door to my room creaked open with a screech, I pushed myself up to see Alec leaning halfway in, a strained look was painted on his face.

"Ven be ready to head out in 5" He said, slamming the door before he let me answer. I rolled my eyes, removing the covers from my body before walking over to my closet. Shoving back all the clothes that Isabelle had given me over the years (I have never worn them, too girly) to find a small jewelry box. Picking it up I opened it, sighing when I saw that "it" was still in there. "It" was the Bennett family ring, Robert-or Alec, Izzy, and Max's father had given it to me a few years back. My father had left it back in Idris when he and my Mother fled. It was now around a chain, since it didn't fit my finger. Taking it out I set the box down, I clasped on the chain and clutched the ring to my chest. A family ring would usually go to the first son, that would have been Johnathan. Barely though, him and Aidan has been only minutes apart from each other. I laughed at the memory of Aidan and Johnathan following me around, Aidan though he was younger had always been the more brave on, while Jonathan followed at a safe distance.

Picking up the ring from my chest, I looked closely at it. The family crest was imprinted on it, a Dove surrounded by olive branches. Bennett meant Blessed, so our symbol was the holy spirit in the form of a dove. From learning family history I knew our family was more closely related to the Original shadowhunter bloodline, though the Bennett family went to far back for me to actually find our where it came from.

"As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end" I spoke softly, clutching the ring in my hand hard enough for it to hurt. "Rest in peace, Mom, Dad, Aidan, and Jonathan. I will see you someday...maybe soon"

[Thanks for reading!!! If you have any questions about the story feel free to comment I will answer them. DISCLAIMER! 1. This is not edited, I know there will be mistakes 2. The song is Carry On Wayward Son by Kansas]