Darkness | Ben Hargreeves [TBD]

1 | Giant Chandelier

The Fool. The Moon. Death.

Oh, who was she kidding. She had never used tarot cards before. Using it now might not be a great idea since she had no clue what it meant. She doesn't even know if she was supposed to pick three cards. She might've been magical but tarot cards are definitely not her strong suit.

Why had she started playing with those cards anyway? Perhaps it was because Sir Reginald had suggested it when she was young? But out of all those years, why now?

She mumble to herself before sighing in defeat. She began stacking the decks listening to the TV in the other room. "Eccentric billionaire Reginald Hargreeves was pronounced dead this morning..." she stopped as soon as she heard his name, rushing into the other room. "Dad?" her eyebrows furrowed in confusion as she stared at his picture in the news.

Maybe this was a bad idea. She thought to herself as she stood in front of the academy with luggage in hand. As soon as she heard the news she booked a flight back. She had never realized she would be back at this place. The same place that made the hair on the back of her neck stand up. The same place that gave her nightmares. The same place that made her afraid of what she's capable of.

She looked down at her hand. The darkness seems to be spreading slowly along her fingers. Either that or she's going crazy. She hated the mission that had left the tip of her hands black. Almost as if she had touched the devil himself and it seems to be slowly consuming her. The darkness that was once on the tip of her finger had somehow reached halfway through her fingers now.

Maybe she should've escaped when she had the chance. Before she was contaminated by this shadow. Before she had witness the love of her life disappear.

She pushed all her emotion aside before looking back up. Taking a deep breath, she pushed open the gate before reaching the door to twist it open.

She was soon greeted by the hideous color that seems to spread along the walls of the house. Why is this house always empty? She looked up at the staircase as she enters the building. Why do we have that giant chandelier. It doesn't even light up this place. She kept examining the design of the place, taking everything in.

"Miss River, welcome back." she flinched at the sudden sound. She quickly darted her gaze to the chimpanzee greeting her. "Hey Pogo. Has this place always been so... depressing?" she smiled before embracing Pogo. "Right after you all left," a pang of guilt struck her. Pogo sense this as he reassured her, "of course you kids had your own life. It was bound to happen" she pulled away before smiling and heading upstairs.

She soon reached the hallway that connected their rooms. She observed every room inside. She payed no attention to some of them, only Ben and hers. A smile appeared on her face. Their rooms were next to each other. They would always hear each other whenever one of them yells. Mostly River. She would always wake up screaming. She hated it. As those memories were brought up, she frowned. She entered her room placing down her luggage.

She examined her room. It was in the same state as she had left it. She looked at the corner of her room. There placed a shelf containing her vinyls with her player on top. As she reached the table near her bed, she picked up the frame that held a picture of the siblings.

She set it back down before reaching to pick up a picture of her and Ben. She remembered taking that picture and having Grace develop it, not wanting Sir Reginald to know. Of course he would always find out. But he paid no attention to it, letting them have a little bit of their youth. Which was odd for the man to do.

After looking through stuff in her room she started heading down to the bar. As she turned left she was greeted by Diego sitting on the bar stool. "Spandex!" Diego quickly grunted at the nickname. "Shut up Baba Yaga" she grinned before embracing him, he hugged back. "When are you going to stop wearing that," she chuckled letting him go. "When are you going to stop bullying me," she sat next to him before stealing his drink. He turned to face the girl before rolling his eyes.

She snapped her head towards the familiar voice. She watched Diego leaving, seeing that there's no reason to be there anymore. After all, his drink was stolen by his favorite sister. She stood up chugging whatever alcohol Diego had made before heading to where the voices were.

"Vanya! Oh my god, hi!" River seemed too excited not paying attention to the other girl in the room. River was never fond of Allison. Allison was always jealous of her, she never understood why. River gave Vanya a quick hug before turning to Allison. "Hi Allison," her excitement seemed to have died done when she finally acknowledged her.

"I wasn't sure you were going to come," Allison embraced the girl. River stood there before returning it, feeling bad for being a little to harsh on Allison. "Yeah I wasn't either," they let go of each other before they parted ways. River followed Vanya. She saw Vanya picking up her book flipping through it.

"Personally, I like it," reassured Vanya not wanting her to feel bad. "Do you think he ever read it?" River quickly shrugged. River's relationship with Vanya was rather odd. They both wanted to get close with each other but never got a chance to get to know one another. River tried her best to include Vanya on anything they were doing. Luther just so happened to be an ass.