SwEeT MaDnEsS (Watty Awards Winner 2012)

Dedicated to Kat for writing the Death is my Bff series. She inspired me so much while writing this so thank you, girl :)

“Maybe that's what hell is. You go mad, and all your demons come and get you just as fast as you can think them up.”

-Anne Rice

Sweet Madness

Chapter One

          “Angeles!” I almost choked in my midnight snack “Angeles!” someone was shouting my name, my full name, I frowned at that. People usually called me Ann or Angie but no one knew my full name, only family did “Angeles!” this time the urgent call was followed by desperate knocks on my apartment’s door. Who could it be? It was past midnight. I walked to the door “Angeles! Hurry up!” my eyes widened in realization. I knew that voice too well. Quickly, I unlocked the door and opened it. Raven, my older sister, was standing there.

          My heart started hammering inside my chest as I took her image in. She was a mess. Her once straight shining brown hair was now knotty and hanging precariously in a ponytail. Her hazel eyes were red as if she’d been crying for hours. Her face was swollen and a prominent dark bruise was invading her left cheek. Her outfit was a mess as well. She was wearing a dark-blue short dress, it was stained everywhere with a dark liquid I could not decipher. My eyes looked at her feet, she had no shoes on. I was pretty sure she was freezing out there.

          “What the hell, Raven!” I exclaimed totally shocked, “What happened? Are you okay?” Raven didn’t say a word. She practically ran inside, pushing me backwards as she did. Then, she turned quickly to close and lock the door behind her, hands shaking as she did.

           “Raven? What happened?!” I asked worried.

           “He’s coming” she whispered so low I barely caught it.

          “He?...Raven, what’s going on?” I demanded, my frown could not have gotten any bigger. I've never in my life been so confused as I was now, with my sister standing in front of me disheveled and so scared.

          “He’s coming after me. I have to hide”

        “Who? What are you talking about? Who did this to you?”. She simply ignored my questions and quickly headed to the living room. I could only followed her.

          “Do you have holy water, Angeles?,” she asked. It still was so strange to be called by my full name. Wait…

           “Holy water? No, why would I ha-,“ I asked.

          “A crucifix?” she asked frantically searching around the room, making it a disaster in just a few seconds.

          “Raven!”, I shouted grabbing her by the shoulders, “Look at me now.”, I ordered concerned. I didn’t know what was wrong with my sister but, she wasn’t herself. Raven’s hazel eyes met my blue ones for an instant “Raven, what’s going on?” I asked in a firm voice.

          “I can’t tell you,” she said, her lower lip quivering. I realized she hadn’t stopped crying since the moment she walked inside the apartment “I’m sorry.” she said as I held her face tenderly in my hands.

          “Raven, whatever is happening, I can help you. Please...Let me help you.” I offered honestly. Raven was all I have. Raven and I grew up in an orphanage, our mother abandoned us when I was five and Raven was ten. She always looked after me, when she turned 18 she started searching for a job to support us both. When we finally left the orphanage, she managed to find enough work to send me through school and high school. Everything I was, I owe it to her. She had been my mother, my father and my sister, all at the same time. No one could ever imagine how much I loved her and what she meant to me.

          “You can’t help me, Angeles. It’s too late. He’s coming” her voice was husky, probably due to all her crying. I needed to do something to try to calm her down.