Treacherous.

Terrors of The Night.

 Shadows chaotically danced upon the exterior walls of the not-so-abandoned apartment building as the strawberry blonde weaved her way through the backstreet. She was desperately attempting to escape the black hooded and very well armed figures following her. Rain ricocheted as a chorus of feet collided with the pavement in a frenzy. Cursing herself for not turning off her phone, the redhead ran for her life, unsure whether or not she'd even make it out for the punishment that was to follow this stunt of hers. Her curiosity had led her to Danger's doorstep once again, and she had no restraint to keep from entering without a second thought. The figures communicated their plan out loud to capture her by forming flanks on either side of her, encircling her like a wild animal. Her breath hitched before the panic rose in her throat, was she going to make it?
Strawberry blonde tresses curtained her pale visage causing her vision to diminish, however she could have sworn the opening to the main street was only two hundred meters in front of her. Her lungs screamed against her rib cage, her feet carried her two more steps when she heard a familiar voice call to her. She almost ceased movement all together as the relief flooded her insides, drenching her as much as the rain had already. "Dad!" her voice screeched in reply, her pace was falling behind even though she was so close. Arielle could have sworn she felt them breathing down her neck which caused a shudder to viciously run the length of her spine. Her relief contorted into terror as she remembered the very ominous gun the group leader had strapped to his hip. It had already claimed one victim inside of the dauntingly empty building. If the male hadn't died from the gunshot wound he would have drowned in a pool of his own crimson blood.
Did her dad take her voicemail seriously enough? Had he brought back up? Had he brought his gun? Arielle had been begging for her own for a while now, each birthday it's all she ever wants yet she's denied each time. Perhaps if she makes it out of this little catastrophe her father might consider it. "Dad run!" She urged flailing her arms as the two hundred meters had turned into one hundred. It was as if he couldn't quite hear her over the torrential rain cascading around them because he paced forward. That's when the firearm rang out, the echo's bouncing from building to building before escaping into the night sky. Ducking, Arielle held her hands over her head knowing it would have little effect defending a bullet. A smaller and faster target was harder to aim at -- but what if they weren't aiming at her anymore? Fear clouded her usually rational mind as amber hues searched for her father's silhouette that was no longer standing tall. It was like a replay of the scene she'd witnessed inside however this time her world shattered like a porcelain cup colliding with concrete. "No!" her cry was desperate as she noticed red and blue lights illuminating the alleyway "dad? Stay with me... please, I need you". The closer she came the more reality slipped away, she hadn't even realized the gang had disappeared like thieves into the night. Her stomach twisted into knots as she fell to her knees, a puddle of blood and water soaked her newly purchased skirt. Hands searched for the bullet hole as wild eyes seek signs of life. The tears mixed with the rain as they slid down her flushed cheeks. Life had already been ripped from her father's body before she'd even reached him. As she felt arms grasping at her from behind her sobs grew violent, she thrashed against the stranger desperately holding on to her father's body. He wasn't gone, he couldn't be gone -- it was all her fault.
Jerking upright Arielle Baker woke from her recently reoccurring nightmare clammy and breathless. Throwing her slender legs out from under the covers to hang from the side of the bed, unsteady hands ran through tangled tresses. It had felt so real that she kept pinching herself to make certain she'd clawed her way back to reality. Watery emerald orbs fixated on the only light illumining the room from the alarm clock, it was two am and the night was eerily still. Catching her panicked breath she pushed herself from the mess of sheets that had strangled her moments ago. The room wasn't hers, nothing about it screamed secret detective and femininity. Her bookshelf filled with pride no longer towered over her with adventures, murder mysterious and chaos. Her vanity no longer overflowed with products she bought just for the sake of burning cash. Her window no longer held a view of the apartment next-door. In fact the whole room was like an ocean compared to her little pond she personalized as her own space.
This room was bitter and foreign, and it felt like it had rarely seen company. Perhaps the Bloomfield's infrequently received guests? It wouldn't surprise her considering they seemed like a show family -- full of facades that were shallow and alone. At least that's all Arielle could pinpoint the last three days she'd spent with her relatives. Crossing the room she searched for her mobile desperate to call her dad or Oliver -- anyone who could chase away the linger feeling of homesickness. Nibbling on pouted lips she decided against waking her dad, he worried enough about her as it was and a call at two am would keep him up for the rest of the night.
The silence of the night made it easier to hear each and every creak of the old frame work of the house, Arielle found it peculiar. As she quickly placed her phone back on charge a voice broke through the motionlessness of the night, a deep and husky one that sounded as though it was trying to keep quiet out of politeness for those dancing with their dreams. A frown crossed Arielle's soft features as her curiosity carried her into the hall. She knew she had no right to eaves drop on Ryan's conversation, but Arielle had always found it slightly difficult to distinguish right from wrong. Hands crept along the wall, guiding her to the light that shone from under his door. All she could hear between his silences was tapping of buttons, she assumed he was playing a game. Pressing her body against the wall right next to his room she waited a while longer. "Yeah well she might be hot but I have a feeling that's all she's got going for her dude" Ryan responded with irritation to a muted voice she couldn't quite make out. Frowning, Arielle straightened her posture as if she were readying herself for a fight. Was he talking about her? Surely that's the only thing he could possibly mean. How dare he have the audacity to talk about her like that! He barely even knew her. Scoffing slightly she heard his chair groan causing her to hold a hand to her lips that had betrayed her. "I don't know how long she's staying and quite frankly I don't care... It's hard enough with one female in the house" another prolonged silence before he spoke once more "you can't tell anyone this but she's not even my cousin..."
Arielle decided she'd heard enough torment for one night so she crept back towards her room. Not before the door she'd just been leaning against opened wide, the light casting shadows across her body. "What are you doing?" Ryan demanded as cautious azure hues examined her being. Sprung like a deer in the head lights Arielle ceased movement before turning to face the slender male. "I went to the bathroom, I didn't realize I needed to keep you updated on my bowel schedule" she snapped, aggravation clearly underlying her tone. "Now if you don't mind I need to get some beauty sleep so I'm advising you to talk a little softer" arching an eyebrow as if challenging the boy, she was quick to readjust her posture standing tall and confident. Ryan had seemed reluctant to engage in conversation with her since Arielle's arrival. It wasn't like she'd come here to ruin his life or anything however that's exactly how he'd been acting around her. So instead of awaiting a reply she turned on her heel and stalked back to her room -- deliberately swaying her hips and flipping her hair. Closing the door with force she slid down the frame, crumbling on the floor as the emptiness settled in, her only company for the long, sleepless night ahead.