Die Trying

chapter seventeen.

- Flashback -

Victoria watched as the queasy girl stopped in the middle of her tracks. They were in the middle of the hallway, on their way back to the assembly. She stopped, raising an eyebrow as Vivian began to chant something under her breath.

"Vivian? What are you doing-"

She winced as a sharp slap stung her face. She looked up at Vivian with confused yet angry eyes. "What the fuck?!"

Vivian didn't react, she stood rooted to her spot, her eyes wandering the ceiling.

"You did it. Don't go near him. You're next-" Suddenly she snapped out of her trance. She stared at Victoria, who was staring at her with fear.

Victoria's heart skipped a beat.

You're next? What is she talking about? She's out of her damn mind.

She flinched as Vivian tried to reach a hand towards her. "Let's just go back inside." She said, quickly entering the auditorium.

As she walked back up the steps she felt a drop in her stomach.

- End of Flashback -

Vivian stared out of the window. The tension in the car was heavy.

"I told you not to get out of the car. What were you thinking?! What if he hurt you?" Jeremiah scolded her, trying to keep his voice steady. They pulled up in their neighborhood.

"I don't see the big deal."

"Yeah okay, you don't think it's a big deal to chase a boy who stabbed another kid and is now in the run?" He pulled into their driveway.

She bit her tongue, forcing her anger down. "Look, I don't want to fight with you. I did what I did and it's over now. I didn't get hurt. We just talked."

He looked over at her, clenching his jaw. "I just want you to be careful who you associate yourself with." He said and left the car without another word. She watched as he opened the door, and a small stubby dog greet him. She huffed angrily and got out, the car door honking as Jeremiah locked it. She followed him inside. She pulled her shoes off and dragged her belongings upstairs. She threw the bag on the floor and locked the door. She felt a sharp stabbing pain on her rib. She took her jacket off and pulled her shirt up.

There wasn't anything there, So why did it feel like it was cut open?

I'm just tired.

She changed her clothes and dug into one of her drawers, taking out her paints and a canvas. She began to work. She dipped the paintbrush in black paint and began to make exaggerating strokes.

A gunshot rang in the air.

She continued.

When she was done she wiped the sweat on her forehead, smearing black paint on it. She scooted back, looking at her work:

LEAVE.

Was written in large red letters. A little figure stood in the middle of a cemetery, holding hands with another. She smiled. She felt her stomach rumbling and got up and unlocked the door.  She jogged down the stairs, black paint was smeared all over her body. When she reached the bottom her eyes widened and she let out a gasp. She shakily forced herself to walk forwards, bending down as her fingertips grazed the pool of blood. The room went dark and she was back on the eerie street. She stared down at her father's body. She felt tears falling down her cheeks as she backed away.

"VIVIAN!" A voice screamed far away overhead. She looked around for the source. It kept coming, the voices multiplying. She backed away, eventually bumping into something. It grabbed her, forcing her arms down.

"LET ME GO!" She screamed.

"VIVIAN ARE YOU OKAY?" Her father shook the trembling girl infront of him. He held her as tears raced down her cheeks. She finally met his eyes, realization pooling back into them. "What's gotten into you?!"

She hugged him back. "Y-you're..." She stammered. "Dead." She choked.

"What?" Confusion flashed in Jeremiah's eyes. "Sweetie are you okay?"

"You were dead...bleeding. We were in the street again. I was there before..." She told him.

"Nothing's going to happen to me, and we're in the house." He rubbed her back. "It's okay now."

"I want a doctor. I don't like it." She said.

"What do you mean?"

"Somethings wrong with me. I can feel it. I think something's trying to warn me." She whispered, breaking out of his hug.

He stared at her, nodding slowly. "Okay. I'll look into finding someone. Just... take it easy. And get yourself cleaned up, you're covered in paint!""

"I'll try to." She said under her breath. She shakily got up on the stool, her elbows propping her up on the counter.

After calming down she got off the stool and turned the kitchen sink on, rubbing her face until the black paint stopped rushing down with the water. She suddenly collapsed on the floor, the last feeling on her skin was her dog licking her fingers.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"You can't be serious." Shiloh whispered angrily, gesturing wildly.

"Please, I don't want to fight with you." Marina choked out. Tears streamed down her face.

"Hes like your brother. You even said it yourself."

"I don't want to see my brother get stabbed everyday." Marina's voice shook. Her red eyes dared him to argue.

And so he did.

"Look..." Shiloh ran a hand through his hair, biting his lip. He fought back tears. He was determined. "I know it's shitty- I can't talk because I'm not the one getting stabbed-"

"Exactly my reason-"

"AND... I just want to keep this family together. He's one of us. The original."

"The original?" Marina repeated.

"You... know what I mean." Shiloh lowered his voice, glancing at the room the kids were sleeping in. He looked back at Marina, whose arms were folded, moonlight basking her face, illuminating her eyes. "I..." He looked at his feet. "Do you really think it's a good idea to just up and leave without him? With everything we've been through? With everything you two have been through. I mean- we barely had enough money to live here what makes you think moving to another state is going to be any different?!"

Marina stared out the window, watching the moon staring down at her. "Shiloh... I know. It hurts. I love him, I see parts myself in him but... I just can't keep watching him get hurt. I don't want there to be a day where something goes too far and I lose him completely. I... think I'd rather not be near him so if something bad did happen..." A sob escaped her. She grabbed his hand.

"Shiloh..."

"But-"

"I'm pregnant."