VANESSA
FLASHBACK
"Nes, I need you to go to your room and stay there. Can you do that?" Nicky asks me in a tone I'd never heard him use before. I studied his face and he looked conflicted about something.
"But Zyzy said he'd sing to me tonight. You know how I hate being alone when I go to bed, Nicky." I whine like the annoying 8 year old I am. I hated the dark and it was already starting to storm outside. The thunder scared me because it reminded me of guns going off. Which on the downside happened quite a lot in our house hold.
"He can't make it tonight, you know that. Father is training with him. Nes, it's about time for you to grow up and realize the world doesn't revolve around you!" Nicky says raising his voice. He's never yelled at me like this before.
"Is Papa going to kill mommy?" I whimper. I had been wanting to make cupcakes with Mommy earlier today and had heard Papa yell at her in his office. I knew Papa didn't like mommy a lot but I was sure they stilled loved each other.
Nicky looks at me with sadness and uncertainty. "Why are you asking me that Nes? Father would never harm mother." Liar! I thought to myself but didn't want to be that rude to my big bro. Nicky could get angry easily like Papa and it was scary to see.
"I-I heard him yelling at her earlier. He said he was going to kill her and that Zyrian was dead to him." I reply biting my bottom lip and shaking from fear of the thunderstorm.
Nicky's eyes widened and he looked shocked. "Alonzo! I need to go, can you watch over Nessa for me?!" He yells running out of the room in a hurry. I hope he saves mommy from Papa.
"Sure dude! Don't worry about it." I hear Alonzo yell back then Nick left the room exchanging a few words with Alonzo as he runs off to the other side of the mansion where Mommy and Daddy usually spend there time doing knows what. When I'm older, I'm going to find out what!
Alonzo walks in and immediately gives me a cute boyish grin. Don't tell anyone but I've had a crush on him since as long as I can remember. He might be best friends with Nicky but he always made me laugh.
"Alonzo!" I squeal in joy and rush up to him giving him a great big hug. He hugs me back but not as tight as I wanted him to.
"Hey, Van. Look, I just want to tell you now that whatever life throws at you I want you to throw it right back in life's face and say not today you fottuto pezzo di spazzatura! Do you understand me?" He says looking strait into my eyes with a very serious look on his face.
I gasp at his foul language and punch him in the stomach. "That's a naughty thing to say, Al! But I get the gist of what you are trying to tell me. I guess my life isn't going to get any easier from now on...is it?" I ask looking down at my feet nervously.
"No, it's not princess. We live in a dangerous world filled with horrible selfish people. We just have to have hope that some day it will get better. I may not always be here for you but I want you to know you are by best friend in the whole wide world. I love you, Vanessa." Tears fill my eyes and I hug him tight.
"I thought Nicky was your BFF?" I smile in confusion not knowing he liked me like I did him. Of course I again was young and an innocent little girl back then.
"You come first, always. Don't tell him I told you that though, he'd kill me." Alonzo responds with a smirk and his signature wink. I laugh at his antics then jump and shake at the sound of thunder cracking in the dense dark clouds.
END OF FLASHBACK
"AH!" I shout out into the darkness of my bedroom as I woke up from my dream. I can't even decipher whether it was a nightmare or a good dream. I know it was a distant memory but considering everything that has happened in the past year, I just don't know anymore.
"Waaah!" I groan at the sound of my child's cry. I pick up Rage from his crib and rock him in my arms. If one starts crying the other one will too. I guess it's not just them that can't sleep when Daddy's gone. I wish I could talk to him for a second just to know whether or not he's alive. Nicholas can't function without his bestfriend and conscience. Neither of us can survive without Alonzo because he was the puzzle piece connecting all of us and creating the wonderful peace.
Now, Derek is a crazy maniac after God knows what. My big brother is forcing my best friend to marry him and won't even allow her to see or hear her child. I'm trapped in this mansion with no way out and breast feeding two babies that won't sleep without their father's soothing voice. My father is dying of brain cancer or a tumor and is coming to say goodbye because he's given up hope for surviving anything. MJ is having three serious testosterone problems that won't leave her the hell alone to think. All the while Diana is grieving, screaming, and confused as to who to trust anymore. I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she did something drastic. This whole situation is a nightmare. I wish someone would pinch me awake and I'd be going to work at the bar with no worries as to where my other half is... what my brother is up to... or how I'm going to cope with being a single mother and raising twins alone.
I stare off into the distance of the woods surrounding the mansion and see the sun rising slowly. A new day that could be a good sign. Suddenly I get an idea and smile. I turn on the baby monitor for Evidence and leave the room with Rage in my arms.
I take my time and walk into Nicholas's office which shows him sleeping uncomfortably on the couch. "Nick! Wake up!" I shout causing him to jump and fall off the lumpy couch.
"Ugh, what do you want Vanessa? It's Six AM." He groans, getting himself situated back onto the couch in a sitting position.
"Have you punished Diana yet? If not then I have an idea." I say as serious as I have ever been before.
"No, I had to stop her from killing herself. You want to help me punish Diana? Why?" He asks giving me a skeptical glance as he leans his head back and yawns.
"I know you would only hurt her more. Don't you want her to love you or even care for you? We both know you'll want to bare a son." I reply trying to keep down my shock about his previous comment of her trying to kill herself.
"How I treat my wife is my business not yours! But as you're already here, what idea did you have in mind?" He grumbles.
"She isn't your wife yet and I was thinking we could....
DIANA (Night Before)
After Vanessa left me alone to think about everything I start to cry again. I crawl into bed weeping and I hugged my kitty. I can't take all this stress. I feel so empty inside. I can't protect my baby and I have no where to go. I'm not even sure my stepdad would want to see me again after the pain I caused him with Nick keeping my brother prisoner.
Warning: Self harm/attempted suicide.
I sit up in bed, my eyes all puffy and ugly from crying for so long. Now I just feel so empty and I don't have anymore energy. I just want to sleep and never wake up.
I walk into the bathroom that is connected to the bedroom and stare at my reflection in pure grief. I've lost everyone I have ever cared about. Either through death, betrayal or family ties to an enemy.
I have killed so many that doing this shouldn't be to hard. All I have to do is close my eyes and endure the breif pain before drifting off to eternal damnation. I know for a fact I'm going to Hell and it's oddly comforting knowing that I'd be free of Nicholas or anyone else that sees me as an object.
I scan the bathroom and find Nicholas's razor. I grab the handle and hold it tightly into my fist as if I'm afraid it will slip away out of my hand.
I place the razor edges against my wrist where the viens are most prominent and push down scraping away my skin and causing myself to bleed.
I repeat the same movement on both my wrists or arms for more times than I can count. It feels so freeing to know I'll see my father.
I walk out of the bathroom and lay down on the bed secretly hoping Sargent will devour me. But instead my kitty just whines and tears the door off it's hinges running away. He probably doesn't want to see me go. How sweet of him.
My head starts to feel light and I know by now I've lost a ton of blood. I have no clue as to how much time has passed but that's alright.
My vision begins to blur and I smile ready to die. Then I frown when a blurred figure runs up to me and starts shouting words I can't wuite mske out. I concentrate on the figure and smile again seeing that it's Nicholas.
"I win...." I whisper then drift off into nothingness.
Nicholas (that night)
I'm in my office sorting through my files. I toss them down in anger and turn to my white board that has everyone listed. "What am I missing?! And what in Hell's name does Derek want?!" I growl in frustration.
I hear a knocking on my door but it sounds like someone trying to break it down. In mere concern I open the door and get tackled by my pet tiger. Now I know how scary it would be to die at his hands.
I get up and kneel beside him. "Sargent, what's wrong?" He never runs or acts like this.
He whines and roars at me then runs out the door. I run after him and he leads me to Diana's room. I rush in there and the first thing I see is blood. I begin to panic when I see Diana on the bed curled up in a ball.
"No! No, no, no! Diana! Carrotcake listen to me! Stay awake, please!" I scream at her in distress. How could she do this to herself?!
"I win..." I hear her whisper to me with a smile. My eyes widen and fill with tears. Oh no you don't!
I pick her up into my arms and sprint to the medical wing. "Help! Someone help!"
Jack quickly grabs Diana and begins to work on her arms bandaging them up and cleaning the wounds. "I need help, where is that Hallie girl?" Jack grits out.
"She's in the dungeon but I can get her for you. Just don't let her die!" I order in a weary and angry voice. My whole body is trembling as I run down to the dungeon.
"Hallie! Get up! Consider this your one chance to get out of here for good." I growl opening her cell door.
"O- ok. What do I have to do?" She whispers hesitatly.
I don't answer her question and drag her out of the basement into the medical wing and push her towards Diana on the bed. "Save her life. That's what you have to do."
Together her and Jack both get Diana bandaged up and put on an IV. I just sit on another bed staring at her pale face. I did this to her. I scared her so much that she thought dying was her only way out. I'm a monster.
Hey guys. I'm super tired.
But I finally figured out the plot line of the book. So now I'll be writing more again.
How has your summer been so far?
Anyone else curious as to what Vanessa's idea for the punishment was?
Any guesses as to what is going to happen next?
Who do you think will end up being the main antagonist in the story?