Post by SORAbear on Dec 6, 2010 13:29:41 GMT -5
Chapter One
The freezing cold wind whipped through the grass, battering the silvery-green blades like waves crashing down on blackened cliffs of a coastal forest. A large, snow-white van sped down a gravel country-side road, spitting the pebbles out sideways and into the swaying grass. The moon, partially secluded by dark grey storm clouds, shone down upon the scenery, glazing the grass with silvers and nearby ponds and streams with whites.
There was a thin-bodied girl in the passenger seat of the van, adorned in tight purple jeans and a band hoodie, her hair a fluffy black-and-red mess, she glared condescendingly out of the window, viewing the all-too peaceful seen. A small spark of light flickered in the distance, disappearing into the darkness as the van veered away towards another gravel road. With a small, aggravated sigh, she shifted her gaze to the road ahead, wishing she could’ve left her father sooner. Her thoughts lingered on the wonder of what the light might be. It could be a festival or celebration of some kind for all she knew. She secretly hoped it was one of those high school bonfire parties, just to add a little flavor to her choices.
That thought instantly fled from her mind, tucking itself away into a pit labeled 'Things to Think About During Class' at the back of her muddled brain.
“It’ll be okay, Meridian. I just wish you didn’t have to leave,” a deep voice bellowed mockingly.
Her father, Sam, had remarried a middle-aged woman that he met in France while on a site-seeing trip six years ago, neglecting the fifteen-year-old girl for a couple years. When they had returned, Meridian’s father started showing her some attention, but it wasn’t the attention she wanted. He began to abuse her in every way he possibly could, especially when his wife was away for modeling. She suffered anything from neglect to harsh rape, unable to defend herself or fight back. And all she could really do was just sit there and take it like it was nothing, like it was a boring lecture during an advanced math class on how to divide negative decimal integers with exponents. And because of the pain that was being inflicted upon her tiny frame, because of how bad things got, because of how high her depression and stress levels got, her skin started bruising on its own, she became ill more often, burn marks littered her body, and she had become less caring of her life than one is supposed to. She had come to hate herself severely, her life, everything around her. As a result, she lost the ability to speak normally to normal people, becoming socially retarded. She had no friends, no hope in school, and an overactive imagination paired with a fierce personality. What use to the world was she? None.
And soon the first attempt at getting rid of herself for good had come.
Meridian was left home alone in the house they owned in Thornton, her father and Frenchie step-mother were out eating at a fancy restaurant in downtown Denver, probably at Maggiano's or something, thinking about vague and far-away memories of her twin, little brother, real mother, and herself. Standing in the kitchen, staring down rat poison and a set of knives, she tried to decide which way she should do it, not thinking about the consequences or how anyone that cared- if anyone cared- would feel. She lifted her bruised black-and-blue arm, reaching for the sharpest knife shakily, knowing it would be painful. But effective. That's all that mattered, the effect. Slowly, she wrapped her nimble fingers around the hilt of the slightly curved blade, shaking, yet showing no emotion whatsoever.
A high-pitched meow from the sweet black cat she had to feed every morning. A bark from the stupid yellow dog that wanted to chase the black fur ball away. Surprisingly, she felt no pain. The young teen fell face-first into the linoleum floor, unmoving, silent, the wounds in her slashed stomach, chest, and wrists bleeding uncontrollably. Dark red liquid spilled out of her mouth, her head splitting open and bleeding all the same, and for a while she thought she was dead, seeing nothing in her mind or the objects surrounding her. Comfortable. Death wasn’t so bad.
An ocean of pitch darkness crashed around her. She was slipping away, losing all touch of reality, losing herself in the sea of infinite black nothingness. She felt nothing, saw nothing, heard nothing. It was as if pain and sadness didn’t exist. It was as if… nothing existed.
A faint but shrill scream that seemed to be miles away echoed through her mind, telling her that she hadn’t died, that her attempt had failed. The one thing that could have freed- no, saved- her from the hell she had to live in didn’t work. Her eyes fluttered open, blinding light seemed to surround her, enveloping her in an endless white. White and nothing else. Meridian glanced all around, searching desperately for the source of the almost whisper of a scream. It was her black-haired mother; a dim shadow in the blinding light, whimpering as she saw the black-and-red teen lying helplessly in the hospital bed, needles and tubes wedged into her purple arms. Blood and saline IV’s were pumping into the girl’s system, slowly but surely.
That memory only barely had the relevance to disturb the poor young girl. She shuddered slightly and let out a short breath quietly. “Whatever, Sam. I hope you die,” she hissed harshly, edging closer and closer to the passenger door, her hand at the ready, waiting to open it if she really had to. And her extremely angry expression made it crystal clear that she didn’t care whether or not her father died, which didn't help the situation any.
Sam sighed, a hint of sarcastic amusement in his breath, tapping his thumbs innocently on the steering wheel, obviously holding something back; or at least trying not to do anything. Meridian knew he couldn’t control himself, watching the ugly man with cautious, angry glances. The man had serious anger management issues. That and he was pretty much psychotic. He was sick and twisted. The worst part was that he didn’t care.
His hands shot off the wheel and flew to Meridian’s already bruised neck, allowing the van to veer off the road and into a ravine, spinning and sliding uncontrollably down the dirty hill. The violent bumps and jerks of the steep and rocky side jostled the murderous man and his already defeated victim.
She struggled fiercely to open her door and escape her father’s choking grasp. But the man’s grip held fast, even through the unbearable push and pull of the jumping and skidding van.
But she couldn’t breathe. Her head was pulsing.
The speeding van came to a sudden and harsh stop, sending the nearly strangled girl into the dashboard with a painful crash. She held out her weak and hurting arms instinctively, trying to stop herself from further injuring her neck, head, and torso. Wrists twisting around, neck bending along the side of the dashboard, her head slammed up against it despite her efforts to try and prevent it. She attempted to support her weight on a nearly broken arm, collapsing, eyes tearing up from the newer pain and what she knew could probably happen to her if she blacked out.
Everything went blurry and soon turned black, leaving the agonized teen helpless.
She woke to a disarming and sharp ache in her side. The feeling was like she was being stabbed repeatedly in an area that had already been torn apart. Her eyes snapped open and franticly flicked around, everything still blurred by the blow to her head from the dashboard. She tried sitting up, only to be pushed down by a powerful hand at the neck. She released a cough, lungs sore.
The pain in her side had let up, but still it lingered, relaxing Meridian only a little, but her breathing had stopped once more. Her mouth and nose holes were being plugged by Sam’s big, ugly hand. She fought to get a breath, arms flailing, legs kicking violently. Effort was a futile action. She still couldn’t get a swish of air into her lungs.
Sam’s stupid chuckle echoed loudly throughout the confines of the van. She grew tired of it, mouth dropping open —though still covered- as she continued her struggles for a breath. One of his fingers slipped coincidentally into Meridian’s mouth, which gave her an opportunity. And she took it. Biting down with all the strength she could muster, musty blood flooded her mouth, followed by a thick coat of vengefulness and bloodlust. Her father let out a pained scream and began to brutally batter her body, all feelings ignored. Fist colliding with cheekbone, knee delving roughly into her gut. All she could comprehend was the white hot pain forcing itself to brand her permanently blued skin.
Her once white teeth had reached the bone of her father’s finger in the constant hurried movements, now stained in blood. And it came off in her mouth, foul-tasting; she eagerly spat it out, breathing in a fresh, new breath. A great idea rushed through her mind. She kicked him in a place that no one in the right mind would want to be kicked in, forcing him to screech and roll backwards.
Meridian quickly scrambled away through the passenger side door, falling pathetically into the dirt. She tried to crawl away up the slope. The pebbles tumbled on the dirt down into the ravine as she clawed at the dusty earth. She crashed down on a grass patch under a dying tree. Breathing hard from the climb, she shut her eyes in an attempt to relax, wishing the pain in her body would disappear.
Desperately trying to pull up her skin-tight purple skinny jeans, she fell into the side of the tree, bark digging into her skin. Looking around dazedly, she spotted an asphalt street and sighed in relief that a crowded area of people was near. Choosing to ignore the bark sinking into her arm, she finished pulling up her jeans, beginning to walk towards the city street.
With a quick leer over her shoulder, Meridian new she was leaving something important to her behind. Reluctantly, she stepped over rocks and small puddles toward the slope she had just climbed.
“Ugh. I really don’t want to do this again,” she whispered, half joking to herself, a distressed look on her face. She made her way cautiously downhill, sliding every now and then, glancing around warily. As she made it to the back of the crashed black van, she walked around to the front side passenger door. Peering into the vehicle, a body was visible in the artificial light. She searched the glove box for a tool box of some sort.
She realized blood was trickling down her battered arm, distracting her from her mission to find the tool box. Peering down, her eyes traced the gashes running down the skin of her limb. A sudden gasp and she was already bent over gripping her father’s white shirt, trying desperately to rip off a piece to tie around her cuts. She tied the torn fabric hurriedly, continuing her quest for the box of tools.
Fishing around the compartments and back part of the van, she finally found it. Mikami opened it quickly. She wrapped her long fingers around a wrench and crawled over into the front passenger seat. As she turned her body to strike her father with the wrench, he started to stir. Without a second thought, she brought the wrench down Sam’s forehead as hard as she could as he glanced up in fear. Millions of emotions seemed to pass through his bleeding, unblinking eyes. A spatter of red across her face.
A million more passed through Meridian’s. Fear seemed to stick in her intense blue eyes. Her pained left arm lifted and drew her hand over her mouth as it gaped in the sight of her father’s blood.
Reluctantly, her hands found their way around the collar of Sam’s stained white shirt. Readying herself to drag him away, Meridian gathered up whatever strength she could muster and jerked as hard as she could. The momentum had made it so that Sam’s unconscious and very heavy body was pulled on top of her conscious and very light body. Scooting over into the driver’s seat, she started the van again.
“I have no fucking idea how to drive!” she said pitifully. She copied Sam’s steps on how to drive: put it in reverse and backed up the slope, leaving her father in the ditch. Putting her foot on the gas pedal and shifting the gears to drive, she sped off towards the asphalt street.
The stars of the night sky still shown in the dawn light, continuing to illuminate the grass and rooftops of the city buildings, but only just. A turn on Woodland Street and another on Scenic Avenue. The teen pulled up in front of her mother’s house after a full nine hours of horrible driving. Yanking the key out of the ignition, she leaned her head against her seat and closed her tired eyes.
It’s a good thing I knew what my mom’s address was. Because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to do this now.
Soon sleep washed over her, sending her into a dream world.
Minutes later, she found herself wading through a river of blood. Dead fish and frogs littered the surface as she peered around her. Clothes and hair completely dry, she padded weakly out of the strange river and tripped over a log. No. It wasn’t a log. It was her sister’s fragile body lying face down in the dirt. Meridian fell to her knees and pulled her sister up and out of the thick dust-like brown substance, staring into her opened green eyes. Tears of blood seemed to run down the side of her sister’s face. A rustle in the grass and footsteps sounded behind Meridian, drawing her away from her sister. As she peered over her shoulder, Sam made his way towards her. Long, sharp claws seemed to stretch out from behind him and stab at Meridian’s chest and stomach areas. Pain echoed quickly through her seemingly delicate body. She was repeatedly slashed on her face and arms and legs, blood splattering the brown dirt.
A short, hushed scream escaped from Meridian’s warm lips as she fearfully awoke from her slumber. Widening her eyes, she frantically gazed around her. She had been moved. A black-framed mirror showed her reflection, shelves with books and hair supplies and stuffed animals rested on the walls, a black and light blue polka dotted dresser, and a night stand with a dim lamp on it, and a black chair sitting creepily in the corner. Old photos and posters of different anime shows and friends and bands decorated the walls.
Looking down, she viewed the bed she had obviously been sleeping on. Black velvet. She knew this place. She knew this room. It was hers. Her face glowed with a happiness she never knew was ever going to return. Meridian drew the blankets off of her, jumped off of the bed and crashed into the door.
“Ow! Stupid door!” she hissed, rubbing her hand over her forehead. Wrapping her fingers around the door handle, she heard a yelling voice bounce off the walls, stopping herself from opening it.
Meridian pressed her ear to the painted wood, her shaggy black-and-red hair getting in the way of her eyes.
“--mean he’s dead? Sam Love is dead?” an extremely angry voice screamed. “And you’re blaming me and my family for it?!”
“Mom, it probably wasn’t any of us,” a younger voice suggested sheepishly.
“Hold on, sir. Shut up, Momoki! Go wake up your sister!” the older voice screeched.
The defeated teen backed away from the door as she heard footsteps pound down on the floor. She flew to the bad and covered herself in the covers, pretending to sleep. A soft tap on the door, and it opened quietly.
“I never thought I’d see my twin ever again,” whispered the high voice.
“Holy she-ite! Momoki!” Meridian shouted, leaping out of the bed and crashing into her sister. Relief flooded over her, glad that her sister wasn’t dead because of her stupid dream. “I missed you, sis!”
Huge ear-to-ear grins spread across their faces. The both of them hugged for a long time, taking in each other’s scents and appearances.
“I missed you, too, Meridian,” Momoki laughed. She pushed her sister away and stared her straight in the eye with a high level of seriousness. “Dad… beat you?”
Meridian gulped. As it traveled down her throat, pain began to line it. “Yes. He did,” she sighed sadly. “But where did you get this from?!”
Her sister stared at her like she was stupid. “Have you not learned by now that I was bitten? It only made my problem-detecting skills better.”
She thought for a moment. Tapping her fingers on her chin, Meridian came to a conclusion. “Bitten by a vampire? Everyone knows that that’s total b.s.” Her tone seemed cruel. “It’s just that’s what I think.”
A long moment of awkward silence. The door burst open again, revealing a distressed looking parent with messy, long black hair. It was Meridian and Momoki’s mother.
“So… you killed him?” she whispered.
The teen didn’t know what to say. She glanced at her sister for help. But she still seemed aggravated by her comment. A sigh.
“What would you have done if he was brutally beating you to the edge of death, Mom?” whispered Momoki. She draped her arm across Meridian’s shoulders.
“Honestly, I’d have killed him,” their mother replied. “C’mon. Get dressed, Meridian. We’re going to the store.” Her expression was warming, instead of freezing cold like it used to be.
Confused extremely, the silver teen could only nod. As her mother and sister stepped through the doorway and shut the door, she flew to the dresser and rummaged around for some lime skinny jeans and her favorite Slipknot t-shirt. She finally pulled them out and changed out of the clothes she was wearing slowly.
Walking over to the mirror, she gripped a brush tightly and started brushing through the knots in her mostly-silver hair and rainbow bangs. It was all poofy like she wanted it to be. Fishing around in the drawer beneath the mirror for a straightener, she thought about the past few days.
Her father had beaten her many times over, yet gave her everything she asked for: clothes, hair extensions, games, books, etc. But even so, that didn’t make it right. She wondered if he was actually dead. She didn’t hit him that hard, did she?
No. She couldn’t have. She was still weak from the last time she lost a mass amount of blood, which was the sixth time she attempted to end her life. And even a couple weeks after her injuries had healed, she still couldn’t breathe or move right.
Losing concentration she began to think abstractly, still straightening her hair. Her black and purple extensions fell over her shoulders, resting on the area below her collar bone and flowed passed the middle of her back. Those were straightened as well.
I guess I never really thought about the repercussions of my actions on my father. I mean, I never thought about what would happen after I supposedly killed the bastard. I don’t think I understood them either. Maybe I should brush my teeth and put on some deodorant. I did sweat a lot yesterday. And my breath probably stinks, too.
After she had finished, her hair was completely straight, leaving her with the option of personal hygiene. This wasn’t actually an option. It was a necessity.
Staring herself down, Meridian decided to go into her black and purple checkerboard bathroom and brush her teeth. She lifted the toothbrush out of its holder, squeezed some fruit punch flavored toothpaste on it, and rushed it over her straight, white teeth. When she finished she put on some lemongrass and grapefruit Dove deodorant.
Sliding on her black and orange checkerboard Converse, she ran out of her room like a track star, down the hall and into the living room. The living room was littered with toys and DVD cases, deserted. And while she had some time to herself, she thought about her brother, falling into the black leather couch.
His name’s Jayree. I remember little about him. I haven’t seen him since I was 9, which was when he was 7. I miss him. I wonder if he’s here. His stuff is cluttering the floor. Sheesh.
She sighed a long, tired sigh, wishing that she could see him smile. Standing up, Meridian decided to walk tentatively down a small hallway towards the front door. It’s being wide open frightened her a little.
Where’d they go? she wondered desperately. As she peered warily outside, the memories of when her father did countless harmful things to her still hanging on her shoulders, relief flooded over her as she saw her sister and mother sitting so patiently in the car. The van was still parked on the curb, unneeded.
Making her way down the steps to the gold Prius, Meridian opened its left back seat door and slid in all the way to the other side.
“Glad you could make it,” her mother and sister said in unison.
“Yeah.” She tried to sound happy, maybe even joyful, but she failed and she knew it when her mother turned the key in the ignition and glared at her in the mirror. “Um, so, what are we going shopping for?” Meridian asked.
“We’re going to get you some school supplies. And some new clothes. I just got paid, so, I have a lot of money to spare.”
“Okay, then.”
Her mother put the gear in reverse and the car rolled quickly out of the driveway, shifting gears again and speeding off down the street. Turning and stopping, driving on and stopping. The constant swivels and turns eventually got Meridian to fall asleep in the sleepy haze she was already enveloped in.
Eventually, she woke up to the sound of her sister screaming her name.
“Wake up, you lazy bum! Meridian!” Momoki screeched.
“Shut up! I’m tryin’ to sleep, here!” she hissed back, forgetting about the trip they were taking to the store. Meridian looked around, eyes squinted.
Momoki —wearing bright pink skinny jeans and a sky blue tank- stood in front of her, shaking her head and tapping her foot. “You’re hopeless.” She grabbed her twin’s hand and yanked her out of the back seat of the car.
“Here, try these on,” their mother suggested, shoving a handful of band shirts and multi-colored skinny jeans in her arms.
“Ikari! Do I really need this much?” Meridian asked, yelling out her mother’s name.
“Do you want to keep the garb your father gave you?” The look on Ikari’s face was obviously a look of annoyance. She pushed the black-and-redheaded teen into a dressing room without taking a number from the lady that had to check the amount of clothes they had.
The freezing cold wind whipped through the grass, battering the silvery-green blades like waves crashing down on blackened cliffs of a coastal forest. A large, snow-white van sped down a gravel country-side road, spitting the pebbles out sideways and into the swaying grass. The moon, partially secluded by dark grey storm clouds, shone down upon the scenery, glazing the grass with silvers and nearby ponds and streams with whites.
There was a thin-bodied girl in the passenger seat of the van, adorned in tight purple jeans and a band hoodie, her hair a fluffy black-and-red mess, she glared condescendingly out of the window, viewing the all-too peaceful seen. A small spark of light flickered in the distance, disappearing into the darkness as the van veered away towards another gravel road. With a small, aggravated sigh, she shifted her gaze to the road ahead, wishing she could’ve left her father sooner. Her thoughts lingered on the wonder of what the light might be. It could be a festival or celebration of some kind for all she knew. She secretly hoped it was one of those high school bonfire parties, just to add a little flavor to her choices.
That thought instantly fled from her mind, tucking itself away into a pit labeled 'Things to Think About During Class' at the back of her muddled brain.
“It’ll be okay, Meridian. I just wish you didn’t have to leave,” a deep voice bellowed mockingly.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Her father, Sam, had remarried a middle-aged woman that he met in France while on a site-seeing trip six years ago, neglecting the fifteen-year-old girl for a couple years. When they had returned, Meridian’s father started showing her some attention, but it wasn’t the attention she wanted. He began to abuse her in every way he possibly could, especially when his wife was away for modeling. She suffered anything from neglect to harsh rape, unable to defend herself or fight back. And all she could really do was just sit there and take it like it was nothing, like it was a boring lecture during an advanced math class on how to divide negative decimal integers with exponents. And because of the pain that was being inflicted upon her tiny frame, because of how bad things got, because of how high her depression and stress levels got, her skin started bruising on its own, she became ill more often, burn marks littered her body, and she had become less caring of her life than one is supposed to. She had come to hate herself severely, her life, everything around her. As a result, she lost the ability to speak normally to normal people, becoming socially retarded. She had no friends, no hope in school, and an overactive imagination paired with a fierce personality. What use to the world was she? None.
And soon the first attempt at getting rid of herself for good had come.
Meridian was left home alone in the house they owned in Thornton, her father and Frenchie step-mother were out eating at a fancy restaurant in downtown Denver, probably at Maggiano's or something, thinking about vague and far-away memories of her twin, little brother, real mother, and herself. Standing in the kitchen, staring down rat poison and a set of knives, she tried to decide which way she should do it, not thinking about the consequences or how anyone that cared- if anyone cared- would feel. She lifted her bruised black-and-blue arm, reaching for the sharpest knife shakily, knowing it would be painful. But effective. That's all that mattered, the effect. Slowly, she wrapped her nimble fingers around the hilt of the slightly curved blade, shaking, yet showing no emotion whatsoever.
A high-pitched meow from the sweet black cat she had to feed every morning. A bark from the stupid yellow dog that wanted to chase the black fur ball away. Surprisingly, she felt no pain. The young teen fell face-first into the linoleum floor, unmoving, silent, the wounds in her slashed stomach, chest, and wrists bleeding uncontrollably. Dark red liquid spilled out of her mouth, her head splitting open and bleeding all the same, and for a while she thought she was dead, seeing nothing in her mind or the objects surrounding her. Comfortable. Death wasn’t so bad.
An ocean of pitch darkness crashed around her. She was slipping away, losing all touch of reality, losing herself in the sea of infinite black nothingness. She felt nothing, saw nothing, heard nothing. It was as if pain and sadness didn’t exist. It was as if… nothing existed.
A faint but shrill scream that seemed to be miles away echoed through her mind, telling her that she hadn’t died, that her attempt had failed. The one thing that could have freed- no, saved- her from the hell she had to live in didn’t work. Her eyes fluttered open, blinding light seemed to surround her, enveloping her in an endless white. White and nothing else. Meridian glanced all around, searching desperately for the source of the almost whisper of a scream. It was her black-haired mother; a dim shadow in the blinding light, whimpering as she saw the black-and-red teen lying helplessly in the hospital bed, needles and tubes wedged into her purple arms. Blood and saline IV’s were pumping into the girl’s system, slowly but surely.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
That memory only barely had the relevance to disturb the poor young girl. She shuddered slightly and let out a short breath quietly. “Whatever, Sam. I hope you die,” she hissed harshly, edging closer and closer to the passenger door, her hand at the ready, waiting to open it if she really had to. And her extremely angry expression made it crystal clear that she didn’t care whether or not her father died, which didn't help the situation any.
Sam sighed, a hint of sarcastic amusement in his breath, tapping his thumbs innocently on the steering wheel, obviously holding something back; or at least trying not to do anything. Meridian knew he couldn’t control himself, watching the ugly man with cautious, angry glances. The man had serious anger management issues. That and he was pretty much psychotic. He was sick and twisted. The worst part was that he didn’t care.
His hands shot off the wheel and flew to Meridian’s already bruised neck, allowing the van to veer off the road and into a ravine, spinning and sliding uncontrollably down the dirty hill. The violent bumps and jerks of the steep and rocky side jostled the murderous man and his already defeated victim.
She struggled fiercely to open her door and escape her father’s choking grasp. But the man’s grip held fast, even through the unbearable push and pull of the jumping and skidding van.
But she couldn’t breathe. Her head was pulsing.
The speeding van came to a sudden and harsh stop, sending the nearly strangled girl into the dashboard with a painful crash. She held out her weak and hurting arms instinctively, trying to stop herself from further injuring her neck, head, and torso. Wrists twisting around, neck bending along the side of the dashboard, her head slammed up against it despite her efforts to try and prevent it. She attempted to support her weight on a nearly broken arm, collapsing, eyes tearing up from the newer pain and what she knew could probably happen to her if she blacked out.
Everything went blurry and soon turned black, leaving the agonized teen helpless.
~*~*~*~*~
She woke to a disarming and sharp ache in her side. The feeling was like she was being stabbed repeatedly in an area that had already been torn apart. Her eyes snapped open and franticly flicked around, everything still blurred by the blow to her head from the dashboard. She tried sitting up, only to be pushed down by a powerful hand at the neck. She released a cough, lungs sore.
The pain in her side had let up, but still it lingered, relaxing Meridian only a little, but her breathing had stopped once more. Her mouth and nose holes were being plugged by Sam’s big, ugly hand. She fought to get a breath, arms flailing, legs kicking violently. Effort was a futile action. She still couldn’t get a swish of air into her lungs.
Sam’s stupid chuckle echoed loudly throughout the confines of the van. She grew tired of it, mouth dropping open —though still covered- as she continued her struggles for a breath. One of his fingers slipped coincidentally into Meridian’s mouth, which gave her an opportunity. And she took it. Biting down with all the strength she could muster, musty blood flooded her mouth, followed by a thick coat of vengefulness and bloodlust. Her father let out a pained scream and began to brutally batter her body, all feelings ignored. Fist colliding with cheekbone, knee delving roughly into her gut. All she could comprehend was the white hot pain forcing itself to brand her permanently blued skin.
Her once white teeth had reached the bone of her father’s finger in the constant hurried movements, now stained in blood. And it came off in her mouth, foul-tasting; she eagerly spat it out, breathing in a fresh, new breath. A great idea rushed through her mind. She kicked him in a place that no one in the right mind would want to be kicked in, forcing him to screech and roll backwards.
Meridian quickly scrambled away through the passenger side door, falling pathetically into the dirt. She tried to crawl away up the slope. The pebbles tumbled on the dirt down into the ravine as she clawed at the dusty earth. She crashed down on a grass patch under a dying tree. Breathing hard from the climb, she shut her eyes in an attempt to relax, wishing the pain in her body would disappear.
Desperately trying to pull up her skin-tight purple skinny jeans, she fell into the side of the tree, bark digging into her skin. Looking around dazedly, she spotted an asphalt street and sighed in relief that a crowded area of people was near. Choosing to ignore the bark sinking into her arm, she finished pulling up her jeans, beginning to walk towards the city street.
With a quick leer over her shoulder, Meridian new she was leaving something important to her behind. Reluctantly, she stepped over rocks and small puddles toward the slope she had just climbed.
“Ugh. I really don’t want to do this again,” she whispered, half joking to herself, a distressed look on her face. She made her way cautiously downhill, sliding every now and then, glancing around warily. As she made it to the back of the crashed black van, she walked around to the front side passenger door. Peering into the vehicle, a body was visible in the artificial light. She searched the glove box for a tool box of some sort.
She realized blood was trickling down her battered arm, distracting her from her mission to find the tool box. Peering down, her eyes traced the gashes running down the skin of her limb. A sudden gasp and she was already bent over gripping her father’s white shirt, trying desperately to rip off a piece to tie around her cuts. She tied the torn fabric hurriedly, continuing her quest for the box of tools.
Fishing around the compartments and back part of the van, she finally found it. Mikami opened it quickly. She wrapped her long fingers around a wrench and crawled over into the front passenger seat. As she turned her body to strike her father with the wrench, he started to stir. Without a second thought, she brought the wrench down Sam’s forehead as hard as she could as he glanced up in fear. Millions of emotions seemed to pass through his bleeding, unblinking eyes. A spatter of red across her face.
A million more passed through Meridian’s. Fear seemed to stick in her intense blue eyes. Her pained left arm lifted and drew her hand over her mouth as it gaped in the sight of her father’s blood.
Reluctantly, her hands found their way around the collar of Sam’s stained white shirt. Readying herself to drag him away, Meridian gathered up whatever strength she could muster and jerked as hard as she could. The momentum had made it so that Sam’s unconscious and very heavy body was pulled on top of her conscious and very light body. Scooting over into the driver’s seat, she started the van again.
“I have no fucking idea how to drive!” she said pitifully. She copied Sam’s steps on how to drive: put it in reverse and backed up the slope, leaving her father in the ditch. Putting her foot on the gas pedal and shifting the gears to drive, she sped off towards the asphalt street.
~*~*~*~*~
The stars of the night sky still shown in the dawn light, continuing to illuminate the grass and rooftops of the city buildings, but only just. A turn on Woodland Street and another on Scenic Avenue. The teen pulled up in front of her mother’s house after a full nine hours of horrible driving. Yanking the key out of the ignition, she leaned her head against her seat and closed her tired eyes.
It’s a good thing I knew what my mom’s address was. Because if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to do this now.
Soon sleep washed over her, sending her into a dream world.
Minutes later, she found herself wading through a river of blood. Dead fish and frogs littered the surface as she peered around her. Clothes and hair completely dry, she padded weakly out of the strange river and tripped over a log. No. It wasn’t a log. It was her sister’s fragile body lying face down in the dirt. Meridian fell to her knees and pulled her sister up and out of the thick dust-like brown substance, staring into her opened green eyes. Tears of blood seemed to run down the side of her sister’s face. A rustle in the grass and footsteps sounded behind Meridian, drawing her away from her sister. As she peered over her shoulder, Sam made his way towards her. Long, sharp claws seemed to stretch out from behind him and stab at Meridian’s chest and stomach areas. Pain echoed quickly through her seemingly delicate body. She was repeatedly slashed on her face and arms and legs, blood splattering the brown dirt.
A short, hushed scream escaped from Meridian’s warm lips as she fearfully awoke from her slumber. Widening her eyes, she frantically gazed around her. She had been moved. A black-framed mirror showed her reflection, shelves with books and hair supplies and stuffed animals rested on the walls, a black and light blue polka dotted dresser, and a night stand with a dim lamp on it, and a black chair sitting creepily in the corner. Old photos and posters of different anime shows and friends and bands decorated the walls.
Looking down, she viewed the bed she had obviously been sleeping on. Black velvet. She knew this place. She knew this room. It was hers. Her face glowed with a happiness she never knew was ever going to return. Meridian drew the blankets off of her, jumped off of the bed and crashed into the door.
“Ow! Stupid door!” she hissed, rubbing her hand over her forehead. Wrapping her fingers around the door handle, she heard a yelling voice bounce off the walls, stopping herself from opening it.
Meridian pressed her ear to the painted wood, her shaggy black-and-red hair getting in the way of her eyes.
“--mean he’s dead? Sam Love is dead?” an extremely angry voice screamed. “And you’re blaming me and my family for it?!”
“Mom, it probably wasn’t any of us,” a younger voice suggested sheepishly.
“Hold on, sir. Shut up, Momoki! Go wake up your sister!” the older voice screeched.
The defeated teen backed away from the door as she heard footsteps pound down on the floor. She flew to the bad and covered herself in the covers, pretending to sleep. A soft tap on the door, and it opened quietly.
“I never thought I’d see my twin ever again,” whispered the high voice.
“Holy she-ite! Momoki!” Meridian shouted, leaping out of the bed and crashing into her sister. Relief flooded over her, glad that her sister wasn’t dead because of her stupid dream. “I missed you, sis!”
Huge ear-to-ear grins spread across their faces. The both of them hugged for a long time, taking in each other’s scents and appearances.
“I missed you, too, Meridian,” Momoki laughed. She pushed her sister away and stared her straight in the eye with a high level of seriousness. “Dad… beat you?”
Meridian gulped. As it traveled down her throat, pain began to line it. “Yes. He did,” she sighed sadly. “But where did you get this from?!”
Her sister stared at her like she was stupid. “Have you not learned by now that I was bitten? It only made my problem-detecting skills better.”
She thought for a moment. Tapping her fingers on her chin, Meridian came to a conclusion. “Bitten by a vampire? Everyone knows that that’s total b.s.” Her tone seemed cruel. “It’s just that’s what I think.”
A long moment of awkward silence. The door burst open again, revealing a distressed looking parent with messy, long black hair. It was Meridian and Momoki’s mother.
“So… you killed him?” she whispered.
The teen didn’t know what to say. She glanced at her sister for help. But she still seemed aggravated by her comment. A sigh.
“What would you have done if he was brutally beating you to the edge of death, Mom?” whispered Momoki. She draped her arm across Meridian’s shoulders.
“Honestly, I’d have killed him,” their mother replied. “C’mon. Get dressed, Meridian. We’re going to the store.” Her expression was warming, instead of freezing cold like it used to be.
Confused extremely, the silver teen could only nod. As her mother and sister stepped through the doorway and shut the door, she flew to the dresser and rummaged around for some lime skinny jeans and her favorite Slipknot t-shirt. She finally pulled them out and changed out of the clothes she was wearing slowly.
Walking over to the mirror, she gripped a brush tightly and started brushing through the knots in her mostly-silver hair and rainbow bangs. It was all poofy like she wanted it to be. Fishing around in the drawer beneath the mirror for a straightener, she thought about the past few days.
Her father had beaten her many times over, yet gave her everything she asked for: clothes, hair extensions, games, books, etc. But even so, that didn’t make it right. She wondered if he was actually dead. She didn’t hit him that hard, did she?
No. She couldn’t have. She was still weak from the last time she lost a mass amount of blood, which was the sixth time she attempted to end her life. And even a couple weeks after her injuries had healed, she still couldn’t breathe or move right.
Losing concentration she began to think abstractly, still straightening her hair. Her black and purple extensions fell over her shoulders, resting on the area below her collar bone and flowed passed the middle of her back. Those were straightened as well.
I guess I never really thought about the repercussions of my actions on my father. I mean, I never thought about what would happen after I supposedly killed the bastard. I don’t think I understood them either. Maybe I should brush my teeth and put on some deodorant. I did sweat a lot yesterday. And my breath probably stinks, too.
After she had finished, her hair was completely straight, leaving her with the option of personal hygiene. This wasn’t actually an option. It was a necessity.
Staring herself down, Meridian decided to go into her black and purple checkerboard bathroom and brush her teeth. She lifted the toothbrush out of its holder, squeezed some fruit punch flavored toothpaste on it, and rushed it over her straight, white teeth. When she finished she put on some lemongrass and grapefruit Dove deodorant.
Sliding on her black and orange checkerboard Converse, she ran out of her room like a track star, down the hall and into the living room. The living room was littered with toys and DVD cases, deserted. And while she had some time to herself, she thought about her brother, falling into the black leather couch.
His name’s Jayree. I remember little about him. I haven’t seen him since I was 9, which was when he was 7. I miss him. I wonder if he’s here. His stuff is cluttering the floor. Sheesh.
She sighed a long, tired sigh, wishing that she could see him smile. Standing up, Meridian decided to walk tentatively down a small hallway towards the front door. It’s being wide open frightened her a little.
Where’d they go? she wondered desperately. As she peered warily outside, the memories of when her father did countless harmful things to her still hanging on her shoulders, relief flooded over her as she saw her sister and mother sitting so patiently in the car. The van was still parked on the curb, unneeded.
Making her way down the steps to the gold Prius, Meridian opened its left back seat door and slid in all the way to the other side.
“Glad you could make it,” her mother and sister said in unison.
“Yeah.” She tried to sound happy, maybe even joyful, but she failed and she knew it when her mother turned the key in the ignition and glared at her in the mirror. “Um, so, what are we going shopping for?” Meridian asked.
“We’re going to get you some school supplies. And some new clothes. I just got paid, so, I have a lot of money to spare.”
“Okay, then.”
Her mother put the gear in reverse and the car rolled quickly out of the driveway, shifting gears again and speeding off down the street. Turning and stopping, driving on and stopping. The constant swivels and turns eventually got Meridian to fall asleep in the sleepy haze she was already enveloped in.
Eventually, she woke up to the sound of her sister screaming her name.
“Wake up, you lazy bum! Meridian!” Momoki screeched.
“Shut up! I’m tryin’ to sleep, here!” she hissed back, forgetting about the trip they were taking to the store. Meridian looked around, eyes squinted.
Momoki —wearing bright pink skinny jeans and a sky blue tank- stood in front of her, shaking her head and tapping her foot. “You’re hopeless.” She grabbed her twin’s hand and yanked her out of the back seat of the car.
~*~*~*~*~
“Here, try these on,” their mother suggested, shoving a handful of band shirts and multi-colored skinny jeans in her arms.
“Ikari! Do I really need this much?” Meridian asked, yelling out her mother’s name.
“Do you want to keep the garb your father gave you?” The look on Ikari’s face was obviously a look of annoyance. She pushed the black-and-redheaded teen into a dressing room without taking a number from the lady that had to check the amount of clothes they had.