Nightfall

By: Meredith Frank

CHAPTER ONE

It was a chilly night around 11:39 pm. We were driving home from the movies and my mom decided to take the back way. We were all very tired but refused to go to sleep. So instead, we put on loud music that was at the time so loud that we didn't hear the car until it was too late.

Now that I think about it everything makes sense the strange phone calls the mail without a return address at least that is what I thought until I saw the man trying to maneuver me out of the wrecked car. The person lifting me out of the car was my great uncle tom. The same uncle that disappeared so long ago (about ten years when I was seven). I knew it was him because of the tattoo on his wrist it looked exactly like the one on my wrist except it was a dark gray where mine is completely black. I don't know why this is but I think I know why he wants my friends and me. Let me explain.

Out of every family in the Gallahedion line one child is to be taught how to fight with a sword, gun and there own two hands why that is I don't know. It is usually the eldest child that is taught to fight but my brother Samuel could not take in the thought of hurting someone else even if it cost him his own life in the process. So by default I was brought into this world of mystery and danger where you can't trust anyone but if you don't you could be very well killed. And as for my friends it was obvious that he wanted something and was using my friends for bait it all made sense now. He never disappeared he went away to plan this what ever it was and he was going to try and use my to do it well he's going to have a hard time trying to force me to do anything.

After he successfully maneuvered me out of the car some kid came over to where me and my uncle were he looked around seventeen about my age with a brief case when he opened it I found out that there were four shots probably for my friends and me oh and my friends names are. Jordan Cupcake, Karley Cat, Alyssa Rabbit and my name is Meredith Gallahedion. Those four shots probably contained some type of drug or chemical to make us fall asleep so that we wouldn't know where we are going because now that I look around I see a big dark green van hidden in the shade of the trees and that car that hit us looked like the new suburban no wonder it felt so big. It turns out I was right about the shots at least they were to make us fall asleep and the kid who was carrying the briefcase was Darius knight. He and I used to practice fighting together I beat him about half the time he beat me the other half. I wondered what he was doing here.

But it didn't have time to think about that because at that exact moment he was coming at me with the shot. I knew not to fight because my dad told us that if you fight some specific drugs than they can have drastic side affects and since I didn't have time to analyze what kind if drug this was I was just not going to fight. But what surprised me that when Darius was getting ready to give me the shot my uncle said "not her". Then Darius replied "but if we don't who knows what she will do." "Darius I am aware of the danger in the situation but if you give her that shot I will kill you without a second thought." My uncle said in a hard voice. "Yeah right you need me," Darius said in an amused voice. I could see this was going to get ugly so I cut in. "he doesn't need you Darius and when he said he would kill you without a second thought he meant it." "Oh yeah and how do you know miss smarty." He replied in a sarcastic voice. "The first lesson you learn in this business is that you can't trust anybody even if it's your best friend or your girlfriend." I reminded him in a stiff voice. I think I hit nerve because his face got all red and he started to yell at me I will never forget those words and how everything came into focus. "Oh yeah says the girl that decided to leave when we needed all the help we could get because the F.B.I was on our tail." Therefore, I told him in a hard voice. "You know that the only reason that I left was because I was forced to." "Well then why didn't come back." he said in a voice just as hard as mine did. This kid was making me so I made my way around my uncle who was watching with an amuse expression on his face that made me even angrier did this man think I couldn't handle my own with this over confident jerk. Well then, I got a surprise for him. He probably thinks that when I left I stopped practicing how to fight. Well I have some news for him ever since I left I have been practicing harder than ever. Well he's about to find out soon enough.

As soon as I started to advance on him he switched to fighting mode (I know it sounds cheesy but its true) his body tensed, his eyes slited in focus no doubt trying to remember a complex move he has just learned. A soon as I got in grabbing reach he tried the Alladmoto. The Alladmoto is a technique where you try to grab the person by either the head or arm and throw them down on the ground. What he didn't know is that to perform the Alladmoto you had to angle your body a certain way giving the person you are fighting a chance to react. As soon as I saw what he was going to try to do, I told him just to make him nervous.

You know you really shouldn't do the Alladmoto." "Oh yeah and why not" he asked in an amused voice. "Because the Alladmoto can easily turn on you with very little help on my part. I replied. And that's when I saw it my opening the one and only chance I would have to bringing him down in the shape I was in with the car crash and everything. So I preformed the scorpion. It is very complex moves you have make sure your body is in the precise angle one mess up and it could cause you your life, and in the condition I was in, I needed all the help I could get.

I don't think Darius had learned that move yet because he was watching me with the outmost curiosity well that was until I knocked him out that is. Was a little disappointed that he didn't fight better because I hadn't had a good fight in years? Looks like I'll just have to wait a little longer.

After Darius and I had that little fight I turned back to my uncle and saw that he was staring at me with his mouth wide open. So I said to him "you really didn't that I would stop practicing did you" I asked in mock surprise. When he didn't answer I told him. "One thing that all Gallahedions learn is that you never stop practicing even if you leave. You of all people should know that." I knew not to push him too far because not even I could survive a fight with Tom Gallahedion in the shape I was in possibly not ever.

As soon as Darius started to gain conciseness he started talking in his sleep or something like that. His exact words were. "I can beat her she is no match for me little weak girl oh well shell get what's coming for her." He mumbled.

Once he said that I couldn't help but laugh out loud. He didn't remember what had just happened well maybe I should remind him. So I went over to were he was on the ground and shook his shoulder that didn't quite work to wake him up so I went over got a tick and started to poke him with it. I was just starting to have fun with it when he woke up and said. "Hey what are you doing you know you shouldn't poke somebody that is stronger and faster than you." I was just about to speak when my uncle cut in. "Darius do you have any idea what just happened?"

"No actually I don't. Why" he replied in a confused voice "well I just thought you should know is that the reason you were on the ground was because Meredith Just did the Scorpion on you." He said in an age worn voice. "The what" he said. I could tell he was getting on my uncles nerve but this time I just decided to sit back and watch the show. "The Scorpion you adolescent child." He yelled. While they were fighting I decided to take this time and asses how much damage the crash had inflicted on me. I am sure that the stupid scorpion move didn't help me. All I could tell without risking the chance of being noticed doing it was that my shoulder was slightly out of the socket my right ankle was sore and bruised but not broken and that right below my collar bone was a deep gash and I knew that if it didn't get treated right away it could prove fatal. And if my assumptions are right then they didn't go to all that trouble to just capture me and then kill me no I if my assumptions are right then they want me for something and are not going to kill me until it has been completed. And if I am wrong well then I would much rather have a fast death than a slow one and watch them laugh. I might be a Gallahedion but even I can't handle a slow death. So I decided to take my chances. "Hey is anyone over there going too tell me what you want with me or not." I yelled. Well it seemed to have worked because they both shut up and looked at me. It seemed like an eternity until someone spoke. "Now why would we do that"? He asked me. "Well seeing as I can easily take both of you down. So I just thought that you should tell me now so that I might stay. But hey it's your funeral." I said in a slightly amused voice to make it seem like I did not care if I had to fight them or not. While I was actually trying to see what kind of shape my body was currently in. as far as I can tell I am almost completely unharmed. I didn't have the same hope for my friends especially Alyssa because her bones are very fragile knowing my luck they are all dead. Hopefully not though. Scratch that I hope Alyssa, and Karley survived I am not so sure about Jordan. After a while my uncle decided that he would tell me on one condition. Here is his answer. "All right I will tell you but you have to promise to stay here and not interrupt or attack me while I am talking" he said. "Sure sure" this was a saying that my brother Samuel had imprinted on me. It was a way to get out of any promise or obligation without the other person finding out. I think Darius must have seen through it though because he opened his mouth to speak when my uncle said to him. "Now Darius you are not to speak when I am talking you should really be more respecting to your elders" "but sir you don't understand she is trying to trick you." Darius said in a desperate voice. "I can see it in her eyes look." he said in a whinny voice. I don't know if he was lying or not but I knew that I wasn't going to take any chances with my Uncle so I carefully composed my features into a hard mask and got ready for the questioning that was obviously coming. Looks like I was right at the exact same moment that I finished composing my features he turned around with a frown on his face. "Meredith is what he saying true?" he asked me in a sad voice. "Because I it is I will have to kill you right now." "Honestly uncle would you expect me to run away in the condition I am in and leave my friends behind? I am insulted that you think so little of me." I said in what sounded like a hurt voice even though Darius was completely correct and we both know it. I was so consumed in my thoughts that I almost didn't hear his reply. "well Meredith know that you put it that way I am so sorry I believed a word that Darius here has said please accept my apology." He asked in a sincerely sorry voice. "Of coarse what kind of person would I be if I didn't?" I said in a sickly sweet voice and added a smile on the end that might have been pushing it too far but honestly I didn't care any more. I knew that sooner or later he would believe my little white lie but what surprised me was that he accepted it so quickly. To tell you the truth I was kind of disappointed I mean I was really looking forward to a good argument well I guess it will have to wait for another day. When my lovely uncle looked away I not so prominently shot him a very gloating smile. I think I was getting to him because after I shot him that ever so spectacular smile if I may say so myself and his face started puffing up like a blow fish. It was not an attractive look for him and I told him that in a what was supposed to sound hurt but I think came off amused here are my exact words. " you know Darius if I were you I would take that look off your face I mean how are you going to get any friends remember the last batch that you blew up yeah that's right I remember." I told him. I wish you could have seen his face actually I wish you wouldn't what he said next is something no human being should say not even someone from a n assassins family it was so gruesome that I will not repeat it not even to the people who are resting in their graves as we speak. So for now you will just have to imagine what he said. Anyway moving on. Ah yes we shall go to three days after the kid napping. But this time we shall see it through Alyssa's perspective.

"hello anyone up there please help us I don't know what I did to deserve this why oh why, Mommie help me these people are going to kill me I am so sorry daddy I will do any thing to get out of here. I will even eat my arm I will do any thing." She said in a slightly hysterical voice. Whoops did I say slightly my mistake she was losing her mind, I mean literally she was on the verge of killing herself. Well that was until something very weird happened.

"Hey you guys are you down there it's me Meredith." I said wait did I say I was the one to speak my mistake you since my mad uncle told me his plan to use me, Darius and some of his other skilled fighters to take over the government so that he would have to live under the presidents hand, and do what he wanted at any given time. I have to admit that his plan was very tempting well that was until he told me that when he was done using me he was going to kill me and my friends who he somehow guessed that I had not told them the complete truth and that is how we are in this situation. Well we wouldn't be if my uncle hadn't decided to send one of his loyal fighters those are his words not mine by the way to go get my friends and tell them the truth about who I am. But back to the crisis at hand why don't we start at the beginning though so you can get the full jest of it here we go.

"Hey you guys are you down there it's me Meredith" said my imposter. I have to give him credit though his voices sounded exactly like mine. "Oh my god you guys it's Meredith she's come to save us I told you she wouldn't let them kill us" Alyssa said in a slightly6 hysterical voice. "Alyssa is that you are everyone okay" the imposter said in a worried tone. "Yeah were okay now that you're here." Replied Alyssa in a voice that obviously said she was crying. It was a little disappointing that my friends would believe that I was down there to save them and not take in the under tone to Tyler's voice yes now that I think about it my imposters name is definitely Tyler. "Well aren't I glad because you are definitely going to be able to use your head for what's coming next." He said in his real voice which was a little high for his age. You see Tyler might look to be about 19 but he is actually 27 and if I might say takes great pride in the fact. "Wait that's not Meredith" said Karley. "Are you sure maybe her voice changed" Alyssa said desperate to cling onto what hope she still had that they were saved. "No it's definitely not her" Karley said. "Oh yeah and how can you tell?" Alyssa practically yelled. "Because I know Meredith." Karley said in a very calm voice. Alyssa wasn't going to give up though. One thing about Alyssa is that even though she can be at times a scary cat if she wants to believe something is true she will do everything in her power to try and make the people around her believe it to. Usually it's a good thing but not today. Even if I was not in the same room let alone the same building I could smell a fight coming and I wished with all my heart that I was their in that small dungeon room to tell them to cut it out it's not worth it. well looks like I might never get the chance to do it ever again because I was sure that after my uncle told them everything they would never have the guts to look at me ever again and honestly I wouldn't blame them . If I was in their position or soon to be position, I would never talk to myself ever again. But I am getting ahead of myself so back to the story. " hello ladies" said my imposter who I know remember him as Riley. Riley acts as if he is about 21 but he is actually 34. when Alyssa heard his voice she practically fainted. "Alyssa the way I knew it was not Meredith is because she is not that nice she would have said to shut the hell up or else." Karley said in what was supposed to calm them down but inside she was panicking.

I know you are dying to hear what is coming up next but for right now let's see how close they are to finding us at home or if they are trying at all. So join me as we take a visit to Skaneateles on Monday November 25 9:35 pm.

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