The impact of his blows came a few seconds too late, and when the pain began to sink in, like water on denim, she groaned softly. Her hand reached desperately, to find a way to defend her self, but all she could do was let it fall limply back to her side, and watch the blood gather beside her. Her nose caught a whiff of the metallic stench, and she had to bite her tongue to keep from vomiting. The world began to swing around her, and the sky looked like the spinner of a board game. Always revolving around itself. When would it just stop?

Again, he bent over, pushing his ugly face into her view. Her delicate-looking eyes blinked into fading focus, as she emitted a low gurgle of discomfort. That face twisted into a malicious smirk, and he held the blade over her throat. Was this to be her fate? Was there really no way out? Statues of human citizens as they had once been were scattered along the street, all similar in that their faces were marked by fear. Fear of death. She collected some strength, and swallowed, feeling her raw throat move up, and then down. The statues had once been people. The people had once been screaming for help.

The thing that really drove a stake through her heart was watching the children; innocent and oblivious; choke to death on the intoxicating fumes coming from the smoke of her power. To think, that just by producing that energy, she could kill the un-knowing, was like a throne of power that was too much. Closing her eyes, she rested up, chest sinking and rising in each shallow, short breath. Hot tears rolled adroitly down her gray-hinted skin, soaking the china flesh of her face. She was in agony. Pure agony. Fighting for a cause that could not be prevented was what she was doing. Wasting her time.

Inside, she felt like a monster had tainted her. The monster was daddy's little girl; the part of her that would always remain loyal to her demon father. She had grown callous, from hearing the ring of screams, and seeing the flickers of fear in innocence's eyes. She had laughed at the sound of people whispering their prayers, and their last words, as they tried to reserve a special piece of mass just for themselves. Selfish.

Her eyes opened, and now fixtated on her hands. Clenching and un-clenching her fists painfully, and watching as the mark of SCAT, branded onto her palms, burned her bent fingers. The pain was unbearable, and she wanted so badly to open her fists, releasing the burn. But she squeezed harder, as the sting became strong enough to penetrate through metal, and felt the waves of agony and pain lap over her insides. Her lips curled upwards, baring those white, pearly teeth, that were sharpened to the point that now, they were fangs. With each new course of pain, she would grit her teeth into a tight, forced smile. He stood over her, smiling to himself because he had successfully turned her into what she was always destined to be, but was too stubborn. All defenses were lowered now, and it was time for her to emerge.

"Feeeel it…." He whispered into her ear huskily. "Feel it transform you….Feel the burn of fire…..Feel the lust for blood…." She cringed, and suddenly, the pain began to throb. Hot tears pricked at her eyes painfully, and opening her mouth, she let out a string of cries. It was killing her. This destiny, it was a death sentence. Staring up at his face and searching for any compassion, she knew she wouldn't find any. All she saw was that malignant grin of his, that reminded her of a jack-o-lantern. Her throat felt like it was tightening and closing up, and she looked back down at her clenched hands. The burn had spread up her arms and down her legs, staining the skin a familiar color of blood red.

One word escaped her lips, as she screamed it hoarsely for all that life was worth. "NO!" Her hair extended, growing into long, black waves that cascaded over her shoulders and down to cover her breasts. Clenching her eyes shut, she gasped out, "Please! Anything….but……this….." Her throat, it seemed, had closed, and she could no longer speak. He looked down at her smugly, his smirk piercing through the layers of hurt and chaos. She struggled, screaming. She could scream, but no noise would come.

"It will all be over soon," he assured her, in what he thought was a soothing voice. It wasn't soothing at all. It was agonizingly hypocritical. It wouldn't be over soon. It was an everlasting sort of pain, and no matter how hard she struggled, she would eventually give in. She would have to. But how?

She remembered the look on their faces as she held them down, and strangled them. They had all struggled, and squirmed as a futile attempt to flee. But she had forcefully gripped their throats, squeezing them with all her might, and pouring all of her hatred and sorrow into her handy-work, watching them writhe and cry beneath her. A voice that wasn't hers had bid them farewell, and it had frightened her, to say the least. She was a monster.

But as she held HIM down, another feeling lapped at her. His eyes, large and innocent, clashed with her hard, cruel ones. He had begged her, and tears had welled up, and spilt over the brims, as he cried for her.

'Please, Raven…..you don't have to be this way! All we ever tried to do was HELP…..Please…Stop…I love you…..'

The last three words had made her release his flawless throat, as she had gulped. No one had ever told her that. She remembered how she had looked down at him, crying herself, and whispered, 'I can't' before choking the life out of him. She had to choke them. It was the most humane way to her, and she couldn't bear to mutilate their sulken, fear-scarred faces. Forever, they would remain in her cold, steel heart, bruised and disheveled, clawing and tearing, arms flailing, as a fruitless endeavor to escape her. She didn't want them to leave. But the other side did.

As she stared into the glowing, yellowed eyes of her father, she nodded grimly, sitting upright. Her father wore a look of slight surprise, before regaining his composure and uprooting her from the ground violently. Her body was defenseless against his strength, and she drifted after him, as statues of bodies were engulfed in the dancing flames.

XxX

Hihi, yo. D this was written on may 30th...so yeah. FF was down and all, so i couldnt send it in. TODAY, JUNE FIRST, IS MY BIRTHDAY! PARTY TIME, YO! I'M FINALLY A TEENAGER! I'M FINALLYYYYY 13! -does a lil dance-

I can't wait till Friday, for MUmsy is taking me to Hot Topic to spend my birthday money on some well-needed new clothes. Andddd I wanna get Sims 2...and my oldest brother is sending me a package, which will probably include Led Zeppelin stuff or something...Anyway, later days!

X-X Mary