Chapter 6 DARK HORSE

Pitch black. That's all Mal sees as far as her eyes can reach; all black and nothing else.

It feels cold. Wet. Lonely. Painful. It feels...familiar.

She closes her eyes for a moment to calm her racing heart, which feels ready to burst out of her chest. She's scared, she decides, unable to find any other reason to be so anxious. Maybe the darkness around her. Or maybe the thought this might be her own personal Hell.

Darkness is the one thing she hates the most. And she found herself stuck inside of it in its purest form. Nothingness.

I wish you were stronger, the voice surrounds her as if coming from everywhere, even from inside herself. And Mal feels herself recoil.

"Stop!" she tries screaming. But her own voice has no sound in that place.

I wish you weren't so weak. We got father to pay because he was weak. But you keep growing weaker.

"Shut up!" she tries screaming again. And again there's no sound. "Why won't you leave me alone!?"

You are so ungrateful! Don't you remember who I am? they pause for a moment before continuing. That's fine, I'll make you remember.

Suddenly, Mal's head begins to ache. Her eyes sting, burning until she can barely handle it anymore. Forcing herself a bit she opens them up, only to find herself laying on the wooden floor of her childhood home.

It takes her a moment to realize she can move her body; albeit slowly.

"Mom?" she calls, not expecting an answer in return.

You got her killed. Don't you remember? Have a look.

Reluctantly, Mal does as she's told. She looks forward and finds that her mother is lying on the floor, just a few feet away, covered in blood. Her eyes are open and looking in her direction, but she's already dead.

"Mom..." Mal whimpers. "I'm sorry."

This is familiar. Mal recognizes this.

Her father left the baseball bat aside while cleaning up the mess around the house. Everything has been thrown around; shattered glass and toppled furniture are scattered all around.

The poor woman didn't know what to do with you two psychos, she just wanted you two to stop fighting. It lets out a chuckle. How unlucky.

"Now I have to clean up everything!" Mal's father grumbles as he walks by carrying a sponge and a bucket full of water. "Look what you made me do! This is all your fault!"

He looks out of it and keeps on ranting to himself.

You still don't remember, do you, Mal?

"No... I-" She says in the lowest voice possible. "I don't remember. I don't want to! Get me out of here...!"

Not until you remember! Not until you become strong again. They snap at her. I'm always fulfilling your wishes. It's time you fulfilled mine.

Mal's head feels heavy as she tries to get up. She can feel the drying blood caking her hair and face; the spot still aches from the hit. She feels everything and hears everything. From the cold air blowing in from the half-open door to the fresh smell of blood. From the wet sound of the sponge against the floor to the blowing wind outside.

Everything feels real like the day it happened.

Do you remember that poem, Mal? Mon always read it to us. It offered, noncommittally. Once upon a time;

Mal slowly moves to grab the bat.

Barefoot, she walks to the man she once considered her father. Uncaring for the shattered glass cutting through her skin and flesh.

When there was nothing here;

He's so focused on scrubbing the stained floor that he doesn't notice her coming.

But the darkness;

He remains clueless until the moment Mal strikes; the same way he had done to her earlier.

He falls forward, right by her mother's body.

Which, to this day;

Mal hits him once. Twice. She hits him three times before turning around and running.

Away from him. Then out of the house. And then, as far as she can.

But he's got his eyes on her now, and he follows her closely.

Hides inside the souls of men;

"Don't you run from me, you little witch!" He cries after her. But Mal ignores him and jumps into the river.

She doesn't care about the freezing water, nor the fact that can't swim. Al she cares about is leaving.

"You killed her!" She yells back, feeling her eyes sting with new tears. "You monster!"

Created by Chaos;

She moves her legs and arms helplessly in her attempt to get to the other side, but all she manages is to push herself underwater. Each time she moves her legs and arms, the deeper she goes.

It can never be controlled.

Still, she doesn't feel afraid. At least not until he grabs her by the arms and pulls her up.

He manages to entangle one arm around her waist and begins swimming back.

"Get your hands off me!" Mal continues fighting.

"You can't get away from me," he whispers in a vicious tone; mouth pressed to her ear.

Mal jerks her head away in disgust.

When both of them make it to the riverbank, he lets her go. And as they walk out of the water, a bright white light cuts through the sky.

The blowing wind stops.

Even the birds stop chirping.

Like a silent thunder.

"After everything I've done for you..." He says accusingly, looking at her in pure anger. "After everything! You still chose to betray me."

"You killed her!" Mal points an accusing finger at him.

"Me!? You were the one with the knife." He spits. "Even now, with her blood on your hands, you want to blame me?"

It's unpredictable...

Mal's eyes widen in shock as she stares at him, confused. How could he blame you?

Unbelieving, she looks down at her hands.

You can feel its power...

Blood.

"She only wanted to stop you," he sighs. "She was only trying to help."

Mal stares at her fingers, painted red.

"No..." she chokes; her throat constricting around the word.

But can never hear its roaring.

"It was all your fault," he says again, now only two feet away from her.

"No. Stop..." She covers her ears. "Stop! It wasn't me- It wasn't!"

Looking up at her father, she sees him shaking his head with a humourless grin.

"I wish I was stronger," Mal says. "I wish I was strong enough to end you with my own hands; to avenge mom's death."

It's then that it all happens. Suddenly and without warning, Mal feels a burst of electricity strike her body. The white light seemed to be inside her brain somehow. She feels dizzy for a second, and then he's rolling on the ground and screaming in agony while covering his face.

"What- What did you do!?" He yells and moans. "My eyes!"

Mal doesn't say anything. She just looks down at her hands, where there are two eyeballs between her fingers.

Do you remember me now?

"Now mom won't feel alone," she closes her eyes as the wind begins to blow once again. Just one more second and there's finally rain.

I bet you would love not to be able to remember. To not feel anything but pleasure. To only have beautiful memories. Mal feels a shiver run up her spine at the amount of hate in its tone. How perfect would it be to be able to hide your every sin? To hide it so well hidden, that even those who can look inside your mind wouldn't be able to find out the truth. Do you remember me now, Mal?

"Do I? Do I remember who we are?" She opens her eyes, and again all she finds ahead is nothingness. "We are monsters. Every evil comes from us."

And of course, that's what she is. It's what she's been made for.