A marriage to die for

CHAPTER 1; BLOOD.

Changi beach. 7. pm. January 1st, 2007.

Kate couldn't stop thinking about the previous night for so many reasons. One is the mind-blowing lovemaking they had after years of pent-up tension. It might sound tacky but something in her kept whispering that she was definitely pregnant. Oh, what a joy she would have if she'd finally conceived a boy. The unholy shouts of profanity that echoed around their little house made her chocolate face turn crimson red. She didn't know she could blush that hard.

The second is, Xavier's words "We're not safe here anymore" panic gripped her more efficiently than when her father died.

"What do you mean?" she asked, turning to look him in the eye "what do you mean we're not safe here anymore, is there something wrong?"

"Of course, there's something wrong," Xavier said.

Then he explained how the Pandora's had secretly poached their neighborhood months ago and were threatening and evicting them. The house agents didn't relay the message at first because they wanted to keep collecting rent money while they delayed. But no matter how they tried to hide it, people started to notice, they saw signs and posters everywhere. Not to mention, the threat calls and messages they received from unknown numbers.

But instead of leaving their homes, they choose to fight back. But Xavier and Kate knew better than to stand in the way of the Pandorans. They were gonna move as soon as possible.

Something within her kept screaming she should get a hold of her daughter fast.

She handed over Genesis to her friend, she wouldn't be in any trouble as long as she could enter the water. She checked her face once more in the bathroom mirror before stepping out to meet nurse Carie, her childhood friend.

She'd met nurse Carie early that morning to let her know what she suspected and how crazy it would sound since it was just last night. Carie encouraged her to wait a week or more before she came in for a test to avoid disappointment but she insisted on going on with it. Later that evening, the hospital called and said that they had the results ready. Kate couldn't receive it alone, but she also didn't want to raise false hopes for Xavier so she called Carie to come with her.

"Took you long enough" Carie complained as soon as Kate came out of the restroom.

"Okay" Kate jerked "let's get this over with"

Carie took out the envelope and led Kate to a bench.

"Remember, this doesn't change anything" she warned.

"Okay," Kate replied.

Carie took out the paper and they both read the results.

"OH, MY GOD!" Carie exclaimed.

"I'M FUCKING PREGNANT!!!"

"Shut up!" Carie clamored.

Then something caught Kate's eye, she grabbed the report, there was something unusual about the report, it was like she was seeing things.

"Wait wait wait!" Kate tapped profusely on Carie.

"What?!"

"It says here, I'm already 10 weeks pregnant"

Carie snatched back the report. "Now that is messed up," she laughed. "How could you not know?"

"I don't know," Kate laughed back. She was so delighted she couldn't stop laughing. "I can't wait, Carie, I need to let Xavier know"

"Of course" Carie pulled her friend up, "Go back home and tell him the good news"

"YES!" Kate yelled as she ran out to get a taxi.

****

At 8 pm on the dot, while it was raining heavily, and the sea roared at the beach with ferocity, black heavy vans parked with a swish among the changi dwellers that were having a bash by the beach. Although they could hardly see anything, and no one had guts big enough to surf or swim in the water, they still wore their trunks and bikini as they without a doubt got themselves wet, well in every sense of the word.

No one noticed the unusual strangers hopping out of their vans with loaded armories until the first man went down, the MC of the party. Everyone looked around not fathoming why he would suddenly fall down, that's because the guns the hit men carried were equipped with silencers, then they saw the pool of blood on the sand as well as the deep dark hole in his forehead and everyone became chaotic.

"Blood!!!!!" a man shrieked "he's been shot"

Screams erupted everywhere.

But then the DJ fell too, and that's when people started to suspect the men in black with guns in their hands were the culprits. Obvious enough!

The next victim was a middle-aged woman, the bullet went straight through her forehead.

Nobody needed to be told the party was over. A woman who retrieved her phone admits running for shelter to call 995 and the cops but she was instantly killed by a bullet to her heart before the first syllable could come out of her mouth.

A mother desperately searched for her daughter amidst the chaos and murder.

" Kelly, Kelly where are you?" a man in black turned hearing her close cry, and shot her.

"Don't forget, no survivors!" Lee Chu cried out shooting a couple of people himself.

The most heartbreaking part was when a little girl tripped and fell on the feet of one of the hit men, hearing the reminder, he raised his gun to her head.

"Please mister, I did nothing wrong," she said amidst tears "...please don't kill me! Please I n..." the bullet went straight through her head and her body fell limply to the ground.

The cries of the not-so-many people of Changi went up like smoke.

Of course, I know you must be thinking, what absurdity, how can a whole village be slaughtered and no one could reach the cops or call for help? Well, that's because father Raven was smart enough to cut off calls from the area for the night, so even those that tried, could not get through.

At that moment, Genesis was out in the water swimming through the hard current. It was a dare among the kids, if she made it out alive, she'd win all the cookies her mum's friend made. She wasn't the only one that jumped into the water though. Bertha, her best friend, was also with her, and she was gaining on her. The torrents were harsh, they kept submerging Genesis into the water, and she was scared she'd drown. But fortunately, the storm went down as the rain reduced, Bertha swam out quickly while Genesis was lagging behind.

When Genesis got out, she noticed Bertha wasn't there, and neither were the rest of the kids. She immediately thought Bertha had gone to claim the price so she ran back to the village. Little did she know she would run into some very evil people.

*****

Kate had barely found Xavier and told him of the good news when someone rammed into their door knocking profusely.

"That's not Genesis, is it?" Kate asked.

"I wouldn't put it past her" Xavier complained as he proceeded with caressing his wife with kisses.

"Xavier!!! Kate!!! There's trouble, open up!" They recognized the shout of Bertha's mom and hurried to open the door.

Why the hell was Bertha's mom screaming like it was the end of the world and where was Genesis?

"I'm pregnant Xavier, I'm really pregnant," Kate said to her husband for the third time.

He was speechless, "Since when?" he sounded confused.

"I don't know, the past few weeks they say," Kate said, shoving the report to his chest. He took it but without reading, he enveloped her in the tightest hug as he spun her around the room. When they were out of breath, he stopped to give her a hearty kiss. But there was a knock on the front door along with the voice of Bertha's mom.

There was panic noticeable in Emily's voice, this wasn't some prank.

"What's happened?" Xavier asked immediately.

Seeing her daughter wasn't with her, Kate's motherly instinct went off. "Where is Genesis? What has happened to her?"

Xavier held his wife back "Calm down, let's hear her out"

"The party started...and I, I let her out. But..but..." she stuttered.

"But what, Emily?" Xavier urged.

"I was still making cookies when they ran off to the beach, but, some hitmen loaded with guns suddenly came and started shooting people"

"WHAT?!" Kate screamed at the top of her voice, "what hit men? And my baby?"

"It happened at the beach, at the party. People are dead everywhere but it's only a matter of time before they get to the village. We have to run!!!" The urgency in her voice was evident. She wanted to run off but Xavier pulled her back.

"How can you say that and run?" Xavier scolded "my daughter is still missing!"

"My daughter is missing too, Xavier. But I barely made it out alive from the party. Their vans are coming this way. The least I could do was come and warn you" without another word, Emily ran off and that was the last time they would see her.

"Does that explain why the power has gone out?" Kate was shaking visibly.

Xavier had to stay strong for the both of them. "It also explains why the neighborhood is in a panic," he said, watching people run out of their houses.

"Was this what you meant? When you said we weren't safe here, was this what you meant?"

"I won't sugar coat this Kate, there is trouble, but you have to get out of here with our baby. You have to run and never look back"

"But–"

"I'll find Genesis, even if my life depends on it" Xavier assured. "Run Kate, run out of the village" she didn't want to leave her family behind. There was no way she'd forgive herself if they didn't make it out alive.

"I'll come with you! I won't leave without you"

Xavier smiled. "I won't have you do that Kate, it's not gonna be like in the movies, we won't waste all the time you have to flee to argue this out. I'll bring Genesis to you no matter what"

Kate swallowed hard, she also knew every second they stood there talking was Genesis being possibly closer to death.

"Go!" Kate had mustered up all the willpower she had to send off her husband. Xavier didn't want to go, he didn't want to think that Genesis could probably already be dead or worse, and he didn't want harm to come to his family or his unborn child.

So Kate wouldn't have to watch him go. She ran back into the house to take her phone as she thought of the best escape plan. But something kept whispering to her that there was no plan. JUST RUN!!!!

*************

Genesis had only gotten as far as the cave entrance towards the beach party, a little shortcut she and her friends had discovered, then she met a scary man.

One of the hitmen had found her, and he wasn't alone.

The ugly chubby male fellow was in black and covered in thick blood that smeared with a horrible stench, maybe it was the blood, or maybe his stink added to the smell. He was so deformed because someone had put up a good fight against him, he would have been killed if not for his good-looking partner here that shot his attacker in the back.

Genesis doubled back seeing the body of a man she had known too well on the floor at the feet of the chubby scary man.

Without another thought, Genesis ran away, but there was only so far she could go before the tall man caught her by the elbow and brought her back.

"Get away from me, you evil man!" She protested.

"What do we do with this one?" the tall guy asked.

The chubby guy smirked "It's a little one, the boss did say no survivor" his yellow teeth were on full display.

"Let's kill her"

Fear gripped Genesis. She bit the hand of the man to no avail, she had no luck escaping."Nooo!!!!"

"Argh, the brat" the tall guy shoved Genesis to the fat scum.

"Run along, I'm sure I can take care of her myself. It's just one little girl" the fat pig scum urged, holding Genesis with a deadly grip.

"Fine, but remember, no survivors!"

The pig snorted, waving the other guy away "Sure, sure I'll take care of it, I'm not a softy now, am I?"

With his firearm by his side, the tall guy ran off into the night leaving poor Genesis alone with the old pig.

"What are you going to do to me?!" Genesis asked with a sob.

He grinned again and Genesis's heart rate shot upwards "Oh, you're going to enjoy what I'm about to do to you" he held the collar of her swimsuit hurting her.

"Let go of me!!!" Genesis yelled. " Help! Help! Help! Someb..."

The man shut her up with a slap to her delicate face. Genesis went tumbling into the sand. She looked up at the horrible face of her captor. How she would do anything to get away from this man and be with her parents.

One sob led to another, and then Genesis was crying profusely on the sand. She gave herself one more try and shouted for help again only for her to receive a punch to the face.

At the impact of such a large hand, she fell unconscious on the sand.

*****************

Genesis pov.

I'm just a little girl, I don't deserve to be shoved around by ugly monsters, all I want is to find my friends. I cried into my palms as I screamed for help the third time.

No, it's all in my head, I'm screaming but I'm not even hearing my own voice. My throat felt numb against my lungs.

I wanted my mom, I wanted my dad. Most of all, I wanted to wake up and realize that this was only a dream, then I'd cradle mom and tell her how much I love her.

But instead, I felt water encompassing my body, my tongue stung with a bitter taste, a flavor I later realized to be my own blood. My chest heaved with rapid beats, and my breath was caught in my lungs at each breath I took. My hands flung to my head, and my nose cried with unbearable pain. I remembered I had been punched, I passed out.

I wanted to open my eyes, was I still in danger? I asked myself. One thing I knew for sure was I was at the seashore, the waves ever so comforted me with its regular splashes, it beckoned me to come, to swim and explore its depths.

I believe my senses had not come to full consciousness as my brain struggled to find the mechanism to open my eyes. Worst of all, my legs felt extremely weak and numb, but...but...there was unbelievable pain there. In my lower abdomen, my waist, my lady area. It was as though I was being sawed through and hit with a hammer at the same time. I understood why I felt like I was running a marathon.

My eyes shot open as I cried in agony at the pain I felt, I realized with dread...

....i was being raped.

I screamed but my voice was no louder than a whisper. I pushed the heavy weight that was on top of me but my hands were too weak, my flesh ripped open, I could hear it, I could feel it. I could feel the blood trickle down my legs, I could feel it flow through my eyes. I closed my eyes praying a silent prayer within myself that my parents and friends were safe.

I also prayed to God......that I could just die, and almost immediately, I felt myself drift into the sleep of death...one I wished I would never wake up from.

Lost, I couldn't remember.....

.....remember my name.

**********************

An eternity later, maybe I was in heaven, it smelled heavily of rose and lavender, but why did it take so long to get to heaven. I couldn't remember why I was even dead, or why I suddenly felt numb of emotions. I wasn't elated to be in paradise, I preferred more to see what hell looks like.

Were there superhumans there?

Was the devil even real?

What would happen if I threw a punch in his face?

Lol, he'll probably KILL ME!

Jokes on you Lucifer, hahahhahahhahaha!!!!!, im fucking dead......that was funny right?

But no one was listening to me, instead I started becoming more aware of my surroundings, I was hearing voices, I think the term should be, I was becoming conscious.

I opened my eyes slowly and it strained to adjust to the pain of the rays of light. Or to be more appropriate, a thousand rays of light. A man with a white coat I could recognize as a doctor's jacket stood over me with a torch to my eyes.

That shouldn't be in heaven.

There were mini people surrounding him peering to take a glimpse of me, I think they are elves! Although I doubt that conclusion is even right.

I don't think I was allowed the luxury to die, i'm not in heaven, and i'm definitely not in hades.

"She's awake!" a nurse declared as I awoke to full consciousness.

"We can see that, Carrie, now let us do our job!" the doctor snapped at her.

'Carrie? Why do I feel I know that name?'

I opened my mouth to speak but once again, my muscles felt too limp. I gave up and embraced the darkness once again.

**********************

This time I woke up very strong, I don't know how long I was asleep, but I knew one thing for sure, I wasn't dead.

I sat up to my flowery amiable environment. Only one thing came to mind,

"I'm hungry..." I was surprised at how hoarse my voice was.

The door flung open and a nurse with the name tag Carrie walked in with a tray which she placed onto the table close to me before smiling at me full tooth.

It was heartwarming to see such a smile, but I couldn't reciprocate it. Instead, tears welled up in my eyes and threatened to spill.

A sob escaped my lips.

"Shh, shh, don't cry, don't use up your strength in tears" she rushed to me, hugging me.

I hugged her back but it felt alien.

With more persuasion I stopped crying. I drank the water she offered me and I felt more alive. I needed more, and so I drank more, and more, and more again, until I felt the unavoidable urge to pee.

"I have to pee..." I admitted feeling little pains in my private area.

"Okay" she replied and without hesitation she picked me up and placed my small figure over her shoulder then carried me to the bathroom.

To use the bathroom, I realized it was a very difficult process because I had stitches everywhere, but nurse Carrie helped me through it and in no time, I was back on the soft bed munching away at some noodles.

Nurse Carrie waited until I was done devouring the food she had delivered before she sat beside me to start a conversation.

"Hi" I muttered when she said nothing for three minutes.

"Hi dear" she smiled. "It's good to hear your voice, you sound a lot better" she shifted to face me.

"Do I know you?" I blurted.

I saw a surprise shoot in her eyes but it disappeared as she blinked.

"Do you think you do?" she asked.

I was confused about her, but I didn't know her so I shook my head and muttered a no.

She sighed heavily. "I have more questions dear, can you answer some of them for me?"

I nodded, having questions of my own.

"Do you remember anything that happened before today?" she asked.

I thought about it, the man in a white jacket, the nurse, 'Carrie', the lights and the unexplainable weakness I felt. I remembered all that but that's all.

"Carrie" I said and she jumped slightly at the mention of her name.

"I remember hearing your name in some time ago, when you were probably treating me"

She sighed visibly once again.

"Do you remember your parents, your friends?"

I cowered at those questions, but I didn't seem to find an answer to them.

I shook my head again, "No"

"Do you remember your name?" she asked and I felt a tinge of pain in my head.

What was my name? What is my name? Why couldn't I remember? There was a memory, floating just at the peak of the pain.

'Lost, I couldn't remember.....

.....remember my name.'

THIRD PERSON POV.

Nurse Carrie sat at the doctor's office weeping into her hands, her hair was in ruin from scratching at it multiple times.

"She doesn't remember her own name Philip!, her own name!!!"

"You have to get yourself together, this isn't gonna help anybody. Not me, not you, and definitely not the little girl" Philip said for the umpteenth time.

More wails came from Carrie, she couldn't help it. Kate was her best friend, and Genesis was her little angel.

God knows she would kill to find out what happened to the people of Changi village but the government has had the area sealed up and restricted. Not even a fly was allowed to enter 30 kilometers to the beach.

A week ago, the social media reported a heavy smoke coming from the Changi house areas, but it quickly went down. The only people that could certify it was not a rumor were those that saw it themselves.

It was unbelievable, how could that much fire survive the heavy downpour that Singapore experienced that fateful night.

Calls proved futile, information was unreliable, so Carrie leaned into the only place she could receive any kind of information, gossip. Any information was better than nothing.

It was less than shocking to hear that the pandora had swept the village clean. Nobody knew why but different people had all manner of speculation. The police claimed there was nothing wrong in the town and every complaint made on social media was quickly removed, even reporting to the government and hiring lawyers to know the whereabouts of their loved ones proved futile. The pandora was definitely behind the evil.

Three days later, the body of Genesis was found by another stream that flowed from the beach and the hospital was called on emergency. Carrie followed the ambulance not expecting anything in particular. She didn't know she would be saving the lifeless body of her God daughter Genesis. It was a miracle they were able to resuscitate her, she was bruised and battered.

Her eyes bulged out with all manner of colors, her life was nearly broken, what was most heartbreaking was finding out she had been brutally raped.

Carrie teared up at the memory again. Philip rushed to her side to comfort her.

"I know she went through a lot, Philip, worse than we can ever imagine. She's only eight, what monster void of human feelings would violate her?!" her tears flowed like a stream as she wailed.

"But we found her, and we gave her the best treatment possible Carrie, you've done the best you could" Philip comforted.

Carrie suddenly looked up, "Kate is probably dead"

Philip shook and looked around making sure no one was eavesdropping. "Don't say such things, Carrie"

"But you know it, don't you?" she accused with clenched teeth.

"Carrie I..."

"You don't have to say anything!" she raised her tissue stained hands to halt him. "She was gonna tell him that night...she was gonna tell Xavier she was pregnant. They really wanted that baby, they all did! THEY DIDN'T DESERVE THIS, GENESIS DOESN'T DESERVE THIS. EVERYONE THAT DIED IN THE HANDS OF PANDORA DOES NOT DESERVE TO!!! GENESIS DOES NOT DESERVE TO BE PERMANENTLY BAREN BEFORE SHE EVEN HAS THE CHANCE TO GROW UP" Carrie was now yelling at the top of her voice, damning anyone to hear her screams.

"Carrie," Phil was trying to calm her down. "We don't know what really happened yet, I've hired some skilled paparazzi to find out some information on the incident. Right now, we can't assume things, you have to be strong for Genesis all right?"

"And if it's safe to assume Pandora committed this crime, don't you think screaming at the top of your voice will put both you and the child in danger?!"

Phil continued. "Carrie, I care about you, I always did. I don't want you to get hurt"

Carrie was glaring, "Nobody can hurt me!"

"Sure, they can't, cos if they were able to slaughter a whole village then they'd be afraid of a measly nurse"

Carrie's eyes opened wide enough to see through him. "So you affirm that there was a massacre in the village!!!"

"Shhh..." he deadpanned. "There's no confirmation yet, but a morgue downtown in the slums has reportedly been cremating unidentified bodies since that day" he said in a hushed tone.

It was evident he didn't want to tell her for fear that she might scream her head off running off to find the perpetrators.

Carrie was glaring again.

"And you didn't see it fit to share this information!"

Phil waved clearly exhausted.

"I knew you'd throw a fit, besides, I only received this information this morning"

Carrie's eyes brightened with understanding. "I won't stand idle and do nothing about such an atrocity. We are talking of human lives, fathers, mothers, daughters, sons, babies!!! Were killed that night. If they are not the devil I don't know what is!"

Phil was stunned, she was doing the exact same thing he feared she would do.

"Look at me!" he held her face in his palms. "If you push on with this, you're gonna die!" he said frankly.

She only sobbed more at this, "at least I'll be doing something, it's better than nothing!"

"No one's gonna know they eliminated you Carrie!!! Don't you get it? They are invisible!" he said, shaking her profusely.

Carrie finally broke down. She fell to the floor crying now more than ever.

Phil didn't know how he was going to say it, how he would tell her he had already booked flights for them to leave the country all together, he was never brave enough to ask the lady to marry him, but he was gonna be brave enough to help her live.

He could tell she had already made up her mind to adopt the child, he was gonna accept it. They would live together.

They didn't have to tell Genesis of her past or what she went through, it was better that she lost her memories, she wouldn't have to suffer emotionally.

He pulled Carrie to himself and hugged her deeply. Dread of what the Pandorans could do if they found out there was a survivor remained in his heart.

******************

FIFTEEN YEARS LATER.

Alec Raven in his almighty gait walked down the steps of his massive private plane. His friends Adrian and Carlisle by his side. They were in all white, black shades and an amazing touch of gold on all their wrist.

It's been years since they were in Singapore. Alec had just closed a big business deal in Russia and he was tired of the lean girls in Paris, he needed the taste of curvy, home girls.

Not that that was the only reason he returned home though, the big Changi resort and estate investment was having the tenth year anniversary soon, his sister was getting married and his mom had threatened she would kill herself if he didn't come spend some time with her.

He sighed before putting on the best smile he could wear as they walked into the sea of reporters and streams of cameras awaiting them. Although there were bodyguards keeping them from the mob of fans and crazy teenagers that kept shouting 'we love you Alec Raven', it still took about 30 minutes to get to the exit of the airport.

Of course, they could have taken the private exit but what fun is in that? He wanted Singapore to know he had returned.

He stopped to take a quick interview, removing his sunglasses.

"Alec Raven, you have undoubtedly walked to the top of the celebrity ladder over the last three years without even trying too much, you have also been very successful as a businessman, you are practically the role model of the young males of Singapore, how do you feel about that?" the first reporter asked.

"Quick take some pictures!"

"He's so handsome!".

"I might lose consciousness fawning over such beauty!"

"Look at their matching clothes"

"Rumors has it that the friends are not really close anymore"

Shutting the hundreds of voices by raising a finger, he replied to the reporter with a simple "I feel great" as they furiously took pictures.

"The social media have been speculating multiple instances where you supposedly called yourself a devil playboy, can you authenticate those rumors?" another reporter asked.

He dazzled them with a smile. "I did indeed call myself 'the devil' in Russia, but it seems a certain somebody aggravated it with a playboy" he dismissed.

"How has the empire of the Raven family been fairing?" a female reporter was secretly referring to Pandora. He looked her over and found she was pretty attractive, he made a mental note before replying "We are making a few cents"

"Why have you returned to Singapore?" someone else said.

"I missed my fans" he declared with a wink which resulted in ladies drooling over him. His friends laughed, they too had their fans among the crowd.

"Do you miss your family?"

"Such questions shouldn't be asked," he dismissed.

"We don't see any of them here to welcome you!" someone shouted from behind.

"I don't repeat myself" he said signaling that he was done with the media. He wore his sunglasses back.

"Will Carlisle and Adrian be accepting interviews today?"

Quiet Carlisle didn't respond but Adrian just shook his head in the negative.

"Do you have anything to say to your fans?"

"We love you all" he said finally, with that they made way for him to get into his limited edition car.

"We love you Carlisle!"

"We love you Adrian!"

"We love you Alec!!!"

They were the princes of Singapore, but at what cost?