New Beginings [Axel]

Dusk hated to be a pain. She could tell Trench carrying her wasn't the best for his health. And so bad, she wanted to leap out of his arms, and let him lean on her shoulders instead, but exhaustion was consuming her. A dark wave crossed over her whole, and she could do nothing to escape its numbing and ability to make her eyes droop dangerously. Her vision was darkening, and she let it with a stone forming in her stomach. A stone of guilt, and dread. She wished now she wouldn't have agreed to the deal, because right now she wanted to push the pain off, be an adult and tell Trench she was ok, when she clearly wasn't. Dusk wasn't in shock, but she was just filled with emotion. Emotions that she hadn't felt in a long, long time. Probably because of the deal, probably because today all her emotions had been let out, after months and months of letting her instincts take control and kept her troublesome feelings inside. Having transformed from a woman back into a girl, all in a couple of hours. And now she was taking the force from it, the pure force. What she had to pay for the changes her body had went through. That was the problem with growing up too fast... It was hard to go back.

The stone grew more and more harder as she heard a knock from far away. Her mind was slow, and realized as the door opened Trench had knocked on it. He was carrying her still, into a house. Her muscles were still aching, not from exhaustion but from the emotions tearing through it, searing it. But oddly it felt good to Dusk. To be feeling something. To feel that something was still there, inside her soul. A woman's voice cut the air, and Dusk's mind was too dizzy to reckonize any of the words. The voice was just another sound, just there. And Dusk didn't seem to care, she just wanted to feel better, to feel safe. And to probably be able to walk on her own, not feel so utterly helpless and confused. But suddenly, she noticed her migrane lifting. The pain was slowly disipating, and her thoughts became more clear, but she still did not try to find the strength to move, because finally her brain interpreted something. The woman was bandaging up her arm. The cloud in her head was also clearing up now, with more oxygen going to her head. She opened her eyes up again, and watched as the woman treated Trench's wounds too.

Dusk wondered how Trench knew the woman, or if he even knew her at all. Oviously they had been talking, about what though was a mystery to her. Soon it didn't matter though. The woman got done with fixing up Trench's wounds, and Trench went over and picked her up again. They exited the house, and after awhile of Trench walking with Dusk in his arms, and Dusk thinking about if her legs were ready yet, she signaled him to let her walk and got out of his arms. The loss of warmth was a shame but she needed to work her legs.
"My legs need to stretch a little. Thank you Trench."
She was really greatful. If Trench had made her walk, she would have, but she probably would be in much worse shape than she was right now. Not that she was feeling bad.... A little shook up and tired but ok.

Dusk realized Trench had said something, as she left Trench's arms. He wanted to meet her siblings, and said we should keep our journey and such to ourselves. I nodded, agreeing with him.
"Yeah, they are probably begining to worry about me. We should hurry. I know the way from here."
She led Trench down the street, toward her house. She reckonized the houses in the area as ones near her school. The run down block was errie in the darkness of night, but not unfamiliar to her. Many a night she would sneak out of her house to walk the streets, or maybe just go to her secret place.
My secret place...[/color]
It was the one place she could get away, where she could take a break from life. The rooftop of a run down, abandoned building. Who knew a run down rooftop could mean so much to a girl, to Dusk. Maybe one day she could show Trench, but even through all this she didn't trust him and know him enough to show him.

As Dusk and Trench walked silently through the street, Dusk walking more shakily, it was really quiet. Probably too quiet.
"I can't wait to introduce you to everyone...."[/color]
Dusk muttered quietly. She didn't want her voice to echo through the buildings, possibly drawing attention to them.[/size]

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Word Count: 812
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"I wouldn't worry about my siblings. They'll probably get along with you better than I did."[/color]
It wasn't her siblings that Dusk was worried about anyway, it was her father. She hoped he was in a good mood, as in that he was either sober or passed out from a hang over. But if her father was sober, it would be a miracle. Unless of course he had run out of liquor, and then they would be in huge trouble. Whenever he was low, he got violent... Sometimes breaking things and other times threatening her to go get some liquor for him. These times were very depressing for the whole family, and most of the time Dusk would send them to the room, so they wouldn't have to see father like that. Like a mess.

But Dusk wouldn't even dare think of what would happen if her father was drinking. Even thinking about the smell of liquor made her wince. But there was nothing else she could do. Trench was coming home with her and that was that. They rounded a corner, and soon Dusk spotted her two story, run down shack of a house. It was a dull wooden thing squished between two other shacks. The shingles were falling off its roof, and it definately wasn't a pretty thing to look at. But it was what she called home. Walking up to the door, she glanced back toward Trench.
"This is it."[/color]
Her voice countained a bit of sadness, a sadness which also filled her eyes as she turned back toward the door. Dusk knocked on the weak door.
"Coy, April? Its Dusk. Open the door."[/color]
The door slowly opened, groaning as it went until two pairs of eyes poked through.
"Dusk! Dusk we were so worried! Where have you been?"[/color]
Light seaped through the now open door, and Coy was suddenly hugging her tightly. She was glad that her jacket, though a little bloody was covering up her bandages. She huged Coy, and told him to let her in. But as she walked in, and Trench followed her the talking of her siblings stopped. She closed the door, and turned to them.
"Guys, this is Trench, my... New hunting partner."[/color]
A 'Ohhh' came from one of her siblings, probably Evangaline. They all just stood their, until Evangaline walked up and hugged Trench's leg. Then April and June followed, along with James and Coy. They consumed Trench's weak body, and this made Dusk utter a giggle. She brought over a shabby wooden chair from their dining table and let Trench sit down as she took the key from the wall, and walked upstairs. She left Trench surounded by her curious siblings, who were probably checking his pockets and messing with his hair. She herself was walking up the creaky stairs. Her father's room was the only room upstairs, and she knew if he was awake her father would hear her. She slowly put the key into the door. An anticipating moment went by, and she slowly turned the key, and opened the door in one swift move.

Her father was sitting on the bed, starring into the mirror like a lost soul. Dusk carefully moved toward him, stepping over the broken bottles on the floor as nimbly as possible. He was still starring into the mirror, until she touched his shoulder gently and broke the spell. He starred at her with his sullen eyes, bloodshot from sleepless nights and multiple hangovers.
"Father?"[/color]
Suddenly he got up shakily, tumbling over one of his own empty bottles. A half full bottle of liquor swayed in his hands, and she quickly took it away and atempted to lead him down the stairs.
"Girl, Imal gwet my jobs a back. Imal go bad- back to the mines there!"[/color]
For once he wasn't shouting as he spoke, and Dusk was almost carrying as she went downstairs. When they finally got off the last step, her father spotted Trench. A horrible, terrifying look seeped into her father's eyes, and Dusk's eyes quickly became frightened. She didn't think her father was in a good mood.[/size]

(You can control him a little if you want.)

Dusk winced at the slured voice of her father because of the fact she had heard it so many times before, as he was beating her for being misbehaved or right before he was about to go into a rage. She dreamed of leaving this house, away from all the pain that was sure to meet her as Trench and her father were shaking hands. This morose, afflicted home. She didn't even desire to call it her dwelling any longer, because she loathed its history, with so much intensity that she even ached to obliterate any last strands of memory she had left of things that had happened in this shack, in this family. Regretably, Dusk knew no place in this world where you could erase you brain.
Well... That's not entirely true....[/color]
Anguish entered her viens like frigid crystals. There was always one escape from anything, even when you had no other choise. You could always pick death. That was one way you could always escape into the darkness and numbness of the fate every mortal would face one day in their existence. And for every one of us, it was on the last day of our existence. The only reason Dusk did not take this egress was because she needed to stay in this world, needed to support her family or their existences would probably end along with her own.

It must have been the millionth time she had thought about death today. It was getting repetitive, and it seemed to always darken her mood. She knew it would never be her own hand that would end her life, especially since her main mission was survival. But that doesn't mean Dusk hadn't thought able how sweet that kind of escape could be. To release her from all the struggles of life, but once again she hushed these thoughts. They were abhorrent, and absurd. They would get her no where.

Dusk suddenly realized that the color of Trench's arm was ghastly. After further inspection she apprehended that her father's grip was hurting and blocking the blood stream of his arm.
"Father! Father let him go!"[/color]
Her voice was crucial, and Dusk quickly pulled her father's arm away. A inaudible grumble emitted from his chafed lips. She felt sorry for him, but still held his hand close.
"Father, he saved my life. We owe him. Plus he says he will help us. Its alright."[/color]
Dusk watched as her father sighed. A agonizing moment passed, and then her father finally spoke again.
"Ahz fine. I neds a sit."
He quickly sat down in a chair, and sat emotionlessly there.[/size]


(I g2g Ive been really busy lately and wanted to get alteast one post in.)

Heartache filled her eyes as Dusk watched Trench rub his arm, so that it would get the blood to flow again. Erriely like a sunrise, the redness of blood filled his hand once again, and it started to look more natural. Relief filled her like icey water, and she sighed. It somehow felt like stagnant comfort, this relief. She knew why though. She was mentally exhausted, and every ounce of ardrinaline and emotion had be thrust out of her like cookie dough through cellophane. Hard at first, but then it just came out all at once. And now her brain was exhausted from how much emotion had been released, not to even mention how utterly baffled her heart was. But everything was fine now. She didn't need emotion to know what was right or wrong at this point.

Suddenly she saw Trench take her father upstairs. Confusion formed on her face, and she followed the two up most of the stairs.
Trench's voice struck her like a baseball bat. Dusk was axious as Trench spoke back to her father, especially since the state her father was in wasn't the best. Thankfully but also disturbingly the look on her father's face told her he wasn't even getting most of what Trench said, couldn't comprehend anything he was so drunk. So drunk, that he passed out cold.

Trench took her by surprise once again, as he took her hand without hesistation, along with Evangaline's. Her other siblings were nervous to follow, but she quickly beckoned them reasuringly. She knew Trench wasn't drunk, and she knew she could trust him. They had made a deal. So Coy, along with the others followed. Dusk was worried though, not about her siblings but about Trench. How could he teach her how to use a bow, run away from some beasts with her on his shoulders, put her father to bed and now be carrying Evangaline on his shoulders all in one day without even a dream of rest? Nevertheless she didn't question him, because he would only respond with a reasonable exscuse.

Dusk smiled at the happiness in Evangaline's eyes at being so high in the sky. She wasn't nearly as tall as Trench, so this was quite the expirience for little Evie. Trench started to speak again, in a sweet tone. His voice comforted her from some deep worries she was trying desprately not to think about. He said he wanted to talk to his wife and all. He also hoped that she would like the house. This affected her more than anyone would think. She was happy that he had reckonized her, unlike her father. Her father thought of all us children as one, and none of us never felt important. When he had drinken especially a lot he couldn't even remember his children's names most of the time. It was hurtful, and but Dusk had gotten used to it. Now though that someone was reckonizing her, not as a child but as Dusk, she brightened up a little. Smiling, she looked over to Trench.
"Oh, I'm sure it will be just fine."[/color]
Almost anything was better than sleeping another night in the same house as her father, even though she worried for his saftey every moment of every day. He used to be all she had left, before she met Trench.[/size]

The house they arrived at was... well a house. Not a shack like her small home. Yes, it was a bit old, tattered from the expirience of time. But it was a nice house. Plus her family was here, and thats all that mattered. She looked to Trench apprecitatively as he led her siblings inside, and set Evangaline down. She watched as Evangaline imediatly started messing with the nice carpet. A soft smile formed on her exhausted face, sending chills of happiness through Dusk. It brightened her mood, knowing she now had somewhere she wouldn't be ashamed of. Yes, whereever your family was was supposed to be home, but her old house had been broken and torn until it was barely standing with all the appalling memories. At least this new house didn't have to have the burden of forbiden memories haunting it until it was worn down into ash. Her other house.... There was nothing left to salvage. It was in ruins already, even though one day a new family might inhabit it. But Dusk never wanted to enter it again.

Trench soon set the fireplace ablaze, warming the room and making it less errie. Dusk watched as he brought food, and her siblings hastily groped at it, chewing gratefully with each mouthful. Dusk however, didn't take any. She just watched contently as her siblings ate, with a pang of happiness. Trench sat down, looking haggard and worn. She felt sorry for him, for all he had went through for her. She expected herself to look much better than him, although she felt like she could pass out at any given moment. Not feeling hungry, she went down and sat by the fire. Her head gave in to a small bit of weariness, leaning itself against the fireplace stone. It was warm there, and relaxing. But she kept herself from completely giving in.

Her siblings began to finish eating, and Dusk didn't want to keep Trench in misery any longer. Standing up, she walked over to the chair he was laying in.
"Hey, is there a bed where my siblings can sleep tonight? Or a couch? I'd like to put them to sleep."[/color]
She rubbed his arm softly, making sure he was listening. But thats when she realized she wasn't just getting the children to bed for him, she was getting them to bed for herself. She needed to be alone, even if it meant going outside. Atleast alone from her siblings, so they wouldn't worry when she cried. Because she was on the edge, and could slowly feel herself slipping away from the pure sanity that had kept her going all day.[/size]

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Word Count: 444
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Dusk couldn't feel anymore bewilderment as Trench got up, and put her siblings to bed himself. She hadn't wanted him to get up, he looked so much more worn than he had when she met him this afternoon.... Had it really only been a few hours of knowing him? And they seemed as trusting of eachother as two old friends, with years of time to get to know eachother. And she didn't even know Trench's last name, though it seemed he knew more about her than she knew about him. She watched him closely, making sure he was putting them to bed right. He tucked them in, and sang that same lullaby he sang to her earlier. Dusk listened to it closely, as it soothed her. Well atleast for now. Atleast for now she could pretend that everything was like it used to be, when really it was changing constantly by the second.

Walking back to the living room, she was suddenly picked up by strong arms. She soon could smell Trench's clothes, and she nustled up against them so she could get some sort of control. She hated herself... She was such a wimp, even when she tried to act all serious and adultish. She couldn't do anything right, she could even feed one of her siblings for a day. The only thing she knew how to do was steal, and she hated that.

Trench said he knew she wanted to cry. Dusk loved him for that, how easily he could see through my mask. She didn't know why, but her curiosity wasn't strong enough to penetrate her exhaustion, so she didn't question it too much. Hot tears soon made their way down her rough cheeks, searing them as they weaved back and forth. She hated them, but knew they would have to come. And they did. She sobbed into his shirt, emotion sprang anew. Soon she realized she was gripping his shirt so hard her knuckles were white. Letting go gradually, her knuckles soon regained color. Her chest was still heaving up and down, but she finally stopped wetting his shirt with her saltly tears. When she looked up at his face, she realized something. His shirt was soaking wet.
"I- I'm s-"[/color]
Dusk paused. She hated how you always couldn't talk right after crying. But she swallowed the on coming tears, and began to speak again.
"I'm s-sorry. I-I'm su-such a wimp..."[/color]
This triggered even more tears, and she couldn't control them anymore. They just came, and kept coming. But she was letting go, letting go of her memories with each droplet. But then she remembered something. It was burning in the back of her pocket, as scorching as fire. She got up, leaving Trench's relieving lap. Taking the note out of her back pocket, tears fell on it like rain. Emotion flew through her as she opened the note.
One last time..[/color]
Yes, one last time. She opened it, reading it while trying not to make the words to illegible with her tears.


She had never gotten anything back. When her father had finally come back he said he never got it, even though she found it in the trash a day later. It had hurt her so bad... Thats what started her change. Thats the seed that grew her shield. She hated her father for being so greedy... Even though she knew he longed for the liquor to erase his memory. Just like Dusk herself had on some of her most depressing nights..... It was just a arms length away, all she had to do was pick up the bottle, and let the burning of the scorching liquor sear her throat, and memories. It was the only escape other than death, yet she thought it worse. If you had seen the effect the liquid had on her father, you would say it was worse than death...

And Dusk let it go. Let all her memories go, and burn in the fireplace. She watched the embers consume the paper. It was a pretty sight, the fire eating away at her torchering memories. She would never think about those horrid nights when the only last resort she had was liquor...

She quickly shook these thoughts away by banging her head against the wall. Yes, it was late and she wasn't thinking right when she did this, but atleast instead she was busy dealing with the pain on her forehead. She wandered back over to Trench, and layed her now hurting head on his warm chest.[/size]

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Word Count: 759
Outfit: Here
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