Inadequate Events

You're the One: Take Two!

Prologue: Chapter 1: Inadequate Events.

Published: 01.31.21.

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The first thing I see after that horrible sight is a white void.

There's no furniture or walls, just a vast open space full of blistering white. My eyes don't adjust to the brightness until there's something in front of me dimming the atmosphere. With my eyes open, I see a dark robe and hood. I blink several times, even taking a few steps back in disbelief.

'This couldn't be...'

With my fists, I rub my hands over my eyes and blink once again. The black cloaked figure still stands there, waiting.

I swallow what freight I have down my esophagus.

"H—Hello?" I attempt to ask.

There's not a word coming from this person or creature, not even a sound is played in the whiteness.

They just stare back at me blankly.

"Hello? Are you there? Are you alive?" I timidly ask, not wanting the figure to startle me.

Instead of an answer, a long, white, boney finger points behind me and continues to stand in silence. There's no words, nor even a sound, in this vast white wasteland. It's just me and this cloaked figure. As tempted as I am to walk, run, escape and never look back, where was I to go? There's no doors, windows, or even a ground to walk on.

'Am I walking on air? Am I floating? What is this place...'

My eyes look around and as soon as I turn to where the creepy death-like person points, I finally see something other than colors. There are stairs! Sweet, sweet stairs. The descend into the gray. With each step further down, there's a darker shade of gray enveloping the stairs. I swallow my fear in order to survive through this. My only hope is to see life once more on the other side.

Without looking back at the mysterious white slate, I hesitantly step onto the first step.

Unexpectedly, my right foot sinks into the surface as if it were a bean bag chair. I don't issue my weight properly on the stair just in case I was to become stuck or fall. Trepidation slips past my confidence and begins to cloud my mind. As much as I didn't want to believe in the possibility of negative thoughts, how can I deny them when there are so many ringing in my ear?

'All these thoughts, these voices, they're not mine! What are these-'

I'm pushed over the edge of the pure white surface and plunged into the world of darker intent.

Out of habit of fear, I immediately close my eyes and scream. There's barely recognition of my voice as I fall at the speed of light. Whether I'm hurling towards a planet or something that could flatten me like a pancake, I wasn't ready to meet my maker. There wasn't enough I did, and there especially wasn't enough places I saw.

'I only went to the Cayman Islands and Switzerland! How can this happen so quickly?' My thoughts continue spiraling out of control until the only thing I could think about is my sudden death.

Then a heartbreaking scene flashes before my eyes. And now, it's dark.

....

.....

....

..

.

There's something tight and thick surpressing my limbs from moving. I vaguely shake my head to clear my thoughts, but all I felt like was crying my eyes out. It wasn't fair! And now I'll die because of that stupid little bitch!

Wait.. what?

As the emotions take over my body and confusion warps my brain, I decide to open my eyes.

And what I saw was a nightmare.

Blazing red flames scorch my dress as the wind causes it to billow. Cinders fly in my eyes, and I lose the voice in my throat at the cause of the black smoke. I can't quite see what's going on in front of me, but there stands three figures before me in the smoldering heat.

I can't fathom a breath or even a glare, but I do know the rage in his voice cuts like a knife.

"I'll never want a devil bitch like you! You deserve everything you've gotten, and more... But can you really blame me?" The dark voice laughs. "You brought this upon yourself!" A boy with hair dark as night scowls at me from the sidelines of the fire.

"Kill her."

My eyes quickly shut as I wait for my life to be exterminated, but what I heard was far worse.

"No! No! Let me go! Get your filthy, ungrateful paws off me! Nyx! No, Nyx! Let her go! It wasn't her, it was me! I planned it all! I'm the one who took that panty-dropping, home-wrecking slut's dress! Let Nyx go, and— and you can do whatever you want with me! Just please, please! Let her go—!"

My eyes sputter open at the prideful voice.

Why was she so familiar? Who was she?

I spotted another figure, farther back from the flames, and watch as a girl with disheveled baby blue hair is shoved to the ground. She yells out, crying in pain and cursing the man who had the audacity to touch her in the first place.

"I'll kill you!" She screams with tears pouring down her cheeks.

But her eyes weren't looking at her captive. They stare into the golden pupils of the bystander witnessing all of this.

I could see the smirk, not far below the silver bangs covering the psychopath's eyes.

"Not before I do."

With one swift jerk of his sword, the female is penetrated by the elusive stranger. Blood seeps from her stomach as her face contorts into pain. She screams profanity after profanity until the brutal executioner separates her head from her shoulders.

The baby blue hair is stained in the maroon fluids.

My heart hammers against my chest at the sight of someone being killed. Tears pour from my eyes as I begin to hyperventilate and choke on my own saliva and the smoke coming from the blistering fire. By the time I found my voice, the tears as been long shed and the memory of her sparkle fading in her magnificent cerulean irises will haunt me forever.

They had killed her.

"No! Evulka!" I shout for the safety of my friend. For a few moments, my eyes linger on her dead body drooling with her own blood as the singular male joins the three hovering over top of me.

"You monsters!" I bellowed with what little voice I had left.

At this point, I didn't care what happened, and I absolutely didn't care what I looked like. What matters is revenge and justice.

"No!"

A sword is drawn and the edge grazes my throat. I have to extend my neck to see who it is.

"You're the monster! The hideous beast that plagues our nation. Starting with you, I'll put an end to all things evil!"

It's the wild, insane look residing in the expression of his face. Those crazed, emerald green eyes shine in particular on me. The way his veins pop from his forehead, his bulging arms constrict from the weight of the sword, and his whole dominating demeanor.. it alights a passion in me.

He must have felt it, too, because he hesitates to tear me down.

Our eyes hold for a few seconds before a soft voice interrupts.

"Kiel, I want to leave.."

The soft and petite blonde female hides behind the burly man. Her face is worried while she gazes up at Kiel so lovingly. Kiel is stupid enough to take the bait.

His facial expression softens, and what's replacing the malicious glare is a sinfully handsome smile.

"I'll finish this up, my love."

There's a distant pang of hurt and disappointment deep inside my heart.

Something inside my blood pulses and a fire ignites within my icy heart.

How dare she!

"I hope you experience more pain, more betrayal, more emotional hurt, more rejection, than I'd ever had to deal with! 'Perfect Ilaria! Adorable Ilaria! Sweet Ilaria!' Bleh! You people make me sick!" I spat out with barely any breath.

The two men straighten into a rigid posture and growl, snarling at the words coming from my lips. They barely step forwards when I've barely begun.

I brace myself and shift on my feet. Being tied to a wooden pole isn't a dream to have, really.

"I hope you never find happiness and die heartbroken—"

These are the last words I could say before Ilaria's boytoy stalks forwards and literally rips out my throat.

As the blood drops from my neck and down his claws, we briefly exchange eye contact. He was hurt, in shock, and in pain over what he'd just done.

Relief washes over my entire body and I'm left with a fluttering heart kicking to stay alive.

The last thing I see is Kiel and Ilaria walking away. He calms her down with his words and touch while they leave the last man standing by himself. I couldn't even drop from the poll because my body refused to give. Almost made me think about why I couldn't move throughout the whole ordeal...

The stranger's gaze lingers on Ilaria, and I new exactly what that meant.

A smirk rose to my pale, dead lips.