PROLOGUE

     There are some days when you think you have everything planned out. Days you feel are going to be one of the happiest days of your life. Days when you're supposed to have everything under control. But it doesn't always happen that way. You think it's going to be perfect, only you are not a fortune teller, so no, you don't really know what is going to happen or what could happen.

     Tragedies happen all the time, and the thing about them is that you never see it coming. It just shows up and bites like a bitch. Don't get me wrong. This is not a tragedy. It's actually quite the opposite.

    For me it was meant to be a day filled with smiles, kisses and so much love in family and friendship. But you see... With life there is always a turn of events.

   I'd been standing at the porch, staring into the peaceful night and beautiful stars with the sweet smell of bacon.

   I couldn't have wished to spend this day any other way. I got the two most amazing people with me and the best woman in the world checking on me every thirty minutes. And even though it hasn't been up to twenty minutes since i parted ways with him, i miss him already.

   I smiled to myself, remembering how we chatted for hours in the restaurant. Laughing at our highest volume to all his stupid jokes, not minding all the evil glares sent our way from different disturbed couples and workers. And how we jumped on to karaoke. Damon  screaming on the top of his voice and my uncontrollable laughter.

"Dianne! Are listening to me? "her voice singing from the other side of the phone.

"Course mum. What were you saying ?"

She let out a long sigh.

"I said be careful out there, the clouds are getting angry, i think it's going to rain "i chuckled.

"Okay mum."

"I miss you!"she sounded like she was going to cry.

"You said that thirty minutes ago remember? ...When you called? "

"I know i just really miss you. Because you didn't give me a chance to look at my 'obviously already grown up daughter 'before you ran off with your boyfriend" i laughed at that.

    Is it normal for mothers to be jealous of their kids when they start dating? I don't think so, but my mum has always been jealous, since Damon and i started dating. She always felt like he was stealing me away from her and now i don't spend as much time with her anymore. "and now you're spending the rest of the night out with your friends. And i don't get any time with my daughter at all, that's unfair! "she whined.

"Mum "i giggled "you raised me remember, which means you got to spend the most time with me, nineteen years of watching me grow into a wonderful woman, Don't you think you are the one being unfair? "

"You are all i have left "she sighed

"I know. And I'm not going anywhere, okay? "

"Okay. I love you baby. "

"Love you too mum "

"Dian! Bacon's ready! "Faye screamed from the kitchen

"Okay, coming! "i yelled back "bye mum, I've got to go. "

"Bye baby, but don't forget you have to tell me all about your day tomorrow, including the date! And I'm talking details! "i giggled

How did I get to have the best mum again?

"Deal" i agreed and killed the line.

"Wanca yijing zhunbei haole "Ming ranted

   My brows squeezed up to a frown. Ming begin half Asian always has this habit of ranting about how fast she has gotten to learn her birth language these past few months since she got back from China.

"What's that? "Faye and i both said at the same time when she placed our dishes on the ground of her living room. Just the way we like it.

   I don't know, we have always been weird kids every since kindergarten, just the three of us, whenever we get together, we always ditch the dining to sit together in a small circle on the ground. It's kinda weird, but fun and our style.

"It means dinner is served "she giggled. Flashing those incredibly white teeth and widened those big brown eyes.

"Right. "I muttered.

"Do me a favor, and save the Asian ranting for your own family dinner okay? "Faye tried to sound disgusted.

"You are my family. Both of you. "Ming smiled.

"Ohmi! "i exclaimed taking a bite of my meal "thisisamazing"i said so fast with a mouthful.

"Told you so "Faye screamed directing her response to Ming.

"I'm just glad you didn't burn down my kitchen "Ming chuckled.

"And I'm just gonna pretend i didn't hear that "Faye replied with a smug smile on her lips.

"Wait! "i just realized what they've been talking about."you cooked this? "i had an evil grin on, starring at my best friend.

   Faye chuckled a little "yeah so..? What's the big deal? It's just to mix a bunch of groceries in a pot and light em up "

I immediately burst out laughing and so did Ming.

"The big deal is you Faynelle Marshall. Only know how to light things up, and I'm talking burnt noodles! "

"That's not true! "she laughed and playfully smacked my arm .

"In case you forgot. Today is not about me or Ming, it's about you .you're the birthday girl, not us "

   Indeed it was. A day to be marked for the rest of my life. The day the inevitable happened. The day I'd been celebrating not only my escape of the womb, but also my acceptance into NYU. Fifth of April two thousand and two (05-04-2002).

   A day that held so many memories. A day that started with the sound of laughter, a kiss to the temple and the ugly voices of two people i love so much screaming happy birthday.

"So... "Ming pushed. I knew what she wanted to know, but i decided to play dumb.

"So what? "

"Where did you guys go? "Ming asked

"Please, "Faye scoffed, dragging the word for emphasis. "they were probably hiked somewhere banging their brains out. "

"My God Faye! No! "

"So you guys didn't... "

"NO! "i stopped her before she could get any further. Faye isn't someone that holds back on words. Between the three of us, she's the smartest, witty and blunt.

"Chill babe, it's just a three Letter word, no big deal. And besides the hickeys on your neck speek a different language".

   I felt my cheeks turn red. Memories of a few hours ago flashing before me. Damon's contagious smile. His feather light kisses. His rough yet gentle touch that had me highly intoxicated by him.

"He asked me to move in with him. "i spilled

"Really!" they both screamed at the same time. "that's great .what did you say? "

"I don't know really! Damon and i have only been dating for eight months, and my mum's already bothered that i don't spend as much time with her anymore. She's going to be broken if i go packing and leaving her all by herself. "

"Okay, first of all. Eight months is a really long time. And if he asked you to move with him then he probably has been planning this for a while now. Not to mention you guys are both moving to New York for college so it only makes sense." Faye advised.

"And as for your mum, you are already going to leave her anyway. You know, with college and everything. So you have nothing to worry about. "Ming chipped in.

I sighed in defeat, knowing that they were right.

"Are you sure you just aren't just over thinking it because you feel you're having doubts about him? "Faye spoke, catching me completely off guard.

"What? "i replied too fast "no. I love him. I just... I don't know. This is a big step you know? It's not just the high school romance falling in love with the boy next door anymore. This could mean so much for us."

"Well, figure it out quickly before you give him the wrong idea " Faye said, just as Ming's phone began to ring.

"who is it? "Faye asked.

"My Nana " a deep crease formed between her eyebrows.

"Your Nana is here? "a surprised me asked.

"Yeah. I'll be right back. "she answered the line on the seventh ring and excused herself, leaving the both of us starring in confusion.

"Do you think she is okay? "i felt worried for a second. Ming and her Nana never really had a good relationship. she only calls Her granddaughter when something is up.

"She has to be. "Faye said more to herself than me.

"Girls i have to go! "Ming comes back storming in, and grabbing her car keys.

"Why what happened? "worry washing over me.

"She fell! "Ming screamed in panic "i don't know how but she -she fell! "

"Hey it's okay. She'll be fine. "Faye tried to calm her.

"We can come with you if you want? "i asked not knowing what else to do.

"No. It's your day today, you get to live it without any drama okay? "

"Are you sure "we followed behind her till we got to the door.

"I'm positive. "

"Okay. Call us when you get there alright? "

"I will. "she said stepping into her car and driving off.

******

"Are you okay? "Faye asked.

"Yeah I'm fine, I'm just worried about Ming. I don't know if she even made it to the hospital on time! ".

    It's been an hour since the lights went out. We'd been clearing up dinner, silently worrying about our friend's situation when the whole city went out of electricity. It was like a blackout through the whole town. I tried calling her a dozen times but there was no signal anywhere.

"let's just hope she is fine. " I sighed in deep.

"Let's hope ".

That's when it all started.

With a few twitches and an animalistic growl like sound. Heavy unmatchable footsteps coming from the front of the house.

"Did you hear that? "Faye whispered beside me.

I did.

"Something is in here "i gently grabbed her hand and ran to the back as quiet as i could.

"What's going on!" Faye screamed, holding on tightly to me as the lights kept on twitching, fast enough that my eyes began to hurt.

"I don't know! "i began to panic. The sound of a snarling creature became very audible to our ears. And my body began to shiver.

This is not how I planned my day to go! This is so not how i planned my day to go!

"Do you think it's a wolf?" she cried and kept on tugging at my arm.

"Shut the hell up Faye! "i scream whispered ."except you want to be eaten for dinner tonight! "that seems to have shut her up.

Snarling s grew louder and my bones began to melt. I could feel my heart threatening to burst out of my rib cage.

So much for living through the day without any drama.

But then It stopped!

It actually stopped!

"I think it's gone "Faye whispered to me and i let out a breath i didn't realize i was holding. We sat there for a few minutes longer waiting to hear anymore or little movement but nothing.

"What was that? "it was like all the panic she had been holding up trying not to make a sound so as not to grab the the attention of whatever that thing was, was now swimming up to the surface.

"I have no idea ".

I tried blinking a few times to clear my vision.

"I'll go check and see "she said and took off.

"Wait you don't even know what it..."

She already disappeared out of my sight before i could even complete my sentence.

Worried, i immediately got out from the little space behind the kitchen slab to accompany my best friend. But then,

I heard screaming.!

"Faye! "i yelled, running out quickly to find her.

There was a small glimmer of moonlight reflecting through the open curtains allowing me to access my surroundings so it wasn't hard to spot my friend lying unconscious on the ground next to the wall with an open wound on her forehead.

"Faye! " my eyes shut wide open and i ran to her, gripping her body into my hands and accessing her bleeding wound. "no, no, Faye come on wake up! "

That sound. The one i thought was gone for good was heard behind me and i was certain that whatever it was, was responsible for Faye's unconscious body on my arms.

I froze. Refusing to turn around and take a look at the creature that had taken a day from so many smiles and kisses to the one of pure horror on my face. But that's just inevitable.

I wasn't in control of what i was doing anymore. I had slowly turned around to see. A slight that i would do anything to take back any day.

Just then, the lights went back on. And before me, a creature i have never seen in my entire life. The skin as black as darkness itself, claws that dig effortlessly onto the ground, eyes as thick as blood and the soul of the devil himself.

"Bloody fuck! "were the only words that could find their way off my lips at the moment.

And the last thing that I saw, before all that darkness had consumed me, before everything turned to a deep hole of nothingness and a raging fire. Was the spread of bone wings, torn at the end,  like the world had rejected it's ever existence. And i was just a host to fill up that nothingness derived into a whole pit of darkness.