• The Void

    Introduction

    It all started in that one moment. The moment Annelise died. No, she wasn't mortally wounded in anyway, nor did she appear to have any scars. She was dead inside. The moment the man shot Emma a part of Annelise died. A part of her that would never ever come back. A part that used to be called
    Annelise. This new part of her didn't have a name. It was just a big empty void.
    Full of nothing. No emotions. No personality. Nothing.
    It was interesting though, to see how much people didn't notice that the part
    called Annelise had died. They thought she was still in there, alive and intact.
    She wasn't. She wasn't in heaven either. She was in hell. Her hell was a
    place that reenacted the scene when Emma died over and over. Never
    letting Annelise have a moment of peace. She was always tortured by the
    death of her younger sister. Always thought it was her own fault. If she had stayed home that day and let the nanny have the day off her sister wouldn't be dead. If she would have gotten home earlier, before the man had gotten there her sister would never have been shot. And that part
    called Annelise wouldn't have died and left the huge void. The void would never be filled by Annelise. Nothing would ever fill the void. Nothing. Because that's what the void is. It's nothing. How would it be anything else?
    The Void was welcoming people to the funeral.
    The Void was putting on a fake smile when people told it they were sorry for its loss.
    The Void was doing everything right.
    The Void wasn't letting anybody see the other death that had been caused. The Void didn't want anyone to know.
    Annelise didn't blame it.

    Chapter One

    The Void was being watched.
    It could feel the stare of everyone in the halls.
    It could hear the whispers of the teachers and its classmates.
    It could practically hear someone say,"What's she doing back? Shouldn't she be mourning?"
    The Void ignored it all.
    It just thought about putting one foot in front of the other.
    It reached its first period classroom and sat in the seat in the back of the class. The Void wanted to separate itself from the rest of the class. The back seat seemed like one of the best ways to do it.
    The void smiled to itself as class started and people listened to the teacher explain the civil war. The Void's classmates couldn't turn around and stare at it now. They only had their thoughts. The Void stared out the window where it was fall, and the leaves were turning colors. Colors. One of the things the
    Void didn't have. It only had plain. No color. Part of the Void yearned for color,the other part wanted to kill all color. The Void was torn into so many pieces that it couldn't pull itself back together.

    Annelise was crying. Crying so hard. She felt like she was being ripped into pieces as she watched the murder happen over and over again. She just wanted to end it, but she couldn't. She was in hell already. She couldn't go anywhere else. The Void listened to Annelise's thoughts. Poor girl.
    She thought she was literally in hell. If she only knew that that was just her own little hell that was created after the murders. The real hell was far worse, and she would never want to go there. If only Annelise and the Void could both have peace. The Void was peaceful where it was. It was just controlling a body that had died. It was fine with that. Annelise would be far more happy dead. If she kept thinking like that the Void would have to comply. Then only Annelise would be happy.

    Chapter Two

    The was a soft knock on the bedroom door of the room that had once belonged to Annelise. It know belonged to the Void. It had belonged to it for a month now, and no one noticed it. The Void put up a good front so to everyone else it seemed as if Annelise was there, but she wasn't at all. The Void looked to the door and said in a monotone like voice,"Come in."
    The doorknob turned and Annelise watched the door eagerly. When the door finally opened all the way there stood a boy about Annelise's age,15,in dark jeans and a sweatshirt. He had dark brown hair with long bangs and light brown eyes. The Void had no idea who this was and thought to Annelise,Who is this?
    Annelise had stopped crying on the inside and was wanting to get out and talk to this boy herself.
    That's Riley. My best friend. Let.Me.See.Him. She thought and kept trying to get out. The Void put up a thick wall,so she couldn't get out.
    No,now go back to your crying. Don't you miss Emma? It said and smiled to itself. It looked at Riley and put on a fake smile,"Hello Riley." Annelise's body's voice was still monotone and it hurt Annelise to see Riley's face fall at the sound of her voice. He knew something was wrong on the inside. The Void got it's wish and Annelise cried and cried and let the Void take reign. It and the death of her sister had ruined her life and she was letting them. Riley was shaking his head,"Annelise,this isn't you."
    The Void showed no emotion and nodded,"Yes it is. I'm Annelise. You're Riley. The Earth is round. My sister died. Everything's the way it should be." Riley's eyes widened when she said that and Annelise cried even harder. The Void had just said that everything was the way it should be. What a liar,what a complete and total liar.

    Chapter Three

    The Void was confused. It felt like it's head was spinning. It looked around and all it could see was a blur of colors and it felt something watery on it's cheeks. It raised a hand to it's cheeks and felt the watery substance.
    It's tears....Annelise informed it. The Void was now even more confused. Why was I crying? A Void doesn't cry. It said as it went through her memories of what had happened. Apparently, after the boy named Riley left because of what the Void had said, Annelise had been crying even harder then usual. The Void had then,accidentally,left it's guard down and Annelise broke through and ,for the first time in months,had taken over her own body. She had went straight downstairs to her parents liquor cabinet and had started drinking everything in sight. It had made her very drunk, but it had made the Void incapable of taking over Annelise's body again till she was sober. Everything in Annelise's memory was a blur of sound and color after that. Parents screaming after they found her unconscious body on the floor, sirens from the ambulance, a bright white light with someone asking for her name. She had slurred out her name so slowly that they thought she had brain damage. Then it had turned all dark. The Void had been the one to wake up,not Annelise. Annelise was now back in her own little version of hell where the Void seriously thought she belonged. The Void shook it's head at all Annelise had done while the Void had been gone. She had made such a mess and now the Void had to fix it.
    You are never taking control again. It said coldly as Annelise cried more and more. The memories of when Emma died and when Riley visited playing in her little version of hell over and over.

    Chapter Four

    Annelise awoke feeling groggy and only seeing a blur of white colors. She couldn't remember where she was or why she was here.
    Wait. Where's the Void? She thought to herself as she started getting scared. Was it playing some kind of nasty trick on her? Letting her take over only to quickly take it away from her? She felt something warm touch her hand and she gasped. She looked down at her hand and followed the arm up to the owner of the hand that had scared her.
    Riley... Riley didn't look too well. He actually looked worried sick.
    "Why the heck did you try to kill yourself,Annelise?"He asked with alarm and anger. It was a weird combination on a voice that used to speak to her with so much love and comfort. She must of shown her confusion on her face because Riley suddenly softened. His eyes that had been burning with anger just a moment ago were now shining with what seemed like tears. He cupped her cheek with a warm hand and his thumb stroked her cheekbone softly.
    "You must of drank so much that you can't remember. You tried to kill yourself,Annelise, and you were pretty damn close but we stopped you from dying,"He said and kissed her forehead with his soft lips. Annelise shook and started sobbing. She didn't remember it at all. She didn't remember the drinking or the trying to kill herself. All she remembered were a blur of many colors and images that left too soon for her to decipher what they meant.
    "Why?"Her voice cracked out,her throat seemed as if she had been screaming for a long time.
    "Why what?"Riley asked now confused. Had his face always been so readable, or had she spent too much time watching the Void read people?
    "Why did you stop me?"She asked and quickly took a drink of water from a glass near her hoping it would help her aching throat.
    "Why did we stop you from what?"Riley asked even though on his face it seemed he knew exactly what she had meant.
    "Why did you stop me from dying?"She asked and his breath went in in a loud gasp as his hand gripped hers tightly. She wasn't crying anymore. She was serious. Why had they brought her back? Didn't they know her only wish was to die?

    Chapter Five

    Riley was shocked, hurt, and scared all at the same time. His best friend and love of his life wanted to kill herself. Riley always knew she was depressed, but he never knew it went this far. Riley opened his mouth to say something when Annelise's parents came in. Annelise's parents were like two mannequins. Neither showing emotion, and perfect in everyway. Riley was surprised when he saw that they cared enough to call the ambulance for Annelise while she was dying. They had made sure not to touch her at all though. Didn't want any blood staining their perfect conscience's.
    Annelise looked at her two perfect parents. Well, they were perfect on the outside. On the inside Annelise could only guess. Annelise's mom slapped her so hard across the face that it sounded like a firework went off in the room. Riley clenched his fists as if he was going to hit the cold, hard woman who had just slapped his love. Annelise had tears streaming down her cheeks as her mom glared at her.
    "Don't ever try to kill yourself,"She paused to take a deep breath before continuing,"on my new rug again!" She then turned and left with Annelise's dad following close behind her. Annelise did the only thing she could think to do. She curled up in a tiny ball and rocked herself back and forth. Riley was just standing there, watching her as she rocked herself into an unpeaceful sleep. He hadn't expected much from Annelise's mom, but he knew he had expected more than that. What kind of mother does that to a child?
    "My mother does,"Annelise replied coldy. Riley hadn't even known that he had asked that out loud. Riley reached out to wipe a tear away when the Void suddenly pushed Annelise back. The Void smacked Riley's hand away and glared at him before smiling a small smile and laying down on the hospital bed, pretending to sleep. Annelise could feel the anger radiating off of the Void. What did you do?,It asked coldly. Annelise felt herself run farther back into her mind as the Void took control once again. Annelise was sent back to her personal hell of watching her sister's death and the Void was worried. Which was weird all on it's own, for Voids aren't supposed to feel anything. They were empty. Heartless, some might say. All the same it was worried and angry. Annelise had managed to take control for a long time. It couldn't let her do that again,even if it killed them both.

    Chapter Six

    "ANNELISE!" Annelise quickened her pace as she heard the sound of her name. They were catching up to her quickly. Annelise kept running quickly through the forest. Rough branches and twigs marking her skin. She had escaped from the hospital around what seemed like years ago. Riley had finally left her side to go get a cup of coffee, so he could stay awake watching her the rest of the night. As soon as he had left Annelise had looked to the clock on the wall that read 3:00 A.M. She got up from the bed quickly,pulling away from the machines that were attached to her. She made a small sound of discomfort as the needle was pulled out of her arm when she got up. She looked around the small hospital room and quickly found a bag of clothes that Riley had brought for when she was supposed to go home the following day. She put on the dark blue sweatshirt and jeans plus the converse. She looked out the room door and saw a nurse coming down the hall. She shut the door softly, the click of the door shutting fully barely audible. Annelise went to the window instead. Lucky for her she was in a small hospital that only had one floor. She opened the window slowly and stepped out. She closed it after she was fully out of the room and looked around. To her left was the parking lot, and to her right was a large forest. She decided to go right, for if she went left she might see someone that would notice her. She didn't know why she was running away, but she knew she had to. She smiled to herself as she realized that the Void had been weak yet again and she had gotten through easily to her own body. She started running toward the forest and only looked back when she heard the scream of her name. That had been around 30 minutes ago and here she was still running for her life. Her breath was coming hard and her legs felt like they would collapse any minute. One of her legs gave away and she fell to the ground.
    "Ow.."She whimpered and started to stand up again. She heard voices and footsteps behind her and turned to look. A flashlight was shined in her face and her eyes narrowed. They had found her. She had spent all that time running just to be found.
    "Annelise!"She heard along with a sigh of relief from a very familiar voice. The voice had been holding that flashlight, so she couldn't see their face. The flashlight was turned away from Annelise's face and she could finally make out the figure. It was a small, petite looking girl. She was Annelise's age with short dark brown hair and brown eyes. Her name was Lauren and Annelise knew she was Riley's twin sister.
    "You really need to stop hurting my brother like that,"Lauren said she put her hands on her hips. Annelise couldn't help but smile. She knew she was in safe hands.

    Chapter Seven

    "Hey Lauren,"Annelise said with a smile.
    Lauren grinned,"Hey girl. Now come on. You don't want everyone else finding you do you? Let's go." She offered Annelise her hand, and Annelise took it. They then started running. Annelise didn't know where they were running to, but Lauren seemed to have a pretty good idea. After about 5 minutes of non-stop running, Lauren started to slow,"We're almost there." Annelise sighed in relief, her feet were killing her.
    "Where exactly are we going?"Annelise asked her. Lauren hesitated before telling her,"My house. Riley's waiting for you there." Annelise stopped running,"What?" Lauren sighed and looked back to Annelise, having stopped when Annelise did,"You don't want to go to the hospital, and I know for a fact you don't want to go home. My house is you last choice. You'll be fine there. Plus, my parents are gone for the week, so the three of us have the house to ourselves." It took Annelise a moment before she started running again, maybe it wouldn't be that bad there. She did love Riley, and she knew Riley loved her. But everything was changing. The Void was getting weaker each day. And the anniversary of her sister's death was soon coming up.
    "That's why you guys want me to go to your house. Because of my sister's death,"Annelise said. By the look on Lauren's face she knew she had guessed right.
    "Don't run again,Annelise. Just stay with us. Please. I don't want you to kill yourself on that day. Neither does Riley,"Lauren pleaded with her. A lone tear fell down Annelise's cheek,"I won't. I promise." Lauren smiled and kept running with Annelise following close behind her. Promises were made to be broken....