1.11// HEIR VOTE

 I should have known he would come to me in my sleep. It should have been a given.

 In my dream, there was virtually nothing, just a large expanse of complete nothingness. I looked about frightened; the dream was all too vivid for it to possibly be a dream.

 Whilst I was thinking these thoughts, before my eyes from the nothingness appeared Brian. Ghastly and crude.

 "You did this to me!" He declared. "I had a whole future ahead of me. And now I'm dead. All because of you."

I stared into his white eyes and said, "I know. I know it, and I'm so terribly sorry, Brian."

"Sorry?! You're sorry?! Well that's just great. You're sorry, and I'm dead. Seems like a great deal to me."

"Brian... really. I am. But you can't do this this. I have kids uphold. They can't know what I've done."

"Maddi," he began. "I didn't come here to argue with you. I came here to end this. Permanently. I know I'm dead, and anything I do won't change that. Besides, I would never cause any harm to you, and especially not to your family. I just wanted to tell you that I forgive you. I really do."

"I really am sorry, Brian."

 "I know..."

 I awoke feeling mentally, emotionally, and physically drained. Indeed, I felt better, as if The Voices had finally lifted from me. As if so much burden had been lifted from me.

But where would it head?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hiya there, folks. I know, it was a shortie, but I really wanted to wrap this generation up. 

Heir vote can be found here.

1.10

Everything was beginning to go back to normal. The voices had suppressed to a considerable degree, and our financial situation was definitely getting a lot better.

I was getting to spend a lot more time with my Levi, and I found myself falling head over heels in love with him all over again. I forgot how sweet he was, how blue his eyes were, how soothing it was to be in his arms. It was certainly a turn for the better. 

I was getting to be a bigger part in Noel's life, helping her with her homework and such, and she was even warming up to me to the point that she would tell me problems she had at school; drama with girls, drama with boys, and crushes. Typical teenage babble, but I loved that she felt I needed to know. 

The music industry had given Levi his job back, and I was glad for that, as no progress had been made on his supposed band with Tristan. It was nice to hear his music throughout the house again; it uplifted the mood with everyone. 

We had to get rid of the maid, however, because A.) he was doing a terrible job, B.) we couldn't really afford  it anyway, and C.) I think Levi just wanted to. It was actually quite humorous watching him chew the poor man out, and the maid left in a huff. 

But life always rears its ugly head at you, making you crash land into your worse possible disaster. 

And my worst possible disaster? Why, it was sitting at my dinner table.

Brian. 

There he was, a ghost. I'd see him before, but he was gone as soon as I had seen him, and I convinced myself it couldn't possibly be true. He was dead.

Oh, he was dead alright. Dead, dead, dead, and ready for revenge.

The funny thing is, no one else seemed to see him. Just me. Just me and Dead. 

Dead, dead, dead!

But no, the voice cackled, he is still very...very much alive. 

No, no, no, no! I thought. I suddenly felt quite sick to my stomach, and my head was pounding to hard I felt it was to explode at any given moment. This isn't real, I thought. Brian's dead! He's been dead for weeks now! WEEKS. Ghosts don't exist. Brian doesn't exist. What do you have to fear! Go to bed... go to sleep! You'll have forgotten this by morning. 

Oh no you won't, the voice whispered, Brian's not dead. Still very much alive!

But the voices were always right. Occasionally, I would see an arm sticking through a wall, or a floating figure in the corner of my eye. He hasn't approached me, and I don't know if it's because he isn't strong enough to see me yet, or he has just chose not to, but since this is so, I'm ignoring him. And as far as I am concerned, Brian the Ghost here doesn't exist.

Couldn't exist. Because Brian never did. And Ghosts never did.

And these... dammed... voices.... don't either. 

I had more important things to look over. Like the possibility of Noel's first boyfriend. He was a sweet guy named Darian, and he had lived in Bridgeport his whole life. I recall hearing his name once when talking with Noel, but I had never actually met him until Noel asked him to dinner one night. 

What I called a "date" and Noel called "just hanging out" started out friendly enough, but boys will be boys and girls will be girls, and we all know that sooner or later that "just friends" boundary breaks.

Noel urged that she eat alone with Darian, and I gave her that wish, though Levi and I did some eavesdropping....

... and we learned that Noel's got quite the skill in flirting. I was in dreamland, I was so excited. Levi however, was a bit opposite, and grumbled that she was much too young to be talking to boys.

Face-making gave way to hand-holding, and I decided to stop eavesdropping for now and leave the girl alone. 

NOEL'S POINT OF VIEW...

I led Darian outside, as he was telling me he had to leave soon. I didn't want the night to end! Besides, I knew Darian wasn't going to be the one to make the first move--I was going to have to do it, and boy was I scared to death.

One look at that face made my decision. 

I leaned in to kiss him, but he pulled me back and told me that he wasn't ready for that yet. Boy, did that kill me.... I mumbled my goodbyes and he gave me one last smile before hopping into his car and driving off.

"What! This is not chapta!"

Yes, yes, I know. :)

What I have to say is related to the poll.

I have noticed that you say the chapters are short, and I'm working on that.

What I need to know is: How much longer do you want them?

Simple question, eh? M'kay. =D

1.9

♫ On the first page of our story,

The future seemed so bright,

Then this thing turned out... so evil,

I don't know why I'm still surprised,

Even angels have their wicked schemes,

And you take that to new extremes,

But you'll always be my hero,

Even though you've lost your mind. ♫

Levi was such a good father. But we were both too old for this--and the proof was written in the tight grooves and lines on our faces. Nonetheless, I looked forward to little Pika or little Annabelle--we still didn't know if the baby was a boy or a girl, and we were bound to keep that a mystery until the birth.

I was blessed with Pika, who was incredibly friendly, even at such a young age, and astoundingly intelligent. He was Levi's boy, that was for sure. Each look at his face broke my heart, because I knew that our kids were photocopies of our formal selves. 

I would often wake up in the middle of the night, tears emblazoned on my cheek, my heart racing, for I had a dream that Levi or Noel had discovered my (terrible terrible oh so terrible) secret. But of course, that was absurd. No person in their right minds would stick around knowing their mother or wife was a murderer. 

Crazy talk. (CRAZY, isn't that what you are just a tad bit crazy)

Crazy talk.

Besides, it was Noel's birthday, my darling little Noel, and I needed to forget (forget forget you'll NEVER forget) all of that and focus on my little girl.

Not that she was my little girl anymore.

No, once the candles on that cake were extinguished, she would no longer be my little girl, but well on her way to being a grown woman (a grown woman would you look at that what if she's a failure a failure like you) and I know she'll do great things.

I know that. Don't I?

Silly girl was so exited--she was sick of being the kid.

She wanted to be the woman. 

A great woman, right? (a great woman a fantastic woman she'll be just like you she'll kill she will)

I.. have... nothing... to fear.

I love this picture. My kids, one thing I ACCOMPLISHED something I can be PROUD of  (can you can you really are you sure I don't think you are) and I need them. 

I need them... I need them because... I'm going insane. I'm sure of it. I can't think straight, and I keep hearing.... (those dammed voices those cursed things get them OUT)

But every time I see their faces it eases a little, let's off the pain a little, let's me breathe a little. 

I've never seen two kids get along so well. They never fight, and when I'm not feeling very well (not FEELING very well more like insane that's what you are you don't know who you are do you no you don't) and sweet Levi is working hard with the band Noel will take care of him.

And he loves his sister.

Oh, and one more thing before this is over.

I think I saw Brian the other day. Drifting through the kitchen.

But it was probably just a hallucination.

Because I'm crazy. Right? 

1.8

 I was doing my homework one night. Nothing out of the ordinary, it's what I did, every night, right after Mommy went to work. I don't know exactly what she does, because every time I ask Daddy he tells me it's none of my beeswax, sister Suzy. But that's beside the point. The fact of the matter is is that this was no regular night. 

And it all started with a loud thud from upstairs.

 Daddy was int the same room with me, and he had heard it too. In fear that someone may be robbing us, we hurried along upstairs.

  Daddy told me not to worry, and that one of my toys must have fallen on the floor or something.

But I really wasn't that dumb. Someone (or someTHING) was up there, and I was going to find out exactly what it was. 

 I told Daddy that the noise had come from this wall, perhaps behind it. Daddy said that is was absurd, which he explained meant unlikely, that anything could be behind that wall. But I was persistent. I knew something was there.

 To calm me down, he investigated the wall, like a secret switch might be there or something, like Shaggy and Scooby find. 

Sure enough, someone was there.

Dead. I didn't know who this man was, but the look of understanding on Daddy's face was undeniable. 

"Noel Symphony Vegas. Listen to me. This man was.... and old friend of Mommy's. I don't think you're very stupid, I believe you know exactly what has occurred here." Daddy paused here to take a deep breath. I knew exactly what had happened, just as he said. Mommy killed this man. "We can under NO  circumstances tell ANYONE about this man. We have to protect Mommy, do you understand?"

I nodded, mostly in fear, I was willing to do anything to put this behind us and for me to forget all about it.

 My heart hurt. And it hurt for three people; Mommy, because she had killed a man, and would probably get into lots of trouble, 'cause that's a bad thing. A very bad thing. Daddy, because he had to live his life knowing that his wife was a blood thirsty murderer. But I hated to think of her that way. She was my Mommy after all, and she really wasn't that cynical... with anyone else. And then this man, for losing his life at such a young age. He couldn't be much further then thirty. 

My poor Mommy.

My poor Daddy.

Poor... poor man. 

 I refused to change the way I looked at my mother. I still loved her throughout every inch of my heart, perhaps even more so after this. I would protect her. I wouldn't let her get into trouble for what she did.

Even though it was a Bad Thing.

A Very Bad Thing.