As the chilling winds swept through the desolate alleyway, Sarah's heart raced with every echoing step of her worn-out sneakers. She had thought she'd escaped him, left behind the pain and betrayal of their past, but fate had different plans.

It had been years since she last saw James, the man who had shattered her heart into a million pieces. Their love had once been an intoxicating whirlwind, but it had quickly soured when she discovered his treacherous secrets. She had fled the city, trying to erase every memory of him.

Now, in this dimly lit alley, Sarah stumbled upon James, his sinister silhouette emerging from the shadows. His piercing gaze, once filled with warmth, now held a malevolence she couldn't ignore.

"Sarah," he whispered, his voice like a serpent's hiss. "I've missed you."

Sarah's heart clenched in fear, but curiosity kept her rooted to the spot. "What do you want, James? Why are you here?"

He took a step closer, and the pale glow of a flickering streetlight revealed a sinister smile that sent shivers down her spine. "I've changed, Sarah. I've seen the darkness, embraced it."

Sarah's mind raced, trying to comprehend the transformation in James. He had once been the embodiment of kindness and gentleness. Now, he exuded an eerie magnetism, drawing her in like a moth to a flame.

"Changed for the worse, it seems," she whispered, her voice trembling.

He reached out to touch her, and she instinctively recoiled. "Don't be afraid," he cooed, his fingers trailing a chilling path down her arm. "I can show you things you've never imagined, a world beyond pain and heartbreak."

Sarah's heart pounded, torn between the desire to escape and the inexplicable allure of James's newfound darkness. She remembered the hurt he had inflicted on her, but there was something captivating about his sinister transformation that she couldn't resist.

As Sarah struggled to make a decision, the sinister figure of James seemed to grow stronger, his presence enveloping her like a suffocating shadow. In that eerie alley, she realized that the heartbreak she had suffered at his hands might have been just the beginning of a far more sinister connection that bound them together, and she was about to plunge deeper into the abyss.

Now that the Love Lasts and Growing Up Takes A While series are over, I’ll be starting a new series called Demons of the Night. But I just wanted to give a little intro first.

——————

Demons live peacefully. Most of the time. Humans keep trying to sneak into hell to take the demons out from the inside. But when one in particular accidentally lands himself in hell while trying to patch a hole, Morana finds herself taking him into her home and caring for him.

The longer Morana takes care of him, the more her feelings grow. But when more humans get into hell and find the boy there with Morana, they are furious and decide to take Morana and the boy back to their world.

They chained Morana up and forced the boy boy to watch her get beaten. The boy always tried to get them to stop. Yelling that she would tear the factory to the ground. He knew it wasn’t true, but the men didn’t.

The boy worked up enough courage and one day he managed to break free from his chains, but the men still had the upper hand. The boy knew he couldn’t win, but he tried. He fought three of the men and somehow won. The two who were oblivious and still hitting Morana noticed and ran.

The boy chased each one down and killed them. Morana hung from the chains with her head down. The boy came back to her and unlocked the chains. He gently carried her over to the giant hole to hell and laid her beside it.

Morana eventually blinked her eyes open. The boy kneeled over her. He tucked some hair behind Morana’s pointed ear and lovingly expressed his emotions before kissing her and pushing her carefully back through the hole. Once back on the other side, Morana used her strength to close the hole again.

The king of hell was waiting for her. He asked her if she really loved that human. Morana nodded. The king snapped his fingers and her horns and wings disappeared. He told her she could now remove and make her wings and horns come back whenever she wanted, all she had to do was will them to. Then the king snapped his fingers again and Morana was now standing by the boy again. He looked up and almost fell.

Morana walked up to him and kissed him back. Then she explained everything. The boy then hooked her arm with his and they walked off into the sunset.

——————

Okay, I get it the ending got a little weird and fast, but I tried to use some Little Mermaid logic if you know what I mean. So yeah, I hope everyone liked it!

Amelia’s heart skipped a beat as she recognized the figure standing by the old oak tree in the local park. It was Ethan, the person who had shattered her heart into a million jagged pieces. She had spent countless nights drowning in tears, trying to mend the wounds he had left behind. But as she approached him, something felt off, something sinister lingered in the air.

Ethan turned to face Amelia, his once warm smile replaced by a cold, eerie grin. His eyes, once filled with tenderness, now held a glint of malevolence. The sunlight that filtered through the trees seemed to dim, casting an ominous shadow over his face.

“Hello, Amelia,” Ethan murmured, his voice a chilling whisper that sent shivers down her spine. “It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”

Amelia’s voice caught in her throat as she struggled to find the words. She could feel the weight of his presence, an oppressive aura that suffocated her. The park, once a place of solace and tranquility, now felt like a sinister stage set for an unsettling encounter.

“What do you want, Ethan?” Amelia managed to utter, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and anger.

Ethan’s grin widened, revealing teeth that seemed unnaturally sharp. “Oh, Amelia, I’ve come to offer you a second chance. A chance to relive our love, but this time, on my terms.”

Amelia’s heart raced, her mind flooded with memories of the pain and heartache he had inflicted upon her. She took a step back, her instincts warning her of the danger that loomed before her.

“I will never go back to that darkness,” Amelia declared, her voice filled with newfound strength. “You may wear a different mask now, but I see through your facade. There is nothing but darkness and manipulation within you.”

Ethan’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of anger replacing the sinister gleam. “You dare defy me? You will regret this, Amelia. I can make your life a living nightmare.”

A gust of wind rustled the leaves overhead, the once gentle breeze turning into a chilling gust that seemed to echo Ethan’s threat. The atmosphere grew heavy with an eerie stillness, as if the world itself held its breath in anticipation.

But Amelia stood her ground, refusing to succumb to his intimidation. “I have faced the depths of despair and emerged stronger,” she proclaimed, her voice steady despite the fear that gripped her. “I will not let you define me or dictate my happiness. I am free from your grasp.”

With those words, Amelia turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Ethan standing alone beneath the ominous oak tree. As she distanced herself from him, the air seemed to lighten, the park regaining its peaceful aura.

Unbeknownst to Amelia, Ethan watched her retreating figure with a mix of fury and frustration. He had underestimated her strength, her resilience. But he vowed to himself that this was not over, that he would find a way to regain control.

Little did Amelia know, her encounter with Ethan was just the beginning of a battle against the darkness that threatened to consume her. But armed with newfound determination and a refusal to be defined by her past, she embarked on a journey to reclaim her life and protect herself from the sinister forces that lurked in the shadows.

Two years later, senior year:

Aristeo stood straight in front of his mirror, tightening his tie.

His mother and father stood proudly behind him.

“I can’t believe how much he’s grown. I mean look, he even has a fiancée.” His mother cried.

Aristeo turned around to face them. “Does this look okay?

His mother leaned against her husband. “It looks beautiful.” She smiled. “Dan, why does our little boy have to be so grown up?”

Aristeo’s father smiled at his son. “That’s just a part of life, my love.”

Aristeo walked to stand in front of them. “I love you guys.” He gripped them tightly.

His parents gripped him tightly back. “We love you too.”

——————Same time, (Calypso):

Calypso stood in front of her mirror. A beautiful white dress flowed behind her.

Her parents were on either side of her.

Her mother gently fixed Calypso’s headdress. “You look so beautiful.” She whispered.

“Thank you mom.” Calypso responded sweetly.

Her father turned his daughter towards him. “You better never let that boy of yours tell you you aren’t beautiful.” He warned playfully.

“Dad, we’ve been dating for two years. I’m sure he wouldn’t say anything of the sort.” Calypso laughed.

Her dad’s face turned serious. Calypso saw it and stopped laughing.

“You’re too serious!” Her dad laughed. Calypso and her mother laughed with him.

——————One hour later (Aristeo):

Flowers adorned a arch. A small stage was behind it with a podium. Pews lined in front of the stage.

Aristeo stood patiently on the stage to the left of the podium. A man dressed in a white robe stood behind the podium.

A bunch of friends and family of Calypso and Aristeo sat in the pews.

A small breeze blew past them all, and Calypso and her father turned around a corner. Three of her bridesmaids walked behind her and held her headdress piece up off the ground.

Aristeo watched her in complete wonder. Every step she took was even better than the last.

Once Calypso had stepped onto the stage and her dad and bridesmaids left her to sit in the pews, Aristeo took his chance.

“You look magnificent, my love.” He gently kissed her cheek.

The man behind the podium began to speak. Aristeo didn’t listen to him, all he could do was stare at Calypso in all her magnificent beauty.

“Aristeo, do you take Calypso to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

Aristeo continued to stare at Calypso, who now stared back. “I do.”

The man turned to Calypso. “Calypso, do you take Aristeo to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

Calypso stared at Aristeo with a mixture of love and happiness in her eyes. “I do.”

The man smiled. “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”

Aristeo and Calypso stared at each for a little longer before engaging in a passionate kiss.

Everybody in the pews cheered.

——————Two years later, (Aristeo):

Aristeo never drove faster in his life. Calypso was having a baby!

Aristeo ran two or more red lights to get to the hospital in time.

He rushed to park, then ran to get to his wife’s delivery room.

On the elevator, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He pulled it out and read the text on the screen. It read, ‘She’s here!’

Aristeo panicked and quickly ran to the delivery room once the elevator doors opened.

He finally reached it and placed his hand on the doorknob. He sighed, and opened the door.

His wife lay on a bed. The tiny baby was asleep on her chest.

“There you are.” Calypso smiled. She looked deathly tired.

Aristeo calmly approached his wife and new baby.

“Welcome to the world, my Marina Gwen Harris.” Aristeo gently kissed her head.

Calypso smiled happily and looked from her husband to baby.

Aristeo smiled too and leaned down to kiss Calypso. Then he stood straight again. “We will raise this baby together, until she is fully grown.” He promised.

Calypso laughed happily.

—————— I’m really happy with how this turned out. I truly hope everyone likes this as much as I do.

Inspired by Shadow. Hopefully it feels as relatable as I tried to make it feel for people.

——————

Clara watched Pierre closely through her shop’s window.

He seemed to feel her watching him, because he turned his head toward her.

Clara immediately looked away. I can’t fall in love, she thought to herself. I can’t fall in love.

Through the corner of her eye, she saw Pierre shrug, look away, and walk past the store.

Clara sighed in relief.

Pierre is her worst distraction. He always got her attention, forced her to look at him. Keeps making her want to impress him. Every time he got close to her, she gets super nervous. Clara could never get him off her mind. Yet Clara never wanted to fall in love. It was her worst nightmare. Plus, Pierre acts like Clara isn’t enough for him.

Before Clara had time to actually relax, Pierre had circled around and walked straight into her store.

“Clara? You work here?”

Clara sucked her breath in. “Yes.” She squeaked out.

It happened again! Why do I always sound so desperate when I’m speaking to him? Clara scolded herself.

Pierre looked at her strangely, then shrugged.

“Would you like something?” Clara asked awkwardly.

Pierre nodded. “Yeah actually. I want to know why you like me so much?”

Aaaahhhh!!!”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Clara moved her hands nervously.

Pierre didn’t buy it. “Yes you do, now tell me why.”

Clara sighed. “I can’t, Pierre, it’s too personal.”

Pierre growled at her. “Fine, if you won’t tell me, I’m leaving.”

He stormed out of the store.

Clara watched him go, silently singing silently i her head exactly why she liked him so much, but also why she never wanted to fall in love with him, or anyone.

——————

Putting my defenses up 'Cause I don't wanna fall in love If I ever did that, I think I'd have a heart attack

Never put my love out on the line Never said yes to the right guy Never had trouble getting what I want But when it comes to you, I'm never good enough When I don't care, I can play 'em like a Ken doll Won't wash my hair, then make 'em bounce like a basketball

But you make me wanna act like a girl Paint my nails and wear high heels Yes, you make me so nervous that I just can't hold your hand

You make me glow But I cover up, won't let it show So I'm putting my defenses up 'Cause I don't wanna fall in love If I ever did that, I think I'd have a heart attack I think I'd have a heart attack I think I'd have a heart attack

Never break a sweat for the other guys When you come around, I get paralyzed And every time I try to be myself It comes out wrong like a cry for help It's just not fair, pain's more trouble than love is worth I gasp for air, it feels so good, but you know it hurts

But you make me wanna act like a girl Paint my nails and wear perfume for you Make me so nervous that I just can't hold your hand

You make me glow But I cover up, won't let it show So I'm putting my defenses up 'Cause I don't wanna fall in love If I ever did that, I think I'd have a heart attack I think I'd have a heart attack I think I'd have a heart attack

The feelings got lost in my lungs They're burning, I'd rather be numb (rather be numb) And there's no one else to blame (no one else to blame) So scared, I take off, and I run I'm flying too close to the sun And I burst into fla-fla-flames

You make me glow But I cover up, won't let it show So I'm putting my defenses up 'Cause I don't wanna fall in love If I ever did that, I think I'd have a heart attack I think I'd have a heart attack (heart attack) I think I'd have a heart attack-tack I think I'd have a heart attack (oh, I think I'd have a heart attack) I think I'd have a heart attack

——————

If you’ve made it this far, credit to Shadow for suggesting this song and Demi Lovato for making it.

Last and longest part. Hopefully a thousand words.

——————

Calypso ran quickly past stores and tall buildings. A small group of boys were chasing her.

“Come on, stop running!” One screamed.

People were now staring at this chaotic scene and whispering.

Suddenly, Aristeo sprinted around a corner and stood behind Calypso with his arms out to stop the boys.

The boys skid to a stop in shock.

“Aristeo? Why are you defending this scum bag?” The leader stepped forward and growled.

Aristeo stared him straight in the eyes.

“She isn’t a scumbag, Jack!”

He rushed at the leader, knocking him down.

“Don’t just stand there, help me!” Jack shouted at the other boys.

Two snapped out of confusion and grabbed Aristeo, who was now punching Jack, off of him.

The two held Aristeo back as Jack got up, bleeding from his mouth and nose, and stood really close to Aristeo.

“You’re just as bad as her.”

Jack readied his fist and swung it straight into Aristeo’s face.

Aristeo’s head turned when Jack’s fist made contact.

Calypso stood in utter silence. All she could do was watch.

Jack lowered his fist and let Aristeo raise his head.

“Next time, mind your own business. Got it?”

Jack snapped and his followers crowded to him. Then he sneered at Calypso, who was now desperately holding Aristeo up.

“You won’t be so lucky next time.”

—————— In the hospital, two hours later.

Aristeo groaned, blinking his eyes open.

Calypso stood over him, looking worried.

“Calypso? What happened?” Aristeo asked.

Calypso started crying. “Jack.”

That was all she had to say. Aristeo looked away, remembering.

Then he slammed his fist against the bed and laid down, hands over his eyes.

“That b!tch!” He whispered.

Calypso stopped crying.

Aristeo removed his hands from his eyes, and looked toward Calypso.

“I’m sorry you had to see that. I guess I get a little protective over people I’m close to.”

Calypso looked down at him. “It not your fault. It’s mine.”

“Yours?”

“Yeah. Jack mentioned when we were running that he doesn’t want me to take you away from him as a friend, but I guess he’s over that now after what you did.” Calypso rubbed her right arm and looked away.

Aristeo raised his arm and gently cupped Calypso’s cheek. She widened her eyes and looked down at him. Aristeo slowly brought her face closer to his. They both slowly closed their eyes as they got closer. Aristeo removed his hand. After what seemed like forever, their lips touched. They kissed each other affectionately.

Calypso soon raised her face away.

“I love you, Calypso.”

“I love you Aristeo.”

They both put their right hands up and matched them together. Closing their hands on each others.

“Now let’s get you out of this hospital.”

—————— School, three days later

Calypso calmly walked from her class. The bell had finally rang. It was lunchtime.

She excitedly ran to the cafeteria, starving.

Aristeo was waiting for her right outside the door.

Calypso’s stomach growled when she arrived next to him.

“Starving?” He questioned.

“Yes!”

They walked into the lunch line, which was surprisingly short, got their food and went to find a seat.

“How about there?” Aristeo pointed to a small table near some windows.

“Sure!”

The pair went to sit down.

Aristeo started eating his food while watching Calypso eat hers.

(Stopping here, don’t know what to finish with. May have lied, pt. 6 possibly coming, since I didn’t make this as long as I would have liked.)

It was any normal day: peaceful and quiet, yet busy.

    Janie woke up, got dressed, ate breakfast, and walked out the door to go on her daily walk through the park before work. But this run would be the strangest one.

    As soon as Janie arrived, she felt something strange was going to happen.

   She got on the same trail and started walking, checking her watch every five minutes.

  Trees shed their leaves as wind blew past them, falling behind Janie. It seemed to be a beautiful day. Birds chirped from the treetops, crickets still cricketing. 

    Janie continued walking and looking at her watch, until she felt someone watching her. She stopped, turned around and spotted a tall man sitting on a bench. She recognized this person.

    Janie started to walk towards him. Then she knew. It was the one who had broken her heart in high school, Gavin.

   She kept walking until she was right next to him. “What are you doing here?”

   Gavin just shrugged. “What I need to do.”

   Janie tilted her head slightly. “What do you mean, what you need to do?”

   Gavin shrugged again. “I mean I have to watch you.”

   “Why do you have to watch me?” Janie asked.

   “My boss said if I don’t, I’ll be fired.”

   “And who is your boss?”

   “Some guy I met in an alleyway. He didn’t really want to show his face.”

   “Why are you being so weird about me asking these questions?”

    Gavin then smiled, but in a bad way. “Because I don’t want to be asked questions.”

     Janie suddenly felt that this person that she used to love was now a very, very bad person.

     “Okay,” Janie whispered and walked away.

     Then she checked her watch again. It was now 10:30. Janie screamed in her mind. She was late to work! How could she let so much time go by?

The grey clouds overhead complemented the mist that was wrapped around the park, blanketing it for the past two days. I wrapped my light cotton jacket more tightly around me, as if the mist could not penetrate the cloth while it was stretched out that way.

Above me, the grey clouds clustered together, as if congregating to plot against me. I picked up my pace, feeling the ground hand between each hurried step. Why was it you seemed to feel each reverberation more completely the more urgentyour step became? Not only did my own steps rattle my bones, but my heart also drummed a distracting beat repeatedly striking my chest from the inside. My entire body was a knot of discomfort.

Continuing my stride to the west entrance of the park, I wasn't sure whether to feel better or worse when a saw a grey figure floating out of the mist.

(TW/- some foul language…I couldn’t help it y’all. Oh and some verbal abuse, I advise you to skip the flashback if you do not agree with my writing style/how cruel I made the flashback)

I smile as a take a deep breath of cool fresh outside air. I am walking to my neighborly park just to get outside. Mostly because it has warmed up around twenty degrees in the past day from the quick-frost that shows up every once and a while. Then I see him. I recognize him not from his gentle and kind voice as he calls me over but from his sinister aura. “It’s good to see you, Draconion,” I say with malice. “Come on Fawn, call me Drac, we’re close, remember?” He chuckles as he waved me to sit down. His grin giving me bad vibes. “So Fawn, how have you been since I last saw you?” He asks as he turns his head towards me and gives me an odd smile with his eyes closed. “Stop talking to me as if your my best friend or something!” I exclaim as I stand up, “Because I am not! Nowhere close! I have had struggles since you cheated on me! Real life experiences that you will never understand! You hear me!” “Calm it Fawn-du,” He stops then looks at me with a grumpy glare, “I was summoned here by the Higher-ranks they told me to- they told me to explain something to you.” “Fawn-dant, do you know where people go in the afterlife?” Draconian asks me sinisterly. “Yeah, they get reborn,” I answer quickly, wanting this to be over with, especially with the dumb nicknames he had made for me. “Mmmm…not really, they get to chose, to chose to go back to their body down in this earth, to stay with God, or of course Satan. Or to be reborn.” He explains, as if I’m simpleminded “You know when your family died? They all got to choose if they wanted to stay with you.” “But they didn’t!” He starts to laugh wickedly, scaring me half to death, “They chose God over their own kin! You must feel so ridiculous, since you were second to your family. An insult to the human race, if you will. You’re nothing, without somebody. And you have nobody in your stupid little life, except for yourself, why do you think I left you?” “You’re face is ridiculous. You’re ridiculous, you’re a fake to you’re friends, to anyone in you’re life, they will always see a peasant, an idiot in need of someone,” He starts to laugh even louder as my muscles tense, “Like you could hurt me, even the sun and moon spirits rejected you. Even your dog, who ran away a week after you adopted him. Everyone knows it, you’re just in this world, to be hurt, abused, and ridiculed. I can’t even believe the gods gave you a body, because kind, and selfless people, up in the heavens, need it more than your selfish ass, you fucking moron!”

I quickly sit up, soaking in sweat from the flashback, terrified of his damaging words. “Tara…Ka-…” Mir stutters “Who…was that?” “My ex,” I sob, tears running down my face, “He…That….” “It’s ok,” Mir says as she wraps her arms around my neck and shoulders, her face resting on my chest. Rysic’s eyes are wide open, his mouth crumpling into a squiggly line. I wrap my arms around Mir’s back, resting my head on her shoulder. Dynamite came up to me me and crouched down, “You know you aren’t worthless to us,” He smiles. “You’re the reason we’ve survived, when we were scared at the beginning, you led us here, to the top 125. You’re the one who warned me about picking my augments, I didn’t listen, so I’m stuck healing, but even then, you have kept us fighting, we only got here because you were brave enough to brave these wilds, but now…after that…I realize now…that we should appreciate you more, isn’t that right, Rysic?” “Yeah, sure,” He mumbles, scratching the back of his neck. “Then we can win,” Mir says, mumbled by my shit as she sits up, “If we’ve made it here, we can win. No matter what.”

                             {The End}

[Anyone who wants to has my full permission to continue the story from here, I am doing this because I’m kinda bored with this🤦🏼‍♀️but I would like it if someone ‘else’ continued this tale of four teenagers and a child. THANK YOU]

It was late, probably too late for Wren to be walking through Piedmont Park. She wasn’t alone in the park, though. She could see the outline of a couple sitting together on a bench beneath the blue glare of a light post. A jogger in the distance made circles around the running track. Still, a woman shouldn’t be crossing the park alone at 10 PM, hours after the sunset closing. If something happened to her, people wouldn’t be able to talk about it without mentioning the role that her poor decision making played in her own demise. “It’s fine,” Wren thought. “If I screamed, someone would hear me.”

At just that moment, Wren heard the sound footsteps behind her. She began to walk faster, but was certain that the footsteps were now matching her faster pace. Just as she thought she might break into a run, she heard the sound of her name coming from a familiar voice. She turned to see a man, poorly groomed and shabbily dressed. Though he was almost unrecognizable, his voice and posture identified him nevertheless. It had been ages since she had heard that voice. Yet something was different. Unmistakable darkness emanated from this man, in spite of the darkness surrounding them both.

Wren gasped as Liam took a step closer. The change in him since she last saw him, when he told her he had met someone else, was unbelievable. His hair was long and greasy. A bulge coming from the side of his dirty jeans poorly concealed the outline of a weapon. He peered at her with stormy, gray eyes. Though she had spent months wanting nothing but to be back in his arms, her only instincts now told her to run.