REDEMPTION

THE BEGINNING

It was another year. Another celebration. Another success. Roars of laughter filled the air as cutlery exchanged constant greetings. The Angel family had made it yet again. There was so much noise, one would expect to be met with a whole group off people only to be surprised with three! This particular family liked to keep parties numbers at a minimum hence it became a family thing.

The only heirs to the Angel name were present plus their most trusted friend since they got there. They shared memories they had experienced together making them erupt in more laughter, making it sound like they were singing a round song. The room they had chosen was enormous, it could carry around 20 people.

It had a well furnished floorboard that didn’t squeak or creak. Three chandeliers made of gold illuminated their light in utter brilliance. The dining chairs were fully furnished and decorated in a unique design that had a magnifique curvature that would make most women jealous. The chairs matched perfectly with its partner, the table, which was decorated in a brilliant royal blue cloth fit to be in a museum display.

“A toast to yet another success,” Shawn’s deep voice resonated in the room, taking the podium as the first son. He was a man of a few words. Loved by many, mostly women, for his good looks and money. He had shinning sapphire eyes that contrasted attractively to his tan skin. His messy pitch black hair contributed massively to his increasing number of stockers and fan girls and men, and no matter how hard he tried, his hair defied every law of being combed.

His body was muscular, however, he didn’t give off the gangster vibe like most guys did instead, he gave off a fluffy teddy vibe not just from his looks but his personality as well. His pearl white teeth were exposed every time he smiled, so were his dimples.

A toast was made, however, one member was not as happy as the rest were. This wasn’t because she did not want to be happy but she couldn’t. Audrey, Shawn’s younger sister, hadn’t touched her food or made any attempt of doing so. She hadn’t drunk or even laughed at the jokes the boys told. Something seemed to be bothering her but she couldn’t place a finger on it.

She knew it was there, at the tip of her tongue, but it didn’t budge. It seemed that whatever it was took pleasure in tormenting her and no matter how hard she tried… she couldn’t come up with an explanation as to what it was. Not being able to take anymore of that strange sensation, she humbly excised herself and left for room. Shawn and Lucah, let her leave… reluctantly.

They both loved her company and not being able to notice the state she was on earlier seemed to have left them guilty. And because they couldn’t help her in other ways, they were always there to support her whenever she needed it. They did their utmost best but it never seemed to be enough.

Audrey, was beautiful in more ways than one. Her hair, longer than most, had a its own uniqueness. One could say that it had a natural curve to it. Since she loved dressing in fitting clothes one could never tell that she had one gorgeous body beneath. Her elegant walk, left men gawking at her and this made her an enemy to the women in her life. Both those she knew and those she did not. This meant that here circle of friends were one to none. This being said, she thought of herself as defective.

She was often taken to hospital but even the best of doctors could not explain what it was she was ailing from. This left her feeling useless and a liability to her brother. Even more useless than she felt That day. Her smile and laughter always covered the scars she hid beneath.

Arriving at her room, she opened the door, got in and locked it. While leaning on here door, she admired it as if it was going to be her last time. Her bed stood in the middle of her room. The walls were dipped in a color she had loved since she was a little girl, blue.

She had a dressing table and a silver mirror that was stationed close to one of her bedroom windows. As she sat there preparing herself, she always felt like she had done a good job preparing herself. Audrey’s room had a white rug that was in the middle of her room. Letting out a sigh, she walked in and headed for the balcony. The moon, as always, seemed to fascinate her.

It’s rough edges that seemed to have been outlined by her child made a small smile appear on her face. As clouds shadowed its path, they were hurled aside hurriedly leaving the magnificence of the moon behind.

The stars looked like they had sworn an allegiance to the moon for they stood mightily around him. In the dark blue sky, they looked like spec’s of sand glittering like jewels. Her smile broadened as she seemed to enjoy the now darkening sky.

“Audrey,” she heard a dark whisper that sent shivers call out to her. Her breath got trapped in her throat. Her heart began palpitating in her chest. Swiftly, she turned to run but just as she did, the doors to her room shut themselves right before her eyes. If she’d been a second earlier, part of her hand would be mush.

The wind began blowing, biting her skin mercilessly as it did. Her arms instinctively wrapped themselves around her body, shielding her from whatever was that was coming. Slowly, she approached the door and tried pulling it.

She wasn’t surprised when it did not open.

Letting out a sigh, she thought of looking at the sky once more when she heard the door click. Fear crept into her heart. A lone tear betraying her eyes. Her perfect mismatched eyes frantically searched for a way to escape. Calling out for help would be unfruitful considering the distance between her room and the dining room.

“Audrey! ” the menacing voice was back, demanding her attention. It echoed in her head making her world spin. Her legs grew weak and gave in and her vision became foggy. She was sure this was it. With the energy she had left, she decided to give it a try no matter how slim her chances were.

Holding out her hand, she somehow managed to hold the ledge. As she stood, Audrey took in air and Let it all out in a scream. It was so loud that she could hear her own ears ringing. Just then, it began.