[IC] The dark heart +18 mature/viloence/language

[Airalin]

I frowned at the door as Vivian departed the room.

In truth, I could relate to the girl. For a long time, I had wanted to escape from this family no matter the cost. However, I had always stayed my hand - Father had more than enough resources to track me down and make me pay. Now that Father was dead and I was independently rich, one might think I could at last be free, yet now I felt like I was observed more fully than ever.

A part of me wanted to reach out to Vivian. If she had cared enough about me to visit my bedside, perhaps I could, in time, grow close to her. Unfortunately, distrust was a seed that had been rooted in my heart long ago. I could not escape the fear that she was just acting, that she planned to betray me.

I sighed, beginning to stand but stopping as pain shot through my chest in protest. I needed to figure out of anything had happened to my guards without letting them know that I had an unusual experience. I forced myself to my feet and to stand up straight despite the pain that was wracking me. Maybe I could get Vivian to help... a test of whether she was at all trustworthy. I made my way down the hall, each step an agony, searching for the room she was staying in.

[Markofkri]

Vivian sat there not eating the now cold soup. Thinking to herself how her parents had treated her. Look this is our new kid look how cute it is. Then to be shoved in a corner like an umbrella. That was her life. She looked at the bread knife on the table. Again she thought if she did it quickly she could bleed to death before help could arrive. "No." Eva had gone through that horrible ordeal of being kidnapped and she still kept on going. You could endure a simple case of neglect. If only it had been as simple as others saw it. From birth abandonment chased her, everywhere she went people turned their back. She sat in the corner of a crowded room at the orphanage. For five years people ignored her. "What a quite well mannered girl." People would say. Not that it mattered no one wanted her. Then faking a huge smile and pretending to be happy she hooked herself into a great family. Yet she was still alone. Vivian couldn't betray her dream of one day someone could care that she existed. Perhaps a person who suffered as she does. Left all alone like she is. She looked around and saw this house as a giant corner. Just another place to be forgotten.

[Airalin]

As soon as I spotted Vivian sitting at the table, apparently ignoring a bowl of soup, I sat down opposite her, the pain in my stomach lessening as if in thanks for the respite. No one else was nearby; I needed to convince Vivian to help me right now, while I had the chance. "Listen," I said, my voice low, inaudible to all but the two of us, "My guards are not really on our side. In fact, they have already threatened to kill me. To make matters worse, 11 more of them are on the way. I... I need your help." I felt my cheeks heating as I spoke; it had been a long time since I had consciously chosen to make myself so vulnerable.

"If I do anything unusual at all, it will seem suspicious to them," I said, "So could you please go check and see what any of them is up to? They shouldn't have any desire to hurt you. All I need to know is whether they're arguing amongst each other or anything like that. Then, I can plan accordingly. I am hoping to escape from this place soon, you see..." As my words died down, my eyes linger on the table, as if in shame; I was truly not fit to run a family. I was too weak, too reliant on others, and I doubted I could ever change that. But maybe I could limit my need to a select few...

[Markofkri]

"Ok, Sounds fun." She had a little smile on her face as she left the dinning rom she stopped and turned to you. "I'm glad your feeling better." Vivian took off down the hall to the pool house.

She came back to you a little over an hour latter. "I walked inside the pool house where you told me to go. I saw only one guy there. She described the team leader. "He was working on a laptop hooked up to a large box. I had no idea what to say. He ask what I was doing there I had no idea what to tell him so I started to cry. I said that I was scared and that you were a mean bitch. He actually defended you. He said you went through some stuff no kid should when you were younger. That it made you the way you are." Vivian stopped and looked down at the floor. "I think he likes you. He puts on the hard front to keep you at a professional distance."

[Airalin]

Nothing Vivian was saying made any sense!

Why had the Team leader, who had threatened to shoot me in the face, defended me? Was he simply trying to maintain a facade? There was no way it would work, not after what he had said. There was no going back - I needed him to die!

Yet he was still alive. I had begged the necklace to kill him, even paid the price in excruciating pain, but my wish had not been granted. I had been promised more power in return for my suffering! Where was it?

Concealing my emotions, I gave Vivian my best approximation of an indulgent smile. "Thank you, Vivian," I said. "I still need to get out of here, though - no matter how my guards feel about me, they threatened me, and that cannot be forgiven. It seems to me that the best time to escape is during the day - I believe they have only two guards on duty while the sun is up. I must act soon, before the guards' reinforcements arrive. Do you want to come?"

In truth, I didn't know why I was confiding in Vivian, making her this offer. Perhaps I saw something of myself in more. If so, I was a pathetic, sentimental fool who deserved every once of pain given to her. Maybe it was just that I didn't believe I could get by on my own. After all, in the past, I had been nothing but helpless. Even now that I was disgustingly rich, all I could do was run from my problems...

[Markofkri]

Vivian laughed, "Sure we can run away together. I don't have any phone numbers or credit cards. They don't really care about me. Leave our escape to me. I will take care of them. If they accidently burn down the pool house then they have no where to stay. The damage added to the death of Christian will force your mom to fire them between the replacements we can figure out a way to convince her that I am all you need. Maybe you could get them to come inside tomorrow for an apology breakfast? Then I'll set up the pool house and you could slip them some of my sleep aid. We could set up a scene while there out to make it seem like they passed out in the house drunk." She gave a slight smile.

As she smiled you heard a giggle. The green gem on your chest softly glowed. You felt the pain ease in your stomach. Vivian wrapped her arms around herself as she tilted her head to the side. "I think this could work."

[Airalin]

Some aspects of Vivian's plans were risky, but that couldn't be helped. Any escape plan was bound to be.

"Let's try it," I said cautiously, making a note to myself to email the invitation to the Team Leader. I was in no hurry to visit him in person, not after he had threatened me. In truth, I was considering killing him myself if he ended up asleep at the table. Any oaf who threatened me deserved nothing but suffering!

"Just how strong are your pills?" I asked. It was possible that some of my servants were loyal to a third party and would be inclined to wake up my guards if they could. I had no intention of letting such scum endanger my plan. If things went poorly, I had to be prepared to kill everyone here, perhaps even Vivian. The entire mansion might go up in flames. I had to place my trust in the necklace - with its help, any amount of destruction was within reach.

[Markofkri]

"Oh, I only take one. The doctor said to never take three or more so I'm going to say four per person, 5 total, (inviting the off going night shift since they all live together)ground into a powder, so thirty." Vivian put a index finger to her chin and looked up and to the left. "Just to be sure. We mix it into the eggs once they are cooked with a little bit of sugar to off set the taste. Then we drag the night shift into the pool house and cause an electrical fire. I noticed it has a small grill built into the bar so we'll need to untighten the connection just a little." She smiled at you.

"I think it would be more believable if you told them about breakfast. I'll get up early and get to the kitchen. I shall pretend to be the curious rich girl to ask how scrambled eggs are made. Then its just a simple matter to sneak the powder in them. Tonight will be preparation time. We have a good bit to do before tomorrow. I'll be in my room until then. Good night." She waited for your reply before walking out.

Your text to the team leader was read and accepted. The weird part of the day was later after dinner you retired to your room. You bathed and changed for bed. You noticed that your scars were gone, all of them. You had no bruises from last night and your complexion was clear. You heard the door to your room open. As you turned to yell at them you saw the door was in fact closed. You turned to look at your self in the mirror to see Elizabeth standing behind your reflection. She was shaking her head.

"You got a lot to learn. I was no saint. You need to learn control. There were times when I killed to get what I wanted. The more you kill the more you pay later. Eventually you will not be able to pay the cost. If you haven't noticed no one in seventeen generations lived forever. It not possible. You can survive injury and heal from sickness but it always come back to you. Her picture doesn't show it but one of your predecessors lost a leg. Just know it was not done quickly. At some point you will learn this. Perhaps an eye..." She walks over to you, through the mirror. "You will never know peace, bound to that damn thing as I am now, until another takes your place. Yes when you die only then will I rest. For now you want is known and the cost will be paid. Already you healed those scars. You have a fortune others have paid the cost for. Still you crave more." Her eyes narrow, as she folds her arms across her chest. "Know the payment will be sever. As the gem will not kill you it might take months to exact the toll from you." She shoved you off your feet and across the floor landing onto the bed.

Before you could react, hands emerged from the covers and those that had kidnaped you each held a limb and began stabbing you. You felt no pain just the pressure and the feeling of being trapped all over again. The fear of helplessness. They had total control of you. Each knife wound poured a river of blood. No sound from the kidnappers as it was before. Just the wet sound of the plunging knives. After a time it stopped and you were sore and tired of trying to break free. You heard the hiss of heated metal and screamed as you did then too.

You awoke again to Vivian. She was standing next to the bed her face wracked with concern. "It was a dream. Every things going to be alright. your safe." You reached up to hug her but your arms were tied with black rope, your feet as well. You looked up confused and Vivian took out a bat and the nightmare continued....

Finally you awoke to the sun light beeming through slits in the curtains. Your whole body was sore and you felt exhausted.

[Airalin]

I woke up trembling.

Pain all over. I pulled off the necklace and dropped it on the bed, leaving it there as I sat on the side of the bed, shaking. So much pain. I couldn't take more like that, not if I wouldn't even be able to use it to live forever. It wasn't worth it - none of this was! Ignoring the pain plaguing my limbs, I stood, dressed myself. There was going to be a change of plans - there had to be. Without even bothering to shower, I exited the room, purposefully searching for Vivian.

When I found her, I was blunt, "The plan is off," I said, not bothering to keep down my voice. My goals had transformed overnight into the exact opposite of what they had been before. I was sick of suffering, sick of living. It was time to take the Team Leader up on his offer - his offer to shoot me in the face. Then, at last, perhaps I could have peace. Even if I ended up like Grandmother, I would just trick my successor into an early death as well - there was no need to be honest. Then it would be over. I would, at last, be at peace.

[Markofkri]

Vivian Dropped to her knees as tears streamed down her face. "Don't give up! You can't! What am I suppose to do? Huh? Answer me that? If you give up then there's no hope for me. So do me the favor and kill me first." She sobbed into her hands. "I cant deal with one more person in my life leaving me. Not again. No, no more. I've had enough of this! Life isn't suppose to be like this I know that. I know life isn't a sitcom either. But for Christ sakes its got to be better then this. You think you got issues? I'm being passed around in a school outfit to the guy that's suppose to be my dad. Is that better? That bastard uses me as an ashtray. Makes me get down on my hands and knees next to his chair while he watches football. My back looks like I was shot to death but didn't die."

"You cant give up. If you quit then please just... You can't, please." She continues to cry.

[Airalin]

"And why not?" I asked, my voice dangerous. "All your problems... all that suffering you describe... it doesn't get better. That shit stays with you for your entire life, and other people will only rub it in, make it define you. If you're looking to me for solace, your hopes are misplaced. I have nothing but hatred for this world and its inhabitants. We are all corrupt to the bone! Even my inheritance betrayed me! All people do is hurt me, and there's no way I can kill them all, so I may as well just die myself!"

By the time I had finished my rant, I realized I was yelling. Vivian continue to sob, helplessly, pathetically. It made me want to stab her in the throat! Why the fuck was she so weak? Why did she have to remind me of myself?

I turned on my heel, half running to the kitchen, intent on finding a knife. I didn't know who I was going to use it on - maybe just the first person I saw. It didn't matter anymore. That fucking necklace could just sit on my bed and rot - all the blood I shed today would be for my own satisfaction, not to appease some stupid heirloom!

[Markofkri]

Grabbing the knife for the kitchen you turn back to see Vivian running to the pool house. She would ruin everything. You didn't care anymore. Everything was going side ways. You ran and opened the door leading outside. There it was Vivian, the team leader, and you. You lifted the knife in the air going to bring it down in his throat before you could take a step your eye caught a gleam of green. No, it isn't possible you left it on the bed you knew you had! "May you suffer."

Then a hail of shots was the last thing you remembered. You awoke in the hospital. A tube coming out of your arm. Your chest hurt, it hurt to breath. You saw Vivian there sitting next to your bed. You tired to grab her but your hands were restrained. You looked around the rest of the room. No mom. You saw one of your guards outside the room. Vivian didn't smile. "Your going to be alright. They used rubber bullets. Apparently that's all they use. He had to shoot you a lot. It was like you were possessed. You just kept coming at us with that knife. In a few days you will be able to be transported to the house where I will look after you. You had a few ribs broken and one shot cracked your sternum. You will be medicated for a few weeks and if you show improvement you can get some exercise. The guards will be in house for your protection. Your mom hired a second security company to remodel your room so you cant hurt yourself. Your mother wanted to hire an orderly one of those butch muscle nurses. I was able to convince her I could be trusted. Don't worry Eva I'll take care of you."

A nurse came into the room. "It's time for your bath." She injected something into your I.V. you felt heavy and fell asleep.

You awoke to a padded room your jacket was tight you had a pair of hospital scrubs on you could see through a window covered inside and out with chicken wire the window looked thicker and was not the original one. The room was stripped of furniture and the door to the bathroom was removed the entire bathroom was remodeled there was a shower head eight feet high the knobs were sockets to insert some type of key to use. A cushioned toilet with no water in the basin. The double sinks were gone. The floor had a drain. As you turned your head to look at the padded door with no knob you felt it. Around your neck was the chain. You tried to move except it was there you couldn't see it but it had to be, the necklace.

[Airalin]

It was happening again.

The straitjacket wrapped tightly around me left me completely helpless. Apparently, everyone had determined that I was a danger to myself. But I couldn't take being locked up again! I struggled for a little while, of course, but even I knew it was only a token gesture. There was no way I would escape on my own. How long were they going to keep me cooped up like this?

Where was Vivian? I needed her. She would release me - she had to! Then we could run away together or something. Anything would be okay, as long as I was freed!

The necklace. I had tried to discard it, but it had come back, all on its own. Would I really be stuck with it for the rest of my life? If so, my only choice was to not use it, to resist it as much as I could. Perhaps remaining helpless was the most promising option left to me. But I could not accept that - I refused to! No matter what, I never wanted to be captured ever again! Why did I have to be so pathetic? I was being reduced to a prisoner in my own home, despite being the richest woman in the world!

My head ached horribly as my thoughts raced within, but the realization that had dawned on me amplified the pain all the more - unless someone released me, none of my worrying would come to fruition. I was completely and utterly dependent on others...

[Markofkri]

After what seemed like hours the door to your room was opened. It was not Vivian, In fact it was one of the guards. "We can do this the hard way or the easy way I brought real food. You have to eat it with your fingers They gave orders not to let you have anything. Not that it would do any good." The door closed behind him someone else was there. "I'm going to put the tray down to the far right corner you will proceed to the far left. Failure to comply will force me to leave the room get two more guys and inject you with vitamins with a heavy sedative. You have no way out of this room. So comply and I will let you out of the coat." He waited for your move to the left of the room as he kept his back to the wall he set the tray down in the right corner. The tray was see through and soft plastic. It had eggs and toast. As the guard pinned you to the floor with his knee. He ordered your ankles interlocked he told you it was Thursday and this was lunch, you mother would be back in a few days. After unlocking but not loosening the straps he told you to stay on your stomach until he left. If you were good today they were instructed to let Vivian bring you breakfast tomorrow.

You removed the jacket to see the necklace was there and only a sports bra. You needed a shower badly. As you moved to the food you still felt the effects of the drugs in your system. Your legs were incredibly weak. It was easier to crawl the distance then stand. The wall was no help as your equilibrium was very shifty.

[Airalin]

I did everything the guard demanded of me. All pretense of my authority was lost; now, the guard was just my jailer, and we both knew it.

Once the guard was gone and I had been released from my straitjacket, I stared down at that reviled necklace. Immediately, I took it off, left it on the floor in the corner. Maybe if I kept it in the room with me it would stay off of me. Feeling incredibly weak, I crawled over to my food, feeling half naked with my belly exposed. At least it was no longer marred by scars.

My stomach groaned at the smell of food; I was starving! I practically devoured it, not caring what they might have put in it. Far too quickly, it was all gone. Only then did I realize how badly I needed a shower. I crawled to the center of the room, positioning myself at an angle that allowed me to inspect the shower. There was no way I would be able to use that on my own. I sighed, lying on my side and feeling pitiful. All I could do now was wait for someone to come visit me again, for whatever reason. If it didn't happen soon, I was bound to fall asleep again, this time out of sheer boredom.

[Markofkri]

A very short time after, the guard returned and took the tray. He left your jacket off "As a reward." He said. "Ill return in a half hour if you behaved you could stay unrestrained." He told you to get on your stomach as his knee was on the upper part of your back he injected you. "Its just vitamins and a mood elevator. Stay put until I leave." The door closed behind him.

The gem glowed slightly from the corner. There was no way it could be from the outside light. Beams of light glowed on the wall making an image of Elizabeth. "May you suffer. Why take it off you could murder your way out of this easily. That's what you wanted right? Rich and deadly? You could do it the next time that fool returns. Just put it on. DO IT." The last words seemed to shake the room. "With the drugs in your system you could take the pain that would follow. You could have the world at your crippled whim." You felt dizzy, like a leaf in the wind. "Hold me. I'm all you got."

[Airalin]

I stared at the necklace, shaking me head frantically. "I'm sick of suffering. Just go away! I'm sure someone else would want you," I said in a half-whisper, pushing myself along the floor toward the opposite wall. Someone was probably watching me, and I doubted they could see Grandmother. They were just going to think I was hallucinating. Whatever. Overcome by dizziness, I laid on my side, facing toward the necklace yet unwilling to look directly at it. If Grandmother were to attack me, there would be nothing I could do to stop it.

"Someone help me, please!" I said, loudly, hoping that whoever was watching me would hear. "That necklace... it's gonna kill me..." No matter what, I needed to get away from the necklace! My guards already thought I was crazy, so I had nothing to lose, no reason to keep the situation a secret. I had a strange feeling - the feeling that the worst thing that could happen would be if I were killed by the necklace. Even if someone else took the necklace and used its power to kill me, that wouldn't be as bad!

[Markofkri]

"Hush child. There is no point in that. You are mine, just like all the rest. You were offered to me by your own flesh. There is no way out. Now hold me close and do as you are told. You will be jus like the rest. The death of that boy is the seal to this pact. Your father chose well. Eva come to me." The form of your grandmother shifts to your form. "This can go on for as long as I wish. In the end I win. You cant give up the money, not when your so close to getting everything." Your form sits on you. "Why do you think you are weak? You needed me." She brushes the hair from your face. "This will end when I say. You can have anything. Money, a perfect body, the death of your enemies, power to mind control Eva just pick me up." Your head felt like a vice was crushing it. Then the door opened.

"Dinner. You know the drill. After a half hour I'll take the tray and leave stuff to wash with. You'll have 20 minutes to wash, don't bother with the hair." He leaves and the food is again without utensils. Steak and potatoes. The steak is cut into very small bites and the potatoes are mashed. a pad of butter is pooled in the middle. After eating them you pass out. The Sun light shines through the curtain less window and You awake with the mother of all hang overs.

The door opens and you see Vivian. "Hi I couldn't risk you doing anything to risk my visit so I spiked your food. Sorry. I have breakfast and some shower supplies. I also got a hour to spend with you so take your time. Your mothers here, she said if you wanted to see her then let me know. Are you getting better? Are they treating you ok?"

[Airalin]

The headache was horrible.

"What did you think I was going to do?" I hissed, though in truth I was not especially angry with Vivian. Her drugs had saved me from more of Grandmother's persuasion - though it seemed like the entity living within the necklace was not truly Grandmother.

I sighed. "You need to help me get out of here, Vivian," I said, "They're not hurting me, but I can't stand being locked up. And it's only going to get worse. The necklace has been talking to me, trying to persuade me to put it on - there's something very wrong with it."

In truth, the necklace's offers had been tempting - just not tempting enough to risk losing an eye, a leg, or anything else over. And using the necklace was what landed me in this predicament in the first place. Thanks to it, things had been changing at an absurdly fast pace - over a short while, I had gone from happy to paranoid to suicidal, and now I was just scared.

I ate the breakfast Vivian brought me, this time at a reasonable pace. "If you can't help me break free, I suppose you should send in Mother," I said, keeping my eyes on my tray. "Perhaps I can convince her to let me go. And definitely leave the shower supplies..."

[Markofkri]

"First off chew your food. Then after your food ill take the tray and leave you to shower. There are clean clothes and a small towel. Im trying to talk them into some bed pillows and a blanket but its not looking good." After you finish eating she gives you a concerned look. "Do you hear your self? The necklace made you do it? Your about to possibly become one of the riches people walking and that is your biggest concern. If that is the cause of your problems then give it to me. I will get rid of it." She stood there holding out your hand.