I.

Ayla "Ay" Monsoe

~~~

*flashback*

*gunshots*

"Run, Cheryl. Take your sister with you."

"Mom!!"

"Go!"

We ran…as fast as we could, out the door and down the hallway. Past the blood-stained halls and out of our mansion. The road was covered with dirt with a black van parked on the other side of the street.

We hid in the trees, pricked by thorns, our clothes torn and pieces of our flesh hanging like cloths on the branches. My elder sister, Cheryl cried out in pain with tears in her eyes. Suddenly, tears dropped from mine as well.

Why? Why?? Why-

~~~

I woke up in a cold sweat. The sheets were soaked and my hair was wet, as if I'd just taken a bath. I let out loud labored breaths and tried to calm myself.

It's been eight years, Ay. I whispered to myself.

After minutes of talking to myself, I got up from the bed and went to brush my teeth. Had a shower, got dressed and headed downstairs.

"Morning, Cheryl." I greeted my sister, whose blonde hair was sticking out of her bonnet.

"Hey, Ay." She smiled at me with soft eyes while using her hands to flip the pancakes she was making.

I loved her, that was for sure. I had always admired her, her kind words, her soft smile and her forgiving heart. But that was gonna get her killed…like our parents.

I shook my head to get my mind off the thought that just crossed my mind. I already had a nightmare, I wasn't gonna worsen my day with my own hands.

"I heard you screaming in your sleep." Cheryl said as she turned to look at me.

I froze. I didn't realize that I screamed in my sleep.

"It was nothing." I said. A very obvious lie.

"I know you had a nightmare again, Ay. It's okay, you don't have to lie to me."

I sighed deeply. I really didn't want to have this conversation this morning.

"It's fine. I have to go to school and you're making me late."

"Alright, have your breakfast."

Thank goodness she didn't push the topic. As I chewed on my pancakes, thoughts flooded my mind. I remembered..

"Is there something on your mind, Ay?" Cheryl asked with a concerned look on her face. "You know you could always talk to me when something's wrong."

"I know. I know and there's nothing wrong."

She didn't believe me, I knew by the look on her face. But again, I was planning on avoiding talking about it.

There was no way I was gonna talk to Cheryl about my nightmare. I didn't want her to worry about me and treat me like a baby. She had already done so much for me. So I swallowed my remaining pancakes hurriedly and gulped down my juice.

After putting the plates in the sink, I went upstairs to get my bag and went out the door.

I usually take the bus but I decided to walk to clear my head. I let out a huge sigh and strolled down the street.

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

"And do not forget your assignments" Mr Smith said..

The bell rings to signal the end of the class.

I pack up my books and shove them in my bag. I hate the damn books just like I hate every other thing.

The only thing I was looking forward to was meeting Kylie, my best friend. She had curly black hair, with brown eyes. And one thing she always had, was a solution to my problems.

I proceeded to hunt for Kylie through the school hallway. It was packed with students and the jockeys and freshmen and cheerleaders, making noise about the latest game our soccer team won.

Ughh. I don't want to be here, with these mentally deranged idiots.

I spotted Kylie's messy bun and rushed up to her.

"Hey boo." she said with a grin.

"Oh my God. Mr Smith is after my life cause why would you give your students 11 pages as an assignment." I groaned

"Good thing I'm not doing Calculus"

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Let's go. I need to start the assignment."

As much as I hated Mr Smith and his assignments, I still had to do them cause it would affect my CA. We headed to the town's library because apparently the school library wouldn't suffice for our "great work".

We got there and got to work.

I swirled my pen with my fingers and stared at the blank sheet of paper in front of me.

I'm getting nowhere. I thought

My back started to hurt so I slouched back into the chair and bit on my nails. I looked up to see Kylie scribbling down notes from the monitor screen. Her reading glasses were crooked and on the verge of falling off from her nose. Plus, her messy bun was now just a mess.

"Girl, take a break." I said to her.

Kylie let out a sigh and looked up at me.She dropped her pen and removed her glasses.

Slouched in the chair, I told her about my nightmare and the conversation I had with Cheryl this morning. She gave me a worried look, then stretched out her hand to comfort me.

"I still don't know why it happened and who did it"

"Everything will be alright, Ay."

"But..I-"

"You'll get over it I promise."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Sorry, but you have to move on."

Her words rang in my ears. Move on? Move on how?? How could I possibly-

~~~

*flashback*

*Heavy breathing*

I looked around me and saw Cheryl curled up against the wall, her blonde hair tangled and dirty.

"Get up." An unfamiliar voice said roughly.

I looked forward and saw a man holding my mother by her neck, I watched her struggle desperately for air. My vision blurred as my eyes filled with tears.

I noticed a movement with the side of my eye and looked in that direction. My father, he was-

Ay…Ay…

~~~

"Ay!!!"

The sound of Kylie calling my name took me out of my daze. My eyes refocused on her, her lips moved but I heard no words.

She shook me and finally, I regained my senses. With a worried look, she let out a huge sigh.

I've seen a lot of those looks today.

"Let's go home."

"Yup, I agree with you on that one."

With that, we exited the library and headed home, to my home. I'd never been to Kylie's.

Who hasn't gone to their best friend's house? I asked myself.

Well, it never occured to me. Then I remembered her words, Sorry but you have to move on.

Move on?? Yeah right.