Silent World
c. Natalie Warren 2019
Prologue
The forest was quiet with a warm, midsummer breeze rustling the leaves to compliment the sweet songs of the birds. Squirrels scurried across the forest floor, foraging for nuts to prepare for the coming winter. Deer grazed at the edge of the valley, keeping their distance from the tiny shack located a little further down, a well only a few feet away.
Suddenly, a piercing scream split the air and the birds ceased their singing to squawk in terror, shooting into the sky as fast as their wings would carry them. Squirrels abandoned their collection of nuts to sprint to their burrows and the deer fled into the forest as the door to the shack burst open.
"Let me go!" the young girl screamed as she was dragged from the shack by her hair. The man snorted at her and increased his grip as she struggled against him.
"Not this time," he scoffed, yanking at her hair and she felt a few strands rip free from her skull. "This is your punishment!"
"No!" she pleaded. "I swore never to do it again!" She tried to pry his hand open, to release her hair in hopes to escape, but his grip was much too powerful. He dragged her across the parchment and the young girl glanced up, her heart fluttering with panic when she saw the well. She knew it was pointless to scream for help; nobody would hear her.
"You've told me that more than once," she was reminded. "I have tolerated it up until now. This time you're going down there and you will atone for your actions."
"No, please," tears streamed down her face, her eyelashes sticking together in clumps. She tried to dig her bare heels into the ground to stop herself from being pulled any further, but the brick pavement only scraped against her skin and blood began to bubble from the fresh wounds. Her eyes widened when the man pushed her against the well and she could smell the foul stench coming from within.
"Half an hour," the man told her cruelly. "It will give you time to think about what you've done."
"Please, don't do this," she begged. "Please!"
He ignored her pleas and released her hair to grab her around the waist. She yelped as she was hurled over the edge of the well and she quickly grabbed the ledge, her fingers almost breaking from having to take on the sudden weight. Her legs dangled freely and she glanced over her shoulder to try and see the water below, but it was too dark to see a thing. Panic made her throat close up and a whimper escaped her. She choked on the horrid fumes that rose up from below and fear made her tremble.
"Sorry, dear," the man stood over her, placing his hands over hers with a look of malice in his eyes. A smirk seemed to grow on his face when he clearly saw the terror reflected in the girl's hazel gaze. "You won't learn otherwise."
"I'll drown," she sobbed and yelped as her fingers started to slip. "I can't swim!"
"You should have thought about that before you decided to be a naughty girl," he chuckled and her eyes widened as he pushed her hands away from the edge. He let her go and she screamed as she plunged down into the depths of the well, the light above her shrinking in size. Her scream was cut short as she hit the water and she forced herself to kick her legs, to propel herself back up. She broke the surface and gasped for air, choking as the stench filled her lungs like smoke. She desperately tried to keep herself above the water and she looked up, seeing a light slowly being lowered into the well by a rope, stopping just above her reach. She saw the man's face peeking over the ledge at the very top with an evil grin.
She tried to reach the light, grabbing at the bricks to grope for a handhold, but the walls were too smooth. Her hands scraped against the bricks and she winced as they tore open her skin. She treaded the thick, stinking water, trying to keep herself afloat. The air was almost too thick to even breathe and her lungs ached with the effort. Her legs burned with the strain of keeping her head above water and she grabbed at the bricks again, but it was no use.
"Let me back up!" she screamed at the man. Her legs failed her for a second and she began to sink, her head submerging. She kicked furiously and broke the surface again, coughing and spluttering as she choked on the water.
"I said half an hour," the man hollered.
"Let me back up!" she screeched again, gasping for air. "Dad, please!"
He shook his head and disappeared from view, probably to go and sit in the shack and wait for her time to be up. She grabbed for a handhold again, wondering if her father would return later to find a lifeless corpse. Was that was he was hoping for?
She reached her arm up but froze when the small glow of light allowed her to catch a glimpse of her skin. Her heart fluttered like a trapped bird when she saw the crimson color staining her arm, dripping down her elbow. Her legs continued to ache with the effort of keeping her head above the surface and she gasped as her panic only increased. Her fear took hold of her and she finally realized what she was swimming in. All this time, she had never known what was in the well, and now she regretted ever being curious. It wasn't water that she was swimming in, and it certainly wasn't wasted red wine! Her father wasn't the type of person to waste a single drop of alcohol.
Please, God! She thought as she struggled to stay afloat. Please don't let me drown in blood!
Big Bang
1. Big bang
"Raven, wake up!"
Raven groaned as she slowly opened her eyes. "Huh?" she muffled into her pillow. She glanced up and saw her mother standing at her bedroom door.
"Get up," Lorna growled. "I don't want you to be late for school again."
Raven grabbed one of her pillows and pulled it over her face, feeling her head pound as she stifled a yawn. "I don't want to go to that hellhole."
"Get up!" her mother demanded, a snarl in her tone.
"Fine," Raven grumbled, not moving at first.
"Now!"
"Okay," the girl hissed and threw her pillow at her mother, but it barely made it halfway across the room. "Get out." Lorna glared at her and she slammed the door shut, her footsteps thudding as she stormed down the hallway. Raven sneered at her mother's departure and untangled herself from her blanket, kicking it off of her bed and sitting up. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and left the comfort of her bed, battling with herself not to jump back on it and return to her world of dreams. She stretched before stripping of her nightdress, letting it slither to the floor. She walked over to the wardrobe and opened a few drawers before finally finding a pair of black shorts and a yellow shirt to match her color-coded uniform. She put her fresh clothes on and grabbed some socks, pulling them on before slipping into her runners. She picked up her pure, silver cross-necklace from the top of her wardrobe and clipped it around her neck. Her best friend, Elaise, had given her the necklace, mentioning something about keeping the supernatural creatures away from her. Raven could never understand her superstitious-insane friend, but they were friends all the same.
"Hurry up and come downstairs!" Lorna's irritated voice called out to her and she rolled her eyes.
"Give me a bloody minute!" Raven called back and grabbed her school bag, already filled with books and a small, pink pencil case. She carried it out into the bathroom and abandoned it on the floor, looking in the mirror only to narrow her eyes when she took note of her messy blonde hair that cascaded over her shoulders in knotty waves. She opened her 'allocated drawer' and picked up her hairbrush, combing it through her hair until it was silky smooth. She tied it up in a neat ponytail and quickly applied a simple layer of make-up. With another call from her mother, she felt her body twitch with annoyance. She snatched up her bag, leaving the bathroom and making her way downstairs.
She left her bag at the front door and entered the kitchen, sitting at the table opposite Jon, her stepfather. He was reading the morning paper with a plate of toast in front of him, sitti
ng beside a cup of coffee. A bowl of Coco Pops was already sitting in front of Raven and she picked up her spoon, attacking her much-loved cereal.
"Eat slowly, or you'll choke!" Lorna hissed and Raven spotted the pile of papers on the kitchen bench.
"What's with the papers?" she asked as she finished her breakfast and took her empty bowl to the kitchen. She put the bowl in the sink and flicked the switch of the kettle to make herself a coffee.
"We have been sharing words with Elaise's parents, and we've all come to a conclusion," Jon spoke up as Raven prepared her hot beverage.
"You guys want to start a book club?" Raven retorted and got the milk from the fridge. "I've always supported your hobbies but this is a bit too far, even for you, Jonno."
"It's Jon," he said sternly. "And no; the papers are for boarding school."
Raven had just taken her first sip of her coffee and she choked, coughing to try and collect herself. "You're kidding, right?"
"We're serious," Lorna murmured, leaning on the kitchen bench close to Raven. "One more screw up from the two of you, and you are both going."
The blonde girl thought about that for a moment and smiled wryly. "That's probably going to be the best joke I'll hear all day." Surely they weren't serious!
"We've applied you both for White Grass Academy," Jon growled. "They're ready to take you the second they get the phone call. It's the strictest school we have found, and you'd be there for five long years."
"But, I'm in year twelve," Raven scoffed. "I'm almost finished school!"
"White Grass works as a sort of university," Jon raised his chin, lowering his newspaper. "And if we say you're going, you're going."
"You're not my father!" Raven spat angrily, feeling her body heat up. "Don't start acting like you are."
Jon seemed to realize his mistake. "I never said that I was."
"Whatever," Raven muttered and put her empty coffee mug on the bench. She glanced up at the clock above the kitchen sink and sighed. "I'm gonna go wait for the bus."
"I could drive you?" Lorna offered.
"Oh, I'm sorry," the blonde snapped at her mother. "My whole life, I never knew that you were a bus!"
She stalked out of the kitchen before Lorna could say more and she snatched up her bag, walking out the front door. She quickly tucked her fringe behind her ears and groaned with irritation as she made her way up the street to the bus stop.
I'm not going to boarding school, she thought and kicked a rock. I won't leave the safety of this town!
She waited ten minutes before her bus arrived and she waved it down. She pulled out her wallet and paid the small fee, smiling when she spotted her best friend sitting on her own, the rest of their friends up the back. Raven took a seat beside Elaise and her friend took one look at her and frowned.
"What's wrong?" Elaise demanded calmly.
"What else could be wrong?" Raven rolled her eyes. "I was practically backed into a corner this morning."
"Lorna and Jonno told you about White Grass, didn't they?" her friend guessed.
"Bingo," she sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"I copped that too," Elaise murmured quietly. "Honestly, what other choice do we have?" she glanced back at their friends, Sherill, Kylie, Bianca and Danielle, who were talking amongst themselves.
"I'm not leaving town," Raven said simply. "It's safe here, and we have so many friends."
"It's not as safe as you think," Elaise lowered her voice and Raven felt her muscles tensing up. "White Grass has fortified walls; no stranger goes unnoticed." Fortified walls, huh? That didn't actually sound too bad.
Raven reflected; Elaise was the only one who knew Raven's darkest secret. Elaise had stood by her from the moment they met and was always there when Raven needed to talk. But the blonde was still a little unsure. "It's been years though…"
"I know you feel safe here," Elaise almost whispered, her blue eyes able to calm anyone's mood. She tucked a lock of mahogany hair behind her ear and smiled with sympathy. "But it's only a matter of time before you walk down the street and you're found. White Grass could be the best thing for you."
Raven couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You'd do more years of school for me?" she blinked, watching as the bus stopped to allow another kid on. "I thought we weren't going to continue after this year; we're almost free."
Elaise pretended to gasp in disbelief. "Of course, I would! You're my best friend. And a couple of years in 'university' couldn't hurt."
"I still don't know," Raven shook her head. "White Grass might not be all it's cracked up to be." What if it was a terrible school? What if all of the students hated them?
"From what I've read, they have guard dogs that patrol the perimeter of the school at night," Elaise added. "It's one of the safest places in the world. I want you to consider it, please?"
Raven nodded her head and the bus reached their school. As soon as the doors opened, everyone got off and dispersed onto the campus. Raven and Elaise were joined by their friends and received strong hugs by all.
They walked together past the gym and onto the oval to wait for the morning bell. Raven rolled her eyes when she heard a voice call her name. She looked over to see Erik and Sam, two of the biggest bullies in the school. Raven had a bad reputation at her school, and it gained a lot of attention over time.
One night at a party, Raven drank a little too much and had sex with a boy she barely knew. As soon as the word spread around, she didn't get bullied as much because the boys wanted something else from her instead. Raven went with it and lost control of herself for a while, just happy that she wasn't being picked on for the way she uncontrollably twitched her nose, or the fact that her teeth weren't straight and gave her an 'ugly smile'.
Over time, Raven drifted away from the boys and began to feel pathetic. Boys only wanted sex from her, and the more she gave it to them, the more she wanted a boy to care about her. She wanted a boy to look at her and feel lucky to have her. She wanted a boyfriend that didn't want her just for sex. But she told herself that it was unlikely to ever happen because of her reputation.
She snapped out of her thoughts as Erik called her over again and Kylie whispered excitedly in her ear. "He likes you."
"Ugh!" Raven gagged and left her friends to approach Erik. Elaise stayed with her as they reached the boys. "What do you want?" Raven demanded.
"Oh, you know what I want," Erik beamed and stood beside her, his lips hovering over her ear. She felt his warm breath and narrowed her eyes.
"I know what you want from me," she nodded and suppressed a shiver. "Why did you call me over?"
"Well, for starters…" he toyed with her ponytail before bending in attempts to kiss her neck. She growled and flicked him in the face, turning to glare at him.
"Don't get so close; you'll ruin my make-up," she snorted and pushed him away.
He looked hurt, but he kept a smile. "I wanted to ask if you'd be up for hanging out with me this weekend-"
"Sorry, I'm busy," she crossed her arms and saw Elaise shaking her head.
"Well, how about next weekend-"
"Busy."
He frowned. "When aren't you busy?"
"When you're not pestering me to fuck you," she smiled sweetly but quickly wiped the smile away to hide her teeth. She had become very self-conscious about them thanks to all of the bullying.
"If you always want to be busy," he didn't give up, "you and me can always get busy any time of the week."
Raven sighed. "Busy with you? I could hardly call that a good time."
"She has a point," Elaise murmured and Erik glanced at her. "Where could you take her that she hasn't already been to?"
"My bed?" he raised an eyebrow with a sneaky gleam in his eyes.
"Sorry, pin-dicks just don't do it for me," Raven scoffed and Erik's mouth flew wide as Sam choked on laughter.
"Fine," he shrugged it off as Raven's friends walked over to see what was taking so long. "Any of you girls free this weekend?"<
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"I am," Kylie smiled.
"And that's how whores are made," Elaise spat rudely at her. "Don't lower your standards for this asshole."
Her red-headed friend looked offended, but slowly nodded. "You're right. Sorry."
Erik sighed and Raven rolled her eyes. "Anyone else?" he asked.
"Are you really that desperate to get laid?" Elaise giggled.
Sherill quickly shook her head. "If Raven turned you down, then you're not worth it." Raven had to bite her tongue, knowing all too well that her friend's comment was about the blonde's reputation.
"I won't even consider it," Danielle held her hands up in defense and Bianca nodded in agreement.
The bell rang and Raven was glad she could escape. "Saved by the bell. Bye, boys." She led her friends away and Elaise's eyes were wide with amusement.
Silent World Page 1
