Umbra: Feed on my Fear

Flowers for the Dead

Third Person's POV

17 Years Ago

Visiting the grave of her brother was her Saturday afternoon routine for the past months after he passed away. Since the cemetery was a few meters away from their home, she never missed a chance to stop by.

Gabriel C. Monroe

Beloved son, brother and friend

Heidi with her white and red stripes sweater and a pair of jeans that was loosened at the bottom part, ignored the crows that flew past the oak tree that was a foot away from where she was.

Crows freaked her out before but as time passed by, she got used to it. As long as they don't hurt me, she thought.

She brought yellow daffodils that was placed on the tombstone and she was seated on the ground facing it.

Her brown sling bag had a charming geometric front with colorful pieces of fabrics finely intertwined in a butterfly shape. From that, she brought out a small gray device with three buttons on it.

"Gaby, look! Dad and mom gave me a Rio Karma mp3 player for my birthday. You just click this button here. See? And the music starts." The minute sound of the music can be heard as she sang along to the tune.

When her brother was alive, she could hear the loud blast of the stereo from her room. At first, it was aggravating but the absence of the ear splitting metal and rock bands made her felt so empty.

You can never truly appreciate something until it's gone.

"Gaby, we hope you're in a happy place in the clouds with lots and lots of candies."

She couldn't help but shed a tear when she remembered how her brother died. The curse that was brought upon them when they played the game.

No one believed her when she tried to explain and no one really saw the Shadow that lurked up until then.

It never hurt her but it scared her.

She took out a bar of Snickers and placed it just beside the flowers, "Eat up now. I will be back next time. I promise."

She rose from then patted her jeans on the way to her bicycle that had a beautiful yellow basket in front.

Heidi pedalled her way to the rocky path and onto the concrete of the road. It was already three in the afternoon and she needed to go home.

The sun emitted a dim light not like the usual brightness that she was used to. Dust flooded through her path as the wind gently glided, lightly touching her pale cheeks.

Just as she passed the oak tree, a group of three guys on the side of the road that looked like they were in their twenties, stopped what they were doing and looked at her.

It was like they were expecting her to pass by.

"Oh no," she muttered. She knew them. Well, not really. They were notorious in causing trouble and it was best to keep going.

She took a deep breath and headed straight.

"Hey! Stop right there," the guy with spiky hair and rings on his fingers shouted at a distance.

Her guts told her to go faster but there was something on the guy's voice that just froze her whole body. Long strides were taken when finally they towered over her.

"Are you Gabriel Monroe's sister?" The guy in his early twenties with a bushy unibrow said. She guessed that his name was Omar because it was tattooed all over his forehead.

Gripping the handle, she said calmly, "No."

"Don't lie to us. She is, Jaxon!" Omar insisted.

"Perfect. Now let's settle this. I gave your brother $150 just to hand me thirty copies of Manhunt and since he's not here, you're going to get it for us," Jaxon said adjusting the rings on his fingers. "Right, Nash?"

"Yeah. We know he's hiding it somewhere in his room," Nash agreed as the smell of strong cigarette and mint wafted her nostrils that made her nauseous.

"He's dead. He doesn't have it."

"Your brother is a lying loser. Don't be one."

"He's not! You take that back!"

"Oh you're crying now, baby girl?"

"Too bad your tears can't pay for the money your brother stole from us."

"I will never cry and I am not a baby! You're all mean."

She stepped back as Jaxon flashed a smirk. The menacing look made her nervous.

"Oh yeah?" He snatched the mp3 that she forgot that she was holding. "How about now?"

"Where is he, little girl? No one is here to defend you anymore," Omar catched it with his right hand and tossed it to Nash which he threw it back to Jaxon.

"That's mine!"

"Show her, Jaxon."

"Come on, Jaxon!"

"I will give this to you, little girl. If you give me a kiss."

The guys bursted with laughter.

"Kiss yourself," disgust was apparent on her voice while can hear the other two guys on the background shouting. She was more than determined to get away from them as soon as she had her hands on the mp3 player.

Heidi grabbed a handful of Jaxon's shirt just to make him budge.

She tiptoed and stretched her arms to reach for the small gadget. She slipped and her nails dug on Jaxon's raised left arm. A narrow red mark was left just above his wrist.

He wailed in pain and shoved her that almost threw her on the ground. It became silent as Heidi can see Jaxon's face shifted from a creepy smirk to an ugly scowl.

Hearing his companions inappropriate commentaries, he smashed the gadget that hit the pile of pebbles then laid his hands on her. He pushed her so hard that her head landed onto a huge shale.

A shot of pain spread into her system that prohibited her to move even her lips. Groaning, she just shut her eyes as she lay defenseless. Her head ached that rendered her to unmoved like a rag doll.

How could they? How can they live with hurting people and bullying them until they are weak.

Tears threatened to escape her eyes but she managed to stop it.

Her brother is dead and instead of paying their respects, they belittled him through her.

"Dude," Omar pointed his shaky finger just when his companions turned their backs at the girl. "She's not getting up."

"Hey wuss, get up! Don't play tricks on us or you're going to get it."

"Move her," Omar pushed Nash until it's just a yard away from her. With his foot, he turned Heidi sideways and immediately jerked away when he saw blood oozing from her scalp to the ground.

With labored breaths, the three boys rushed away from the scene and stomped at the broken pieces of the mp3 player that laid on the dirt, together with its owner.

Before she sink into oblivion, she felt someone looking down at her with its warmth, she can tell that he stood just inches away from her lifeless body.

You don't deserve this. Forgive me but I will never let this pass.

The voice filled with rage. The voice in her head that is all too familiar now packed with a promise that she never want to witness. It scared her but comforted her at the same time. 

It was only a matter of seconds as she breathed in an air that filled her senses. The aching feeling on her whole body subsided as she felt her body gently floated through. It's as if someone hoisted her up with a string.

The feeling of someone being in control of her own body terrified her. She can feel her fingers twitching and legs moving in an involuntary manner. But the warmth that she felt inside calmed her racing heart. Goosebumps started to show on her skin as cold air engulfed her.

In a heartbeat, her eyes flung open to reveal only a sheath of white all over her eyes.

You can now rest, Buttercup. I will take care of them.

And from there, all things went blank.