Death Before Dawn

The Start Of Something New

I jolt awake to the sound of my 4am alarm going off on my nightstand, I quickly shut it off and instant relief washes over me after being pulled from my nightmare. I sit up in my bed close my eyes and take a deep breath. Its constant this dream, it always begins and ends the same from the moment I wake up to the moment my father took his last breath. Nothing about it changes because you can’t change what didn’t happen. I get out of bed and head to my closet; I need to go for a run and shake off the remnants of my nightmare. After putting on a black sports bra, shorts and a t-shirt, I throw my running shoes on, grab my headphones off my dresser and head out of my bedroom. As I’m walking down the hall I stop at my brother’s door and crack it open. He’s sleeping. At least one of us is. Once I’m satisfied with that, I close his bedroom door and continue down the hall then down the stairs I stop and grab my keys out of the bowl near the front door. Locking it on my way out I put my headphones in and start my running playlist. “Miss Nothing” By the Pretty Reckless plays in my ears and I take off down the street. All I can think about is my nightmare how I wasn’t able to help my father sooner if I hadn’t been a scared little girl I might’ve been able to save him sooner, might’ve been able to save Nik and myself from the Hell we’ve been through these last few years. I'm not sure for how long I run but I keep running until my chest is burning and my legs feel as though they might give out when I stop to catch my breath I look at my phone and it reads 6:15. s**t. I’ve got to get back to the house and wake Nik up for school. I take off in the direction of my house as I’m running, I’m looking at all the houses I pass by all of them the same. Big, White, Gated. They all scream money. While my brother and I are not poor by any means our wealth didn’t come without a price either. I had to fight, literally had to fight for every dime we have. As I walk up the driveway of our house, I begin to remember my first time fighting in the “PIT”.

“Are you sure you want to fight with big boys’ little girl.” The man leaning up against the wall asks me.

 He’s tall at least 6ft with broad shoulders and light brown hair and blue eyes i'd say he was cute if he hadn’t opened his mouth.  The two men beside him laugh. Am I sure no.? But I know I need too if I don’t Nik and I will starve, and I couldn’t bare losing my brother. 

“Are your guys sure they can take me?” I throw back at the man.

 A smile pulls at the corner of his lips when he looks at me, pushing off the wall he stalks toward me. 

“Feisty I like it. The guy at the door explain the rules too you.”

 “Yeah, I know the rules we’re allowed to have one weapon during each fight, the more men you fight the more money you make 100,000$ for everyone person you fight and knock out. At the end of the fight you’ll be asked if you would like to continue into the next tournament. Finish all 30 tournaments and you win 80 Million dollars. If you lose you walk away with nothing.”

 “Very good now follow me the first tournament is about to begin.” As I walk behind this man whose name I don’t even know I begin to pray, I pray I make it out of here alive, I pray all the training my father subjected me too will be enough to get me through this and I pray that god watches over my brother while he sleeps in that shitty motel alone while I’m stuck here. We continue down a long hallway when I start to hear yelling and the stomping of people’s feet. Just before we reach two large double doors I close my eyes and take a deep breath too prepare myself too clear my mind of everything, to remind myself I’m here too win I’ve fought and trained with some of the best in the world nothing and no one is going to stop me from winning. I must do this for Nik for myself if I ever want us to have a chance at surviving. When I open my eyes the man, I’ve followed is looking at me with laughter in his eyes. 

“You change your mind yet Feisty?” His smirk never leaving his face. “No, I’m good.” He shakes his head at me. "By the way, the guy at the door did he give you a name.?” I look at him confused. “No, he didn’t give me a name. What do I need a name for?” it's his turn to look at me confused. “Your cage name, the name we’ll call you while your fighting in this tournament.” “No, he didn’t give me a name, so just come up with something and I’ll go with it.” At this he smiles and not one of his little smirks he’s been giving me all night, but he smiles big looks me up and down then says “If you make it out of there alive will you tell me your real name.?”He asks with actual interest I can't have anyone know who I really am especially someone who I know for sure I can't trust. “Not a chance.” I say with a touch of venom in my words. The smile never leaving his face looks me in the eyes and says, “My name’s Roman and I guess i'll call you My Feisty Treasure, but only I get to call you that.” He whispers in my ear before I can react to the new nickname he's just given me a voice from a box on the wall I hadn’t noticed before comes to life and speaks to Roman. Roman says something in return and then it goes off. I’m about to ask who that was on the box when a booming voice comes on from all different directions, he sounds like the guy who announces the fighters in UFC fights. “Ladies and Gentlemen, are you ready?!” People scream back in response. “Tonight we have a special treat for you not only do we have the first solo female fighter tonight but she will be going up against 10 all male fighters for the chance to go home with 1 million dollars and to continue on in the tournament and win our 80 million dollar jackpot something that has never been done in the history of “The PIT” ladies and gentleman as she rises from her own ashes give it up for “The Phoenix”!” I don’t have time to dwell on the name Roman has given me because the large doors begin to open and as they do the screaming intensifies I close my eyes and make a promise that I won’t forget who I am and why I’m doing this but as I begin to repeat this in my head like a mantra it starts to sound like one promise I won't be able to keep.

I pull myself from the memory and remind myself it's all in the past, Nik and I have never been more safe or secure in our lives and soon we’ll both be off to college starting new and exciting memories and we won't ever have to worry about looking back. I unlock the front door and push it open the smell of coffee overwhelms me. I see Nik standing in the kitchen with his hair a bit disheveled from sleep. I walk towards the kitchen and start pulling ingredients from the refrigerator and cabinets, and start making us omelets for breakfast.

“What time did you wake up this time?” he asks

“4am I figured since I was awake Id go for a run but lost track of time so we’re going to have to eat a small breakfast if we want to get to the school on time.” I replied with a smile on his face he says.

“I can’t believe you actually agreed to attend Sunlake High with me.” He says smiling being his cup of coffee.

“Yeah well I can’t either.” I mumble but really I can believe it when my brother asked me to attend Sunlake with him at initially said no but then he started talking about how this was our last year of high school and how he wanted us both to be attending the same school to experience homecoming and Prom he wanted me to be able to attend every one of his football games this year everything we should be celebrating for our last year of high school.

He said he wanted to make everlasting memories. Whatever the hell that means.

 But I agreed because I knew It would mean a lot to him if I went. We eat in comfortable silence as we do, I take the time to admire my brother’s features. He’s starting to look so much like our dad the older we get. Despite being twins the only thing my brother and I share in features is our jet-black hair and bright green eyes everything else I’ve inherited from our Mom. Our Dad was born and raised in Russia until he was 13 years old when he and his parents came to America. Our Mom was full Columbian. Once we’re both finished eating I head upstairs to my room and head straight for the shower, once done I head into my closet and begin to decide what I’m going to wear on my first day of school I decide on my favorite Nirvana t shirt a pair of jean shorts and my white high top converse sneakers, I brush my teeth and finger comb my hair and deciding to let it air dry before heading downstairs I want to get in the garage before Nik does, as an early 18th Birthday present I bought him the black Jeep he wanted and scrapped his old and used one. I told him id buy him a new one if he wanted one but he said he wanted to work for the money to buy it himself and he had although it was used he had earned the money working his part time job at O’Malley’s Mechanic shop and I was proud of him but I also wanted to get him something I knew without a doubt he’d love. Me on the other hand my car was a 1968 Dodge Charger and she was beautiful all black exterior and interior she was gorgeous. I heard Nik grab his keys out of the bowl near the door and got into position. When I heard the door open, I jumped out and yelled “Surprise”! Nik jumped back and placed his hand over his heart, and I started to laugh.

“What the hell is wrong with you Rome are you trying to give me a heart attack?” he yelled. Laughing I replied.

“Nik you didn’t even notice your brand-new car.” His face scrunches and he looks up and when he see his new car his whole face lights up. Totally worth almost giving him a heart attack.

“You got me a new Jeep?”

“Its an early birthday present and you earned it, I also have a check for your old Jeep I had it scrapped and was even able to make a few bucks off of it and I have your new key.” I hand him the check for 1500$ and the key to his new jeep. But before I can get the key into his hand, he pulls me into a tight hug.

“Thank you, Rome, for everything you’ve done for me for everything you sacrificed for us and thank you for my new Jeep I couldn’t have asked for a better twin I love you.” I can hear the emotion in his voice and it almost breaks me, but I tighten my hold on him.

“You’re welcome Niklaus I love you too. But does this mean I’m the better-looking twin.” I ask trying to lighten the mood.

“You wish.” He says as he throws his head back in laughter. I hear my phone ringing and pull it out of my back pocket the screen lights up with a picture of me and my best friend Tanner I answer it immediately.

“Where the hell are you, I’m standing in my driveway waiting for you bitch.” He says

“s**t T I’m sorry I’m on my way I just gave Nik his birthday present.” I say while walking to my car I get in and push the button to open the garage door.

“Oh, how is that sexy beast of a brother.” He replies. Laughing I reply.

“He pulling out of the garage as we speak which I should be doing too if you want me to come pick your ass up.”

“Well then, sounds like someone ate b***h flakes for breakfast this morning.”

“Ha ha very funny I had an omelet thank you very much did you grab me a travel mug with coffee like I asked with hazelnut flavor?”

“Yes I did. And you're welcome.”

“Thank you i'll be there in a minute.”

“Just call me the hazelnut slut.” He whispered I laughed and hung up on him and reversed down the driveway.

 After closing the garage door I headed around the corner from my house and see Tanner standing in the driveway as I pulled up I was immediately thankful to have such an amazing friend like him his friendship is what's going to get me through this year.