Redemption

Well Aren't We In A Pickle

Tara felt her head throb and her eyes sting. She struggled to open it, but to no avail.

She was being carried, she knew because she felt as light as a feather.

Her eyes opened slightly and all she could make out was a bright light. She squinted and struggled to focus but her consciousness kept slipping.

Tara felt weak, like every part of her was made of jello.

There were voice. If she focused hard enough, she could hear it.

"She's a human! What the hell were you guys thinking!" A high pitched voice yelled furiously.

The voice ended in an echoe and it was as if she were in a tunnel. Everything was dark. All knew was darkness in that moment. She tried making a sound, but found that it was next to impossible.

Human?

She felt herself land on something soft.

Bed.

She struggled to open her eye's. She wanted light. She needed light.

Though her half lidded eyes she could make out a few things.

A tall blurry figure.

Tousled silver hair.

Her eyes focused. She was suddenly lost in a pair of deep blue eyes. She could pick out emotions.

Concern. Confusion. Awe?

The voices kept talking in loud voices filled with anger, remorse and distress and she felt herself drown in the darkness once again. The last thing she heard was the sound of a smooth deep voice yell:

"Enough! She's staying."

¤

Blood. More blood. Screaming. Blood. Screaming. Pain. Ghoul. Blood. Mum. Dad. Flesh. Human flesh. Blood. Ghoul. Pain. Dead. Both dead. Blood. Ghoul . . . Blaise

Tara gasped as she jolted awake. Forehead beaded with perspiration. She was breathing hard, as if she'd run a mile, her heart was beating fast against her ribcage. Her clothes were drenched in sweat. It was dark, the only light from the rays of moonlight beaming through the gap of her white curtains. She didn't care where she was, or how she got in this warm bed. Her eyes were watering and her throat hurt from the screaming and crying. Her eyes widened suddenly as she was hit by a massive wave of flashbacks.

Tara's parents were taking her to a book shop for her 15th birthday and the afterwards they had dinner at a local restaurant. They sang karaoke and ate until their bellies were full.

Tara wanted to go home quickly so she could brag to her friend Aidan about getting the book they were both dying to buy. So they took the short cut, and then . . . And then they were both killed . . . On her birthday.

Tears were falling freely from her eye's as she broke off into sobs. She hugged her knees to her chest and hide her face behind her knees as she cried harder.

Awe thanks mum and dad. This is the best day ever!

She was shaking as she sobbed harder. Her head hurt, but the pain she felt from losing her parents and watching them die right in front of her eyes and not having the power to do anything was even more painful than she'd imagined.

¤

When Tara woke up again, the sun was up and fresh beams of sunlight poured into the room through the open window and past draped curtains.

She sat up and rubbed her eyes, feeling drained of energy.

The last thing she remembered was . . . A pair of mesmerizing blue eyes.

Tara was about to fall back into the comfortable bed when it all hit her, like an avalanche. She gripped the soft bedsheets and sat upright

Her parents were dead. She was now an orphan at the age of 15. Before her eyes even began to sting with tears her thought's kept running a-mile-a-minute. How was she going to live? Where was she going to stay--

It hit her like a ton of bricks. This whole room was unfamiliar. Where was she?

Before Tara had the chance to panic, a smooth voice interrupted her rather chaotic train of thought.

"You're awake." A sweet raspy voice sang from the doorway.

Tara gasped and snapped her gaze to the sound of the voice.

"Ayeka..."

The silver haired beauty grinned at her and walked over with a tray of food; bacon, eggs, baked bean, a blueberry muffin, an apple and a glass of juice.

She placed it on the night stand, aware of Tara's unwavering gaze.

"How do you feel?" She asked gently. She sat at the edge of the bed, her weight making the bed dip.

Tara hugged her knees up to her chest, placing her chin on her knees as she looked down.

"M-my parents . . . "

Ayeka's smile dropped. She nodded with sadness in her blue eyes..

"I'm sorry about that, Tara. We--"

"Where am I?" She asked softly, interrupting Ayeka.

"At my house. Well, technically it's not my house. It's Tobias' but you'll meet him eventually." Ayeka answered.

Tara nodded, taking in the information. In truth, she felt numb. Witnessing your parents get eaten does that to any sane person.

She swallowed and squeezed her eyes shut. She didn't want to think about what happened, not now anyway.

"You should eat. You've been asleep for a two days." Ayeka said, standing.

Tara looked up at the 15 year-old. Staring at Ayeka's pretty face reminded Tara of Blaise. They were identical, if not for the difference in their jaws. Ayeka had a round face and Blaise had a strong jaw and high cheekbones.

"There's some clean clothes over there by the cupboard, they were mine so they might not be a perfect fit. Bathrooms is down the hall to the left."

Ayeka nodded and turned to leave. She was halfway to the door when Tara's voice made her freeze in her step.

"You're ghouls . . . The people who killed my parent's were ghouls." Tara whispered.

Ayeka froze by the door. She heard what Tara said due to her enhanced hearing.

She had hoped Tara would take more time to recollect her thoughts. Ayeka was unsure how to approach this situation. If this was Kuma, she'd jump to conclusions and Tara would be dead in a matter of seconds. Secrecy was what they kept to survive. They were the ghouls that blended in well with the human society and live in harmony with them. Their identities must be kept a secret. Their true nature's never revealed.

The one rule they never break, was allow a human to know their true forms. Chikao said to wait until the human was awake, so what--

"It's okay . . . I don't mind. You and Blaise saved my life. Thank you."

Ayeka felt her lips curl up into a small smile. This was Tara they were talking about, the cheerful girl who was their favorite human customer and close friend since they opened shop.

She looked back slightly and saw her sitting in the same position, her bangs covering her eyes.

"Eat up, Tara. When you're done you can come out. You'll find us in the living room." Ayeka said before leaving.

Tara watched as she walked out.

Glancing at her food, she sighed. She didn't feel like eating, no matter how delicious it looked.

She fell back onto the soft duvets and looked around. The room was small with just enough space for the bed and a cupboard next to it. The window was at the foot of the bed. The walls were painted white with butterflies and fireflies dotted here and there.

In summary, the room was actually pretty adorable.

She got up and walked over to the cupboard and opened it. There were two plain shirts and a maroon sweatshirt, two jeans and a cute blue summer dress. Tara picked the maroon sweatshirt and the jeans.

She walked down the hallway, following the directions given to her by Ayeka. Tara stopped when she reached a door with skull stickers, red x's and a 'keep out' sign at the centre. This door had angsty teen written all over it.

Blaise.

She could hear the sound of hard rock blaring on speaker inside. Tara glanced down the hallway and saw the bathroom. She glanced back at Blaise's door. Maybe she could stay a little longer.

She was about to lean in closer when the music was adruptly cut off.

Tara panicked and dashed down the hallway and into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She leaned on the door, her heart beating fast.

The walls were thin, so she could hear his door opening. There was a moment of silence. It shut soon after.

Tara sighed in relief.

After she took a nice refreshing bath, she changed into the clothes. Ayeka was more thicker and taller than her so the clothes were slightly baggy. She didn't mind.

As she exited the bathroom, she glanced at Blaise's door. It was shut but no music was blaring inside.

The house was huge with more than five rooms down the hallway. She walked down, tracing her fingers lightly on the wall as she did. There no pictures that adorned the walls in the hallway.

She soon found the staircase leading downstairs. She walked down, able to pick out voices coming from downstairs.

The wall adjacent to the stairways had pictures. She slowly walked down so she could see all of them. Most of them were of this tall broad shouldered guy with dark hair. He must be Tobias.

There were other pictures to. There was Kuma, the cold waitress that always seemed to hate her. She was standing next to Blaise, ruffling his hair and grinning. Blaise was smaller, probably twelve. He had his arms folded and he looked highly irritated.

Tara smiled.

Before she could see the other pictures, a smooth voice interrupted her.

"Can you possibly walk down faster?" Blaise said in an irritated voice.

Tara turned and saw him. Her cheeks turned a light shade of pink out of embarrassment.

Blaise was wearing a simple dark sweatshirt that clung to his body and black jeans. Tara already knew he loved black because it seemed to be his usual choice of clothing.

"Sorry." She muttered, speed walking down.

Blaise was a cold-hearted person. Tara had known that since she was a kid. Blaise had been at The Rez when he was a kid too, he practically grew up there. Tara had a small crush on him back than and she still did now, it didn't help that the older he grew the more attractive he became.

Blaise shook his head in mild annoyance and walked ahead. She followed.

They went into what appeared to be the living room. It was a huge living space with a flat screen TV on the wall, with an electronic fire place below. There dark plush couches by the TV.

A long black polished table sat on the other half of the living room and that was where everyone sat.

Tara immediately recognized their faces. There was five of them. Kuma, the waitress that worked at The Rez who'd always glare daggers at her with her striking emerald eyes as if she had skinned her pet in another life. She stood next to a tall broad shoulder giant who Tara immediately recognized as Landy, the chief. Across from him stood Ayeka; tall, silver haired and beautiful. At the head of the table stood a tall beautiful man with dark eyes and equally dark hair. Behind him, a beautiful small girl stood peeking from behind the man's arm and clutching a teddy bear.

Everyone of these people worked at her favorite café. A cafè she'd practically grew up in. She thought she knew these people, she even called them close friends, but now under their somewhat intense stare she felt anxious and nervous; they were like strangers now,

She swallowed and chewed on her bottom lip.

Blaise wento to stand near the long window. He leaned on the wall with his hand tucked carelessly in his pockets, his deep blue eyes trained on her.

The beautiful dark haired man was the first to break the tensed silence.

"Well aren't we all in a pickle."