Noooo.... Akasha saw the blood running down the streets as she stood standing in the center of it. The chaos all around her made her shut her eyes tightly to avoid the screams of the children that were left to roam the death ridden place that once was home. She looked down at her hands and saw them stained crimson and she gasped as she wondered what she had done.

You! You did this! The dead girl pointed her finger at Akasha and stood strongly before her. Her blonde hair laid in little curlets to her shoulders as her finger unwaveringly kept pointing at Akasha.

I..I.. Akasha couldn't even get the words out of her mouth as her bright green eyes pierced that of the little girls blue. She couldn't even remember how she got there none the less if she did this. She looked down quickly and noticed all blood on splattered upon her clothes and then took a step towards the girl.

Evil is all you are. EVIL! The ear piercing screams hit Akasha's ears suddenly as she took one step closer.


Screaming, Akasha sat up startled from her sleep and shook her head. The dream to her seemed so life like and so real that it caused her to wiped a bit of sweat from her forehead. Jesus Christ these dreams have to stop.. She laid back down and stared at the ceiling a bit before rolling over and looking at the clock. Shit it's only 7:00 not even night yet. she slipped her feet over the edge of the bed and slowly sat up in the room. A bit of light barely pierced her black curtains and she frowned suddenly.

Damn light. She stood up and stretched before rubbing her eyes sleepily. Then walked to her kitchen. Opening the fridge door she realized she had absolutly had nothing to drink and winced at how dry her mouth was. Figures. She slammed the fridge door shut as she grabbed her shoes that sat by the door and worked them on her feet as she grumbled. Damn store, damn dream, gah.. Finally tying her shoe laces she grabbed her key to her apartment and opened the door.

King was sitting in the Solice of his room, everything was silent and still. His mind raced lucid as if he were actually sleeping. The images in his head were crimson red. Blood ran through the streets like rivers. In the distance was the silloette of a woman. The sounds were unmistakeable. The earth shattering screams will live with him for the rest of his life.

Am I dreaming? he mumbles to himself.

A few hours later, leaving the solitude of his apartment Misery walks the lonely street in the pitch black dark. The rivers of blood and screams replayed in his head. Snap out of it, there is no way that could have been real he argues with himself

Finding his way to a neighborhood bar

Dominion rests head on the tree he's been supporting himself on for the last 3 hours. He looks to the sky as if hoping to see straight through to heaven but all he can make out is some clouds that seemed to be swirling around his head. He raises the bottle to his lips taking another swig and, noticing the bottle was empty, tossed it to the side and opened a new bottle.

Dominion was no stranger to loss in his life. He was often noted for his ability to handle even the most intense situation with a certain stoic grace. However even the coolest demeanor can belie the true turbulence of one's emotions. Though it appeared tragedy did not phase Dominion he felt the loss inside. The loss of friends. The loss of innocence. The loss of love. Deep down he felt it all and every so often he allowed these feelings to come out so they would simmer to the point of destroying him from the inside.


Dominion takes a swig from the newly opened bottle and as he lowers it the bottle slips from his hand and breaks on the ground.

God dammit! he yells out as he begins to brush the whiskey off his jacket that had fallen to his feet some time earlier. As he brushed the liquid a piece of broken glass cut his hand. He stopped and stared as the blood slowly began to pour from the wound and slowly began to engulf his hand.

Just then Dominion's stare is broken by the scream of a young woman. He attempts to regain his composure and tries to focus on where the scream came from.

Spider sighed dramatically and took a sip from her martini. Her grandmother had set her up on a blind date with the most colorless guy she had ever met, in her entire life. What a waste of a night she thought to herself as the man sitting across from her chewed on his steak and talked at the same time. He kept going on and on about how the investment company he worked for was doing so well and how he thought he would become a partner. It was just like her grandmother to set her up with this type of man. If you could call him that even. The way he chewed his food made him look like a cow. It made her want to vomit a little.

The worst part was, she had to pretend to be someone she wasn't, but that was the whole point of this. Her dates lips moved, but she could only hear her grandmother's boring words. "See what the life out of crime is like my dear, you'll love it. The men will take care of you, you'll have a big house, a big wedding and three perfect children for your perfect life. Selling drugs and robbing banks will never get you there my dear Charlotte. Don't make the same mistakes your mother made." What did that old hag know, she was wrinkly.

"Char, are you listen to me?"

Spider snapped her attention back to her suitor. Did he just call her Char? Seriously? Was this a joke. She thought about asking him that, but changed her mind and brought a smile to her perfectly painted lips.

Of course Fred.

"It's Bob."

Right, Bob, please continue.

This seemed to be good enough for him, it was probably the dress she wore tonight and her beauty that was always prominent. A pretty lady showing him attention, call me whatever you want! Spider's eyes floated away from the table when Fred started to talk with his mouth full again. She lost herself as she gazed out the window, her eyes glazing over with the city sparkles. At least Fred could find the greatest table in town.

As Spider faded off into another day dream she was glad it wasn't her grandmother trying to change her life. A sea of flowers developed in front of her vision, the city dissolving away. A place from her childhood maybe, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it. She heard a child's laugh, it made her smile. Quickly everything changed. Dark. Very dark clouds rolled in. The field of flowers blew away as the wind picked up and her vision was blinded with red. It was now raining and Spider stood in an empty street in the city. First the rain kissed her skin, the water slipping off her bare shoulders. She laughed, relieved the darkness was gone. Just as she thought everything was fine, Spider realized the rain water had turned into blood. Beads of blood fell from the sky, slid down her skin and collected in the cracks in the road.

"So, Char, what do you think about the economy?"

Fred's throaty voice called her back to their date and not soon enough. What, where did that come from? She'd rather take her Grandmother's hypocritical bullshit any day over such a disturbing day dream. This date had to end, she needed a stiff drink.

What do I think about the economy? Really Fred?

"It's Bob."

Fine, Bob, it's not called the great depression for nothing. Now, if you would please excuse me I cut my foot before and my shoe is filling up with blood.

Spider watched as first concern washed over Fred's face and then, wait, he got it. What she just said was completely ludicrous. Before he tried to stop her she picked up her purse and left the table. As a cab pulled up to the curb and she got in, she couldn't help but feel a shiver climb up her spine and a whisper in her ear of something evil. She couldn't believe she was taking public transportation, but desperate times sometimes called for desperate measures. One thing for sure, that drink, just turned into a double. Spider told the dirty cabby an address and the car pulled away from the curb.

Akasha felt the chill of the air, as the sun had just sank down behind the horizon as she left her building. It wasn't terribly often she got out this early but her parched mouth simply had to be satsified. Looking at the people that walked past her she couldn't help but feel that she was still in a dream, and just found herself staring at people as she passed them.

Her dream hung so heavy in her head that she almost felt as if she had seen shadows of things creeping from every corner that were evil, but she found herself wondering if it were things or just images of herself. Suddenly a tug at her shirt caught her off guard and she turned quickly and faced the person in front of her.

"Excuse me?" Akasha nearly fell over as she stared down at the small girl with blonde hair. "Can I have a dollar? Im really thirsty."

Still completely overwhelmed by the child looking so much like the one her in her dream, Akasha slowly reached in her pocket and took out a dollar stopping quickly she questioned the little girl. "Where are your parents?"

The girl paused a moment, and then she snatched the dollar that Akasha had almost held out. "Dead... They are all dead..."

Akash's eyes widened suddenly, as a smirk came over the girls face and she took a step forward. "Who killed them child?" Akasha watched as the girl ran off into the darkness, that had overcome the streets almost instantly. Looking from side to side, she picked south and ran hoping to catch the child.

Whiskey. King orders from the barkeep. Sipping on his drink to forget his visions.he shoots the entire drink.

Through the door walk a small girl, golden curly locks bordered her face. 'I'll take a coke please sir' the girl ordered. The barkeep handed her the coke asking 'Should you be out this late young lady?' The girl shrugs and drinks her entire coke and setting the glass back down on the counter and promptly leaves.

'I've seen this girl somewhere before but I can't place it' he thinks to himself. His mind begins to race again trying to remember how he knows this girls face, and nothing is surfacing his thoughts other than the vision that he had earlier.

He orders one more double shot of whiskey and slams the whole thing back and pays the barkeep and leaves. Passing the park next to the bar he sees the same silhouette in the distance.

Dominion stumbles as he gathers himself up and start walking towards the area where he heard the scream. Hugging signs and holding on to walls for balance he struggles to focus on what is in front of him. Searching for the source of the scream he stumbles upon a young girl with beautiful golden locks.

"Ith errything ok?" Dominion's words slur as they leave his inebriated lips. "Wath that you screaming?"

"Yes sir, I am fine but that was me that screamed!" the blonde haired girl responded

Dominion looked at the girl. Her innocent eyes reminded her of the days when he used to play with his daughter before his career separated him from his family before finally taking them away from him forever. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a dollar and gave it to the girl.

"Here. Go buy yourself a soda with ice cream." Dominion smiled as she began to skip off then he yelled out to her.

"Hey! If everything is ok why were you screaming?"

The girl stopped and looked at Dominion and waved him over. "It's a secret."

Dominion moves closer and closer to the girl as she continues to wave him closer until he finds himself on one knee so the girl can whisper in his ear.

"They're all dead"

Dominion was confused and thought about what he had just heard for a moment. Unable to figure it out he turned to ask the girl for clarification but she had disappeared. Dominion sat up against the wall to ponder what had happened as the world began spinning faster and faster and darkness came over him.

As the cab driver drove the taxi down the road Spider started to exam the inside of the cab and her hand. Which was now stick from resting it on the door handle. Gross. The seat next to her had puddle of something and as she composed herself, she realized the cab smelt like vomit. She had to get out of the vehicle, right now. Just then, she noticed out the window Dominion stumbling around.

Stop the car now! NOW!

Spider was thrown towards the back of the driver's seat as the car came to a sudden lurching stop. She threw some cash at the driver and hopped out of the vehicle and took up a brisk walk towards Dominion. When she was closer to him she noticed that he was talking to a child. What the shit was going on she thought to herself as she continued towards him. Who was this child. Was Dominion escorting children now?

Dominion!

She called, but it seemed he couldn't hear her so she continued towards him. Spider then saw that he was on one knee in front of her. Was he proposing to this child. Honestly, this night could not get any stranger. Finally, Spider approached Dominion who now sat next to a wall. She waved and lit up a smoke.

Another one turn you down?

Akasha kept running down the street, her shoes clicking in the dark as she rounded a corner. "Damn it!"

She peered into the further growing darkness knowing that something was not right about this little girl, but she had to find out more. Rounding another corner, Akasha stopped as she thought she saw two people talking to the exact girl she had seen in her dream and here

"Where? Where did she go?" Akasha stared at the startled faces of the man and women and then screamed when she got no response. "DAMN IT WHERE?"

Akasha realized, as she stood there still staring at the man and women, perhaps she had been crazy. Then found herself shaking her head and thinking that this was all tricks in her mind.

Letting out a small sigh, she looked down and shook her head, but then as she looked back up Akasha noticed the women point towards south.

"Thanks!" Akasha yelled out as she had already began to run towards where the women had pointed. She knew that she had to catch this child and find out what was going on and that some how this little girl knew. Her footsteps gained momentum as she rounded another corner and then she stopped almost scared of what was in front of her.

King slowly saunters across the park drawn to the silhouette of a woman. He lights a cigarette. Taking a long drag he nears the center of the park and is overcome by a putrid smell. He notices a mound not to far to far off.

What is that GOD AWFUL smell? He mumbled. And what the hell is that mound I've never seen it before... and I come here almost nightly.

He's standing there for a moment and the darkened woman, almost floating, started to approach him.

Wh.. wh.. who are you? He stammers

Dominion opens his eyes and takes a moment to clear the haze from his head. He looks up to see Spider's familiar face look down on him.

"What's the matter, Spider? Jealous?" A smile creeps across Dominion's face as he climbs to his feet. He looks down the street where Akasha was last seen running.

"What do you suppose got into her?"

"No idea," Spider responded "but it's entirely possible that she got a good look at you."

Dominion chuckles and holds his arm out. Spider grabs his arm and they begin walking down the street. They reach the intersection where they last saw Akasha and turned the corner and continued to walk, both parties spending their full attention on the conversation. They barely notice Akasha standing in front of them and they nearly bump into her before they turn their attention to what lied in front of them. Both Dominion and Spider stopped and stared in stunned silence.

Dominion and Spider both exclaim under their breaths, "What the fuck is that..."

Dominion, why are you worried about this mound? Shouldn't we be worrying where Scooby is?

She chuckles at herself and then turns her attention to Akasha.

I'm sorry hun, but have you showered recently? Since Dominion brought me here to your side instead to the bar to buy me a drink, there has been an awful smell in my nose. I really think it's coming from you. If you go home and shower really quick I'll let you come out with us tonight.

Spider looks longingly over to the bar across the street. She could almost taste a lemon drop martini on her tongue. Her patience was swiftly coming to an end.

Alright, what do I have to do for someone to buy me a drink?!?!

Akasha's attention for just a brief moment turned to Spider and then she pointed to the mound in front of her. The smell was over whelming as she kneeled down, and then grasped in her hand a bit of loose dirt that lay on top of whatever it was beneath it. Feeling the dirt through her fingers her dream flashed back in her mind and she nearly stumbled backwards to the ground.

Looking up at the others that had followed her there she stood back up and kicked the top layer of dirt away causing some to fall onto Spider, and then Akasha knelt down as she saw what looked like golden strands of loose grass.

I swear I.. She stopped mid sentence as KingOfTheDamned reached down and removed another layer of loose dirt.

The child's face stared up at them from beyond the ill grave. Akasha barely recognized the carcass had it not been the blue eyes and blonde curls that hadn't been eatten by the maggots that had feasted on the flesh.

That smell.. She turned her head horrified and fell to her knees hoping it wasn't her that had done this as she had noticed the bullet that laid at her feet.

I know this girl! King exclaimed. She was just in the bar and had a coke.

His hands trembling he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a silver cigarette case. Grabbing a cigarette he places it between his lips and lights it, almost burning his lip. Extending his hand that held the cigarettes he offers one to the others.

Akasha Jumps back at the movement of the case. It's just a cigarette, nothing to be afraid of noticing the fear in her eyes.

What happened to this girl? She left the bar just before I did, and I swear she only had a coke. She is far to young to drink anything more than that. King pleaded to the others. We need to find out what happened to this girl.

King glances to the ground and notices the bullet that laid at Akasha's feet. Fear overcame him. What had she done... What will she do to me...

Dominion wraps his arms around Spider and pulls her close to him. "My dear I thought you'd never ask."

Spider grabs Dominion's arm and they make their way across the street to the bar. They walk through the door and find themselves standing in a somewhat small room. To the left there is a fine oak bar adorned with brass. To the right are a mix of booths and tables. The bar is much nicer inside than it appears on the outside.

Dominion leads Spider to a table and pulls out her chair for her. He takes the seat across from her and a waitress steps up to the table.

"What can I get for you?"

"She'll have a lemon drop martini and I'll have an Old Fashioned and keep them coming." Dominion responded while peeling off a hundred dollar bill and slipping it to the waitress to ensure prompt service. Dominion turns to Spider and the two quickly find themselves in deep conversation. The waitress brings their drinks over briefly interrupting the conversation briefly but the conversation resumes without missing beat once the waitress finishes.

*Cut to several hours later*

The bar is starting to fill up with the after dinner crowd. What was a calm and quiet place to talk was quickly turning into a loud, pushy crowd. Dominion looks to Spider.

"What do say we get out of here?"

Spider nods and Dominion motions for his check. The waitress brings the check to the table and Dominion without even looking at it peels off a couple hundred dollar bills and throws them on the check as he tells the waitress to keep the change.

Dominion and Spider step out to the street and make their way back to Akasha who is still staring at the mound.

"if she's still pissing around with that body I hope someone stabs me in the neck" Dominon says.

I figured it out!

Spider exclaimed, but after a few moments went by she realized no one was paying her attention. Akasha and TheKing were both looking at Akasha's feet. The looks on their faces….Spider didn't want to know why or what they were doing. She turned her attention to Dominion who thankfully wasn't looking at feet, but wasn't exactly with them anymore. For a brief moment Spider looked at the ground with the rest of half the gang and picked up a stick.

She then proceeded to stab Dominion in the neck with it.

Dominion! Someone! Anyone! I figured out what happened.

She then put her hand on her hip and looked at Akasha.

She figured it out too.

Akasha stood there and looked up at Spider. She closed her eyes for a moment and sheer evil over came her thoughts. Her mouth barely opened as she took in a deep breath and remembered.

"Lady.. can I have a dollar?" The childs voice was so innocent as Akasha looked down at her and her fangs became a barely visable.

"What.." The little girl backed up a bit as she stared upon the pure evil she saw.

Akasha set an arm on the childs shoulder and then nodded as she slipped a dollar out of her pocket. As Akasha set the dollar in her pocket, she leaned over and whispered enjoy as she sunk her teeth in the fragile skin. Looking up finally, she licked the blood that trickled down from her mouth and then realized the limp body that laid in her hands and shook her head in disgust.

Trying to hid the child she laid the body in a mound of loose dirt and took a step back. Looking over her shoulder she realized a homeless bum standing there and drew a gun from her thigh and fired a bullet into his flesh causing it to rip through him leaving a case at her feet. She shook her head in disgust.

"Should have minded your own poor soul." She used her arm to wipe what she hadn't licked from her lips as she silently pressed a finger to her forehead and each shoulder then gave a sinister smile.

Her memories struck her suddenly as she looked at the others standing before her and she looked away.

"Sometimes.. you can't help yourself? Your animalistic behavior over takes you, and your sinister ways come to view?" She looked up at Spider as she took a step closer to her. She watched the eyes of the others widen as they feared her for a quick moment.

"Please.. nothing to.." She shrugged as she took a look at the dead child before she finished her sentence. "Fear"

Taking in a deep breath she found herself smiling as she raised an eyebrow to each that stood there in disgust and then left them with a few final words.

"Pray or be preyed upon? Might that be a saying? I would think the Spider said to the fly?" Her words echoed through the stillness of the illusions painted before them all and then she found herself disappearing into the night almost smiling at all the events that she had nearly forgotten.