Mirella had just about enough for one day. Enough of her school, enough of her work, and enough of her father. She normally would just go to her basement and hideout for about an hour and watch TV. Not tonight...
"Where the hell do you think you are going?" her father screamed across the hall in a rage." Dad I'm just going to the studio to rehearse for about an hour and I will be back-dinner is in the fridge. I'll talk to you later dad." she said plainly. Mirella decided to go to the studio and dance off her stress. She grabbed the nearest leotard and tights, her bag and walked through her front door-possibly for the last time.
She had been taking care of her father for almost three years now since her mother passed away. Her father was unfortunately (and uncontrollably) ill. Not your normal ill, just take an aspirin and walk it off. He was sick in the mind-he was only two shades away from being put away for life. Mirella never understood exactly what was wrong but that sometimes her father would just do things for no reason. See things that weren't there, or relapse to asking where mom was and what time she was getting home from work. Mirella tried her best-she loved her father dearly but tonight she couldn't take any more of it. To top it all off she had just returned from the doctor’s office only to realize she had now had the same problems that had killed her mother. The lower chambers of her heart weren't working as fast as they should and it was only going to get worse. Nothing could be done-and she didn't have the heart to tell her father.
Her last resort was her only way of release. To dance-not for her audience for once...but for herself- her own sanity.

She unlocked the doors and turned on only half the lights. Turned on the stereo and pumped it as loud as possible. Relentlessly she kept moving nonstop for almost a half an hour straight before she collapsed onto the floor. It wasn't the physical heart that hurt-but she couldn't stop the tears from flowing like rivers out of her eyes. It was times like these she would need someone just to hold her. So she called Derrick-her one and only. He stood by her through everything-her mother funeral-her father's hospital visits...you get the idea.
"Derrick?"She asked breathlessly." Ella? Is that you? What happened I have been calling you for over an hour now-I went to your house but you weren't there-I almost called the police!" he ranted ever so worried. “Derrick I am fine.I'm at the studio-I'm going to walk to your house in a minute okay? I need to tell you something you aren't going to like to hear..." she trailed off....
The moment he hears the news he will leave you. Your last hope will be gone and you can't do anything to stop it. You always knew it would happen didn't you...Mirella?
The foreign voice invaded her mind like a wasp in a kitchen. Buzzing through the girl's head like walking pneumonia. The voice wasn't hers and she knew it.
Ella...I'm coming for you...
"What?" she asked aimlessly into the damask and dark studio.
Ella...
"Ella! Are you there? I'm coming now-meet me at the bridge alright? Be careful the fog is terribly thick. I lo-"
Mirella dropped the phone and it broke into pieces on the tile floor.
Her mind was in a haze...she locked up the studio but didn't take her car. She walked in silence the whole way to the bridge. The farther she walked the deeper she became enveloped in fog. Mirella had no way of knowing if she was even going the right way-she couldn't even read the road signs. Never the less she made it to the bridge about ten minutes later.

A small shine of light from Derrick's phone is all she could see. She walked slowly up to him.
"Ella? Is that you? Where have you been? Come here." he just held her in his arms glad to have her safe with him.
"Derrick- I don't know what I'm going to do. The school is kicking out all out of district kids, Miss. Sherlock -my dance teacher-thinks she might have to close the studio down permanently...and...Not just that..."she paused. The silence was deafening.
"Yes Ella? Whatever it is-you know you can tell me." She pushed back off of her to look in her eyes. They were still filled with the overflowing tears from earlier. They relentlessly continued.
"Derrick...you know how the doctor thought I just had an iron deficiency?"She asked quietly.
"Yes I remember-you had to get blood work done."
"Derrick-the doctor had me in his office six days ago for an M.R.I. I had to go back in today. He said that..."
"Yes?"
"He said that my heart..."
"No-Ella...you can't be serious..."
"I'm so sorry Derrick. He said that the lower chambers of my heart are slowing down to a halt. He can't do anything for it."
"Mirella-"
"I love you Derrick...please..."
He held her close not wanting to lose her to Mother Nature. She started to say something and was cut off by Derrick
"MIRELLA LOOK OUT!" she turned around and was blinded by headlights coming towards her like lightening. She felt a shove at her shoulders and rolled off to the side of the road. Hitting her head on the rails she sat up in pain. Looking to try and find the source of the screeching noise she saw what horrified her. The eighteen wheeler flying off the side of the bridge.

An explosion of the gas tank threw her back into the railing once again.
She pushed herself off of the cold wet ground and tried to focus.
Her hopes, her dreams were shattered. She didn’t want to believe what she was seeing.

"Derrick! DERRICK!" She screamed in horror. She sprawled trying to get up. Derrick bloodied up by the impact of the truck-she couldn't stand it.
She rolled him over. Knelt beside his body.
"No. NO NO NO NO NO. Derrick....Derrick please! Don't leave me. Please don't go- Live! Please..."
She picked him up by his neck and held him close, rocking back and forth like a lost child in the woods. Blood was seeping from his chest. He wasn't gone yet.
"Ella....Ella..." he whispered.
"Yes Derrick I'm here...please don't leave me...I love you..."
"Ella look at me..." she looked into his eyes without hesitation....

"Ella"
"Yes?"She cried.
"Wake up..."
"What?"
He disappeared from her arms.
“Pssssst! Ella!”
Clink
“Wake up!”
Clink Clink
She begins to stir-“Whaaaaa?”
“Ella! It’s Derrick-I know you can hear me! Your window is open! I can throw rocks at your window all night.”
Rolling over she whispers towards the window…
“Derrick what are you doing! You’ll wake my father up!”
She sits up as her bed-head hair starts to flow down to her shoulders. Sitting up she looks towards her clock on the dresser-it is almost a quarter to two in the morning. Combing her fingers through her hair she stumbles out of bed towards her window. It’s then she realizes she isn’t wearing anything but her bra and under drawers. She-at this moment-doesn’t even care. “Derrick what do you want?” she says leaning out of her window. ”No don’t even bother answering that. You know what? I haven’t been dating you since August. I haven’t seen you since July. You went off and dated someone for about three seconds. Then even after you guys weren’t dating-at Oktoberfest-she jumps you anyway because she just wants “friends-with-benefits”. Nice she decided talking to you about that. Oh no-wait, she never did talk to you…and she just had to do that in front of me huh Derrick?”
“You stormed off, you didn’t even see that I pushed her off of me!”
“Good for you Derrick. Oh but I am not finished! Now you’ve come strolling over here-wanting to drag me off to try and talk to me about what happened over the past few months. Derrick-I am done with this. I never am able to see you and you know this. Another thing, why is it now that I can see you on the weekends to hang out she welcomes herself along and still is trying to make me jealous like you two are still dating? I am sick over coming over to your house just to watch Megan try to eat your face off like a barracuda!”
“Number one-we never were dating. Number two-I have no control over what she does and you know that. Number three-THAT WASN’T THE REASON FOR ME COMING OVER!”
“Don’t yell! Jesus! Hold on let me go get my hoodie…”
She began walking out of her room only to trip over something on the floor. The small teddy bear he gave her a long time ago…she carried it out with her. Creaking the door closed as she stepped out onto her back steps.
“Derrick I don’t know what you are trying to do but-“he cut her off by putting his hand over her mouth. “Ella please just sit…” she did as she was ordered immediately. He was sitting with her. Hand on her thigh, head down, getting ready to drop a bomb of god knows what. She didn’t want know what he was going to say…
“I have to tell you something you won’t believe. Think I’m crazy if you like but it is the truth…” he said not making eye contact. “I have enough crazy in my life-that’s why I can never see you.“she said plainly. “Taking care of your father all the time…I know…”looking to her eyes, but only to see her starring up into the night sky. “Don’t forget myself as well…however…I just wish that I could put my father away-where he can’t hurt himself or anyone else…”she said looking at the small teddy in her lap.
“I know, but Ella…listen to me…you need to get your clothes and anything important to you… keep it light…we have to leave. Now.” he said turning her face to meet his. “Derrick you are scaring me…what is going on here?” she began to shake. “Something is following you and we need to go.” He stared into her green eyes trying to see if she comprehended anything of what he was trying to tell her. What he had been holding back for three years. “Oh god-how did-never mind, what is going on Derrick?” she began shaking even more now…
“I am your Guardian. You have to be kept safe till this all blows over basically.” he grasped her cold hand hoping to stop the shaking.
“Why am I not surprised…DERRICK WHY HAVE YOU BEEN LIEING TO ME FOR SO LONG! Those times I caught you talking to the mirrors the times I caught you levitating things. Jesus. Derrick-aren’t there some sort of rules like-not treating the protected like a piece of sh-“she was infuriated.
“ELLA! Come on what was I going to do! I was supposed to be reassigned but because I had come way too close to you. I was forced to pretend to be normal but guardians are naturally attractive to females…that is why-“
“Megan is all over you…bloody wonderful. So the dreams-“the teddy looked like it was almost crying for them by the way it flopped over her lap.
“That is one of the reason’s I need to keep you safe…you are special, and so was your mother. I can’t explain now but we need to go. Ella just please trust me, hurry, go.”
She kissed him on the cheek and ran inside grabbing her i.d.’s, phone, money, clothes, dance bag, all the neccities….and her teddy. When she came back through her hallway it seemed darker than before…
“Ella hurry! We are running out of time! Just run!”
Yes hurry, your nightmares are coming for you…
“Derrick!”She called…she tried running but the floor seemed to be melting. It was like running through sludge.
No point Ella, he won’t save you…he is going to leave you here…to die.
“DERRICK!”
A light burst from her breast like a full moon. The sludge disappeared, and she didn’t even bother stop and ask why.
She rushed outside thankful to see Derrick. He held her close for only a moment. Then he grabbed her hand and began to run to his car. Letting go for a moment he began to run around to the driver’s side of the car.
Ella, how many times must I tell you. You aren’t escaping me…
She fussed with the door handle a moment and made her way into the car…Derrick however wasn’t in the car with her.
I told you I was coming for you.
Her head pounding, she grabbed it.
"NO DERRICK! WHERE DID YOU GO?" She leapt out of the car only to see him lying on the pavement grasping for his chest. Kneeling beside him she sat him up holding him not knowing what to expect next.
“Ella*Gasp* Run…Run…”
“No don’t leave me now I don’t know what to do! Please! DERRICK!”
He disappeared from her arms just as he did her dreams…
“NO NOT AGAIN! DERRICK! NO! This is insanity…I …I… DERRICK WHERE ARE YOU!”
“He wasn't there in the first place." she heard from behind her.
“WHAT?” she sat up looking for the source of the voice.
“Ahaha just kidding…he was, but I took him …”
She gazed at her hands Where Derrick once laid…she couldn’t believe her eyes.
“I have gone insane haven’t I?” She asked aloud.
“No that’s the problem. “
“Excuse me whoever is talking to me –if you would be so kind as to bring your sorry white arse out here I would appreciate it greatly.”
“Alright then-but I’m not white…Quite to the contrary -I’m black…”
“Oh god here we go- Oh….dear….” she stood in shock. A pair of red eyes stared back into her own…and it was true….the man was black…black as death itself.
“I have been toying with you for months and yet I still can’t seem to crack your mind. You intrigue me. Mirella Carlisle.”
“Oh really? Sorry but I am no one’s lab rat. Well then smartass since you haven’t managed to break my mind can you leave me alone so I can find Derrick.” She began to walk away.
“Now see-here’s where you might want to pay attention. I have Derrick…” he said appearing in front of her. Mirella started to pace back and forth wondering if she had gone crazy…was this a dream?
“No you haven’t and no it isn’t-Jesus you silly girl pay attention! No one has ever given me this much trouble…The School letters were me-the calls from your Dance teacher were me…and other things too….”
“The doctor was you? Oh thank god…I was so worried…” she exasperated.
“Ducky…I only deal in the brain-not the heart. Sorry to disappoint you. No wait-I take that back.” She looked at him blankly.
“I am sick of this-so my heart is still falling apart and you had nothing to do with that?” she began yelling.
“No I didn’t. I do many things and I am many things…but I don’t get in Mother Nature’s way. Would you like to meet her? Never mind…How do you feel about games? Do you like them…how about a good old fashioned game of hide and go seek?” his eyes disappeared into the fog just as fast as they appeared.
“Look I don’t like playing hide and go seek with my nightmares alrighty?” she gave him a distinctively vile look when he re-appeared next to her.
“Oh so you already know me?”
Is this for real-she kept on asking herself.
“Very much so-and I have a proposition for you…”
“I can’t even keep my own thoughts to myself can I? What sort of proposition?”
“Basically if you play my little games-Derrick won’t die…”
“What the hell is wrong with you? I have been through enough today I don’t need more-especially from you!” she shoved her finger in his face. Nightmare grabbed her, faster than a tiger on the hunt, taking her wrist and twisting her arm around to her back holding her tightly.
“Oh yes keep running on that beautiful rage you have- it’s like fire burning in your eyes-so lovely.”
“I think someone needs to go home and wash off the spray-paint.” She managed to get out of his grip and began to walk away once more.
“Ah ah ah-not so fast…”
She heard a snapping noise… and Derrick appeared before her…
“Derrick?” she cried.
“Ella! Whatever he says don’t list-“he was enthralled by smoke like ropes and dropped to the ground. She raced over to him and before she could even touch him-the snapping noise happened once more and he was gone. Just like before.
“So if you don’t play my games … Oh no... I JUST THOUGHT OF A WORSE FATE…”
“Oh lookie nightmare boy has an idea” she said sarcastically.
“OI WATCH YOURSELF EARTHGIRL! If you don’t play nice with the other girls and boys-Derrick is going to end up just like your father.”
“You can’t be serious…don’t be so Daft….”
“Oh yes-think about it Ella” he began to whisper in her ear.
“I was the one who started it all. I have been the one following your father all this time…driving him mad…It was me this whole time-I thought you would have figured it out sooner. Remember-when he was still in the marines he talked of a boy in the road as black as night…that’s why he swerved off the cliff. I was that boy in Taiwan …So there would be no doubt that the doctors would blame his mind corruption on the crash in the in the first place.”
“You think I am just going to take this lying down?”
“No I would prefer it if you stood up. Actually…”
“You are a sick a twisted little boy trapped in a man’s body.”
“To be correct I am a demon thank you very much.”
“What difference does it make?”
“I can make you better you know…faster…stronger….”
“Oh really? Then make me just as good as Lara Croft -demon.”
“Done…Go ahead try it on for size…it wasn’t hard since you already had the natural instincts for it- and you being a silly ballerina and all…”
“Oh give it a rest will you?”
“Hey-I am just making sure you can play my games…I don’t need you dying too soon…..”
“Oh that makes me feel so much better.”
“You should-I don’t normally do this you know. I have come to like you Ella. You have stood strong against all of my interfering. So if you want to survive-I suggest you find yourself a weapon and get going.”
“What? Where am I supposed to get weapons?”
“Look in your dance bag. However I don’t think that will be nearly enough.” Nightmare said utterly amused.
She glanced in her bag and she realized that it was all going to end soon. She blinked for one moment and realized she wasn’t on the bridge anymore. The fog was gone…the river was gone…all that was there-was nothingness…
She had fallen into the poem”Childe Roland to the dark tower came”. A Cathedral was in the distance. So pure compared to the dry-diseased land she stood upon. Famine had seemed to devour everything in its path. Gargoyles glared at her with eyes much like Nightmares. She despised them looking at her with disgust…then…their heads turned the other way…
“I do hope you figure out how to use that last power I left for you.” his voice ringed in her mind.
“If you survive the next hour-you may just live to see another…night.”
The bell tolled the hour as she walked into the cathedral.
“Make your way to the cathedral Ella. It’s your last chance before I send out some friends of mine…”
She uttered what may have been her last words…
“Not even God can’t save me now”
“What?” a familiar voice said nearby.Mirella stirred once again.
CLINK
“Ella come outside…I have to see you.” she heard from her window.
“Oh no you don’t we aren’t doing THIS again.” she burst from her bed to the window.
“What? Ella please just come outside…”
“Derrick it is late…what can you possibly need at 3 in the morning?” she says whining.
A shriek came from inside the house. The both jumped and Ella hit her head on her window in the process.
“You really shouldn’t watch horror movies before you go to sleep you know…”
“Oh…yeah you’re right. Hold on just a tic.”
Turning off the TV, she made her way the closet. She grabbed her hoodie, stepped over the teddy on her floor and just went outside. She no longer cared what was going on. She had to see Derrick.
“Well then, that is new…”he said slightly laughing at the fact she wasn’t wearing pants.
“What is it that you wanted Derrick?”
“I want you…that was it…”
“Wait run that by me again…what?”
“This couldn’t wait another moment… I had to do this now…”
Derrick knelt on one knee…and began foraging his pants pocket and pulled out a small black box. Upon opening the box, the moonlight hit the ring and it glittered tremendously.
“Oh god…”she gasped…
“Mirella Carlisle…will you marry me?”
“Derrick-“
“Yes?”
“I thought you would never ask….”
He stood up and met her face. Kissed her passionately then broke away to put the ring upon her finger.
“So I guess I’ll see you at the cathedral?”
Oh yes that will be lovely won’t it Mirella?
She stopped for a moment with a puzzled look on her face. Then wiping it away she smiled and replied.
“Yes Derrick Stevenson, I will.”