Road To Nowhere I woke up panting,every night I had that nightmare. Breathing heavily I gazed outside my window looking at the garish light of day, my eighteenth birthday, it had just begun but I was already dreading it. Gingerly, I stood and looked in my mirror my black untamed hair seemed to be getting worse and my large hazel eyes stared back at my reflection, repelled at how ordinary I looked: I was only 5"2 with ebony skin, I had a dimpled chin and full lips the only thing I liked about my face. I showered quickly, fiddled with my barbaric hair put on a gorgeous purple knee length dress, black leather jacket and black army boots, once I was satisfied with my appearance I snuck out of the house and walked to my mum's silver jeep I had been learning to drive as an early birthday present and could only drive with an adult in the car and drove to the nearest bar. It had become a regularity in my #life to disobey and want things that I shouldn't or things people don't,ever since Theo died I was, different colder and I must admit a pretty cool bad ass but completely out of control. I sat in the bar not drinking though just thinking of the lie I'd tell my mum about why I left and where I went, she'd crucify me if she knew I went to a bar. To my left was the cutest guy I'd ever seen he was at least 29 he had brown hair and blue eyes and he looked dangerous, exactly my type. "Hey, aren't you a bit too young to be in here?" He asked with a smirk and a hungry look in his eyes. I took out my drivers license. "Actually, I turned eighteen today so it's perfectly legal" "Great, so in that case would you like a beer on me?"he questioned. "I would love one" I replied. Now I know how this must seem but I am actually not a slut, really it's just that he reminded me of Theo and that's my weakness, Theo didn't always treat me well it was either we would die for each other or we wanted to kill one another, it was intense and passionate it was raw and that's what I was looking for. The stranger handed me a drink, I took a sip instantly wanted to vomit but carried on drinking hesitantly, suddenly my vision was blurred my speech slurred and I was passing out it amazed me that I was such a lightweight until I looked up and heard him say ever so softly "night night sunshine." * * * I woke up groggily to find I was in an ally way behind the bar. It smelled of urine and rotten food the stranger from the bar was on top of me trying to take off my dress, and fondling my breasts,I kept saying no and screamed for help, but I soon realised that I was on my own so once his hand brushed past my mouth and I instantly bit him hard until I tasted blood he yelped and struck me across the face. I put my hands to his chest trying to push him off, then suddenly I noticed his sunken eyes and grey skin, just like what Theo looked like when I was killing him. I promised my parents i would never do that again, so i quickly released him and brought my knee up and hit him in the groin repeatedly until I was able to push him off me. When I stood up, I realised i recognised his face from watchdog he was a national sex offender I kicked him repeatedly in the face and ribs and was satisfied when I heard a crunch, I took out my phone calling the police saying I saw him raping a girl. I stole his car keys and took back mine so i could get out of there before the police came; I knew ,y parents were going to kill me but I prayed they'd take it easy on my considering I helped the arrest of a rapist. I drove home going past the speed limit and running stop signs. I eventually got home I waited in the car for a while hoping my family weren't too worried, already practising my sobbing about nearly being raped but then I heard an ear splitting scream. I jumped out of the car and ran to the door I pushed it open to find my father's mutilated carcass in the hall I put my hand to my mouth to stifle a scream I turned to my left to see a man stabbing my mother in the kitchen continuously in the stomach causing her intestines to spill out and blood to leak. The man put his hands to my mother's head and crushed it, her head buckled with a crack. Her feeble body bled out, the man dipped his finger into her scarlet blood and wrote on the beige wall "You're next, Sage!" I finally let out a blood curdling cry, the man turned around startled, finally noticing my existence; I pulled out the knife sticking out of my father's skull and ran towards the man with a ferocious wail, I was so overcome with rage that I saw red and lost my mind. I went for his face, he was wearing a black ski mask I rushed towards him only then realising his intimidating height and build,I ripped off his mask wanting to look in the eyes of the man who killed my parents. He was pale with pale blue eyes cold as ice, he was rather handsome and once I had lost myself in his eyes, he gave me a twisted sneer and wrapped his hands around my dainty throat; I brought the knife up and slashed it across his eye causing blood to splatter all over my face, he let go and yelped in anguish, he held his bloody eye with one hand and I noticed in his other hand he was wearing knuckle busters and for the second time that day I was struck but this one was so painful that I saw stars, the man stood over me but I saw two of him, he spat on me, and said "I am going to make your death extra special." and left. Chapter 2: Sage London,England Sunday 7th September 1:10am I suppose the word to describe my state would have been void. Empty. Vacant. When I gained consciousness i called the police and explained what happened, they came immediately and found me amongst the carnage and gore kneeling in a pool of my parents blood. They gave me a blanket and said words of reassurance that did not put me at ease, the police came and told me what would happen now but I heard nothing except one word "care home". A paramedic spoke to me in a calming voice whilst she stitched the gash on my face the murderer left me. It was as if everything was in slow motion, everything was surreal. They all told me I could cry if I wanted to, shout if I needed to or just talk to someone but I refused, I just sat there not blinking, just breathing and even that was painful. They sent in a psychologist Dr Jenna whom spoke nonsense about understanding how I felt, and what I should do next and what I was feeling; I was so pissed, the fact she had the nerve to tell me how i felt, I lost it and for the first time I spoke and I said to her "Piss.Off." With a monotone voice so unfeeling that it even scared me. Dr Jenna's blue eyes widened in surprise and filled with tears "I am so very sorry for your loss"she then looked hurt and left in a hurry. A solicitor called Sandy came up to talk to me " Hello Sage, I know it's a bit quick but you need to take your things, pack a few clothes pictures, whatever you need and then we'll take you to the police station where you can give your statement then we are going to have to put you in a care home." He said softly, all eyes were on me to see my reaction but all I did was trudge slowly up the stairs to my parents room; I opened the door gently the smell of my father's cologne invited me inside. Sunlight streamed through the curtains and bounced off the beige walls. I spotted my mum's necklace on the floor it was a small oval silver locket with tiny delicate flowers around it and I put it on: I looked down at the floor remembering all the good times and bad times with my parents and I recalled something my dad had said he told me "If ever you lose everything, take a chance, for there's nothing else to lose." His words played in my head continuously and he was right: I had nothing to lose, I could look for the killer, search for answers, avenge my parents. I ran to my room across the hall and grabbed my duffle bag and packed my black leggings, jeans, underwear, black beanie hats, and bug coat I also packed my parents credit cards and my own and took the spare money we hid under the bed there was over a thousand pounds in it and I took it all so all together I probably had just short of two thousand. I changed out of my purple dress and into a black shirt and black leggings but stayed in my army boots and leather jacket, I then barricaded the door and looked out of my window the ambulance was parked in front of my house my house, only two feet down from my window. I threw my duffle bag onto the ambulance as I heard heavy footsteps stomping up the stairs before I jumped out I took an album of my family and I, shoved it in my bag then leaped onto the hood of the ambulance. No one had heard me so I jumped down and just ran. * * * I ran for what felt like days in the bone chilling rain. Since my parents had died the once colourful world I loved morphed into an abyss of obscurity, I called the one person I knew I could rely on, my Grandfather. He was a lovely man who had protected me ever since I could remember and he was the closest thing I had to a parent. I dialled his number slowly afraid of him not picking up, of shunning me. At first the line was quiet but then I heard his voice, quiet like the wind in summer "Sage?" "Yes Grandpa, it's me. I'm in some trouble right now do you think I could visit?" "Of course child, I have missed you so much I will see you soon" "I've missed you too Grandpa, I can't wait to see you." The line went dead, which was lucky for me because I didn't want him to hear me cry. I dropped my duffle bag on the cobbled street and pressed my back against the wall my tears came down constantly flowing, never showing any signs of stopping. I wept until my eyes were raw and my body ached, that was the first time in a long time I had cried and I hated it, I felt weak a feeling that I was not familiar with; but in that instant it was what I needed, as I was crying it seemed that the heavens were crying too, but not for my parents, but for my innocence that had died with them. I sat on the bed taking in the the scents and sensations, everyone was downstairs the commotion sounded like static to my ears. I found a necklace