Rising From the Grave [Zach, April]

[Axel Hayden Evans]

Darkness. Nothing but sheer darkness. Then, boom!

His eyes screeched open, gasping for air as his heart begun beating at an unnormal pace. His eyes widened in terror as he inhaled, still gasping, feeling oxygen float into this lungs by the second. He finally begun to control his breathing; oxygen in, oxygen out. He pushed both of his hands foward, slamming against the hard wooden interior which was incasing him. It was sturdy, and seemed like it was unbreakable. Then he turned his head and realized what exactly he was encased within. A coffin. He was in a coffin!

He begun banging on the coffin ferouciously, gasping as he tried to scream but nothing came out. He was dead, he had to be, right? His memory was fuzzy, so he couldn't be sure. But what he could be sure of, was that he was likely buried deep in the ground of a coffin, with no way for anyone to hear him, even if he could scream. And by the minute, he would be losing the last remaining oxygen which was encased inside the coffin with him, before he finally died, or died again, he couldn't keep up. He closed his eyes, hoping this nightmare would be all over. He opened them, noticing the shabby-looking walls of the coffin above him. He cringed, his heart picking up beats again. No, he couldn't die like this or remain trapped in here. Wait- maybe he was already dead, and maybe he was being punished down here for some reason. Was this...Hell? It couldn't be, why would he be in hell? He had helped so many people, and done so much...No. No! His mind was flashing back, he could see it. It wasn't him, but he could feel every moment of it- the raw emotion, the physical contact, the blood over his hands when he killed that man. When he killed others. He could see it all, and he felt enjoyment towards it. He was going to be sick.

He begun beating ferouciously at the walls, before punching at the roof and noticed that it was dinting the roof, finally making some damage to the coffin. His fists were bleeding up, but he couldn't feel the pain over the adrenaline of staying alive and getting out of this. If only he had super strength or magical powers like his brothers! He continued punching, until a hole finally surfaced. But it wasn't big enough, leading him to continue punching, the strength coming from his sheer will to get the heck out of this scary situation. He finally made a breakthrough, and then he realized what he had forgotton all this time. The dirt was now pouring in. He gasped, scrambling foward as he felt muscles in his body kickstart which had laid dormant for who knows how long. He begun scooping through the dirt with all his strength, almost swiming his way to the top with difficulty. He felt dirt in his eyes, his mouth, ears. It was everywhere, but it didn't stop him from continuing upwards, until he finally felt his hand feel no more dirt on it. He had reached the top!

Not long after, his head pushed through, and he felt so relieved in feeling the breeze pass over him. He spat dirt out from his motuh, climbing fully out and laid on the ground, gasping for air and brushing some of the dirt off of him. He got to his feet, stumbling back to the ground, before trying again and managing to maintain a stance. He turned around, curious to where he was, and then he saw the tombstone from where he came out of. His vision was blurry, but he managed to read out the writing; Axel Evans. It was his grave! He still couldn't work out if he was dead and this is what happens when you die, or if he was really alive by some strange circumstance. He looked around, scared, and lost. He walked foward, through the cemetery as fast as he could, until he came onto the street. He begun walking down, not even sure where he was to go. Then he heard the sound of a car coming towards him. He turned, the lights blurring him even more, causing him to fall to the ground, covering his eyes. The rays were so powerful!

[zach]

Zach stared out the windshield of his red 2004 Neon one hand on the wheel and the other holding his head up elbow resting at the window. There were so many things filling his mind at this very second as he drove down Crooser Drive, the main road leading out of LA. The one question that continued repeating itself over and over again in his head, was he really doing this? Leaving everything behind to sort things out? Yes, he was, and he couldn’t even believe he was still debating this decision. It had to be made. If anyone could help him with his new found “problem”, it was April. Although he was not expecting their conversation a few days before to be a sharing of secrets on both ends. Apparently April was keeping something too. Something just as crazy and wild as he was. She was a demon. It was hard for him to even grasp that concept. But he learned not to be so shocked at realizations like that. It was time for him to face reality. There were just things in this world that couldn’t be explained. He being a werewolf and she being a demon were just two of those things.

Zach had decided recently to stop being so angry at people when they kept things from him. Could he really expect anything else if what they were hiding was about this new world? No he couldn’t because they knew how he’d react. And to keep those reactions from happening, they’d simply avoid telling him. He was sure that was why April didn’t tell him right away. Things were changing though. Now that Zach was different like the rest of them, it was hard for him to judge. But just because he was different now, that didn’t make him a monster. No, he would get the knowledge he needed to not be a threat. And some time away with the one person he cared about more than anything would be the help to receiving this knowledge.

Zach lifted his head and dropped his arm into his lap still keeping the other hand on the steering wheel. He glanced over at April and cleared his throat. ”I uh…I just wanted to tell you thank you for coming with me. I think this is going to be good for us.” He gave her a soft smile. It had been so long since they’d had any moments like this where they were just happy to be spending time with each other. Zach was still unsure about the reasons for April leaving the family, but it was one step at a time. They still had a lot of catching up to do. The secrets were out, and they were willing to work together on it…all of it.

When Zach’s eyes focused back towards the road, he didn’t expect to see someone right in the center of the road knelt down covering his eyes. It was almost as if this guy had no clue where the hell he was. What kind of idiot would walk out in the middle of a road and expect not to get hit? Probably no one Zach knew, that was for sure. ”Shit!” Zach yelled as he slammed on his breaks immediately coming to a complete stop inches from the man. Zach’s heart was racing. The realization that he had almost just killed someone hit him like a bag of bricks. But then anger swept over him rather quickly. It was his new werewolf problem. It seemed that he didn’t know when to be angry or sad or happy. His emotions were pretty much all over. He was like a dude at that time of the month. It was annoying to him. Zach glanced over at April asking her if she was okay before stepping out of the neon and moving towards the man in the middle of the road right in front of his car. ”Hey, you! Did you not see that I was driving here? There is a huge difference between a sidewalk and a road. You know this right?”

[april]

April sat half-asleep in the passenger seat, as she had convinced Zach for her to come with her and she hated car-drives. They were stuffy and she always had the feeling she couldn't breath, whenever she was in a car. Her motor would come along however, as she only still had to put in an order for it to be delivered, as soon as she knew where to let it be delivered to.

Of course April wasn't fully asleep or even capable of falling asleep, as her mind kept wandering to their conversation, her little brother was a werewolf.. Could that possibly be partly her fault? It had to be, if she was with him, she would have been able to protect him from harm, protect him against whatever was out there, but she had chosen to lead this life, to be forever be angry at Zach and now she was finally strong enough to start forgiving him and no minute too late, too, as Zach was going to leave town and there was no way in hell she would let him go alone.

She was sure Marina would understand her needing some time of her own and she still had her number, so, she could call her whenever something was wrong and April would make sure to head right back to LA. Shane was a wholy different story, he was a demon like her and he was able to visit her, making the distance seem just a little less. Besides, she had his number as well, had him right on three of her speed-dials, next to Zach and Marina. After all, she didn't know all that many people.

April opened her eyes and smiled, as she looked at her brother, who was driving them. "Of course, no way I would lose you out of my eye-sight ever again." She said, only half-joking, as she rubbed his arm slightly and sat up a little straighter in her seat. They were going to make this work, they had to. They just had to. Just as she went to sit up straighter, she heard her brother's comment, making her heart pund a little faster. She nodded when she saw her brother's look and pulled the doors of the car open to get to the guy they had almost hit. "Zach.." She started, before sighing and kneeling down next to the guy. "Are you.. okay?" Okay, stupid question, of course he wasn't okay!

[Axel Hayden Evans]

Was this the 'light' that happened? He had to endure digging his way out of his own grave, only to now get that light to the other side?

Apparently not. The roaring of the car got louder, and soon it turned to a screeching of the wheels as the car begun to slow down at a rapid rate, the lights still blinding his face, preventing him from even seeing what is happening. He closed his eyes, but then it all stopped. He opened his eyes to be startled by the sound of a man's voice apparently yelling at him. He then heard another voice ask if he was okay, and he stumbled backwards, putting his hands out to shield whoever it was. It was strange, the man's voice sounded so familiar, but he couldn't put a name, or even a face, to the voice. His bloody and well-broised knuckles shone against the light of the beams still searing against his body. He still couldn't see, but managed to get to his feet, stumbling slightly, but standing.

He looked around, the back towards the people. He then looked at the man. He cringed his eyes softly to try and get a better view of who it was that was yelling at him, but he still couldn't see because of how blurry his vision was, in combination with the powerful rays of light shining towards him. His heart was racing, he was scared and confused. He was even shaking. He did not expect this, and he wasn't sure what to make of it. Why was there a car, and people here? It didn't make any sense, none of this did. Was this some part of crossing over, or was he alive? He didn't even remember dying, his memory was too dazed and fuzzy. But what he did know was that there was a possibility that these two strangers were threats, and were trying to stop him from whatever it is he was doing, and definantly couldn't be trusted.

He tried speaking, not even sure what it was he was saying, but nothing was coming out, causing him to gasp softly. His body was aching, it felt like his heart had been ripped back inside his body. It probably had, for all he knew. And he couldn't even feel the burning pain in his hands because of it. He begun to walk back softly, still confused, fidgiting with his hands slowly and carefully, showing that he was indeed nervous as well. He hadn't experienced anything like this before, after all.

[april]

April didn't know what to think, she was somehow worried and it didn't exactly suit her all that well. Normally she simply didn't give a damn. But, this was different, almost as if she was a human again and was hitch-hiking with her younger brother, where they nearly hit an already wounded deer. The contrast amused her, kind of. She sighed and massaged her temple for a moment. "Zach, put off the headlights, would you?" She asked, as she got to her feet again and looked at her brother for a moment, before looking at the guy that was hurt and she was comparing to a wounded deer, he kind of looked like one, which didn't exactly make it easier - making that comparison made this situation a whole lot more human.

She realized that this guy - by looking closer - wasn't okay at all. She saw the guy stumble backwards and heaved a pretty heavy sigh, as she looked at the guy and held up her hands. "We're not going to hurt you." She said, which was actually strange, coming from her mouth. She then took a better look at his hands and kept where she was, as he was getting to his feet. He was pretty banged up, by the looks of it, but of course, she wasn't a doctor. "You're hurt, you need to go to a hospital." She said bluntly.

[zach]

Zach sighed rather annoyed when April said his name. There was no way he could forget the way she said his name like that. It wasn't a sweet "Zach" at all. Nope. It was a "shut up now, you've gone too far" sort of tone, and Zach wasn't really in the mood to argue. Zach just listened as his sister asked the guy a question. He wanted to face palm her as she did though. Of course he wasn't okay. He was covered in dirt, his hands were covered in blood, from what he could see mainly along the knuckles and down the fingers, and he looked completely scatter brained. Zach quickly caught on that obviously the light was too bright for him. He was shielding his eyes as if he'd never seen light before. And when April confirmed this, Zach moved to the car shutting off his lights completely. It was a good thing the road wasn't busy tonight.

Zach didn't waste any time getting back to them right after. April assured the man that neither he nor April would hurt them. Like hell they wouldn't! He had no clue who this guy was, and to be honest, he'd seen way too many movies to know that picking up hitch-hikers along the side of the road was bad news bears. But Zach was not at all expecting the person behind the shielded face. "Axel? What the....hey, what happened to you?" Zach stepped forward towards Axel. "You look like you got ran over.....not by me though," Zach quickly said more to save his own ass than anything else at the moment. "Just to be clear."

Zach glanced at April. "He really doesn't look good, man." He was liking the whole hospital idea that April mentioned. There was clearly something wrong with Axel. Zach could tell Axel was trying to say something but nothing was coming out. Axel was squinting too. Could he even see him? "Axel, it's Zach and April."

[Axel Hayden Evans]

When those piercing beams of light were turned off, he felt relieved, but didn't instantly steer his forearms away from his face. The girl came closer and his body tensed as she asked if he was alright. She then suggested that he needed to go to a hospital. A hospital? Why would they be suggesting going to a hospital unless he actually was...Alive. Or it was some kind of trick to take him away somewhere in the car, he really couldn't be sure. How could he know who to trust in a situation like this? It was all too much, he just wished he had answers to his questions. Could these two people give him those answers, or were they apart of something which could further lead him away from the answers he seeked? Whichever it was, he realized that he didn't know where he was going or what that would lead to. He wanted to be alone, not having people asking questions or wondering what happened to him. How did he answer something like that when he didn't even know the answer?

Then the man came closer and spoke his arm. His eyes widened in shock, he slowly moved the forearms from his face, squinting for a moment as although the light beams were off, his vision was still slighty blurry. He stood there, fidgiting with his wounded hands again, his head facing the ground as the man spoke. He wasn't even listening, he was too busy wondering how this man knew his name, and why. Then he mentioned his name; Zach. Axel looked up towards the man curiously, but still scared and actually did recognize the man's face. It was Zach, but this was all too much. Why would Zach be here. Was he real or just part of his mind? He begun shaking his head slowly as he begun to walk backwards slowly, his eyes gazing at his surroundings as he did so. He then heard a car driving nearby and the sound of it caused him to panic, running past Zach and April, hiding behind their car to avoid the driving vehicle seeing him. He continued to shake as he gripped against the edge of the car, closing his eyes, once again hoping that this nightmare would end.

[zach]

Zach stared at Axel as he shook his head and began to step backwards away from them. It was almost like Axel had no clue where he was or what was going on, although it seemed like he at least knew who Zach was. But even then, Axel seemed so out of sorts especially as he ducked behind Zach's car when he heard the loud muffler of another approaching car. Zach took his eyes off of Axel to glance at the car as it obliviously drove by. Zach's eyes fell back on Axel who was still hiding behind the car. He raised one of his caterpillar eyebrows. "I'm thinking a psychiatric hospital may be better suited for him." Zach nodded moving his eyes to his sister for confirmation. He was obviously just kidding. In all honestly, Zach had no idea what was wrong with Axel. He hadn't seen or heard from Axel since the funeral, and when that happened, he tried very hard to steer clear of everyone....even Jayla. Who knew, he could have died, gone to hell, and come back all over night! But that was highly unlikely. "Axel, what is wrong with you, man? It's just a car. You're fine." Zach moved towards him again deciding not to give up on his old friend. "You're on the border of LA and Ventura. Do you remember where you came from?" Maybe he should stop asking questions. It was clear that either Axel couldn't speak at the moment or he didn't want to. Zach glanced at April. "Maybe I can get Jayla to give Everette a call?" Zach reached into his pocket taking out his phone ready to easily call Jayla up and ask her to get a hold of Everette. Axel's brother would probably know what to do.

[Axel Hayden Evans]

Maybe under another situation, Zach's attempts at lighting the mood might have paid off. But this was not one of those situations. It wasn't that the joke annoyed him by any means, as he didn't even notice the humor in it as he was too busy shaking and hiding from the ongoing car. Maybe in his case a psychiatric hospital would be the most appropriate thing for him, however it wasn't like many people could go with 'hey I died, but I'm back now, just going through some minor issues.' This was a rare instance, probably the only one which had happened, ever. And something like that surely didn't constitute a need to go into therapy. Or maybe it did. Maybe because it was such an extreme circumstance, therapy would be the best thing. After all, how does someone die and crawl out of their own grave and go on being normal like nothing happened? It was sure to have lasting effects, right?

Zachary was asking way too many questions, he was so focused on understanding what Zach was saying to him that he didn't even understand what Zachary was asking, or how he could possibly answer that. So he chose, instead, to just sit there and continue inhaling softly, trying to stop his body from shaking so much. He didn't hear the car anymore, so he ignored Zach and peered around the side of his car to see if anything else was near. He felt better now, safe, to some extent. He wasn't even sure how safe he was with these two, what were they going to do to him?

When he heard Zachary mention Everette, his eyes widened and he shot a look over to Zach as he begun to take his phone out of his pocket. Memories were beginning to surface of Everette, and them fighting alongside eachother. But then the memories of the other things begun to surface slowly also, and his body felt cold. "No...." He whispered softly. "No..." He repeated, that bit louder, relieved that he was able to speak finally. He begun fidgiting with his bloody wrists again, shaking his head to the side constantly. He didn't want to see his brother, none of them. "No more lies...I don't want any of this..." A tear shed from his eye and slowly dripped down his cheek, falling onto the ground. His head glanced back down towards the ground on front of him, leaning against the car still. "None of this is real...You aren't real, this place is not real, nothing is real. I was there...Locked in the coffin. I dug my way out, saw my name on the tombstone. This isn't real... He looked up at Zachary, innocently. "Is this hell?" He had done bad things, was he now being punished for those things? What kind of place was this if it is not hell? He heard another sound, this time running down the road to get away from everything, leaving Zach and April to call Jayla to get in touch with Everette...