Chapter 2 - Black Home

The Future

'Are there any greater bond than siblings, is blood stronger to fight against all odds bestowed upon us or is there a greater threat that we can't fight. Does our bond weaken us in dark situations'?

His dark brown eyes scanned the wide city of New York, the lights around brighten the city of sin and crime, he watches closely from the rooftop.

'Could there be a world where ghouls and humans can coexist or a world where one species will rule'?

He squats placing his hands on the roof, the wind blew harshly around him, flapping his clothes.

'What would become of the world that is driven by pain and revenge, a twisted fate that is unleashed on both sides like a raging fire that can never be quench'.

He closes his eyes and flashes open his ghoul eyes that beam in the dark, his body cover in a dark mist, vibrating around him.

'When your Achilles' heel is taken away from you what is left of a man, a man consumed by hatred or a man with a new resolution'.

He rose to his feet, sliding up the thick material, covering his mouth and nose, he flaps on his black hood, a being that could not be seen appeared beside him wearing a dark smirk, waiting.

'I will neither be a man consumed by hatred or filled with a resolution. I shall become a plague that drives out darkness. A hero does not exist, only the strong ones able to fight for a possible reason'.

"Ghost," he said, the being's head snap turning to him.

'In this black world, I shall become a plague driving out the darkness where ghouls and humans can coexist as one.

***

The Past

New York City

The Year 2019

A city filled with nothing but crimes and danger, not everyone is safe, you just have to make sure you survive every day, that would be the number one rule in New York, what's expected for a city doomed by laws against ghouls.

Downtown along the streets, in an apartment upstairs away from the road, in a neighborhood, a dog barking loudly at nothing in particular.

"So tell me, Liam O'Brien, what kind of guy are you?!". she wrapped her arms around his neck, Liam's hands on her waist as he smiled faintly. This was getting interesting.

"Well judging from your question am sure you don't want me to answer truthfully," he said amused, she giggled. Liam O'Brien has always been a straight person, that was what she likes about him.

"Well depending on what your answer is," she said tilting her head to the side smiling placing her lips on his as they kiss passionately, Liam groaned as he ran his hand in her dark blond hair, the kiss getting heated between them, his hand found his way down to her waist, circling it in a repeated rhythm. She moaned at his action.

"Liam," she said huskily, Liam groaned pushing her to lay on her back against the couch, the kiss got more passionate, their hands circling on each other bodies.

"Let's take this to somewhere more private".

"Am okay with doing it on the couch" Liam said sending faint kisses on her neck, she moaned loudly.

The Door Clicked Open.

"Geez, you two get a room" a girl around the age of 14 hissed walking inside pulling her bag down.

They separate from each other adjusting their clothes, Liam cleared his throat.

"Jen you're home early," he said rubbing the back of his neck.

"Hi Nicole," Jenna said ignoring her brother.

"Hey kiddo" she smiled.

Without any more words, Jenna walks out of the parlor to the corridor.

"I should go," Nicole said putting on her sweater.

"Now? There's still time am sure Jen won't interrupt us again" Liam assure her, she sighs.

"It's not that Liam, I saw a bruise on her face in case you didn't notice, I think you should go talk to her" she noted. Liam sigh.

"See you later babe" she went on her tiptoe pecking his cheek before leaving.

"Bye," he said, the door shut close.

Jenna flips the pages of the book she was reading as her door click open, she turned.

"You know you should knock first" she rolled her eyes.

"Don't give me attitude, now sit up, we need to talk" he orders, she grumbled sitting up, he sat beside her.

His hand reached for her brunette hair covering her face but she waved him off, but he caught sight of the bruise.

"What happened?" he demands.

"Nothing".

"Jen!" he hissed. She turned and face him.

"It was the bullies okay, they pulled a prank on me saying that I deserve it because am an orphan" she hissed.

"Jen".

"Why did mum have to die and why did dad leave us" she demands as the tears whelm up in her eyes.

"Look Jen, there are a lot of things we don't get okay so just leave it be" he trails off standing up, walking toward the door.

"You act like you don't care, am not even sure you do, you just work up yourself claiming you want me to get the best education, I hate you" she fired.

"Okay that's enough" he hissed facing her.

"I quit going to college because I wanna earn money for your school, am not doing this because am self-righteous, am doing this because it was mom's dying wish, she told me to take care of you and am gonna do just that, whether you fucking like it or not," he said finally.

"You're not dad" she looks away cleaning the tears streaming down her cheeks.

"No am not, but am your brother and am gonna take care of you no matter what," he said turning to leave.

"Am seeing your principal tomorrow" he said as he left.

"You don't have to do that".

"I sure will".

*

"Earlier today another ghoul attack happened in section 5, we must warn those of you living in that section must be cautious of your surroundings while the G.I agents do their job," the newscaster said from the TV, some scenes showing the areas and covered bodies.

Jenna's eyes were glued to the screen, her eyes drift to her hand assessing it, she remembered when the boys threw basketballs at her, her heart slams loudly in her chest just by the thought of it, she gulps hard because that moment she swore she felt her skin move that second but she wasn't sure of it, maybe her mind was playing tricks on her.

Liam walked into the parlor seeing the state she was in, he throws her bag at her making her snap out of it.

"Welcome back to earth," Liam said smirking, Jenna rolled her eyes.

"Come on talk to me, what got you all in?" he said, Jenna looks away.

"When those bullies threw balls at me" she began staring at her hand.

"I felt strange like something was gonna come out of me, I don't know maybe it was trauma or something" she adds puzzled.

"Am going to your school" Liam said.

"Come on we are leaving now" he adds reaching for his jacket.

"Am not going" she grumbled.

"Don't give me that, we are leaving now, am gonna be late for work" he noted putting on his black jacket. Her eyes caught this.

"You're always on black, what are you a ghoul?" she trails off.

"Haha very funny, now get" he warned, she let out a frustrated sigh putting on her school bag. They both head out downstairs into the streets.

"You know that ghoul attack was two miles away from our house," Jenna said.

"Yeah whatever, don't mind the news, they are probably making up things," Liam said as they stood waiting for a street bus. She faces him folding her arms.

"Oh yeah? You think ghouls aren't real?" she asked sternly, he sighs.

"Well I haven't seen one myself, so for now to me they aren't," he said not too sure.

"You know sometimes I wonder what they are like, the government says they look just like us but they are different," Jenna said, his light brown eyes land on her.

"Shut up," he said playfully scattering her hair.

"Liam" she groaned waving his hand off, adjusting her hair back in place, Liam always loves doing that to her hair.

"What was dad like?".

"Why do you wanna know?" he asked sternly.

"Don't know, I can't remember much but you do" her brown eyes land on him.

14 Years Ago

The Year 2006

8-year-old Liam rode his bicycle heading home, he finally got to their street and got off carrying it up to their apartment, he dropped it at the corridor removing his safety helmet, the moment he opened the door, he could hear baby cries.

"Mum?" he called walking inside, he found her in the dining room crying, a letter on the table, he blinked staring at her as she sobbed.

"Mum Jen is crying" he noted to the baby in the crib, she sobbed raising her head, her eyes were bloodshot red from all the crying.

"Could you smooch her for me?" she said forcing a smile.

"Okay," he said heading to the crib and carried Jenna in his arms smooching her, her cries reduced a little, her bright baby brown eyes glued on Liam while sucking her finger.

Curious Liam walked to the table and saw the letter, and then he heard sobbing again, he adjusted Jenna in his arms as he walked to her room.

"Please Steve, whatever you are doing is not the right way, I just don't know but please come back, I will be waiting for you" she sobbed dropping the phone on the bed crying while burying her hands on her face, and then it dawns on Liam, their father left them.

He could still remember clearly how his mom waited for him until the day she drew her last breath.

Present Day

"Well dad was a piece of shit," Liam said without a doubt, he hated the man since that day.

"That's it?" Jenna raised an eyebrow, the bus stop in front of them.

"Yeah, now let's go," he said as they step in.

***

"We the G.I agents assure the citizens of New York that we will do everything in our power to keep this city safe. Once again, ever since the ghouls were discovered to society they have caused nothing but panic in our city, we assure you, citizens, that we will get rid of the threats".

Liam's eyes drift to the boy standing beside them that was busy with the news from his phone, at the red line on the front said 'Xavier Jose' beneath it said 'G.l Agency Captain''. Liam looks away. 'Ghouls I just wish they would just disappear'. He thought.

"Nicole's dad is pretty cool," Jenna said, Liam shrug.

"Yeah he sure is, after all, he's the one keeping the city safe," he said his eyes drifting back to the screen.

***

May-field Junior High

"Come on Liam just go, this is so embarrassing," Jenna said as they walk through the doors of the school into the wide hall where the lockers were.

"Not until I see the principal" he note as they got to the office.

"Just sit here and wait" he ordered, she blows a hair off her face doing as she was told. Liam gave a light knock before entering.

"Mr. Tom, Liam O'Brien, Jenna's brother," he said as they shook hands.

"Oh Liam, you don't visit much," Mr. Tom said taking his seat.

"Yeah am busy these day's but I came for something important," Liam said taking his seat.

"Okay, and what would that be?" Mr. Tom asked arranging some files on his desk.

"It's about my sister, she's being bullied often and it's disturbing her studies here" he began.

"Oh!".

"Yes, and I will like you to review this" he noted.

Mr. Tom adjusted his glasses before facing him.

"You see Liam am afraid I can't review that" he clarified.

"And why is that?!" Liam said forcing a side smile.

"That's the question I expected you to ask, you see Liam, your sister shouldn't even be in this school" he began.

"Excuse me?" Liam blinks thinking he heard wrong.

"This is one of the most prestigious schools and if I recall, you couldn't even afford to admit your sister into this school but you begged me with the little money you had, since you were her only guardian I took pity on you and let you pay half the school fees and that isn't even up to what the students pay here, am afraid to say you are not even qualified to review any matter, so whatever it is she should just be grateful and deal with it" he states firmly.

Liam let out a gasp of surprise.

"My money is involved in her education, am sure I have rights here," Liam said pissed.

"No Liam you don't" he state.

"What the fuck! Are you saying she should endure while those kids treat her like that?!" he spat.

"Don't you use that tone on me, young man, am not about to get lectured by a kid whose father dumped like a coward and his mother died of depression" he hissed.

Liam growl slamming his hand on the table standing up, he wanted so badly to punch his face that looked at him and his sister like they were nobody and worst of all bad-mouthed his mum.

"What are you gonna do, hit me? I assure you that will be a big mistake. I just need one call and your sister is expelled" he threatened. Liam gasps out unbelievably unable to do anything.

"Now if there isn't anything else, leave," Mr. Tom said going back to arranging his papers.

With fist tighten Liam storm off and shut the door behind him loudly, luckily no one was in the hall, only Jenna who was standing in front of him, from the look on her face, he knew she heard everything. She hasn't even realized what her brother was going through until now. she wondered what he went through to get her into this school.

"Jen look" he began but Jenna instantly hugs him tightly, wrapping her arms around his back in a tight hold.

"Am sorry Liam" she said crying. He wraps his arms around her.

"It's not your fault" he kept whispering as he smooched her, he wasn't gonna let this get to him, he could still remember the promise he made to their mom, he will make sure she gets a good education, it was a sacrifice he had to make even if it meant being insulted.

***

Phone Service Center

"Hello, this is the Intercom phone center how may I help you?!" Liam said as his hands went through the keyboard swiftly.

"Okay I will make sure to reveal the problem," he said.

"Thank you for your time". The comm went off, he took a deep breath leaning on his chair.

"What O'Brien work getting to ya?" a young man said leaning on his chair away from the cabinet blocking their workspace.

"It's nothing, Trent," Liam said rubbing his eyes.

"Hey whatever it is you can tell me" Trent offered, Liam sigh, Trent has been Liam's close friend ever since they were little, he could tell him anything without a doubt.

"I had a major breakdown with Jen's school principal," he said.

"Oh shut up," Trent said unbelievably.

"The real deal, I mean I can't believe that sucker was like that, man he's a pain in the ass" Liam clarified.

"That's rich bastards for you, they look at us like dirt, believe me, man, you are really lucky to get Jenna into that rich spoil school" Trent reasons.

"They have good studies there" Liam notes.

"And speaking of rich how is Nicole?" he adds shaking his eyebrow.

"Yeah she's good I was planning on calling her but not while am not in a good mood," Liam said.

"You're one lucky dude, I wish I got a girl like her" Trent reason.

"Yeah she's okay, I like her because of her full spirit, she doesn't see me as a nobody, she sees me for who I am," Liam said softly as he smiled.

"I bet her dad must have offered you money to stay away from her" Trent said.

"Her dad doesn't know we are dating," Liam said rolling his eyes.

"Oooooooh a secret lover," he said dramatically.

"Shut up dude," Liam said elbowing him playfully as they laughed.

***

Section Two

"Am telling you man ghouls are at a high rate here" Trent said as they walk along the pedestrian lane.

"Please stop with this ghoul stuff I have heard about this from Jen all day and am not about to hear it from you too," Liam said walking into a shop. The top said 'Drinks & Dine'.

"Am gonna eat your flesh" Trent said making ghoulish noise.

"Cut it out" Liam grimaced, Trent just laugh as they took their seat.

"Seriously dude what's with you and ghouls," Trent said amuse.

"Nothing" Liam shrug.

"Yeah right" Trent huff, he looks away from Liam's face turning to order.

"Fuck me check out that beauty," Trent said astonish.

Liam blink looking up at what got his friend startled, Liam's eyes caught a girl seated near the window reading a book, the sunlight reflected on her face. She had shoulder-length midnight hair, it had slight waves, her dark green eyes fixed on her book.

"She's a beauty," Trent said mesmerize. Liam's eyes were glued on her, the wind slowly creeps in making her hair blow slightly, her eyes slowly drift from her book and instantly land on Liam, he felt a certain coldness from it that made him unease, but there was something beneath that coldness, he felt it in every fiber of his body. He quickly tears his eyes away.

"Am not so sure about that" Liam said.

"What? She's one hot babe" Trent urge.

"Well looks can be deceiving," Liam said without a doubt as his eyes drift back to the girl, her eyes back at her book. The sound of his phone ringing distracted him. He slides it from his pocket and picked the call without looking at the number.

"Yeah?" he answered looking out the window.

"Yeah this is Liam O'Brien why?" he said again and then his eyes widen, the information nearly stopped his heart.

"Liam what's wrong is everything okay?!" Trent said worried at his sudden change of expression. Liam cut the call.

"I have to go," Liam said rushing out of the shop in panic.

The girl's eyes were glued on Liam as he rushes out.

***

May-field Junior High

"Here we are at May field Junior high where a ghoul attack happened, the police are still trying to discover what caused the outbreak until the G.I agents get here, for our recent information, about five students are still trapped inside the school building," the newscaster said.

Students, teachers, parents were outside in chaos panicking at what happened.

The taxi stop in front of the school and Liam rushed out paying the taxi and rushing through the school gates.

"Jen!" he called in the up roaring crowd but she was nowhere to be seen, he pushes forward to the front where a caution yellow line was drawn.

"Excuse me" he called a policeman.

"My name is Liam, Liam O'Brien, I was called on what happened," Liam said in haste.

"O'Brien?" he asked, Liam nod.

"We identified your sister is one of the students trapped inside but we can't go in because the ghoul is still in there, we have to wait until the G.I agents get here" the man noted.

"No no you can't just wait, you have to go in there now and do your job, for fucks sake my kid sis is in there" Liam hissed frustrated.

"Calm down," the man said waving him backward.

"Please do something my son is in there," a woman said crying, others complain too almost crossing the line.

"Come in, come in I need back up," the man said to the comm on his shoulder as the protest got louder, Liam's eyes drifted to the stretcher that brought out something on it covered in a white material that was stained in blood, Liam froze as time stopped around him, nobody needed to tell him that those where remains probably of a leg or arm, another came out.

"Sad to say this but now only three students are definitely in that building," the newscaster said shivering at the sight.

Liam stood frozen, the others around him pushed and shouted but they were like faint sound to him. 'Jen'. He thought.

"Jen" he came back to reality as his eyes drift to the school building.

"Jen" he panicked, he went under the caution line and ran inside, the policeman shouted at him to come back but he ignored them as he went through the doors of the school.

Inside was dark, the lights shake like the switch were off, Liam walk quietly assessing the hall, it was scattered with papers all over, some lockers left opened and other things on the ground, he sighted a bat and grab it, hoping it would serve as a defense when the time came, who was he kidding, there was no way he could defend himself against a ghoul but what were the odds, his sister's life was on the line.

He made his way to the classes searching them one by one, he got to one and he heard cries and muffle sounds, he rushed in and saw two students hiding under a table but Jenna wasn't among them.

"Hey it's alright," he said, they squeak turning to face Liam in fear, seeing Liam meant no harm they crawled out from under the table.

"Just walk quietly and head to the door," he said, they nod as they walk past him, he stopped one of the girls.

"Where is Jenna?!" he asked.

"I don't know, we got separated when the outbreak happened, maybe she might be in another class," the girl said before running out.

Liam walk out of the class and kept searching, he just hoped in his heart that she was okay. Only his footsteps could be heard in the quiet hall as he kept searching the classes.

He got to another area of the hall and saw blood marks leading to a class, he slowly followed the trail raising the bat, he got further and further to the classroom and then his eyes widen when he saw Jenna sitting close to a wall her knees to her chest as she cried.

"Jen!" he called dropping the bat as he rushes into the class to her side and hug her tightly, relief she was safe.

"Jen! Jen! Are you alright?" he asked worried.

"Jen?" he said again but she was frozen like she was lost.

"Jen!" he said shaking her body to gain her attention.

"Jen talk to me please" he demands, her hand tremble as she points forward, he followed the trail of her hand and turns.

He gasps in fear as he rises to his feet, his eyes shake seeing a being close to the board but it was dark there, he could only see a shadow, he was frozen in fear as the being step forward. Each footstep sounded like a thud until it came to light.

"Holy shit!" Liam exclaimed, it had a feminine structure, it was tall and long, skinny, extended arms and legs, bald head, pointy ears, pointy jaw, black eyes, and gold in the center, covered in black bandages that were evaporating black mist around it.

What shocked Liam the most was, the being slowly fold into series of black bandages and move to where his sister was in a long thread-like form, he followed the movement in shock as the being creep back to Jenna's body back into her skin, her eyes turned to all black, with gold at the center like it was moving and then it changed back to the main color of her eyes, and the black veins on her face disappeared. This left a paralyze Liam of what he just uncovered.

"I didn't mean to".