"Hide for me, ok?"

"Okay," Isabella replied to the voice.

She opened her eyes. Isabella found herself hidden in a closet, behind her father's bed. Meanwhile, a short shuffle, and saw her father through the crack of her door. He swept back his white hair. Isabella remembered how bright his hair was. But his eyes were blue like her. He seemed to be standing, waiting for someone.

A pair of footsteps, then the door swung open.

"So, John. Where's your witch?"

Isabella squinted to see through the face-

"She's not here," John spread his arms open as if he were embracing something. "You want me!"

But her father blocked the view.

"Almighty God will not mourn your death, demon!" Another voice spoke behind the soft blur of the door.

One fast pace footstep and John manifested a blade from his hand. Isabella shuted her eyes so tightly, she swore they would bleed.

A violent thud against the ground next to the bed, the man choked and held his stomach. The other man held a silver blade then-"ARGH!" John cried out as the man stabbed him. Isabella closed her mouth holding a whimper.

"Sliver," John murmured with the blade in his shoulder. "My, my. You came prepared." "It shall kill you, you unholy piece of shit!" He shouted directly at his face. John winced once again.

"."

BAM! The man fell to his knees in front of John, then John kicked him across the room.

"It isn't blessed."

John turned his head towards the closet. Isabella faintly smiled she felt her chubby little checks grow with affection.

"Its ok, Izzy," He smiled gently. For a demon, he was most sypamathetic towards his daughter.

Before Isabella could climb out to hug her father, he fell face forward on the ground clutching his chest. Someone had put another silver blade into him. He gasped from the blood in his mouth and looked desperatly at Isabella in the closet.

"Don't move, sweetie," His mind crept into hers "Stay put, your mommy will be here to help you."

Conrad looked down at John at the ground. "It is God's will that orders us to kill you," His voice was full of triumphant glee. "Where's your daughter?" His voice turned ice cold.

" -year-old girl?" John slowly rose up, but Conrad place a foot onto the blade piercing into him deeper.

"All demonic blood must be destroyed!"

John fought himself up back again and then a rash of steps occurred, pulling away from Isabella's sight. A few grunts and then.

Thud.

Isabella froze. Her chubby checks became soaked with tears.

There lied John, finally still and Conrad, gasping for air. The struggles induced not even long enough. John kept attention away from the closet...

" wrap it up." Panted Conrad.

"I will make your sect PAY." Isabella's voice affirmed.

Okay, it was a horrible dream in the dark. Isabella looked up and saw the moonlight on her bed. She sighed and turned up on her back. So, who did get her out of that house that day? Isabella could never remember.

Kevin was waiting in the parking garage meant for the mall. There was always recurring joke that referred to "Dawn of the Dead" by Isabella. Kevin smiled softly. Isabella had gotten such a kick out of that movie-more of a morbid humor that no one else got.

"Did I tell you what my youngest thinks of this mall?" Kevin asked Devon to the left of him.

"No, what?" Devon turned to him. It was a good thing to pass time by. Talk about your children.

"She talks about "Dawn of the Dead every time we go here," Kevin reminisced.

"Oh, you mean the remake?" Devon thought about it now. There was a no way a teen today liked old movies from the seventies.

"Both," Kevin sighed. She was a patron of horror movies after all.

"Ah." Devon sighed as the car they were waiting for approached.

Kevin and Devon shifted as a group of men stepped out.

Surrounded by a very pale man with blonde hair and pale blue eyes. Another tall and dark-skinned and then there was him. He however, laid in the middle of their height. His dress was casual, a dress shirt and a pair of slacks, normal attire for him Kevin thought. Now he was of average height, dark brown hair that was almost shoulder length casually covering his deep blue eyes. If he were any paler, he would be white.

"Are you feeling well Mr. Winthrop?" Kevin finally spoke up.

"No," His voice was soft, but deep. "I am a very ill man."

"Kevin, Mr. Winthrop is expecting his reward for his assistance in your promotion." The man with blonde hair pointed out immediately so Kevin wouldn't forget.

"I-I haven't forgotten, yes but-"

"But what?" The sickly man interjected automatically. "I expect retributions for our service, do not give me this tired excuse that you can't." He stated firmly, almost in a threateningly matter.

"I can't afford it! I will be able to pay for !"

The man took in a calm breath, and then came forward to Kevin, so close their nose was almost touching.

"I am very sick right now," He whispered "You wouldn't like it when I am ill. I am not in my right mind."

"Yes, but-" Kevin stammered leaning away from him.

"Please, Mr. Winthrop, his family will be struggling if he pays now! Allow him to put more money aside!" Devon spoke up. "For God sake's man, his family is very impoverished! How dare you expect him to pay that off?!" He shouted.

Winthrop's eyes wandered to him. It looked like his face was starting to age at an enormous rate.

"Your oldest daughter," He turned back to Kevin in a slight tinge of arrogance. "She's expecting her first son, right?"

Kevin frozed. His face flushed with anger and fear. "What does she have to do with this?!"

"Everything," He whispered. "I expected to have payment for over a fucking month now, and I will not take no for answer! You my friend, have been telling us this since June!"

"Leave my family out of this!"

Winthrop paused. "What 's her name?" He turned to the taler man.

"Isabella." He answered in a husky voice.

"Ah, Isabella," He withered. "She reminds you of "Dawn of the Dead" when you see this mall, right?"

Kevin stiffened. "Leave her out of this." he trembled.

"Then consider it a warning," Winthrop rubbed his chin. "I need not remind you to pay in two days as scheduled. If not.I shall pay your family a visist."

Wintrop turned back to the car. The blonde man opened the door for him.

"One more thing," He stopped with his back faced towards Kevin. "The northern sect up here is watching your "daughter". I think I don't need to remind you what they did to Mr. Willams. Right?"

".I am aware of them," Kevin swallowed.

Winthrop stepped into the back seat carefully as if he were about to faint. The car doors slammed and speeded off into the darkness.

Grace was at the table the next morning as Isabella woke up. Her red hair was cut shortly in a bob, and her skin was a healthy color compared to Isabella's. She was six months pregant and eating a waffle eagerly.

"Grace?" Isabella murmured. "Oh! His Isabella!" She finally looked up. Isabella walked away. Lorrnia was walking around in the kitchen, Isabella felt no emotional attachment to talk to her.

"I'm getting my breakfast at school," She said coldly to Lorrina at the door.

"I have it right here!" She shouted down the hall.

"I know," Isabella tugged her skirt down. She slammed the door as she walked out. Isabella headed towards school without enthusiasm. She brushed her hair out of her face towards the block. The townsfolk eyed her wearily and looked at her as if she'd done something horrible. School was less than exciting. But luckily, Isabella found something more interesting rather than school.

Her grandmother's grave.

Isabella knelt down when she arrived to it. Her eyes looked at the name again: ABIGAL WILLAMS. "Dad's mom," She told herself. "She accused everyone of witchcraft. And then gave birth to a fallen angel for a , or so does the story goes." She blinked at it. The small memorial off the road and a Catholic School girl looking at it with great pride. She shuffled.

"Mmm.I don't want to go to school," She mumbled. Isabella turned back on the road away from the old grave.

Okay, so what to do with the free time? She changed back into her regular clothes she brought with her and proceeded to wander down Danvers. Isabella attended a small café' even though everyone would tell her mother that she was skipping school. Isabella lost her interest. She pulled out her text copy of English and read it quietly. The other people in the booths every once awhile turned to look at her, especially an old woman with a Victorian- style high collar. Isabella tried not to look at them. She continued to focus on her book without the eyes looking at her.

"Isabella?" A chipper voice rang across from her. Isabella looked up. Christmas and Chise stood fixated at her. "You're skipping school?" "I'm not going to school like this!" Isabella turned her head away.

Christmas blinked and added. "Umm, no one knows what happened to you if your concerned."

"What happened anyway?" Chise finally asked

"My first period," She mumbled. They are friends they had to understand.

"You just got yours?" Asked Chise. "I got mine when I was thirteen!"

"Umm, not everyone gets it that early." Christmas added. "I got mine six months ago."

"So, you guys are already having periods?" Isabella looked up. They knew Isabella wasn't supportive of herself. "Great. I hate being a late bloomer. I'm flat as a board all the way around."

"Isabella, its normal for everyone to get , you know at that age." Chise sat down across from her and Christmas joined. "Since I'm Asian, I'm short and not curvy. But that doesn't mean anything!"

"Don't beat yourself up over it." Christmas shrugged. She was rummaging through her bag.

"What are you doing?" Chise looked down at her bag.

"Since its late September, I made scarfs!"

"Oh, god," Chise rolled her eyes.

"Inter house unity?" Isabella chuckled.

"Yup!" Christmas pulled out three. She handed Chise a black and yellow, took a brown and navy blue scarf, and handed the marron and gold to Isabella.

"I hate those colors," Isabella looked down at the scarf.

"But I hand knitted it for you!" Christmas smiled. "Besides, you're brave and coragous, it suits you!"

"Can't argue on the brave." Chise thumbed the desk. "Remember her telling off Sister Lenno?"

"Heh," Isabella remembered.

Late that night, they returned after Isabella's new grounded side orders of coffee later, Chise, Isabella, and Christmas were talking animatedly about boys they liked. It was only eight in the evening, and the café' itself didn't close until nine-thirty.

"Like anyone, Isabella?" Chise rested her cute face on her hands and looked up at Isabella through her gray almond eyes. " think," Isabella giggled for a minute. "Uh." "Oh, come on! It can be anyone!" Christmas flung her hand and sank back into the chair.

"Scott Wyland." Isabella stated simply and sipped her mocha in silence. Of course, they didn't know who that was.

"Who?"

"He's from Velvet Revolver and Stone Temple Pilots," She explained. "He wears eye liner like me and he's pale." She trailed off into a soft smile flushed with pink in her pale cheeks.

"Eeew! I saw him in that video!" Chise spat.

"With Slash!" Added Christmas.

"He's so freaky!" Chise laughed.

"Yes! Exactly!" Isabella added.

"Oh, sorry to break this up dears," The elder woman approached the table and the conversation died. "But its closing time. You will have to head home now." She smiled. " I remember your ages, I loved John Lennon. Oh, he was such a handsome man. What a shame." She walked away to the front part of the table.

"Bummer." Chise got out of the booth.

"Oh, man," Christmas moaned. "To bad your grounded now."

"Oh, well," Isabella shrugged removing her body from the seat. "See you online, right?"

"For sure," Chise and Christmas walked out. "See ya, tomorrow, Bella!"

"Please wear the scarf!" Add Christmas through the door.

"I will," She muttered.

Isabella headed through the door and then-

"Miss. Willams," The elder woman behind her was holding a box. "Can you please help me with this?"

Isabella couldn't say no now. The respect she had for this woman not lecturing her about her clothes and ideas.

"Ok." She took the box and headed towards the back exit. Helping the woman put inside the box, but there had to be a reason behind it.

"Miss Willams," She said behind her. "Stay away from their sect."

"But, wait how do you know about that?" Isabella asked her.

"Your father wouldn't want you hurt," Her wry smile expressed her worry. "Please." She stepped inside the car and started the engine. "Have a goodnight, sweetie!" She drove off in the small car, leaving Isabella behind the alley. Isabella stood blank. Ok, so what did SHE knew about the sect? After a minute looking at the moon and her growing discomfort of home, Isabella started to head home.

"I am here for you, Isabella Abigail Willams," Said a voice. It sounded familiar somewhere. Isabella turned around and looked.

"I will make your sect PAY."

Some of us are meant to be different. How we are different is in us. But beauty is another question. So here is mine?

What is beauty? Is it in my eyes? Or does it exist within a natural person?

But sometimes its like every time I get up in the morning, I look at myself. Its fine. But what happens after you have done something? What then? When I see myself after a bad event, I can't think beautiful. Its disgust.

So, my question to you is. Am I so beautiful with my scars? My clothes? My anger? My anguish? Is this beauty?