Back to Reality

The full moon shone down on them, on one else was on the beach, but at this time of night you couldn't blame them, it was nearing midnight but Alyssa didn't care, and neither did Skinna,
"You know Skinna…" Alyssa began, "I seriously didn't think things would turn out like this, like you, me, this beautiful night…"
"Mate, nothings too good for you, Alyssa u know that by now" Skinna replied smoothly.
"That's not true Skinna, if nothings too good for me, what are you doing here?" Alyssa whispered in Skinna's ear. Skinna leaned closer to her, and whispered back "Your just asking to be kissed aren't ya? Alyssa giggled, but only for a second. From a distance, both came together, it was their first real kiss since they had been seeing each other, which was only about a week. Alyssa had only been out of hospital for a few days, this was the first time they had been really alone.


"Skinna, there's something that's been bugging me lately, I just need to ask you"
"Ha ha, are you going too dump me to already?" Skinna smirked.
"Of course not Skinna, never say that again!" She said playfully slapping him, She paused for a moment, "I know that Libby has done a lot to you, and me too… but you have to promise me that you wont do anything to hurt her, I know that's hard to do, but promise me you wont" Skinna went quiet for a long moment.
"I promise I wont hurt her, but only for you." "I knew you would, but if you didn't well then I would of have to stop you myself," she said coolly
"You stop me? I would like to see that mate" Skinna said leaning closer.
"Oh yeah, how about if I grab your hands right now?" Alyssa cooed.
"If you did, well than I would have to push you over and kiss you"

Needless to say, you can guess what happened.

The Way Things Are


"Doc, that can't be right, you sure ya haven't stuffed up along the way? All the symptoms you've been rattling off I haven't had yet." Skinna said, slightly alarmed
"Well, I have been known to be wrong before, but when it comes to things like this, there's very little chance to stuff up" The doctor said after putting down his glasses.
"I know I've been stressed, feeling a little bit agro, but isn't that just part and parcel of life?" "Things like this isn't to be taken with a grain of salt," the doc continued; "I would recommend that you take these pills, take some time away and get everything straight again." "Second opinion?" Skinna asked; "No point, you will get the same answer everywhere." "Alright, thanks for you time doc, I'll catch ya later" Skinna got up and walked out of the room and paid the counter. Then walked out of the clinic to his car, "I knew I was going loony, but this far…?" he muttered to himself

Skinna picked up the phone, put in a number;

"Hey Alyssa, its Skinna, how you going?...
Yeah, I got you message, I was out for a while…
Yeah just went to the doc's…
Yeah, almost everything's alright, just a few little things…
Well, long story short, doc thinks im a psycho so he put me on happy pills and has severely encouraged me to go and spend some time away from everyone…
Um, im going down to me uncle's property tomorrow, I already booked the flight this arvo…
I realised that, I know you were looking forward to going out for dinner and all that jazz, but I'll make it up to you when I get back…
And why cant I make it up to you?...
Alyssa please, I know you went out of your way to get this all set up, that's why I want to…
Hey hey babe, its alright mate, its cool alright? Just settle down, its all goin to turn out good, I'll be back before you know it, and we'll get together and I promise it will all be sweet…
Alright, I'll talk to you later... bye b-" the phone went dead, a moment later Skinna crushed the phone in question in one hand before setting it down on the table in hundreds of bits.

He left for Queensland the next day for two weeks, he received a message from Alyssa just before he left; "You can do whatever you want, if you need time, that's fine, see you in two weeks." Not the most comforting message he had ever seen, The paranoid side of him thought it was missing something, "You can do whatever you want because I will be" but he hoped to god it was just paranoia.

Chapter 2

While the cats away…


"Hey, he ditched you didn't he? For all you know he could be down wherever with another chick"
"Libby, don't say that, I know Skinna, he wouldn't do that"
"Well did you know he was going to ditch you?" Libby said comfortably
"That's not the point, he has to do what is good in the long run… Do you think he would? I know he likes me, do you think im not enough for him?" Alyssa's room went quiet for a second, the walls seemed to close in on her for a split second; "Do you think I am Libby?" Alyssa said, more than a tone of concern in her voice,
"Of course you are babe, any bloke would gladly be with you, you would be even enough for Casanova" Libby said in a comforting voice.
"Y'know, now that I think about it, I don't think I am enough, I don't do any of that stuff the other girls do, like put out in public, be sluttish, that sorta stuff, maybe that's what I need to do… give me that bottle…" Alyssa leaned over to Libby and snatched a bottle of vodka from her hand.
"I've always said it, Skinna isn't worth you, he doesn't take you the way a girl need to be taken, you need to be taken on the bed on the first date" Libby chirped
"Don't you think that's a bit quick to be doing things? Sex on the first date?" Alyssa questioned, wiping vodka from her lips. "Trust me babe, it's the way to go, I've been doing it for ages, it works, trust me… now before you have time to think about it, there's a party over at Little Johns house, I know just how to make you cheer up again, now get some of that drink into ya, there's more where that came from…"

The Next Day

The sun rose the next morning to the sight of countless teenagers passed out on and around a house in the suburbs, the smell of a burnt barbeque and alcohol filled the street. Two of the party-goers were up already, surprisingly really considering the alcohol they consumed between them, another person woke up, and tried to stumble towards the house, but only made it a handful of steps before passing out again.
"Did you see Alyssa last night Libby?" Jodi asked.
"Yeah, ha ha, I saw her, she would have to be best on ground I say" Libby chirped back.
"So how did you get her to come last night, she's not the type to come to parties, what ya secrete?" Libby paused for a second, then answered; "Well, I told her she needed to get out some more, since that idiot Skinna ditched her…"
"Oh, I wouldn't say ditched, did you hear the reason behind him leaving?" Jodi said coming to Skinna aid.
"Um, Alyssa tried to tell me, but I went out of my way to get them into that place in town further than I should of, and what ends up happening? He shoots of down south without a reason, probably for another girl…" "Well he told me the real reason, I think he needs it, not another girl, time alone… but back to the matter at hand, where's Alyssa?" confused faces followed. "I dunno Jodi, I thought you did"

After a quick look around the block, they both found Alyssa under a tree, passed out, with an empty bottle of vodka in her hand. "Uh, this isn't going to be pretty" Libby said hoisting Alyssa onto her shoulder, "Lets take her inside eh?" Libby and Jodi both took a arm and walked her inside, halfway Alyssa started to become conscious, the only indicator of this was a few groans and last nights dinner not-so-gracefully appearing on the grass.

Always blame the bottle

After some time, Alyssa sobered up and her speech became understandable, so Libby started to quiz Alyssa on the night before; "So babe, have fun last night?"
"Um, I don't know, did I? I-I can't remember what happened" Alyssa croaked back. Libby smirked and said: "Are you kidding?! Not even giving the whole party a flash of you undies while you were dancing on the table?"
"Don't listen to her Alyssa, she's only bullshitting you… I hope" Jodi smirked as she gave Alyssa a bottle of water
"Um, I thought that bit was just a dream… oh fuck, Skinna's going to find out about this isn't he?" "Is he ever! That's just the start of things, this will be the biggest thing since the video stunt at school!"
"Jodi," Alyssa started, turning towards her. "Is she telling the truth? You stayed sober didn't you? So you would know what happened?" Jodi took a second to guiltily reply;
"Well for most of it, I had a bit to drink at the end"
"So how much did I have when you were sober?" Alyssa asked, knowing she would regret it. Libby ended up answering, "Too much, we found you with a bottle of vodka, sorry, my vodka, that was 30% alcohol too, that would of been enough for normal people, but I think I saw you with Martins cougars…" Libby said motioning over to a teenager hanging head first out of a hammock, "…He wouldn't mind I don't think" All three of them giggled.

It was another 20 minutes until the next person awoke, and stayed awake for that matter, a boy by the name of Jimmy, he was the same age as the rest of them short and stocky. He wore glasses, which didn't help his geek look, but he was still popular with the cooler crowd, because with his glasses off he looked much the same as his older brother, which the year before had given him his 18+ card, allowing Jimmy to buy alcohol and cigarettes, instantly making him 'cool' and a must at most parties.

He walked out into the kitchen of… uh, he couldn't remember the name of the house, it had been a heavy night, he didn't remember much at all. In the kitchen there were three girls talking, he recognised them as Libby, Jodi and Alyssa, to whom he had been introduced last night, but didn't know which one was which. The fridge was empty, not even any water left. So he grabbed a glass out of the cupboard, turned on the tap to get some water.


"Um Libby…" Alyssa started, not noticing the new person in the room, "Did I make out with anyone? Because, uh, It feels like I did"
"How do you know that?" Jimmy butted in unexpectedly from the sink, "Some sort of girls intuition?" Jimmy turned around, he assumed the one in the middle girl on the table had spoke, she had been fairly hammered last time her saw her, Alyssa jumped at this new voice, she didn't hear him come into the room, she looked at him and instantly her heart missed a beat. Jimmy looked at the girl in the middle, and instantly a memory came flooding back to him, a memory from the night before, both Alyssa and Jimmy stared at each other for a long moment, leaving Jodi and Libby to look at the two transfixed on each other.

A tear ran down Alyssa's face, Jimmy reacted quickly, "I uh, I'll be right back" he walked backwards out of the room. Libby sniffed a hint that something happened.
"Alyssa babe, are you ok?" Jodi asked her upon seeing the tear run down her face.
"To answer your question," Libby cut in; "Im guessing yes, you did make out with somebody" Libby smirked as another tear splashed into Alyssa's shirt. "Oh no…"

Chapter 3

Homecoming Of A King

The flight seemed to last for years, Skinna couldn't wait to see his girl again, it had only been 2 weeks but to Skinna, two weeks too many had passed, he left on a slightly sour note so he hoped she had forgiven him, the only contact had been a SMS with the what time the plane was due in, he hoped that she was their to greet him.

After what seemed like an eternity of circling, the plane touched down and taxied to the gate, and the doors were opened. 'What happens if she isn't here, what happens if she doesn't want to see me anymore?' shot through his mind. He had decided very early on in the break from society that Alyssa was the girl he wanted, the girl he always dreamed about, he couldn't let a chance of being with her be vanquished by an impurity of the mind, it was just too much to give up, too much to lose, he would do anything in is power to keep her his and only his.

Skinna was last off the plane, he was scared of the rejection that could await him, he entered the terminal, it was relatively empty, at first he couldn't see Alyssa, his second glance also didn't see her, Skinna's heart sank below the knees, she didn't show up, the events that occurred before his departure must have been too much. A second later, something that happened behind him made him jump out of his skin.

A bunch of roses was thrust in his face from behind, a card with a teddy bear was facing towards him; "Welcome home babe" was written in calligraphy on the front.


"So did ya miss me?" Alyssa asked, they were at the baggage clam at the airport,
"Of course I did mate, couldn't spend another moment without seeing you again" He lent over and kissed her, he had been meaning to do that for a long while.
"But that was a nasty joke you did when I got off the plane mate" Skinna said in a serious but joking voice,
"I couldn't resist, you know I didn't mean any harm by it babe"
"Its alright, I know you didn't" Skinna finished. Standing next to her liberated him from the worries and stressed of the world, holding her in his arms was everything he had dreamed. Soon his bag came around and they were off to spend some time together.

The Day The World Stopped

Skinna enjoyed being home, the whole aspect of being in a place that was familiar, much better the being alone. He had taken Alyssa out to town and brought her a brand new ring, it was a silver band with a blue sapphire double helix through the front of it.
"Personally made just for you mate, nothings too good for my girl" Skinna said, moving his head closer to her, "I had it cast while I was away... It's a work of art" Alyssa was still speechless, Skinna did expect this, so it was no surprise.
"I can't take this Skinna" Alyssa begun apologetically, "its way too much, I don't deserve something like this…"
"The rings already been cast, its either your finger or someone else will buy it and I wont see it or a cent I paid for it ever again, and I know you want it too, just keep it, as a reminder of our love together." Alyssa's guts tightened, she dreaded the moment he found out she had been un-faithful, She knew he would understand, but could he still love her the same?

Alyssa finally accepted the ring, and Skinna slipped it on her finger; "Its not a wedding ring, but it still means I love you." Skinna got to his feet, "You hungry? Why don't we get some take-away before we head home?" "Sure Skinna, im a bit peckish myself " Alyssa answered hooking her arm in Skinna's, just the way it should be.

After a quick trek, they found something that they both agreed on, and went on up to the counter; "Hello welcome to Jim's Chicken House, may I take your order… Alyssa, hey how ya goin? Long time no see!" Skinna and Alyssa looked down from the menu to see a teenager with a cheesy grin plastered on his face. "Oh hey, Jimmy right? H-how are you?" Alyssa answered back. "Yeah man, I've been good, and you?
"Ah, so we're friends here are we? Care to introduce me Alyssa?" Skinna butted in. "Uh Skinna, this is Jimmy."
"We met at a party last week!" Jimmy cut Alyssa off. Out of the corner of Skinna's eye he could see Alyssa giving this new 'Jimmy' character a stern look. "So Skinna, are you Alyssa's mate?" Things started to click in Skinna's mind, he was being mighty friendly for someone who had been an acquaintance for a week. "Um, actually we're going out…" Alyssa said putting her arm around Skinna. This put Jimmy in a quiet character very quickly. "Arighty then, um, lucky you, so what can I get you?" Jimmy asked, in an obviously annoyed tone.
"Two chicken specials mate, that's all" Skinna replied, in an equally annoyed tone.


"So who's party was it babe?" Skinna asked on the way to the car. "Um, you know Little John?" Skinna shook his head, "Well he's a mate of Libby." Skinna shook his head again.
"So did you get trashed?" Skinna said smirking "Yeah, sure did, and I've been feeling a bit under the whether since a few days after, you think that's alcohol poisoning Skinna?"
"Nah mate, probably just a bug goin around, is it in the guts?" Alyssa nodded, "Yeah, just a bug…" They were both thinking the same thing. But they still held hands, as if life was going to be normal. The truth was it was about to turn upside down for good.

The car trip was very quiet, Skinna's 'Stevie Ray Vaughn and Double Trouble' CD filled the tense air, "I can tell what your thinking Skinna." Alyssa whispered after a while.
"Really?" Skinna replied with a touch too much of sarcasm, "What am I thinking then?" He turned to Alyssa, trying to make eye contact, it didn't happen. The rest of the drive was the same as the start, tense and quiet.

Skinna opened up the door to his rented apartment and walked in, Alyssa in tow. "Mate, grab a seat on the couch, we need to talk" "Do you really think this is-" Alyssa started.
"Yeah, think it is" Skinna said, cutting in. They both sat down on the couch. A second passed, Skinna was looking for the right words. "You fucked him didn't you" he ended up choosing. "What? Skinna how could you accuse me of that?" "Its easy, because it happened, no need to deny it mate," Alyssa had noticed Skinna had been calling her 'mate' instead of the usual 'babe'. "You did though didn't you?" Alyssa nodded, drooping her head; "I-I was pissed Skinna, I don't remember it, I didn't realize until the morning that it happened, it was a whole bottle to me, I… I just fucked up Skinna, right and royal. You know this isn't like me." This time it was Alyssa's turn to try for eye contact. She got it.

"And that stomach ache? What's that all about? I don't think its food poisoning." Skinna put forward. It took a while for the answer, "I'm pregnant Skinna,.. Its not you, we never had sex or anything, Jimmy's that dad, he took advantage of me during the night, I could feel it in the morning that something had happened."
"Enough talking, stop it. Shit has well and truly hit the fan right here, I need a walk." Skinna said getting up off the couch. "Please, Skinna wait." Alyssa tried, Skinna just shook his head and kept walking.

Without Alyssa, Skinna walked out the door and down the street. He pulled out his phone to the message that he received the night he arrived back home; "Alyssa cheated u. Libby talked her into it. Things could be bad. Talk soon." The number he knew from previous messages, messages of support before his trip and messages from a time best forgotten to him. He was on his way up the street to the house of a friend, where Skinna hid his gun. He was off to see Libby, to see Libby one last time.

Enter Rage, Exit Life

Although not the prettiest gun ever made, the .303 bolt action Skinna held in his hand more than made up for its bad looks in its firepower. The wooden butt had been replaced with carbon fiber, molded just for Skinna's shoulder and a special scope had been fitted, with a very original laser pointer. Instead of using the common ruby laser, to produce a red dot that everyone can see, this .303 had a ultra-violet dot, which unless you had a special viewer, could not been by the naked eye, meaning a target can be brought to bare without a give away dot.

Right now this purple dot was positioned right on the window of Libby's room, the dot ready to be replaced by a diamond tipped bullet. Much the same as a normal bullet, but the last few millimeters were replaced with the hardest substance in the world, diamond, just to guarantee the kill.

The door to Libby's house opened and Skinna wielded around just in time to place the scope onto Libby's mum's forehead. He instantly clicked on his safety. A thought came to Skinna, 'if she was home alone, he would be able to kill her from point blank, making sure she dies. Moments later all distractions were gone, leaving Skinna, Libby and a gun, Skinna was shaking, but not out of fear, but out of anticipation and rage.

"What the fuck do you want Skinna?!" Libby yelled, and with good reason, he had just kicked in the front door, no easy task when you consider it was mahogany. "I just wanted a favor, that's all mate." Skinna had hid the gun behind his back, made possible by leaving the majority of his barrel outside. "A favor huh? Alright, what favor?" Libby cautiously said, something about Skinna didn't add up. Skinna pulled his rifle from behind his back and aimed it right between Libby's eyes before she had a chance to react, "On ya knees… now!" Libby complied.

"You know all the pain you've caused me don't you?" Skinna asked, now parading around his victim. "Why did you have to do it? It could of all been sweet, me and Alyssa, you would have still had her, I wouldn't take her away. Why didn't you want us to be together?" Skinna asked. "Because I've always hated you Skinna, your too much of an optimist, bad stuff happens dude, you have to be strong for it, all you did was cry when we got you good both times, that's not showing balls…"
"I wouldn't be mouthing off right now bitch, im the one with the gun here, so im asking the questions, you're the one answering, got it?" Libby groaned at Skinna's forceful words. "I've got a gun too Skinna, did you think of that?" A 9mm handgun of some description rushed from Libby's pocket and pointed right at Skinna's face, where he took one look at it and said; "I don't like fake guns mate… who did you buy that off? The casting is terrible, would have been better off with a toy gun," Skinna had her measure; it was after all only a fake gun.

"Yes, I know, but you don't have to kill me, you don't think this is teaching me a lesson?" Libby desperately croaked out. "Yeah, a lesson you wont forget, because it will be your last, don't think you can get out of this," He pushed his gun to the back of her head,
"I swore that I would kill you, and well would you have a look, I am going to kill you." The safety clicked off,
"It may not seem like much mate, but the hell you put me through, sent me insane. It was either you or me I was going to kill, but looks like you drew the short straw today." Skinna pushed the gun against Libby's head, she whimpered.
"You're going to die, but who said it was going to be quick?" A smile spread across his face as he lowered the gun to Libby's lower back, and at point blank, shot her through her kidney, almost guaranteeing her death.

The deed was done, after seeing her squirm around on the ground, pity entered Skinna's thoughts, He decided to end her misery by killing her outright. Seconds after having "mercy" and finishing her with his knife, it was all over, Libby had been killed, But Skinna was just getting wound up, Taking her phone, wallet, various other personal artifacts and gun, he walked out of the house, the last thing he would remember until the morning.

The Aftermath

The morning broke and Skinna found himself in the back seat of his car, .303 on the floor and knife beside it, covered in blood much the same as his hands. He remembered killing Libby, it brought a sad satisfaction to him. Leaving all of his stuff in the car he went inside, hopping that Alyssa was still inside so he could explain what had happened, how he had gone against his promise not to kill Libby, how he had forgiven her for 'seeing' Jimmy, his only hope was for her to forgive him for this, He hoped she was still inside…

She was.

But she was dead.

Skinna ran over to her, blood streaked from her neck, a deep stab wound on the side of her neck to be exact. Nothing went through his mind for minutes as he held her, Alyssa was dead, the only thing that had kept Skinna going was now snuffed out, the blood was dry, It must of happened last night. Skinna eventually picked up her phone, it was still turned on, and had a message from the mysterious 'Jimmy' character; 'I'm really sorry it happened like it did, I can't forgive myself.' It was sent after midnight, while Skinna was out.

"He killed her… He killed her." Skinna muttered to himself over and over, rage swelling up inside him, only stopped by the police sirens a way off, it made Skinna think, "Knife, blood stains, dead body. Not good." Quickly, Skinna rounded up all of his most valuable possessions, placed them in his car, and ran back inside for one last thing, to kiss his angel goodbye one last time. "Goodnight babe…" Skinna whispered, a tear forming in his eye, before he was out the door, and off to the nearest far away place, to figure out what came next.

After less than an hour's thoughts, the verdict was to fly away, to somewhere where he knew he would be safe, but when the time was right, he would return for Jimmy. That was the marvelous thing about having parents that had fled Australia without alerting any government agency, Skinna was on his own, left to fend for himself, just the way he wanted. Able to do anything he wanted, anytime thanks to the multi million dollar bank account left for his life by the old dears, just enough to bring Jimmy down.

Revenge for Alyssa would happen, Skinna again swore that he would kill, just like he had with Libby, but this time it was Jimmy that would be dead, he promised himself… He would do it for Alyssa.