Candlewood [Chapter VIII Finished.]

Maturity: Basically all that you'd find in Twilight; mildly graphic kissing (nothing really explained...), dating, and... monsters. Also, a little bit of violance. (The mermaids...)
Fantasy: Mermaids, and... there might be some other things going on later.

Note From The Author:
Anyone's opinions about my story are allowed, but, if you don't like it, say so in a nice way. Otherwise, I'll set Scarlette on you.
**The new chapters are posted throughout the thread, but there are links to the posts at the THIRD POST ON THIS PAGE



Prologue:
Sometimes, it seems like the world has been dumped on your shoulder. Like, you can't breathe almost. Water. Water can be dangerous, something I learned the hard way. Especially when your hunter, becomes the one you love. I looked into her deep purple eyes. Dark, full, with loads of emotion showing behind those crystal lenses. Her hands touched my face gently, almost afraid to look at me. I could tell that she was hiding something, I just didn't know what it was yet. I didn't know, that she could have crushed my skull with her hands, or that she could have snapped my entire body in half. I didn't know. But I would, soon.

Chapter I:
"Mom, I'm going to school." Deryck stepped out of the house and walked toward his car. "Typical..." He said as the car wouldn't start. The shiny appearance his car gave on the outside was very wrong. It was a piece of crap, and he knew that. He twisted the key again and again, but to no avail. Slamming the door, he left his shiny, crappy car behind as he walked to school. "Well, at least I'm being eco-friendly." He said sarcastically. He almost laughed at his own sarcasm.

It wasn't that bad a day; the sun was shining, and the smell of summer was close to being here. Two more days. That's all was left. He thought. Then I can move away from this place, and I never have to come here again. He smiled to himself, and then saw a girl, no taller than he was, maybe two inches shorter, with gorgeous black hair that fell to her shoulders. She was dressed pretty plainly, white tee, lime green jeans, and traditional converse. What really made her stand out was the way she walked. Confident, poised, with an air about her that told you she knew what she was up against. She kind of skipped as she walked, but not visably. Dancing, almost. Deryck walked behind her for quite some time, staring at her hair. Finally she turned around and faced him.

"Why are you following me?" She asked, almost accusingly. He was taken aback. "Well, why?"

"I'm just going to school." Deryck said.

"Oh. Well, you're making me nervous, so I think I should walk behind you to be safe." The strange girl moved behind Deryck, and then pushed him gently to tell him to move. "Go on." She said.

Deryck began to get more and more uncomfortable as the walk went on. Who was this weird girl? He tried to look behind his shoulder once or twice, but she pushed him every time.

"You're making me uncomfortable." Deryck admitted, stopping. The strange girl sighed and then took his hand and placed him toward the school.

"We'll walk side by side. Okay?" She started walking, and he followed. "What's your name?" She asked, a minute or two later. He looked into her eyes, and that was when it struck him. They were dark purple, gorgeous. Her face was like a statue, pale, with just the right amount of color in her cheeks, and very long dark eyelashes.

"Er... what?" He said.

"What's your name?" She repeated.

"Deryck." He answered. "What about you?"

He thought he saw her smile for a second, but then it went away.

"I'm Scarlette." She said. What a weird name... fits her though. Deryck thought. Scarlette fixed her hair and the two kept walking to school.

It was a while before they spoke again, Deryck seemed not to know what to say. She was very... intimidating. Just being next to her made him feel weird. He finally decided that it'd be best to start some small talk, and it didn't seem like she was going to be starting it. He looked at her again, perfect face, surrounded by the most gorgeous hair. She was a beacon of beauty, and dressed similarly to the way he was. She was beautiful, no doubt about it, but she just wasn't that likeable for Deryck. He shook his hair and looked forward again.

"So, what do your parents do?" He asked. Scarlette seemed to ponder this for a while.

"They hunt, and they fish, and well, they boss their employees around I guess." Scarlette answered. "What about yours?"

"Well, my Dad's dead." He started.

"I'm sorry." Scarlette said.

"It's okay," Deryck said. "You didn't do anything. He drowned while he was out fishing... it was really hard on my Mom. She hasn't worked since then. Scarlette?" She had stopped walking and looked at him, her head slightly sideways, with an expression he couldn't understand.

"Fishing? He drowned... fishing?" She said. "Where? Tell me where!" She insisted.

"Uh... Candlewood Lake." He said.

"What was his name?" She asked, even more insistantly. Her questions were more like forced statements.

"James!" He said. "God! Why does it matter."

Scarlette looked down. It looked like she wished she could tell him something, but she couldn't. She sighed and wiped the tear from her eye. "I was just wondering if that was the man I saw in the paper." She said. It didn't sound true, but he dropped it. "Come on, Deryck. We're almost at school. You don't want to be late." They walked up the hill for five more mintues. Scarlette seemed deeply scarred by the fact that Deryck's father had drowned.

What is wrong with this girl? He asked himself. I tell her my Dad died, and she flipps out! Ugh... I deffinately don't want this one around.

They walked into school. "Bye Deryck." She said, dancing off in the opposite direction.

"Bye Scarlette."

Chapter II:
Try as Deryck did, he just couldn't get Scarlette out of his head. The way she had walked, danced... The way her perfect face was framed by curtains of shining black hair. He couldn't do it. She had invaded his mind. It's just a faze. He told him self, all day. She's just a crush. She doesn't mean anything. Nothing at all.

"Hi Deryck." A group of giggling girls said, running away as he smiled at them. She should be like them. Fawning over me. That's what everyone does. Why isn't she normal?

The day passed very slowly, and he felt as though it may drag on forever, when the final bell rang. Deryck leaped out of his seat and bounded down the hall, out into the rain, walking home. He sighed and kept walking. It wasn't until later down the hill that he heard someone.

"Hey, Deryck. Wait up!" Scarlette called. Her voice was controlling. He couldn't refuse. He turned around slowly. "You okay? You're looking a little pale." Deryck shrugged, still unable to speak. "Well, I know what'll make you feel better." She said. She stepped closer to him. "Come to Candlewood Lake, later. Okay? It's beautiful there at sunset." Deryck blinked. She's just a faze, just a crush. He told himself again. He didn't believe it.

"Uh, sure." Deryck smiled. Scarlette held her hand out.

"Shake on it?" She asked, smiling. Deryck had never heard her smile. It nearly melted his heart. He fought to keep from falling over.

"Sure." He said cooly. At least his voice didn't shake like his knees were. He put out his hand to shake Scarlette's. She smiled again, and then disappeared into the house to the left, though it looked a little broken down...

He walked home, pondering Scarlette. She was beautiful, but she was just a faze. She was perfect, but she was just a crush. No. He couldn't go later. But he had shaken on it. How could he refuse those dark, purple eyes? That dazzling smile? All of it. He walked into his house and collapsed on the couch, a mess. He thought about his dad, and how Scarlette seemed ashamed of the fact that he died at Candlewood. He hadn't been back there since his Dad died. Could he face the lake? Yes. He could.


***

Deryck woke up two hours later. The sun would set in about a half an hour, so he decided to go pick up Scarlette. Thank God it's Friday. He thought. He got in his car, and started it, and it actually started. He smiled, and drove down the street. Scarlette was waiting in front of her house. She was wearing the same shoes, but she had traded the lime green pants for a purple skirt, and was wearing a tighter black shirt with Slipknot written on it. He stopped and let her get in.

"I thought you weren't comming." She smiled and leaned over, giving him a hug. "Come on! Go!" She said. Deryck drove down the farmilliar road to Candlewood Lake.

There was no one there, and the water was perfectly still. The sand blew around in the wind for a little bit, but then died down. Scarlette got out of the car and skipped along the path to the beach. She layed down a blanket she had brought and sat down, beckoning with her hand for Deryck to come. He sat down next to her.

"Watch." She said. Deryck watched. The sun was setting over the trees on the other side of the lake. Reds and oranges lit up the sky, and Deryck smiled. He had never seen anything as beautiful as this, except maybe Scarlette. She's just a crush. He thought again. Scarlette seemed to have closed her eyes. She turned and looked at Deryck.

"What did you think?" She asked, as soon as it was dark.

"That was beautiful." He responded. He looked deeply into her eyes, and saw tears swell. "Scarlette?"

Scarlette jumped up, crying. "I can't do this." She screamed. She ran across the beach, kicking up sand in her fury. She ran over into the trees and disappeared. Deryck ran after her.

"Scareltte? What's wrong."

"Go away Deryck." He heard from up in a tree. "Just go, please." Scarlette was sitting on a branch, sobbing.

"I want to help!" He told her. He started climbing the tree, and got up to the branch where she was. He sat down next to her, and looked at her. "What is it?" She didn't answer. She just looked down at the ground.

"I can't... tell you." She said. She sighed, and looked at him. "It will only make it worse." She said. Tears rolled down Scarlette's face. "Come on." She said to Deryck. She jumped out of the tree and landed silently on the ground. "It's getting late." Deryck followed her out of the tree, and to the car. She got in first and sat there.

Deryck drove silently back to her house. "You sure you're okay?" He asked. "Do you want to do something tomorrow?"

She nodded and looked at him. "Walk me to my door." They got out of the car, and walked up to the house. It was all in dissoray. The windows were crooked, and it looked very unsafe. "Thank you." She said. She leaned up and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his neck. He put his hands on her waist and kissed her back. She broke away and looked at him. She seemed stunned. "I'll see you tomorrow." Call me. She handed him a post-it with her number on it, and then kissed him gently one more time before racing into the house.

Deryck drove home in a daze. She's just a crush.... but she's really not. He told himself. He fell asleep smiling.

Chapter III:
The sun came in bright through the curtains, casting a deep blue glow on Deryck's room. Birds chirped gently, creating an almost picturesque morning. His eyes opened gently, when he was ready to wake up. He had forgotten all about Scarlette, forgotten all about their magical evening. He rose out of bed and got dressed quietly to go downstairs.

"Deryck?" His mom asked. "You awake yet?"

"Yeah?" Deryck said, rubbing the rest of the sleep from his eyes.

"There's someone here to see you." His mother stated urgently. "Her name is Scarlet?"

"It's Scarlette..." Deryck said, stepping down the dirty wooden stairs. Scarlette stood there, as if she had come out of a nightmare. Her hair was mangled and her clothing torn. She was wearing the same thing as last night, but her legs were all cut up, as if she was attacked by something fiersome. Her dark purple eyes looked slightly darker, and she had a sickly glow to her face, as if she was fighting to be standing there. Her arms were the same as her legs, and she had a large gash under her neck.

"Hi Deryck." She said. "Could I come in?"

"Of course!" He said. He grabed her hand carefully, so as not to touch any of her cuts. "Scarlette, what happened to you?"

Scarlette's eyes filled up with tears, and she sighed, feeling slightly cornered. She stroked her legs, and felt multiple cuts, before looking back to Deryck.

"Where to begin?"

***
"And... you were able to get away?" He repeated. Scarlette nodded. "I don't believe that."

Scarlette shrugged and looked over the table, trying to see what time it was. She itched in her seat and seemed very uncomfortable to be indoors.

"Can we go for a walk?" She said very quickly. Deryck nodded, surprised, but got up and pulled on his sweatshirt. Scarlette stepped out of the house and toward the flower garden Deryck's Mom had.

"Aren't they pitiful?" Deryck said, looking toward the flowers. They were mostly drooping, some dying, and some way past death. Scarlette touched a flower gently and it sprang to life, after a dash of purple sparks. Scarlette smiled at the flower.

"What are you staring at?" She asked when she looked up. Deryck was in awe. (No... she didn't... he thought) "Come on! Let's get walking." Her smile still made Deryck's heart race. They walked for what was clearly hours, but it felt more like minutes. They didn't really talk, they just walked. Twice, Deryck felt like he wanted to hold her hand, but then decided that it was silly and didn't.

The sun began to set over the top of the lake, as that was where they were when they stopped. The clouds had gone cotton candy pink in response to the departing sun, and there was a very calm but exuberent air given off.

Scarlette gasped suddenly, falling down on her hands and knees. "No. Not yet. Not here. NOT HIM!" She screamed. "I can't. I can't. I can't." She chanted over and over. Deryck held his hand out to help her but she slid backwards, opening cuts and leaving blood on the sidewalk. "NOT YOU. NOT YOU." She looked up at Deryck very suddenly. Her dark purple eyes had gone a very light purple, and they were alarmed and scared. "I can't let him see this. Not you. Not him." She said. She screamed as her teeth became pointed and bright white. She yelled as her fingers did something very similar. She tossed in pain as her clothes melted away to glittering scales over her chest, and her legs intertwined in purple satin to form scales sharp enough to cut straight through to your heart. Her hair untangled itself and sat on her shoulders. She was in pain, and she was beautiful.

"Get me to the water." Scarlette ordered. Deryck followed the command without ease; she was surprisingly light. Only about twenty pounds. He set her down in the water gently and she looked up, purple tears strolling from her purple eyes.

"I didn't want you to see this." She said. "I didn't want you to see me like this. Yes, Deryck. I'm a mermaid." She dove into the water at Candlewood Lake, and then came up near the island in the middle. "I'll see you Monday." She screamed. Deryck barely heard her. And then, she was gone.

Ooh! Good job! I was reading your question, and I think the plot is great! I couldn't post because I'm not that creative with names, though.

Is this all so far? Nice.

Yes, it is.
I would have posted more, but I don't know their names. And I have a feeling that if I tried to post "The Second Greatest Depression", it'd break the website... too big.

EDIT:
This post now carries the links to the posts with the next chapters.

Chapter IV
Chapter V
Chapter VI
Chapter VII
Chapter VIII
Chapter IX
Chapter X

Because this story is a continuing story in Twigbook, I'm going to close it for a little bit to work on my other stories. The chapters are still up though, you'll still be able to read them.

This is awesomeness!!! I hope you post more soon!!

I hate long stories, 'cause I don't have time to read 'em all. Gotta keep my posts up, ya know.

Nice so far. (:

Thank you.

Chapter I is up by the way.

Whooooa! That's a weird experience! Nice job, lol! XD

They killed his dad, right?

Did they?

You'll find out soooooooooon enough.

Kabilion years, right?

Now you're getting it.

*sigh* Nothing like obnoxious girls.

Precisely.

Wow.

xD Nice converation, you two.

Anyway, nice story so far.

Lol, thanks Pugs. iGrievious share a Mod-to-Mod love. Lol

Chapter... two is up.

That was a good chapter. =3

Thank you

Cool.

Thank you.

Part of chapter 3 is up...