Solidad -- Deadlands Addict.

[white lines do not lie]

Last Summer sometime.

Cahal scared the shit out of her. She only stared. At the moment, the thought never crossed her mind to cover herself up more so with the towel. She had it wrapped around her waist. It never occurred to her to pull up to cover her breasts. Why should it?

" I was told by my brother that I could find you here. In his realm. " Was that all he had to say? Cahal appeared to be wanting to say more, as Solidad raised an eyebrow.

" He was the one who helped me to go away. The bullshit with the agency, and with Gunner. Not to mention with you, and the fucking games that you love to play. The only ' one moment you're here when I want you, ' but also the other one being, ' when I need you, you're no where to be found.' game. "

It was anger that spoke, as she shrugged her bare shoulders. Her flesh had become paler then what Cahal remembered it being. And that only meant one thing : It was time to get Solidad back to her realm, the realm of the Humans, and take her away from the Fae realm.

" How long have you been her, Sol? "

" Five months, and twenty six days. I wanted to play hide, and never be found. It looks like you found me after all. It just means that I have to try harder to hide from you. "

" This place isn't good for Humans, Sol. It sucks the youthfulness, and happiness right out of you, Lass. I came to take you back home. Gunner is worried. "

" You talked to Gunner? "

" In hopes that he would know where you were, and then I found the note that he wrote to me telling about you talked about the Fae realm as if it was Disneyland, and the emotions that you have. " Cahal replied. It sounded like he had emotions pouring from his words, but at the moment, Solidad was shaking her head.

Her features continued to drain away, as her head canted. " I don't want to go back home. I've grown fond of this place, Luv. And besides, in the real world -- you're not real. You are always a distant shadow, and I try to reach out, and touch you; to grab you, and pull you close -- and it never happens, because you slip through my hands. Cahal, you're nothing but a fragment of my imagination. "

" Solidad -- "

" No, I don't want to listen this time. You always run away from something between us happening, and it's as if you're afraid to truly touch me unless I'm in danger, and you need to play hero. I fell in love with a shadow, and that was my fault. Human, remember. Not to mention a woman who has a heart as dainty as glass. You're the only thing here that is not decayed, or rearranged in any other way other then perfection. I know that the Fae play tricks on the mind, and that they enslave the Humans to do their biddings. I know the dangers, just as I knew them before hand. You're nothing but a fragment .. "

" Solidad, don't. "

Present Day.

Something shook her from her dream-like state, as Solidad sprang up. As if the world was on fire, and there was only one thing to do. Her body quivered slightly against the sheets, and shivers ran down her spine like spiders crawling all over her flesh. The soft sounds of Akuma was the only comfort that she had, as she wrapped her arms around her knees, and pulled them into her chest ; allowing the sheets to fall from her flesh. Hues moved towards the two puppies sleeping soundly, while they kicked each other unaware, as she leant her head towards the top of her knees. She felt a stinging sensation at her cheek -- tears streaking her face, as she raised a wrist to wipe the salt-like waves off of her cheeks.

Her body curved slightly, as she retracted her body from its current position. Her body spooned against the sleeping Giants, as she whispered softly onto the flesh of his bare back. " Don't leave me, I don't want you to be a fragment of my imagination as well, Akuma. " Lips pressed themselves against his flesh, as she toppled one arm underneath her cheek, laying on it. She bit down on her bottom lip, as she blinked softly. Right arm moved towards his sheet-clothed hip, as she wrapped it over the side. He was solid; still here with her, not a ghost, and not a fragment. Her head moved forward, as she nuzzled her nose into his flesh. His scent was the one thing that created a gateway back into Dreamland.

[white lines do not lie]

Marriage?

The thought alone scared Solidad to death. It wasn't the fact that she felt Akuma would led her into a downward spiral into the unknown, as the two brothers did -- No, he wouldn't. She had to tell herself that continuously, as she thought about the image in her head. The image of a perfect family, and perfection coming to wrap around her with silk, and soothing words. The image of a ring on her finger, and on Akuma's. Something that no one could ever take away, unless it was Death himself. No! Stop.

To think about it, she was the only one to develop feelings when it came to the Irish man before Akuma came into her twisting world. She was the only one to admit to them, and submit to those urges that her heart told her. Though, in the end -- she was burned, teaches her not to play with fire anymore. Though, Akuma was different. He had proven thus far that he was, and Solidad's heart wanted it to be true through, and through. Akuma was the one to build her back into a woman, and not the empty shell that he had met in the Toybox. He was the one to give her the greatest gift of all, and not expect anything in return. Gave you half of his being, made you into a Craftweaver.

Though, it was a lingering fear that he'd disappear into the Night, that he'd forget about her. Solidad enjoyed Akuma, and the taste of his skin; His smile, and the way he spoke. She longed for that security that he gave her when she found his arms wrapped around her. She appreciated the whispers in the darkness, and how he'd talk to her back into her dreams, while just having a nightmare. For how he took care of her after the deal with Gunner going psychotic. He gave her a reason to have the high spirits that she was known to have, and the brilliant smile always on her features when he was around, or even lurking in her mindscape.

But fear attacks a person at their weakest point, and it feeds from that fear. Which in turn, kept it inside their soul until that person became aware of it, and fought against it. Solidad was so sick of fighting for her soul, so sick of fighting period. Though, Akuma didn't know about the personal battles she continued to have with herself; didn't know about the personal demons she was still fighting even in her dreams. She would never tell him. Though, he did know about the Deadlands.

I'll bring you back, simple as that.

Only thing was -- Deadlands owned her soul, and it wouldn't release those chains until it was too late. The perfection that Akuma, and Solidad shared was coming to an end, Solidad could feel it in her heart. It hurt, and it burned like brimstone against her flesh, searing it to a black mush. Words were so little now to the tattooed doll, and Akuma pressed on with action as well as words. Solidad could only trust the action, for the woman didn't believe anything else that was created to hurt, and to maim the heartstrings of another.
No, she wasn't going to go down that road again.

Though, when it came to that damned man, Solidad wanted to slurp every single word he spoke. Wanted to put full faith in him, and wanted to do so much more then just love him. She didn't understand how this was. How could say you love a man, then again say that you don't believe what he speaks. Her heart longed for him when he was gone, and longed for him when he was near. Thoughts ran off anything else other then for him, and her lips never spoke to any other man other then Akuma.

Solidad was just a very confused woman. Though, lost in the motion of poetry.

Lost in Akuma's scent, and his voice.

[white lines do not lie]

" Go away. "

Solidad's voice was lost, as she mouthed the words. Her eyes directed towards the old boss of hers. She had thought Mr. Stone, and his goons had moved on from prying into the private lives of those who were no longer with the Government.

"We've never gone away, Mrs. Kage. Isn't that right now?"

They knew about her engagement. That threw Solidad off of the edge, as she tethered the possibilities of driving something through the heart of the man who kept her on his radar ever since Cahal. Solidad's jaw tensed, as she peered towards him. Her left hand had been hidden from sight within the sleeved olive green shirt. It always hid the past so well, as she took a deep breath in.

"You've moved away from Tulca, and now you're in a different city. You're still the same pathetic little mess that we left last time. Only this time, you've grown accustom to living in peace for once. Finally getting what you deserve in this world; Happiness. But the big bad wolf always knocks down on the door, girl."

Solidad rocked on her heels; back, and forth. Something she never did before, not in front of the Government sector which had been such a big part of her old life. She felt like she was a ball of yarn left on the ground. Kicked around a few times, and unraveling at the seams.

"And you had a time that you were in coma for a while --"

Solidad screamed finally. That voice of hers came back full force as she threw her fingers towards the mans chest, poking and prodding him like a piece of meat.

" You have no god damn right to be here, Mr. Stone. You do not know anything about what I have through, nor do you want to know. As far as my new life, as you called it; stay the fuck out of it. I'm not one of your little experiments -- I never was, and I never will be. You want to harass someone, go find a whore to do it towards. You want to call someone pathetic; look in the god damn mirror, you son of a bitch. I've noticed you, and your followers prodding into my private life, and my public life as if you own me. You do not own any one other then your self, Mr. Even then, I think you're too weak to pull your own weight around. "

She sighed deeply. That was better, and Solidad felt a little bit at ease, as she watched the man. Her fingers had rolled back towards the fleshy part of her bony hands, as she seeped her fingernails into her flesh. She didn't care about the small cuts being produced from the action. Though, she still felt her blood boil underneath her skin, and heard her pulsing in her ears clearer now then any time before. She had never been this angry, and she wasn't liking it too much.

But it felt like she wasn't in charge of her body, or her spirit. She was a flesh puppet, and the puppeteer had yet to be revealed.

Though, Mr. Stone just stared towards the woman that he used to know like the back of his hand. He blinked cautiously, as he saw it happen in front of his own eyes. He was entranced. In a matter of seconds, that flesh bag that had been Solidad had been almost white as a sheet. He could literally see all the veins running through that lithe body of the woman; black like sketches on her flesh, like a tattoo. Blood wasn't black under the surface, but blue. No explanation. Though, it wasn't her flesh that had him at the point of his fear. It was the eyes. Death, and murder projected from her hallow hues, as she didn't move a muscle. Black, and white visions of dead flowers, and of dead life like creatures searching for a new playmate. Words were squawking in his head, as his will caused him to turn away.

When he glanced back, Solidad was still the tattooed doll he had known years ago, and still harboring her anger, as she finally brought her nail-scratched palms up to her eyes. She was normal, and she wasn't a sketch with black scratches for veins. She blinked, as she questioned. " Mr. Stone, do you have anything else to say to me? "

But it was too late. That single moment that Mr. Stone had done created his heart to pound, and over-worked the inner clockwork of his systematic spine. It was a heart attack that brought him to his death bed. And Solidad would have no part in it.

The Solidad from the real world wouldn't. No, couldn't harm a fly now.
The Solidad from the Deadlands? That was a different question.

[white lines do not lie]

<center>


Better run, little girl. The Boogieman is coming.</center>

Running.

It seemed like forever, as Solidad ran through the bushes, and smacked branches from her path. She needed to continue to run. She was a free spirit, had to remain that way too. She couldn't be caught, or the fate worst then death awaited. She barely noticed the colors of the flowers that her bare feet crushed beneath. Pinks. Yellows. Lavender. Red. Purple. She didn't notice the does eyes watching, as it crouched in a silent, and still pose.

She had been doing this once before. Though it was in the basement of her lofting complex, and it was from that ghostly girl, which by the way Solidad had named Lolly. Well, not her personally. Akuma had named her when he saw that the girl had been dripping water onto the carpets, and Solidad had been staring at the window constructing her farewell leap from the seven story building while throwing glasses at the bay window, and then standing on the shattered glass. That was the first night of Hell for her. It was also the first night that she watched Akuma cry.

The two of them had been through a storm of emotions, and what now with expecting a child -- Deadlands had to call. They had to shatter the picture perfect family which took effort into building, and into creating. Took trust, and took blood, sweat and tears to construct. They had to steal her away -- NO. It wasn't going to happen. It wasn't time yet, so why was she running from them now. It wouldn't be time until she saw that Shadow Bound brother of Cahal's.

She stopped slowly, as she braced herself down on her knees. Her chest felt like fire, as she took deep breaths in, and let them out slowly. Arms came around her stomach, as she felt something burn from inside. She yelped loudly, as she squeezed her eyes closed and felt the salty waterworks fall down her cheeks. Something was wrong with the child. She pressed her lips together to form a flat line, as she heard the voices again.

They were closing in.

She swallowed softly, turning to look behind her to find the hungry eyes of twelve. She was trembling violently, as her face etched up in defeat. Then she took off again. She'd run all her life from these people; these shadows of the world beyond the living, as she sucked up the dry air fighting the effects of a raw throat. She turned to look behind her again, and no one was following. No voices, and no foot steps. It was until she ran directly into the arms of Adilon.

That was when she screamed the loudest.


Present day.

Door bell rings.

"Solidad! I need to speak with you." Cahal's voice redendered the sleepless day silent, as the screams echoed from the nightmare all the way to the present. "Dear God, not again. She's being taken back to the Deadlands."

<font color="#ffffff" size="1">[ June 22, 2008 05:01 AM: Message edited by: white lines do not lie ]</font>

[white lines do not lie]

It was screaming echoing off the walls of the loft. If anyone had been there but Akuma ( if he was still there ), they might've called the authorities for screaming bloody murder. Hell, they might've thought the couple had a domestic abuse thing going on, but that was not the case. Nothing was more gut-pounding then the screams coming from Solidad; the dogs barked loudly, attempting to wake the beauty from the nightmare -- Freddy even tugged on the sleeve of Solidad's shirt, but nothing worked.

The dogs had been attacked by flinging arms before, but nothing like this. It was as if she was fighting them off of her, fighting her battle with something that adored her, and loved her -- but she couldn't see the difference. The poor hounds had a better chance of getting hurt then waking her up from the slumber. Inside that bruised mind, Solidad was running for her life. Inside that mindscape -- she saw the forest, and she heard voices, twigs behind her snapping in half as foot prints made their impressions on the ground; they were running after her. Branches even tried to stalk her back into a corner, as she fought her way through them, and even in that bed-like slumber in the real world; scratches, and wounds showed up on her arms, and her cheeks. She had to run, and run like the wind; had to ignore the burning sensations from her stomach, from the baby as she had to survive for the both of them. They just wanted to create another Fear -- the fear of loosing a child.

That was when she snapped awake; still screaming, and still crying as she batted the dogs away. They continued to pounce on the lap of hers, as she screamed shrilly towards them, and that was one of the things that got their attention. It wasn't the sounds, because she couldn't hear anything -- and it wasn't the faces of the dogs; because she couldn't see a thing. Hands went to her eyes, as she rubbed them -- that didn't help her, as she fought for the switch to the lamp. She pulled on it, and it was still darkness. Hands went to scratching the dead leaves from her arms, and smearing the unseen blood on her flesh, as she whimpered. That's what she could see. The scratches, and the blood. Nothing else.

It was too dark for comfort, as she scrambled carefully down the stairs. Hands hung to the wall, as she first tested her balance on the stairs, and then took one at a time. She finally felt the hard-wood floors, as she whimpered. It was also too cold for comfort, as she finally whispered Akuma's name, but she couldn't hear herself talk. She couldn't hear a thing. Her flesh quivered underneath the light sheen of sweat, as her teeth chattered loudly. She was frozen to the bone; it was like someone had thrown her into a frozen lake, and left her there to scramble her own way out, as she called out that same name again. Though this time, she had screamed it. Her voice felt raw, and her eyes felt weak -- heavy with some type of guilt in them, as she bit down on her tongue, as she turned around. She finally saw something out of the darkness. And it had been Lolly dolled up in her usual school-girl outfit, and black mary-janes. Her smile was wide, as her eyes were finally colored in with a hazel marker -- Solidad's eyes, as she whispered. " He's coming, Solidad. " That was the only thing that reached her ear drums, as she screamed again for Akuma, and this time she started to sob behind it. Hands went down to her stomach, as she cradled the baby from the outside, though it was nice and safe inside her womb; no one was going to harm it, as she slumped down to her feet onto the ground. Left hand came out in front of her as she scratched at the flooring, " .. Baby, where are you? "

She couldn't see anything; but Lolly. Couldn't hear anything; but Lolly -- But she could scream, and she could talk -- the question was

Was anyone listening, or coming to her side?

<font color="#ffffff" size="1">[ June 26, 2008 04:08 AM: Message edited by: white lines do not lie ]</font>

[white lines do not lie]

Letter ripped from a notebook. Left on the bathroom counter -- written in hand, and also in blood.

Akuma,
My love. My Husband. My life. My protector.

I'm leaving for a while. I'll take good care of the baby, I promise. I'll be back as soon as I can deal with the same things troubling me way back when we first starting dating. I won't allow you to take my place, and I won't allow you to become what I am. Deadlands isn't for you, and they're calling for me to return.

I told you this would happen. Please keep me close to your heart, and remember me when you sleep. I'm sure the little ghost girl will watch over you. You see, she's my innocence. When I return, we'll get married and we'll live life for the life that is growing inside of me.

I love you so dearly.

Your wife.
Solidad DeRhone-Kage.

<center></center>

<font color="#ffffff" size="1">[ July 25, 2008 08:26 PM: Message edited by: white lines do not lie ]</font>

[white lines do not lie]

Akuma :

Thank you for everything that you have done, and will do in the future. You keep me stable, and you show me that the world isn't a bad place. I don't have to pretend around you. You see right through me and yet, you've stayed around.

I don't know if its for the baby's sake, or if it's for the sake that you and I finally have that ( somewhat ) perfect life that we've both dreamed about when we were children. I have the innocence that I lost ( But not really ) back inside me, and its all due to you.

I know for a fact that if my family could see you, and meet you -- they'd be proud and not only of me, and my choices in life ( Which we both know how shitty they have been, ) but for the middle ground that I've reached. It took me twenty-four years to reach this ground, and I'm not letting go of it.

Not letting go of you, or of the life that we have. OF COURSE! Why would I let go of the Prince in shining armor that has saved me from my worst enemy -- Myself, and that of the Deadlands.

You kept your promise. Now it's my turn to keep mine as your wife. I'm here for good so get used to the idea. And if we happen to have the same problem arise, I know better then to be scared. I know better then to fear things, and to fear what might happen -- because I know that while I'm with you and connected to you, nothing will happen.

I love you.
Deal!

[white lines do not lie]

Never trust those who lives on both sides of the living, and dead. Then again, never trust those who believe they're living, but are actually belonging to those spirits of the past.

Those words had been spoken years ago, and the man who had exhausted these words soon passed away. Solidad never gave it much thought, but thought the man to be insane. Madness, and Insanity does do one much harm when it comes from the mind of the infected. The stories of one passing onto the other side, and then coming back to life -- or coming back onto the plane of the living has been passed down for many centuries. Those who survive death, and who cheat the Demons who already claim their condemned souls.