"Alydia Spearheart is a troublemaker. A glory hog. A bully. And most of all, a threat to my health."

Today, once again, Alydia was in the office with her mother sitting next to her. Her crude teacher, Mrs. Regano, sat behind a long brown desk, glaring down at the troublesome girl.

The principle stood little ways away from Mrs. Regano and looked at Alydia and her mother with pity.

Alydia rolled her eyes and tried to hold back her objection.

"You must understand Mrs. Regano. We have just experienced a...set back in our family. Her actions are not to be blamed."

Alydia ruffled her eyebrows thinking. 'A setback she says? No...it's more than a setback.' She shuttered at the memory as her mother continued.

"I understand your frustration but please be reasonable."

Mrs. Regano leaned forward with a sneer. "I can't forgive this time. This is the fifth time this month she has been sent to me! Besides, I can't simply forgive someone who hacked into all the school computers and filled them with crude messages."

Alydia perked up. "Actually in my defense, I was helping a friend get straight As. So technically I was tutoring her." Alydia shrugged smirking.

The principle nodded in agreement. "She does make a valid-"

"David!" Mrs. Regano snapped. When the principle threw her a glare, Mrs. Regano backed down. "Do please...continue."

David nodded and turned back to Alydia. "Listen. I understand what you were trying to do. So I will let you off the hook. If you are going to do school services, join ASB." David smiled and waved for them to leave.

Mrs. Regano growled under her breath and watched as Alydia and her mom walked out the door.

Alydia smiled up at her fuming mother, expecting praise only to be disappointed by a lecture.

"Alydia Jaden Spearheart. What were you thinking!?" Her mother demanded. Since it was after school, her mother's yelling wouldn't have been over heard by students. Alydia shrugged, her eyes wandering to her feet. 

"I...I don't know!" Alydia objected. "I wanted to help a friend okay? Is that so bad?!" She glared up at her mother becoming slowly frustrated that no one was seeing her purpose. 

"Well your version of 'helping' has landed you in the principle's office 5 times already Alydia! That isn't something you should be proud of! Why do you keep on doing this? You are so much more smarter than them!" Alydia's mother asked angrily confused. 

"Because Dante would want that!" Alydia yelled making a tight white fist. "And so would dad." She could see the sudden shock enter her mother's expression but her eyes told a different story. What was being told? Pity? Grief? What is it? 

Her mother fell silent, filling the hallway with a humming silence. Alydia slowly backed down, sighing and opening her mouth to apologize. But she was interrupted with a swift back turn from her mother.

"I will see you at home."

With that her mother, Helena, walked away. 

Alydia sighed and lowered her head to the floor. How could she have been so insensitive to her? Helena supported her through this rough time and yet Alydia didn't give back. Alydia turned the opposite direction and began walking away as well.

................................................................................................................................................................

Dante Spearheart died in a car accident about a year ago. It was Alydia's 13th birthday and Dante's 18th. They all wanted the comfort of their beds as the rode along the long dreading road. Dante and Alydia chatted away in the backseat, laughing and arguing about their Laser Tag scores.

Helena sat in the front seat, her glistening green eyes shining in the moon light. Her crescent hair was braided in a tight ponytail. Her dark skin seemed to glow with happiness.

"Hey mom? Can I play some video games when we get home?" Dante asked leaning over his seat.

Helena shook her head, eyes trained on the road ahead. "It would be around 11 when we get home. And if I recall correctly, you have football practice tomorrow Dante."

A long, sad, groan rang in the car. Alydia sighed deeply and sank back into her seat. Dante soon followed.

As they rode through the narrow road, white, bright, headlights danced in their mother's eyes, blinding her from the sight of the source.

"Ugh...you got to be kidding me. This guys headlights are way to bright..."

Turns out the source of the light was a large semi who strode in the same lane as them except facing the opposite direction.

Suddenly a loud HOOOOONNNNKKKKK rattled the car as the semi screeched into view.

Helena, panicking, yelled to her kids, "HANG ON!" She swerved into the other lane, barely clipping the semi's side. A station wagon sped down in the lane they were in, slamming into the side of the car and sending it over the side.

The car fell down a long cliff, tumbling and rolling. Dante grabbed onto his younger sister tightly as their seat belt tightened around their bodies. Alydia yelled out as she got whiplash. 

Then the rumbling and creaking came to a sudden stop. The windows shattered. The doors bent and crumpled. Alydia looked down to see the ceiling as the floor. The only thing keeping her in the seat was her seat belt and Dante holding onto her tightly. Dante looked up, blood running down his forehead, and said, "Are you okay Alydia?" Alydia slowly nodded, her hair standing on end. "Mom?" Dante asked, begging for a response.

"I'm alright Dante." Helena said turning back to them. Her nose bled, blood running down her lip. Dante slowly let go of Alydia and wiped the blood away. "Alydia, go through the front and get out." He ordered. Alydia nodded and unbuckled her seat belt. Protecting her head she began crawling on the ceiling to the front of the car. When she got out she held her hand out to Helena.

"Come on mom." She said worried. Slowly, Helena crawled out of the driver's seat and grabbed Alydia's hand. Alydia pulled, trying to get Helena out of the front window. When Helena crawled out and moved to the side of the car, Alydia got a full view of the car. It was tipping on the edge of the cliff, only supported by a large oak tree. After the tree was a drop. A 50 yard drop leading to absolutely nothing but trees and ground. The moved to the side of the car to Dante's window. Alydia reached out to Dante. "Dante come on!" Dante struggled to get out but his legs wouldn't budge. He yelped in pain. "What's wrong!?"

"Alydia...my legs are stuck under the seat...I can't move them..." 

Alydia whipped her head around. "MOM! Dante's stuck!" Alydia moved out the way.

Helena sprinted back to the car window and outreached her arm even further. "Dante Spearheart! Grab my hand!" Dante grabbed her hand tightly and and tried moving again but his legs didn't budge. They were twisted in odd ways as they were mushed under the seat.. 

"Mom...I can't move my legs. I think they broke. Go get help." Dante said closing his eyes. 

"You just have to try Dante!" Helena ordered, grabbing his hand tighter. Alydia looked at the upside down back of the car and heard it groan loudly as the taillight slowly lifted into the air. 

"NO!" Alydia yelled grabbing the bumper tightly. She tried forcing all her weight down to stop the car from tipping over. She could hear the tree at the front of the car begin to break under it's weight. It was no use. The car began to tip faster and Alydia fell to the ground. "Mom! Dante! Get out!" 

Dante turned to Helena, tears falling like rain. He slowly smiled. "Mom...I love you. Make sure Alydia stays out of trouble okay?" Alydia wrapped her arms around Helena, trying to yank her out of the car. Helena stared at Dante blankly for a second, feeling the emotions slap her and knock her around. Slowly she slipped her hand away from Dante's. When their hands were disconnected, Helena wailed as Alydia pulled Helena from the car. 

The car tipped. The tree finally snapped and the car fell with it. Spiraling down into the abyss...

never to return...