Genevieve.

“Genevieve Lynn Pleskov?” Therapy. Why the fuck did she need therapy? Internally rolling her eyes, she stood up from her place in the empty waiting lounge, smoothing out the material of her top before forcing a small, tight smile upon her lips and following the doctor into the office. Glancing around, she took in her surroundings before dropping her weight cautiously into a plush grey chair, opposite the one the therapist was going to be sitting in. [Therapist] “Alright, Genevieve, I’m just going to go over a few things, ask you a few questions that will help me get to know you as a person.” Great, another person who was going to take whatever she said and assume that she knew everything about her. Already she hated everything about this place and about the middle-aged woman sitting across from her from the bright smile plastered upon her lips, to the way her eyes crinkled at the corners, to her red hair that reminded Ginny of her own mother. She was in actual hell. [Therapist] “I’m going to start with the basics – what’s your date of birth, age, and can you tell me any medications you’re on?” [Ginny] “I was born June 01, 1994 which means I’m twenty-four years old. I’m currently not on any medications.” Wow, less than two minutes in and she was already lying. [Therapist] With the bright smile gracing her features, she jotted down notes, listening intently to Ginny as she spoke, despite the fact that they had barely gotten started. “And are you religious at all?” [Ginny] “I grew up with religion, but I don’t practice it now.” [Therapist] “And what religion was that?” [Ginny] She stared at the therapist for a lingering moment, narrowing her eyes slightly as she wondered where the woman was going with her questions and why this was at all important. “Carlisle. That’s who we looked up too, believed in, and followed.” [Therapist] Pausing, she parted her lips to speak, shutting them quickly as she took more notes, deciding that “Carlisle” was a topic they would definitely return too in the future – and sooner rather than later. “And brings you in here today?” [Ginny] “Well, I recently suffered a head injury due to a fight with a friend.” A truth to make up for the earlier lie. “I’m a surgical resident at MassGen Hospital, and with some other things I’d gone through over the past year, they thought it would be best if I got saw a therapist before returning to work, so here I am.” She paused, clearing her throat slightly as she shifted her weight against the seat, unable to find comfort within the situation despite the comfortable surroundings of the cozy office. [Therapist] “And what do you hope to get out of our sessions?” [Ginny] “I honestly just want to return to work.” [Therapist] She nodded, jotting down more notes before shifting her gaze back to Ginny, allowing her bright smile to falter into a calmer, more relaxed one. “I completely understand. Let’s start there, can you tell me about the head injury? What happened, how did it make you feel?” Ginny froze within her seat, no longer wanting to be there. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to talk about the head injury; no, that was pretty much common knowledge. It was moreso that she didn’t want to talk about herself. She had to though, if she wanted to return to work – she knew how these things went. Besides, maybe, just maybe, it wouldn’t be so bad to talk to someone. Maybe it was time she finally faced her demons, or at least made the attempt too. [Ginny] She took in a deep breath, pressing her palms together in her lap as she stared down at them, finally parting her lips to speak. “Well, I guess it all started when…”

A soft sigh escaped her red painted lips as she dropped her weight down onto the plush couch – she had just gotten Effie laid down for the night and now found herself on the sofa with a glass of wine in one hand and her journal in the other. Her therapist has given her some homework of sorts, and she had chosen to put it off until the last moment, mostly due to the fact that she still didn’t understand why she needed to see a therapist to begin with. The hospital had enforced it, however, and with everything she had been through, plus the recent death of Trent on top of it all, she couldn’t say she blamed them. Still, she found the fact that she had to journal about a series of questions a little silly, despite the fact that she knew her therapist was doing it this way to get her to actually speak, as opposed to sitting there with a sour expression lacing her features as she preferred to do. Taking in a deep breath, she took a generous sip from the wine glass before leaning forward to place it upon the glass coffee table in front of her, moving to slide her thumb across the slick screen of her mobile phone as she opened the email from her therapist, reading over the questions for a lingering moment before allowing the pen to press against the paper and her thoughts to take over.

What was your favorite part of 2018? My favorite part of 2018 was definitely having my baby. I honestly didn’t know I needed her until I was in the hospital bed with her in my arms, staring down at her bright blue eyes and her little bit of blonde hair. It wasn’t an easy year for me but knowing that she needed me to survive, was enough for me to push through. What is one thing you did last year that you don't aim to do this year? I don’t really know, if I’m being honest. There’s a lot that I did last year that I don’t want to repeat, and a lot that I know I’m going to repeat. I think I just want to continue to try to be the best mother I can and continue to try to get past the awful things I’ve done, and maybe, just maybe, try to do less awful things this year. We’ll see how it goes, though. Do you have a new years resolution you aim to keep this year? If so, what is it? Ultimately, I’d like to drink less and just be happier, with myself and with many aspects of my life. I want to get better at my job and move more into the trauma position that is my end goal. I don’t really believe in new years resolutions because I absolutely never follow through with them, and I didn’t do them growing up. Every year I promise myself the same goal – be a better person and have a better year than the previous. It doesn’t always work out, but it’s my forever resolution.

Allowing the pen to fall from her hands, Ginny read over her answers, nodding her head gently to herself as she shut the journal. That should do it. She exhaled slowly, setting the journal next to her and reaching for her wine glass, already breaking the “new years resolution” as a small smile tugged onto her lips.

The smell of salty water stung her nostrils in the best possible way, sending a rush of familiar warmth throughout her frame as she dropped her duffel bag to the sand. Blue orbs stared out at the horizon from behind oversized sunglasses as a bright smile tugged onto the corners of her paint red lips, her gaze following the motions of her boyfriend as he headed towards the water. The sounds of the soft waves hitting the shore intermixed perfectly with the happy and incoherent babbling of her daughter as she wiggled within her arms, curiosity and excitement lacing her frame as she reached for the sandy ground beneath them. This was perfection. Finally, freedom had been granted to them and all the time in the world was theirs to spend however they chose to spend it. Travelling had been the number one thing she had wanted to do, and the first place on her bucket list was the place she had finally found herself – Tsigrado Beach in Milos, Greece. It was breathtaking, everything she had wanted it to be, and with a few stops along the course of their journey, it had been well worth the wait. She could get lost here, stay here forever beneath the sun and the moon with nothing but her family and the ocean to keep her company. That was the plan. Exist on the beach until they were ready to move on to the next spot. With her eyes remaining locked on Anton, she kicked her shoes off, allowing her bare feet to sink into the warm sand as she made her way towards the ocean, only a few long strides necessary as the strip of beach wasn’t that deep from the rocks to the water. The sun hit her cheeks, illuminating her features almost as if she was glowing as she approached the water. Dropping her weight into the sand, she placed her daughter in the sand between her legs watching as she immediately splashed at the water, her smile widening as her boyfriend came and joined them, his arm finding its place around her waist. This was perfection, this was freedom, and this was all she ever needed.

She stood frozen in time as she watched Trent Foster’s bloodied body hit the floor, her arms gripping onto her boyfriend so tight she was convinced that if she was just a little bit stronger, she would have crushed him. For a moment, the entire world seemed to freeze around her, despite the shocked sounds that fell from the lips of those that filled the room. Trenton Foster was dead. This was is, wasn’t it? This was the moment they had ultimately been waiting for, so why did it feel so wrong? Ginny barely remembered the rest of the night as she allowed Anton to lead her from the community center, following in a daze as they returned to her apartment, picking up Effie from the baby sitter a few floors up before turning to the cold, powerless living room of her apartment. Trent Foster was dead. He was dead and gone. Everything inside of her wanted to rejoice, wanted to jump on the mattress she had pulled from her bedroom and sing a song of freedom and happiness. She couldn’t, however, as she instead remained lost in her thoughts. Trent had known her secrets, had known the things she had done that no one else knew, and with him dying, that meant that her secrets went to the grave. At least, that’s what it should have meant. No matter how hard she tried to place herself in a good state of mind, in a state of mind that truly believed this was a good thing that finally brought them freedom, she just couldn’t. Something didn’t seem right. She felt sick to her stomach, her head felt like it was going to explode. It should have been a good moment, a good moment that they all got to witness as James stabbed Trent until his lifeless body was left in a pool of blood. It should have been what she wanted, and while it was, she still couldn’t wrap her mind around it. Trenton Foster was dead. But, what if he wasn’t?

1. What is your character’s net worth?

TOTAL NET WORTH: $519,164.5 Genevieve Pleskov works as her primary job as a surgical resident at MassGen Hospital, and her secondary job as co-owner of the GIA Clinic. DOCUMENTED Annual Income – Primary Job: $62,000 - $69,000 yearly (variation based on overtime) || $5,167 - $5,816 monthly || $1,291.75 - $2,000 weekly. Annual Income – Secondary Job: $75,000 yearly || $6,250 monthly || $1,562 weekly. Property value, womens clinic (50/50 co-owned) insured for: $659,835 || Entitled to - (50%) $329,917.5 Car (2013 Scion FR-S): - $11,240 Jewelry (wedding band and engagement ring): $5,904 Cash/Liquid Assets (including savings): $48,000 Credit Card Debt: $897 University Debt: $28,000 UNDOCUMENTED Cash Deals: $15,000

2. How much does your character pay a month in rent for their businesses?

$1,672.06 (half of $3,344.12 monthly loan payment)

3. How much does your character pay in other bills per month?

TOTAL MONTHLY COSTS: $3,936 Rent: $1,050 Electricity: $68 TV/Internet: $70 Streaming Services (Netflix, Spotify, etc): $20 Gas: $100 Car Insurance: $98 Cell Phone: $50 Drugs: $200 Alcohol/Entertainment: $550 Personal Appearance (nails, hair): $180 Food: $300 Child Needs (diapers, clothes, toys, etc): $250 Babysitting Service: $600 Cat Needs (food, treats, toys, ect): $100 Laundry Service: $47 Student Loan Payment: $233 Gym Membership: $20

4. Does your character have any NPCs on their payroll? If so, who, what do they do, and how much are they paid?

The GIA clinic uses a lot of volunteer nurses. However, they do pay a total of $30,000 yearly for salaries. This is taken out of the initial cost of overhead, before the profit she receives from the business.

5. What schooling has your character experienced?

Ginny obtained her GED before attending university at David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

6. How many social media followers does your character have?

3,653

7. What are your character’s vices?

Addiction (cocaine, alcohol), the need to run away, Guilt.

8. What pets does your character have?

One cat named El Gato.

9. How many people has your character claimed to be in love with? How long, on average, do they wait to do so?

Ginny had been in love a total of one time with her current boyfriend/ex-husband, Anton Pleskov. She fell in love instantly, but didn’t confess the feelings until a few months in. They have been on and off (mostly on) for over two years.

10. What is your character’s political alignment?

https://prnt.sc/lgie02

11. What is your character’s Myers Briggs personality type?

https://prnt.sc/lgifdv

12. What is your character’s morality alignment?

https://prnt.sc/lgiham

13. What is your characters ennegram?

https://prnt.sc/lgijfe

14. You can submit up to three random buzzfeed quizzes for points, too.

Quiz: What Random Inanimate Object Are You? LINK Click Here RESULTS A broken phone charger /: Quiz: Which One Of Justin Bieber's Many Haircuts Are You Most Like? LINK Click Here RESULTS The "Hair Flip" Quiz: Let's See Which "AHS: Apocalypse" Character You Are LINK Click Here RESULTS Madison

SOMEWHERE IN PURGATORY Heavy breaths panted from her lips as hot tears rolled down her flushed cheeks, tinted black from the running mascara as they mixed with the salty droplets of sweat. Surges of pain rushed through her shins as her bare feet moved quickly, aching from hitting the forest ground as she ran as fast as she could, faster and faster, despite every ounce of her being wanting to collapse right then and there. Just a little further. There’s a light in the distance. She could do it, she had too. “Help me!! Help me.” Choking back sobs the moment her feet hit the cold concrete of the front porch, she parted her lips to allow her frightened screams to fall from her tongue. “Somebody please help me!” Her fingertips curled into the palms of her hands as she beat upon the front door of the large house. There were lights on, surely someone was home. “Please! Open up!! They’re going to get me. Hurry!” All at once, the door creaked open, causing her to halt her actions entirely as she took a step back. Sniffling inwards, she inhaled as deeply as she could, scrunching her nose at the smell that came from within the home and suddenly second guessing everything. Taking another step back, she tilted her head to look behind her, mouth falling open at the scene – no longer was the forest that she had just ran miles through behind her, but instead an open and empty field, the full moon lighting up the perfectly manicured grass. What was happening? And why was it happening to her? Turning back to the house, she abandoned all hesitation as she pushed her way into the house, jumping slightly as the front door slammed behind her. “Hello?” Her voice cracked as she called out only to be greeted by nothing more than empty silence. The house was huge, and completely empty. Her blue hues scanned her surroundings as she cautiously stepped further into the home, her bare feet now padding quietly against porcelain flooring, leaving behind droplets of blood from the damage of running through the forest. Her breath caught in her throat as she made her way down the long corridor off the foyer, her footsteps slowing as she noted the numbers lining the doors. One. Two. Three Where was she? Bringing a hand up, she pushed her mess of tangled blonde locks out of her face, hesitantly stepping up to door number one before wrapping her fingertips around the doorknob and slowly turning it open, gag reflex kicking in as soon as the door opened, causing her to double over and spill the contents of her stomach onto the floor at her feet.

Blood covered the white tile floor of the bathroom, crimson handprints lining the edge of the sink, dragging down the white walls where her body lay against the floor. Shattered glass from a busted vodka bottle surrounded her, pressing into her sprawled out frame, various knitting lay in a pile next to her hips. A few inches away from her face, a thin metal garbage can sat with blood soaked linens hanging over the sides while flames burned within, the smell of burning flesh filling the air.

Coughing, she backed up, hitting the wall behind her with a thud before the door slammed shut, her hand immediately raising to cover her mouth as muffled sobs shook her frame. “Why is this happening?” She breathed, words broken by her tears as an unexplainable force moved her to the second door, her fingertips wrapping the doorknob in a repeated action as she pulled it open. This time, she wasn’t greeted with a bloodied bathroom and a horrible smell, no this time she found herself falling into a darkness. Darker and darker as she fell quicker and quicker, a rush of pain filling her body as she suddenly hit the concrete floor. The pain left as quickly as it had arrived, and when she opened her eyes, she found herself sitting in a cold metal chair, blue hues fixated on the scene in front of her.

Her lifeless frame sat tied to the chair while three men surrounded her. “I told you not to hit her so hard, I wanted her awake for this.” His voice was harsh, his breath laced with the scent of toothpaste and cigarettes. The second man shrugged his shoulders, offering no explanation or words in response to the first man, while the third man just chucked and motioned for man number one to do his thing. His rough hands slid up her thighs, pinching at her flesh as a smirk overtook his features while he leaned into her, inhaling deeply against her hair before allowing his tongue to trace shapes against her neck. “My dearest Genevieve…”

All at once, the chair broken beneath her, and she now found herself sitting on the carpeted floor in front of door number three. This was too much. She just wanted to go home. Still, she once again found herself wrapping her fingers around the doorknob, pulling it open and stepping inside, only to find herself in a cozy home, the smell of the ocean immediately filling her nostrils.

“Mommy!” The familiar sounds of little girl’s voice filled the air, while Ginny stood in the middle of the living room. She parted her lips to speak, to call out to Effie and let her know that it was okay, that she was there. As the little girl appeared from running down the hallway, she ran right past Ginny, not even seeing her as laughter fell from her lips as she threw herself into the arms of the woman that she had called ‘mommy’, a woman that was not Ginny. Turning around, she saw it – a beautiful woman, with beautiful red hair, standing in the kitchen with a bright smile on her face as she held an older Effie in her arms, chatting happily with her ex-husband. It was Ginny’s little family, but Ginny had been replaced.

Rushing out of door number three, she found herself running down a long corridor, the carpeted flooring having turned to hardwood as she ran for what felt like hours upon hours, trying to escape the house of horrors that had made her nightmares a reality. The hallway seemed never ending, but finally she saw the front door. With more hot tears streaming down her face, and her breath stuck in her throat as she choked back sobs, she pulled the front door open, rushing out onto the front porch as the cold winter air hit her skin, her bare feet hitting snow as she stepped off the porch. Once again, she was falling – faster and faster while the air around her grew hotter and hotter. She still didn’t know what was happening, but she knew that this was Hell.

THE PAST – October 31, 2011 EIGHTEEN YEARS OLD LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA Halloween had never been something that Ginny had gotten the opportunity to celebrate – one of the many downfalls of spending the first near seventeen years of her life locked in a basement. She had heard about the holiday from her older brothers, having watched them bounce down the stairs once they returned from trick-or-treating, showing her their elaborate costumes and letting her pick a few pieces of candy from their baskets before sitting with her for hours telling her all about Halloween in the ‘neighborhood’, as they called it. It seemed like a brilliant affair, one that she knew she would never get to participate in, but one that she remained grateful for as it was one of the few nights a year that her parents let her brothers spend a few hours with her. Taking in a deep breath, Ginny pulled the sliding glass door open, stepping out onto the large front porch of the house she was staying in, small smile gracing her lips as the cool October air hit her skin. It was a beautiful night, perfect for Halloween, or so she assumed. Tapping the bottom of the cigarette package on the palm of her hand, she used her perfectly manicured fingernails to pull the cellophane from the box, tossing it to the patio table before plucking a thin stick from the box, wasting no time in lighting the end and inhaling deeply. Just what she needed. With another deep inhale, a quick hold of her breath, and a slow exhale, Ginny pulled the patio chair closer to the wall of the porch, propping her feet up on the concrete block as her blue hues stared out towards the neighborhood street. The sounds of children laughing filled her hearing, voice of their parents following close behind as they chatted amongst themselves, keeping their distance as their kids ran ahead, but staying close enough to remain protective. A pang of jealousy shot through her as her eyes travelled to the costumes – Disney princesses, various animals, Devils and Angels, each and every one adorned with the bright smile graced upon the faces of the children. They were so young, so happy, so innocent, and she was so envious. Hitting the cigarette once more, she leaned over the side of the chair, putting it out on the floor of the porch before dropping it onto the table and returning her full focus to the holiday night happening in front of her. Her first Halloween outside of the cult, the first Halloween she was able to celebrate and here she was. All at once, it didn’t seem so much like a brilliant affair.

She couldn’t explain the sound that rand through her ears as she nearly dropped to the ground, the entire underground club shaking, causing ripples to flow through the plastic cups of water, a few of them even hitting the floor. It was quick, it was terrifying, and then it was dark. Completely dark.

Her drink fell from her hand as the lights went out, her hold on her boyfriend tightening even more as she stepped closer to him, as if it were possible at that point. She didn't know what was happening, but she already knew she didn't like it. Blinking a few times, she attempted to get her vision used to the darkness, but the struggle was real, and she knew she couldn't see five inches in front of her. Sucking in a deep breath, she held it, listening intently to any noises around her as her senses heightened to full alert.

The next amount of time passed slowly – she could hear people freaking out, people dropping to the ground, looking for their loved ones, attempting to take cover from something unknown. She knew it was only a matter of time before all hell broke loose. Ginny, herself, even went through all of the emotions, whispered to Anton asking if he was okay, choking back tears as she worried about Effie, clinging to him as she tangled her fingertips within the material of his shirt, keeping her body as close to his own as possible. More time passed, and her mind continued to race – at this point, she could make out the shadowed figured of other people who filled the underground club, despite not being able to tell who was who. Anxiety and fear coursed through her; worried about her daughter, worried about herself, worried about Anton. At this point, she had convinced him to sit on the floor with her, her legs knees pulled to her chest, the material of her dress tangled around them as she lay her head against his shoulder, tears falling silently down her cheeks, nails digging into her palms in hopes of drawing blood. Anything to feel something other than the frightened emotions running through her. It couldn’t have been even twenty-four hours that had passed before she thought she was properly going to drive herself mental. She had now convinced Anton to lay on the floor with her, her own limbs tangled within his own as she buried her face against her shoulder, now refusing to open her eyes, telling herself that if she kept them closed, she wouldn’t notice the darkness that surrounded her. It was one thing when Trent trapped them places to pit them against each other for his own amusement, it was something entirely different to know that he was trapped down there with them. A small part of her assumed it was all a ploy, figuring that the doors would open at any moment to reveal that it was just another one of his games that had a small kink thrown in it. The bigger part of her, however, knew that was false, knew that something really bad was going on. She had seemed to escape death more than once throughout her life, maybe her nine lives were up, maybe this was the moment where she actually came to an end. The darkness she could handle, having grown up in a basement. The bitching and whining from others around her, she could also handle, having taken a career at a hospital and dealing daily with patients who couldn’t handle whatever it was they were going through. She knew that she could handle the starvation that was certain to come if they properly were trapped in club; she had been through it before, multiple times, at the hands of Trent Foster. She could handle most things that were thrown her way, regardless of how they made her feel. What she couldn’t handle, however, was herself.

A sleepy sigh escaped her lips as she rolled over, reaching for her phone that rest on the bedside table, wanting nothing more than to turn off the obnoxious alarm tone that had awoken her from her rare, deep slumber. Seven o’clock in the morning. Why on Earth had she set an alarm for seven a.m.? She didn’t remember having to work that morning, and even if she had, she would have had to be out of the house much earlier than that, or on the opposing side, wouldn’t have had to be at work until twelve hours or more later. Shrugging off the simple mistake, she stretched slightly, gripping the edge of the blanket and pulling it over her as she rolled towards the other side of the bed, the feeling of a thick piece of paper hitting the side of her face causing her to finally open her eyes, confusion lacing her features. Atop the pillow sat a sealed envelope, small in size, and with her name written in perfect script across the front. Furrowing her brows, she sat up, plucking the envelope from its place, and with little hesitation in her movements, tearing it open and pulling out the folded note from inside. Taking in a deep breath, her blue hues scanned the page, reading each word intently.

Genevieve, If you’re reading this letter, do not be alarmed. It’s early, so you may or may not have realized exactly how silent it is around you, or the fact that your ex-husband, daughter, and cat are all missing from your apartment. If you look outside, you’ll notice nothing but silence and stillness has overtaken the town. Please, do not be alarmed by this as it is not permanent! You have simply been chosen, and today is your day. The town of Sloane is yours, and yours alone, for the next twenty-four hours. Do with it as you want. Throw away your fears and run free, loot and rob, or use the time to do something good. Enjoy it. Make it yours. Your alarm went off at seven, and the clock will restart at seven o’clock tomorrow morning. The world is yours, Genevieve, so take advantage of it.

Staring at the piece of paper for a lingering moment, a million thoughts ran through her head. All alone for twenty-four hours. She felt like she was going to be sick. Dropping the letter to the bed, she pushed herself from the mattress, bare feet taking her quickly out of her own room and into her daughter’s. More silence. With her breathing increasing, she ran back into her bedroom, pushing the door open to the attached bathroom before dropping to her knees and emptying the contents of her stomach into the toilet. What was happening? After what felt like ages, she pushed herself up from the floor, making her way slowly back into the bedroom and once again plucking the letter from its place on her bed. Twenty-four hours alone in Sloane, with no one around to tell her what she could and couldn’t do, and no rules to follow. Maybe it wouldn’t be such a bad thing, maybe this was just what she needed. With a new excitement found within the words of the letter, she glanced at the clock – seven fifty-two, plenty of time – making her way back into the bathroom, she quickly began getting herself ready for whatever the day was going to bring. Time passed slowly, and once she had brushed her teeth and gotten herself dressed, she quickly made her way out of her apartment, not even bothering to lock the door behind her or to take her belongings as there was no one that could rob her, and nothing she needed her phone or purse for. It was just her against the town, and she knew exactly where she was going to start. The Rusty Nail. Pushing her way into the bar, she wasted no time in making her way behind the bar, blue hues scanning the alcohol selection before settling on a full bottle of Maker’s Mark. Perfect. Grabbing the bottle, she pulled the top off, tossing it to the floor before making her way out of the bar and into the empty streets of Sloane. Arching a brow, she glanced around, taking a moment to fully take in the fact that she was truly all alone before taking in a deep breath, bright smile tugging onto her lips as she slowly stepped into the middle of the street. “All alone for twenty-four hours…” She whispered to herself, smile quickly turning to a smirk. “Fuck it.” Taking a long drink from the bottle, she kicked her shoes off to the side, setting the alcohol bottle to the ground as her fingertips moved to her jeans, unbuttoning them and tugging them off before tossing them to the forming pile with her shoes, followed by her socks, the tugging off of her shirt, and finally her undergarments. If the town was hers for the next day, she was going to do all of the silly, wild things she’d not typically do otherwise. Grabbing the bottle from the ground, she took another long drink, straightening her posture as she began to walk down the middle of the usually busy street, slightly laughter falling from her lips as the cool breeze wrapped her flesh. “Cheers to the next twenty-four hours!” She shouted, holding her bottle up in the air before taking another long drink and continuing on with her aimless wandering. This day was going to be exactly what she needed.

THE PAST - 2001 BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA “Levi, what is that smell?!” Her tiny nose scrunched against the harsh smell that filled the nighttime air, enveloping her within it and threatening to turn her stomach just enough so that she emptied what little contents she contained onto the ground beneath her. “Genevieve, you have to be quiet.” Her brother hissed through his teeth, turning back to shoot her a look that would surely drop her dead if given the capability. She was young, just seven years old, she had barely been outside the confines of her basement, so she found it easy to forget to control the level of her voice. Her lips parted to mutter an apology, but Levi’s hand quickly came up, his index pressing against his lips as she exhaled silently. “If anyone catches us, we’re all dead. You have to understand that, okay Ginny?” This time, she simply nodded, swallowing inwards as her tiny bare feet padded silently through the forest, the smell growing stronger with each step she took. Just a few feet in front of them, her other older brother lead the way, turning around as he walked to motion to them that they were almost there, and that the importance of silence was more important than ever. Again, Ginny simply nodded that she understood. She was lucky that her brothers had even agreed to let her come with them, despite having no idea what exactly she was getting herself into. Before she knew it, her brothers had stopped walking altogether, moving only so that Levi’s hand gripped her wrist tightly as he tugged her towards an area of forest that had been cleared out, still managing to remain hidden behind a bush as to not be seen by their society. “Look…it’s just beginning.” His voice was barely above a whisper, causing Ginny’s blue hues to widen as she dropped to her knees in the dirt, unable to tear her gaze away from the scene in front of them.

Hooded cloaks draped the bodies of those standing in a perfect circle around the wooden posts, velvet in material and the color of blood. Single candles were held between the hands of the adult men and women who had gathered, their darkened faces covered, yet clearly intent on the scene in front of them. Standing in front of the wooden post was a male, who had seemed to abandon the candle for a large book, in which he was reciting from. His voice filled the forest as the foreign language rolled off his tongue with ease, his sound nearly alluring. A small fire burned at the bottom of the post, having already begun burning the person who was strung up, completely nude and bound by ropes to the wooden post. All at once, the community began joining in, all of them now reciting the words from the book in the foreign tongue, their sound almost musical as it filled the forest. Then, it ended. Silence filled the nighttime, and one by one the members of the cult began to blow out the candles until there was only one person left – a petite female. Without hesitation, she stepped forward, closer to the leader and the burning post before she bowed in front of him. Raising one hand up carefully, she pulled the hood away from her face, strands of red curls falling from the cloak as she used her candle to light the end of each of the ropes, the flames now climbing higher and higher as she stepped back into her place once she was finished. A few more sentences fell from the leader’s mouth, and with his concluding statement, the woman blew out her own candle. The smell grew stronger as the flames danced against the night sky. It was truly horrifying and beautiful all at once.

“C’mon guys, we have to get back now.” Levi’s whisper pulled Ginny from her trance as she pushed herself up from the dirt, moving as fast as her small body would allow her, following closely behind her brothers. “What was that?” Her voice broke as she struggled not to cough against the scent of burning flesh, but her curiosity beginning to get the better of her as she struggled to keep up down the unfamiliar trek back to their home. “What were they doing?” “It’s a sacrifice, Ginny. But, they call it a funeral.”

SOMETIME IN A NONEXISTENT FUTURE THE WINSTON FAMILY HOME BEAUFORT, SOUTH CAROLINA Perfectly manicured fingertips wrapped around the egg as she moved to tap it gently against the edge of the white marble countertop, cracking it just enough for her to raise it above the bowl, using her painted red nails to puncture it further as she released the egg into the cake mix. Repeating her previous motions, she released a second egg into the mix before sliding her bare feet across the hardwood floors, disposing of the eggshells in the garbage bin before returning to her cake baking task at hand. Soft music flooded her childhood home as she hummed along, a gentle smile resting upon her lips as she allowed herself to get lost in the moment – the sounds of the sweet melody filling her ears, the scent of the fire burning in the living room fire place, the glow of the sunset pouring in through the window above the kitchen sink. Plucking the mixing bowl from the countertop, she held it in one arm, using a wooden mixing spoon in the other to carefully mix the batter as she swayed lightly through the kitchen in rhythm to the music. For a moment, she felt at peace. All at once, the sounds of the front door slamming shut pulled her from her faux serenity, bringing her back to reality as her smile widened. “Effie, is that you?” Momentarily, she allowed her movements to halt as she took a step closer towards the direction of the front door. “Effie? I thought you were spending the weekend with Ant…” Her breath caught in her throat, her chest tightening as the bowl fell from her hand, the sounds of glass shattering against the hardwood floor causing her internally cringe as her blue hues fell upon the familiar figure now standing in the doorway of the kitchen, staring straight into an older, red-headed version of herself. “Mama?!” Her voice broke, catching in her throat as her body froze completely, her mind unable to register anything that was happening. “Mama, what are you doing here? How is this even possible? I saw you, I saw you and you were…” “You killed your father, Genevieve.” Her mother’s harsh voice filled the space, causing chill-bumps to raise against the tanned flesh of her arms. “You killed your father and your brothers.” Tears brimmed her eyes, slipping down her cheeks as she stared at her mother. “No. I didn’t, mama.” “You did. You took everything from me, including myself, and you walked away without so much as a scratch. Now you have the audacity to return to the home you grew up in, in the home that you killed them in.” Her mother shook her head, curls falling against her face as her darkened orbs stared straight into Ginny. “You’re nothing but a murderer, and do you know what happens to murders, Genevieve? Do you?” The tears fell harder down her cheeks as she continued to shake her head, her mind remaining unable to fully process exactly what was happening, how her mother could even be standing in the same room as her. Suddenly, she dropped to her knees, wincing in pain as she landed against the broken glass, blood instantly dripping from her flesh. “Mama, no. Please, mommy. Just leave me alone.” “I wish I could say I was sorry, Genevieve.” Without further hesitation, her mother lunged forward, wrapping her hands within Ginny’s blonde locks as she tugged her daughter up from the floor, causing pain filled cries to escape her lips. “I wish I could say you didn’t deserve this…” She tried to fight back against her mother, but her mother was too powerful, and she could feel herself falling victim to her own weaknesses, her own fears. The struggle continued across the kitchen floor, the splattered cake batter making it impossible for Ginny to get any traction as she attempted to free herself of the hold of her mother, the memories of this same struggle during her childhood filling her mind, blurring her vision as the tears streamed harder down her cheeks. “I wish I could say that, but it would all be a lie, wouldn’t it?” The door to the basement creaked open, the doorknob hitting the wall behind it as her mother swung it open. “Mama, don’t do this. I’ve changed, I’m better now. I’ll prove it too you, I promise I will.” She begged, pleading for her life in the same way she remembered her family to have done all those years ago when the cult leaders invaded their home. “Please.” She choked back sobs, managing to open her eyes as her mother spun her around to face her, blue hues meeting grey ones as she stared into the face she never thought she would see again. “Mama please, please don’t do this. I love you, mama.” The words barely left her lips as she felt the push her mother gave of her frame, causing all footing to be lost as she fell backwards down the dark stairwell. As her back hit the wooden step, she felt the pain fill her frame, causing her vision to blur once again, the final sounds of the door slamming and locking behind her being the last thing she heard before she hit the concrete floor of the basement with a thud. The harsh taste of crimson filled her mouth as she parted her lips, whispering her final plea before her entire world went black. “I’m sorry.”

Bare feet slid across the finished wooden surface of the back porch, lifting herself up on red painted toes as she spun in a circle, her blonde locks hitting her face before cascading down her back. Bright blue orbs closed as she lifted her hands above her head, glass of white wine remaining in one hand while the scent of salt water and sand stung her nostrils in the best way possible. Calm music played loudly from the Bluetooth speaker system mounted on either side of the sliding glass door, the soft vocals of the male singing filling her hearing.

“For you, I would travel to outer space, take a bullet to the heart just to keep you safe, for you, anything for you. With you all the years just fade away, with you, whenever I'm with you.”

Laughter poured from her lips, smile lines showing against her lightly sun-kissed skin, features mimicking youth despite the years gained in age. The thin material of her printed sun dress wrapped her legs, flowing outward with every spin she made as she danced across the deck. Genuine, mega-watt smile laced her expression as the cool breeze danced against her flesh, hips swaying lightly to the melody that filled the air around her. Soft hands grabbed her upper arm as two bodies collided gently against each other, causing louder laughter to combat the sound of the music, blue hues opening now to land upon ones that matched her own. It was like looking into the mirror of her past as she glanced at her daughter – seventeen now and filled with a joy that she had never experienced herself, a true happiness that she thought was only possible in dreams. Manicured hands pulled the younger blonde female into an embrace, spinning her daughter around, releasing the hold she maintained on her as she continued to slide across the porch, the two of them lost in a dance party of their own. Purple hues filled the sky as the sun sank into the horizon, the sounds of the ocean waves in the distance caught her attention, easily heard from the home that overlooked the ocean, the feeling of her frame lightly bumping against the side of the deck, causing her to hesitate in her actions. Inhaling deeply, a smaller, even more content smile tugged onto the corners of her lips as she looked around her, exhaling laughter as she watched her daughter continue to spin and dance around, lost in her own world and appearing to have the time of her life. This was the moment that made all of the nightmares worth it. This was the moment that made all of the tears, guilt, and hardships seem alright. This was the moment she had survived for; the moment she currently lived for. This was the moment that made all of her dreams come true. This was her dream. Taking in a deep breath, a single tear rolled down her cheek as she rolled over against her silk sheets, cautious not to roll onto her sleeping cat as she opened her eyes, blinking away sleep. A soft smile formed at the curve of her lips as she slid from the bed, bare feet hitting the plush carpet of her apartment, light stretch being made of her body as she shook her head, pushing a hand through her blonde locks. With any further hesitation lost, she made her way out of her room, quietly padding down the hallway to the smaller, second bedroom of the flat. Pushing the ajar door open all the way, she stepped carefully into the room, fingertips wrapping the edge of the crib as her blue orbs stared down at her sleeping daughter, sprawled out on her bed, belly rising and falling gently with life. An unexpected gift in Ginny’s life. Smiling softly, she leaned down to place a light kiss atop the head of the infant, just a few months old and with so much life left to live. So much time for Ginny to give her everything she never had, everything she had always dreamed of. Parting her lips, she spoke, keeping her voice barely a whisper. “You’re my dream, my unexpected dream.”

Her blonde hair blew in the breeze, tangled and dampened from a dip in the waterfall earlier that day. Her bright blue orbs stared at the horizon, heavy from exhaustion and rimmed red from all the tears shed. The palm of her hand pressed against the trunk of the palm tree, scuffed up and bloodied, her fingers blistered from the burns. The toes of her worn out bare feet pressed against the sand, the red nail polish most of the way chipped off. Her stomach growled, her body ached, and her heart shattered. This was it. This was the end. This was how she was going to die, how they were all going to die. Pushing herself away from the palm tree, she made her way closer to the ocean’s edge, eyes never leaving their place on the exact point where the sky met the water, not until she stopped walking, at least, and suddenly shifted her gaze upwards at the scattered clouds. “If there’s a God up there, he’ll hear me, right?” Her voice was barely above a whisper, dry lips struggling to part as she spoke, throat burning with each word that escaped her tongue, delusional thoughts leaving her mind in the form of sentences. “Even if there isn’t a God, someone has to hear me. Someone’s listening.” Lowering her body to the sand, she dropped to her knees, not even feeling the sting that rushed through her limbs as her sunburnt skin collided with the sand. If this was the end, pain didn’t really matter anyhow.

“Dear God, or the Devil, or whatever higher power people seem to think exists. I’ve never really spoken to you before because I never was given a reason to believe in you. Every other time I’ve folded my hands to pray, my world has ended up crashing down around me. So maybe this time, once my voice manages to float up to you, you could make my world crash by putting me out of this misery. Just end it, don’t give Trent the satisfaction of doing it for you. You wouldn’t really want that in the end, would you?! What I want more than anything, out of this conversation, is for you to pass some messages along for me. Now that you know a little bit about me, I think you can do that, yeah? You see, I didn’t think I would die when I stepped on that cruise ship – although, looking back, I probably should have expected it, but I’m a fucking idiot, so I didn’t. But because I didn’t, I didn’t get to say anything. I’m not usually one to say goodbye, I tend to just disappear, but this time is different because this time my disappearance will be final. So, please, if you hear this, please pass it along. I know you have the power to do that! Tell my daughter that I love her. Tell her that I’m sorry that I didn’t get to see her grow up, that I’m sorry I’ve already made mistakes as a mother and that I couldn’t be better for her. Tell her that she can be anything she wants to be, and that I hope she has a good life, and that I thought about her everyday while I was gone. Tell her that, while I never knew I properly wanted her, I also can’t remember how I ever survived without her, and then tell her that I’m sorry that I didn’t survive. Tell my ex-husband, the one who matters not the other abusive one, tell him that I forgive him. Tell him that I forgive him for the things he did and the way he left. Tell him to take care of Effie and to give her the best life possible, and if he can’t or it ever gets too much, tell him to let Loren take care of her. Loren’s going to make it off this island, I just know she is! She’s going to make it back to her son and her life, so tell him that he can always look to her for help. But mostly, that I forgive him. Tell Loren that I love her, that I’m so happy we found each other again. She’s the best cousin, and until my daughter, she was the only blood family I had. Tell the few friends I’ve made that I care about them, and that I’m sorry I was a shitty friend, that if I could do it again, I might do it better. I’d list their names, but honestly, I'm a shitty friend and you know who they are anyway. I think that’s it…and even if it isn’t, my brain hurts too much to think, and my body hurts too much to speak. I’m sorry for the person I was, and the terrible things I’ve done, and if forgiveness after death is a thing, I hope it happens to me.”

Taking in a deep breath, she exhaled slowly, knowing well that she had rambled on for too long, and that ultimately, she was only speaking to herself. It was crazy what this place was doing to her. Pushing herself up from the ground, she returned her gaze to the ocean, eyes scanning from the horizon, following the water to where it met the shore, eventually looking down at her own feet. Kicking at the sand, she took a few more steps closer to the water, hands now rising to tug the straps from her now ruined dress off her shoulders before sliding it down her frame and off her body completely, kicking it off to the side. She wouldn’t need it, not wherever she was going. With another deep breath in, she forced her weakened body to move forward, making her way into the water, hesitation lost entirely despite the stinging of the cold water against her sun-soaked skin, stopping only once the water hit her bare thighs. Casting her gaze upwards once more, she parted her lips. “If you’re up there, whoever you are, if you do exist, please help me. Please. Please, help me.”

She could hear them. She knew they were coming for her next and judging by the haunting silence that was now coming from the upstairs of the home, she knew her time was limited. She had to act fast. She held her breath as she hid beneath the wooden steps leading to the basement, ensuring her entire body was deep within the shadows as she heard the creaky door swing open. Within seconds, four men had invaded the basement, curse words dripping from their lips, laced in the thick southern accents as they began their hunt for her. Quietly she watched them, blue hues following their darkened frames as they made their way further into the basement, nearing the water heater now and granting her just enough space. This was it. Acting fast, she wrapped her fingers around either side of the wooden plank that made up the step – the fifth one from the bottom – and without further hesitation, she pulled herself beneath the handrail and up onto it, gaining her footing as quickly as possible before rushing up the steps, no longer bothering to keep herself quiet. With their attention caught by the sound of her bare feet scurrying up the steps, they turned on their heels, and suddenly they were right behind her. For the first time in her life, luck decided to remain on her side as she stumbled over the top step, jamming her knee into the doorframe as she turned to slam the basement door shut, shaky hands managing to lock it as she mentally thanked whatever God existed for the extra locks her parents had installed on the door to keep her in. As ironic as the situation seemed, she had done it. She had made it, but even still, she knew she needed to continue to act fast if she truly wanted to escape. She sucked in a deep breath as she turned away from the basement door, ready to run and leave everything behind without a second glance back – that’s when her eyes landed on it; the scene in front of her. Blood was everywhere. Cryptic messages scribbled across the walls, the dark red liquid dripping from each letter that made up the warning to the other compound members, reminding them of exactly what would happen if they dared break the rules the way her family had. It was a show, a display, an example. Large footprints scattered the light carpet, while small puddles worked on seeping into the natural hardwood flooring, staining the home for forever. Her stomach turned as she made her way forward, threatening to spill out what little contents it had within it as her blue hues now landed upon what would become the final scene of her family. There they were, drained and displayed across the living room furniture – another example to other cult members, another show. It was the Winston Family Showcase, and she would be damned if she was going to become part of it. With another deep breath in, she forced her frozen feet to move, to push their way through the remainder of the home and out the front door without a second glance back. To pick up speed the closer she got to the outside world, finally breaking out into a full-blown sprint the second the crisp nighttime air hit her cheeks. This was it. Time passed, and she had completely lost track of it before she finally came to a stop. She didn’t know how long she had been running for, or how far she had gotten, all she knew is that she had escaped. She doubled over, the palm of her hand gripping at the trunk of the closest tree as she heaved inwards, her lungs struggling to catch oxygen as her stomach once again threatened to spill, malnourishment being the only thing stopping her. Dropping to her knees, adrenaline and fear pumped through her as she glanced up at the night sky, silently counting the stars before dropping her hand from the tree and moving to push it through her tangled blonde locks. A small smile dared tug onto the curve of her lips as silent tears dripped from the corners of her eyes. She had done it. She knew she could only rest a moment before she needed to get back on the move, but, this was it, this was the moment she had finally done it. For the first time in her life, she was free. Genevieve Lynn Winston was free.