Chaos: Deathly Beginnings Chapter Two

Beatrice checked her phone to get a text from Luna. She was in class. Beatrice read it but didn’t reply. She put her head down on the desk and sighed. Beatrice cared about Luna. The feelings inside her were too much to deal with, and she knew how to get them out. So Beatrice abused people. She was always scared of becoming her father, and every time she hit someone or yelled at them, she took one step closer to her fate. At times, Beatrice felt terrible for treating her girlfriend that way. She wasn’t incapable of empathy and remorse, but for the most part, she pushed those feelings down.

Beatrice Lunar and Theodore Axel’s lockers were right next to each other. They were both cleaning.

“So, you’re hooking up with Luna now, aren’t you?” Beatrice asked as she slammed the door shut.
“What- what the fuck are you talking about?”
“She was asking me if you could come over yesterday...and she has a ton of love letters in her room. Care to explain that? A hook-up with my girlfriend?”

“That is not what’s happening at all! I have no clue what letters you’re talking about. Believe it or not, not everything revolves around you, and Luna and I have our own lives. We have things to talk about,” Theodore said.
“Yeah, I bet you’re discussing the best way to suck each other off. Fucking whore.” She flipped him off as she walked away. He sighed and got on his phone. He needed to get to Leyana’s elementary school to pick her up.

***

Luna Nightingale had passed out on her living room floor. The shock, pain, and blood loss caused her to lose consciousness. Her phone lay on the ground next to her, displaying the text she had sent. It was a cry for help, but it was too late now. Luna’s breathing was shallow, and her pulse was weak. The clock on the wall ticked away the seconds as Luna lay there. Her cuts were somewhat severe. She wasn’t going to die, but she was still bleeding. She was going to be in excruciating pain when she woke up.

***

“Hey, I’m here to pick up Leyana Thompson from school. I’m Theodore, her older brother,” Theodore said. He went and got Leyana, who was excited to see him.
“Teddy! It’s almost time for your graduation. I’m so excited! Maybe we could get some ice cream on the way there? Please?” She asked, giving him a quick hug.
“How about on the way back?”
“Okay! That works for me!” She got into the Uber that Theodore had ordered for them. They drove off happily.

***

Beatrice Lunar was in the auditorium, anxiously waiting for Luna to come to see her. She needed her support.
‘Luna, where are you? I need you here.’ She texted Luna, but she didn’t reply. Beatrice angrily sighed. She didn’t have anyone to talk to, and she was lonely. Beatrice bullied people at the school, and because of that, nobody liked her. There were other bullies, but she even had a bone to pick with them.

All the other students’ parents came to meet them, but nobody came for her. She watched Theodore and Leyana enter the door, but they ignored her. She slumped down in her chair and waited for Luna to reply.

She heard the door open and turned to find her father and his odd friend. He smiled at her as he took a seat. The boy with him climbed onto his lap, getting stares from everyone around them. She watched as they gave each other kisses and whispered to each other. She wasn’t sure what to do. Was she supposed to get up and walk over to him? She didn’t want to be around him, but being around his furious, abusive behaviour was much worse. She thought he would get angry if she ignored him, so she got up as the first few graduates walked on the stage. She walked over to him and took her seat.

***

Luna woke up. Her wrists were in unbearable pain, and they hurt to move. She ran to the bathroom and bandaged them up. She looked at the time. She was almost late for the graduation.
‘I’m coming. I’m sorry, I fell asleep.’ She texted Beatrice back as she tried to ignore the throbbing that she was experiencing. Her phone dinged.
‘Fuck you.’

***

“Um... does he have to be on your lap, Father? There are many more seats here. Everyone is looking,” Beatrice said awkwardly.
“Oh, don’t mind him. He’s just a little shy, and he likes being around me. We shouldn’t care about other people’s opinions, now should we?” He replied, smiling at her sweetly.
“I don’t want everyone looking at me, please. There are other seats available, Father.”

“Shut the fuck up. What made you think you could force me out here and then give me attitude? If you keep this up, I’m beating you once I get the chance,” he whispered into her ear. She tensed up and nodded quickly.
“Hello, Santiago. How long have you known my father?”
“Oh, um...hello. For- for a little over twenty years. Cha- Darell is real kind to me,” He stammered, fiddling with his fingers.

“Oh, right. Are you guys together?” She asked, trying to lighten the tension. Santiago turned red.
“No, we’re just good friends, that’s all,” He mumbled. She furrowed her brows. They had been kissing and acting suggestive the entire time.
“I’m sorry, but you guys have been kissing and shit. What do you mean you’re not a couple?” She asked, a tint of judgement striking her voice.
“Don’t question my relationships, Beatrice. You should be grateful I’m even fucking here. You’re being a bitch, and I’ll punish you if that’s what I need to do,” her father sneered. She stopped talking and focused back on the ceremony.

***

Luna ran into the auditorium and sat down while they were handing out diplomas. She arrived late, and Beatrice glared at her from across the room. A girl with curly red hair walked up to the stage and smiled for the pictures.

“Beatrice Lunar.” Beatrice walked up, and nobody but Luna, her father, and Santiago clapped for her. She accepted her diploma and smiled at Luna. Beatrice ran down quickly as people were starting to prepare spitballs. Since it was the last day of school, she wasn’t a threat to anyone, and nobody was scared of her.

“Our valedictorian is Theodore Axel, and our salutatorian is Beatrice Lunar,” they announced. “If Theodore would like to come up for a short speech, we would appreciate that greatly.”

“Well...thank you all for these four years of high school. It was great to be taught near my peers and by my teachers. The great teachers that I truly owe the world to. I’m glad I could learn here, and I’m sure my future will be great and fruitful. Yeah,” Theodore said, claps coming from the crowd. He put his notecards in his pocket as he walked off, signalling for Beatrice to follow him. He wasn’t good at public speaking. Leyana was in the audience, jumping and cheering his name.

“Wow, good job, Beatrice. I didn’t know you were so smart,” her father said, hugging her. She didn’t return it.
“I’m not smart, Father. I lost to Theodore. I’m pathetic,” she mumbled as Santiago joined. “What are you doing?”
“High school isn’t a competition, baby. I’m surprised you even got a diploma. You’re not a complete failure.” He pushed her away, accepting Santiago’s advance with more warmth and joy than he had ever given her.

“Thanks- I guess.” Beatrice turned around to see Luna behind her. She waved awkwardly.
“Do you want a present?” Her father asked. She nodded, and he got out a giant wad of money. “I don’t know what you like, so I’ll make you richer. Tar- Santiago has something, too,” said Darrell. Santiago shuffled around in his bag and took out an old stuffed animal. It was a bunny.

“Thanks,” she said as she took it.
“I hope you like it. Chaos- I mean, Darrell told me you always wore a bunny hoodie, so I assumed you liked bunnies,” Santiago muttered. Darrell looked at him, squinting his eyes in the judgment of the mistake.

“That’s…thoughtful of you,” Beatrice said. She started to grow fonder of Santiago. How did someone she never met give her a more thoughtful gift than her father? Santiago gave her a slight smile. Chaos picked him up and kissed him.
“He’s sweet once you get to know him. He puts a lot of work into his relationships. Now, Beatrice, we have to get going. I’ll see you when I see you. Goodbye.”

***

“Okay, Beatrice. We have a lot to talk to you about,” Luna said. Theodore, Beatrice, Leyana, and she met outside the school to talk. They planned to jog Beatrice’s memory about the prophecy and who she was.

“What? Are you guys a couple now?” She sarcastically jabbed as she crossed her arms in anger.
“You two are dating?!” Leyana exclaimed.
“No, no, we’re not!” Theodore replied quickly.

“Beatrice, what’s your religion?” Theodore asked.
“Um… I’m an atheist. I don’t see why the fuck it matters, though. What’s your angle? What are you trying to do?”
“What if I told you... that you were wrong? Hypothetically, let’s say there are seven living gods, and you’re a demigod,” Luna said.
“Oh my god, what are you talking about?” She cringed at his words. “Are you like a Jehovah’s Witness? Trying to convert me to some Hellenistic religion?”

“No. You’re just a demigod. And you have to save the world.”
“Leyana, why did you let Theodore take heroin right before graduation?”
“He’s not high! He’s telling the truth! I’m a demigod!” Leyana yelled.
“Truf? Do you have a fucking speech problem? That’s so embarrassing for you,” Beatrice said, laughing in her face.

Leyana had an articulation disorder, and it was one of her biggest insecurities. She stopped talking. “Luna, back me up here. This is all bullshit, right?”
“Well...actually, it’s not.”

***

Darrell and Santiago were walking far away from the school.
“Does she like bunnies, Chaos?” Santiago asked, holding onto his hand. Now that they were alone, Santiago could refer to him by his real name- Chaos.
“Um, honestly, it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to put effort into her or anything. Don’t worry about it,” Chaos said.

“Oh, well, okay.” They walked in silence for a moment later. A lot had changed since Phoebe told the gods of the prophecy. She had predicted that Chaos would turn evil- and he did. Maybe things would have been different if the rest of the gods had put effort into helping.

***

Chaos teleported them back to the Underworld, and they both shifted into their original forms. Santiago’s skin was red. He had ram horns and a furry tail. Chaos had grey skin and devil wings atop his head. He walked on top of his throne and took a seat. Santiago crawled onto his lap.

***

They all got back to Beatrice and Luna’s house. Beatrice was still denying everything they had to say.

“Listen. We all have powers. You can blow shit up. You’re a demigod,” Theodore said.
“La la la, I’m not listening!” She covered her hands and tried to run to her room. Before she could get there, she saw a puddle of blood staining the floor.

“Why the hell is there blood on my floor?”
“Um... it's just juice,” Luna tried to lie. She was terrible at it.
“Luna. Why the fuck is there two stains of blood on my floor?” Beatrice scolded.
“Just let me talk to you alone.” She pulled Beatrice into the kitchen. “I tried to kill myself. I slit my wrists, and I lost consciousness. I’m sorry. I’m sorry, please forgive me.”

“You did what? You selfish fuck!” She screamed and pushed her against the wall.
“Beatrice, there are guests! There’s a child, please don’t-”
“You fucking selfish asshole!”

She punched her stomach. “First, you’re late to my graduation, you spout all these stupid lies, and now you cut your wrists open and try to commit motherfucking suicide. I don’t know how to forgive you for this.”
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry-”

“Beatrice, stop! Stop,” Theodore yelled. He started to use his powers and created vines which circled her throat. “Do you believe me now?”
“What... you witch! Witchcraft! You’re Satan!” Beatrice said.

***

“You, Beatrice, are the child of Chaos, the god of destruction. How do you not know that?” Theodore said. Luna had told her everything when they were children, but Beatrice’s memories were a blur.
“Chaos? My dad’s name is Darrell. You know that,” she said.
“He was lying. His name is Chaos. He’s the god of destruction. Which makes you the demigod of destruction,” Theodore replied.
“If a god raised me, I would know.”

“You never questioned his strength? Not once?” Theodore knew more about Chaos than Beatrice herself.
“Lots of kids get abused, Theodore. Don’t bring my past into this. It’s not funny. I should’ve never told you that shit.”
“I’m not doing it because it’s funny, Beatrice. He is a god. An insane and sadistic god.”

***

Theodore and Luna explained the situation. The demigods were to travel across the states to collect four other daemons. Beatrice was having trouble accepting it. She didn’t understand Luna’s role. Luna described herself as a failsafe. Just in case the prophecy was wrong. That seemed impossible, though.

***

Beatrice got her pink bag to pack for the trip. She threw her hairbrush and toothbrush into it. Beatrice groaned and lay down on her bed. She would never admit it, but she was scared. She didn’t want to face her father again; the memories and nightmares that haunted her were already too much.

“I’m just like him, aren’t I?” She whispered. Her biggest fear was always turning into her father, but the older she grew, the more it became a reality. “I’m fine. I’m fine.” She looked at herself in the mirror. She saw him behind her for a split second.

“Fuck!” She shouted. “God, I need to get a grip. He’s not here.” She stared at her reflection and pulled on her hair.
“I look just like him. Just like him.” She grabbed her eyeliner stick. She put it on, trying her hardest to change the shape of her eyes. They looked exactly like her father’s. She put fake freckles on her face and redid her nose contour.

***

Luna Nightingale sighed. She took her clothes off and looked at her bruises. Luna loved Beatrice and believed that Beatrice loved her. She missed the simple time when they were happy with each other- when she supported her girlfriend. She missed when life wasn’t so complicated.

Beatrice wasn’t always as cruel as she was now. The older Luna grew, the meaner Beatrice became. No matter what she did, Luna followed her every move. She felt like nothing without the presence of her girlfriend. It had been seven years of pain, but Luna believed it was pain in the name of love. She redressed herself and walked across the hall to Beatrice’s room.

“Beatrice, we’ve got to leave.”
“I’m getting an Uber,” Beatrice said. The walk from her house to Theodore’s apartment was long, and they didn’t feel like taking it. “Should I bring changes of clothes?”
“We don’t have the space. Just wear something comfortable,” Luna replied.

She had changed into a long skirt and a pink sweater that had a bow. Her wardrobe was much cuter than Beatrice’s.

They walked outside and got into the car. Beatrice sat in the front. The driver looked sickly. His car smelled like weed and cigarettes.

“Where to?” He looked in the rearview mirror and made eye contact with Theodore.
“Sephtis? What?” He mumbled. He looked away. “To my apartment complex.”
“No problem, Theo,” he said. Sephtis was Theodore’s old drug dealer- but why was he here? Theodore gulped and looked out the window.

***

“Hey... can we talk for a moment?” Sephtis said as everyone got out of the car. Theodore turned around and nodded slowly. “Here, Theodore. It’s on me.” He pushed a brown bag into his hands.

“No! What are you doing? You can’t just show up out of nowhere and give me this shit. I’ve been clean for years. Get out of my fucking face,” he yelled.
“Don’t be so vile, Theodore. Watch your mouth. I’m here to help you. You never know what might happen.” He got closer to him. “Take it.” With a crooked smile, Sephtis walked away.

Theodore opened the bag and sighed. There was a bottle with yellow-coloured liquid in it and a syringe. He continued shuffling through the bag, and he found a note.
“What even is this shit? It’s not heroin,” he muttered to himself.

“Damn, Theodore. It didn’t take you too long to fall into the same patterns, huh? I knew you were still a hype,” Beatrice said. The other two had gone inside, but she was still listening. Theodore’s expression changed. Overwhelmed with intense anger, he yelled, “Shut up, Beatrice! You’re such a cunt. I’m so fucking tired of you!”

“Are you already high?” She asked. He snarled, “No, of course not.”
“You’re much more tolerable when you are.” She ran up to him. She grabbed the brown bag out of his hands and opened it up. “How about you get yourself high right now? Does that sound good?” She was significantly taller than him. She held the bag above his head.

“Give it back!” He jumped. She took the contents out and stared at them.
“Ew, what is this shit? It’s so disgusting. I can’t believe you would put that in your body. Fucking whore.”
“Whore? That doesn’t even correlate! Just leave. Please. I can’t deal with you. Not right now.” She scoffed and dropped the bag.

He took out the note. It had Sephtis’s new contact information on it.
“God, he must be broke,” said Theodore.

***


“Okay. There’s this company around my place that has this giant van. We could steal it,” Theodore said. He had shown them to the place in question. Along with the van, there were three workers.
“Luna, will you explain your powers to me?” Beatrice said.

“I’m a healer and a little bit of an illusionist. I’m not so good at that part, though,” she replied, looking down. Luna felt over her wrists. They still ached intensely. She had clinical depression, and the most she had to help with it was medicine. She always begged Beatrice for therapy, but she always denied it. Beatrice didn’t want her saying too much; her childhood experiences taught her not to trust therapists or counsellors. She also didn’t want to get in trouble with the authorities for her actions.

“Can you fake the truck while we steal the real one?” Beatrice picked at her nails. They were short and disfigured.
“Er… I can try.”
“You better get it right,” Beatrice snapped out of nowhere.

They walked down an alleyway.
“Look right there. I’m going to change the plan a bit,” Beatrice said.
“You can’t just-” Theodore got cut off by her loud whisper.
“Luna’s going to dress me up in the worker outfits. Then, I’m going to say I need the truck. I’m going to drive it away. You guys will go around the curb. I’ll pick you up.”

Luna followed her orders.

She walked out of the alley and waved to the other workers.
“Hi. I’m new here. I need the bus for a bit,” Beatrice said. The older man threw her the keys.
“Just show your worker ID,” the younger man asked.

She realised she didn’t have one.
“Oh. I don’t have that yet. Well, I have to go,” Beatrice said as she got on the bus.
“Wait! You can’t leave yet you haven’t shown us identification-” one of them screamed as she drove away.

Luna, Theodore, and Leyana jumped in as she descended the long, windy road, accidentally pressing too hard on the pedal.
“Oh shit, we’re about to crash!” She screamed as the bus slammed into a tree.

***