Sunday morning were either great or bad, I never thought there was an in-between with them. Alice has strangely been quiet over the weekend... not really a good sign since the last time we talked she wanted to punch me in the face. Then again her wanting to punch me in the face was almost every day when things didn't go her way. When we were kids she wanted a juice box and I wouldn't give it to her. Guess what happened next... she punched me in the face, I cried from the pain, she felt bad and gave me the juice box then we become friends.

Strange to think friendships could start that way when you're only eight years old. The way me and Adil met was two years before Alice moved down here. I remembered it just like it was yesterday.... but it was also a sad memory as well. I woke up to the strange rapping sound on my window.

I opened up the curtains to see Alice throwing small rocks at my window, holding up her white board. "You better not ditch me or you'll see real Hell from me!"

A warm smile came over my face as I started to write back, "Don't worry, I won't ever leave you."

"It's so cute how you manage to cover up your bullshit."

"Thanks. I try."

The storm in her gray eyes became more electric. "Just don't ditch me tonight or I'll make sure to give Jeremy the note."

"Fine."

It was a quick and hard fine I gave her, but I didn't want to get on her bad side Honestly I didn't know how this night would end up like. If it ends early the best idea would be too sit in my room and read a good book. Checking through my contacts it looked like Adil was free today until tonight.

I send him a text before walking downstairs. The air was filled with the sweet, delicious smell of pancakes that mother was the best on a great Sunday morning. The light coming from the window made the locks of her golden hair shine as fair and bright as the sun. She turned around when she saw me, giving me her famous cheerful smiles.

"Oh now your awake!"

"Yeah.... It took me a while." I sat down at the table just when she flipped a pancake.

"I always knew you were a vampire, but vampires don't have drool at the side of their mouths."

If my mother had magic she did as I quickly wiped away my drool. My mother seemed to know me better than I knew myself, but didn't mother always know their children? The air around us settled down as the stairs creaked to the weight of my 'father'.

"Is breakfast made yet?"

"Yes dear."

It's not that I didn't like my 'father', well step dad, but he could be a jerk at times. Jerry was a middle age old man with a belly poking slightly out. He was around forty or forty one, I didn't bother to count, and who slept a lot or just when to work then slept for the day. Jerry wasn't the type of person that I could connect to easily since he wasn't my dad. If you're wondering about my real dad he is alive, it's just my parents are divorced. They have been since I was five. Life with them like that wasn't really easy at all... for example this weekend I have my mother, but the next weekend I have my dad. So really my Friday nights were either packing up for the night and go to dad for the weekend, or hang out with Alice during the weekend with my mom, but Alice was pissed at me so it was really just homework....

Jerry's smell was of morning sweat and boringness, there wasn't an in-between of the two. "Hey kid, why didn't you hang out with Alice this weekend?"

"She's mad at me because I didn't want to come with her to the carnival."

"The carnival?" My mother spoke up, giving me my pancake. "Why don't you want to go to the carnival?"

"Because carnivals are just... busy and loud. I rather read than do any of that crap."

"Sweet heart, I love you... but you need to take a day off reading."

"Mom reading is like a part of me. I can't live without it."

"I know sweet heart, but just take a day off reading for me."

I sighed in defeat, "Fine. But only if I get my favorite ice cream sundae."

"Deal." My mom smiled and kissed my temple.

"Mary," My step-dad began, "you spoil the girl too much."

Sometimes at times like these I really wanted to throw him out of the window, have a car run him over, and burn his dead body with fire. If you're thinking I was all just nice and happy, you're really wrong. When people first meet my step-dad they would think he was a really nice guy, but when he's around me he's a total jerk who likes to ruin my life. The only reason I call him dad is because my mother and him make me, even though I have a real father downtown. I only get one of each parent for a weekend so they can both have an equal share of me. Honestly, it gets tiring year after year packing up and going to a house to stay for the weekend and packing up again. But I loved my parents and would never complain about it too them.

Jerry on the other hand... was someone I hated because of what he does. I love my mother in every way, but my heart can't accept Jerry because of this. I want my real mom and dad in my life, not a fake step dad. My ring tone of Zelda went off as I rushed upstairs to see Adil was calling me from my phone.

It rung about five times before I heard a breath from the other end of the line. "Hello?" I asked first.

"Oriel, when are you going to the carnival?"

"I don't know. Alice is going to bulldoze my door down no matter what and drag me to the damn carnival."

"True. Why don't I come over and hang out with you for a little bit. It's been a month since I've come over."

"Well I'll have to see with my mom. The last time you can over my mom screamed at you for eating all of the food in the kitchen."

"Hey!" He protested, "You guys said I could have anything I wanted!"

"That doesn't mean your fat ass has to eat everything we have!"

"Whatever. I'll be around by two. See ya then, Oreo."

"Bye."

Oreo was the nickname my friends gave me since my name almost sounds like Oreo. Adil would be over in five minutes since his house was only two blocks away from mine. A sharp, soft thud came from my window. I walked over to it and pulled open the curtains to see the devil. Alice.

A tender smile lit up the soft features of her face, making her a cross between an angel and demon who I fear. She held up her white board that had words on it, but made a smiley face at the end of her sentence.

"Are you coming to the carnival? I'll drag you by the ends of your hair, like a good friend! J"

Sweat dropped at the back of my neck. Alice had her ways sometimes in a way that wasn't... so good and made us fight each other at times. I wrote back with a shaky hand to hope this wouldn't make her mad. "I'm coming. Adil is coming over so I won't be alone tonight."

Alice pouted and flipped me off. "Really? I'm sick and tired of you two acting like I will kill you both."

"You clawed out someone's eyes when you got the tickets!"

"Hey! That guy deserved it!"

Wow, sometimes I wonder if she knew anything from good and bad. "No he didn't! Besides, Adil will be coming with us to the carnival so I'll pay for his tickets."

"Fine." She wrote back before shutting her curtains quite harshly.

Oh boy... Alice was a character at times. Her sudden burst of anger were either a good or bad thing. In less than five minutes the doorbell rang as I ran downstairs and opened it up to a soak wetting boy. The ends of his hair were a dark chocolate whip along with the highlights he added in. Adil came in as his teeth chattered loudly from where I was standing.

"Why are you wet?" I asked, slightly leaving the door ajar.

"Because it's raining outside!" He replied slamming the door shut behind him, "In case you haven't noticed at all!"

"But I just talking to Alice five minutes ago... the clouds weren't even gray or stormy."

"Well I guess you were wrong for once. Say, can I have some food-"

"No you can't have food here Adil!" My mother called from the kitchen.

Adil groaned and dragged his feet inside the kitchen. "Yes ma'am..."

I opened up the curtain to see it was pouring strongly outside. My eyebrow rose in confusion... how was that possible? The next five minutes a sudden strong downpour happens in a matter of time... maybe it was more than five minutes than I thought...

After Adil quickly dried himself off he raced down to the basement where I kept my Xbox at. He turned it on and popped his feet on the table.

"How come you next play this thing?" He asked.

"Because I'm more of a bookworm than a video game nerd."

"Strange to see that since I'm both."

I rose an eyebrow and poked his cheek when I sat down next to him. "When did you read?"

He laughed and looked towards the screen. "Well... sometimes I do. Don't video game dialogue count?"

Oh boy, next this young man would think pigs could fly. "No they don't. Now hand me a controller. I maybe don't play much but that doesn't mean I can't kick your ass."

Adil's face grew into a bright smile as he handed me a controller. "That's the Oriel I know!"

Hours rolled by quickly as the door knocked and I opened it too Alice. Her red hair was just as wild and free like her fiery soul. Alice was dressed up in a white tank top and some cut up jeans, a perfect style for someone like her.

"Hey, Oriel!" She embraced in a sister hug, with was strange since just this morning she wanted to rip my head off. "I'm so happy your coming to the carnival with me!"

"Only because you're making me."

"Will you lighten up?!" She pulled on the ends of my soft brown hair. "Ugh... I swear I'm going to have to pull you into a group of people with me and talk to them, face to face and not mumbling your words."

"You know I'm shy though..."

"Oh, I know, but I'm going to break that shy barrier."

Adil came walking into the room, slowing down his pace before starting a stare off with Alice. The tension between them was thick enough to cut through it, maybe even cook it...

"Alice." Adil said, tight with an unreadable expression.

Alice gave him her nicest, most clean smile she could muster up too. "Adil, we were just talking about you."

"I suppose something bad."

"Well I am a snitch, but no warthog when it comes to eating."

"Why you witch!"

Suddenly, the two began a head to head battle with each other. I screamed and tried pulling them away before either one could rip each other's throats out. "Will you two stop it?! I only ask for one day without a fight, just one day! Why will my wish never come true?"

"Because that man who thinks I'm a witch is the one who starts it!" Alice snarled while clawing at his face.

Adil growled as he twisted her other arm. "No I do not! Oriel! You're friends with the devil!"

I sighed in disgust. At times like these I wished I got my mother's skills of whipping people into behaving. Oh, what a wonderful gift that would be. After a while they finally calmed down and Adil drove us to the carnival. There was a huge line as I guess since it was the last day here they would see The Seven Sinners again. Lights filled with a variety of color filled in everything everywhere, along with the drunk people partying in the fair grounds.

"Damn..." Alice whispered under her breath, "This place is loaded with drunks and anything horrible."

"Like you." Adil reported back.

"Will you just- you know... not insult each other?! It's like two toddlers fighting back over who get the big block!"

They both stared at each other in silence. It was the usual death stare, but they both shook hands with each other and nodded head. "It's a deal." Alice spoke.

Adil nodded his head before looking at me. "Where do you want to start first?"

I looked around and didn't even know where to start. Don't make fun... but this is my first carnival. My parents never really took me too one because it was always busy and crowed with strange people everywhere. I finally knew and understand why, because carnivals were people on crack.

"Maybe where The Seven Sinners are."

"Hmm..." Alice started looking around the masses of people. "That's a tough one to get through. I heard there super busy all the time."

"Well it would make sense." Adil leaned against me. "Anyone who travels around the world these days are always busy."

"Whatever." Alice looped her arms through our arms. "Let's just find the tent and watch them before it's too late!"

The carnival is like a maze inside. If you go too far left or right you end up somewhere in a place by the porta-potties, or people making out with each other, not the best way for your first time here. It took several turns and asking around before we finally came up to the tent. It was filled with lights and people, drunk and non-drunks, inside cheering on.

"I swear... carnivals are a death trap."

"I'm going to be an Alice right here and say lighten up!" Adil ruffled my hair which made me laugh. "You can't just read books all your life. Books do have cools worlds inside them, but to really express the world you have to go and explore it yourself to see what the author really wanted the reader too feel."

"Wow." Alice clapped for him. "I didn't think a game nerd like you could say powerful words like that."

Adil laughed and gave us a cocky smirk. "It's a rare talent to have."

Now this is the relationship I wanted between two of my best friends. The world was a lot calmer and less stressful that way. Adil paid for his ticket while Alice and I would save him a seat. Everything was going crazy in here, even the tent was slightly moving under the people's footsteps.

"Are carnivals always this busy...?" I asked, looking in awe at all the colors inside.

"Of course they are. How else do people like this make so much money in just one night? By traveling all around the world."

"You would think they would get tired of traveling all over the world, right?"

"Everyone has their own hobbies." The curtains pulled away as Alice squealed and pull me down in my seat. "It's starting! I can't believe it's finally starting!"

We were in the front seats, a rare treat to get but since Alice can kill a person it wasn't that hard to get front seats. The crowd were becoming excited when the lights came on and focused in the back where they were supposed to come out of.

A man came out from the area. His blonde hair gave out a golden sheen that shinned everywhere he turned while the crowd gave him a round of applause. "Hello city of Mayflower! Hope you're having a great time with the carnival here in town. Sadly, today is our last day here in town, so we'll make this even last more than usual! We'll need some volunteers from the audience!"

People cheered around and huge masses of hands rose in the air. The introducer smiled at the groups of people, eager for the time of their lives. "There can be only seven people down here, so I'll choose wisely and take my time."

Alice rose up her hand, high and proud while trying to raise my other hand. "Come on Oriel! Join in!"

I kept my hand down while she was fighting for control. "Why even bother? I don't win much of anything, even in Mario Kart."

Alice groaned at me, my nature to be a downer sometimes. "Oriel just please try for once! You never really know until you have the chance."

She was right, maybe the reason I never really won anything was because I never really tried. In the moment I rose up my hand, Alice face beaming with absolute pride across her face.

"That's my girl!"

"Alright!" The introducer's voice boomed, "I'll start my picking. Each row of the seven will have each one person come down here and let The Seven Sins come down here to play with them. Let start with row seven."

Something deep inside me was forming in me, something dreadful about this choosing. But why? He was just picking out people, nothing too harmful from that. By the time he was at row three my stomach lurched inside, making me too dizzy to stand. Adil finally came by the time and caught me before Alice could notice.

"Are you alright? You look really pale."

"S-Something not right... I-I-"Air wouldn't come to my lungs as I started to have a panic attack. Why was this happening to me? Was I going crazy from the smell of beer everywhere? Adil voice seemed distance to me, as if I was underwater and trying to scream my name before the deeps could take me away. Alice finally noticed something was wrong and bend down at the same level with Adil, her gray stormy eyes filled with deep worry.

"Next we have the Sin of Wrath! Row one, are you ready?" The introducer's voice was the only one that was loud and clear. People were pushing each other, maybe even killing each other in that crowd for all we know. Alice and Adil faces were blurry and everything was. Maybe I was dying or finally going insane...

"You there! The one laying down! You have you hand up!"

What? Did that mean me? No that couldn't... I didn't have my- huh? I looked up to find my hand was still up where I had it. It didn't come down when I fall down, but why? Maybe it was locked in place when I fell down.

Alice looked over and her eyes began to pop out her eyes. "Oriel, he means you."

"She can't go up there!" Adil's voice slowly became clearer again. "No way in Hell will I let her go down there! She just almost fainted from the noises around her!"

"It's not your choice, Adil!" Alice pulled me up and dusted the dirt off my shirt. "It's time for Oriel too really shine! Show that Wrath what you're made of!"

"O-Okay." That didn't sound really good for confidence of a squeak. Alice held back Adil while I slowly walked down the stairs. People around me either clapped me on the back or glared at me, it's really was a mix of between. When I came down the announcer held out his hand as I took it.

He gave me a warm smile that would melt any girl's heart, but strangely not mine. He was usually attractive for a man. The edges of his face just perfect aligned and with that sharp jaw of his he could be a model along with that nice tan he had. The iris of his eyes were pure green, but his pupil was pit-less black. That threw me off a bit as he laughed at my jumpiness.

"Are you alright there? I saw you looked like fainting up in there and felt kind of bad for you. Maybe meeting the great Wrath will cheer up your spirits?"

"S-Sure... why not." That was stupid of me to give him a smile, now he thinks I'm drunk off my ass.

"Great! Just stay right here until I call you out along with the Wrath." He gave a pat on the shoulder before standing out onto the single spot light.

Looking around me there were other right by their rows as well. Three men and three girls, four including me. Looking at the colors above and around their rows were to tell which Sin the people got.

The announcer called down the first guy who was a bit skinny, but good looking for his age, maybe around eighteen or nineteen. He looked happy for his time down here, but a little out of it as he might be drunk.

"Now you young man get the famous sin Sloth!"

The crowd cheered as one by one until all seven people came out with silks of different colors. It looked all like a row of rainbows, but one was gold to throw off the effect. The one on blue came up first and revealed his face. Everyone in the crowd went wild as the man turned around to give everyone a good look of his face. My eyes widen at how god-like this man looked, even the announcer didn't stand close to his hotness. His eyes held an ocean of the deepest secrets inside them, having the darkness around his pupil lock them together in place. The silks clung to his body as he walked up the young drunk man, giving him a staged smile to throw off the audience.

"What might your name be?" Sloth's voice sung like a lullaby, hanging over the dense air.

"K-Kodi..." He slurred his words a bit.

"Well, Kodi, try picking up my cup." Out of the robes came a cup entranced with millions of tiny silver jewels inside it. Kodi's eyes widen at the prize before himself.

Sloth smirked at the expression on his idiotic face. "You want it, don't you? Well just grab it for yourself."

"D-Deal!"

Kodi went to grab it, but didn't feel like lifting his arms to reach for it. All his body wanted was to lie down and take a nap under the warm light. Effort after effort Kodi finally gave up. The crowd laughed at him he blushed a faint tint of rose. Sloth laughed himself and poured the red wine over Kodi's head, making the crowd bust out laughing.

"Looks like your sin got too you, too bad."

The announcer grabbed Kodi's arm and lead him to the back of the tent. Where was he taking him? Was he able to do that to us? The next sins were Gluttony and Pride and one boy and girl came down to the stage. While they were getting teased with the same dread came over me, but not as bad as before. What was my sin again... Wrath? But I never got angry like that before... maybe they were chosen randomly. A sense inside me made me turn my head towards his direction, and his cold, ruby eyes were lock onto mine. The shiver of dread along with my feeling made me nauseated to the point of throwing up my organs.

"Oriel!" Adil's voice broke the stare moment between us. What was that? It felt like he was staring into my soul... Adil came up no sooner and was shouting his words the best he could over the noise of people. "Get out of there! This place is a trap!"

Alice came up from behind him and was pulling him away from the railing. A hand touched my shoulder making me jump from my skin, even making me gasp slightly. The announcer stood right beside me, his forest green stare looking into my eyes.

"Are you alright? You seem pale."

"Y-Yeah... I'm fine." That was a lie because right now I needed to throw up.

"Good! Just stay clear of mind. We're only down to two people already so get ready for the part."

"What do... I have to... do?"

"Just sit still and look pretty."

He patted my shoulder before pacing over to the recent sinner and taking him to the back of the curtain. What was back there? Maybe some cameras and just a mini picture shot for being in the act. Looking over the sins it was Lust, Envy, and then my part Wrath that was to come last. The purple silks did its best but couldn't cover but the hard muscles and angles that every man dreamed to have. Purple looked good on Lust as I couldn't blame the woman eye raping his body every second he moved or breathed.

"Relax." He told the girl, even his voice was deep and voluptuous. "Relaxing is good for the body."

"Relax..." She repeated after him, but the lust in her eyes were clear and visible.

Lust sighed and cupped her jaw gently, as a feather dusting a dirty desk. "I told you to relax."

"I-I am!" The tension in her muscles were tight and hot, doing her best to relax but they wouldn't because of her lust for him.

For a split second she finally relaxed, but tighten up again when his fingers burst across her cheekbone. "I can feel it inside you, you want me."

"N-No I don't!"

"Oh too bad! Lust has called her out! Time to go backstage." The announcer grabbed her hand and took her away. The man with the sin Envy eyed the tent nervously.

"What the Hell is back there?"

"That is none of your concern." The announcer smile was so peaceful I almost believed him from the distance. "Just stay still and let Envy do this job."

"Alright." The man relax as the muscles in chest were still a bit tensed

"Good. Now come on up, Envy."

Behind him came up the tallest of the seven man and his tone core body flexed each time he moved. His eyes were greener than the brightest of forest, but what could be brighter than forests?

"Oriel!" Adil's voice called to me again as I turned around to see Alice still pulling him away. "Get the hell out of there already!"

"No!" The word came out of me... even I couldn't believe it was from myself. "No! I won't leave! Let me do stuff on my own without babysitting me!"

Adil stood still in his tracks. The noises of people slowly disappeared around me as Adil looked at me one last time before turning his back from me. Alice stopped from confusion and tried to talk to him, but he only walked back to his seat.

"Next is Wrath!"

An outcry burst from the crowd as I slightly jumped. I guess I was last... hopefully Adil would for forgive me of what I said to him. Wrath paced himself as he came up to me, slowly in a sort of teasing way.

To me he was the best looking of the rest, maybe because Wrath was the most powerful of The Seven Sins. Scarlet as the blood moon, his colors danced around him in a swirl. At that moment I could feel his heavy gaze and judgment on me. He bend down to my height, which should have hurt his legs since he was bending his knees a lot.

"What might be your name?" His voice felt just as powerful as him, only it held a darker secret inside.

"O-Oriel..." Damn it! Why did I have to sound so scared at times?! I was only nervous to be in front of him!

"Well, Oriel." He quickly moved around me and held his fingers at my temple. "Feel the anger surging through you, making it consume you, have it be your master and obey it's every command."

A slow anger was filling upside me as I could feel it as fear was making my heart race. What kind of magic was this?! I was getting angry for no reason! Would I be taken back were the other people are? Suddenly, as if God had heard me, the anger died off as a calm feeling wrapped around me. Wrath's finger jerked slightly. He must have been confused because he pressed his fingertips onto my temple again, but it wasn't working. People began to talk to each other, waiting and seeing what was going to happen.

"Wrath," Sloth called out to him, "what's the hold up?"

Wrath took a shaky breath and stepped away from me. I turned around to see horror on his face. "What the Hell are you!?"

Fear gathered around me as the other sins began to walk towards us. Wrath reached out to grab me, but I dodged in time and turned around to run out of the tent. He yelled and called out to me as I just ran and ran, never looking back once. Adil and Alice were following behind me while I swerved through the crowd like a tiny snake.

"Oriel!" Adil called after me. "Oriel get back here!"

I couldn't go back there, I just couldn't. After what happened to me and with that man Wrath... it was just not possible. People yelled or shouted at me as I dodged and shoved my way through the crowd. Normally I was never like this but something inside me was telling me to run, get far away from this place as fast as I could.

"Oriel!" Alice called, but her voice was faded into the crowd when I turned a sharp corner.

Panic attacks sucked and I was just having one right now. Behind this animal petting building was the least of my problems, but it wouldn't kill the place to clean up once in a while.

"J-Just stay calm..." I reminded myself. "Everything will... b-be okay."

The cold wooden wall felt good as I pressed my back against it. How would I be able to get home? Alice and Adil would be questioning days on end about what on earth happened to me. Could those men's powers be really real? All he did was press his finger tips to my temple and anger was swelling up inside me, a feeling I never really liked.

"Maybe... if I just... go back... they'll... understand..."

Turning around the corner again a huge shadow cover my way, it was the announcer. His green eyes were glowing sharply and locked on my soul. It felt like I was the prey and he was the Predator. Never in my life had I thought I could give out a high pitched squeak like that.

"There you are, don't run away like that ever again."

Faster than what my eye could see he wrapped his arm around my waist and used the other to clam my mouth shut. My fear was stronger than before as I trashed about, but my kidnapper only laughed.

"If you only struggle more I'll break your bones into pieces~" He whispered lightly in my ear, his breath tickling my ear slightly.

All I could think of at the moment were those people in the back room. Was he taking me too that? My answer was soon to be called upon as he took me back to the tent...