• "Jen and Erik are fighting again," his little sister, Violet, told him. "Thanks, Captain Obvious." He had been listening to them scream for the past hour, and Vi had just gotten home. He knew he should hide soon: when they were done, Erik, his father, would come search for him for some physical release of his anger. He quietly tiptoed past their door and opened the oven. The racks were taken out about a year ago for Gherrhet's sculpture, that failed. Silently, he climbed into the oven and closed it. Once he was surrounded by the black, he felt calmer. He was safe. Erik wouldn't think of looking in the oven, and since the electricity bill hadn't been paid for 3 months, the oven wouldn't turn on. He brushed a few strands of hair out of his face. It was pale blonde, almost white, and cut with safety scissors so it was shaggy and uneven. Underneath the wild tufts, shockingly green eyes peered. They were vivid, bright, almost acidic green. Gherrhet said they were cat's eyes, while Vi said they were demon's eyes. His skin was very pale, even though his siblings' were very tan. He was thin, almost bony, but he was actually pretty strong. He had long, thin fingers, and he was surprisingly tall for a 15-year-old. He had strait white teeth, even though his family could hardly afford to go to the dentist. Acne had never bothered him. He smiled, closing his eyes, and started to imagine his idea of a perfect life. He didn't notice the screams as they started, the oven door muffled the sound. He did notice, however, the silence that followed. Slowly, warily, he opened the door. He climbed out of the over, and stared. There was blood on the walls and the floor, and there were strange people in the house. His parents and siblings were on the floor, and the people were crouched next to them. It looked like they were eating them. He gasped. Two of them turned to him. They had grey, crusty skin, smeared with blood. Their eyes were yellowed, with a semi-glazed look. They staggered as though drunk, heading towards him. He ran.