The Woods Curse

Sacrifice

We all gradually and reluctantly knelt down on the hard ground, our hands held up in surrender. As I lowered myself to the floor I stole a glance at Richard and noticed the positioning of his feat, it was the stance he took when he was getting ready to run. Anna had noticed too and was getting ready to dodge or attack at a moments notice, of course, we all tried our best to seem innocent. I didn't know if Alice was aware of the unspoken plan unfolding around her but I had no way of safely alerting her.

The edges of my iris started to burn, the fiery gold working its way towards my pupil. Every muscle was tense and ever sense apart from my sight had centred on Richard, ready for when he made his move. The barrel had wondered so that now, if a bullet was fired, it would be heading straight for Alice.

Just before Richards knees hit the floor, he suddenly went for it, jumping up and sprinting at a petrified Luna. That's when everything started happening in slow motion with Anna launching into the air, Richard going for the attack and Luna pulling the trigger. My brain forgot to register the bang as it was too procupied with the path of the flying metal, I couldn't let it hit Alice. She didn't deserve this, I wouldn't let her get hurt because of me. I threw myself at Alice without a second thought and managed to just about get her clear of the danger.

I fell on top of my friend and felt the relief flooding out of me as I saw she was safe. I rolled off her and laid on my back, breathing heavily and feeling awfully numb. I put my hand on my stomach only to find it sticky and dark when I pulled it away, apparently it wasn't just relief coming out of me, blood was also pouring from a gaping hole in my abdomen! That is exactly when the adrenaline decided to wear off and the numb feeling was replaced with unimaginable pain, matched only by the fear. My breathing quickened and I cried out as I tried to put pressure on the wound.
"Lizzy, oh no, no no no! Lizzy stay awake, come on!" Alice was practically screaming at me, kneeling at my side with one palm against the bullet hole and her other hand holding my head. She was hysterical, it was written all over her face.

I groaned and struggled to breath regurly, keeping the shock at bay, but it soon set in and my face was growing paler by the second. I forced my eyes to stay open.
"Alice, I couldn't let you die, not because of me. Thank you... for everything" The words clung to my throat and scraped my tongue as they tumbled out, sapping the strength from me.
"No, you are going to be fine! We will call an ambulance, you will be Ok. You can't go, I need you!" Alice's voice was desperate and wobbly, not at all sarcastic or smooth like it usually was. Anna appeared at her side and Richard was watching from where he had Luna pinned to the floor, there wasn't much point calling the ambulance, it would never arrive in time.

"Thank you, all of you, for being my friends... you made me happy... I love all of you... " I couldn't do it anymore, I couldn't keep awake. Alice seemed to be shaking her head and mouthing "I love you too" whilst Anna held my free hand and let the tears drip off her nose, but I couldn't keep awake anymore, it was too hard. Instead, I let my head fall into Alice's hand and saw the beautiful demons dancing across my eye lids for the last time.