Into the Light

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That didn't mean that she wouldn't be able find us soon. I had to figure out what to do, but what could I do? If I left, then I would definitely die. Sam was right about that. And Anna would be taken hostage again, maybe be dead for real this time. I didn't want to die, but that thought didn't bother me as much as the certainty of Anna dying. That wasn't okay. If I stayed, then all of my friends were in danger, but I might have a better chance at figuring out how to beat her. Or at least, save us. Damn it, this was so frustrating! "Tell me what to do, Sam," I choked out, my voice cracking. "Because I'm completely lost here. Either way, people I love end up hurt or dead. So, what do I do?" He was silent for a while. For so long that I didn't think he was going to answer me. But why would he? He didn't know what to do either. He let out a long breath, then shook his head. "I don't know, Colby, but I promise to help you figure it out. We'll make it through this, just like we do everything else. We will find a way. I promise." "You can't promise that, Sam," I replied. "You don't know what's going to happen. The only thing that I know for certain right now, is that you all will die too, if I don't get Anna away from you. But, if I leave, then she might die." I knew what I should do. I should get her as far away from my friends as I could. I should keep Sam safe. Now, it felt like I was sentencing him to death, if I stayed around. I loved him, but I loved Anna now, too. With my whole heart. Could I risk her life for his? Or vice versa? This wasn't fair. I didn't want to make that choice. "What would you do?" I asked, quietly. "I told you, man. I don't know," he replied. I shook my head. "That's not what I mean," I said. "What would you do, if you had to choose between me or Kat? If one of us had to die, then who would it be? Could you make that choice, or would we all just die together? Could you sentence either or both of us to death?" He looked at me, thoughtfully. "No, I couldn't. You're in an impossible situation. Although, you would do the same thing that I'm trying to do for you. Fight by my side. Help me try to survive. So, we would die together, even if I didn't want you to die. Because you wouldn't give me the choice and I won't give it to you." Anger flooded my system, because I knew he was right, but that didn't mean that I had to like it. "Damn it, Sam! Can't you ever just fucking listen? Can't you just, one fucking time, do what I ask you to do? You can go on, with Kat, get married, have kids, the whole dream, man. Who knows what might happen in the future, if this weren't a problem? I could die in a car accident, going to get Starbucks, for fucks sake! Then what would you do? Kill yourself just because I died? This isn't okay with me!" "Okay Colby," he replied, shocking me into silence. "I'll let you run off with Anna and get yourself dead and trapped again, if you can answer me this question. You have to answer honestly though." "What?" I asked, gruffly. "If Katrina were in Anna's situation, and I wanted to leave with her, to protect you, would you let me? Or would you want to help me try to find a chance at survival, for both me and her?" "That's not fair, Sam," I murmured, taking a sharp turn to try and hurry to the Krac House. "Why not?" he asked. "It's what you're asking of me." "No, it's not!" I said, my voice getting louder again. "Katrina is my sister! My fucking sister! There's no way that I wouldn't fight for her. Not to mention how fucked you would be in the head, if she died! That's not the same thing!" "I ask again, why not?" he replied. He was starting to piss me off. He knew damn good and well how close I was with Kat and how much I loved her. I could never just let her die. For her sake and his. "I know that you've spent the most time with Anna, but I knew she was a ghost too, Colby. I have spent a good amount of time with her. I don't know if we're as close as siblings yet, but I've seen how happy she makes you. You love her so I love her. You're my brother. That makes her my sister, if you feel about her the way I know you do." Damn him. Damn him to Hell for playing on my emotions and always being so fucking RIGHT. I didn't reply, because I didn't know what to say and also because I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of admitting that he was right. "And Katrina is pretty fond of her too," he murmured, looking out the window. "Shut up," I snapped. I saw his reflection smiling when I glanced his way. Asshole. "Slow down or you're going to pass it," he said. Only then did I notice how close we were to the house. "Shit!" I exclaimed, and hit the brakes. Both of us slung forwards, with the seatbelts cutting into us. I took the turn into their driveway way faster than I should've and came halting to a stop. "That's gonna leave a bruise," he muttered, rubbing his chest where the seatbelt was. "Sorry," I said, then jumped out of the car, not even bothering to shut the door. He followed right behind me. I knocked quickly, then opened the front door of my friend's home. "Hey Colby, Sam! what's up?" Kevin said, throwing his hand up from his place on the couch. I forced a smile and walked over to grasp his hand. "Nothing man, just coming to get my girl. Where is she?" "What? You're not gonna hang out for a while? She's having a blast in there with the girls." I heard a peal of multiple different laughters come from Cassie's room. "Nah, not tonight. Uh, we have something important that we have to do. Another time, for sure though," I replied, bouncing on the heels of my feet anxiously. Kevin shrugged and took a giant bite of the pineapple pizza he had in his hand. "You know where she's at." I nodded and left Sam to talk with him. I knocked on Cassie's door and waited for someone to reply. Instead, the door opened. I immediately saw Anna sitting in the middle of the bed, with her legs drawn up under her.