Eyes of the Blood Moon

Morning Glow

"You see, you know you're a master manipulator. You know you can warp anyone's words to benefit yourself. But you haven't realized that you've been doing it to yourself to. All these things you've done to people, you've used your own manipulation tactics on yourself, convincing yourself that everything you've done is right. But that only leaves a spotlight on you Bev. You can't hide anymore."

Ella finished her speech, watching the dumbfounded Bev struggle with this information. Her face twisted in many different ways, anger, grief, sadness, maybe even some guilt. But she pulled herself right back up into her mind-made throne.

"I'll see to it that you will be destroyed Ella. You don't know the power I have with John. You get to watch from your little hidey hole while the rest of everyone you care about lives in bliss. And you'll get to see how much they benefit without you in their lives."

Those were the last words Ella and Bev ever exchanged, but Ella knew she'd rattled her. She could only hope Bev would try to do right by herself now. But she didn't have high hopes.

Bev huffed and stormed out of the back room back into the church.

The second she'd gone, Ella let out a long shaky sigh. She crumpled up on the ground, feeling her eyes sting.

She clutched her mother's necklace tightly to her chest, and cried to herself silently.

Just then she heard the doors of the church swing open with the familiar creak.

No. No this wasn't over. It had just started.

Ella pulled herself up and ran out into the church, even though every bone in her body was trying to stop her.

She threw the door open to see Bev and Sturge leading the group of blood hungry beasts out the doors and into the town. The town where her friends were hiding, and where some families were trying to sleep. And if they got to the boats...

She watched from the shadows as they all ran out screaming into the street, spreading out and breaking down houses for anyone to fill their hunger needs.

She needed to warn Erin.

Ella turned to run after them out the back room but felt something catch her ankle.

Next thing she knew her face hit the ground, as something gripped onto her ankle.

She gasped for air feeling the wind get knocked out of her, and began kicking wildly at the obstruction by her foot.

After a moment she'd got the oxygen flowing again, and her head began to stop pounding.

She sat up and turned to face what had stopped her to see John, laying on the ground, his head covered in blood, staring back at her.

It felt like she was making eye contact with a corpse, looking into those blood moon eyes, with too much emotion behind them.

She could see the tear marks down his face, he'd been crying, but hadn't been able to say anything.

"I've..." he croaked, trying to get the words out,

Ella crawled to his side and held his head in her lap, pushing away his messy black hair from his eyes.

"I've been laying here...helplessly listening to the screams of terror and agony. And how Bev talked to you just now...Ella," he cried again, closing his eyes and sipping in deep breaths of air.

"I...I need to warn Erin," Ella replied, pushing him off her and getting up to run again. She didn't know how to feel. This man, one she loved, had hurt, literally killed so many people tonight, and he wouldn't listen to her about Bev. But in the other hand, Bev was the one who'd been pulling the wool over his eyes. She had been the puppet master the entire time, he truly believed he was doing the right thing. And for her...for them.