Storyteller [ON HOLD]

Chapter 8

"I'll take my chances." Paulo says pushing past Vigarious and Xian and sprinting into the forest.”

Here comes the part I’ve already said. I’m still going to say it though.

“Paulo runs through the forest as fast as he could. Any second now the others catch up and surely kill him. An arrow flies through the air and barely misses him but he keeps running, too scared to try and fight his attacker. “Stupid girl! You almost had him!" he hears Tristan shout. "I'm trying my hardest!" another says. "Let's just kill her now! We can get the boy later!" says yet another. Paulo keeps running, searching for Veronica at the same time. Little did he know that she was about to be discovered by the others."

Some people begin to whisper and I stop. Everyone blinks a few times and looks at me expectantly to finish. I look at V. and clear my throat. “I don’t have to this if you don’t want me to V.” She shakes her head, “Just do it Abby. They need to know.” I take a deep breath and continue where I left off.

”He hears a child scream and he knows that they have found his sister. “Veronica!" he shouts not caring who hears him now. "Paulo! Paulo!" He runs in the direction of her voice. "Veronica!" He sees the small girl perched on a branch high up in a tree surrounded by the bloodthirsty killers. He hides in the bushes, petrified by the scene playing in front of him. Veronica's eyes lock onto her brother's and her lips just form his name before an arrow pierces her heart.”

Gasps erupt from the class as they see this happen but that’s not what I hear. All I hear is the small yelp that comes from the tiny girl clutching her chest at the back of the class. V. looks at me with pain in her eyes and I rush to her, breaking my spell. “V? What is it? What’s wrong?” I ask so quickly that I’m not sure if she hears me right. She shakes her head. “It’s nothing,” she whispers. “Abby! Continue the story!” I turn back to the class and search among their earnest faces until I find Marcus. “Marc, I need your help.”

He gets up and rushes over to us. “What do you need me to do?” “Take V. to the Hospital Wing,” I say. “No!” V. protests but I ignore her. “I’ll follow behind as soon as I can.” Marc nods and hoists V. into his arms. “No! No! You can’t make me go! I’m fine, honest!” V. screams as she tries to escape Marc’s grip. But she yelps in pain again and clutches her chest again. Marc carries her out of the room and the class looks at me again with puppy dog eyes. Don’t they care that V’s been hurt? I sigh, and continue the story.

"Paulo watches in horror as his sister's lifeless body falls to the ground. "No!" he shouts bursting through the trees. The killers look at him, shocked by the sudden appearance. He draws a knife from his belt and stabs the girl that had shot his sister in the back before turning to the others. He throws himself at Tristan but the girl standing beside him knocks Paulo to the ground. She sits on his chest while Tristan walks up to him calmly.

   "You really thought that you could outrun us?" he says mockingly. "If you had just come quietly, we wouldn't have had to kill your sister." Paulo tries to wriggle out from underneath the girl on top of him but fails. "But now you will have to die too," Tristan smiles. "Raysia can have you and trust me; it won't be quick like your sister's." The girl smiles and pulls the knife from Paulo's hand. "This will be fun," she says wickedly.”

And now here’s the part I’ve never said before.

“Paulo’s bloodcurdling screams don’t faze her as she cuts shapes and patterns along his arms. Mostly skulls and other things that look like tattoos. If his blood ever got in her way, she would simply wipe it away and continue. “Stop! Please stop! Please!” Paulo screams. Raysia was tempted to give into his pleas, but how could she with Tristan watching nearby? And the boy would be dead soon anyway. Paulo’s screams grew quieter and quieter, eventually becoming almost silent moans.

   “This is boring,” Tristan states. “Finish him off.” And with that he walks back in the direction of the camp. Raysia poises her knife above Paulo’s heart and looks into his dark brown eyes for just a split second. In that second, she knew that his pleading eyes would haunt her for the rest of her life. She shakes her head once and plunges the knife into his chest. Paulo doesn’t make a sound. No scream of pain, no moan of relief as death takes him, nothing.

    A sob escaped from Raysia and she catches herself quickly. You do not care for this boy, she thinks to herself. According to Tristan and everyone else, you never even knew him. But she did know him. He was her first love. She whips her head around to make sure no one is watching. Finding no one, she places a quick kiss on his forehead. Then she gets up and runs back to the camp."

I stop and before the class has snapped out of the daze my words have put them in, I've already sprinted out of the room heading in the direction of the Hospital Wing. I can hear footsteps behind me and know that Hanae and Shorty must be following.

   We reach the Hospital and the nurse at the desk looks up at us surprised. "Can I help you girls?" she asks sweetly. "We're here to see Veronica..." I trail off. What's her last name? The nurse smiles, "I take it that's the name of the little girl Marcus ran in with then?" "Yeah that's her." Shorty says puffing.

   "I'm afraid that she's unconscious right now. You could come back later if you like." I glare at her and she looks down nervously. "Or you could go in now. Third bed on the left." "Thanks." I murmur as I push through the big wooden doors.

I walk as fast as I can without running to the third bed where V. lays sleeping. Marc wraps me up in a tight hug as soon as I reach him. "How is she? Do you know what's wrong with her?" I whisper. I feel Marc's body tense and I look up at him anxiously. "Marc?"

    "She had a severe wounds on her chest. Directly over her heart." Marc says through his teeth. "She lost a lot of blood. The head nurse said that she’s going to die." I look down at Veronica. She looks so small and pale and helpless. I can't imagine what it'd be like for her to really be gone forever.

    "Abigail," I look up to see the head nurse standing a few feet away staring at me intently. "Could you please come with me? I need to ask you a few questions." I nod and begin to walk away with her out of the room. I glance over my shoulder at V. and pray that she doesn't die before I get back.