Four Leaf Clover

Chapter Twenty- Four

I felt like I was going to throw up again at the very thought.

Its sinking in, how...brainwashed I was. I thought that I wasn't, that I was better than the others. I was so ignorant, so blind, that I missed myself becoming so much worse than them. I had become an animal, I abandoned my morals, giving into rage, giving them what they want.

I looked to my hands, blood on them, literally and figuratively.

I looked over to the girl, her sobs becoming quiet, I saw her eyes, she had shut them tight.

"Please..." I heard her mutter, me turning to her, "...let me go home." She whimpered, one last tear falling from her eye...before the sound of a cannon went off.

Before I could think on it more, I heard a voice I didn't expect.

"Ellie!" I quickly turned my head, and, to my horror, there was Clove. I shook my head, scrambling to my feet, grabbing my blood-stained knife, ignoring the sear of pain in my hand, along with in my leg. Clove was running for me, a look I couldn't place on her face.

I turned away from her, an emotion I haven't felt in a long time arising in me. Shame.

I didn't know what to do, I can't face Clove like this. I can't let her see what I've become. So, I did the only thing I could think of.

I ran.

I started to run, the opposite way of her, causing her to shout my name once more.

"Ellie! Where are you going?" She asked, voice confused, almost hurt, by my running from her, it seemed.

I didn't let up, my body aching, begging me to give it a break. My leg was blazing in pain, I'm honestly surprised that it hasn't completely given out from under me. My chest ached, me forcing more oxygen into them, and, though I'm not sure, I tasted blood in my mouth.

"Stop running!" I heard Clove shout from behind me, me glancing behind me, over my shoulder. She was catching up; my body was giving up. No, I must keep...keep going...

I don't know if I even believe that, I don't know if I have the drive, the will, to keep running. I felt myself slowing down, my head pounding in pain. The adrenaline is wearing off, I started to feel the results of my rampage, my injuries. I panted for air, there wasn't a part of my body that wasn't hurting.

That's when I heard the rapid footsteps coming for me, me giving up. I stopped running.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Clove's POV

"What the hell are you doing?" I asked, catching up to Ellie, her entire body was shaking, her breathing so hard I was surprised she wasn't hyperventilating. I stopped just a few feet behind her.

No words came from her, I observed her back. Her shirt was slightly torn in the back, me able to see some of her scars. Her arms had cuts, though not deep, there were plenty there? From fights? I looked at her legs, there were some tears and blood, too much, was some of that hers?

Before I could observe her more, I heard sniffling. I quickly looked up, her slowly turning to face me. My eyes widened, not able to hide my worry, my horror, when I saw her front.

She looked...like a child. I had never seen her in this state.

She had tears in her eyes, remnants of tear streaks barely noticeable below the blood splatters and smudges. She had dried blood coming from her nose, her eyes swollen, must be from crying. She had a cut on her cheek, any blood that would've come from it being lost in the blood splattered on her face. I drank in the rest of her form.