Into The Woods

Chapter 29

Suzette:

I manage to get up after falling. I want to get as far away from Lark and everyone else as possible. I stumble into a cave that is dark, no light can be traced anywhere. There is a crack and I know someone is around me. I run through the dark with my hands scrambling against the rough walls to try and detect where I'm going. I trip over the uneven ground and my body slams into the floor, pebbles shooting up at my face. I whimper from the pain and then there is footsteps coming toward me. I feel the panic rising, and I scramble up onto my feet. 

"Go away!" I scream to the footsteps that are getting louder and nearer.

I see the shape of a body in the darkness. I take a few steps back and one more until the ground is gone and I am falling. I scream even louder but my hand is caught by something else. I look up and my hand is being grasped by someone else's. The hand is big and strong. My eyes adjust and the light brings Lark's face into view. His hazel eyes are full of worry and darkness. I couldn't believe he was here, he shouldn't be here. He needed to get as far away from me as possible, right now. 

"Suzette." He gasps, pain filling his voice. 

I smile trying to reassure him. I pull myself up for only a second and then I feel my body smack back against the rock. I bite my lip, keeping my scream in so that Lark doesn't know that I am I in pain.  

"Lark I can't-" I cough. 

"I'll get you out of there and then we can be together. I promise." He says.

My heart warms at the promise but when I look down I know there's no hope. Down below me is a darkening abyss. The edge of a cliff. I can feel the air getting thinner. If Lark is in here much longer he may die or Chasity will come to get him, or the worst thing could happen: I could explode (even though I wasn't sure if I would actually explode or not). Then everyone would be dead that had supernatural powers. I hated my father now that he made me into this and I would never forgive him. And I could never put Lark in danger.

"No, you have to go. She's coming and even if she doesn't come you could die from me exploding or whatever happens." I say, trying to force him to go. 

A pained look crosses over his face. I know that it would kill him to be the cause of my death. I would die from this fall but at least I would have saved Lark. At least he would go on living his life, and at least I could have given my life for many others.

"Suzette I just can't leave you." He pleads with me.

"Yes, you can. You need to save yourself. You have so many people out there that care about you. Your mom, your brother, Porter, Jake, Kendall, Marin." I say. "You can't leave them. Don't make them live in a world without you." 

"None of them matter without you." He shoots back.

I feel my eyes fill with tears. And then they spill over down my cheeks.

"Please don't make this any harder than it already is." I say.

"Suzette-" He cries.

"If you love me then you will save yourself." I tell him.

"Come on don't put that on me." He snaps, tears spilling down his cheeks. 

"I love you. God I love you so much Lark." I cry, my words coming out not comprehensible  and coherent.  

He starts to sob, I want to reach up and kiss away the tears but I can't. I close my eyes but then all of a sudden my body is racked up. I yelp. Lark is trying to pull me back up but he's not strong enough. It hurts as he pulls me against the rock wall, my body scrapes against the rock, and my dress is probably in shreds now.

"Lark stop." He doesn't stop. "Lark STOP IT!"

He stops and cries even harder, still grasping tight to both of my hands. 

"Suzette, I love you." He whispers

"I love you. Lark you don't even know how much I love you. We will see each other again, whether it's tomorrow or 50 years from now. I promise." I promise, gathering up the strength to reach up and brush my lips against his knuckles. 

He starts to say something but I know that if I listen to it then I wouldn't be able to bring myself to go through with what I was about to do. He must have seen something in my face that warned him so I let go of his hands. I scream once, closing my eyes and then I stop. I didn't want Lark to be in anymore pain than he already was. 

 I open my eyes, it's so dark and I can't see anything except the outline of the rock. The anticipation is horrendous, and more tears spill down my cheeks, salt water grazing my lips.  

I hit the ground.

Pain. So much pain.

Then there's nothing. 

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Thanks for reading!!!!! There will only be about 2 more chapters and then this story will be finished....I hope you enjoyed..... 

-alayna leVar