Snow White is a Gangster (Published under Cloak Pop Fiction)

Chapter 45: The Darkness in the Daylight

Chapter 45: The Darkness in the Daylight

Soundtrack: Angels or Devils - Dishwalla

I didn't know how long I kept screaming while clenching my fists and curling my toes so hard that I thought I just broke my own bones. Elle left after slashing the tattoo at my back, closed the door shut and turned off the light. The pain was unbearable and my cries were deafening and I wished my life had ended at that moment. But the pain reminded me that it was far from over yet. It reminded me that there might be more pain to come after this and I had to prepare myself.

After more than an hour of screaming and crying, I finally ended up whimpering. I knew I had to do something with the wound at my back but I was too scared to even try touching it. I could feel the sticky blood on my sides and the dizziness got worse. I probably couldn't make it-– this might be the last few hours left in my life and I had to spend it suffering.

But then, amidst the hopelessness and suffering, light suddenly flooded the room and it registered to my mind as something that was impossible to happen. Everything that was good was too far from the reality and everything that was bad was a couple of hair strands away from a possibility.

"I never thought they could break you easily like that," narinig kong wika ng pamilyar na tinig na agad kong ikinalingon. Nakita ko si Declan na nakatayo sa may malapit sa pintuan at switch ng ilaw.

Hindi ako sumagot at sa halip ay nagpatuloy sa tahimik na pag-iyak at pag-inda sa sakit na nararamdaman ko. Kung may balak siya na muli akong saktan ay hihintayin ko na lang. Pagod na ako sa pagpupumilit na manlaban dahil wala rin naman iyong magagawa.

"There's actually a growing question in my mind and I know it will never give me a good sleep at night unless answered. That's why I stayed."

I heard him took a step forward until I felt him near behind me. "Why save him? Why not save yourself?" Ge asked.

I didn't answer. I'd forgotten how to speak and all I knew was to cry. I'd lost the energy to process his question in my mind and all I could think about was the pain throbbing at my back.

He stepped even closer and stopped in front of me. He kneeled until his face levelled mine. I met his eyes and all I could see was darkness, no irises. His thin lips was a straight black line on his face. His nose created a perfect angle of shadow on the wall. He suited the darkness as the darkness embraced him as its own.

"You killed many people before. You killed them with your bare hands, probably in just seconds? Minutes? Hours? If a person is on your list, he will not last a day. You'll finish him in just a blink of an eye. That's how deadly and dangerous you are. So why spare him? He's not the best person to save. Not the kindest. He's a traitor. Why did you save him?"

I wished I knew how to answer his question. But I didn't know why. All I knew was that despite of being in the line of death, saving Ethan Montreal's life was the right decision. I knew I would live miserably if I chose to kill him. Everything that happened while he was with me would visit my dreams. His face would haunt my mind and I would never forgive myself. And that was worse than dying: living with the shadows of all the bad decisions I've made. I'd never forget him.