Innocent Torture

36|to lose a heart

And he brought his hand to his chest, feeling his heart race against the thin material he wore as he let out a soft shaky breath at the absurd, yet wonderful feeling.

"I'm sorry for intruding, but I-I just needed to know that you were okay, and it's completely fine if you want for me to leave, because after all, I-I did break into your apar-"

"Thank you." He whispered, as the words themselves came out light and airy, but the weight of them became a heavyweight that Eliza had now begun to carry as she stared into the boys' eyes.

Of all the things she had imagined him saying to her, from becoming defensive about being in his apartment uninvited, to being called an intruder and threatening her with a lawsuit.

She never once anticipated nor thought of him saying thank you.

And when he had dropped his keys, and progressed to the girl, engulfing her into an embrace that shocked her, she hesitantly stood still.

"Thank you for finally giving me a heart to live." The boy said, squeezing the unknown girl in his arms tighter, as she stayed stuck, feeling the new heartbeat against her chest as she felt the tears in her eyes now fall.

"I promise to always give thanks in every beat to the tune of your own." He whispered, feeling her heartbeat on his own, as it seemed that both of theirs had now begun to sync to one.

"I may not know you now, but the gift you have given me, will forever be something I cherish for the rest of my life, and I wish to feel every new breath, and first and now the last beat with you."

EBONY

Confusion, shock, and most of all, pain were the emotions running through Ebony's mind and body as she stared at the woman who was now dead on the ground before her.

The woman who clearly was about to reveal to her of something that would have changed her life forever.

Her last bit of family whom now was bleeding out on the ground in front of her, dead.

"Ebony we've got to go." Jackson tried pulling Ebony out of the trance she was in, as she stared at Ravinoff as he held Eliza in his arms, screaming and holding her head as her lifeless eyes stared into Ebony's.

She couldn't move, she couldn't breathe, and the sound of bullets ringing out all around her as glass shattered, and feathers flew everywhere didn't alarm her as she couldn't help but feel like everything was moving in slow motion.

A sudden gasp of pain, as a hand dropped next to her face caused Ebony to slowly shift her attention to Jackson as she looked into his eyes, seeing the pain but also worry in his as she raised her hand to his back, and immediately felt the hot liquid seeping onto her hand.

Without even having to look at her hand she knew that it was blood. And as she pulled her hand away, at the thought of Jackson being next to die, she helped him as they crawled to the door.

"Ravinoff we've got to go!" Jackson said from behind him as they continued to crawl.

"NO ELI! NO DONT DO THIS TO ME! ELI-" The sounds of his screams were abruptly cut off, and as Ebony and Jackson made it to the door as a wall blocked them from the bullets, Ebony stopped in her tracks as she knew what that sound was, and what it had meant.

"Fuck!" Jackson yelled, looking back as he saw both Ravinoff and Eliza lying by each other, as blood surrounded them.

"E-Eli-" Ravinoff gargled on blood as he grabbed Eliza's hand into his and turned them over, as he stared into her eyes.