I groan in pain and try to move my hand to hold my head because it's throbbing in pain but I can't move my hands nor my legs. Perfect! I'm tied on a chair, I guess. I'm playing this guessing game because my eyes are blindfolded. I can't see, can't move but I can speak so like every helpless victim I ask no in particular.
"Anyone here?"
"Hello?"
"Hello? Hello? Helllllloooooooo-"
"Shut up" Sophia yells from somewhere. Although her voice is weak and she groaning in pain yet she manages to put a generous dose of venom in it.
I did a good number on her.
I smile to annoy her.
"Now that I'm tied down, why don't you remove my blindfold, so I could see your ugly face?" I laugh because I can feel this is the end but not the way I planned.
"I think my face is engraved in your memory just fine"
I slump back because I know she's not gonna budge but why am I dressed and not lying naked on the ice slab? Wait! Am I still in the same room or somewhere else?
Nobody knows I'm here, heck! even I don't know where I'm. Kevin can't even track me because I bought a new phone when I returned from my therapy. My parents must have reached New York by now. I wish I had some magical power of telepathy to communicate with either of them.
"You must be thinking what's going on, although for the reasons known" her voice breaks my self-pity party.
I keep my mouth shut. I'm not interested.
"I'm won't torture you"
"Well, that's a relief" I reply sarcastically.
"Don't hold your breath because I'm going to kill you this time"
Dread catches in my throat and I feel myself sweating not in fear of death but fear of not living my life with Kevin.
"I don't know if I could heal myself or not but I'll be ending your chapter today but before that I want you to look into the eye of your death" she removes my blindfold.
I squint my eyes a little and open them again. It's dark outside and the room is dimly lit but I'm in the same room facing Sophia in her previous clothes, standing with a fucking gun in her hands. I don't know shooting but she knows and all credit goes to my mom. Who would have thought? Not mom at least when she was teaching her how to shoot or giving a gun in her Angel's hand. The irony of life.
I look around for those two men but they are nowhere in sight. My eyes wander to the knife on the table and back to her.
"Don't even think of it, girl. You don't have time left and I have to think of something to gain sympathy from my sista for these injuries on my body"
"And what about my death? How would you answer my parents or cops when they'll search for me?"
"Don't worry, I'll be burning this house and your parents will search for you but they will get only your ashes, no proof behind. The workers who possibly had delivered this nice slab will confirm you were indeed here, alone, and got burnt later when this house caught fire from electric failure or when you tried to cook. Everyone knows about your cooking skills so let them assume"
My eyes sting with tears not because of fear but because of longing. I want to see Kevin one last time, I miss him. Why didn't I listen to him when he asked to accompany me? He'll never know what exactly happened.
She cocks the gun straight on me.
"Any last wish?"
Although I know it's foolish to ask but I try anyway.
"I want to see Kevin once"
She put her arms down at her side and sigh heavily. She stumbles a little but gains her wit before falling.
"Not possible but I could convey your message to him during your funeral"
I don't take a second to think before speaking. I close my eyes and hang my head low because I don't want to give her the satisfaction of seeing the pain in my eyes.
"Tell him, I'm gonna kick his ass real hard in his nightmare for keeping my ring finger bare"
I prepare myself to die without seeing him. I can visualize him perfectly. His blue eyes shining with love and lips set in a broad smile.
Why did I do this? If only I could take it back.
"Goodbye, Alexia!"
BANG!!!
A loud shrill noise rings in my ears and I breathe through my mouth as I feel all oxygen leaving my lungs. I don't hear anything else other than a long shrill voice. It's like everything has tuned in slow motion and it's mute around me, my ears are blocked. A cry escapes my lips and I feel bile rising in my throat. I dry heave for few seconds before moving my head up and resting it on the chair. Tears are flowing from my eyes but other than that I feel numb, not a single thing. I open my eyes and close it again. I try once again and after several tries, I finally open my eyes but only a little and watch the ceiling craning my neck. I can't see anything clearly through my blurry vision and I'm losing my strength slowly, submitting into darkness. But I don't know why I feel like looking back to her one last time and I do.
I lower my head and once again open my blurry eyes. Everything comes rushing with force. I breathe lungful of air and sit straight feeling my body gaining its strength back. My body shakes with stifle laughter and I blink many times to see clearly.
It's not my imagination, he is here.
I don't know how and when but Holy Jesus! Kevin is here. He is fucking here just behind Sophia.
I shake my head and now see everything. I'm not shot. The bullet just passed near my left ear thus making me momentarily deaf but what made me almost shit in my pants is Kevin.
He looks like the incarnation of the devil or devil himself holding Sophia by her neck. She's on her knees and her arms are twisted back and locked between Kevin's leg, her head is forced upward resulting in her neck injury worsening. Kevin is showing no mercy as he has held her tightly by the neck and his other hand is holding a gun on her forehead.
It's a sight I'll never forget. I'm shit scared right now, not because of his hold on Sophia but his murderous expression. His eyes are now the darkest shade of black and veins on his temple and neck are visible. It seems like it will pop any second. His lips are set in a thin line and his body is stiff with so much anger. He is hardly controlling himself. He could kill her with his hands if he twists her neck but I hope he doesn't kill her. The anger and hatred in his eyes are far more intense than mine could ever have for her or anyone. I'm seeing him beyond livid for the first time and I pray to all gods of every religion that please this be the last time I'm seeing his this look. It's scary. He's looking at me but his focus is on Sophia.
"Kevin-"
He growls like an animal and I flinch back. He hit Sophia's jaw with the back of the gun making her spit blood and if my eyes are not playing a game then a broken tooth clatters on the ground.
"Kevin No! Don't do it!" my all cries fall in the deaf ear when he fisted her hair and pulled down roughly. She screams.
"SHE DARED HARM YOU! SHE FUCKING TRIED TO KILL MY GIRL!" He twists her right arm and a bone-cracking sound fills my right ear.
I thought I would corrupt his innocent eyes by showing him my demons but he is himself a sinner, a complete devil but I couldn't let him kill her and live his life as a murderer, so I shout whatever I think is right for now to stop him.
"Help me first. I'm shot in my arm"
He releases her and in one quick movement comes by my side.
"You'll be fine. I won't let anything happen to you" he unties my hands and legs before trying to lift me but I jump out of his arms and run to Sophia who is lying on the floor while clutching her now broken arm and spitting blood out of her mouth.
I pick the gun from the floor and make her stand on her weak feet.
"I'm perfectly fine so calm the fuck down!" I holler to Kevin who's now sitting on the chair with one ankle resting upon his other knee and head on his folded hands in the back. He is completely relaxed as if enjoying a show but his expression says otherwise. He is still not calm. He is hungry, hungry for Sophia's blood and no one can stop him except me and I'm doubting myself too.
"I know you're fine and that's the only reason she's still alive" he smirks smugly and before I can act, he throws a knife directly in Sophia's direction, stabbing her in the middle of her chest, near the diaphragm. I gulp, seeing her blue blouse turning red. Another knife comes flying and stabs her things. Her screams are piercing my ears but I don't let her kneel.
I look back to Kevin who's aiming another knife in her direction and his aim is on her thigh this time. Before I can stop him, the knife comes flying direct to her other thigh. I look down on the floor which is now a pool of her blood. I finally let her fall and she goes limp gasping for oxygen.
It's a BLOOD BATH. Kevin has turned this into a blood bath.
"You're exactly where I was 8 years ago, almost dead. Kevin made your condition worse than what was mine. I won't kill you, you'll live and live alone same as I did for 7 years. Try to heal yourself and come back if you can which I highly doubt and then explain yourself to your sista and your family about your missing self while covering your real face. You can't expose me without exposing yourself. So, this is your punishment now, if you survive"
This is perfect for her. I achieve what I wanted. She can never come back and if she does, which is not possible, then she'll have to answer any questions and her face will be revealed. Hence, killing her eventually. A suicidal move on her part.
I look back to Kevin whose body is a little relaxed now and his eyes are glued on me, maybe waiting for any repulsive expression.
I realize two things today, at this exact moment. First, maybe I was the victim here but Kevin was hurt equally, he was in pain too. He needed this as much as I needed. She never hurt him but she harmed his Xia and asked for this. Secondly, I might be the main character of this dark chapter but it was Kevin who pulled all strings the way he wanted. He let me come here alone but I was not alone. He was just after me, protecting me. He kept hidden in the dark and let us all play while he controlled our strings. He is the real Mastermind but I don't feel anything repulsive towards him because I love him and I would have done the same.
"Marry me"
I snap back to reality.
"Pardon? Maybe I heard you wrong" there is no way he said what I imagined. I'm too tired, I guess.
He takes out a velvet box from his pocket and holds the most beautiful ring to me.
It's a platinum ring with a dark electric blue color diamond in middle, the same as the eye color of my love. It's so beautiful that I'm gonna treasure it till the end.
This is the epic proposal one could ever have and only Kevin Emerson has the guts to pull something like this. He is something. I don't know how I got this lucky.
"Marry me"
"Are you serious?"
"Does it look like I'm joking?"
I look back to almost dead Sophia and her blood on the floor before looking at him back.
"You're proposing me now? And you are not on your knees"
I fold my arms smiling widely, showcasing my 32 inches smile on display.
"This is the perfect moment. One dark chapter of your past finally ends here, so I want us to begin our new chapter right here, right now and for the knees part, I don't want to ruin my pant in her filthy blood. You'll have to live with that" he smiles cheekily and he is right, this is perfect for us.
Light after dark.
"I'm saying 'Yes' right now but I want a damn romantic proposal with all fucking decorations and you on your knees. Are we clear?"
I step close and stand right in front of him.
"Crystal"
"Hurry up!" I grin and forward my hand to him.
He slides the ring smiling, all the time looking into my eyes with love and wonder.