My eyes forced themselves open at the pain of being kicked. I could see the perpetrator and I even let out a cry, not unlike a dying animal. I didn't fight though. Nothing inside of me told me to move as I felt my ribs shatter. Other than pain, I felt nothing.
Even my logic and common sense could conspire up a reason to fight anymore. The flickers and flames of hope I had once possessed, the ones that kept me going, had been destroyed by the tsunami that was hell-bent on destroying my life.
Life had given me everything just to take it away. Sure, I had trusted too easily and made so many mistakes, but did bleeding out on concrete as servants mercifully beat me repay my naive debts? If I had the energy left to care maybe I would have pondered it.
"Let me die," I whispered to the sky.
Maybe the so-called God everybody spoke of would save me, but as I felt another rib shutter I knew I wasn't that lucky.
"Stop!"
I lazily turned my head to see the voice that dared to take away my possibility of death. Alistair's frame met me in all of his glory.
The guards halted their movements and made way for Alistair. I chuckled darkly.
"You're a little late to the party."
I could see the tears in his eyes as he whipped blood from my face, "I never wanted this."
The cracking of his voice made me laugh so hard I was sure my body was going to explode. There was nothing even remotely funny, but laughing seemed better than crying at this point.
"What are you going to do? Save me? Sorry Prince Charming but everybody already tried that. Now they're dead."
His blue eyes spilled water like waves from the ocean. If I hadn't been completely numb I might have felt bad.
"I did this to you," he said, swallowing. "I didn't know this-"
He shook his head, "Had I know they would have done this to you, and Nova, and Essence, I would never have done-"
"You forgot about Cade," I said bluntly.
"What?" Alistair asked.
"They blew his brain's out," I said.
My mind tried to resurface the memory so I squeezed my eyes shut. His face still entered my mind and with it came so many feelings that I couldn't handle. He was gone before I could say goodbye. We had our whole future ahead of us and now he was gone. Visions of his smiling face were quickly replaced by angry pictures of his brains all over the walls.
"Get out," I wheezed smacking my head.
I almost didn't notice the strangled sob of Alistair.
"He's dead," Alistair said.
His body shook and my eyes watered as well. I yanked my aching body up to him and practically draped myself over him as he cried.
"It's not your fault," I said in an attempt to comfort him.
"Yes, it fucking is!" He shouted.
"I got him banished. I told Elder Ryann everything about him." His breathing got more rapid and shallow. "I-I did the same things to you. I pretend to be your fucking friend so that I could spy on you. How do you- why did I? Why are you comforting me?"
I took a deep breath, "Because all of this wasn't you. She used that serum on you and manipulated you."
"So? I still fucking did it?"
I laughed, "This is my fault too. I could have just done what Elder Ryann wanted, but did I?"
"That's different..."
"Is it?" I asked.
We sat there in silence both not knowing what to say. Nothing we said could fix anything the other had done. It made me painfully aware of the guards' resistant eyes.
"You know she's going to kill me right?"
He nodded, "I do."
"And you know there is no running this time?"
"Yes," he says.
I still needed to know he wouldn't do anything stupid or rash to try and save me. That was the last thing I wanted to happen.
"I need you to let her," I said.
He gave me a grim smile, "I can't do that, Eve."
My eyes widened, "Why not?"
He chuckled, "I ruined your entire life. The least I can do is give you a chance to start a new one. I owe it to Cade and I owe it to you."
My chest ached at the mention of Cade's name. I could hear what he would say if he was here right now.
"Shortie, you can't give up. You have done too much to stop right now."
I could hear what Essence would say.
"Get your lazy butt off the ground and help me kick some ass!"
I could hear what Nova would say.
"Evie-Weavie? Why are you giving up? Is that what a warrior would do?"
I bit my tongue as hard as I could, "I'm not a warrior."
"Yes you are," Alistair said.
I closed my eyes hoping that Alistair would change his mind and just let me die. I just didn't have it in me to fight anymore. Maybe I could just hope the serum wore off and they would kill me anyway?
"Guards," Alistair says, with a voice as hard as stone. "Attack Elder Ryann. Aim to kill."
I gasped, that was the last thing I was expecting him to say.
"Alistair you can't do that!"
I waited for the guards to answer their programmed words, but they never did. I tilted my head to the side like a confused animal.
"I said kill Elder Ryann," Alistair commanded again.
"Speak of the devil," I whispered as Elder Ryann strutted into the room.
"They heard you," she said, her voice as condescending as possible. "The thing is I'm the only one that can control them now. Cool, huh?"
I couldn't think of anything to say. Although the idea of death seemed less appealing now that I was looking at it in the face.
"You bitch!" Alistair shouted.
"Creative insult." She said, rolling her eyes. Her voice hardened like lava in the sun, "Now inject him."
"What about me?" I asked idiotically.
She smiled, "I haven't forgotten about you.
I watched as two guards restrained Alistair and another injected his neck with the serum. He immediately screamed in pain.
As I watched him writhe I felt a hot feeling bubble up into my chest. It wasn't hope or faith, no, it was red, hot anger.
Without thinking for even a second I ran forward and kicked out Elder Ryann's legs. When she was on the ground I kneed on her arms and looked into her ugly eyes.
"You know what the funny thing is? You making me not fear death makes me so happy to do this."
I leaned down and spit in her face.
Before she could get any type of command out, I punched her as hard as I could with my mangled body. And I kept punching until I was roughly pulled off. I felt like I was being ripped apart but the satisfaction I felt as I looked at her bloodied face almost cleared all of the pain away.
Elder Ryann stumbled up to a standing position with blood pouring from her nose like water from a faucet. The sick pleasure I felt scared me.
I thought for sure she would laugh or say something clever, but instead, she just stood there silently. Her silence mixed with Alistair's groans set up a sort of lullaby of torture. A lullaby that used it's thick tentacles to wrap around my body to lull me to sleep. Although this time it wasn't sleep it was luling me to; it was death.
"Alistair," I said, breaking the silence once again. "I-I never hated you. I just want you to know that before-"
"We die."
He groaned after the words left his mouth.
"I never hated you either. Fuck it, I have nothing to lose." He chuckled darkly.
"I loved you, Eve. Still do. If it wasn't for all of this, we may have had something. But if anybody had you I'm glad it was Cade."
A ghost of a smile appeared on my lips, "You had a shitty way of showing it."
Alistair smiled and laughed only for it to be turned into a grimace and a groan.
"Great..." Elder Ryann trailed off.
"What?" I demanded, sharply.
She smiled," Guards, restrain Ms. Harley."
"I will do so."
I stood still as two guards restrained me and the rest waited for another command.
"Where is this going?" Alistair asked.
"You'll see."
I rolled my eyes, "Could you stop being so condescending for a minute and just tell us how we're gonna die? Do you see me struggling?"
Elder Ryann ignored me and walked closer to Alistair.
"Surprises suck," I said louder.
Elder Ryann used her fingers to comb the hair out of Alistair's eyes. She then took a knife out of her boot and removed it from the sheath. I watched as she leaned forward and whispered something into Alistair's ear. Alistair whispered something back before taking the dagger.
"Yes! Stab her!" I shouted.
To my dismay Alistair didn't stab Elder Ryann, instead, he walked towards me with the sharp, metal weapon. That's when it clicked. Elder Ryann had ordered him to kill me.
The air left my chest as he continuously got closer. I had promised myself I wouldn't beg to live when the time came, but something snapped seeing Alistair stalking towards me.
"Al, I know that you are in there. Please don't. You can fight it."
I could see the hesitation in his eyes, but something told me this was it. My time was truly up this time. My face was visible in the reflection of the blade as Alistair was now a breath away.
"I'm sorry." He said.
I closed my eyes as the blade plunged into my stomach.
"Twist it."
Alistair sobbed as he twisted the blade. I scream as I physically feel my inside being torn apart. The dagger is pulled out of me and I collapsed to the unforgiving ground.
I felt the blood draining from my body, but at the moment all I could feel was peace. I was going to be with Cade, Essence, Nova, and even my parents. They never loved me but I still loved them. I was going to finally be happy forever.
Feeling myself further slipping away I looked up at Alistair, "Thank you."
He choked out another strangled sob, "I wish you the best."
Tears of happiness and sadness mixed into one streamed down our faces. The term of endearment hung in the air as I struggled to answer through cough fits.
"As I do for you."
With one last blood sputtered cough I felt myself subside to my fate. I had thought this was how I would go. I had never thought my pathetic life would end by being stabbed by someone I loved only after having my other loved ones slaughtered.
As new shouting and noises filled my ears I realized I was right.
"She's awake again!" A familiar voice shouted.
My eyes opened to see myself in a hospital bed. In front of my Essence stood decked out in blue scrubs.
"Essence," I choked out.
She smiled, "You're back for good this time, baby."
Confusion played with my head as Nova, Cade, Alistair, and my parents flooded into the room. Was this heaven?
"She's awake." Cade marveled.
My breathing became shallow, "Am I dead?"
Eyes full of tears looked at me before a male doctor spoke, "No, kid. You're very much alive."
Reality hit me like a cold breeze on a summer day. I wasn't dead. I had finally woken up, just like I had so many times before.
"Are you sure Evie isn't going to get tired again?"
Before the doctor or anybody else could answer I shook my head.
"I'm back for good this time buggy."
She hugged me tightly, "I like that new nickname, Evie."
I smiled brightly looking right at Cade, "I know."
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How do you all feel? ( I have to ask because I think I might have traumatized you.)
Anyway, the next chapter is the end so prepare yourselves :)