Amidst the steam clouding over everything in the pretty bathroom, I wore a short, silky robe that reached until my thighs.
Sigh.
I guess I won’t be able to wear hanging shirts for a while. My fingers felt for the rough clumps of dark tissue formed over my wounds…I could still remember the alcohol seeping through my skin back then.
I bit my lip at the images of those demons moaning around me. I couldn’t remember the words I read on any of them. I just know that they’re too many, ready to wreak havoc anytime. They still need River to be summoned before it becomes permanent.
“Oh, God.” I moaned heavily. Things are happening so fast, I could barely keep track. Today is supposed to be my foster parent’s burial. My mind dwelled on the fact that I might never be able to see them for the last time-to think that I was never able to know my real parents.
I glanced at myself at the full-length mirror and wiped the steam off the center, enough to see my face. The vibrant violet orbs stared back at me, as if asking me what I should do now. It eluded me. River’s the only one who knows what he’s doing.
Stretching out a finger, I slowly wrote Spade’s name on the glass…suddenly noticing a black smoke materializing behind me.
“Lily…” Neon cupped his hand around my mouth and wrapped his arm below my chest, squeezing my arm with his hand.
My heart raced inside me, nearing a breakdown.
“Your brother…needs you.” He pressed his nose against my cheek and started sniffing loudly.
Tears bitterly formed in my eyes. He is the only creature on earth that I never ever want to see. He’s using Spade to get me there; if not, Spade chose to be with them.
I slowly shook my head and clenched my fists-in fear. They felt icy-cold. I need River to barge in here.
River…River…my mind dictated.
It’s not reaching him, I sadly thought.
“This…is…Spade’s blood.” he mumbled.
At first, I had a hard time looking for the blood he was referring to-it hit me when I returned my gaze to the mirror. Blood trickled down from the frames, forming spots on the sink. Neon smirked at me from the mirror
A vampire with a reflection-I must know more.
“So, what are you planning to do, leave him?” his question followed. “if you don’t come with me now, he will…die.” Neon’s cold breath hurled the last word in my face with dread.
I looked away and bowed my head.
As if he knew I was going to say yes, he took his hand off.
“Take me…to him…” I stiffly sputtered. He scoffed and squeezed my shoulder.
I watched the dark traces of smoke swirl around us, took a deep breath, and screamed.
The moments that followed crossed over me-I opened my eyes and saw the full moon’s reflection on water. When I looked up, I recognized the ceiling painting of a man with tattoos…
“River…” I feebly called.
In trying to stand up, I realized that I’m tied up-AGAIN. My feet and arms are wrapped in cold, metal braces and chained to one of the shrine’s columns.
This is…the shrine in at Dr. Burke’s place.
Oh my, it is his place!
I recognized the entrance to the garden maze and the lake surrounding the shrine. This is where he took me? Why? “Lily, get…out…of…..here.” A choked, gurgling whisper startled me from behind.
Frozen in shock, I hesitantly turned to find out who it was.
His silhouette gave him away-Spade, sprawled on the ground, with red liquid pooling from his mouth and some from the deep wounds on his neck, looking at me with bloodshot eyes.
“I…..am…..going to turn……into….. those things…….you shouldn’t….h-have come….”
My mouth dropped open as my eyes squeezed into a painful sob. I want to hold him. All this time, I have been looking forward to having him with me, but he chose something else. I should’ve tried to drag him nearer to me.
“Spade, please-“ my breath caught in the middle of my throat. I’m ready to lose it. The tight strain choking on my throat made it impossible for me to speak.
“I’m sorry……for blaming…you….” He brought himself up, trembling as he did. Casting a shadow over me, I only let out a scream when I saw a knife in his hand.
He raised it above his head, and, in a flash, plunged it into his chest.
“No…” I tried to squirm free, following his empty eyes as they drifted further…until he fell onto the shallow water.
“S…S….Sp…Spade….” from where I laid, there was no trace of blood on the water; it’s like the water cleared it away.
Lights suddenly surrounded me, shooting from every angle. Shadows from tall figures surrounded the lake. A trail of hisses and whispers filled my ears.
“Pity, I clearly instructed him to use the knife on you.” Neon’s voice boasted. I looked up at him-his eyes flickered at me from across the lake. “…your missing classmate, Jesse Curdlock if you still remember him-blew your house to bits. Your parents weren’t talking when I ordered him to threaten them.” He raised a hand to motion his followers and pointed to Spade’s floating body. “…useless imbecile.” He muttered as they dragged the body out of the water and tied it to a metal rod.
“Don’t touch him!” I yelled, finally able to bring myself up with my knees folded beside me.
They ignored me and continued tying Spade. “…it turned out that your foster parents knew that Jesse is not human. We only did what we should and protected our…privacy. That explains why your house was blown into bits. You seriously thought you could do anything to stop it?”
I bit my lip and tasted the salty tears running down my cheeks.
“I hate you! I wish you were the one in his place; I wish you died in there! I…..I….” I shook my head and heaved-every bit of pain…anger…sadness…grew inside me, I want to kill him and make him pay. Everything unforgivable thing should be done to him! He ruined my life. He killed my family.
The sound of roaring fire came to me. At that moment, I felt the world stop. Spade’s body, tied to the rod, was engulfed in blue flames.
“Stop! Please, stop it! He’s already dead! Neon, don’t!” I felt like a child, wailing and pleading for them to stop, but they didn’t. They, instead, snickered and stared at me with lifeless eyes.
The fire died down in a matter of seconds. Sapphire flames descended and disappeared all at once. The only thing left standing was the metal rod.
A cold breeze sailed by, scattering the ashes on the grass.
I wasn’t even able to tell him I forgave him…I wasn’t able to tell him a lot of things.
Maybe I ran out of tears or I my body just didn’t know what to do next…I motionlessly and quietly watched from the shrine, thinking of nothing while they poured gasoline on the lake.
“If you were wondering what happened to Dr. Justin Burke is, he’s already dead.” Neon walked around the broad lake, kicking scattered pebbles.
I didn’t reply. I just stared at the empty rod where my brother was tied to, then, shifted my gaze on the puddle of blood.
It was like my mind reminded me to cry at the bitter memory which will haunt me throughout my whole life.
I wept and wept, letting moments pass me by. All these tears equate to nothing. If I cry hard enough, would that reach the souls who sacrificed their lives for me? My eyes hurt yet it’s all I want to do-even if that won’t do me any good.
So everything has come to this?
A loud flick caught my attention.
“It is time to say goodbye.” Neon declared with a lit lighter in his hand. The small flame almost died when a strong gust of wind swept by us.
That small flame will swallow me whole.
I only have a few minutes- a few seconds to live. Maybe it’s only right that I think about the things I have accomplished in this life-nothing much.
There was never a time where I did something my foster parents or my family would be so proud of and almost all the time, I play as River’s trouble magnet and Neon’s bait.
A part of me doesn’t want to die yet-but I have no choice, don’t I?
I watched as Neon tossed the lighter in the air…it only took me one breath before it fell back down, straight into the gasoline-coated water.
My mouth dropped open as flames swirled around the shrine, taking a while to burn the grass but moment after moment, it crawled closer.
I glanced up at them and shuddered. They steadily watched me, switching their gazes between the fire and the distance before it reaches me.
Whatever happens, I will stay here-River won’t hear me calling out to him.
“I don’t want you to come, River.” I whispered to myself. There are too many of them. He knows when I’ll be in trouble and heaven knows he’s on his way right now.
The fire crawled up to the vines twirled around a couple of the pillars supporting the roof.
Why can’t they just shoot me and get it over with? Does it really have to be fire and a slow death just like what they did to Spade?
Slowly, I turned to the trail of blood beside me. At that time, I thought he was going to use the gun to kill me. He should’ve done it. Both of us would be happier if that was the case. Once again, my eyes closed. All these bitter memories are best left to the grave. The thing is, I won’t be buried-I will be cremated.
It might hurt to be burnt alive-if I sleep, maybe I won’t feel the fire, and maybe I’ll wake up from this nightmare.
My whole life has been a nightmare, but…when River came, I felt happy.
I want my last thought to be of him.
I can feel the heat surrounding me now-every passing second grew hotter.
Suddenly, a chorus of shocked hisses echoed behind me.
What is their problem this time? Their plans are working perfectly.
Curiously, I spun towards their direction.
To my surprise, River stood in the middle of a circle of vampires, his arm round Neon’s neck and the other hand aiming a knife on his throat.
“Get out of here! I don’t want to see you!” I screamed at the top of my lungs, cracking my voice somewhere in the middle when a burning vine dropped in front of me-thick clouds of smoke rose around me, clouding my vision.
“Too late, she’ll be-.” Before Neon could finish his speech, River quickly slit his throat with the knife he had. The rest of the words gurgled in Neon’s mouth while he collapsed to the ground, later vanishing into ashes.
“River!” I called out to him.
A person’s will to live is strong, but the will to keep him safe and alive is stronger. He’s the greatest thing life has offered me. I won’t let them take him.
For a brief moment, he glanced at me. He looked different; scarier than the monster I have seen in him before. His skin went as pale as the moon’s surface and his orbs were dull, lifeless but violent. Those eyes pierced me, sending me to an almost speechless stance.
“NO!” I screamed, while the group pounced on him all at once and pinned him to the ground while he was off guard. He can’t do anything alone!
Despite the thick smoke starting to fill my lungs, my breathing went faster.
Three of the vampires grabbed each of his arms, while the others held his legs…the rest of them gathered around him. They’re ready to rip him into pieces!
The thundering claps of my heart beat harder…I must do something!
Then, it came to me. I must summon him. It is suicide, but I’m going to die anyway.
My mind struggled, recalling the writings I saw on the mirror’s reflection before.
“Felsaar bal dresda…” I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to decipher the last set of letters.
“Ugh!” River cried. I tried to see what was going on, but the smoke was too thick. Why can’t I read that last word?! Tears fell down my face.
A painful couple of seconds went by again, and I still can’t figure the word out.
Another scream came out from him.
Hold on River, I’m almost there.
A series of curves stopping somewhere in the middle, followed by a sphere overlapping the broken lies…S…..s….si…. my lips moved with the letters.
“ …SINH…” I whispered, finally able to figure it out.
There was a moment of silence.
In a fraction of a second, shrieks came from every direction. I could hear voices screaming-this time, they sounded a bit human. Was River one of those?
What have I done? What if that spell is to kill him or what if I spoke something different?
The cries rang in my ears. I couldn’t make the voices out. There are too many of them, it’s even worse than the time I was summoning demons.
This is wrong. I cupped my hands over my ears but the sounds of bodies falling to the ground, bones cracking from every part imaginable forced their way through my hands.
The fumes are getting to me. I finally realized that the smoke is wrapping around me like a small tornado, with the grass being burnt, vines, branches, and the wooden details of my favorite place in the world covered in raging fire.
I kept on coughing until I couldn’t breathe. It felt like I was swelling up into a huge balloon of smoke. My eyes watered-the taste of chemicals gathered inside my mouth and the worst was the smoke-filled air, choking me.
The tiniest breath I was trying to take didn’t even make it…I am choking and coughing to death.
Was River able to escape?
Is he alive?
I’m dying…does he even know?
My eyes remained closed, though I tried to open them. Maybe my skin has already burned. I can’t feel my feet. I can’t feel anything but my heart, barely making it.
It’s as if I don’t know how to breathe anymore.
Finally, I felt a surge of air rush inside me-a huge part of me knew that it will be my last breath.
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