Enraptured

11. The Third Artifice

Song: 

Friends by Chase Atlantic (slowed down)

A snap of Aurelio's long slender fingers was all it took for him to steal one more person I cared about. I feel numb and I wished there were more ways to explain how a loss feels. I guess seeing gore and one of my best friends tortured in front of me has taken its toll on me as a manifestation of feelings of emptiness. And in turn, that emptiness became filled with the toxicity of my desire for revenge.

"Alright Danny, it's time to fess up," Ethan said, crossing his arms.

Daniel sat next to me, his head hung low in shame. He sighed and then looked up. "I'm not ready to tell mine yet."

Brittany groaned and rolled her eyes impatiently. "Bro, you're going to die if you don't confess what your worst sin was!"

"And what? Just for all of you to judge me just like what you all did with Ted?" Daniel glared at us, his voice rising in volume.

We remained silent, not knowing what to say. It's not a lie that what Ted has done was horrific and so wrong. He deserved to be punished, but Aurelio took it many steps further. The silence continued.

"What are we supposed to tell Ted's family?" my voice cracked. I put my hands on my face stressing.

"How are we going to explain what just happened?" I asked. I looked at Ethan for support. After all, my cousin tends to be the person with the plan. Even he was at a loss for words. The past few days have been exhausting for all of us. It was hard to believe that everything happened so fast we didn't even have time to breathe.

Brittany cursed silently under her breath. "That bastard Aurelio keeps giving us more problems than we already have."

Ethan ran a hand through his hair before sighing. "I'll contact previous Medio Terrae members to clean up Ted's death. We'll make it look like a suicide." He pulled out his iPhone from the back of his pocket, dialed a number, and stepped outside the patio for the call.

I looked at the palms of my hands and then the back of my hand. Dried crimson blood was encrusted under my fingernails. Ted's blood.

I stifled a sob. And I shook my head angrily. My emotions have been up and down lately. I wish I could forever stay numb because it was easier not to feel anything than feel pain.

"Danny," I began, "we really need to know what your worst sin was. We lost Ted already, we can't lose you too." I said.

Brittany put her hand on my shoulder for support.

"A person died because of me. They were not supposed to. I was the one who should have died." Danny confessed, his eyes downcast.

Brittany and I patiently waited to hear his side of the story.

5 years ago

"At this rate, you will only have about 6 months left to live." the doctor said grimly. "We have your name listed on the organ donor list. However, we are not positive whether you will receive a new heart within a year due to your rare blood type."

Danny sat on his hospital bed, taking in the devastating news the doctor and the nurses have brought to him. He was only 14 years old and it wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair because he hasn't lived yet. It wasn't fair because he wanted to go to college, make new friends and new memories. He wanted to get a job, fall in love, and someday have a family. Neither of those wishes would come true in a span of one year. It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair, it wasn't fair.

His chest hurt. He wasn't sure whether it was from the surgery he had or it was from the pain of his heartbreaking. He wasn't scared that he was going to die. In fact, he was heartbroken that he was going to die.

Danny's parents refused to take the devastating news. "Can't we replace his heart with something else? I heard there was a successful heart transplant where the patient's heart was electrically powered rather than autorhythmic." His mother Linda suggested.

The doctor was forlorn. "We have taken into account plenty of research for Danny's case. Unfortunately, the damage in his heart has taken a toll on the surrounding organs and it would be too risky to do an electrical heart transplant."

Hearing this news caused Danny's mom to sob uncontrollably. He rubbed her back and hugged her to comfort her. He was the one who needed consolation, but he could only imagine how his mother must feel about losing her only child.

"This hospital is useless!" Danny's father exploded. "Don't tell me that we live in the 21st century and none of you doctors that went to the Ivy League medical schools can give us a solution to our son's diagnosis. There must be another way for him to live longer!"

The healthcare professional was exhausted. The boy was a lost cause and his parents would not stop berating him for a cure. He had other patients to see and take care of, so the doctor's eyes glazed over to Danny. "We will make your stay here as comfortable for you as we can, please let us know if you have any other questions."

The doctor bowed his head towards the family before leaving Danny's room. Little did he know that the coming weekend will be his last day on Earth. 

ANDDDDDDDDD here's the super late update! Thank you for reading guys! What do you think is the third object for Aurelio's scavenger hunt? >.>