The Tree's Girl

Chapter Fifty Two

I was still alive. I was still breathing. I was still able to witness what was happening in front of me.

The tree moved on its own and protected me from the bullet. Now, after all the answers I've got and the information I've gathered, it can't do that unless someone controlled it to do so.

It only meant that-

Slash

In one swift second, the boy who held the gun was cut in half. Blood splurted out and few even showered on me but mostly on the people behind him. They were frozen for a second, their expression still the same expression they wore a few seconds ago, then it slowly showed disgust, shock and fear.

The silence was consumed by screams. The back of the school was a shout fest.

"W-we told you!" Anna shouted in fear as the people around her panicked and ran around in circles. If only their minds were clear enough, then they would have thought of running towards the nearest exit, but no. The tree took them one by one; the teachers, the students. They didn't die immediately, but their limbs were mutilated, their chests were cut. Blood was all over the floor and in instant it would disappear and grass would grow.

I wonder when I became accustomed to such gruesome sights; to the cutting, to the mutilating, to the bleeding, to the dying. It was only now when I remembered how such sights sent shivers up my spine, how it scarred me, how it gave me nightmares. My eyes are now open, and I can't believe how I was just so blinded from the truth because of-

No wait.

Was I really blind all this time? If I was, then by whar?

"Stop this, Joseph!" I don't know when or how Ken got to me safely from all the swinging branches, but he held me by my collar and started shaking me frantically. "Stop this now! Stop this now!" he continued to shout at me repeatedly as the fear became more evident in his eyes.

"You should know that I am not the one who's doing this," I looked at him firmly. They have set this upon themselves. Anna and Ken knew that the tree was the weapon, yet they decided to come here. They also forgot that there was more than one murderer.

With just that simple statement, he realized everything he remembered and fell to his knees. It was his fault. It was Anna's fault as well. It was all their fault for going in so carelessly.

"Beg her to stop." he pleaded.

"She won't listen to me." I looked away. "After what you did to me, she won't listen to anyone until all of you are dead."

He just froze. I looked at his face; a face of realization.

"You guys, I thought you were smarter than this." I couldn't help but feel disappointed. "You should have remembered that we control the tree. That we can kill anyone in its attack range. Though I may not do it, Maria surely would. Now all of this people are going to die because of you and Anna."

Guilt obviously hit him. They weren't so bright in the end. I don't think there's anything that they or even I can do to stop her.

Ken ran away, towards Anna who was surprisingly safe in the middle of the blood bath. They tried to escape, dodging all the branches that lead them in circles.

I sighed and watched the horrible things of the tree that kept us alive did. That big lump of guilt also formed on my throat and it gave me a horrible stomach ache.

These people's death will be the reason why I live longer. Why we live longer.

"Maria-"

"Now you be quiet, Joseph."

I heard her voice from behind the trunk. I hushed down. She was still obviously mad at me.

"You want to die, but I won't allow you." she said so firmly that my lips just glued itselves to each other. "Do you hear me? Nothing matters if you're not here. I have lived my life trying to keep both of us alive, and I won't let you die just like that!"

Wanting to die would be like throwing away all her efforts and hard work, throwing away all the time she has fought. It would be so unfair.

"So- you just want to be with me, right?" I asked.

She went out of  hiding -by then the surrounding was already dead quiet- and held me by my collar.

"What else do you think is the reason you jerk?!" she shouted with a cracking voice. "I wanted to be with you ever since we were kids! I protected you from everything that harmed you. I protected you from Nina for heaven's sake! I killed the people who threatened you! All these time I've been killing just to spend time with you! Just so I could live with you!" she pounded my chest harshly as she continued to cry out. I know I was inconsiderate to want to die and I know that she would be in this much pain.

Yet I can't believe I wanted it.

Was I blinded all this time? Blinded by love? Blinded by the desire of wanting to be with this girl?

I fought for her too, even if it was for a little while. I killed for the sake of our survival. Just so we could have more time together. More time to laugh, to have fun, to cuddle, to love each other.

But we were too busy trying to stay alive than actually being alive. We continued to live without exactly living. We weren't the ones controlling the tree, three was controlling us.

I wasn't blinded by love. I was blinded by my desire to live and I regret that, but I don't regret fighting for Maria.

As she continued to cry in front of me, all the pieces fell in place. I've made up my mind.

"Hey, let me out of here and let's clean this up before anyone else sees this." I calmly stated, trying to show her a sincere smile.

Hearing such a statement from me made her head snap towards mine with an expression of shock and confusion. "Joseph, I thought-"

"Oh, I still do. But what's done is done and we can't to anything about it. Let's stop now, Maria."

"I don't want to! I still want to live and be with you! Don't you understand? I-"

"And we will live together!"

She was stopped by my shout. Her angry and agitated self melted into a weak and scared girl as she grabbed on the rope that tied me to the tree. "How Joseph? HOW?!"

I chuckled. I don't know how accurate my ideas are, but it made sense. "After eating all these people then the tree shouldn't be so hungry for a while, huh? Let's make the most of it before it dies. We'll have a lot of time! Let's go on dates, vacations, stay home and watch movies, and much more." she stared at me rather shocked, but then it slowly melted into a relaxed face. "We'll be together and we'll act like a real couple; holding hands, hugging, kissing and even-- sleeping together." I couldn't help but get embarrassed "Let's actually start to live, Maria. It's time to stop fighting to buy time. Let's start using the time we have left properly. So what do you say? Will you go out with me?"

Tears continued to fall from her eyes, but this time there was a smile. "I-I would be happy to, Joseph." she wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me passionately under the pink petals of the tree. It didn't matter even if I was tied or surrounded by dead bodies. It was the last time that was going to happen and we are finally going to enjoy ourselves.

We separated and content smiles were visible on our faces. I chuckled once more, "You know, I don't think I've said this properly before so I'll say it properly now."

She laughed at me a little, "What now Joseph?"

"I love you." Her eyes widened and her mouth hung a little open. It was as if she heard something so weird and unbelievable, I couldn't help but snicker. I repeated it for her sake, this time a little clearer. "I love you, Maria. I really do. I'm glad you never gave up on me. I'm glad I met you. I'm glad you came into my life. I really, really love you, Maria. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise."

"Joseph, you too." she gave me her most beautiful smile yet. "I lo-"

STAB