Property Of Vittore Martinelli ✓

37

"We're out... I can't believe it," the girl next to me gasped out. She pushed her black hair out of her eyes as the breeze blew past it.

I did the same to mine, looking at the land surrounding us. It was a plain field in the middle of nowhere but I could see the sun, the blue sky, the clouds. My eyes hurt from the light. We'd been underground in the safe house for so long and it was only six of us left.

Six of us who'd escaped.

"We have to get going," I said to the other girls.

"Why?" a blonde one asked. Her hair wasn't even blonde anymore. It was brown with dirt. I wasn't in any better shape. "We're out. Jordan can't get us out here. We made it. We deserve to rest."

"You think that Jordan doesn't know half the shit that goes on in the safe house? They know we are missing. We have to run. Now," I commanded.

"Who died and made you the fucking leader of the group?" One of the taller girls asked walking up to me with a glare on her face. "We made it out. That's that."

"She's right. We have to run," another dark skinned girl said nodding at me. "Jordan's smart. He'll catch us soon enough."

"Well I'm staying here," another blonde girl angrily stated, plopping her butt on the ground. I sighed and backed up.

"Well I'm going. Who's coming with me?" I asked.

After a while, only the four who argued with me stayed. I went on with the other dark skinned girl and a green eyed one with a face full of freckles. We walked away from the drain we crawled out of to a little town. The place had few people, all who stared at us weirdly.

"What are the three of you pretty ladies doing out looking like that?" and old woman suddenly said with a frown. She stood in front of a small brick inn. "Come in darlings, come in. You can't go around looking like that."

"Sorry ma'am. We don't have any money," the dark skinned girl said from beside me.

"Oh no matter. The three of you just need to freshen up," the old lady said with a smile and we did.

We bathed clean water for the first time in what felt like years and ate good food. I learnt the girl's names were Evelyn and Arielle. They were the same as me when they were given up. Just 14. We bonded easily, joking and laughing. I'd never felt so free in my life.

"What do you think we'll do after here?" Arielle asked, pushing her hair out of her face. It was actually a deep rich brown that went well with her freckles.

"I have no idea but we move in the morning," I said.

"I agree. We can't stay in a place for long. We'll get the old lady to pack us some stuff and maybe journey north?" the dark skinned girl Evelyn stated.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Arielle stated, a smile on her face. I had one on mine too. We were free.

"What about the other four girls?" Evelyn suddenly asked. "What do you think they're going to do?"

"None of our business. They didn't go when they had the chance. At this hour, I just hope wild animals haven't... haven't..." I could barely get another word out as sleepiness hit me full force.

"Haven't what? Dalia?"

"Haven't... haven't..."

Everything seemed to be spinning and in a second, I was out like a light.

I woke up in a dark room. The pitch blackness that surrounded me had my heart beating and my chest heaving with panic. Where was I?

"Evelyn? Arielle?" I called out but there was no answer.

"Evelyn! Arielle!"

"You're friends are slightly knocked out it seems."

That voice. Oh God no. Please. We escaped! We were free!

"No. No no no no no! Go Away! Get out of my head!" I screamed tangling my fingers in my hair and yanking hard. Tears spilled from my eyes.

"It's a dream. It's just a dream," I chanted over and over again.

"Oh no dear it isn't. You really thought you'd gotten out? You just went straight to your next test."

A dull light came on in the room and I opened my eyes. The first sight that greeted me were Evelyn and Arielle chained to the wall. Both were on their knees, sobbing. Their clothes were dirty and they each had their fair share of bruises. The next thing I saw was a gun laying on the floor.

"Kill one of them."

"No," I cried. "No please, please."

"You either kill one of them and two of you get out of the room or you kill yourself and the other two die with you."

I couldn't stop crying. Tears run down my face like water falls and it became hard to breathe.

"Do it now my precious Jade Scythe. Do it or the three of you will wish for death."

Evelyn and Arielle gave me sympathetic looks even as they cried through their gags. They knew I had no choice. I picked up the gun and it was fully loaded. Pulling the safety, I pointed it at Evelyn. Then at Arielle.

"Eeny meeny miny moe, who is the Jade Scythe going to shoot? Will she be racist and shoot the poor white girl or will she prevent having that title branded on her and shoot her black counterpart. Interesting stuff I tell you."

"Stop," I cried when I heard laughter. My gun moved between the two girls I'd laughed and joked with earlier. They both had so much to live for. Didn't we all? I made the gun face the ground.

"Well aren't you boring."

I stared at the two girls. "I'm sorry," I cried. "I'm so so so sorry."

They shook their heads at me. They didn't want me to shoot. I didn't want to either but I had to. I lifted my gun and two shots sounded in the air.

Arielle was dead.

But so was Evelyn.

"Would you look at that! A double twist! You psychopathic little girl! You shot them both! Didn't want to live with the guilt one could give you right?"

I dropped to my knees as a loud cry escaped me. I stared at the two lifeless bodies before me.

"I'm sorry," I repeated over and over again. Someone came into the room, the large metal door swinging open. The gun was pulled from my grasp as I continued to cry.

"I hate you Jordan," I sneered glaring up at the man responsible for my misery. "I fucking hate you."

"Doesn't everyone?"

I gasped, my eyes snapping open. I quickly sat up in my bed and slid out, stumbling to the bathroom. Not even three hours of sleep. Black bags rested under my eyes and my shirt was wet with sweat. I peeled the sticky material off my skin and threw it somewhere in the bathroom. Anywhere but on me.

This was why I didn't want to break the mask. One time was enough.

Two lives lost were enough.

I couldn't do this anymore.

But I couldn't cry either.

I just sat in the corner, my knees at my chest. I held them tight, closer to me. I'd been in this position before, longer and more times than I could like to admit but every time, it was like a piece of me faded. Every second I stayed like this, the more I slipped.

I buried my head in my knees, the loud sound of two gunshots echoing in my skull.

I just wanted it to stop. I wanted everything to just stop for one second and let me catch my breath.

Just one fucking second.