Romance is Dead

Chapter 9- Regrets

I ran to the direction where I heard the scream trying to find the way it was cold and it should have roughly been close to morning because it has become mildly bright but it was still dark and when I took one final right I could see straight to the centre of the maze it was around a circle wall and the colour of hedges at the middle were different but it wasn't the astonishingly beautiful centre of this maze that made me stop in my tracks it was Zayn's body that made me stop

There Zayn was on the ground with a Reaper on top eating him the odour of blood making me feel heady and nauseous. He was already gone he wasn't moving and he wasn't breathing I wanted to kill that Reaper but I had nothing to fight it with and going into a fight with a monster without a weapon is suicide. I have to leave him

As I started to leave that place there was a figure at the end of the way I came it looked like a woman but it was dark and I couldn't make out and when it started running towards there was no way I had to do something

after coming a little close I saw that it was Zira, I was filled with relief when I saw her and saw that she was okay she must have came here because of the scream she came crashing into me and squeezing me tightly

" Oh my god I thought I lost you forever, are you alright? I heard a scream and..." she said it in one breath after breaking away from the hug and she now realised that the scream was Zayn's, and I went painfully pale

I couldn't get a word out of me my head twitched at the thought of Zayn and I looked to wear Zayn's body was lying even though I couldn't see him Zira know had an idea where he was

She started walking to the way I went a moment ago I grabbed her arm trying to stop her but from the look of her eyes I knew she needs to see this I let go and started following her it and once she saw the body lying on the ground I thought she'd run towards him or would start screaming or trying to kill the Reaper I thought she'd go running to the Reaper mindlessly with anger and try to fight it off of her brother but she didn't I grabbed her arm thinking she might do something like that but she didn't move a muscle

She was almost paralyzed to the spot her she was heavy breathing now and she wasn't even moving

"Zira come on, we have to go. We have to leave him"
she stood there unresponsive
"Zira let's go" I added a bit more harshness to my words but still she was still as a statue
I took her hand and pulled her to the way out and just like that she started to move she was walking now but I was afraid she was going to start crying. When I turned to look at her she was still like that her face frozen at the exact expression it was when she saw him

I remember the way I got to the centre of the maze and if I'm correct the other entrance at the opposite side of the maze must also have the same way we came so if I reverse the way I came I should be at the other side and away from the hotel and that's what I did and I started running this time still grabbing onto Zira and after 10 minutes of running we made it to the other side of the maze with one less person with what we entered the maze.

We walked in the woods for hours the sun has started rising and we're miles away from the Reapers but what worries me is that Zira hasn't spoken an entire word or even shed a single tear for all this time she has been quiet this whole time and I don't want to make her feel bad by stirring up her emotions even more.

"Do you hear that!??" I ask Zira turning around she just looks up at me with the same numb face "I think it's a river"
I started running my hand still holding Zira's she's running with me as well at this point my thirst gets even more higher because of the closeness of water and once we see it I almost cry in happiness it was beautiful to look at marvellous even.

I sat Zira down near river in a rock and went down to drink some water it was cool and felt amazing to feel water in my throat again it felt amazing for some reason. I look at Zira who's still silently staring at the ground.

I stand up and I know I have to talk to her about this she has to open up she can't just have it all inside I sat down near her and just leave out a small sigh I take her hand and squeeze it lightly, she looks up at me still struck in that moment

"I'm sorry, Zira" was all it took her to open up she started crying. Hard
I think she was just in that moment just thinking about it and me saying sorry just made the whole thing becoming real to her like she got struck with the reality that her brother was gone I held her close letting her cry it all out it's better out then in this is good she is starting to accept it this is good.

What seems to be like hours she stops bawling her eyes out and sniffling from time to time I don't want her to dwell on that past we don't have time we haven't eaten in days and I can see some fish swimming in the river maybe it would be good if we caught some fish together and we have to find a place to safely sleep for tonight

"Are you hungry?" softly can't even compare to how I asked that
"Mhmm" was all I got but I don't know she might feel guilty that she wants to eat even after her only relation died but again she hasn't eaten in days she needs her energy
"Okay you sit here and cheer for me while I catch some fish, okay?"
She giggled at that and it somehow made me feel a better person
"okay"
I get up and roll up my sleeves and my pants I turn around to see her smiling a bit
it's amazing how much she can handle and still smile
I set one foot in and I already regret doing this but we need food so I get down anyways and start to wait until a fish comes near me
the river was crystal clear it was just upto my calf and I waited for a wish to come near me and after what seemed like 30 minutes but probably just 24 seconds a fish comes near me I slowly go down ready to catch it and then BAM I miss the fish just by a second oh god this is going to be harder than I thought
after what seemed like several hours but barely half an hour and Zira laughing as I slip and fall inside the river becoming soaking wet I finally was able to capture a fish it wasn't that big but it was good enough a catch for now as I turn around to see Zira she has a stick in her hand and she is scraping one end of the stick with a sharp stone god I was sooooo stupid not to think of that earlier
"Oh now you think about making a spear? How helpful of you Zira"
hearing her laugh feels soooooo good after her being quiet for sooooo long and it also makes me feel like good company so two birds in one stone
"here try this" she handed me the newly made spear and took the fish in return
"okay do you mind starting a fire?" I say hoping she doesn't say--
"Why because you can't?" yep that she had to mention I can't start a fire
"Shut up Zira" and there she was my old Zira just hours ago her brother was being eaten by monsters and now she is making fun of my survival skills wow what did I do to get such an awesome person as a friend

But still upto this day I still wonder if I just said something to somebody about that girl in the black hoodie without brushing it off maybe just maybe Zayn would still be here with us

As the sun comes up and lights the room from the cracks of the wooden walls and the windows looking at Zira sleeping peacefully after a full night of crying I am filled with regrets