Koruna

Another One

CHAPTER 86

ANOTHER ONE

Koruna swallowed, she knew that R’ao wasn’t going to get with the idea that she goes back into the Lion den just to get revenge. Now that they had Simi, the big problem was how to get out of there with her men patrolling the place.

“Where are we?” Koruna asked Abriel.

“The abandoned port just by the outskirts of the town.”  Abriel answered without taking her eyes off Simi.

Koruna replied R’ao separately as she got more information regarding the security situation from Abriel and kept him informed. Simi had stopped screaming, she held herself at the corner of the room as she whispered nonsense to herself. “How long will the effect last?”

“Soon. Simi needs to die, if she survives today there is no telling of what she might do to you in the future.” Abriel advised.

“I will make you two burn until there is nothing left.” Simi vowed with so much venom in her voice as she glared at them.

“Oh…. Lookie. She’s awake. Now, this is not the behaviour I expected of you. No remorse, no regrets. At the very least, fake it and who knows you might make it out of here.” Koruna sighed.

Simi started chuckling, then the laughter grew until it sounded like a cackle. Then she ran to the electric chair all of a sudden and pressed a switch under the chair and a beeping sound started. “Did you think I would not have a fail safe? Me??? We will all perish together!!!” She shrieked.

Abriel tackled her as Koruna turned the chair to the other side where the timer had already reached 4 minutes and thirty seconds. They were locked in with the only way out outside of the room.

“Push the switch!!!! Press it!!!” Abriel screamed!!!

Koruna looked and saw a round switch and she pushed the button, the timer stopped counting. She sighed in relief and removed her hand, the timer resumed counting and faster this time, Koruna pressed the switch and the timer stopped.

“You can’t leave it, we’ll die if you do.” Abriel groaned.

“Yiu don’t joke around, do you?” Koruna said to Simi who was grinning underneath Abriel.

Abriel slapped Simi’s face, her mouth was bleeding when she started another round of laughter. “It is fitting, don’t you think? That we all die together, here in this room.” Simi taunted.

Abriel punched her unconscious, when Simi stopped talking, she released her and went closer to Koruna. Abriel paused and stared at Koruna intensely. “W..whhat?” Koruna tried to say before Abriel hugged her tight. Koruna could not push her away because of her hand on the switch, she waited for about a minute before she leaned in to the hug.

“Is this because you think we are going to die?” Koruna asked gently.

“No, it’s because I think I might not have another chance to do this.” Abriel patted Koruna’s hair, “I am sorry for everything that I did, I should have been strong enough.”

“N….noooo…. Nooo, you couldn’t have known and you did come out of it.”

“That is kind of you to say, very actually.” Abriel chuckled, “I know what you think of me, I know how much I have hurt you. God, Koruna I have hurt so many people. Too many.”

“It wasn’t you.”

“It was me, I have it in my memory. I wanted to hurt those people, I wanted to kill. I am filled with so much hate, so much that it prickles my skin.” She released her slowly.

Koruna wasn’t sure she could give Abriel what she wanted, even though she knew that whatever she had done was because she was under Simi’s control, but she could not get Flora’s death out of her head. When she risked coming here, she also reasoned that there was a very high chance that she could betray her regardless of the truth or not. As she watched Abriel torture Simi, she understood how much of her had changed.

“I don’t know what you want from me, Abriel. If it’s forgiveness… I … I don’t think…”

“No, I would never ask you for that. I don’t deserve forgiveness, I will pay for my sins.”

“Then what do you want Abriel?” Koruna said resignedly.

“I don’t know. I am happy that we are together, right now. I just… Can you not hate me so much?”

“Maybe with time. I know! I know that Simi did this to you and I hate how much she stole from you. How much of your life she took, your innocence, I hate it and I do not want to hate you especially right now at Death’s door. It’s just every time I look at you, I remember the scene over and over again.” Koruna said to her sincerely.

“Thank you, for trying. How is Grandma Buke?”

“Young as ever.”

“Flames? My graveyard?”

“Could be better.” Koruna smiled at her.

Abriel chuckled, “It’s the first time you have smiled at me since… well since.”

“It is also the first time I’ve heard you laugh in …  well … a while. We are going to die here, are we not? Or do you have some sort of knowledge to get out of this because I do not think I can hold this position for longer.” Koruna winced.

“Your bandaged hand. Let’s switch.” Abriel offered casually.

Koruna removed her hand and Abriel pressed down on it almost immediately, they sighed in relief at the success. “There is nothing I can do, turns out she did not teach me everything she knew.”

“I don’t know, she seemed pretty proud of you.”

“No, she was proud of herself.” Abriel corrected.

“What could make anyone this perverse?” They look at an unconscious Simi.

“Not enough love?” Abriel offered some sort of explanation.

“Or maybe too much of it. That arrogance has to come from somewhere.” Koruna replied. They chuckle together again, maybe it was being in each other’s presence or the fact that there was a ticking time bomb, whatever it was, there was a knot released in each of them.

This was way more than what Abriel had expected, she knew Koruna was soft hearted but the fact that she did not try to escape or run with both of them in here was something extraordinary considering everything she had done to her. Abriel smiled wryly as she noticed Simi’s phone just sitting there, Koruna could just as easily get someone to open the door and she would leave her there, Abriel wanted to give her that choice and that was why she offered the switch but Koruna had stayed rooted to her side. She thought to herself that Koruna was either very stupid to not think about it or she was giving them a chance to mend something utterly broken.

All of a sudden there were gun shots outside of the room, Koruna had a feeling that R’ao was there, that boy never did anything quietly. “Maybe one of his men is a bombs expert.”

“This is custom made, if Simi started this there is no way there’s an escape. Did you see that crazy look in her eyes? It was satisfying for about a minute but she is a bitch till the very end. Nice job with the Ark though, very impressive.” Abriel smiled wryly at her.

“You know me… I’m irresistible.”

“Nah, it is the breasts.”

Koruna snorted at that, “I think it’s more about my legs.”

“Yes, you have beautiful legs.” Abriel conceded.

“Don’t be sad, I am sure there is something beautiful about you somewhere.” Koruna said snidely and  they both fell into an awkward silence.

“He a good kisser?”

“The best.” Koruna replied.

The gun shots and screams started getting closer until the door opened from outside and a tall.man covered in black from head to toe came in with others. He removed his mask and looked at Koruna with a glower. “Really?”

Koruna shrugged, “Please don’t close the door.”

“What is happening?” R’ao asked about Abriel’s weird posture.

“A bomb, gift from Simi.” Koruna explained what had happened to him.

“Go.” Abriel whispered.

“What?” Koruna frowned.

“I told you, there is no stopping this. It’s a last resort by Simi, she knows it’s over for her. I know her and I know how she thinks, there is no stopping this. Let it go.” Abriel said gently.

“No, nooo… no!!!” Koruna shook her head profusely.

Abriel smiled at her, “Your heart is too big for your good. I want to do this so please go.”

Simi was beginning to wake, Abriel sighed, “Could any of you bring that woman closer. If I am leaving this world, I am going with her.”

“R’ao, can anything be done?” Koruna looked at him desperately.

“I have never seen anything like that and if I am to have a look, that means she would have to remove her hand which means this place and us in it goes poof.”R’ao answered.

Koruna groaned, Abriel looked at her, “Hey, this is good. This is a good thing Koruna. Please allow me do this for you, I feel like I would pay back in some way if I save your life. Please allow me do this.”

Koruna laughed drily, “Can’t you live instead?”

“I don’t want to live. I was going to kill myself anyways, I cannot live like this. Koruna leave!!!” Abriel’s voice grew stronger.

Koruna looked at her intensely for a while, she hated how helpless she had become these days. All of a sudden memories of her past flowed like a river as she watched Abriel. Korun went towards her and kissed her forehead. “I don’t hate you and thank you”

“No, thank you.” She said and held a waking Simi to her tighter. The men left the room and Koruna closely followed, just at the door. They both exchanged a look with Abriel smiling at her, Koruna ran back and gave her a hug ignoring Simi that was with her.

R’ao sighed and looked at them, he lifted Koruna and gave Abriel a little bow. They left the container and went outside as Koruna felt her heart grow heavier the farther she went from Abriel. Simi had awoken and was struggling in Abriel’s arms, when she was sure that Koruna was far enough she looked at Simi who shook her head in denial. “Don’t do this, there is another …”

Abriel grinned at her, “I know, we have done enough here, don’t you think?”

“You crazy. …” Simi screamed.

“We’ll meet in hell.” Abriel released the switch.