(The New) Power of the 8 Elements: Part One

Chapter Thirty Two: Bullets

"That's the thing about pain. It demands to be felt." - John Green
PRESENT DAY
THRAX

I don't even scream. I was just thrown to the ground. It was only when I moved that the pain set in, and it was HORRIBLE...blood was pooling around me, and there was nothing I could do. I tried to crawl to those guys, hoping that one of them would stop and help me. They weren't that cruel, but apparently they were. The fairy grabs one of the blueprints and the portal device and runs in the elevator. In an attempt to get the elevator to stop, I shoot magic at it. I hit Lucifer by accident, but he probably thinks I was trying to hurt the light one.

Suddenly the elevator doors open and the Evil Angel and Nereid walk out and into the workshop.

"What happened?!" the Evil Angel screams. She gasps. "It was that stupid team, wasn't it?" She sighs. "You're pathetic. You let them go? Thank goodness we have one extra of these portal-opening doohickies."

I try to speak, but she scoffs and walks past, scolding the entire virus race. Nereid mouths 'sorry'.

"Thrax, you're excused, but you will come back tomorrow early and clean up your mess."

"You mean blood?" I say weakly.

"It's disgusting."

I stand up and limp slowly to the elevator and the way home. I clutch my chest. Another coat soiled from my blood. I enter the house, and I've never been so happy.

"Oh, not you, too?" Mom says, looking at me.

"What happened to you?" Onyx smirks.

Mom is in the kitchen tending to Lucifer's wound. He glares at me, and I scoff, but it's hard even to be snarky.

"I can take care of myself," I say, walking up the stairs and into the bathroom.

I always buy an existential amount of gauze for...reasons. When I take off my shirt, I look at the spade marking that Nereid was talking about. I should hide it. I put my shirt to my chest and used it to put pressure on the wound. With my back against the door and the door locked, I was pretty much all alone. Usually I want to be by myself, but right now I feel very lonely.

I pull out my phone and go through my contacts list. I try to call Enza, but she doesn't pick up, so I leave a message. Tears are streaming down my face like a broken faucet, and I try to talk to her without making it seem like I'm crying. If I have a mental breakdown, I'll probably die.

"Hey, Enza..." I sniff. "How are you? I hope you, E, and Rona are doing well. About me? I got a job, but I'm thinking of quitting. My boss is a b*tch." I try to laugh, but my chest hurts, and I wince. I definitely caught that on the phone. "Anyhoodle, snickerdoodle, I got shot. It sucks a lot." I sigh. "I miss you three. Love you, bye." I end it and send the message to her.