twisted (phan) || book #2

twenty one

tw// blood, death

P H I L ' S  P O V

"If you don't choose, I'll kill each and every one of you. It'll be just like the day you killed Wirrow," Ross hissed. Dan stirred in the corner, but stayed limp.

"Bryony, why are you doing this?" I murmured, turning to face her. She gulped and averted her eyes.

"Don't you get it? Chloroform? I was the one that took Dan to the forest that day, the day his mother and Wirrow died. Guess it didn't click for you."

My lips formed in a tight line. "But why? Wirrow hit you before I got there to save my love. You would've done just the same to me if it meant saving Wirrow, regardless of how Dan would feel. You do crazy shit for love, you and I both know that."

"Bryony, please don't do this," Nyla sniffled. "This isn't you. We can all make it out of here if you just trust us. All those things you told me at that bar that night, that was the real you. . . . not when you're like this."

"Shut up," Ross growled.

"How did you get here?" I asked Nyla.

"I didn't want to be, Phil- I swear. That night at the club, Bryony and I were talking. She went to the bathroom and she was taking a really long time, so I went to go check on her. I caught her installing the bomb. Alec came in and he knocked me out, and I ended up here. They threatened me, Phil, I promise I wouldn't hurt anyone. I was scared-"

"I get it. I was the same."

Nyla let out a sigh of relief.

I nodded towards Bry, but she simply gazed past me and at Nyla. "Bryony, you don't have to be like them. You never have been and I've noticed that. You've always had a soft side, whether you'll admit it or not. People change, you can too."

"Bryony, shoot him already!"

Bryony's eyes began to water and she shook her head, raising the gun back towards my head. "Shut up."

"Please do the right thing, Bryony," I told her calmly, my hands raised. "You're not like them. I know you aren't."

"Shoot him," Ross growled.

"You don't get to tell me what to do," Bryony cried, shooting the female member before I put Ross in a chokehold.

She stomped over towards Nyla, untying her. They hugged, an embrace that seemed to piece back together everything Bryony let fall apart. For once, she had someone that was genuinely a friend, and already she had to surrender it.

"Run," Bryony commanded after pulling away then raised her gun, shooting Ross in the stomach.

"Bryony-" I started, but I listened and let go of Ross. He stumbled and I picked up Dan. We ran, leaving Bryony behind. I turned around as I ran to watch it all unfold, seeing Ross move towards Bryony. She backed up.

"If I'm gonna die, it sure as hell isn't gonna be you that gets to kill me," she told Ross, putting her gun to her head and pulling the trigger. I winced, listening to the gunshot that ended her life.

She had saved us, and maybe saved herself. Maybe a part of her felt undeserving of life, undeserving of the potential friendship she could've had with the girl that went by the name of Nyla. Maybe this was her finally ending her suffering of a back and forth hell, and maybe going somewhere better.

I looked over at Nyla to see her hand over her mouth, holding back tears as we ran. She knew Bryony was dead. Everything they could have gotten to know about each other had vanished into the thick, muggy air that surrounded the abandoned building.