The Story of Us: Legacies

Chapter 6: Landon

Three years ago...

"You ever come near us again... I'll kill you." Kevin said as I stood up from the spot he had taken me down on and had preceded to beat me.

When I could finally see after rubbing my blurry eyesight, I saw him for the first time, angry. No... I thought. Not angry... He was like the devil himself. His face was red, tears had streaked down his face, and his eyes were like a livid fire seething with hatred.

I felt hurt on the inside. I wasn't in control of myself at the time. It wasn't me who had done the deed. But... They were done by my hands. Knowing that, a hollow feeling had entered my chest at his words and my actions sunk into my mind and it squeezed my heart painfully. I knew what I had did. I knew that things would never be the same again. But I didn't know by how much. I didn't know that it would hurt as bad as it did. As bad as it does.

I turn around and walk away, not saying anything, too afraid of my voice cracking. I didn't want to give Kevin the satisfaction of seeing me cry.

Stupid, stupid, stupid. I thought.

XXX

Later that night, I felt my mind slipping.

I could feel the madness bubbling up. I was foaming at the mouth and I started to growl lowly. I panted like a dog and heaved whatever was in my stomach out onto the ground below. I started to break out into a cold sweat. My emotions within me are swirling around my system like a maelstrom, my thoughts jumbled and mixed together. It was hard to discern them among the cacophonous sounds of so many voices. It was coming. And the Underworld, itself, would be unleashed when it does.

However, despite the garbled mess of my thoughts, I knew one thing. One thought that had penetrated through all the others.

I gotta get out of here.

In a blind frenzy I made for the flap of the tent. Upon entering out, cold wintry air meets my bare skin. I could see my breath out in a misty smoke in front of me. I looked from left to right, not knowing where to go. Randomly, I just pick a direction and ran in it.

I ran and I ran and I ran. I never stopped. I ran until my feet bled. I ran until I was near exhausted, but had fought it. I ran until my heart almost exploded from my chest like a dynamite from its cylindrical containment.  I ran until I was, literally, almost dead. I have to get away. I thought, the only thing I could think of through my insanity infested mind. The only thing I can grasp onto. I have to get away. I hit the floor with a thud. I lay there for a few minutes until I started to crawl. I... Have to... Protect... My friends. I didn't get very far until I had passed out.

When I had awoken it was dark out. I had built a fire and had some fish from a stream not too far from where I was. I was simply enjoying the peace of mind that I had never gotten, when I heard a voice. My first voice and, unfortunately, not my last.

"You almost killed me." It said. A feminine voice said, one that I recognized all too well. "Do you really hate me, Landon? Do you really hate me so much that you want to kill me?

I try to say something. Anything, but no words formed in my mouth. I looked around, trying to look for her, but I still didn't see her.

"I loved you, Landon." She continued. "I loved you as if you were my very own brother. You were my best friend. I even quit the Hunt! I even quit being by my Lady Artemis's side to keep them from harming you, because I saw how broken, how innocent, how lonely, you really were. I did all of that, for what? Being struck down by the one I trusted most? The one I thought I could always have my back."