A Collection of Ruins

Chapter 21- Dust to dust and ashes to ashes (Ellie)

Ellie

We wore mourning black.

Ronan swore, viciously, before his fist made contact with my wall. My hand flew to my mouth as my heart shattered. It slowly left its perch on my face to reach out towards his and- "El don't you touch him", it was a harshly barked order. Ronan stalking forward to yank me backwards by my shirt collar until I collided with his chest. Rage, a wild, living thing in his eyes. My own went to the scratch upon Santiago's cheek, "Oh sweetheart".

"I want it done at dawn, El, by your hand. Let me go in service of our people, of our home. Let me go in service of you, the Queen to Sterilis. First and last".

We played the last call - the haunting sound of the pipes.

I looked him in the eye, held his gaze the whole way through. As much as it tore out my heart it mended something in his. To look me in the eyes while he died.

There was an overwhelming silence, it hung heavily in the air.

"At least it isn't raining", someone murmured from the back. Of course it wasn't raining, that was reserved for funerals, this was an execution. With the broken silence came the scream.

"Warrior", my voice rang loud and true. "Fit for the Sterilis of old, men and women who came from the gods themselves. Their pledge to protect the sacred soil on which we stand, their hope to find a beautiful death as they did so. You have more than fulfilled their pledge, kept their promise. You have done your people proud, Santiago the Steady. You will join our ancestors, as is your right. You'll will be granted the gift of a beautiful death my darling". Santiago's eyes still held mine, his chin dipped ever so slightly, an acknowledgment, an answer to a question no one had asked.

"It has been an honour to do so at your side, to find it by your hand".

"Dust to dust", my eyes shone with unshed tears, "And ashes to ashes". He fell down.

It was torn from the throat of Rafaela, the kindest of us all. I remembered only then the tangled history between the two. Fast friends due to their fathers bond with one another, the two had been near inseparable for many years. Once, Santiago was being bullied by an older boy and Raffy, gentle and kind Raffy, had walked right up to him and clocked him on the chin. Santiago had declared right then and there that he was going to marry her one day. They did, once, on the play-ground with rings made from knotted grass. I'd been there I realised, one of Raffy's 'bridesmaids'. Their fathers fell away, an ugly feud coming between the two and the children were cruelly kept from each other. Santiago, I noted, died with that grass ring on his little finger, the only finger it would still fit.

"Someone take her away" Donny ordered. For one scream we could forgive, we could forget, any more from the girl and she would be done here, no better than those who chose to call the city home. And then, kind and gentle Rafaela would have no home at all.

The gun was still hot in my hand, the mark having successfully found its target. Santiago deserved no less. More, but not any less.

I made it home before throwing up, the contents of my stomach no longer. My head rested against the cold toilet bowl and it was a testament to how I was feeling that I did not hear the person in my home before they rested their hand on my shoulder. A man's hand, I expected it be Ronan if it was to be anyone, but the hand was unblemished and unscarred. No, Ronan was probably drinking himself to oblivion, just as affected as I am. I turned to find Matt crouching behind me, those blue eyes of his sympathetic and understanding. The dam in me was going to break, his gentleness more than I could stand.

"El-".

I crushed my lips to his, if only to stop him before he spoke. If only it had all stopped there. He crept out of my house as dawn painted the sky, already redressed.

We wore mourning black.