Gore & Glory

CHAPTER THREE

Kylie burst into the cramped house and collapsed to the floor as her legs gave out. She gasped for breath, her throat tight and the taste of blood in her mouth. Parker walked in, his gloomy aura shifting to shock. Kylie hadn't seen an emotion on Parker's face in years.

"Kylie what happened!?" He bent on one knee and took off the pieces of clothing she had thrown on herself to hide from the sun. "Where did you get all these burns?" Kylie hadn't seen this side of Parker in so long, she thought it had died along with Krysta. When she didn't answer Parker looked at her. "Kylie?"

"Oh uh yeah...I went to go get eggs from Henry.." Kylie proceeded to explain how Henry had proposed and when she had denied he had torn off her cape in desperation. She hesitated before continuing about how Isaac had saved her and took her to his house where she had met Sophia.

"I'm glad Isaac has found someone new..." Parker looked at the pictures that hung on their wall as he said this. Kylie couldn't tell if he was looking at Krysta or at Isaac.

"But wait Parker there's more... The mansion...it caught fire." Parker seemed to be in a daze, his eyes locked on the picture, which she now knew was Krysta's. She placed her hand on his shoulder and squeezed, his gaze fixated on her "There was a fire at the mansion..."

Parker's eyes widened and Kylie knew the old Parker was gone. Parker slowly nodded his head and stood up, slowly, so slow that Kylie could hear the joints in his legs crack as they extended. He walked to his room without another word.

--

Kylie was laying in bed, her eyes locked on the golden band on her finger, she couldn't pull her eyes away from it. Somewhere inside her, she felt as though it was meant for her. But all she could picture in her head is Sophia and Isaac, the happy couple, in the worn down home at the edge of the town, raising their little family. Living the life Kylie always thought would be hers. Kylie couldn't take it anymore. She took the ring off and flung it across the room, she heard the little clang as it hit the wall and then the floor. Kylie immediately regretted it and ran after it. What if she broke it!? Isaac would never forgive her! Kylie decided that she would make sure Isaac never finds out. She put it in her time-worn drawer and closed it. As for the gold chains and necklaces she had found in Sophia's clothes, Kylie decided to save it for necessities for her and Parker. As Kylie grabbed the bundle of gold she heard a knock on the front door.

"Kylie!? I know you're in there. Open up."

Kylie's blood ran cold.