The Tree's Girl

Chapter Forty Nine

"JOSEPH!" Maria shouted in worry as she got off the table and kneeled beside me.

My elbow was bleeding. I scraped it when I fell. The cut ripped my uniform as well. But I couldn't feel the pain of the wound nor the fall-- I was more engulfed by the feeling of fear and anxiety after hearing what Ken had said.

"Joseph!" I flinched upon hearing his voice again, then quick footsteps followed and to my surprise he was kneeling beside me too with a roll of bandage, alcohol and cotton. He held my wounded arm but I just slapped his hand away, giving him a furious glare as I held onto Maria.

"GET AWAY FROM US!" I shouted as I stood up and took steps back, pulling Maria with me just to get enough distance between them and us.

A lot of questions ran through my mind. How did they know? Who told them? Did they ever witness us killing? More importantly, what do we do to them?

My heart was racing a thousand kilometers per second that it felt like it was about to beat out of my chest. I could feel myself sweat too. My grip was tightening out of fear and I was sure Maria could feel it to as I held into her hand like a child that had just seen a monster.

Anna and Ken had expressions that I couldn't read. I couldn't tell if they were worried, if they were scared, if they were furious. It drove me crazy just thinking about what they could possibly be thinking as well. Will they tell? Will they alarm the police? Will we have to kill them?

The answer to those were very clear. Of course they would tell. Of course they would call the police. Before all that could happen, we have to kill them. A lump started to form in my throat as I trembled at the thought. Never, not once, did I think that I'd kill them this early-- but it was inevitable. Anyone who got close to us always found out, now Anna and Ken will suffer the same fate as they did.

"So it's true?" He spoke, his voice squiking slightly.

I wanted to lie so badly but it would have been obvious if I did. So I did not speak so did Maria. We stayed silent as we observed their actions. I surely did not know what to do if they decided to shout out the railings for the other students who were eating behind the school to hear, but I know Maria had something up her sleeve. Literally. Taking a peek at the hand I was holding, I saw a tiny glimmer of something made out of metal and sharp. She could kill them right here and now if she ever wanted to.

"J-Joseph, Maria. Please listen. W-we understand your situation."

My ears twitched upon hearing Anna's plea. It angered me even more. It made me growl and grit my teeth as gave them a glare that could possibly kill.

"How the hell could you understand?!" Maria was furious as well, shouting at them with obvious despise. Unfortunately, her outbrust gave us away, "You are not forced to kill just to survive, are you?! You couldn't possibly understand!"

I held her back. At least I was still in the decency to do that-- with all my desire to shut them up in anyway possible, at least I was still decent enough to do that.

"We want to help you!" Ken then shouted and it almost made me laugh.

"How will you do that?! Unless you're as smart as the bastards who created this tree, you can't!" I roared back. Obviously these two understood nothing. To actually think that they could save us, it was crazy talk!

We can no longer be helped, we can no longer be saved. We are far too gone.

"W-we'll start by not telling anyone." Anna squiked.

Maria and I were in disbelief. Were these two serious? Or are they just out of their minds? They would let two serial killers like us run free and kill more people? Not that I wouldn't want that.