Chapter Death Upon Us

Nothing moved—not a single word could be heard. Even the wind didn’t seem to be able to move the leaves in this desolate, cursed place.

Annabell stared at the crimson pools. The rich color stood out in contrast to the bare, colorless ground. She wanted to look away, to forget it. However, she found herself unable to; the blood of Joshua was calling at her—demanding her attention.

On shaky legs, she stumbled closer. With each step, she took, her knees began to tremble and she struggled to keep her body upright. Her tentative footsteps echoed throughout the air.

“Be careful, Annabell,” Miriam’s voice sounded from afar, “Blake might still be around.”

Annabell didn’t care. She hoped that Blake was around; she would strangle him to death with her own bare hands she couldn’t even finish that thought, she refused finish it.

Joshua…

He can’t be dead… He sacrificed his whole life for your cause for everyone. He can’t be dead. I beg of you. Solem, I beg of you, he can’t be dead.

There came no reply, only her own rasped breathing answered. She opened her eyes and looked at the scorched, withered earth. Annabell wasn’t sure what she had expected, but her heart fell when she looked upon the bloodied ground. The crimson liquid seemed to float above the ground, unable to soak into the earth.

A single tear fell from her right eye. Rolling down her cheek, it slid off her face, falling to the ground in a spiral. She closed her eyes before it reached the land.

“Annabell…” Miriam gasped.

She looked up to see Miriam pointing on a spot on the ground. Annabell found the area and was surprised to learn that where the tear had fallen, a bright green color sprouted. The grass was alive, growing through the depressing grey.

Annabell felt dizzy. Her body was weak, and she fought against the exhaustion with all she had, but was forced to react when her knees buckled under her. When she hit the grass, a jolt of pain rushed through her body. She ignored it; there was no point in caring about it anymore. Joshua was gone, and she had no way to save him. For the first time in her life, she felt the aching sense of despair set its roots inside her.

Joshua… the only boy who had managed to make her open up was gone. He was the only who had known who she truly was, whom she was not, and who she wished to be. He wasn’t anymore…

“He’s dead,” she whispered. She kept mouthing the words, hoping that it would hurt less—it didn’t. The impression that she had signed his death penalty wouldn’t disappear. The thoughts stabbed at her heart, but she couldn’t take them back. It was final; Joshua was truly gone.

Despair filled her, and she let out a frustrated cry. The single green dot mocked her, and she started to hack at it. She grabbed at the colorful snout and attempted to tear it up. When her clumsy fingers couldn’t get a hold, she dug her nails deep into the ground. Pain tore through her fingertips, but nothing could compare to the intense pain that drummed through her heart. The tears fell freely now, creating a cascade of heartache streaming down her face.

Every tear that fell on the ground, created a new burst of nourished earth. Flora grew fast, and Annabell wanted to scream at them.

A strong gust of wind entered the clearing, lifting her hair up. It whipped against her face and wrapped its chilling cold hand around her.

“Annabell,” Miriam muttered. Annabell looked up to see her sister looking around skeptically, “There’s something coming.”

When she looked around, Annabell felt the earth grip around her knuckles. A high-pitched scream of terror escaped her lips. Every muscle in her body strained as she looked at the ground in horror. She attempted to pull back, but the ground had closed around her wrists holding her in place.

“I’m stuck!” Panic spread through her, she could feel her power wane, the bright green spots turning gray once more.

A horrifying laughter resounded throughout the place, and Miriam begged to run and assist Annabell.

“No! Don’t come near,” Annabell yelled, “Stay out of the grey!”

Long, tedious, silvery swirls rose from the earth, and wrapped around Annabell’s arms, she looked to her sister who was helplessly watching with panic in her eyes. The grey turned to black, and it lapped at her skin. She gritted her teeth to stifle the cry of pain that threatened to spill.

“You have to… run,” she said through gritted teeth.

“I won’t leave you here,” Miriam yelled. She ran in circles around Annabell, “I’m going to find a way to get you free. Don’t worry.”

The familiar black cloud resurfaced in front of Annabell. Blake materialized in the middle of the fog, his lips coiled away in a vicious grin. His features were back to normal, and Annabell noticed that his earlier weariness was gone. His hair was once again playing cheerfully in the wind, and his dark blue eyes had returned.

“Shame on you two. You should have waited until I came back,” he scolded. He raised a finger and wiggled it from side to side, “It’s not nice to start a party before the dinner has been served.”

“Where’s Joshua, you monster?” Annabell yelled. She tried to charge, but the grip on her was too strong. The sight of Blake caused new tears to well. Angry tears fell on the ground, and wherever her tears fell, the black lessened and turned to grey.

Annabell sighed in relief when she noticed, and quickly looked towards Blake to see if he had seen it too—he hadn’t. He was busy cornering Miriam, who was bravely trying to fight him off with nothing but a small branch.

“Come on, Miriam,” he taunted, “I just want to embrace you and take away all your sorrows.”

Miriam backed away, frantically trying to hit him with her weapon, “Where’s Joshua?”

“He’s right her with us,” Blake said with a sigh. He waved his hand once, and the air started to shimmer. A figure started to appear, and Annabell sobbed uncontrollably when she recognized his blonde hair.

“I must say, Miriam,” Blake said, “I am extremely unnerved by the interest you have seemed to taken in your sister’s boyfriend. It actually breaks my heart—I thought we had something special.”

Annabell watched with tear stained eyes as Blake walked over to the body. Joshua was lying still, his head hanging dead to the side. His eyes were open and empty.

Blake nudged him lightly with his foot. The body rolled over to face Annabell.

“Joshua, your friends are here to see you.” Blake faked a gasp, “I apologize deeply for the lack of response; he has a dead sense of manner.”

Annabell blinked rapidly, her vision blurred from the tears. Joshua’s skin was pale and multiple lacerations covered his skin. His clothes were badly torn to pieces, and the blood that stained the clothing was already dry.

No… Joshua…

“Alas, he was delicious while it lasted,” Blake said. He whipped around and faced them, his tone demanding, “I am still hungry. Become one!”

“We don’t know how!” Miriam yelled in scared frustration. Annabell saw her ready herself to leap at Blake, but he held up a hand.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he warned. He averted his eyes to Annabell, “How do you like my tentacles, love?”

Pain seared through her body as the swirls slashed at her skin. Deep lacerations formed on her face and torso when the tentacles cut through her clothes.

She didn’t want to give Blake the satisfaction of screaming, but her tears kept falling in streams. It was unbearable. She looked up to see him smile callously to her.

“You are a monster!” Miriam spat.

“What are you going to about it? Cry, like you always do?” Blake mocked. Miriam didn’t respond.

“Become one!” Blake demanded once more. When he didn’t receive a response, he walked over to Annabell, “You are terrible annoying… Did you know that?”

He kicked her ribs hard. Annabell groaned as she heard a crack. She didn’t know how much longer she could take this, but she was unable to move away or shield her vitals.

Blake leaned down beside her, whispering in her ear, “I can feel your strength weakening. As soon as I’ve broken you thoroughly, Miriam will be a piece of cake. Just look at her, so fragile and innocent.”

He spat at the ground, “To think that you’ve always needed to borrow strength from her… That just proves how insignificant you actually are…”

Annabell was scared, there was no way else to put it, she feared for her life, and only the knowledge that Miriam was safe for as long as she lasted gave her the strength to keep fighting. She was staring into Joshua’s dead eyes. Those green orbs so full of life once were now empty and soulless. A new sob escaped her clenched jaw.

If only I had told him how I felt, now it’s too late. I don’t want to go on without you, Joshua.

Annabell hadn’t noticed Blake move, but another slash from his tentacles brought her back to reality.

“Have you ever heard the saying: ’A team is as strong as their weakest link’?” he asked. Another bone jarring kick was delivered to her upper body. A coughing fit erupted, and Annabell saw blood fall out from her mouth. The red substance landed in the middle of her frozen hands.

Blake continued, “You’re the weakest link in this case, Annabell. And you alone will be the downfall of your sister.”

She could hear Miriam yell at him to stop, and when she tried to raise her neck, she saw that her sister was paralyzed on the spot. Only her lips moved, and her face was damp with fresh tears as she cried for mercy.

Her fingers found a position to move on, and she glanced down, her blood had also weakened the blackness. She took a deep breath and looked towards Joshua once more.

Give me the strength to avenge you, A tug on her hair caused her neck to arch back. Blake’s horrid stench of death filled her nostrils as he tried to break her. “Yes… Look at him. Look at your beloved Joshua. He didn’t have to die. Your stubbornness killed him, just as it killed your mother. And now it will kill your sister too.”

Annabell couldn’t speak; she refused to open her mouth to try. She didn’t give in to him though, the grip was loosening around her arms, and she needed to concentrate. Her focus was on Joshua, who even in death maintained a serene and serious look. Out of her peripheral vision, she saw Miriam move.

She’s free. Don’t give her away. Keep his attention. Annabell think!

“I didn’t kill him, you did,” she answered. Blake rolled his eyes and inhaled deeply—that was all Annabell needed.

“Now, Miriam!” she shouted. Miriam swung a large branch and hit Blake square in the face. He hissed, and his tentacles retreated to the ground. Annabell had only a millisecond to react, but she pulled of all her might.

She didn’t have time to examine her chafed hands, nor did she particularly want to. She jumped to her legs and jerked around. Miriam was standing over Blake, hypnotized by his eyes.

“Annabell…” she whimpered. Annabell rushed over there and grabbed Miriam’s hand. The fatigue wore her down, but the bond with her sister was stronger.

Together they stared down at him. Annabell was filled with hatred, and as she could feel the power rushing through her, she mocked him, “You shouldn’t have let me bleed and cry all over your precious tentacles. Didn’t you know it would weaken them?”

Her anger mixed with Miriam’s feelings and it rushed from one girl to the other through their connected hands. A radiant glow grew from their touch, and slowly it spread out to cover both of their bodies. With joined hands, they stretched out their free hands towards Blake.

When the light reached their palms, it exploded in a massive circle. Wrapping around all of them, Annabell could hear Blake’s terrified screams.

“No!” he cried. He struggled to avoid the light as it lashed out at him. Heat formed within Annabell as she stared at his contorted body.

Time slowed down. Spasms erupted through his body as fear became visible on his face. The light streamed from them, and they saw black tears fall from his eyes, when he realized that this was his downfall.

Foolishly, Blake attempted to reach out for mercy. Annabell narrowed her eyes and touched his hand. He jerked back and looked at his boiling flesh. Like an acid burn, it spread from his fingers and up his arms. Hatred sprouted from Annabell, only fueled by Miriam’s betrayal—she wanted him to suffer. She wished for him to feel the pain he had inflicted on them and she didn’t want to stop.

Boiling bubbles showed on his sores, and flesh eating light reached his face. She watched with nothing but fascination when he clawed at his skin, to make it go away. It didn’t take long for the glow to reach his eyes. It pierced through his eyeballs, and he arched his head back. A terrifying roaring cry came from him. Annabell watched with satisfaction as his whole appearance began to dwindle. The light absorbed all of him, leaving only one scorched spot behind.

Miriam buckled to her knees. She let go of Annabell’s hand, and covered her ears.

“Make it stop,” she pleaded. Annabell looked around – she couldn’t see anything.

“What is it?” she sank down beside her sister, holding her tight.

“So much pain… Can’t… take it,” Miriam whimpered. The tears wouldn’t stop, and Annabell found her hatred slowly decreasing. Fear overtook her, and her eyes welled with tears once more.

Don’t leave me, Miriam.

“Don’t give up, we’ll fight it!” she sounded more confident than she actually was. Miriam didn’t reply, just kept weeping. Her thoughts were closed off for Annabell, and she couldn’t do anything except holding her last living relatives.

“I am…” Miriam whispered barely audible.

“What is it?”

“Sorry…”

Annabell didn’t know what to do; she wanted it all to stop. She couldn’t stand to look at Joshua’s body, and she couldn’t shake Miriam’s feelings of betrayal. Only feelings of grief and death filled her, and she didn’t want to go on—she couldn’t go on.

For hours, they didn’t talk. Only the faint whimper from Miriam broke the eerie silence. Annabell was helpless; she had no idea what to do to help her sister. Instead, she held her tight and rocked her slightly.

The thought of what was yet to come, haunted in the back of her mind. They still had to get the Rising Star—it was their destiny. Nevertheless, neither of them had the power to go on, everything hurt so much.

Besides, I can’t go on without Joshua.

Above them, the sun was setting. Stars came forward and twinkled down to them. It was proof that the time went on, even if it felt as if their hearts had stopped beating. They were on the ground, mourning and grieving together. Nothing was right, and everything was wrong.

Miriam moved her head slightly and looked at the stars. Annabell didn’t want to see them mock her misery. They were divine, all loving, and peaceful.

Why hadn’t they come to aid her? Why hadn’t they saved Joshua?

She doubted their existence; the memory of Joshua’s husky laugh tore savagely at her insides. She needed a release, and she needed it now.

“Annabell…” Miriam croaked.

She looked up to meet her sister’s blue eyes. Tears were still cascading down her face, disappearing into the collar of the shirt. Panic was evident in them, and she could feel her senses go on alert. Miriam rose from the ground.

“What’s wrong?” Her eyes mimicked Miriam as she looked around the place.

Can’t we get a moment to mourn?

“I can’t… g-go on,” Miriam stuttered. Her hands were entangled in her hair, and she was tearing at it.

Annabell looked with horror as she pulled strands of hair out by its roots, and let them fall to the earth.

“Stop it! Miriam…” Annabell tried to catch her hands, forcing her to stop. But Miriam jerked away. She backed off slowly, shaking her head from side to side.

“Don’t touch me…” Miriam whispered. Her hands found her head again, and Annabell watched as she started to claw at her skull. Miriam screamed, “It burns! Make it stop!”

Fear escalated inside her, Miriam wouldn’t stop screaming. She tried to go to her, but she was unable to proceed. With wide eyes, she watched as Miriam’s body began to glow red. Smoke emanated from her flesh, and Miriam looked up to meet Annabell’s frightened eyes.

“I think that… I’m dying…” Miriam whispered. Fire erupted all around her, the flames licking at her skin. Annabell fought to gain momentum, trying to get to her.

I need to stop it… Water… A cloth… Stop oxygen. Help…

When she finally found the ability to move, she stood up and went to grab Miriam. But the look on her face made Annabell halt. Miriam was smiling.

“I love you, Annabell,” she mouthed. She arched her neck back and faced the ink black sky.

“No!” Annabell screamed, she stepped closer as she pleaded, “Don’t leave me.”

The red color intensified, waves of blue, violet, and green grew around them as the glow erupted in luminous arches. It was stunningly beautiful, and Annabell didn’t want to look away. It was a phenomenal curtain of hope and love, mixed with serenity of peace. The light wrapped around her too, like a mother embracing her child. Its warmth was spreading, and with every step, the dancing flames threatening to singe her already raw skin.

She couldn’t go on alone. Stepping closer to the flaming torch that was her sister, she hesitated for a moment. Taking a deep breath, Annabell cast a last glance at Joshua’s dead body. A thousand emotions flittered through her, but then she made a split second decision: she stepped into the fire and hugged her sister.

Instead of burning her, the fire warmed Annabel. The heat dried her tears, and she clung tightly to her sister’s body, Annabell wished for nothing more than to start everything all over again.

Her life flashed before her eyes. She saw the orphanage and remembered Ms. Serena’s never-ending confidence in her. How the woman repeatedly fought for justice for Annabell.

She thought of the anguish on her first day of school, when all the other kids had their parents lovingly waving at them. Every fight she had been in, every fight she had won. She remembered the sense of pride, when she showed them that she was not a pushover, but also remembered the sense of loss when Ms. Serena looked upon her with dismay. She looked down at her arms as she recalled every cut and every bruise she had endured—most of them she acquired by her own stupidity.

Relieving the abuse in the basement was horrible. The memory of the guards’ sadistic gleam as they slashed through her clothes—it killed her inside, from a dark corner of her mind, she realized that she never had figured out what they wanted to do to her.

Joshua’s attractive features surfaced as she recalled how he stood there, saving her in the most humiliating way possible. His stunning eyes that were so filled with wisdom and faith. Their journey together pained her to go through. Every touch, smile, laugh, and every difficult decision they had suffered together, those were the things that she never would get back.

Annabell regretted that she didn’t take a chance to tell him how she felt.

The flames danced over her skin in colorful flickers. It didn’t burn her; it was more as if they washed everything she was away. Annabell saw her body distort but felt no pain. Closing her eyes from the sight, she focused on Miriam.

Their minds were connected as if they were one. Through Miriam, she relieved the pain that was rightfully hers to endure. She saw the distress it caused, and she watched the concern from Veronica when she watched her daughter’s attacks. Envy filled her, when she saw the care that they shared. Pleasure rushed through her when Miriam thought back at the bickering with the staff, and Annabell experienced the kind of bond you only get with family firsthand.

Agony overtook her when thoughts of Blake came to mind. Reliving the passion, and how he had made her feel, burned her at the very core. The trust Miriam had placed in him, the way he had helped her whenever she was burning, and their stolen moment at the lake, whenever Miriam swore she saw something more than friendship in Blake’s eyes as he started into her soul. She felt every flush, every thought, and every reminiscence tore through her body when the flashback of the deception and sorrow came out. Annabel watched as all these things flowed into her mind.

Patiently she waited for the last strike of torture—the one that would allow them to got to their afterlife. She would welcome the darkness, and she knew that she wouldn’t be alone, not even in death. Never again would any of them feel isolated, or betrayed. They were together now and forever.

Annabell wasn’t herself anymore, she could feel her existence slip away, aiming for the sweet bliss of oblivion. She welcomed the darkness.