Change of Heart

Chapter 77

I jumped out of my skin. He wants me to kill him!? Is he crazy!? Insane!? "You can't be serious!"

"I'm dead serious." No emotion in his voice whatsoever.

"You were practically trembling in fear just now, about Zeke killing you, and now-"

He stood to his feet, jumping down my throat. "I want to die, Caden! But I don't want to be killed by Zeke." I began to tremble myself at his words. "Look, for years I have been wanting to take my own life, but Zeke just wouldn't allow it. He would always interfere, so my attempts always failed."

"Bryce, I can't kill you...let alone anyone else. I'm not a killer! Yea, I may beat the crap out of someone when I get past my point of anger, but I'm not a kil-" I brought down my voice, realizing I'm shouting to loud. "I'm not a killer.."

"Caden, please. I'd rather be killed by you than Zeke. At least with this, my life will be in the hands of someone I can trust." He glanced away for a moment. "Yes, we don't know each other well, but you're the only person I know..." Looking back at me, he stood straight. "Please Caden. This is all I ask of you."

Clenching my fists, I couldn't believe my own ears. Why couldn't it have been something like to help him run away from Zeke for good rather than to kill him? "Bryce-" I started and he started walking past me.

"I'll be at the cemetery at ten. Please Caden...this is my only request." He went out the door and I wound up punching the wall. Dammit! Why did it have to come to this...Bryce?

**

"Sorry, it took me so long. I brought up some drinks." Walking into Serine's room, she had been drawing out the image she saw. Sitting next to her, I stopped her from drawing by pulling her into a hug. "I'm sorry."

She wrapped her arms around me, resting her head on my shoulder. Luckily, it wasn't my stabbed one..

Serine was quiet, not saying a word as she just stayed there laying against me. I glanced over at her drawing to see a man with red and black long hair. This is the third time he's shown up, but compared to all the rest, that wasn't a whole lot. Though, this one did have more of an affect on her than the rest...leaving her more frightened than usual.

**

It was twenty minutes to ten, and I was still unsure of what to do. Pacing the floor, my whole body felt tense. I needed to tell someone, anyone! I didn't know what to do. I felt I could have someone tell me what to do! And before I knew it, I was well on my way over to Jake's.

Turns out he was unable to stay indoors, too. As a result, I ended up running into him on the street. "Jake, I need to talk to you."

"What are you doing out here?"

"I could ask you the same question. But never mind that, you need to come with me, I'll explain on the way."

**

Leading Jake towards the cemetery, I told him the whole story. "Maybe we can convince him to go down a different path, one that doesn't involve having to kill him."

"I hate to say it..." Jake started, well out of breath. "But it seems he's dead set, on you killing him."

"But I can't kill him, Jake! Don't you get that?" Despite me being out of breath too, I still managed to talk as if I wasn't. After reaching the cemetery, we saw Bryce standing in the middle of the field. "Bryce!" I called out to him as we ran forward. We began to slow down when Zeke appeared from the shadows.

Damn...we got here too late..

"Well look who decided to join the party." Zeke went up and kicked Bryce to the ground.

Approaching the two, Jake and I simultaneously called out. "Leave him alone!" I added on. "Why are you doing this? And to your own brother, Zeke?"

"That's none of your business!" Zeke pulled out his knife he keeps under his pants and I instantly reacted. Before he could make a move on Bryce, I attacked Zeke knocking the knife out of his hand. He shouted out as I stomped on his hand before running to the knife. I managed to reach it before he could get back up again, and I gripped it tight in my hands.

It felt wrong, just holding it up at another person. I preferred using my fists because I knew it wouldn't do as much damage...but a knife, this was new for me. Running over to Bryce and Jake, I stood in front of them holding the knife out in front of me. My hands shook uncontrollably and I couldn't keep a tight grip on the knife.

Zeke stood to his feet and started laughing. "Having a bit of trouble there, Caden? Looks like I'll be able to kill him after all, considering you can't even stand your ground."

As he stepped forward, I took a step back, and Bryce took a hold of my shirt, pulling himself up. He whispered in my ear. "Turn this way."

Closing my eyes, I brought the knife down a bit and slowly turned to face Bryce. I realized Jake started running past me, and before I could turn back to see what he was doing, Bryce took a hold of my hands along with the blade, stabbing himself in the chest. My eyes shot wide open with tears streaming down my cheeks as he pulled it out and stabbed himself again, this time much deeper. He had no reaction of pain or sorrow in him, only relief. Before falling to the ground, he mouthed the words thank you with a smile on his face.

I released my hands from the blade taking a few steps back. What did I...have I done? I heard Zeke shout with anger. Turning around, I noticed Jake lying on the ground and Zeke running at me at full speed. I was unable to move my body resulting in him attacking me to the ground. He had been so filled with hate, it was as if steam was emitting from his body.

"YOU FUCKING BASTARD!!" Zeke screamed at the top of his lungs punching me over and over and over again. I was unable to even respond, my mind just so lost at what had happened. I had never seen someone killed before...not in real life. I didn't even see how my own parents died. Bryce, he was the first life I saw snatched away from this world, and I couldn't even bare that.

A bright red light engulfed Zeke's body pulling him from mine. I couldn't help but stare at him in awe. Footsteps approached from behind me, and someone's voice pierced my ears, one unrecognizable. "I'll be taking him with me. Consider yourself lucky."

Slowly turning my body, I noticed a man standing over me, and not just any man...but the exact same man that was portrayed in Serine's image only just a few hours ago. This can't be...how is he here? Right in front of me?

He glanced down at me, giving a most menacing grin. Pulling me up by the hair, his voice came down to a whisper. "Caden, is your name, is it not? I heard him call it earlier before he practically killed you with his bare hands." My body shook even more so than I thought was even possible. "Unfortunately, because of his little episode, I was drawn here by his hatred for you, causing me to lose my track of something I've been searching for most my whole life."

"W-who...who are you?" I forced out the words, a bit staggered. I was surprised to even be able to speak right now.

"That's not important." Looking past me for a second, he reverted his eyes back at me. "I realize now that you have what I'm searching for, yet I seem to have lost the actual location." What he's searching for? He couldn't mean...Serine, right? "And I realize if that fellow over there found out, he'd snatch her away from me, wanting to get his own revenge on you."

"You-" I started and he pulled my hair back again, even tighter than before.

"Relax. Lucky for you, it won't be for a while before I come back again, seeing as how I've got a new pet to teach." Throwing my head to the ground again, he stood straight up, and his words sent the biggest chill down my spine. "That doesn't mean I won't be back to claim what's mine." And with that he took a hold of Zeke offering me a final smile. "We'll meet again, Caden."