A War Within Two Worlds

Wrong

Yasmini's POV

"There's no one left, is there?" I whispered. Eliza didn't even have to say anything, I knew I was right. I heard a twig snap behind us and I spun around. Eliza walked toward the sound. I tired to grab her by her bag but she shook me off.
"Is anyone there? We can help you, just come out. It's ok."
A tall man stepped out in front of us. He had green print painted on his face to blend in, his uniform matched. He had a gun slung over the front of his chest. I shrieked and ran, but when I turned around Eliza was still where I left her 10 feet away. I ran back to her and pushed the butt of the gun away from her chest, "get away from her!" I screamed.
The man holding the largest gun had a sick smile on his face.
"Get back!"
But none of them moved.
"I said GET BACK!"
A surge of power shot through me and out of my hands. Their bodies flew and their necks snapped.
"Oh my God, oh my God." I said shaking and looking at my hands.
"Eliza—"
But she wasn't next to me.
"Eliza?"
She was sprawled 10 feet away from me like the others, with a broken neck, but still breathing.
"Eliza?"
"Help me."
"Are you ok?"
"I'm in pain."
I kneeled down and touched her cheek and nodded.
"It'll be ok."
I sobbed as I walked away from her and grabbed one of the men's guns and put it to her forehead.
"I'm so sorry."
Then I pulled the trigger

I ran as far as I could and scrambled onto the tallest, bushiest tree I could find. I sat on the highest branch and sobbed into my hands. I didn't remember it that way. I thought they shot her, I watched them shoot her.

But that wasn't real, was it?
No, I shot her. I didn't want her to be in pain.
She was in pain.

I started to hyperventilate and shake. Tears pooled into my eyes as I sobbed and gasped for air. I put my hands around my throat partly to calm down, and otherwise trying to make myself pass out.

I killed her.
I killed my best friend.
I killed my favorite person in the whole world, and her dad saw it.

I lied to Bronwyn, oh poor sweet Bronwyn, I lied to her, and she died believing me.
I lied to them all.

But was it a lie if I didn't even know the truth until now? What other things have I lied about?

Did I kill Bronwyn?

No, no, I killed the hollow, Miss Peregrine was there.

I need to go back and tell them the truth.

When I got to the beach, no one was there, not even the fairy.
They left me.
I fell on my knees and sobbed again. The sun started to set as I cried and I thought of my first kiss with Victor and started to cry harder. I ran into the water and fell to my knees, the water going to my shoulders.
"Come back, I'm sorry!"

Victor's POV

"I don't care if she did it." Emma said, breaking the silence.
"I love her, and I always will, no matter what she did." I shifted Claire and Olive's weight on my back. They got tired hours ago, and Emma was too nervous to tie up Olive.
"We need to find her." I snapped at Luis.
"I can't feel her."
"What does that mean?"
"That she's out of reach—"
"Then let's go back to the shore!" Enoch stomped, "she probably went back for us."
"Fiona, grow a canopy here, we're staying for the night. Tomorrow, we'll go to Miss Bobolink's loop, alright?"
Fiona nodded and looked around for a good place to set up camp.
"Hugh, Horace, I want you to find food, or seeds for Fiona to grow."
"You're overworking her!" Hugh snapped.
Fiona rushed over to him and rubbed his arm in reassurance.
"Come on mate, I think I saw some berries over there." Horace led Hugh southbound and Jake followed them.
"Enoch, Victor, and I will go back to the beach."
"What about us?" Claire asked, awake and alert.
"Stay with Fiona."
"And me?" Luis asked. I know he meant well, but I wanted him gone.
Fiona held her hands out for the two girls and I set them down gently while rubbing the ache in my back from Olive, who likes to swing her feet.
"Come with us, we need your ability." Emma said reluctantly.

"I didn't mean to make her mad." Luis finally said.
"She's not mad, she's...." I trailed off. I've known Mini —loved Mini— for so long, but I have little to no idea what she's feeling, ever.

It was a year on the dot after Bronwyn died. It was midnight, and I was standing by the cliff drop off. I took a step closer to the edge and saw some of the loose rocks fall into the angry sea below.
"Vic, what are you doing?"
I spun to see Mini behind me with crazy fear in her eyes.
"I was supposed to protect her."
"Step back."
"I was supposed to be her older brother."
I turned back to the twisting ocean and imagined the peace I'd be if I were at rest.
I felt a warm hand grab my wrist.
"A hollow killed her, not you."
I started at the abyss below.
"Victor, I love you."
I turned around and she put her hands on my cheeks, they felt warm and soft.
"I love you." She pleaded. Her eyes were shining with tears, "no matter what, I'll be here." She pulled my arm away from the sharp edge and I went with her.

"Where did Fiona put the boat?"
"No idea." Luis said, "Fiona's the quiet one right? The one who likes the buzzing boy?"
Emma laughed lightly, "yes, that would be Fiona and Hugh."
"He turns pink when he looks at her."
"Always has." I said.
I stepped onto the soft sand and started out onto the beach.
"There!"
Luis pointed to the dark beach.
"I can't see anything, are you sure?" Emma sounded annoyed.
I cupped my hands over my mouth and yelled, "Yasmini?"
I ran out farther on the beach and yelled again,
But she wasn't there.

5/26/21