Painting the Roses Red (An Ib AU)

Chapter 11: Painting People

Ocean's Point of View

"Hey Amy, you forgot something." Rick said slowly, picking up her light blue rose that shone in the dim light.Mark stared at his girlfriend's rose with wide eyes; his own rose was loose inhis grip.

It dropped to the floor as well. I looked at them in confusion andwas growing as Rick looked at the rose innocently. He looked up to see Amyright up in his face suddenly. He stepped back, his eyes was wide underneathhis hood.

"Drop it!" Amy threatened, her voice not really hers. I stepped forwards to help, but Tommy kept a grip on my right wrist.

"Wait!" Tommy whispered to me as I nodded. Amy showed her left hand, pulling out her painting knife. Rick stepped back with his hands shaking.

"Put that down friend-" Rick said, letting all of hissuspicion finally be right.

"******* MAKE ME!" Amy said as she went towards Rick with her knife raised. Rick, stepped around her and grabbed her raisedwrist.

"I am not going down that easy, painting women." He smiled asAmy stared at him.

"How did you know?" She semi-yelled, her dark brown eyes flashing behind Rick for a second.

"Amy's eyes are darker than brown." Rick said as Tommy lets goes of my wrist.

"Nope!" I said as I tackled Mark, who was rushing to Rick with his palette knife raised. Rick was distracted for a second; his grip on Amy's wrist was loosening for a second.

Toby, who was once trusted them fully, sprinted towards to a free Amy, who was about to stab Rick. Toby shoved Amy, and Amy screamed for a second.

"Liz!" Mark said as he gasped, distracted. I caught the time to wrestle the palette knife out of his hand, while I tossed it away. He stared up at me in a moment of shock; but then his attack was as quick as Rick's last move.

Soon, he wason top of me, hands was around my throat. I screamed, trying to get him off of me. Mark realized who he waschoking right as I coughed, black was in my vision of his wide eyed face.

His grip on my throat was still hard, however. I heard a sound of pain from aboveme and felt a lot of air fill my lungs, causing me to cough as I rolled over. Ilet a lot of coughs escape from my mouth as I tried to crawl away.

"Ocean!" Tommy said as he wrapped me in a warm and comforting hug as I tried tocrawl towards them.

He had kicked Mark off me way too hard, as Mark lay on theground, not moving anything and his eyes are closed. I felt my strength slowlycome back into my body as Tommy held me closer to him.

"I... I couldn't..." Isaid in between coughs.

"I know, I know..." Tommy said in a softvoice.

"Are you okay?" He asked me in concern as I nodded as both of us stood up.

"They're fake..." Barry ran his finger across Mark's rose petals.

"Yeah... And who is Liz?" Tommy asked, throwing Amy's rose aside, while having me close to him.

"Mark and Amy aren't their real names. At the very least, I know." I answered to the best of my ability, while my throat still hurts a bit.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Jack nodded.Barry looked at Mark and Amy with hurt in his eyes, but went on.

"We gotta go." Toby said saddened a bit.

"Let's not waste this time." Rick said, walking down the steps, and I walked down after everyone.