Here I Come | ✔

Chapter Thirty-Five

Chapter Thirty-Five - Pull The Trigger

Monday, 7th December 2020

KRYSTALLIA

We walked inside and there was a curtain on the left. It looked like we were backstage, waiting for the curtains to drop to reveal us.

"Stand in the center, Krystallia!"

Tatiana didn't sound like she used a speaker so that means she's actually here. We stood in the middle and the curtains actually dropped to reveal Kris and Zach on their knees with their hands cuffed behind them.

They were kneeling on either side of the table in the center. Monica Lynn and Vanessa Lynn had joined the party. Monica was holding a rifle at Zach's head while Vanessa was holding one at Kris. Behind the table stood the one and only Tatiana Smith.

"We finally meet again. Oh, it feels so good to actually see you and not through a camera," she sighed in relief. My gaze kept flicking from Kris to Zach and back to Kris.

Kris, or actually Landon currently, gave me a reassuring smile, while Zach gave me a soft one.

People appeared around the room and aimed their guns at KT, James, and I.

"Alright, Krystallia. How about we settle this whole thing?" Tatiana asked and I nodded, "I won, don't you think I should get my prize?"

She smiled, "Of course, the people you came for."

She looked down at the table, "I'll give you your prize when I say I will. Now, I just...need to vent."

She jumped over the table and leaned on the edge, "Have you ever wondered...why I did all of this in the first place?"

"Tatiana-" Monica started talking but Tatiana cut her off, "This bonus level is between Krystallia and I. The rest, keep your mouth shut or I'll sew it shut for you."

Everyone immediately shut up and she smirked, "Well, Krystallia? Have you ever wondered that?"

I exhaled softly, "Countless times."

"Do you have any theories? I'd love to hear them."

I nudged my head towards Zach, "For...him?"

She chuckled, "Well, at first, yes. Do you want the full story?"

"Sure...?"

Why do villains always do this long speech?

"With the incident with the employee, I was doing it for love. I thought I could get you in a trap and kill you off, but you were fast. You got to him before I could.

"Afterwards, I stopped thinking about Zachary and kept thinking about how to destroy you, so it turned from doing this for love into doing this for...acceptance?"

"Acceptance?" I asked and she elaborated, "You were always the best. You had the Crystal Undead. You had the company. You had your family. Hell, your dad, the assassin, came back. You had everything. Everything I wanted."

She sighed, "I thought taking Kristopher would break you down enough to be an easy kill, but you kept going. I thought taking Zachary would push you to your emotional limits, but no, it did nothing. You still kept on trying to find them."

"I designed this 'game' so I could see what could break you down, but alas, nothing did. You went through the emotional turmoil I put you through, and yet," she gestured to me, "Look at you. You're fine. I envy your strength to hold everything together."

"I held it together because I knew what would be waiting on the other side if I pushed through," I explained and she shook her head, "But you still went through all that. You watched the man who took care of you die in front of your eyes, yet you still managed to walk through the door. Your cousin betrayed you, yet you still care for him. What the hell are you made of?"