HER QUEST-Magic In The Blood

Chapter 44

Ian punched the boulder. Again and again and again. Lightning cracked in the sky followed by the boom of thunder. Everything was washed in bright light for a split second before the darkness consumed all.

Ian kept hitting the boulder. The red blotches of blood on the stone kept getting washed away by the rain as he smeared some again. Tears washed down his face. But the rain took that away too.

"Ian, that's enough," Emm protested from behind him.

He kept hitting. Emm walked over to him and pulled him back. Ian shrugged his hands away and hit the boulder again. Lightning flashed again and Emm noticed the crack on the large stone. Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he walked over and crept before him.

Ian's hands stopped mid strike as Emm came between him and the rock. He gulped, his muscles straining as he lowered his arms down.

"That's enough!" Emm said, his voice low.

Ian shook his head, looking down at the grass, "It will never be enough. Never," he let out a shaky breath, his shoulders sagging, "I led her to this. It's because of me, Emm. I am the reason she's laying on her deathbed," he covered his eyes with the heel of his hands as the tears ran down his face, "My fault, Emm. Everything is my fault."

Emm pulled him closer and wrapped his arms around him. Ian hugged him tightly, letting out all the grief. Emm tried to hold himself together for his brother, soothing him.

"She'll be alright. She's a fighter, you know that," he patted his back.

Ian shook his head, weeping against his shoulder as rain pelted their tears away.

Emm pulled away, "Hey, look at me," he leaned his head down, trying to see in his eyes and squeezed his shoulder making him raise his eyes, "She'll be alright. She's tougher than we think," Ian nodded his head weakly, "We need to head back, okay? The sun will rise in a couple of hours. You want to be there when she wakes up, don't you?"

Ian murmured a "Yes," and Emm looked over at Gage standing a few feet away, "Let's go see our angel."

 
***
Ian waited at the door for Emm to come back. He wouldn't go in. Couldn't go in. Even though he wanted to see her, he couldn't bring himself to step into the house. So he had requested Emm to go see her and then come back down and tell him how was she.

He waited. It had been nearly a half hour. Surely Emm would come back any minute now.

Ian held on tight to the little ray of hope in his chest as he sat on the steps of the house.

***
Emm walked in, closing the door lightly behind him. Jake sat on a chair by the bed, holding Sonia's hand. As soon as Emm entered, he rose. Emm motioned for him to keep sitting.

Walking to the bed, he looked down at Sonia. His teeth gritted involuntarily as he took in her sight. Just that evening, just a handful of hours ago, he was dancing with a flawless beauty. The same girl, yet she looked nothing like her.

Purple bruises marked her face. Her left cheek was swollen. There was a gauge wrapped around her head covering an injury on her forehead. He knew there must be more bandages on her torso and on her leg. He had seen the gaping hole in her dress.

And Emm knew the pain of being shot. His hand rose and rubbed at his waist, where till date a scar remained from his childhood. He gulped as he looked at her, knowing she had endured more than him.

"Where's he?"

Emm looked up at the silent voice of his younger brother. Jake's eyes were red and he didn't look up at Emm, keeping his eyes down at his hands holding Sonia's left one in both of his.