Little Lightning

Chapter 32

Lyrical was in a terribly familiar room. This wasn't her old home on earth. It was the place that Kirtash had brought her to tell her about Ivana, and the place where Yia and the Loram and Spike had done who knows what to her, sparking this whole situation. 

Except, he was right next to her, only a few feet away. She wanted to go to him, to ask what was happening, but for some reason, her body wouldn't move. About thirty feet in front of them stood Yia and someone she didn't recognize. The scenery was faded, almost dull, around her. It felt increasingly familiar, almost as if she had been in this situation before.  She didn't feel like herself either. Her movements were not hers, and no matter what she thought she couldn't seem to stop herself from moving the way she did. 

She held a gun in her right hand, pointed down at the shining black ground. The gun was slightly familiar, and Lyrical realized it looked a lot like the gun that Kirtash had given her what felt like so long ago. 

She raised the gun and pointed it at Yia, but it wasn't Lyrical who had moved. In fact, Lyrical was completely surprised at this action. It was almost as if she was in someone else's body, with no control over her own actions. 

"Don't touch him!" She heard herself shout, her mouth moving with words that had never crossed Lyricals mind, voice not hers. "If you touch him, I'll shoot!" She felt the burn of overused muscles not used to moving so much, but still, the body she resided in didn't move, despite her trembling arms and hands. She could feel her legs shake as well. "Please." She inhaled shudderingly. Her body struggled to inhale, the oxygen in the air not feeling like it was enough. "Don't touch him. You can have me. But I swear if you so much as scratch him, whether or not I'm dead won't matter. I'll find you and flay you alive, then haunt you for the rest of my ghostly life."  Lyrical wanted to turn to look at Kirtash to see his reaction with every fiber of her being, but her body didn't move. All it allowed her was to glance at him briefly. From the short second she was able to look at him, she could tell that he was worried. And unnerved. 

"Ivana...." Lyrical froze inside her mind. Ivana? She looked at the wall behind Yia, the surface so reflective she was able to make out a vague form with wild red hair in the reflection. Wait. 

She was Ivana? Some part of her recoiled. She did not like this situation. Kirtash had said this was the place she had died, and that she had been shot by her own allies. 

"Not now, Kirtash. Whatever you're going to say can wait." She heard herself snarl, but Lyrical felt the monster in her stomach churn. Guilt. Ivana was guilty that she had talked to Kirtash that way, but felt as if she had to... to keep him safe.

"Ivana, you need medical attention." Kirtash insisted from a few feet beside her. The sound of a foot hitting the ground told her he had stepped forward. Ivana, with Lyrical inside, turned, her gun now pointing at Kirtash. 

What are you doing?! Lyrical shouted in her mind. She understood wanting to protect Kirtash, but this was going a little too far. She watched his eyes widen and the monster in her stomach writhed around more. 

"I'm sorry, Kirtash, but I can't let you put yourself in danger. Back up, and don't come any closer." Surprise widened his eyes and he stepped back, retracting the hand that had extended. She turned back to Yia, gun still trained on Kirtash. "Now. Let him go, and I will do whatever you like. That was the deal. No one gets hurt." Yia sent a patronizing smile back at her that sent shivers down her spine. 

"Did you really think no one would get hurt?" Anger rose in Lyrical, this time not just Ivana's but her own. 

"You--" 

"Kirtash, come here." Yia interrupted, turned to Kirtash. Ivana turned to look at him, and Lyrical was thankful that she had done something that Lyrical wanted to do. "I would like to ask you a question." 

"It's me you want. Not him."  Desperation and panic rose in her, and she couldn't quite keep all of it from entering her voice. 

"No." Yia retorted, anger suddenly contorting her face. Ivana saw the gun behind her back and knew what was going to happen a second too late. She turned towards Kirtash and launched herself at him with every last ounce of energy she had left in her tired legs. 

Pain erupted in her stomach and the sickeningly sticky sensation of blood on her stomach hit her immediately. She was on something warm, and she didn't have to open her eyes to know that blood was pooling beneath her. A gut-wrenching, blood-curdling, heartbroken scream reached her ears. 

"No!" A voice shouted, one that both Lyrical and Ivana "No no no no no! Stay with me, Ivana, stay with me! Come on, Ivana, don't leave me. Don't leave me behind..." 

She opened her eyes slightly, and Kirtash hovering over her focused slowly. 

"Kir...tash?" She whispered. "Are...you ok? Did I...protect you?" Lyrical felt like crying. Aparently Ivana felt the same. A lump formed in her throat, though no tears fell. 

"You did, Ivana. You protected me." Kirtash whispered, his tears hitting her cheeks and her slowly dying body.

"Why are you crying, Ash?" Inside Lyricals mind, she wondered if it was something that Kirtash liked being called. She saw Ivana's hand reach up and cup his face, and felt the burning in her arm at the effort. She watched as Ivana wiped away a tear that slipped down his cheek. "I can't see your beautiful eyes when you cry." 

"I'm sorry..." 

"Don't apologize. I think I know why."  Ivana inhaled shakily, and Lyrical could sense that her time was running out. "I'm going to die, aren't I?"

"No." He started roughly, his voice breaking. "No, you're not. You still have to beat me in that game you like, remember?" 

"Kirtash, I can feel it." She spoke softly, and Lyrical could feel that she meant it. She gripped his hand and looked at him, fear rising. "I'm scared, Kirtash. Will you stay with me?" Lyrical and Ivana wimpered, tears rising and spilling over her cheeks. He pulled her close to him. 

"I'll be right there with you. I'm not going anywhere." She let out a quiet sob. 

"Promise?" 

"Promise." 

"I love you, Kirtash." Ivana's eyes closed, and Lyrical screamed in her mind for her to stay awake, though she knew it was useless. 

"I love you too, Ivana." Kirtash's voice whispered, before Lyricals vision faded into black.