Alek

Chapter 47: Mae Kazimi

Chapter 47: Mae Kazimi

I think this is how a crazy person feels like. It's not because they're crazy, it's because they've gone through something crazy. It's because they are angry. Because there is anger they want to let out and they want to let it out their way.

I've never killed as many people in ten minutes as I have killed today to make my way towards Avery. She is unconscious in the hands of a strange large man, slumped, her arms dangling downwards.

I throw my knife.

My mind is wild, my eyes with hatred.

Why does everything have to come to this? Why does everything have to fucking end like this? I never wanted to hurt Alek.

I need to look for him.

I need to make sure he's okay.

The knife embeds itself into the man's neck and his eyes widen as his hands reach for it. He drops Avery to the floor and at the same time, I jump onto his back, pulling out the knife from his neck before bringing it down again. And again. And again.

Until his neck is almost no longer attached to his body and he thumps to the floor.

My fingers are wet with blood.

Not that they weren't already.

Why Alek? Why Alek? Why Alek?

Why me?

Why us?

If I close my eyes will I be free of this nightmare? If I cover my ears with my hands will the screaming stop? If I climb below my blankets will the darkness cover me from all this blood?

Will the ghosts of the dead forgive me?

I think the real question is, will I ever forgive myself? But does it matter? Not anymore, I think. I've gone too far. I've gone over the edge and fallen into the abyss. And the darkness has already swallowed me whole.

"Mae?" It's Rashid. "Mae, what happened? We heard gunshots?"

I look up and find Kai standing beside him. They are covered in blood, almost like me. They look worried and so, so tired. I wonder what I look like. But it doesn't matter because I think I'm about to collapse and cry and cry until my eyes are dry. I think I want to explode and let my remains burn to feel something because I feel so much I no longer know what I feel.

"Please," I beg my brothers. "Please get Avery out of here-"

"It's okay, Mae," Kai says softly, making his way towards me. "Alek's stepmother is controlling the situation, she's on our side-"

Alek.

"I- I have to find him," I drop my knife, trying to wipe my hands onto my dress. "Please, just please keep her safe. I-I have to find Alek-"

"Go," Rashid flicks his head, eyes melting into mines. "Go, Mae. Run."

Run.

So I turn around and run. I run and run back towards the direction I first came, hands shaking so hard I almost throw up in the middle of the hallway. I don't bother with my heels, because nothing will matter until I find Alek breathing. Somewhere. Anywhere.

"Alek!" I shout, looking left and right. I pray and pray he's okay. "Alek!"

I run into the dining hall we were in only a few moments ago and gasp. He's nowhere in sight, blood on the walls, floors and table. Tommasso's corpse is still on the floor, eyes open and staring vacantly at the ceiling, skin pale. But I don't care about him.