What Once was Broken

Chapter 36.... End Of The Reign

I gasped as I awoke in a dimly lit room produced by a single lightbulb, groggy, confused..... The last thing I remembered was Leo calling my name, and Jenna and Barney being mauled to bits.... I looked around, my head aching as liquid trickled down my face, presumably blood, and I eventually found Barney next to me, bound to the same post I was bound to. "B-Barney." I groaned, trying to see if he was still alive. "Ugggggh....." Was the only response he could muster, which was enough to satisfy my hope that I wasn't alone. I looked around, trying to find where Jenna was, when I heard a quiet whimper from in front of us. "Jenna? Is that you?" I called weakly, and when I did, three other lights lit up the place, and I found a whole swarm of Bullies surrounding us! ""Jenna? Are okay, Jenna?"." One of them mocked, and the others began to laugh along as I scolded, "It's NOT funny! WHERE did you put my friend!" The others laughed again, and a loud thwack caught our attention. There, on a pedistal lit up by the dim glimmer of a large window, was Jenna. She was bound to a pole, and her beautiful face now bore a crack down her right cheek from the impact of the attack. Next to her was the devil himself, Truls, boasting a proud smile as he stood tall, dressed in a makeshift crown and cape like a fraud king. My blood boiled as he laughed wickedly, and he announced, "Have captured flesh child, won war!" The other bullies erupted into cheers as Barney woke up fully, and found the love of his dreams bound next to her monster. Barney growled, and it was all I could do to hush him as I said aloud, "What do you expect to gain out of being rid of ME! You will NEVER win as long as there is still flesh that walks our earth, pushing for the freedom they deserve." "One less deal with! Leave leader in blood, others go ruin." Truls boomed, putting an arm around Jenna, who reeled back from him in disgust. "NO TOUCH!" Barney screamed, catching Truls attention, as well as the audience. Truls laughed wickedly, and left the pedistal to meet Barney at eye level as he growled, "What gonna do? Tied to flesh flea!" "And this "Flesh flea" is going to stop your reign of terror once and for all, you disgusting maggot!" I responded, spitting at the ground he stood on. Offended, he wrapped his hand around my neck to knock me unconscious when Jenna yelled, "STOP! NO HURT!" Truls turned to look at her for a moment before releasing me, leaving me a coughing mess as he waltzed triumphantly towards Jenna. "And if no?" Truls sneered, caressing Jenna's cracked cheek, and chipping a peice off of her with his bare fingers. Jenna howled in pain, and tears came to me as I screamed, "YOU'RE HURTING HER! STOP!" Truls pointed at me, and a group of Bullies undid my binds, and brought me to his and Jenna's feet. He put a table leg that he used as a scepter underneath my chin, and spat cruely, "Bow to us. Bow and maybe let friends go!" "I'll NEVER bow to the likes of YOU Truls.... EVER!" I growled through gritted teeth. His smile fell, and he removed his sceptre as he replied, "Very well!" And tore another peice of Jenna's cheek from her face, and making her cry again in pain. "NO!" Barney screamed, and I felt a fire burn inside as I lifted my gaze to Truls. "I demand a battle!" I announced, and I could hear all the dolls in the room whisper to one another. Truls laughed as he roared, "YOU? HA! You no beat me first time in class! Why think you beat me now?" "Because I have a strength in me fueled by the people who love me, and who I love in return! That is more than any physical power that YOU have Truls." I seethed. Truls and the others looked at each other for a minute, then, a sea of laughter filled the room at head splitting intervals. The noise grew louder, and louder, and inside of me burned more, and more... My chest glowed like the surface of the sun as I rose in the air, creating a whirlwind around me as the laughter turned to frightened chittering, and eventually to screaming as the window shattered, sucking most of the Bully's out to meet a gruesome end. The light in Mr tingled through out my body, and I screamed angrily, expelling a force so great that the lights in the room shattered, leaving a mass of panicked dolls in the darkness. I could hear Truls trying to regain order, but it remained useless as I snuck over to Barney, weilding a thick shard of glass. I cut him free from his bounds, and he asked me in a shakey voice, "Friend Claire okay?" I nodded quickly, then explained the plan I had in place. "We MUST get Jenna, and get out as FAST as we can! We'll use that window there, and climb to the roof." "Sounds good!" Barney replied, and amongst the clatter, we bound our way up the pedistal, and quickly released Jenna, who happily jumped into Barney's arms, and nudged his forehead as tears streamed from her eyes. "COME! We must go NOW!" I commanded like a general, and the three of us ran to the busted window, and peered out of it timidly. As it turned out, we were taken prisoner in the attic, and it was just our luck to find a metal ring ladder at the far end of the window. "Balance on the ledge, and BE CAREFUL!" I instructed, and I sent Barney and Jenna on their way JUST as Truls spotted me. "YOU!" He growled, and he crawled after me on all fours at max speed. I flung myself out of the window, and onto the ledge before he could get me, only slightly cutting my hand in the process, which healed quickly due to my powers. I wasn't in the clear yet, for Truls had leapt from the window as well, and was making his way along the edge after me! Barney and Jenna had JUST reached the roof top when I grabbed the slippery rungs of the ladder; the rain coming down hard on my face as I climbed as fast as I could. Finally, I got to the roof, but I couldn't find Barney or Jenna ANYWHERE! "WHERE ARE YOU!?" I called out through the thunder, and pounding water droplets on the roof. I heard a yeowl, and I whipped around to find Truls coming over the edge of the roof! I had to run, careful not to slip as I called out to my two semi newest friends, only to hear nothing back as I feared the absolute worst. It wasn't long until I felt a force push me to the roof top, and I fought as I heard the gnashing, and growling Truls produced as he continued to hit me, throw me, and thrash me. He was strong, but I refused to give into him without a fight, and I charged at him with the little strength I could muster, only for him to throw me back to the ground in front of him. I leant weakly against an air duct, and breathed shallowly as he prepared to pounce! I covered my eyes, thinking it was over when I heard another battle cry come from nowhere, and a thud after! I opened my eyes, and there was Barney, fighting Truls with a fire that was sparked from the desire to protect his precious diamond. "NO HURT FRIEND!" He screamed in bloody murder, and kicked Truls to the floor in front of him as Jenna ran to my aid. "You alright?" She asked, quickly examining my wounds. I glowed brightly, healing every cut, bump, and bruise before her very eyes, leaving her astonished. "Let's move!" I called, and she threw my arm over her shoulder, and helped me to my feet as we carried on in the deadly rain. I turned back, seeing Barney fight so valiantly, and so boldly, and evading Truls like a panther before he would strike him! It was an epic battle.... Epic.... And brave...... Little did we know that this would be the last time we saw Barney..... Truls HAD overpowered him, and with a good shove, he sent Barney sailing over the edge of the roof, screaming in terror. "NOOOOO!" I screamed crying, and Jenna cried out painfully, "BARNEEEEEEEEY!" I could see tears flowing down her face as we realized there was nothing we COULD do now.... Truls approached us, laughing maniacally as he said in a sing song voice, "Game over!" Standing in Jenna's hold, I felt her cold porcelain skin burn hotter than a furnace, and her breathing grew fierce as she let out a howl of revenge! She tore across the roof after Truls with newfound strength, and she tackled, kicked, scratched, and bit as he tried to fight her off. She evaded every move flawlessly, and her counter attacks were on point! She continued to overwhelm him until karma came, and bit Truls back in the form of a grieving lover, as he too, sailed over the other side of the building, meeting a similar fate as our latest, and beloved friend. Breathless, Jenna returned to me, shaking uncontrollably. We sobbed as we embraced each other, each in mourning over our friend. After a few minutes, we found a latter, and with a heavy heart, we both climbed into a back court yard behind the school, with bikes, toys, and dead flowers inhabiting old, clay pots. We finally reached ground when an excited voice called out, "Claire!" and Leo ran through the open gates, and flung himself over me in sheer delight to find that I had made it alive. "Oh, I was SO worried! I thought you really DID die this time, and so I demanded Six to bring us back to check on you, and here you are!" He said happily, showering me with kisses and hugs, but all I could think about at the moment was finding Barney. I peeled myself away from Leo, and found Jenna knealt over something in front of the stairs, and I had a feeling I knew what it was.... Heart broken, I left Leo without saying a word, and approached Jenna to find her reassembling the head of her precious love in hopes of bringing him back, only for the pieces to cave, and leaving Jenna whimpering sadly. When she noticed my presence, she seemed to have remembered that I could heal things, and so she took my hand, and place it on Barney's chest, looking hopefully at me. I closed my eyes, and my chest began to glow, but when I opened my eyes, nothing had changed..... Barney was still in pieces, and furthermore, dead.... I looked down in defeat as I sobbed, "I'm so sorry Jenna!" And I took her into my arms, and cried my little heart out. I felt Jenna give up, and she hugged me as Leo approached, standing over the now deceased Barney as we cried. We were finally able to pull away from each other, and Jenna reached over for one of the small shards that made up Barney's head, and placed it into my palm. Then, she reached up to her own face, and plucked a small piece of her cheek, and placed it gingerly next to Barney's as she said, "Keep together..." "Yes, I will! I promise!" I cried, holding both pieces to my chest, and Jenna kissed me for the last time as she replied, "Thank you..." And rose from the ground. Leo knealt beside me, shook his head, and pulled me into his embrace as I saw Jenna approach one of the pots. "Goodbye." She said, and I shut my eyes tightly as I heard porcelain shatter against the pot..... I felt guilty..... And lost...... First Naomi, and the children, then Mom and Bree, then Charlie, and NOW them? Six ran up from behind, and scolded, "There you are! I was-" and she stopped as she saw me sob into his chest harshly, and looked at the shattered corpses next to us. "What a shame, losing someone." Six simply said in an unfelt manner, and I was about to be furious. But what good does it do? They're gone! But not I.... Why not I?.... Six sighed, patted Leo on the back, and said, "Maybe it's best that we go." "NO!" I cried, "I WON'T LEAVE THEM LIKE THIS!" "But we have NO time!" Six objected. I looked up into Leo's eyes, and begged, "We can't leave them like this, please! They're our friends, and we HAVE to give them a proper burial!" Leo looked between us two, them looked around the courtyard as he replied, "They would LOVE that, but where shall you put them?" "In the pots... They have dirt....." I replied, pulling away from him. "You've GOT to be kidding!" Six huffed, and Leo simply looked at her in return. She sighed, and responded, "I'll meet you at the gate when you're ready." Leo and I set about picking up the scattered pieces of Barney and Jenna, as well as their bodies, and dug a deep enough hole to put both of them in. After covering the hole, I kneeled over them, crying as Leo stood below, waiting for me. I remembered a song we sang at my Daddy's funeral, a folk monster song that was used for many generations among every monster, and so I hummed the lovely tune to myself as I mourned both of my dearest friends, with the rain pouring onto my back. Once I was done, I leapt from the pot, and placed my forehead to the front as I bid them farewell. As I was going to leave, a phenomenon happened with the pot, causing me to turn just in time for Leo and I to see the pot return to it's once red hue, and the gold pattern to shine bright. But the most beautiful thing of all were the once dead daisies in the pot, had spouted anew, leaving life and color to a colorless world, and for the first time, a beam of sun fell onto the new symbol of life, bringing hope to me as the other two were left stared in disbelief. "Well look at that...." Leo said in awe. I felt happy, knowing they were finally going to be free, and happy together in heaven, and so with that comforting thought, we left the clutches of the school, and all it's bullies, and the new symbol of life created from love. Now it was time to brave a new part of the Pale City....