Last Card

SEVEN - Amaya

"AXEL!" I called.
"In the living room." Scarlet replied. I rushed in to see him tied up on a dining chair.
"Why are you here?" He cried.
"Did you expect me to let you be alone when I know she's here?"
"I have a name, you know." Scarlet interrupted.
"Shut up!" Axel and I said in perfect unison, glaring at her.
"Alright, calm yourselves."
"Amaya, please leave." Axel whispered.
"No." I demanded. Then, I turned to Scarlet. "What are you doing here?"
"Thought I'd pop by, say hello, you know."
"How did you get out?"
"As I was telling your devilishly handsome roommate earlier, I had some friends."
"How did you do it?" I repeated, my frustration growing with every second that passed.
"It was actually pretty simple. I knew a few of the guards and they got hold of the uniform for me, so I just marched straight out."
"Won't people be looking for you?" I questioned.
"I don't think I have to worry about that." Scarlet smiled. There was a long pause before Axel spoke. "What did you do?"
"Yeah, how much money did you pay someone?" I added.
"Oh, baby. I paid someone something a lot more valuable than money." Her laugh was manic. Axel and I stared at each other with concern. Then, his fidgeting seemed to catch my attention. Was he... untying himself? Something was off. I didn't like this. The Axel I know would just sit still until everything was over. Why was he trying to get out? He knows something that I don't. What does he know?

My train of thought was soon interrupted by a sharp pain in the back of my neck. When I looked into Axel's eyes, they were dull yet full of regret and sorrow. I raised my hand to my neck, and when I pulled it away, my fingers were bright red. "You've played your last card, Amaya. You're out of the game." Scarlet said in a strangely soft way. My vision clouded and my legs gave way as I collapsed on the floor. My entire body was paralysed but I could hear and feel everything. Axel must have finally untied himself because I felt him rush to my side and grab my hand.
"Stay with me, Amaya." I could hear a tremble in his voice. Was he crying? "Please," he begged. "Please." Struggling, I opened my eyes to see him staring at my face with waterfalls of tears flowing down his cheeks from his bloodshot eyes. A spark of life shot through him when he noticed my teary eyes were (barely) open. When I tried to speak to him, my throat hurt. "I love you" was the only thing I managed to get out. "I love you Amaya, please don't leave me. I can't do this without you. Please, you're the only thing I have left." he sobbed. I squeezed his hand tightly as my eyes shut for the final time. My grip on his hand weakened as I drifted away into nothingness.

I'm so sorry Axel.