fallen | ✓

Chapter 20: "If I Lose You"

(Tagged Picture: Masky)

Hazel's POV

I hacked down the axe on a sorry log of wood, watching a few splinters scatter from the scene. I grabbed a wood half and set it down in front of Axe. "Catch it on fire with your lighter please?" I smiled and batted my eyes, giving an awkward curtsy. "Yes ma'am," he saluted, pulling his lighter from his back pocket. He leaned over to the side and grabbed some lighter fluid, pouring some on the log.

He went close, slowly turning on the lighter as the whole thing engulfed in flames in less than two seconds. "Where are the others?" I asked, barely turning as I chopped the second log in half. "Running around somewhere. Like always."

He put his hands around it, looking back at his tent. He shrugged off his backpack, throwing it inside. "This is hella dangerous being out in the open world, no barriers, you know?" I nodded a bit.

"Yeah," I replied, shrugging. "We can make some. Camp-outs are fun, and I kinda wanna stay here." I shut my eyes for a brief moment, tired. I sat next to him, knee to knee. "How's your back?" I peeped. He paused.

"Why?" He cocked his head. "Remember when I first met you?" I asked. His eyes widened and he snorted, leaning forward. "Hazel!" He laughed. "That was three years ago!" He slapped my back.

"But..." He paused for a moment. "A lot had happened since then." He swallowed a bit. Curiosity flooded through me. I actually shivered a bit. "Hazel, I got something to tell you." He said slowly. I twitched a bit when he suddenly rolled up his sleeve. I instantly looked away.

He didn't have to tell me or show me. I already knew what it was.

It was a bite.

"Hazel." He grabbed my forearm. I shifted slightly looking back at him, fighting off tears. His face softened. "Oh, Hazel.. I knew I should've saved this for a better time." I then collapsed into a hug in his arms, crying a bit. He brushed his fingers against the back of my neck and buried his forehead in the crook of my shoulder. He squeezed me for a while, and I swear, he was shaking.

Then I pulled back with wide eyes. "How old is it?" I finally looked down at the bite. It was definitely fresh. Axe paused, clearing his throat.

"An hour." He said all too quietly. My hand went to my mouth and I stared at him. 

"I could've helped you." I shook. 

His eyes searched for mine and he stiffened. "No, Hazel. It was my time."

"I could've saved you!" I nearly shouted. But I knew I could never be mad at him. Especially in this state. I grabbed his arm, extending it. There was a long red vein on the opposite side of his elbow. It went all the way up his shoulder. He was going to turn. Very soon. "If I lose you..." I sniffled. "I'll lose myself.."

"I'm coming to you because I trust you." He then looked away for a moment and grabbed my wrist, placing a gun in my palm. He then shifted sideways. "Make it quick. As much as I'd love having one last taste, I don't want to bite your face off." The tears suddenly poured over my eyelids and I quickly wiped them away. He saw this and turned back towards me. "Hazel, please." He grabbed my hands and stared down.

"I don't want to hurt you." He sniffed. I turned for a moment. I was really, really scared. "I'm asking you to shoot me." He blinked a few times.

"You know I can't do that." My voice cracked. "I don't want anyone else to do it but you, and I don't want to turn. Hazel please." He begged desperately. I looked down at the pistol. This white pistol was going to kill him. Either that to the infection would. Cutting his arm off wouldn't do anything, it would just make him suffer.

I grabbed the collar of his shirt and clicked a bullet in place. I yanked him towards me, planting one last kiss on his lips, pressing the barrel of the gun to the crook of his neck, aiming towards his brain, and pulling the trigger.

~~~

If you think that seeing that pool of blood form for two hours wasn't agony, you're dead wrong. I waited the entire time for them to get back. I watched the blood collect underneath his head. The tears poured out of my eyes as I sat in silence. And the worst part?

I felt like it was all my fault.

I heard the car pull up, and I instantly dropped the gun from my hand. I started to shake. It wasn't murder. It wasn't murder! I trembled, thinking this over and over again. I heard a few gasps, and I pinched my eyes shut. The footsteps got closer and I felt myself being violently turned. Then I opened my eyes.

"What the hell happened?" Kath's voice ripped through my thoughts. Then the thought of the trigger being pulled brought me back and I collapsed into her shoulder, sobbing. She embraced me in a tight hug, rubbing my back.

"H-He..." I sniffed. "He was bitten." My voice cracked. Kath's body stiffened.

"That's terrible.." She said in a hushed tone. I squeezed in one last hug before pulling away and glancing at Axe's corpse. I frowned a bit. "He told me to shoot him." I pushed out. "So I did." I then turned and walked back into the prison.

At least he died where he started.

~~~

Jenny's POV

"So let me get this straight.." I grimaced.

"Don't," He pinched his eyes shut. "You heard me.."

My jaw dropped. "Me too!" I squealed, turning around, showing the dark black print on the back of my blood stained, white shirt. The text said, "Death Row". He frowned. "Why?"

"Oh, I murdered a few people. I'm an orphan." I shrugged. "No one wants a knife playing girl when they can have a doll playing girl." I chuckled. He opened his mouth to speak, but decided against it and slumped down. I hesitated.

"What's wrong?" I tilted my head. He shook his head, folding his arms and turning his head, avoiding eye contact. "Nothing." He brushed me off.

"We have a lot of things in common don't we?" The corner of his mouth twitched. I nodded, smiling a bit.

"Come on." I stood up, holding out my hand. He looked up and grabbed it, pulling himself up.

"Where are we going?" He asked, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. I laughed.

"Wherever you want," I replied.

"Before we go," He piped up as I walked towards the end of the tunnel. I spun around. "I need to.. Show you something.." He breathed slightly, releasing my hand and untying the knot, holding the mask on his face. My eyes widened a bit. He stared at me with his big blue eyes, smiling. There where large smears of clown makeup all over his face.

"I wanted to show you sooner or later." He laughed. "I-I'm glad you did!" I sputtered, laughing back. He calmed down, nodding.

"You should keep it off more," I suggested, looking down at it in his palms. Then I looked back up at him. He shook his head.

"Nah."

"Why not?" I frowned in disappointment. He smirked for a split second, securing it back on his face. "Tsk." I shook my head back, booping his nose. "You're such a downer, you know that?" He smiled at me.

"I know." He replied.

(////scream///// I'm sorry. But on the bright side, I'm ending the book with Axe's note on chapter 24. So chill out ugh.

(God that's gonna be such a feelsy chapter.

(So was it really murder? Comment what you think.

(One last thing. I'll be adding visuals to the last chapters. So look out for those. I'll explain first thing who they are. And hint: Last chapter is Hazel's visual.