Where Red Kites Fly

FOUR

She's running. Sprinting. Fuck. She can hear the river on her left, the water gushing at an alarming rate. The banks had burst. The trees loom up at her in the darkness and she had to dodge and weave. What was she even running from? Her breathing is ragged, and dark spots begin to swim across her vision. She couldn't stop now- not until she knew-

"Maya!"

Fuck.

With renewed energy she takes off towards the voice. Her brain is too foggy to place it. Was it Owen? Or Issachar?

"MAYA, RUN!"

She was running. She had to get to the voice. She had to know. She's stumbling now, tripping over roots and branches that had fallen.

"Maya!" the voice is still urgent, but it was getting weaker and weaker.

She puts everything she has into the last stretch of forest and falls into the clearing. She stays there on the ground willing herself to get up. all of her doesn't want to. But she needs to know who needs her. Who was screaming her name?

She does it. she staggers to her feet and looks at the centre of the clearing. She's surprised to see two people there instead of one. There's a body crumpled on the ground, and someone is standing shoulders hunched over them. They're both facing away from her. She takes a step forward and calls out. At least she tries to.

"-!" nothing comes out except a ragged breath. She tries again and something between a gasp and a groan leaves her lungs. There's something familiar about these two people and yet...there was still something that made them strangers. The power imbalance between them was...just wrong. Something had shifted. Greatly. But how did she know that? Who were these people to her? Something wasn't right. She calls out again this time taking a step forward almost stumbling over herself. Within the turmoil of her mind there was a question. Did she really want to know?

The question is answered for her before she has a chance to even mentally toss a coin because the person who was standing turns around.

Her blood freezes in her veins. Her lungs feel impossibly tight. It couldn't be. Owen. Why is he here? he doesn't look himself. He looks...wrong. Vacant. Eerily absent. Shaking she looks to the floor where the body lies. They hadn't moved since shed entered the clearing. What she sees makes her finally find her voice. A guttural scream leaves her, and she runs towards the body. Owen moves faster than lightning and grabs her. He tries to drag her away. She claws at him everything in her fighting to get to her brother. That was Angelo on the ground. Why was his face covered in blood. Why wasn't he moving?

She's screaming his name over and over fighting to get out of Owen's grip. She throws her head back giving him an almighty headbutt and his grip loosens enough for her to wriggle away. She scrambles forward to her brother and shakes him. His arm is cold to the touch and his lips are blue. Her tears drip onto his cheek as she keeps shaking him.

"Angelo," she whispered, "Angelo please wake up. please, please wake. Angelo." The last words trailed off into sobs.

"It was an accident." Owen stood next to her, "no one was meant to get hurt. He-"

"No." she cuts Owen off, "Look at him. How was this accidental? You did this on purpose!" she was screaming now, "You killed my brother! He's dead!"

Owen stood there looking at her his faced twisted with remorse, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

She stands there numb, "No you're not."

Owens reaction threw her completely. He pulls his shoulders straight and look her dead in the eyes. They're cold and lifeless. His mouth is twisted into an unnatural sneer. She takes a step back involuntarily as he stalks forward,