Hexed

Chapter Thirty-five

Somehow, he found an antidote. A temporary one. Enough to last an hour or two, hopefully enough to get me down the stairs and out the building which is very close to collapsing. With my arm over his shoulder for support we make our way down the stairs. I don't say anything. Everything in my mind is a mess right now, at least the antidote calmed me down a bit. He saved my life, and still, I kind of wish he left. I'm not even sure we'll both make it out of here now.

While we walk down step by step, I feel the sweat dripping down my back, the air is getting warmer and warmer by the second. I look over to him, there's a big red mark on his cheek. Where I punched him. I know it wasn't really my, I didn't want to. But I still feel an incredible amount of guilt. For everything, everything that's gone wrong for both of us, even the others, Willow, Benji. Naomi. It was all my fault.

"You know," Kasper says, his tired breathing in between the words. "I don't blame you. For any of it."

I don't reply, I hardly have the strength.

"And I want you to know," he continues, but I cut him off.

"We can talk later." I reply, my voice dry, "When we're not about to die."

I still don't look at him. Getting out of here is the only thing I can think about. Before the antidote runs out. Before I ruin everything again. I want to explain to him, that I care so much, but that I care more about him being safe. But I can't find the strength to.

Another floor down we meet a group of people going up. They don't say anything to us. They're probably protesters, I guess they finally got their way in. They let us through but the only thing they seem to care about is getting in. Getting revenge on the one who ruined their country. Not knowing that he's already dead. The whole way down I struggle to keep going. My head is still spinning and my heart is beating out of my chest. Kasper is no different, I can hear his heavy breath in my ear with every step.

We get closer and closer to the bottom. It's hot. Too hot. As if there's fire surrounding the entire building. Until we finally reach it, the bottom floor. We made it. It's dark outside, almost completely black, but the light of the fire makes the sky look orange. We stumble to the glass door that has been shattered into a million pieces. With one hand Kasper pushes it open and we take our first steps outside. The area in front of the building is mostly on fire or polluted with people fighting the guards.

That's where all of them went.

We stand still for a moment, taking everything in. The outer walls of the area have been broken down, crumbled, and an almost endless stream of people make their way through. Everything seemed to have slipped into chaos. And on top of all of this the Hexed seemed to have made their way through as well. Attacking guards as well as protesters. Kasper holds me tightly, where do we go now?

The honk of a car catches our attention. I see Willow standing next to it, waving and yelling at us. They came back for us. I didn't think they would.

Within seconds we start running. Just seeing the car has given me enough energy to let go of Kasper and start running. Him next to me. Is all I need. And we're so close. So incredibly close. With all the power in me I sprint as fast as I possibly can. Among all the gunshots one seems incredibly close. Kasper lets out a yell of terror behind me. Instantly I look back. My heart drops. He is laying still on the floor. Guards with guns running behind him.

Another gun shot. A stinging pain forces its way into my leg. I fall, but I don't stop. I try to get up, but fail. My leg is killing me. The burning of the bullet tearing its way through my leg. I have to get to him. Nothing else matters anymore. My eyes are glued to him, on the floor. Lifeless.

Two arms grab me under my shoulders. I yell and scream and kick and cry for them to let me go. I yell his name over and over and over. Everything hurts, but not as much as the sight of him there. The arms I now realize is Benji, carrying me back to the car. But I can't go. Not without Kasper.

I watch as the guards pass him, getting closer to us. Benji drags me all the way to the car. And practically throws me in. But I don't want to go in the car. I want Kasper. All I want is him. I don't care if it kills me, I have to go back. I fling my arms around, yell at the top of my lungs for them to let me go.

Benji holds my hands firmly to the seat.

"Keep him still!" I hear him shout.

I look behind me through the back window of the car. Everything is going so fast, I can't think. Everyone is yelling around me. They pick him up and take him away. Away from me. My soul breaking into a million pieces.

"KASPER!" I bring out, my voice dissolving into all the noise around me. My voice breaking, I take one last look, but he's gone, nowhere to be seen.

I hardly feel it, but a sudden sting of a needle finally calms me down.

Benji lets me go and slams the door shut. Everything around me slowly turns black. We drive. Away. All the pain, all the hurt, it all fades away into nothing.