" Bitter Truth ".

36. Prior

I sat down on the chair, while the next round of the competition was being prepared, Austin walked out as he received a call.
I looked around watching as the chaos again started with some of them fighting, while some of them were having their romantic moments.

" hi hazel " a tall, blonde-haired girl in a red gown greeted me.

" hi," I said looking at her confused, unable to put a name to her face.

" It's me, Karen," she said with a smile.

" oh it's been so long," I said pretending to recognize her.

" I know...." she said signaling me to excuse her for a second while she answered the call " oh ok I'll be right there," she said.

" umm hazel I talk to you later...unm this is a little something from the person there " she pointed in the crowd before I could ask her any more questions she handed me the package walking away.

I looked carefully at the brown packaging inspecting, it felt heavy, I placed it on the table excitedly opening it, what if something amazing is in it? Like ice cream.

My hand quickened to open the package at thought of the ice cream.

" ice cream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream " I sang excitedly opening the package.

I gripped the table hard at the sight of the decapitated head soaked in blood, my heart started racing, my breathing got heavy, and my fingers got cold and clammy.

I tried closing my eyes trying to get myself to calm down but it can't working the flashing image of the decapitated head flashed in front of my eyes. My feet started feeling wobbly unable to balance my weight, I held the back of the chair with my hand, trying to sit over it with my eyes closed losing balance I fell down the cold floor adding to the chillness all over my body.

The muffling sounds of Eddie, Roland, and Hannah fell deaf to my ears, everyone started gathering around trying to talk to me but I wasn't able to reply my throat was completely dry.

I tried moving back, away from everyone as the air kept getting thicker and thicker making it difficult to breathe. I pulled my feet closer, placing my hands over my ears trying to talk to myself but it made no effort.

Suddenly I felt a warm pair of arms encasing me, pulling me into a comforting embrace that I recognized as Austins.

" Everybody move now!" he ordered.

" Boss ", " seal the gates now" he ordered again.

" princess look at me " he pleaded but I felt too weak to respond.

" ahh baby I am here calm down, calm down " he kept repeating, whispering gently into my ears.

" princess I want you to listen to me and nothing else, listen to my words carefully...I am right here, nothing will happen to you, you are with me now..... This won't last long " he said gently rubbing my back.

"I am here princess, you are the strongest, you're so beautiful, and you can do it, I know it's hard but I am right here, I will not leave you alone....ok...ok," he said gently pulling me closer to him, I gripped his shirt hard finding it comforting my breathing slowly steadied.

He placed his head against mine" are you listening to me princess " I gently nodded.

" I am tired " I whispered placing my head in the crook of his neck and closed my eyes. He ran his fingers through my hair, and my breath went back to its normal form along with my heart.

He gently stood up with me in his arms, he gently placed me on the chair still holding onto me.

He took off my sandals rubbing my feet and warming them up " Are you feeling alright princess?" he questioned taking away all the hair from my face and putting it into a ponytail, with the scrunchie that he had on his wrist, making me realize I had never seen him without that. He took the glass of water from the table making me drink it. All the time he had a concerned expression on his face.