until the very end

part 15

And so, we went. We walked through the empty streets in the direction of Clifftop. She didn’t speak and neither did I.

Then I decided I didn’t like the silence. “So much for a bit of drinking to make it through these dark times,” I said.

Skyler turned to look at me, narrowing her eyes with a dangerous expression on her face.
“She’s going to be okay,” I quickly added. “Lana will heal her.”
Skyler sighed.

“I know she isn’t always the easiest person to be around,” she started. “But was it really necessary to rub more salt into an already open wound? Why would you even say something like that?”
I shrugged.

“Did you enjoy that? Do you get off on making other people feel miserable? On spreading pain and drama everywhere you go?”
“Something like that.” I felt the corner of my mouth turn into a smirk.
Skyler let out an experaged sigh. “Fucks sake. I’m surrounded by psychopaths.”
“Yeah, because you are perfectly sane yourself.”
We both stopped abruptly upon hearing a muffled scream.

Skyler and I shared a worried look.
“Please tell me you heard that too.” Skyler swallowed. “Or tell me you didn’t.”
Before I could answer, we heard the scream again, louder this time. A desperate cry of pain, followed by the not-to-be-missed sound of whip to skin.

Skylers face turned pale.
“Well, continueing the topic of toxic boyfriends,” I stated dryly.
Skyler started to run in the direction of the sound. I followed her.
We slowed down as the sounds got louder. It was the unmistakable sound of a whip smashing down, followed by cries of pain and fear, each one louder and more tormented than the next.

Skyler stopped abruptly before a dark alleyway. She exchanged a glance with me, her face pale with shock and fury. I slowly walked around her to see what she was looking at.
Astrid Ellison was curled up into a ball, crying with heavy breaths. Her clothes were torn, revealing bloody cuts and welts that could only been caused by one thing.

“I told you to tell me where I can find him!” Drake Merwin was leaning over her, his face twisted with bloodlust.
“I told you! My brother is not here anymore! I don’t know where he is!” Astrid cried, tears streaming down her face.

“Lies!” Drake screamed. He leaned back to hit again. “Where. Is….”
“Drake Merwin, you sick, disgusting psychopath!” Skyler yelled out.
Drakes eyes widened in shock. He started to back away.

“Sk-Skyler,” he stuttered.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” She stared at him, panting. “What is wrong with you?”
“I…” Drake looked between Astrid and Skyler. He then regained himself, snorting angrily. “You know what? I’m not going to pretend this isn’t what it looks like. It is. This is who I am, Skyler. You knew that from the beginning! From the beginning, I’ve made it clear I wouldn’t be the perfect boyfriend. You knew I have my flaws. You knew I’m not the hero kind of guy.”
“There’s a difference between having flaws and literally beating up an innocent person, Drake!” Skyler yelled. She stared at Astrid, blinking heavily, as if she was fighting back tears. “Yes, you’re right. I knew you were troubled. I knew you liked to inflict pain on others. But I thought…” Her voice faded out.

“You thought what, Skyler?” Drake threw his hands up in the air in frustration. “You thought you could change me? You thought that once I would start dating you, all of this would just go away?”
Skyler didn’t answer. She stared at the ground, biting her lip.
I kneeled down next to Astrid, carefully shaking her. She whimpered softly in pain.

“Hey, Astrid?” I frowned. “Can you hear me?”
The answer was a weak whimper.
Skyler rushed over to Astrid as well, roughly pushing Drake out of the way. “Astrid? Are you okay?” Her voice cracked.