Dark and Twisted

Chapter Five

Everlynn. It's been weeks since I've seen her. Even thinking her name is causing my heart to burn with unspeakable pain. I have to see her, I need to touch her, but I know I can't. I can't risk her getting hurt because of me. It's killing me to be away from her. It's for her own good, that's what I have to remember. I just hope she will understand one day.

"Alec, it's time to get going." I could hear Quinn call out to me.

I sat up on my oversized empty bed, looking at the cold space next to me. I can't believe I was so foolish to think that maybe one day she will assume that empty space. Every night it's like I can feel the warmth of her skin next to me, only to wake and find she's not there. She never will be.

I stood up and staggered around my room, putting on clothes as I made it to the door.

"Alec! I said..." Quinn stopped mid-sentence as I walked through my now open door.

"Yeah, I heard you. Damn." I replied in a not so kind way.

Tonight, we will start the beginning of the end. Millie's death was only a small part; the blood Quinn drained from her on the other hand plays a much bigger role.

"You know we don't have to do this Quinn." I avoided eye contact with him as I spoke.

"If we fail, we will die." Quinn replied to me as if he felt some sort of regret.

"I'll get the jars of blood ready and start the engravings. The new moon will be here before we know it. Alec, you need to go on patrol and start rounding up the other Grave Diggers." I nodded as Quinn was dead set on what we needed to do.

The cemetery had an eerie quiet to it tonight as I searched for the freshly buried corpses. I was raising one right after the other making more Grave Diggers for a fight I didn't want to be a part of. It's a simple ritual, making Grave Diggers. You touch the name on their headstone to feel the potential magic the corpse gives off, while reciting an old Latin curse. After you complete the curse, you mark the headstone and pray you're back in time the following night to collect your prize before Kymber and Everlynn come around to slay them.

"Everlynn..." I whispered to myself.

'What the fuck is wrong with me?! She's just a girl! There are plenty of them out here, so why can't I just find someone else or better yet, stick to my damn self?!' I argued with myself in my head.

"Liz keep your eyes open; it's been way too damn quiet lately."

Fuck. Kymber, Aleena, and Liz are on patrol tonight. I fell back into the shadows hoping to stay hidden and eves drop on what they were saying.

"Do you think she will ever come back around to her normal self Kymber?"

"You shouldn't doubt her Liz. She is stronger than we give her credit for."

"Yeah, but I wouldn't blame her if she decided to finally loose her shit."

I could hear them talking about Everlynn. I quietly followed them, the shadows covering my every move.

"Kymber, she hasn't woken up yet. I know she is strong, but she has been through a lot. She's getting worse." Liz was talking to Kymber with deep concern hanging on her every word.

"Liz we can't think like that. She's going to make it. She has to and Aleena no one is going to lose their shit." Kymber replied to Liz and Aleena as she continued to scan her surroundings for any sign of trouble.

I fell to my knees, the cold wet ground seeping through my jeans.

I could hear their footsteps as they continued to walk, leaving me in the dark shadows of the trees and my mind.

'She has to make it. She can't die on me like this.'

All I could feel was numb. I did all of this to save her, but instead I caused her more pain than if I had just let her go. I stood to my feet, not caring if Kymber and Liz came back around and killed me. I took one step after the other until I realized I was no longer walking but running. I found myself climbing the steps and falling where I last saw her. Everlynn. I slammed my fist into the pavement angry and breaking inside. I closed my eyes re-relieving every moment we shared as she lay bleeding and broken. I could feel her skin against mine, her hand running through my hair pulling me closer into her kiss, my hand caressing her face, my arms holding her as tight as I could. I could feel everything. I could feel her.

I stood as I realized tears were falling from my eyes. I looked up listening to her voice come to me through the cool night breeze. I turned and walked back down the stairs, looking back one last time at where she lay. My head lowered as I made my way out of the cemetery. I was walking home but instead found myself in front of her house. I could see movement from her window through the curtains. I thought maybe I could just see if she were okay, maybe I could get closure if I just laid my eyes on her. Ashamed of the pain I caused her I stared at the cracked concrete below me,

"I will always save you, love." I whispered as if she could hear me, turned, and walked the long, lonely road back to where I called home.

"Run into any trouble while doing your job?" Quinn asked as I opened the front door and walked in.

"No." I shortly replied.

"Did you actually do your damn job this time?" Quinn barked as I made my way down the hall.

"Shut the fuck up," was my only reply.

Quinn tried to continue a conversation with me as I walked past him and straight to my room slamming the door. I collapsed on my bed, once again alone with my thoughts.

'I have to let her go; I can't keep torturing myself like this. She is better off without me and maybe she will be able to find happiness as long as I stay away from her. I have to give her a chance at her own happiness, even if I die inside. I felt myself die a little, as the words went through my mind. I closed my eyes only to fall asleep seeing her face, she's everywhere. I can't escape her.

"No! I have to save her! Don't let her die!"

I could see myself running towards her, towards Everlynn. With every step I took the further she drifted away from me.

"Don't let me die Alec... Save me please!"

My eyes opened exposing the nightmare I had.

"It was all a fucking dream." I said as I sat up wiping the sweat from my forehead.

Looking at the empty side of my bed I stood up and made my way to the bathroom across the room. I turned on the light, leaning over the tub to turn the hot water on for a shower. As the water ran, I placed my hands on the edges of the sink while looking in the mirror. I stared at my reflection until I disappeared due to the steam the hot water was creating. I removed my clothes piece by piece and let them fall in a messy pile as I thought about the choice I now faced. I stepped over the side of the tub, taking a deep breath as the hot water ran down my back. I turned facing the water, letting it rinse away all the pain from the day.

'This is it. I won't let a choice I made in the past about a silly little girl affect me like this anymore. I did what I thought was best and now it's time to pay up to Fletch. It's time for me to get over these feelings I carry.'

I could feel my body becoming numb of all feelings I had inside. It was as if it all washed away and slipped down the drain with the water that sluiced off my skin. I couldn't even feel the burning water running down my skin anymore. I turned the water off and stepped out of the shower feeling as if the world was perfect again, like I didn't have a care in the world, because I didn't. Grave Diggers can numb their feelings, both physical and emotional, and that is exactly what I had done.