Glassheart

Chapter 9

When I woke up, my mother was shouting at me.

"Red! Finally! I need you to come with me. You must witness how beheadings unfold, so that when you rule, you will have nothing to fear," she commanded.

"Mom, please! Don't do this to her!" I pleaded.

"Silence, Red! Get up and let's go!" my mother bellowed. As I rose, guards seized me and held me back as we moved toward the exit. I caught a glimpse of Chloe, crying and desperately resisting the inevitable.

"Let me go, please! I haven't done anything wrong!" she sobbed. Tears filled my eyes as my mother approached, a sinister laugh escaping her lips.

"Don't worry, dear. This will all be over very quickly," my mother said mockingly.

"Please, don't do this!" Chloe cried, but my mother only chuckled. I saw Chloe's eyes meet mine, and I tried to move toward her, but the guards held me firmly in place. I wept alongside her.

"She's guilty of many offenses, but primarily for speaking back to the queen! I thought your mother raised you better than that, Chloe," my mother declared.

"Mom, please!" I cried.

"Be quiet, Red! Love is nothing but a weakness, and it's evident right now!" my mother shouted, and I could only continue to weep.

"So, as I was saying, she's guilty of defying the queen. You know what that means, don't you, Red?" my mother asked.

"Please, Mom! Just stop!" I begged.

"Since she won't say it, I suppose I must: off with Chloe's head!" my mother yelled. The guards approached and positioned the device over Chloe's head.

"NO, please!" Chloe screamed. After that, everything fell into a haunting silence. I couldn't bear to lift my gaze.

"NO!" I cried out as loudly as I could, but everything around me faded away.

NIGHTMARE ENDS
———————————————————————————
I awoke in a state of panic, my breaths coming in heavy gasps as tears streamed down my face. Uncertainty gnawed at me—was it all just a dream? As I glanced around, I realized I was in Chloe's room, but she was nowhere to be found. Overwhelmed by emotion, I started to have a panic attack, my mind racing with thoughts of everything that had happened.

CHLOE'S POV
———————————————————————————
I woke up at around two in the morning to use the bathroom. As I walked back into my room, I saw Red sitting on my bed, her breathing heavy and panicked.

"Red?" I called out, turning on the light. That's when I noticed she was crying, gripped by a panic attack.

"Oh my God, Red!" I exclaimed, rushing to her side. A wave of anxiety washed over me as I wrapped her tightly in my arms.

"Red! Red! Calm down, you're okay. I'm here," I reassured her, striving to keep my own voice steady despite my rising anxiety. She buried her face in me, sobbing uncontrollably.

"Please tell me this is real," she cried, her words barely coherent through her distress.

"Yes, yes, Red, this is real. I'm real! You're okay," I said, tightening my hug. She clung to me, continuing to sob and tremble. Although I felt a surge of panic myself, I focused on her, worried about her well-being; I had never seen her like this before.

"Breathe, Red. Please breathe; I promise nothing will hurt you. I'm right here," I said gently. I could see she was trying to calm down, but the effort eluded her. I leaned against my headboard, holding her close, and began to play with her hair, attempting to shift her focus away from her anxiety.