Don't Play with Fire (Turks FF7)

33) Escape

The metal that's replaced the lower half of my leg and my foot is lightweight, though I'm not sure what it is. It doesn't even look like a leg... It's like a web of pipes to make the shape of a calf, and ankle, and the bones in my foot. Like a computer programing thing. I don't know. It looks bizarre. I hate it. This was his grand plan to fix the disease in me? I get why the uniform is up here now. Tyler knew I wouldn't want to look at this, so he brought it instead of the shorts and the t-shirt I'd been wearing on alternate days. He even brought my shoes.

I get changed and start to leave the room when I notice a river of blood on the floor. I pray to Leviathan that this isn't my amputated limb or something and step around the bed to look. And a piece of me shatters. Tyler lays on the floor, bleeding from the temple with a gun in his limp hand. I kneel down by his side and pick up the index card that's by his side. This is just too much...

Hello, Annabelle. ~Mother

Jenova... She controlled him. I crumple the card up into a ball, staring at Marx's white face. He never knew that he was going to die. The last things he thought was probably his regrets for what he was doing. I never got to say goodbye... Sure, he messed up a ton in my life. He ripped my heart out and left me there to die. I tried to kill him and turned it into a suicide mission. He drove me crazy back then. I still cared. He was like that friend you have that you absolutely hate because they're always doing something you don't like, even if it's the right thing. Then they mess up and you hate them even more; but you can't stop caring about them because they're one of the more constant things in your life. That was Tyler.

Standing and forcing myself not to feel anything, I drop the paper and pry the gun out of his hand, tucking it deep into my pocket with the safety lock on. Then I leave, still feeling awkward on my partially metal leg and limping on my broken ankle. I follow the tunnel out to the small area that leads to the tunnels that go to the bedrooms. The guy and the woman are still there, the man looking up and smiling.

"Kat. You're alright."

"Yeah. How's she?"

"Not well. I gave her my medicine alongside hers because we've had to cut doses. It's not helping."

"That sucks," I shake my head. "I think Kilmister will be getting back soon. Don't worry."

"Thank you," he nods. "We need more hope in here." Ha. I'm giving you fake reassurance, buddy.

"Yeah." I turn away and start walking back to where I know Rufus will be. "Hey Rufie. Miss me?" The blonde looks up quickly, frowning at the bitter smile I give him.

"You've been gone for three days."

"Is that a yes or no? I don't speak wall."

"I suppose I missed the company." He waits a moment before speaking again. "Where were you?" I limp over and sit beside him.

"Tyler convinced Kilmister that he had a way to get rid of the disease and get Jenova from me."

"And?" I laugh hatefully.

"So he decided to kill the kid." Rufus frowns and I shake my head with a sigh. "I mean, losing part of my leg was nothing compared to that."

"... You lost your leg?"

"Part of it," I scoff, lifting my pant leg to my knee. "To be honest, I vomited upon seeing it. Seeing my leg end in that weird stump makes me nauseous."

"And you're alright?" I shake my head and he pulls me closer, my head turning to hide in his suit jacket while I release all the emotions I've been trying to hide.