Vita

Chapter Twenty-Five

I basically have to choose between life or death, but my mind drifts to something different. I'm really picking between family or friends. I add up all the factors of the equation. Aunt Gracelyn killed my father. She killed Mariel Bianchi. And she was the reason for my mother's death. I recall seeing the word, Vita, on the drain in my bathroom. Vita means life. Aunt Gracelyn is using the term for her army, but with all the people being killed, why is it called life? Then, I add another factor to this, if I don't agree with Aunt Gracelyn, she's willing to kill me. Why would family do that? They wouldn't.

"I've made my decision," I replied in a hushed tone.

"Yes?" Aunt Gracelyn perks up, but she does not know what I chose. She will be surprised.

"I rather die than join your army," I smile for what may be the last time.

She steps away from the desk and draws out the blue-green, shimmering blade that killed my mother and father. John pushes me into a kneeling position on the ground. I hold my head up high, making eye contact with Gracelyn, "I was hoping you were going to choose different."

I refuse to close my eyes for this is the last time I'll see the world, my final breath drawing near. Gracelyn holds her sword point to my stomach and looks at me one last time before stabbing it through my white dress and then piercing my skin. I suck in for a gasp of air before I fall to the ground. I close my eyes and tears escape from them. Not from the pain that enflames my body, but from the pain of never having one last happy memory with Levi, never seeing Ember's smile brighten up the school day one last time, and never loving Isaiah again.

And the breath escapes from my lips.

༺༻

My eyes flutter. I'm dead, I think to myself, is this the afterlife? But no, I'm staring up at the office's ceiling. I feel pain stab my stomach and I bring my hand into view to find it covered in blood. How am I alive? She killed me with the rare stone. But, I'm not dead. I have to get out of here before they come back and realize I'm alive.

I lick my chapped lips as I think. The closest place to my house would be Isaiah's. I try to sit up and the pain shoots through me like a bullet. I'm not going to die, I tell myself, I'm seraphim. I am immortal. I stagger up and my vision blurs and tilts and I reach for the desk to steady myself. I want to scream in pain, but that will not help me. I have to get to Isaiah's. I shuffle across the dark polished floor. Leaving my trail of blood following me out of the door and through the front door. I'm about to topple over as my hands bang on my jeep's door. Thank God I left the keys in my jacket. I reach for the keys and unlock my jeep. Sliding into the driver's seat.

Aunt Gracelyn and Uncle John will know I am alive and gone, but I'm alive and that's all that matters right now. I don't know how I survived the rare stone, but I did. Maybe since I'm some so called special Seraph Angel, but right now I just think of it as a miracle.