All Adventure Begins with Tragedy

Chapter XX: One End is Just One Beginning

He twisted. Oh Zira was that painful.

"Holy Fisc!!" I screamed.

For those that don't know, fisc is the most offensive and socially unacceptable word in the Kryan language. But it is also really useful. You can sub out every single word in a sentence with that word, and it will be a complete sentience.

Case in point: Fisc! The fisc fiscir fiscam fiscet! (Different suffixes)

Any way. It was really painful. I shoved Drew, and his knife was painfully withdrawn from my abdomen. I'm not sure how I don't have permanent organ  damage. Drew stumbled back, then rushed back at me, attempting to finish me off. He was right above me, ready to stab me again and again and again and again and again until all that was left of me was chopped up pieces.

"What ever happened to show?" I asked right as he was about to stab my eye out.

He pulled up short and squinted down at me for a second. "What?" He said surprisingly squeaky.

"Never mind, just stab me!" He hesitated. Now that we were talking he wasn't so sure he wanted to kill me.

The crowd was deathly silent as they watched us. Drew lowered his blade. But that wasn't how it worked! This was an act! And I needed the show to go on. My sword, which I had dropped, was right above my head. If I could just antagonize him....

I grabbed the sword and started to swing at his head. It was feeble, but it worked. He parried the blow and sent the sword spinning off. Now I was defenseless, on the ground, and about to be cut open my a mad man. But this was all part of the act. As Drew's blade came rushing towards me, I rolled to the right, thankfully avoiding the blow. And then the second blade came down, this time I rolled to the left. Again the blade missed me by a fraction. Now I needed to play it out just a little longer. Making sure I had my knife on me, I scrambled away from Drew, acting terrified. I was moving in the least efficient way possible. Like how the people in horror stories do when the bad guy is slowly approaching them. Drew came toward me just like that. Me scrambling backwards until- perfect! My back hit the wall. Now I was "cornered." Perfect. He was right on top of me, about ready to finish me off.

I knew that it was not the end though. I gritted my teeth. Ground them. Prepared myself for unbearable pain. Then I lunged. I had my knife in my hand, purposely facing it the wrong way. As I jumped up, blood poured from my abdomen. But my wild plan worked. The butt of my knife slammed into his skull, and his eyes crossed as his knees buckled and gave way. His limp form collapsed onto the ground. I looked at his unconscious form and then blacked out from exhaustion and blood loss.

I came to in an infirmary bed. Again. I had a feeling I wasn't going to be able to get up for a while. My head was pounding and my ribs felt cracked. Not sure how that one happened. I ran my ice cold hands over my warm body inspecting myself for anymore damage. Obviously the knife wound was still there, the previously mentioned broken ribs, and knife slashes across my arms and legs. I briefly wondered what had happened to Drew, and looked around the room up in thinking about him. The sudden movement made my blood rush to ny head and limbs. I groaned at the burning feeling in my body.  My vision clouded over, and I lay down to rest again.

"Damn... I need to stop getting myself nearly killed," I said to myself.

"Yeah, Yeah you should," Drew said from right next to me.

I shot up straight in bed. Of course I immediately regretted that decision as my head began spinning and my every thing began throbbing.

"Where did you come from?" I sputtered.

"The door, why?"

"You just surprised me."

We started at each other awkwardly for a few minutes.

I broke the silence. "So you're not going to kill me?"

"You know, I really considered that, but I think not."

"Well, I mean, I... I guess that's good," I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Plus Eliza really doesn't want you dead, and you know, the woman always wins.... so, looks like you're getting off fine."

"Thanks I guess."

We sat awkwardly some more.

"If I'm not going to kill you, maybe we should try being friends again?" Drew broke the silence this time.

"Sure."

I should not have made that so short.

"Um.... sorry to break us off,  but uhhh... I need some sleep?" I officially failed at speaking.

Drew just laughed. "It's fine man, I understand. I'll just show myself out!" He got up abruptly and left the room.

"That was really, really, really bad," I told myself.

I lay back down and closed my eyes hoping for a dreamless sleep.

~*~

I was in the clouds again. I recognized the place. Below me was the waste land of the world. And ahead of me- yes, it was truly her. She looked at me. I looked at her. Then we both ran. My heart raced, could I make it to her this time?

I slammed into her body. We embraced we were finally together! I pressed myself closer- I over looked a graveyard. On a hill under a weeping willow stood a singular grave overlooking the others. A storm was brewing and lighting stabbed the ground in the distance. A nightmare scene. Again. Then a girl. She was walking up the hill wearing a black gown. She reached the top and knelt before it. Suddenly she whipped the gown off of her slim form, and I could see it was Clare. She stood there, her bare shoulders exposed to the now gail like wind. Her short skirt flapped wildly around her legs. Then she withdrew from a sheath on her leg a long knife. Without hesitation, she stabbed herself through the heart. When she did not fall, she withdrew it and stabbed again. How she did not fall, I do not know. But she withdrew it again, and again, and again. Stabbing herself over and over again. Nine times she stabbed herself, and when she withdrew it that last time, she fell dead over the grave stone.

As soon as she hit the stone, The clouds cleared and rays of light stabbed the stormy sky open. Petals blew in the now calm wind. It was peaceful. The pale lifeless lips of Clare curved into a smile. And then I knew who's grave she had died on.

~*~

"WAKE UP!"

My eyes shot open. Adalayde stood over me.

"Sheesh, that was the third time I called! Take your food or don't have any at all. Not my business!" She placed my food on my nightstand and stormed out of the room.

I rolled my eyes then began shoveling food into my mouth. Hot oats and honey. Yum.