A Broken Heart

Part 1

                     

A Broken Heart
I can't sleep. I toss and turn with butterflies of dread in my stomach. I move my gaze to the window where a human silhouette is illuminated.
"Piper?" My breath rushes through my throat as I try to answer.
"Who are you?" Suddenly his voice turns to gravel.
"I'm your worst fear. Your defeat and your death!" I scream as the masked man jumps through the window as if it was paper and shoves a knife through my chest.
Once again, I'm awake. I'm breathing heavily and sweat is coating my body. My throat hurts as if I've been screaming. I look towards the window hesitantly only to see no one is there. I breathe a heavy sigh of relief as I fall asleep again.
"Piper, wake up." I wake up. The sun is shining through the window. I remember the nightmare. Ever since I fought the demon-like, mysterious Tomas, I've been having nightmares. Knives. They were the worst parts of the nightmares, and worst of all they kept showing up. I couldn't even pick one up after I lost that battle. I felt like hundreds of souls are trapped in a knife. I had met Tomas that year before and had immediately fell in love. Only later to discover he was an assassin out to get me. He was out there somewhere, I had to kill him and the only way to do that was with a knife.. Tanner's voice snaps me back to reality.
"Ready to train?" He means I need to practice. I get up and follow him to the arena where we fight. He is immortal so he heals quickly therefore making it easier for me to think about hurting him. He has been my friend since we were little. Although I can't remember when or where I met him. I feel like I just woke up one day and BAM I knew him. The feeling of the leather handle in my hand snapped me once again from my imagination. Right, target practice. I aimed and threw the knife missing the target entirely and hitting Tanner in the gut. He fell clutching the knife, cringing.
"Oh my gosh!!!" I scream and run towards him. I turn him over only to see him holding the knife. Laughing. I punch him below his quickly healing injury.
"That wasn't funny!" He continues to laugh. Soon I can't help it and start laughing too. He laughs and walks over to me. He stands there for a second, not laughing, with a hesitant look on his face. After a minute he leans in and presses his lips to mine. Though I'm surprised, stunned even, I don't pull away. Finally we separate. I blink. He looks at me and although he doesn't say it out loud his eyes do.
"I love you." He presses his forehead to mine and we slump on the floor hugging and embracing each other. I didn't want to go anywhere. I wanted to stay right here forever. He kissed me again this time confidently. We pull apart, as we do the alarms go off and all I remember is that the wall exploded and I lost consciousness to the face of someone seizing Tanner.

As I wake up I look around immediately looking for Tanner, ignoring the throbbing in my head. I can't find him anywhere. My hands are chained and I'm in a stone room. I feel the vibrations of footsteps coming my way. I turn around just to come face to face with Tomas.
"What do you want?!" I spit in his face. Then I felt dread. "Where's Tanner?!" I yell wrenching away from the chains holding me back, straining towards him. He chuckles.
"Is he your boyfriend now? Well I'm sorry. He fought hard for you. But unfortunately for him he failed. Here he is now." Three men walk into the door. One of them is Tanner. He looked bloody and bruised. His immortality kept him from dying, but not from feeling pain. I let a tear slip. He was tied back by chains which were held by the other two men and never looked so defeated. His eyes were gray and the life looked gone. The spirit that was normally in his eyes. Gone. His immortality couldn't heal that, but at least he would be physically healed. He couldn't be killed. Unless, Tomas tried to harm Tanner once spiritually. He failed then but he could succeed. I think of the only way I could escape with both of our lives. I have to like him and be a loyal follower, and then maybe I can overpower him and Tanner and I can escape. Then I realize my knife is still in my back pocket. Maybe we could kill Tomas before we left. I turn back to Tomas, hating to look away from Tanner.
"That's okay, I like you better than I ever liked him." From the corner of my eye I see Tanner. A hurt look on his face. Then, realizing my plan, he perks up enough for me to know he gets my plan. Then I focus on Tomas again. He looks pleasantly surprised.
"You actually like me?" He was stunned.
"Yes." I answer, almost grimacing. I get ready for what comes next.
"Well if you like me, then can you love me?"
This time I'm sure he saw me grimace.
"Umm, can I have some water please?" They unlock the binding chains and Tomas escorts me. We start walking down the hall when I feel something slip out of my back pocket. I turn to see Tomas holding my knife.
"I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I took this." I almost yell. I want to pounce on him and stab him, kill him, but I know his guards would be on me in seconds and kill me. So I reply with a simple shake of my head.
"Not at all." He looks at me and for a minute I think he knows my plan. Then he points out the water fountain.
"Thanks," I reply, that's when I realize my tongue really was dry and I drink desperately. Now that he supposedly thinks I'm on his side he looks at me differently.
"You are beautiful, you know." I almost choke on the water. Then I look at him wide eyed.
"You actually love me?" I choked on the word love.
"Yeah, I never actually wanted to fight you. I was hoping to reveal my power and you would one day be my bride. Then Tanner got in the way and you started fighting me."
"Then why all the battles?" I ask, truly curious.
"I told you I was an assassin sent to get you. I had to make sure my job was done." He explained. That didn't make me like him anymore, but I still had to pretend. I have to get rid of Tomas. Then my heart breaks thinking of my parents dying last year. I couldn't kill him, but then how did I escape with Tanner without getting us both killed? When I finished drinking my share he brings me to an empty room. I'm about to ask him why he brought me here then he turns me around crushing my lips with his. I resist the urge to punch him. But I can't get tense. So I try and relax by pretending it was Tanner. It barely worked. At last he pulls away.
"Do you have any feeling for Tanner?" he asks sadly yet curious. What do I say? But before I can answer he says,
"You do, don't you?" I hesitantly nod.
"Well tomorrow I want you for dinner. 8:00, got it?"
"I can't." I say expecting to look up to eyes of hatred. But I see eyes filled with compassion. I hadn't ever thought of Tomas being kind.
"Well I can make you." He says teasingly, yet still scaring me.
"I guess I can go. But can I go home first? And you have to let Tanner go." He contemplates that. Tanner was my only hope of escape.
"No, you and Tanner stay here for the night, then, in the morning, he will be sent away."
"Where?" I ask. Panic is slipping into my voice.
"That's for me to know and you to never find out."
For some unknown reason Tanner and I were in the same cell. Maybe Tomas was testing us. I didn't care if he was. As soon as we were alone I ran and embraced him. I buried my face in his neck, him squeezing me as if he could protect me with a hug.
"You always were brilliant with deception." He says slyly. That brings up memories and that threatens tears. Then he kissed me. I did not pull away and enjoyed to moment. That night when darkness fell and the clock struck 11 we were chained on opposite sides of the room. I struggle as they pull be away from him, but they win. When I wake up I gaze across the room where Tanner was sleeping last night. All I see is the outline of his body pressed into the straw cot, but no Tanner. My breathing quickens. I hear footsteps and the sound of a door unlocking. As the door opens I cringe away from the light and the person, fearing it was Tomas. It's not. It is a guard named Ashton, also known as my old neighbor. We used to be friends. Then I moved away, but his face is now fresh in my memory. He unchains me from the wall. The farther away we walk, the more hate I feel. Suddenly I turn around and before he can lay a finger on me I ask
"Why?!" but before I can say anything else he opens a metal door and nudges me in. Inside I see a large candle lit table. There was a banquet set up. It was beautiful and I was starving, but I don't think I'm hungry enough to eat on a "date". I see two chairs on either side of the table. One chair is empty, Tomas is sitting in the other. I sit.
"I saw y'all last night, I was watching you. So, you still love him."
"I," is all I manage to say before a snaps his fingers again. This time one man enters the room dragging something- no, someone behind him. Tanner's body. I almost scream when Tomas says
"He's not dead." As of it's obvious.
"What do you do to him?" I scream. My voice echoes through the large room, lingering for what seemed like forever after I said it. Then I fall to the ground next to Tanner.
"Nothing." He says sincerely. "He tried to get out and got attacked by my guards. They tackled him. Tanner fell and simple hit his head on the stone, falling unconscious." I looked at him. No. Tanner wouldn't try and escape without me. He wouldn't ever do that.
"You're lying." I say with a growl in my voice. He looks as if someone slapped him. "He wouldn't leave me like that." The he gave a face of confession
"Fine. We took him out of the cell, he fights, and we knock him out cold to spare our guards." I cradle his head, bruised, cut, and bleeding.
"If you want me to even remotely love you, you will tend to him and let him go." I yell, once again my scream echoes. I was angry, very angry. Any small feelings of sympathy I had for Tomas was gone. He empty space left, filled with hate. I turn away from them and blindly run out of the room, with no idea of my destination. I push past the guards and their feeble attempts to contain me. My angry is spreading through my body like a wildfire. No one comes after me.
I was still running when I trip over a shiny piece of metal on the floor. I look at it confused and pick it up. It's the friendship bracelet I gave Tanner when we were kids. A symbol of our friendship when the world was still magical in our eyes. Suddenly I realize I can't run away. That would mean leaving Tanner in the hands of Tomas. I have to be there for Tanner. Slowly I turn around and find some guards, asking them to take me to the dining room. When I got back Tanner was awake, but he looked distant.
"Come eat with me Piper." He said. I sat down reluctantly. "I was thinking about your offer." He said. Tomas' voice was eerie.
"Yes..."
"My medical center will mend him, but he will stay here as my personal body guard. He will follow me everywhere." Immediately I thought of the danger Tanner would be in.
"And why do you, OH Great Tomas need a personal body guard?"
"People are after me." I wasn't surprised. Ever since I've known the real him he's been trying to conquer whole cities, even countries.
"So why do you need Tanner?" I ask franticly.
"He's quite strong and a very excellent fighter, plus, he's the only way I can keep you here." I gasp. "Yes, I know neither of you will leave without each other. I will put y'all in the same room every night so y'all can come up with a plan to defend this place."
"Why me?" I ask dreading the response.
"Because, you will also be my body guard." I hear someone scream. I fall to my knees and the whole world goes dark.
I wake up. My whole body feel heavy. I look down and see armor covering my already sore body. I look around and see Tanner on the floor beside me, once again unconscious. I turn his metal body over and see a note taped to his armor.
I will be with you when y'all as soon as you both wake.
Then Tanner stirs. Then jumps up grabbing my throat. He looks at me with anger before realizing it was just me. He drops me and jumps backwards, sliding to floor. I watch as a tear falls down his cheek.
"When will we ever escape." He whimpers like a frightened child. I never thought they could hurt him or steal his spirit. But his eyes said otherwise. I walk to the yellow tinted window and stare out into the bright and beautiful world that I will never get to see ever again.
"I'm sorry." He says. My neck still stings from his strong hand on my throat. But I say
"It's okay," anyway. I come up to him and plant a gentle kiss on his forehead. I sit beside him and he hugs me kissing my neck. We sit there until two men walk into the room. One is huge, even Tanner was no match for him, I could already see that. The other was Tomas, who was walking towards Tanner. Before either of us could say anything he sticks a needle into Tanner's arm
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO HIM?" I yell.
"Just making sure his immortality doesn't get in the way." He says simply shoving a sword in my hand. My heart already slowed. A sword is just another type of knife. But I had no time for fears. I look down at the sword, its unused blade shining. I laugh quietly. Does he really trust me enough to give me a sword? I turn the sword and slice the air, pretending to test it out, then thrust it towards his heart. He is taken by surprise but my blade bounces off of him. He had another needle in his hand.
"What did you do?" I yell once again slashing his unharmed chest, even though I know it won't work.
"Oh, just stole his immortality. Oh dear." His face turns to look at Tanner. When I look around he is collapsed on the ground Screaming, I drop the sword, and collapse beside him. He manages to say
"Piper, I-" then he collapses. I place my hand on his chest barely feeling the thump thump before it disappears. I stand up and look down at him, tears streaming down my face. I look down to him, begging him to stay alive. Then I do something I've never done before.
I sob. I can't help it, looking down at Tanner's lifeless body. Then Tomas releases a scream. I turn to glower at him, but he looks terrified, yet he's looking at me. Then I feel an energy, more and more, collecting inside me. Tomas looks weaker than ever. Soon I feel full of the strange energy, I can't even feel the floor beneath me. I look down to me feet. Not only am I floating, I'm glowing. Somehow I know what to do. I touch Tanner's chest. His lifeless body starts to glow too. I feel a rush of energy leave me. I have just enough time to see his chest rise and fall once before my energy feels gone, and I black out.

"Piper! Piper!" I hear Tanners voice. I actually hear his voice. But I can't move, though I can hear and feel. I feel as Tanner's lifts my limp body off the ground. I feel him kiss my forehead. Next thing I know, I'm in my own bed. Two boys sitting there beside my bed. Tanner and Tomas. They finally separated their differences. But why was he in my room. I use all my will power to sit up and look at them. Tanner kisses me. I don't care that Tomas is watching, I melt into Tanner. Finally we separate. Tomas hugs me. Awkwardly.
"W-what's... happening-happened." I feel childish stumbling over my own words.
"Tomas here never really was, well, Tomas. His real name is Joshua. When you absorbed the immortality you put it into me, killing off the real Tomas. Tomas was evil, but needed a young body, so took over Josh. When he was kind to you, that was Josh fighting Tomas." The thoughts swirl in my head. My body hugs the bed again.
"Let her rest, she needs her energy." Then I fall asleep. When I wake up again I see an unknown guy and girl. They are talking to Tanner and Tom- Joshua. They see me wake and the guy says
Hello. My name is James McCoy, and this is my wife, Esme."
"Who?" I say. I feel like I been on drugs.
"James is my brother." Tanner explained.
"Your brother!!"
"Yes, I know I never told you."  I thought about it. Tanner had a brother. That didn't affect anything. Or did it. Was his brother also immortal?Something in his voice made me I look at Tanner with a questioning look in my eyes. He responds with a dangerous look that says,
"Not yet." Then puts on a smile, an arm around me and kisses me lightly on the cheek. Grimacing, I pull away. What was this act? Why is Tanner becoming so secretive?
End of Part One