No Matter What

Chapter 9

The spinning sensation returns and I feel Kyren grasp my arm as though it's a life preserver. I allow myself to hug him as we hit the ground.

My knees buckle upon impact and I find myself walking backwards. I feel as though I have been taken over, something is pushing me back away from myself, leaving me as a haramless spectator. Well this has never happened before. I assume it's just part of the simulation.

Kyren shakes his head, seemingly dizzy, and looks up. "Hey Kyanna."

I feel words tumble from my lips. I wish I weren't saying them, but I am. "Don't talk to me!" I scream "I hate you!" I feel my hand move to my favorite dagger and close around the hilt.

I cringe internally as I try to fight my own body. My arm prepares itself to throw the dagger.

I am barely able to regain control long enough to throw the aim. I surrender myself again as I am forced to throw the dagger.

I sigh with relief as the dagger misses and I am once more in control of myself. "Kyren I'm so sorry!" I start to say, but freeze.

Uriah is coming up behind Kyren weilding a sword. I attempt to call out a warning, but find my words stuck in my throat.

The instant before the sword is brought down on his head, a word pops into my head. Betrayal. Kyren is afraid of betrayal.

Uriah disappears and I find myself standing beside Kyren. Ready for what's about to happen, I grab his arm and the spinning starts again.

Bracing myself for the impact, I feel the shock from landing travel up through my body. Releasing Kyren's arm, I shut my eyes, so I don't see my surroundings. They are all too familiar. And part of my worst fear, apparently.

I slowly open my eyes, mentally preparing myself for what is to come. I hear Kyren's voice beside me. "Are you okay?" He asks.

I nod, slowly. "Remember how I told you about my nightmare, that time I fell asleep on the couch at your house, and you woke me up 'cause I was crying?" He nods. "Well I see that everytime I fall asleep. And right now."

"Oh." he falls silent.

The bright lights and cheerful, outdoor landscape is different from what you would think a nightmare would be like, but I'm more comfortable in the dark. At least you know it's hiding something, but you can never be sure with light, and it generally is hiding something, too. Also, The beginning of the nightmare is a memory. I was ten years old.

I look up and cry out. "Please, no!" I scream, my voice carrying up the cliff. "Just because she's a werewolf and you're a shifter..." I trail off as a sob chokes me. My throat feels sore from shouting. "Please!" I croak.

I hear harsh, cruel laughter as my mother tumbles from the cliff. She remains silent and her eyes lock with mine. I love you. She mouths, and hits the ground, causing an explosion.

I feel myself yanked backward. I whirl around to face him. I spit on his shoes, and bring my right heel down hard on his toes, causing him to cry out in pain and loosen his grip. I tear myself free and take off running. The scene changes.

I'm older now. The same age that I am at the present time, fifteen.We're in a maze of some sort. Uriah stumbles up to me and coughs up blood, a knife is protruding from his chest. He collapses and lets out a last gurgling breath, blood bubbling at his lips, and he falls still.

My dad comes around the corner, too. There is a gash in his throat. Blood is flowing freely onto his chest, and trickling from his mouth. He collapses and dies as well.

I bite my tongue to keep from crying out at what will happen next.

Krissa is crawling to me. Her eyes lock with mine. I see anger for a brief moment and her face goes blank as she collapses onto her side, her breath is released from her lungs. My eyes fall on the dagger embedded in her stomach, and I notice something, for the first time, after seeing this every night for almost six years, it's my dagger. For the first time, I understand her anger.

I feel something in my hand. Not again! Please! I beg internally, as I turn to Kyren, no longer in control of my own body, and bring the knife down, slashing it across his face and throat.

The scene returns to what it was initially. My mother's eyes lock with mine. I love you. She mouths, and then the explosion.

Kyren wraps his arms around me as the spinning returns.