Vanished (I LUV U.) - Abide With Me Book 1

Chapter 17 - "I LUV U"

Chapter Seventeen - “I LUV U”

August 21, 2011

Alaya kicked, swung her cinquedea and jabbed repeatedly at Inigo, who easily dodged her every attempt to injure him. He swung his huge hand and knocked her dagger from her hand. She fell to the ground, her muscles groaning in agony.

Just before Inigo could make another move, Zenzu blocked his path. The mummified creature jabbed and jabbed at the boy repeatedly until his arms became a blur. He left him barely standing.

Ron suddenly appeared above the Western staircase. “After this, would you explain how and why you disappeared?” he asked.

“Later…” Zenzu could barely say, already teetering on his legs.

Inigo jumped into the air. Fire catapulted Ron towards this strange creature. He produced yellow fire from his hands and struck Inigo’s only weakness - his eye.

“AAaaARRrRRGGggHHhhhAAAhHhhAAA!!!!!” The main hall filled with Inigo’s unearthly shriek. He dropped to the floor, covering his great eye. Green oil started trickling down from its tear glands. His eye was slowly deflating like a balloon.

“NooOOOohHHHOoHHHOOHHH!!!!”

A burst of rage had overcome Inigo. He charged blindly towards Zenzu. The dizzy boy swung his body out of the way.

But then, he heard a squirmy, grotesque sound. Everyone looked to the Western staircase. They never forgot what they saw.

Mia was standing on the steps, a gaping hole dripping with blood within her abdomen. Inigo pulled his arm out, leaving the girl’s body to flop lifelessly towards the marble floor.

As Zenzu was observing the grim sight before him, something in his mind snapped. He ran towards Inigo, grabbed him by the neck and slammed him against the wall. A huge crack travelled up to the very ceiling itself. He did it again, and again, and again… His body was full of adrenaline. His eyes were full of tears and revenge. His mind was blinded with anger.

Inigo’s thin body was becoming flimsier with each slam. A tear would roll down Alaya’s cheek whenever a new crack would appear on the wall. She couldn’t help but remember the Inigo before all this, the Inigo who had treated her nicely right until their wedding day. Somewhere under those bandages, the exiled princess could still see the old Inigo, suffering under the burden placed on his shoulders.

“Z-Zenzu, stop,” she said tearfully.

Zenzu slammed Inigo’s head again. Another crack reached the ceiling. He pulled his arm back and-

“NOOO!” Alaya gripped her husband’s arm. “Stop this!”

The earth-jorean slowly turned his head towards her. Hatred and revenge burned within his eyes. They were wet with tears. His whole body was shaking nervously and his face never looked darker.

“I beg you, Zenzu!” Alaya pleaded. “Please stop.”

At that instant, his hand dropped Inigo to the ground. The mummified creature’s chest was still rising and falling, but he couldn’t move his body. He was alive, but frozen.

Zenzu ran towards Ron, who was inspecting Mia’s grotesque injury. He stopped just a few inches of her. The boy fell to his knees and wept. His tears gushed out an ocean over Mia’s body.

While mourning her, he spotted a key in Mia’s hand. A key fob attached to it, saying, “I LUV U”. Tearfully, he fingered it and saw a label with the words “Sanitary Closet #9” stuck on the other side. Zenzu looked up at Ron with rage.