Shattered (Completed)

Chapter 17 - Ropes and Gags and Plans

Janice made it clear she doesn't want me talking, because after that first sarcastic comment, she gagged me. Now I have the distinct taste of dry rope and dirt in my mouth. I keep telling myself I'm about to throw up because of something like gag reflexes, but it won't happen. 

There's a chair in front of me that's currently occupied by the other guy in the room. He occasionally glances at me, but aside from that he keeps his gaze on his fingernails, yawning as he inspects them. 

By now I know that I can't use my abilities, because I've tried. But each time it's the same result - lots of pain in my head if I try to read his mind, a lose of breath if I try to use my wind, and a heating sensation all throughout my body if I try to ignite myself. So there's that. It would really help to burn these ropes on my hands and ankles or the gag. That would be nice. 

But nah.

Eventually Janice comes in and orders the guy out, not even saying his name, just saying, "Out," and he leaves in a rush. I glance up at Janice, hopefully with a bored expression, or something that doesn't give away the fact that my hands are going numb and that my mouth feels split in two. 

She sits down across from me. In her hand is a plate with half a loaf of bread and a glass of water in the other. She sets them to the side, on the floor, and looks at me. She looks way older than before. Like, thirty or something. And it occurs to me that she is. She can surf ages?

"Well, Alexandria. . ." she says slowly, looking down at a glass of wine in her other hand. Janice is wearing expensive white gloves with fluff at the elbows and a red dress. Her red lips are full and somehow ugly while, on anyone else, I'm to think they'd look gorgeous. "I'm going to a party. How do I look, dear?" She sips the wine and grins at me. "Oh, sorry! You can't speak,"

And gently, she removes the gag from my mouth. I lick my lips instantly and let out a breath. "It isn't nice to treat guests like prisoners, you know," 

She slaps me. Hard. Right across the cheek. It stings viciously and doesn't subside. Not for a while. The taste of rust floods my mouth. But I don't show that it hurt, only lick my lips again and sit up straight directly after. 

"You're no guest. You're a prized possession that helps girls like me. . . you know, take over the world." She giggles flirtatiously. "Now, do tell. Do I look decent?"

I roll my eyes. "Oh, sure. . . If not for the red lips, the gown, the gloves, and the. . . Oh, I dunno, overall falseness, you'd look at least a little decent, sure," With narrowed eyes, I meet her gaze, which is intense. Her features change to Evan. Evan is before me, looking at me. No. She is not Evan. I'm looking at Janice. But does that mean. . . My stomach flips with anxiety. "Would your rather me look like him, dear? Would you rather me look like the man that claimed to look you? He doesn't love anyone, Alexandria. He is a fool. And you were a fool to fall for him."

"He told me you were jealous," I murmur, licking my lips again. They're still not wet enough even then. "He told me you dumped him, and then got mad."

She pauses, studying me. Then she laughs. "That's what he told you, dear? That? That is bull." She shakes her head and turns back into herself, crossing one leg over the other. "You see. . . He played me, just as he did you. He dumped me. Because I wasn't enough for him. And after me? He went to you. And I bet once you turn out like me, he'll forget about you and turn to the next dullest crayon in the box."

This isn't true. Not true. "Why should I believe you about it?" I growl.

"I have the scars to prove it," she says, pulling down one of the gloves to reveal a paled scar on her forearm. "He cut me down the arm to show just how much he hated me. . ." She pulls the glove up. "He is pathetic and will be the first to die, Alexandria."

No. I growl quietly like an animal instinct. There's a brief flash where all I can think is how. . . good her flesh looks. And then it vanishes, replaced by a sharp pain shooting through all of my skin. "Ah -!" I manage before Janice takes my chin in her hand, forcing me to look up at her.

She grins. "I can take on any shape I desire, Alexandria. And better yet? I can bend electricity at will." She pauses and looks me over. "Be ready, Alexandria. I will rule this world alongside Blaze, with Jason as my best man. Be ready, Alexandria," 

I spit on her face.

Probably shouldn't have, but I did. And in return she shot my leg. But it was worth it, because she looked disgusted when she turned around and wiped the spit off her face, grumbling curses. She then leaves in a rush, commanding Jason to watch me again.

He glances around, then looks me square in the eye. "Alexandria," he says, propping his elbows on his knees. "I'll shoot you, but  you have to promise to scream. Ya know, to make it real, okay? But I'll shoot you." He says this casually, as if shooting me won't kill me or anything.

So I roll my eyes, because there's no way he's being serious. "Oh, sure. I'll make damn sure to scream." I narrow my eyes. When he pulls his gun out of its holster, my eyes widen. He's seriously going to shoot me?! "Whoa, whoa! Whoa! Whoa. . . No, no, I actually don't want to die, sorry." My back is stiff. My heart is pounding. He's going to shoot me here and now.

"Wh. . . what?" he asks, looking at the gun. He frowns at me as if I'm an idiot. Then realization seeps into his gaze. "Oh. You don't know. Right." He clicks his tongue and looks at me. "Just trust me, okay? I know you don't have a reason to, but it's under Florence's rules. This will hurt very briefly, so don't worry." He gives me an apologetic smile. 

Then he gets up from the chair and stalks over to me, flicking the safety off. Jason looks down at me, his eyes briefly darting around the room. He then bows to one knee, still eye-level with me, and leans forward.

He kisses me directly on the lips as if we've been lovers forever, and we were parted, and now we've finally united. 

And then he shoots me in the heart and kills me.