Ink Me Insane (Book One)

Twenty Seven

"Ready for the next round Kristy?" Rene carefully shifted the sword in her hand adjusting to the heavier weight than what she was accustomed to.

"Don't get cocky now Rene dear." She sneered pacing across the cracked and food stained tile. "You may be doing well as of late, but I am still way ahead in victory counts."

"Don't have to win all the fights to win the war, or something like that."

"True, but all your wins have been sheer dumb luck, emphasis on the dumb."

Rene gasped, "I'm feeling a little insulted and here I was thinking we could be special gal pals."

Cold. Her hand was being slowly chilled by the blade it clutched. It wasn't painful though like it should have been touching freezing metal. More than anything it was an awareness. The seeping cold reminded her of the ice that had encased her shoulder and now entrapped Kristy's leg. It bit at her a warning. This was a dangerous weapon and not because of its razor sharp edges. A weapon that had been moments before tattooed into her skin, just like Kai and Karo. What did that mean for the rest of them? Could she release all of them when she needed to? What...what kind of freak was she?

The tide it receded rapidly. The ocean was churning and foamy in the black. It had been biding its time, waiting to strike. Rene started hyperventilating. Not, now. Oh God of all the times, not now. Her heart thumped irregularly in her chest. Blackness pressed at her edges. Breathe, damn it. Breathe! Air scrapped at her throat as she tried to listen to her own orders. She was a freak! She was an insane, freak! What if she was wrong? Maybe, the asylum wasn't the problem; maybe it was her. No they had done horrible things they deserved to burn. They had done terrible things to innocent people seeking help. They needed to be stopped. What if she couldn't do it? She wasn't good enough. She wouldn't be strong enough to stop them. She was no hero.

Rene collapsed to her knees. Her entire body was silently shaking to the overwhelming plight of thoughts. What was wrong with her?

"Rene!" Declan's shout sounded distant through waves of the dark water.

She sobbed dropping the sword to the ground with a resounding clatter. Pieces were starting to be swept off the shore. Dragons, weapons, players, and opponents bobbed in the waves. She desperately swam towards them trying to get them back.

Young one, you need to breathe.

I can't. It's too much. There are too many thoughts...I can't...I can't process.

Everything was sinking deeper and deeper, being drug down into the darkness. The water had thickened into a tar pit trapping her.

A shadow encroached upon her as Kristy slunk closer. "What's wrong Rene dear? We're not panicking now are we?"

She stopped to shove the large knife into the ice encasing her foot. Angry stabbing eventually formed fissures and, like frozen tears, the fractured crystals scattered across the floor.

Rene sunk lower as she struggled to keep her head above the black.

Kristy pulled out two small knives from her holders, positioning them right over Rene's dulled eyes.

Out of nowhere, Declan pounced on Kristy wrestling to keep her on the ground. Blood splattered the floor as Kristy nicked his face and sliced his arm. He swore but didn't let up.

"Do something Michael!"

Michael dodged a close call from Scarlet. "Kinda busy here. Besides, Firecracker has got this."

"She's not okay! She needs help. This is worse than before!"

Kristy flung him off with a thud and crawled like a skittering spider back towards Rene. Declan stumbled back on to his feet. He grabbed a table end tilting it up and then spinning it down on to Kristy flattening her. He leaned heavily into the upturned table as Kristy bucked and screamed underneath.