Broken

23: Two for One

Jordyn

I turn around, not wanting to deal with Toby. I don't even want to see his face, or hear his stupid voice.

"No, please, wait!" Toby says. I freeze when he shoots the wall beside me.
"What, are you gonna shoot me now?" I say hotly.
"W-what? Oh! No!" He says quickly. "I-I just wanted to say that I'm... I'm sorry,"
"Well I don't accept your apology," My voice is terse.
"No, please," All of a sudden, he runs up and hugs me awkwardly. "I had no choice, they said they'd kill me if I didn't-"
"Get off me, you coward!" I shove him off.

"What do we do now?" I ask Aidan and Tay, as we're on our way back to the transportation area. "Is there any more of those serums?"
"That's the only room I know that has them," Aidan sighs. "There are probably more, but there are too many rooms we'd have to search here,"
"Any other ideas?" I frown.
No replies from Tay, nor Aidan. An ear rattling scream catches my attention. A woman stands in front of her two small children. She clutches her arm, which I can see blood poring from. A man from the Unknown (I could tell by his broad shoulders and chest) aims his gun at her.
"Please shoot me, not him!" She sobs. "Miles, Cody, run!"
Her son, Miles, pulls Cody away with him, both of their cheeks wet with tears. The man shoots the woman in the head. He walks away carelessly in Miles and Cody's direction. I try not to look at the blood oozing out of the woman's head. But I can't help to take one last glance at the woman as I pass by. My step alters when I see blood trickling down her nose. I shake my head thinking of how brave the woman was, sacrificing herself for her sons. One, brave, innocent life can save two other innocent lives. An idea pops into my head, but my stomach turns at the thought. If I sacrifice my own life, Tay and Aidan would become Broken, and they could escape.

"Are you okay, Jo?" Tay eyes me.
"What? Oh- I'm fine! Why, is there something wrong?" For a split second I allow myself to think that Tay could hear my thoughts.
"Oh, it's just that you went really pale for a minute," she frowns. "Are you sure that you're okay?"
"Yeah," I say as casually as possible. "But I have an idea, let's go back to the transportation area,"

***

It seems like more men and women from the Unknown arrive. More shooting. More deaths. But I haven't changed my sickening idea; I'm going to die. A couple of times on my way here, I've doubted this idea. What if there's another way, that doesn't involve a death? But I know we don't have enough time. Aidan, Tay and I nearly got shot a couple of times. I guide Aidan and Tay near the transparent tubes. I stop abruptly, realizing that I'll have to explain my plan briefly to them.

"You have to understand what I'm about to do," my voice shakes. "And why,"
"Okay," Aidan says, confusion smearing over his face.
"You saw that woman over there?" I say, deciding how I'll tell them. "Sh-she sacrificed herself for her sons. One life saved two-"
My voice cracks on the last word, I don't know if I could continue.
"Jordyn," Tay's voice shakes too. She knows what I'm going to do. "You don't have to do this,"
"I should, it's not going to be easy, for any of us," A bullet flies past me, inches away from my face. "But I know it's the right way,"
"Jordyn," Tay shakes her head, a tear runs down her cheek.

I sigh and take the knife out of my back pocket. My hand trembles, so I tighten my grasp. Once I make sure that the end of the blade is touching my skin, I swiftly jab it into my heart.

***

I might've screamed. I might've fell. But in my last second of life, I only felt one thing. Pain. As soon as it had formed, it had disappeared. I couldn't feel my body. But all I knew is that I saved two of my best friends. More thoughts had formed in my head as I slowly disappeared from the world. I felt lonely until I had greeted Death. Death hugged me, a warm feeling, one of the best hugs that I had ever received. Death pulled back to show me its face. I had suddenly realized who had hugged me, my father. He still had his blood stains. He offered me a bloody hand, as if he could show me a new world. Maybe he would. I gladly took it.

|...I did it... I'm now officially a murder... That death had been planned before I even started writing... But this is NOT over! There's still more! Only one more part! And then it's over, I promise! Thanks for reading!|
-Tara