The Unknown

Chapter Twenty

(Kittai's POV)

I'd done the worst thing possible. I'd looked back. Right as we were leaving, after I'd heard the cracking sounds, I looked back.

What I saw was the most horrifying thing I'd ever seen.

Hunter's head, it was off of his body. A trail of blood was the only thing connecting it to the rest of him. His arm was off too, it was in the creature's mouth.

The creature was eating him.

It had already torn his body into pieces. His legs were both ripped away from his hips, they'd been tossed aside, as if the creature was saving them for later. His torso was split open, some of his organs were spilling out in a bloody mess.

There's no way he would've wanted that. He couldn't, he..

He sacrificed his life for me and what was left of our group. Even after his horrific past with his abusive father, even after the heartless murders he'd committed, after he'd lost his mother and been hated and doubted his whole life.

He wasn't even making up for the biggest mistake of his life like I was trying to.

He gave himself up, for the safety of those he cared about. He was a hero.

But he'd never know about it.

After we all got out, we were surprised to notice that we were by the house we'd started in.

Now it seemed dull though. All of its broken features stood out for once. The same house that had once looked so full of adventure and fun times.. It was now a depressing mess of the memories with what used to be my friends. It was no longer the place I loved. It was now a marker of the losses that were my fault. It was a marker of my biggest mistake. Of my regret.

Everyone seemed reluctant when we entered the house, all three of us. We'd all lost huge parts of our life, all because of me, but I think Kai had it the worst.

He'd lost Max, his brother.

When we got into the room we always stayed in, we sat down in our usual positions. The absence of the others was what stood out, the room felt empty and quiet. No one said anything, not even I spoke.

An hour passed like that, until Kat finally whispered out, "I'd like to pay our respect to the others..."

Kai and I both nodded in agreement, and Kat started.

"They.. Were all our best friends, and we were so close that I dare call them family.. But, tonight.. We lost four of them.. That was four more lives than it should have been."

I glanced across at Kai as Kat paused. He was crying, and he had his hands covering his face.

I'd never seen him cry before. But then, if never seen him lose his brother to the unforgiving hands of death either. He was understandably devastated.

After staring at him for a while, tears starting to stream down my face again, I spaced out a bit, losing myself to my horrible thoughts and to the pictures that flooded my mind. I saw the severed heads of everyone, all in a line, and I saw things that I'd actually witnessed. Hunter's bloody fate, Venus and Ash being drug off, Max being stolen.

It was horrible.

Then I imagined what would've happened to me. I mentally saw myself in the place of Hunter, torn to pieces, with blood and organs spilling out onto the grass that had once been a pleasant green color, staining it with a haunting crimson.

The images and horrible thoughts only stopped when Kai suddenly got up. I watched as he went outside, to the car.

Kat stood up as well and followed him, so I went after her to see Kai walking towards the forest. He was carrying a gun.

No.

No.

This wasn't happening. I couldn't bear to lose another friend, and neither could Kat. She tried to stop him.

He didn't listen.

He disappeared into the forest, the point where both my sister and I were too afraid to follow.

A moment passed before there was the sound of a gunshot.

I fell to the ground with a whimper, the emotional stress and pain plaguing me more after losing another.

And jealousy.

I wish I could've killed myself with him.