TAINTED ROSE

Chapter 25

“Sherry!” Pearlyn kept hollering. She was so worried. It has been two hours since she fainted from shock and Sherry was still out cold. The first reason why she befriended Sherry was because her name sounded like ‘Cherrie’, but after time, she stopped expecting Sherry to act like Cherrie, because they were two different persons. It was obvious that Sherry was much more reserved than Cherrie; the blunt youth who would frankly tell Pearlyn what was on her mind. There wasn’t even a miniscule similarity in their features.

  “Please, don’t let death take my friend away. I lost Cherrie already; I don’t want to lose Sherry. Please, don’t let one of my friends die again.” Pearlyn wept bitterly, struggling against her restraints.   “Help will come soon, Ally isn’t dead!” Katy shouted encouragingly.

“Not yet.” Rose sung. The traps will definitely delay them further as she recuperated. Unknown to them, she was struggling with the injury the group had inflicted on her before they were all defeated by her, inflicted by that tiny, damned butter knife. How could one survive such a deep cut? Only the Rose, hardened by the rain of suffering and evil would be able to.

  “This is the path I chose. Why should I change my mind later on?” Staring at the man, he smiled and rested a hand on her shoulder. “Because we are human. We struggle with this thing called a conscience, and only true monsters can shake it off.”

 “What child kills their own parents?” Staring at bloodied hands, the girl then clenched it. “A monster. And that’s what I am. A monster.”

 Unclenching her fist, Rose glanced up and looked out of the window. Who will survive? The monster?

Or the wolf?

“May luck decide my fate”, smiled Rose.

 “Left! Right! Jump through there!” barking out directions to Ally, Adolpha and her friend was now tackling the laser maze that was set off in the left wing of the hall. “Crap!” Ally winced as a laser nicked her arm. “Be more careful!” Adolpha snarled, annoyed at the lasers. The principal is paranoid to have so many traps laid out!

  “Guess Miss Lois’ training worked out huh?” Ally gave a weak laugh. “Yeah, this is insane!” Adolpha ducked a laser.  “But this makes us stronger. Our fates are tied to the wills of death and the government which we will serve.” Ally ruefully smiled. Looking up, Adolpha saw the sadness in her companion’s eyes.

 “Is death like our shadows? Always following behind us? Is this our only path?” Adolpha thought, sorrows washing over like a tide. “No, we can change our fate.”

   “Ouch!” Ally gasped, pain blinding her. Her arm was cut deeply by the lasers and she had set off a trap. “Crabs, squids and seafood...” Adolpha cursed.

The robots started to appear. “Run!” Dodging the beams, she heaved Ally up; gritting her teeth against the searing pain on her should wound, and threw her out of the maze of lasers. “Now I can get out without worrying about her!” Ducking under one, Adolpha twisted and dodged all the laser beams with the robots behind her. “Left! No, straight!” “Are you dyslexic?” Adolpha snapped. “You mean your right!”

   “ROSE! I HATE YOU!” Adolpha hollered out, frustrated.

-

  Smiling, Rose whispered back. “And I to you.”

Adolpha’s keen hearing would be able to pick up to answer. It was so exciting, against an opponent whom was gifted. But she too was gifted at something else.

“Rose, please, I beg you again. Stop this madness. Many have died. So end this. There’s no point in continuing to slaughter people.” Lisa whimpered. “Yes, please. We are free now. This battle has changed everything. Our fate has changed. We can go out now.” Sherry also attempted to plead. Pearlyn shook her head. Neither passive words nor aggression will budge Rose.