City Of Shadows

Chapter Two: Starlight's Story

I flattened my ears against my head. “A-Alexis?! What's wrong?” I questioned, squirming in Simon's grasp. “No way Star. It's best to leave Alexis be. She might hurt you if you make her mad enough,” he commented, eyes locked on Cameron. “What are yall so mad at me 'bout? Huh?” Cameron exclaimed. I bit my tongue harder. “You want to know why? Cause you're the one that made Alexis get all upset and run away!!” Simon snapped. Twi glanced up from her hug with Arch and nuzzled her face into his chest. Arch, usually really calm, sat Twi down beside Simon and I. He shoved Cameron back a bit. “Cam, this isn't like you!! Stop acting like a jerk,” he growled. Cameron held his gun in his hand and aimed it at the three of us sitting on the bed. Had he lost it?! “Oh, you all think I'm the bad guy!!” Cam shouted. Skkkshhh…..Skkkkksshhhhh…..Skkkssshhhh…..

       The sound of someone sliding down the hall on his or her belly softly played in the background. “C-Cameron…..d-don't….s-s-shoot…t-t-t-them…….” a familiar voice gagged. Alexis clung onto Cameron's ankle and looked up at him. Her face was pale from blood loss, I could tell. Cameron looked back at her and smiled. “So the one who started all this s*__ wants to stop it?” Cameron asked rhetorically. He kicked Alexis off his leg and into the wall behind. “NYYYAA!!” I screamed. I buried my face in Simon's chest, shaking all over. All I could do was hear the arguing. Then I heard Cameron fire his gun. BANG!! Thud!! Someone was shot. “S-Simon?” I questioned, looking up at him. He was standing up, tears running down his face. He seemed really mad and upset. “How could you shoot her?! She did nothing to be shot!! All she did was try and stop all this bull crap!!” He shouted, voice booming against me. I shook a lot as I looked to where I heard the thud sound. “No!!! No!!!! Noooooo!!!!!” I screamed, crying all over again. What I saw horrified me. Alexis lay on the floor, a bullet hole in her back and blood staining the ground everywhere. Her face was nearly colorless and her eyes were dull, a fraction of life shining in them.  “Noooooo!!!” I sobbed, falling to my knees. I covered my face with my wings, not wanting to see more of this horror. Simon pulled me back into his arms and took off running.                                 

          “Why did he kill Alexis?? S-She j-just tried to…..” I wept. Simon stroked my hair. “He's gone mad, Star. I think it's because he missed home so much that he's been driven insane,” Simon whispered. The image of Alexis that way was burned into my memory. “I still saw life in Alexis's eyes, so don't worry,” he continued. I squeezed my necklace charm tight. I remembered Alexis saying her life would be sustained as long as I kept my necklace safe. Hers could be destroyed, but as long as mine was okay, I could save her. Simon wiped away my tears with his jacket sleeve. “Don't cry, Starlight. I don't wanna see your face soaked with tears,” he commented. I faintly smiled, soothed by his deep, beautiful voice. “I'll…try….not….to…..” I stammered, still crying a bit. His smile was a crescent moon in my dark sky.

        “Hey, Star, mind if I ask you something?” he questioned. I glanced up at him, eyes shaky. “Y-yeah….I don't mind…..” I answered, dropping out of his arms and beside him. I proceeded to walk at a pace at his side. He slipped his warm, comforting arm around me. “If someone in this world were to love you, but not know how to tell you, what would you say to them?” he asked. “Well, depends who they are. If it's someone whom I know well, I'd tell them how I felt about them. If it's a person I haven't met…then I don't know,” I answered. His eyes flashed. “S-Star…..how do you feel about….me?” he asked. I blushed when he said that. “Simon…..I like you….a lot….you're the one that I'd be happy to be with…..someone I'd love to start a relationship with. I love you…..so if you-,” I started.

    Suddenly, my words were halted. I felt his lips touch mine. He held me close….and just kissed me. My face got hot and I began to kiss him back. He stopped and pulled his face back a bit from mine, so our eyes locked. “Star, I feel the same way…..h-how long have you felt like that toward me?” he asked, voice soft. “E-ever since that day where you…..you first decided to put yourself out there for me…..you risked your life against that creature to defend me……I remember you telling me to stay back and-,” I answered, tears rolling down my face. He pulled me close and hugged me. “Star, I realized you were the one I wanted to be with when I saw how much you cared about me when Spark broke my heart…..even when I doubted my own self-worth, you told me a was worth more than I was saying. You got so emotional about it. I even noticed you started crying before you ran off….thinkin' you hurt me worse,” Simon whispered. His voice just made me blush even more. “Well, you were lying to yourself about how much your worth….and I loved you, so what made you think I wouldn't be upset…” I replied, “Simon, listen, Spark never treated you with the care, respect, kindness, and love that he should've……he was so cruel to you and you didn't deserve for him to dis you like that….”

                   He began to cry at my words, gently pressing his head on my shoulder. To me, it felt like two giant boulders were lifted off my shoulders. Telling him that just let off some broiling steam. “Don't cry, Simon…..I won't hurt your heart……I promise to treat you with the love, respect, kindness and care you should have,” I whispered. Before he could answer, our moment was broken up by gunfire and screams.

           “Twi!! Arch!!! Alexis!!” I exclaimed, breaking away from the hug. I ran back toward our home, Simon in close pursuit. I leaped into the slide entrance, skirt blowing up as I did so. Wump!! I landed right on top of something soft and flesh-like. “Nyyyaa!!” I screamed. At first, I thought it was a dead body. Turns out, I landed on Cam. Arch held Alexis and Twi close, bullet holes in his limbs and belly. As much as it looked like it pained him, he held back his tears. Simon landed beside me. “Star, did you land on-,” he started. I nodded. Arch glanced up, eyes shaky. “He…tried….to kill….all three of us…..Alexis….is….still alive….but…..nearly dead……” he whispered.

     “Nya-ahhhaaaahhhh!!” I wailed. I felt a sharp pain of a bullet messily shot through my lower back. It landed at my feet as I fell over on top of it, tears and blood filling my view. “Starlight!! No!!” Simon exclaimed, trying to grab me. Thud!! I felt a forceful blow to my side which sent me hurling into a wall, my blood gushing from both wounds. Cameron approached me as I lay lamely sprawled across the ground. Cam raised his gun and aimed it at my forehead. His words still haunt my memories. “Rest in a bloody mess, Starlight,”