City Of Shadows

Chapter Three: Twi's Story

            I screamed as I watched in horror as Cam held the gun against Starlight's forehead. “No!!” I squealed, tears soaking my face. I tried to stop Cameron, but Arch held me back. “Don't do it, Twi!! He'll shoot you too!!” Arch exclaimed, shaken. Bse (Simon to all the readers who read the previous chapter.) slugged Cam in his side, knocking the gun out of his hand and onto the floor. Cameron and Bse were soon locked in combat, furiously pounding away at one another. I glanced over at Alexis who was on her feet again. She stumbled over to Starlight's side, blood leaking from the innumerable wounds covering her limbs, body, and head. “S-Starlight……I won't….let you…..die……” Alexis stammered, tripping over her own tails. Starlight's eyes were closed as blood oozed from her wounds and mouth. Alexis used her sword for balance. “Arch…let me help Alexis…..please,” I said, looking at him with pleading eyes. He sighed and let me go. “Just help Alexis….I'll take care of the two guys….”Arch answered. I nodded and ran over to Alexis's side. Alexis held Starlight close, crying a lot. “Alexis….let's go to the infirmary…..I can patch you and Starlight up there…..” I whispered, kneeling down by her. Alexis hugged me, squishing Starlight in between us. “Hannah!!! Why?!?!” she sobbed. “A-Alexis…?” I asked. She showed me Starlight's once joyful, shining, teal eyes. They held no life.

                     “Oh my goodness…..” I whispered, crying with her. Arch slammed Cam in the head with a plank of wood, knocking him out. “Hah….that should help….he should awake back to normal….” he said.

       Bse dusted himself off and shook his hair around. “Alexis, Twi?” he questioned, turning toward us. “S-She's…….she's-,” Alexis sobbed, voice broken by how much it hurt her to say it. Bse walked over to us, his ears flattened along his head. “What's wrong with her..?” he asked, kneeling down by us. I balanced Starlight's head on my shoulder, showing Bse her dull, lifeless eyes. He gasped and fell back onto his bottom and hands. “Star….n-no…..” he whimpered. I already acknowledged how close Bse and Starlight were. It pained me to see Bse so torn about this.  

          He covered his face with his jacket, obviously trying to hide his tears. His loud sobs were muffled, but still partially audible. I don't even want to say what I heard. Alexis pulled Starlight into her warm arms.                             

         Arch and I were on either side of Bse. I proceeded to wrap Bse in a close, tight cozy bear hug. Arch did the same from the opposite side. “Bse….don't cry…..I'm sure you'll be over this loss within a few weeks,” Arch whispered, eyes soft. Bse pushed Arch and I off and jumped away from us. “Don't lie to me! It just reminds me too much of how she'd be so caring as to comfort me like that!! I swear I'll never forgive Cam for killing her!! Never ever!!” he shouted, letting his pain show through. He was red-faced with tears soaking his face, along with some of his emy ink leaking out from his eyes to show that his pain was way deeper than a loss of a friend.

         “S-Si-Sim-Simon…….p-p-p-p-pl-plea-p-please……..s-s-s-s-s-st-stop…….c-c-c-c-c-c-c-crying……” Starlight gagged. Her voice was weak, soft and faint. The room cut dead silent when she spoke. Bse shook visibly, eyes locked on the small, weak, injured, purple angel-fox. “Starlight……” he sniffled, falling onto his knees in front of her and Alexis. He pulled Starlight away from Alexis and into a tight hug. “Don't leave me….please….I'd be even more broken without you here…” he wept, “…you're the sun in my cold, dark life….the only reason I bother to keep pushing myself ahead in this nightmare I am forced to call life.”

              I faintly smiled when he said that. He actually unveiled his true emotions toward Starlight right in front of us. I knew that there was something more than a friendship to them. Alexis and Arch smiled too. “Bse….lemme take Star to the infirmary so I can mend her wounds and let her recover…..” Alexis commented, holding out her strong, loving, caring and tender arms. Bse nodded, laying Starlight carefully, as if she was made of glass, in Alexis's out-casted arms.  

     Arch pulled me into his arms, placing my head against his chest so I could hear his heartbeat. “Shhhh….just calm down and rest in my arms, Hannah…..”                       

                              Thump…T-Thump….T-Thump……

     That's all I heard aside from his soft breathing. I blushed. It was just both of us together. It was quite peaceful. “A-Arch..?” I questioned. “Shhhh….calm down….it's going to be just fine….” he whispered. I still slightly trembled in his arms, but soon felt cozy in them, like a familiar time. Cam was dragged off to the infirmary by Alexis who decided to let Bse carry Starlight. It left the two of us all alone together. My face was red, I could tell just by how hot it felt. He smiled. “Twi……it'll be alright once we get back home….back to how it should be…..” he whispered. Would it be fine? I mean, would we ever be the same after all of this? Would we all even make it back?  Doubt whirred through my head. “I know it will be,” Arch said.