short stories

[My Part 2]

Before we begin... This is my part for my friend @randomlolz24 's book, "Race for Survival". If you haven't read that yet, go check it out. It's epic.

[though, Aqua, if you made the chapters longer it would be better. At least like 400 words. At this rate that you're going, the book will exceed the max chapter limit. Take that to mind.]

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I wander a dark wasteland, and I cannot see five feet in front of me. I've lost count of how many times I had this dream for the past week.

I sigh and run a few fingers through my hair, touching the exact places where the orange streaks would appear should I use my power.

My power.

I grin and hold out a hand, illuminating my palm with a golden-orange flame.

Why didn't I think of this before?

The fire suddenly burns out of control, consuming the air around it and shrouding me in a wave of flames. I open my mouth to scream but black smoke rushes in and my eyes begin to close.

What's happening... I manage to murmur before the darkness overtakes me and I hear a single, piercing scream.

<>

My eyes fly open and I heave a sigh of relief, before remembering the thing that woke me up.

A scream.

All I see is Jayden, pulling a bloodied knife out of Elle's chest.

"Ja-Jayden...ho-why?!" Another despairing scream splits the air and I realize it is Aqua, her face terribly pale.

Jayden smirks. "Don't you get it? You all really are idiots..."

A small murmur escapes my frozen lips. "W-what?"

"Don't you see? I never liked your little group to begin with! You were just tools to benefit me!" He laughs, and I feel my heart break as I stare into his eyes.

His eyes...

They were red. He was infected.

I let out a small gasp.

"Please, Jayden, you don't have to do this!" Aqua says softly, trying to reason with the 16-year-old.

Jayden ignores her.

He lifts the bloody knife and lunges at Aqua menacingly, eyes a crazed red.

I see Aqua flinch and close her eyes, but at the last second Drea throws a protective shield of air in front of her, deflecting Jayden's blow.

Aqua co her senses and immediately summoned another shield, this one made of water. I was still standing still at a corner, frozen to the spot.

Jayden kept hacking at the shields with his blade, I could tell that Aqua and Drea were tiring. Sooner or later he would break through and we all would die.

I immediately unfreeze as Jayden turns to me, the only one not protected by an elemental shield.

Jayden leaps at me, knife raised high, ready to slash my throat and end my life.

I raise my hand, sweeping it in a wide arc, creating an arc of flame that stuns Jayden, who steps back.

I quickly draw my obsidian sword and slash forward, tears running down my face.

As Jayden falls backwards, his shirt stained with fast-flowing blood, I know I have made the right decision.

"I'm sorry Jayden. This is for your own good..." I yell.

Jayden never gets up again, his chest's rise and fall stopping. A single tear drops to the ground.