Hourglass

Chapter 4

The heat of the sun roasts my exposed skin, making for one of the warmest spring days I've ever experiences. The usual wind that whisks throughout the kingdom has halted as if it were waiting for something. Permission, maybe.
    Varek continues his speech about how I must be executed in order for him to rule. I learned earlier from Carson that Varek only kept me alive to make a statement to the people of Ilopia; anyone in his way will not be dealt with.
    "Concluding the acquisition, we shall move on with the ceremony. Before we do so, are there any objections?" Varek glances at the gathered crowd, eyes daring anyone to speak.
    "Father, I object," Carson interjects
    Every single person here gasps except Varek. Instead, a wicked grins sweeps over his face.
    "You foolish boy. You're in love with the girl, aren't you." I almost laughed out loud at the acquisition. Almost. I would have but Carson hadn't denied it. So many emotions and thoughts are being thrown at me, and if the guards hadn't been holding me, I'd have fallen over.
    Carson is the only one left in my shortening life who still cares about. He made the effort to cheer up a dying worthless girl, no matter the cost. Now he is standing in front of his merciless father who I have no doubt will punish him and I can't help but feeling guilty.
    "That's what I thought. You disgust me, son, I thought I'd raise you better. You're tainted now. A liability. And you know what happens to liabilities."
    Varek draws a sword and begins walking towards me. "The girl goes first."
    "No." Carson says.
    "No?"
    "I would let you."
    "Well, that's unfortunate." Varek says smugly. The tip of a knife pierces through Carson's back, his muscles tensing as his body falls to the ground.
    A raging scream tears through my throat and all I see is red, the scarlet color of blood. The same blood I so dearly wish to see draining from Vareks body. With adrenaline coursing throughout my body, I tear free from the guards grasps. Before I know it I'm hovering over Carson's bloody body.
    "Please, please don't go. You don't deserve this. Please! I'm so sorry!" I sob uncontrollably, an intense pain rippling through my body. Somehow this is even worse than all of my family's deaths combined. I've never felt this much pain.
"He's right, you know," Carson whispers
"No, he's not, Carson. Your father is a liar. You are not a liability." Tears are streaming down my face, sobs racking my body.
"That's not what I meant." He struggles to say. His life draining away from him like grains of sand slipping through an hourglass.
"He was right when he said I loved you," he whispers.
"I love you too, I'm so sorry," I say. Shaking with fear, I bring my lips to his. I feel the small response of his lips against mine. But then it stops. I pull away to see Carson's pale face and realize that I'll never see the shine in his beautiful emerald eyes again.
Suddenly I'm thrown to the ground, a sharp pain in my gut. Opening my eyes, I see a boot pressed to my stomach, preventing me from moving. Looking up, I meet Varek's steely grey eyes. He moves his sword so that the bloodied tip is resting against my throat.
"What have you turned my son into?" He growls.
He drags the tip down the length of my neck and stops right at my heart. He presses slightly, tearing skin along the way.
"Go to Hell!" He shouts as he drives the sword home. A pain, so intense that I can't even move to scream spirals from my chest, but the pain isn't as bad as knowing Carson is dead. I start to loose all of my senses.
As the cheering fades away, I don't see the bright lights I'd imagines would be welcoming me into heaven. I don't see mom or dad, or Annabelle. But worst of all, I don't see Carson. His bright, loving green eyes are not here welcoming me. His calm, perfect smile isn't here to reassure me. I don't feel his comforting warm arms encircling me to make me feel safe.
I do not see or feel any of these things. Instead, I feel the heat draining from my body. My unresponsive limbs stiffening. All I see is black-no that's not right. It's much darker. Intimidating. Frightening. But there's something about it that's calling for me. Pulling me towards it. As soon as I'm fully surrounded, I feel nothing. Then, it's all over.