BLOODLESS

Chapter Four

Berries

Eventually, we got back into the woods. We went deeper this time, though. For obvious reasons. In fact, we went so far that by the time we were satisfied with our spot, it was night.
Edward mentioned something about getting food for the night. Logan offered to help him, but we didn't trust him just yet.

As us three were getting comfortable, Matilda walked over to the tree next to me and started making a bed of leaves. She then took her black cloak off, and I saw the tip of a blade shine in the moonlight. A bow was also hidden inside her jacket, which loudly fell to the ground with a bang. It wasn't a daggy one that a seven year old could make though, it was obviously a top-of-the-line professionally hand crafted one. A sheath of arrows were slung around her black short sleeve shirt.

I was baffled. "How... W-what?... How the heck did you... Did you fit all of that in your inside pockets? How did I not notice that there was a whole sheath of arrows slung around you?" I paused for a moment, pondering this, "In fact, now that I think about it, if you had all those weapons, why didn't you use them to fight earlier?"

"Well, a girl has to know she's safe, right? I only want to use them in extreme circumstances, anyway. I'm confident in my raw strength for the most part," she answered, before we exchanged grins. Logan just looked up and smirked.

About twenty minutes had passed before a loud rustling in the bushes alarmed us. We both got up into a battle stance before freezing like a deer in headlights, petrified.

Rushed footsteps echoed around the woods and Matilda and I were standing back to back, ready for battle. Logan looked laid back, unimpressed.

"Aren't you worried?" hissed Matilda.

He shook his head, clearly amused, and trying to hold back his tears of laughter.

Sometimes I still wish I didn't think he was so annoying back then, because he wouldn't even be seeing the light of day in the end.

The footsteps were coming closer, and an excited Edward came stumbling through the foliage. The wizard looked like an excited puppy who had just found a secret stash of doggy treats. In his hands there were what seemed like hundreds of small, blue berries. There were so many that they fell out of his hands as he walked.

Edward quickly put a small handful in his mouth and asked if we wanted any, since I wasn't hungry, I quickly shook my head. Matilda, on the other hand, was starving and grabbed a handful. I sniffed the air, curiosity getting the best of me. My eyes widened and I froze, before slowly looking over to Edward.

"DO NOT EAT THOSE," I screamed, my voice cracking from how much energy it took.

"Why not? They're just berries!" exclaimed Edward, offended that his berry-picking skills were being questioned by this incompetent child.

"They're poisonous," I growled, lunging at Edward from behind, causing him to crash to the ground and drop the remaining berries. Searching around, I found a leaf and put it deep in his throat, causing him to vomit. As soon as the vomit came out and we saw the colour, it was obvious it was over.

I managed one last scream, my voice wavering with each syllable. "HOLD HIM DOWN, MATILDA!"

The human girl immediately rushed to his aid, obeying my command.

Checking Edwards slowly fading pulse, silent tears came streaming out of my eyes, which were fighting to stay wide open.

Just like me, Matilda was fighting her own battle, too. To stay determined. This would be the worst time to lose her childhood best friend, and well-known idiot, Edward.

Edward slowly began to shake, then it quickly became faster and more violent. Blood was streaming out of his eyes like tears, and his mouth was foaming with red bubbles. I backed away, but Matilda was sitting in a pool of his blood, holding his pale body by the shoulders and screaming the same thing over and over again.

"Edward! EDWARD! Don't die now! WE'VE COME SO FAR AND WORKED SO HARD FOR THIS! ANYTIME BUT NOW WOULD BE GOOD! PLEASE! Please..."

Matilda then slumped into his puddle of blood, sobbing loudly. Each of her raspy sobs were barely showing the pain that she was feeling.

All of a sudden, the blood and shaking stopped. It was the end of the road.

"He's... dead," I said slowly, barely managing a squeak.

"What...?" whispered Matilda, horrified, "NO HE'S NOT! OLIVIA PLEASE USE YOUR MAGIC! ...LOGAN? ANYONE... PLEASE... He can't be... no... he's not gone..." Matilda was now desperately screaming, while looking at Edward's blood-soaked face the whole time.

"Matilda..." I whispered, "I'm so, so sorry..."

"He's gone... he's really gone..." a horrified voice spoke from the edge of the trees.

"Oh," said Matilda sharply, "I forgot you were here."

Ignoring her, Logan continued speaking, "Violetlock. It's fatal, especially since it looks like blueberries, but I never imagined that it would be in these parts. It's said to only be in the southern areas of Europe."

Matilda's eyes froze.

"Fa...tal...?" It really was the end.

The last thing we heard that night was Matilda screaming over the young wizard's dead body. She never left his side that night.

Through the night, she hugged him tight. Talked to him about stuff. Pretended he was still alive.

Even if Edward's journey came to an end, ours was just beginning.

"When I tell you I'll be fine, I still want you by my side."