Falling

Chapter 19

"Ladies and Gentlemen, April Springs has slain her own boyfriend! How utterly cruel! May all of you able to fight, head down and fight this abomination!" The announcer yelled.

I stood there as I processed what was going on. Luke's limp body was still hanging from the sword in my hands. I had killed him. I had killed my boyfriend. I felt tears run my cheeks and I released the sword from my hands. What have I done? Why the hell did I murder Luke? Why?

A scream erupted from me except it didn't sound like me. It was feral like, but also human like. It wasn't only my voice either. It sounded like a great deal of pain had merged my tiger side with me causing me to be in this much unbearable pain.

I glared around me at the vampires who were rushing into the arena. I growled threateningly as I saw everyone who I had left in my species, dead. Alex, Logan, James, and Arthur had wounds across their necks that were still bleeding tremendously. Luke was laying in front of me with a sword sticking out from his chest and a look of utter shock on his face. I went to go reach down for Luke only to have my arm grabbed by someone.

I turned, ready to attack whoever it was, only to find it was Rick. He yanked me over to a patch of shadows and held his hand against my mouth as we watched the vampires in the arena flow out furiously. Before I could even comprehend anything, Martha was already next to me bandaging up the viewable wounds I now had. Her red eyes were haunting to look at, so I stared down at my hands which still were trembling.

I had killed my boyfriend. I don't remember exactly how, but I know I did. I only remember his claws digging into me and his furious growl when I changed to my human form to grab the sword. I took a shaky breath as tears streamed from my eyes. What did I do to deserve this horrible treatment?

Rick's arms surrounded me as he pulled me into a hug. I stiffened a bit since I wasn't used to hugs from vampires at all. Martha joined the hug as well causing me to relax a bit as I felt her familiar comfort. Nothing was the same anymore. Martha wasn't my mother and Rick was my uncle who looked just as young as I did. I couldn't help it as I broke into a sobbing mess. Martha rubbed my back while Rick tried to keep a lookout while making sure I was quiet.

"April, we have to get you out of here." Rick whispered.

"Why don't we use the shadows we're in?" Martha suggested.

"Too conspicuous. They'd expect us to do that once they do a headcount on everyone that was near April in the last three days." Rick whispered.

Martha bit her lip nervously and sighed. She stood up and brushed off her pants and smiled. Rick stood up as well and looked over at me with a worried glance. Everything in my body felt absolutely numb. I felt like a robot as I stood up. My hand moved to wipe away my tears before I could even think.

"April, are you okay?" Rick whispered.

"Oh, I'm nowhere near okay. I'm pissed." My voice said even though I wanted to tell him I felt sick to my stomach, and I just wanted to die.

"Martha, we need to get her back to her room fast. I had left her pills there and by how distant looking her eyes are, she needs them now more than ever." Rick whispered to Martha.

"I'll go get the pills. You get her out of here." Martha said back.

I watched as Martha ran off into the shadows while Rick pulled me along by my arm to get me out of here. I glanced back at my friends and boyfriend's cold limp bodies. I wanted to get their bodies and bury them someplace that no one would find their bodies, but in order to even attempt to retrieve their bodies would result in being caught by the vampires. I would love to fight them all, but there was too much risk in getting caught. If I leave them, I have a chance to escape, but not to give them a proper funeral.