There is not much time left, I don't know how much longer I can hold on for. I braced my hand on the cool sides of the chair. Concentrate. Focus. Don't give.
I can hear his laugh, "Tell me, Rose, and this all ends. Tell me."
I need to breath, but Austin doesn't let me. Everything in my body moves to a halt. My mind is in shambles, i don't know if I remember how to breath. It's been too long.
"Only you can save yourself, Rose." But at what expense. This is for my family. If I talk, I bring them down with me.
"Give up Rose." No.
The room starts to fade, but I can see the strigoi get up to leave. "I will be back. And then Rose, you will talk."
The clank of the door sounds and I feel a rush of air come back into my lungs. After a few moments, my vision clears.
Austin is staring at me, pain in his eyes. "I'm so sorry."
After a few seconds, I find my voice, "I know."
"I have to start up again when he comes back, I can't save you. He will kill me if I don't."
"I know."
"I'm sorry."
We sit I silence as we wait for him to return. I don't look good, my body aches and I have been broken in almost every way possible. The only comfort I have is Austin sitting on the other side of the room, and even then, who likes a stranger staring at them?
Loud footsteps echo in the hallway echo outside. As the door opens, I feel everything in my body stop again. The invisible pain returns and every thing turns to what it was minutes ago.
"I'm surprised you've held on this long, Rose." His voice cuts through me like a knife, I hope you don't mind that I brought a friend."
Dimitri was shacked standing next to him, awake. I looked right into his eyes as he stood there. Nothing I could say could explain the message conveyed through that look. He was here to watch me die, just like I had in the cave.
All to sudden, there is a flash of light. Dimitri smashes into the strigoi, knocking him to the ground. I sit and watch as the fight breaks out. The strigoi kicks him in the jaw, an Dimitri tackles him again. All within the blur, my breath returns, and I see Austin's silhouette make a break for it.
Time goes by, and all I can see is Dimitri fighting. Jabbing the strigoi in the chest and blocking his attacks. The strigoi puts him in a choke hold and he rears back, pushing the strigoi into the wall and uses the shock to break free. An uppercut to the head knocks the strigoi to the ground, and he rushes towards me.
"Rose." He pants as he fumbles with my shackles, but I can see the strigoi stir in The background.
"Dimitri, go." He looks at me in shock and keeps messing with my chains.
"No." I see the strigoi stand up, and look at him frantically.
"I love you, now go." I whisper and he shakes his head.
"You should listen to your girl." The strigoi growls as he rips Dimitri off the ground and slams him across the room.
"No!" I scream and the strigois hands wrap around my neck.
Everything changes in that moment, and white light spreads across my vision.
I choke and sputter for air. After earlier, I cant hold on much longer. His grip keeps getting tighter. His eyes lit up with delight as he sees me struggle. I can't let him win.
I am strong.
I can't let go, but I'm not going to make it, I have to let go.
"Rose!" Dimitri's screams echo in my head. At least he's alive.
I stare right into the strigois eyes and my life slips away.
The hardest part about letting go is anticipating the fall, but I've already fallen. I did what I promised myself I wouldn't. I give up.
I feel his hands get wrenched away, but it's too late. The darkness comes too quickly. And everything is gone.
