24 Dreams Of You And Me

75) Realisations

"But not me, baby, I've got you to save me."
-Tom Petty

***

"What have you done?" Levi asked.

"Go.. find her.." Alyssa breathed out.

"I can't leave you alone here."

"And I can't do anything.. to help me out."

"Don't test my patience, Alyssa. What did you say to Cassandra?"

Alyssa just cried a little in pain.

Levi furiously picked up the blade, took large steps towards her and pressed the glass tightly straight on her cheeks.

She immediately began screaming and withering as smoke rose up from the burnt area.

"Please please! Stop!" She begged and sobbed and cried.

Levi applied more pressure. Her skin sizzled some more.

"Okay I'll tell you! Get it away! Please!"

He retracted the blade and stared at her. The black mark bore itself more deeply onto her skin.

"I don't enjoy hurting you, Alyssa. So don't make me."

"Oh, but I'll enjoy.." She looked at him. Golden eyes flaring. "I'll enjoy slicing... carving... and scratching out your body piece..  by.. piece."

"Well then, let's hope we don't get to that." He looked at her with a frown.

"I met Cassandra... and I casted a spell on her... she'll kill herself if you don't," she paused for a breath, "bring her to me."

"Why would I believe you? Maybe you want her here so she could break you out."

"She's a spirit.. you're the only one with the.." she nodded at the ruby on his finger. "She can't help me.."

"Why'd you ask her kill herself?"

"Because she showed... interest in you." She coughed and groaned. "Wanted to guard your door... all the time.. was enough a fool that you.. saw the room's content.. only because of her..."

"Well yeah, I do owe it to her."

"You were mine to persuade, Levi... I wouldn't allow anyone else to.. have a say.."

"So you killed her? Because another innocent life that's still pure even after being turned means nothing to you."

"I didn't kill her... she'll do it herself."

"The reason you hate her so much is you couldn't stand the thought that even after she was turned, she felt something, something human. She was yet to completely surrender. She had her mind, she felt emotions and you couldn't. And that bothered your selfish mind, didn't it, Alyssa?" He walked closer to her. "You didn't like that she was capable of something you're not. That I think better of her than I do of you."

"I don't care who you think better of.." She scoffed. "Get over yourself."

"Then such a brutal punishment? Action on impulse?"

"Because that's what I do!"

"And that's what I need you to stop doing. You cannot get what you want by violence. You cannot make others suffer for something they have naturally that you don't. You have to feel empathy, Alyssa!"

She shook her head.

"Yes!" Levi shouted. "What you did to Cassandra, was wrong. You must feel responsible for it. You know that feeling, you felt it for your tribe and now you're letting them die!"