Survive Or Die

Chapter 20- Death leaves a heartache no one can heal

Celia's POV

"You want me to do what?" She asks, shocked at my request. She regains her senses and shakes her head. "Sorry, no can do."
"Please? I promised Judith a warm bath tonight," I continue to beg.
She raises an eyebrow. "No can do."
I sigh. I straighten up and pull mu shoulders back in an attempt at looking bigger and more menacing. "I am the leader of Hopi, correct?" I have to force the words out my throat. It feels too much like I'm 'abusing the power'.
The girl, Melanie I think her name was, drops her head instantly. "Yes, Celia."
"I can kick you from Hopi."
"I know."
"I promised a little girl a warm bath. I do not break promises."
"Yes Celia."
"I'll give you until tomorrow evening." I neglected to mention that I won't actually punishing her at all if the warm water isn't there.
She raises her head again and stares at me wide eyed. "Fine," she says through her teeth. I shove my guilt down in my stomach.
"Good. And thank you," I add weakly. She rolls her eyes and grunts, as she turns and walks away.
"Uh Princess," comes Carls voice from behind me. I whirl around to face him. His midnight hair is in a small bun and his green/ blue eyes are worried. "The people they- they are scared. They know that you are keeping Isabella locked up and they want something done. They are scared that she will go crazy and kill everyone." He smiles wryly and shrugs.
I curse under my breath as an overwhelming sense of dread settles on top of me. "Right." I swallow and try to keep my knees from buckling under me. "I can't... I can't postpone this any... any longer." My attempts at keeping my voice steady, end up causing it to break at the end. Carls soft eyes watch me. He reaches out a gently squeezes my arm reassuringly. "I'll be there every step of the way." I smile gratefully at him and prepare to face the monster I fear most.

The first thing I hear is the screams. Screams and shrieks of a familiar voice fill the air. I wince. Next is the smashing of iron bars. The sound bounces off the walls and seems to echo through my mind. The stiff, musty smell of the basement surrounds me before I even set foot down the stairs. I hear a loud smash of metal and silence. The silence doesn't last. I wince and let out a soft whimper.
"Celia-" one of the guard, Fiona I think, starts.
I hold up a hand to silence her. "I'm going... I'm going down." I take a deep breath and start my decent into the darkness below.
I get to the bottom step and hear the beautiful sound of silence. One last step and I'll be in her line of sight.
I take a step.
The shrieks begin once again. I force myself not to cower at the sight of her before forcing myself to open my eyes. I have a sharp intake of breath at the sight of Isabella. My best friend.
She chocolate hair is dull and patchy in places to reveal her dead, peeling skin. Her brown eyes skirt around the room before freezing on me. Her dry, cracked lips turn up in a snare as she glares at me with hate filled eyes. It tugs at my heart and causes me to harden my face even more. "Callie... Cassandra... Caitlin..." she gives a frustrated growl and grabs handfuls of her limp hair.
I all around the edge of the room, making sure to put as much space between Isabella and I as possible. "It's Celia," I say tensely.
A wide, creepy smile spreads across her decaying face. Her head cocks to the side and a dangerous glint shows in her eyes. "You here to kill me, Celia?"
I struggle to keep my face from showing the disgust that I feel by looking at this creature that has taken on Isabella's body. "Yes."
For a second, a split second, I see the old Issy again; my best friend. "Will it hurt?" The voice comes out soft and broken, unlike before. A lump forms in my throat and my knees start to tremble.
"I don't know," I croak.
She looks at me sadly then at the ground. When she looks up again her face is back to wicked Flesh Eater. It's scary. "Better do it fast, eh bestie." She laughs, a loud, creepy laugh, throwing her head back like a mad man.
"I'm sorry," I blurt out. She looks at me curiously.
"For what? For not- not helping me tell them about ah what was it... Aria. Or for- or for locking me up here?" She pouts. "I thought we were best friend forever."
Anger courses through me. How dare she say that like it's a joke. The Issy I knew would want me to kill her before she became a monster. I order for some guards. They come rushing in and, once given the order, yank Isabella from the cage. I follow behind them as they walk outside. I see Isabella cowering under the light. As we walk, many people stop to gawk in amazement or shock. Or both.
It's once we arrive at the edge of the forest that the monster starts thrashing furiously. She screams, scratches, kicks and punches in all direction. Luckily we put a mask over her hideous face so she can't bite. The guards throw her to the ground where she cowers, hissing at us. I shakily raise my handgun so it is pointed to her forehead. "Isabella Alexis Morgan. You were- you were bitten. It is too-too late for you. I'm sorry." I force my eyes open as my finger tighten around the trigger. Izzy looks up at me with large, dull eyes, rimmed with tears. They look so much like my best friend. Pleading, hopeful.
"Celia..." her voice comes out as a familiar croak while her frail body trembles. It hurts, physically hurts, to watch her tremble under my arm.
"I'm sorry," is all I can say before I force my finger to close on the trigger.
The bang is deafening but the thump of her body is worse.
Izzy falls to the ground, with a hole in her forehead.
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Wow.
This was awesome. And no, it wasn't my original goal to kill Izzy but it happened.
Sorry for not updating sooner. Really sorry.
Aria - 29
Celia - 25
I love you all so much and thank you thank you for the 350+ reads!
You're all so amazing!!!!