Glass

Choices

I watch almost in slow motion as my hands start to glow. A cool feeling pulses through me, almost like cold water is trickling down my veins. Golden light begins to flood my palms, spilling out of them and drifting towards the ground. Unlike when Lu and Vanessa were fighting, it's gentle; It's soft. The disc in my hand begins to brightly glow, and it starts burning my hand. I gasp and drop it on the ground, quickly stepping away.

A flash of light fills the room, temporarily blinding me. As I blink away the dots blocking my vision, my eyes widen. A door stands in the middle of the hallway. Other than the light spilling out from under it, it looks just like all the other doors. I reach forward cautiously, moving my hand towards the handle.

"Open it," Mr. Smiley says, pointing at the door.

I look at him for a moment, then turn my head towards Lu. He's finally in the hallway, the door to the pit closed behind him.

"Please," he whispers. "Please don't."

I shake my head and move forwards. I have to leave... he's a murderer, he's a liar...

And I love him.

I stop and turn back around. "Why?" My voice is strained and quiet.

"Kanna, no time. Door disappear soon." Mr. Smiley warns.

Desperation seems to fill up every inch of Lu like a glass fills with water. "Because you... you can't, you have to stay here with me... I'm all alone, I need you, and I love you, and you're so amazing and strong and kind and I can't..."

"No. Get ahold of yourself and tell me... tell me why," I say, my voice breaking.

"It's not safe out there!"

"Why not?"

"Because Vanessa..."

"Vanessa's dead!" I shout. "You killed her, she died because of you!"

"No... no no no, I didn't kill her, no..."

"I saw it happen!"

"But you won't stay if I killed her!"

"Then why did you do it?"

"I didn't!"

"STOP LYING!" I clench my fists and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to keep tears from flowing, trying to keep myself from being vulnerable with him. "Everything was a lie! You've never once told me the truth, have you?"

"I love you! That's not a lie!"

"Kanna, door will disappear. Go now," Mr. Smiley pressed.

"No, you don't! You don't love me, you need me! And believe it or not, those are two different things because if you loved me you'd let me go!" I turn back around and grab the door knob.

"I killed Vanessa!"

I stop.

"I killed Toby, and I killed Shawn and Milo... everything is my fault. I did all of it. I lied to you about hell, I lied to you about the healing tablets..."

I turn around. "You lied about the healing tablets?"

His face freezes up. "Oh... I mean, well, yeah. I always healed you with light. I thought it would freak you out, so..."

"Quit trying to protect me!" I shout. "I don't need protecting, I don't need to be taken care of!"

"Yes, you do! WIthout me, you would've been raped to death by those sick bastards!"

"Without you, I wouldn't be trapped in hell!"

"I can save you!"

"I don't need saving!"

"I love you!'

I open my mouth to repeat the phrase back to him but hesitate. "I know."

"Then stay!"

"NO!"

We stay silent for a while, staring at each other and breathing heavily.

And then, I feel something wrap around my waist, and I hear the sound of a door opening, and I feel myself being flung backward, with Lu disappearing from sight.

"Sorry. Out of time."

I watch in shock as Mr. Smiley shuts the door, and it vanishes from sight. 

Author's Note:

Okay, I'll give you a little heads up. There's only one chapter of this story left. That's right, folks, we're almost to the end. I'm actually really sad about it, I don't want to put Kanna on the shelf. I don't want to be done with her. I guess that's how it works, though. 

Thanks so much for reading! Please don't forget to vote and comment, I thank each and every one of you for supporting me! Love you guys!

-Eden