City of Light

Chapter 15

My whole body burns, I struggle to understand, I can't let Mathew die. I stagger my way farther, and deeper into the dark forest, my talons gripping on the snow covered ground. I go as far as I could before I collapse, I can barely breathe.

"There is someone here, you need to hide. They are following the blood trail." I look down and sure enough, my blood leaves a clear trail to us. I panic drag Mathew over a bush and I lay there with him. I hear the cracking of twigs and the crunch of the snow beneath their feet. It goes quiet and then one man calls out.

"The trail ends here spread out." I hear multiple pairs of foot steps fade away but one comes closer. I see it's figure sticking out from the night sky, he turns his head to us and immediately holds up his assault rifle.

"Freeze." He commands, his voice is muffled through the gas mask her wares. The heavy armor and all the grenades and knives he holds on his belt make me fear that one will end up in Mathew. My long sleeve covered in blood covers my healing arm, he looks at me and gets out his radio.

"Reporting one severely injured female and an unconscious male, and get management on the line." He continues to hold us at gun point until a voice comes through the radio. Muffled voices, until the man, speaks out. He gives an actuate description of Mathew, and one of me.

"But sir-" He sounds concerned and afraid. I let a tear run down my cheek before it quickly freezes.

"Yes, sir..." He turns off the radio and looks at us, he holds the gun up to Mathew's head first, and my eyes pour out tears.

"Please..." I squeeze out the word. I don't cry for my life, I cry for Mathew, I take the pain for Mathew.

"I am sorry, you didn't deserve this.." I hold up my hand and squeeze my eyes shut. Then I hear, children happily yelling and laughing, the warm sun on my face. I different time, a comfortable one. I open my eyes, and see a green park, kids on the play ground, people walking their dogs, happy couples, and a chess table where I sit in my uniform when I was 13, Mathew was 12. Body guards stand all around us, Mathew wears shorts and a white T-shirt. Mathew makes a move on the board and check mates me.

"Ah come on Mathew, you're too good at this. Why do I even play." I scoff and he brightly smiles. I stand watching us, I begin to cry. I miss those days.

"Set it up again I'm winning this." I hand back Mathew's pieces, and we stand again. I watch one of my most cherished memories, become buried beneath the dust. Mathew will be dead and when he is gone, who will breathe the air he lost? This is the day I realized that I was all that boy had. I vowed to protect that boy no matter what. I at a young age I knew what it feels it protect someone, to feel responsible for ones safety. I often visited him, and I knew he was being pushed around a lot. It bothered me and I made sure he had somebody to hang out with, I didn't want him to be alone ever again. The memories fades away like a shedding forest, I'm left in the inky black.

I hear a heart monitor beeping it's dreaded tune. Colors find their place and a memory I blocked out so many years ago makes its way back into my hollow mind. A dimly lit hospital room, deprived of color, gray and white are the only colors I saw that day. A single padded chair sits in front on the bed, I lay curled up and quietly sleeping, a young face, kind, innocent. I was seven years old. My father lays in the bed, pale, weak, withered.

"Melvia..." A raspy whisper fills my tired head. I raise my head and rub my eyes.

"Daddy? What are you doing, you should be getting rest." I walk over to his bed side and hold his hand, gently and lovingly.

"You're like me, selfless, you hold on and protect those you hold very dear. Now, I can't protect you anymore, you fight the battle no matter how bad it looks. You keep fighting until you can't do it anymore. I love you very much, Melvia Rose. Don't ever forget that, no matter what." He takes a raspy breath, and I stand there, confused.

"Stop with your good byes, you're getting out of here. I love you too dad." His eyes grow heavy and he doesn't open them, I shake him and call his name. But he wouldn't open his eyes, all those seconds I thought he was going to be okay, I screamed and cried. He flat lined and I screamed for help, the doctors shoved me out of the way but I refused to let him go. It took four nurses to pick me up and carry me out side. They eventually called time of death, it was 1:53 am. I felt my world crumble around me I collapsed behind the glass. I screamed and prayed that he would wake up, but I knew he would never. My mom was too busy clubbing with her modeling girlfriends, it was her friends birthday. I hated her from that moment forward, I had to remain civil in public but my hatred towards her was boiling, she didn't deserve my father, nor did she deserve me.