Angeliku/SINS [rough draft]

-Dying Light-

[Hayden]

Cornered.  It seems like we’ve come to the end.  Surrounded.  Everything seems to be caving in as the Reapers appear one by one.  Shane has yet to make his appearance but I’m sure he’ll show sooner than later.  Tierra.  She’s making an unbelievable sacrifice.  As I dried my tears, she constantly made sure that I was in arms length as the hellish apparitions quickly outnumbered us.  Before long they all had arrived, including Shane.  Who seemed sadistically excited at the continued absence of Andelus, whom Tierra seemed reluctant to let me summon.  

“Looks like you’re running out of martyr’s Lost One.”  Shane smirked has he suddenly appeared from behind the largest Reaper forming the circle.

“Look at you slinking out of your dark nesting place.”  Tierra replied smugly.

“…said the ant to the hammer,” He shook his head as he slowly walked toward us, “Why are you still here?  I’m guessing the angel’s bout with Kyle left him worse for wear.  I figured you’d go down before he would, being what you are and all.”

“Let’s get this over with already.”  She peered over her shoulder, “Hayden, open the water.”

I glanced down at the bottle in my hand then back to Tierra, who was facing Shane.  I popped the cap off the bottle as I noticed a few of the Reapers suddenly backing off.    

“What’s he talking about?’ I whispered softly.

Shane interjected rudely, “Your BFF didn’t tell you?”

“Shane!” Tierra shouted as she reached back for the water.

“She’s not real.  She’s a memory.”

As she reached for the bottle I shifted my body a few steps back, “What?”

“Oh dear God, just tell her already.”  He watches as I waited for a response, but she gave none, “Okay, well your bestie here isn’t a real person.  It’s staggering to think that the human mind is this fragile.  You don’t remember Hayden?” 

I shook my head softly in pure disbelief. 

“She died when we were kids.  This thing in front of you might not even be Tierra.”  He uttered. 

Tierra rushed towards me as I instinctively tossed the water bottle clear out of reach.  As the hurled through the air the reapers quickly enclosed the circle around us.  Drawing ever closer with their disfigured weapons raised high the Reapers were right on top of us. 

Tierra grabbed me angrily about my collar, “What did you do?  Hayden, what did you do?”

“I guess throwing water on her to use that little light trick was the grand plan, but now that that’s in the toilet,” He motioned for the Reapers to descend upon us,”…rip her apart and bring me her soul.”

The Reapers swooped down from the air above just as Tierra dove atop my body knocking me on my butt.  She extended her hand with the gloves barely removed.

“Pull it off!” She screamed.

I yanked the glove from her tiny fingers as a brilliant light consumed the area.  She locked eyes.  Her expression was one of anger and disappointment.  Blinded.  The light burning through the glove had been released. She raised her palm to the sky.  The light cracked further down her arm.  The skin that was once there burst from her arm giving way to even more light.  A tower of light blazed upward piercing the cloud.  The tortured screams of the Reapers filled the air as their ghostly forms sizzled and popped at the touch of her light.  She was dying right before my eyes.  I scurried to my knees and hugged my ailing friend.  She dropped her hand, now with the exposure starting to consumer her shoulder. To catch her balance, she placed both hands on the ground.  Her glowing hand burned into the concrete just as a searing pain shot through my head.  I screamed from the magnitude of pain flooding my thoughts.  She jerked in shock and then wrapped her arm in the lower part of her t-shirt like a fabric cast.  She stood.  Leaning down she grabbed me and we raced from the scene.  As we started to flee I glanced back into the light, squinting fiercely, and there on the ground was a bright hand print.  I continued to glow with no Reapers in sight.     

We raced a few blocks as my adrenaline quickly died.  We had just exited the residential area, and now crossed over into the industrial sector.  I staggered behind her as she turned to me quickly.  Her anger swelled.  She grabbed me and slung me into the nearest wall, her free hand just above my cleavage.   

“What the hell were you doing?” She yelled.

“…there has to be another way.” I whimpered.

“I’m trying to save you!  It’s all I have left!” She blurted out just as she hung her head low, her forearm slowly drifting from my collarbone.   

Shocked, my legs began to tremble from exhaustion.  That’s when I noticed.  She was weeping. 

“W-Why can’t you let me do this?”

I panted heavily, “There has to be another way.”

She released me, “We are all that’s left.  The skin around my shoulder is cracking even fast than I expected.  Don’t you understand?  I’m dying regardless.  If I can take them with me then let me do it.”

“I don’t want you to go.”

I wrapped my arms around her as tight as I could.  In that moment we cried.  I knew this was the last time I would be with my friend.  We were scared.  It was an intensity that I could never explain. 

Then she whispered something to me, “…have faith.” 

As we locked eyes, I burst into tears, “Not like this.”

“…we need a place to hide.  We can’t keep running and neither of us in great condition.”

I glanced just a few feet down the alley, past a few boxes, and there was a door, “There.  Help me with the door.” 

She walked over to the door and using her hand, the heat from the light it gave off pitched the lock, which allowed us entry.  I proceeded as the door swung open.  Dust filled the air as light cascaded into the open space through three rectangular windows built into the ceiling.  Bits of light added to the mystery of the room as well as a few boxes and dangling chains.  The room was large with massive windows, a second door in the far off corner and huge glass windows facing the street.  A staircase to my left would lead me to an upstairs floor where it seems the office is located.  Finally, a place we could rest.  I checked the inner lodging making my way inside.

“…a warehouse?  You think we’ll be safe in here?”      

   The door slammed.

“…Tierra?” I raced to the door as quickly as my stumbling legs would carry me.

I found myself sealed into the warehouse with Tierra leaned against the opposite side.  I could hear her breathing.  I pleaded with her to let me be with her in her final minutes, but as I pressed my hands against the door a warm light protruded through the door frame.  Where the door used to give a bit of wiggle room, now there was none.  It had been fully sealed.  I could hear her.  I could hear her as if she were standing just next to my person.

            “…promise me you won’t forget me when I’m gone?”  She whispered.

            My eyes were like rivers.  My legs finally gave way.  From the floor I could feel the warmth of her light-dying.