To Be A Bougainvillea

Chapter 26

"Aurelia, meet Hana, your new sister." 

Gunshots could be heard a mile away as Franz drove recklessly through the bustling road. From the distance, billowing smoke clouded on top of the Imperial Palace as civilians crowded around the streets, the police ordering them to go back inside their homes. 

"Drive faster!" Aurelia yelled, her heart thumping as they ignored the honking of the police car behind them. 

"I've already passed the speed limit!" 

"Pass it more!" Aurelia shot back, fear hammering her in the head as she struggled to breathe or even think.

"You're not really my sister." 

"I know. But I've never had a sister before." 

"Me neither. I have a question. Are you always this happy?" 

"I try to be. Because my name means happiness."

"That's stupid. My name means 'golden' but I'm not really golden, am I? I don't try to be either." 

Franz abruptly parked near a hidden alleyway before both of them leaped out. 

"This isn't safe, Lady Aurelia." Franz gulped as another gunshot blasted in the air from the Imperial Palace. "Maybe we should-" 

His words died in his mouth for Aurelia had already began running towards the sound of the gunshot. 

"You're pretty, Hana." 

"Oh, uh.. thank you." 

"You're as pretty as my dolls." 

"You're not going to rip my head off like you did with theirs, are you? Don't laugh. I'm serious." 

"I could never hurt you. Not even if I wanted to." 

The staining blood, the silver pistols, the hardened faces - all of it was a blur to Aurelia. As she rushed her way through the gates, a hand grabbed her. 

"What the hell you doin' here, Missy?" 

Aurelia flinched, "Get away from me, Hudson." 

There was a bloody gash across Marco's cheek. "This isn't my doing." His shoulders slumped, "My men have betrayed the cause of the fight. I'm not with them anymore." 

"You should've known the cause of their fight before entrusting them." She snarled, "Because this isn't a revolution. This is a bloodbath."

"How old are you, Hana?" 

"Seven." 

"You're only a year younger than me but you still carry around a stuffed animal." 

"He's not a stuffed animal. He's my ducky!" 

"Ducky?"  

"Yes, he's my forever friend. We'll never part." 

"Forever doesn't exist." 

"You don't have a ducky, do you?" 

"Gee, how'd you guess?"  

"Because if you did, you'd believe in forever."  

As Aurelia neared the gleaming palace, she realised Franz was towing behind her, a look of pure horror displayed across his face. 

"Have you seen her yet?" She asked, breathlessly as they neared the Imperial Palace. 

Just as he shook his head, a rough voice yelled, "Aurelia!"