Blood Shed

Chapter 26 - Scarlett

My heart raced with anxiety as I ran across the soil, pushing away the leaves and vines. What would happen if I get caught? What will happen to Levana and Faolan, waiting for me? If they got attacked, Faolan couldn't fight and Levana doesn't have any fighting skills. I have to get to them before anything happens, and I have to do it fast. I saw an orange light, glaring ahead. Pushing through the last set of vines and leaves, I ran out into the open skidding to a stop. The forest was burning to the ground. Fire ran wild, setting the leaves on fire in seconds. The air was heavy, filled with smoke and ash, filling my lungs. I coughed, stepped back and took a deep breath. I held my breath, and dashed through the burning ground, searching for a familiar land mark. In the corner of my eye, I saw a large ball of fire. Some parts of it were not burning yet, or charred so that it no longer burned. I recognised the ball as the building that we came to when we first arrived. That was where I first fought Faolan. Pausing for a second, my mind flashed back to the scene in front of the building. Faolan had told us to clean ourselves up, so we did. But as I was looking around, my eyes caught what seemed to be the medical building.

"Hazel don't worry. It's going to be fine. I know you want to see him but he's in surgery right now. They won't let you go in." A man stood in front of me, he had tired eyes and his hair was scruffy. He still wore his detective badge on his belt from work. He had come straight from a suspected homicide.

"But I have to go see him!" I screamed trying to push past him. He towered over me, his strong yet gentle arms held me tight. "I have to apologise for not being there! I should have been there!" I tried to wriggle out of his grasp with no luck.

"Hazel please, I know that Mason would not have wanted you to be so upset." His voice was warm and soft as my name rolled off his tongue smoothly.

I buried my head in his chest, tears soaking his shirt. My red hair fell over my eyes. "Please dad-" My voice dropped off as it was replaced by cries of sadness. Slowly I opened my eyes and looked down at my hand. A ring sat on my left hand. Its jewel gleamed in the white lights of the hospital. My tears fell landing on the ring and running down my fingers.

A man dressed in a doctor's uniform stepped out from the room slowly and met my eyes. His expression was full of sadness. "You can go and see him now. But he doesn't have long. Please, say your goodbyes now." He quietly stepped to the side of the door.

I felt my father's grip loosen on me. I pushed him back and sprinted into the room, pushing past the doctors still monitoring the machinery hooked up to Mason. I slowed down as I saw Mason, lying on the bed, pale. His skin was no longer a caramel tan, but turned to a dull honey colour. His eyelids hung drearily, and he lay perfectly still on the bed. "Mason..." I stood beside the bed and gently twined my fingers with his. I knelt down beside the bed as the tears ran from my face.

"Ha-Hazel-" His voice was rough and slow. He slowly turned his head towards me and opened his eyes up. His grip on my hand tightened as he saw me. "You- You came-" I could see the pain in his eyes as he spoke.

I placed my other hand around his chest. "Of course, I came for you. I would never, ever leave you. I'm so sorry I was late. If I had come at the time I was supposed to, this wouldn't have happened. You wouldn't have been hit by that car." I buried my head in his chest, my sobs echoing around the room.

"Hazel please, don't be sad for me." He let out a soft chuckle. He slowly lifted up his other hand and ran his fingers through my hair. "I've always loved your beautiful red hair. It is unlike anything I have seen before. Remember, my scarlet flower, remember that no matter what happens to me- I will always love you for your beauty inside and out." His hand feel limp falling to his side. The colour drained from his blue eyes, rippling to a shade of white. His breathing slowed, his chest coming to a stop.

I felt my heart break, being ripped to pieces. I screamed in agony, falling to my knees. A darkness emerged from my heart, enveloping my soul, tainting it black. My tears dried and my eyes swirled with black ink. Something took over, and it would cause the end of a city.

I flashed back to the burning building. That thing was gone, and hopefully it was gone forever. I have always had a piece missing in my heart, the piece that Mason took. I could never rebuild it to what it once was. My sole mission was to get the alcohol for Faolan, so we could clean his wound. I sprinted across the burnt grass inside the unburnt opening to the building. I scanned the room, finding a couple of glass bottles sitting on the shelf. I read the labels one by one, finding 3 critical bottles. Clean water, pure alcohol, and a little vodka, just to ease the nerves. I couldn't run back holding three bottles, I might drop them. I scanned the room again searching for anything to use as a bag. A few cloths were folded on a shelf. I grabbed the bottles and juggled them over to the shelf. I flicked out a cloth laying it on the floor. I grabbed the corners and tied them together. I grabbed another cloth to create a longer handle, so I could tie around my back. Carefully, I tucked the bottles into the bag, using other pieces of cloth to wrap around them. The fire crackled overhead, spreading around the frame of the door. The roof creaked, and caved in falling down behind me as I sprinted out of the building. As I rain I pulled the bag onto my back, tying it over my right shoulder, then under my left arm. I felt the adrenaline rush through my veins, adding speed. In seconds, I was out of the thick smoke, falling ash, and raging fires.

I made my way through the underbrush, listening for their movements. Constantly I was distracted by animals running from the fires that threatened to engulf them.