Six Different Kinds of Love

Ring

I went upstairs to take a nap. I didn't know what to feel.
Or think.
I just needed to rest for a bit.
Yeah.
I closed my eyes and let myself drift into the land of dreams.
A few minutes later I was woken up by another scream.
No.
Not again.
"B-Bella...?"
Again, I leaped out of bed and sprinted to Bella's bedroom.
I saw a tall, hooded man.
He had a ruffled black sweater with a logo on the left of his chest.
A scorpion logo.
His right hand had a knife to Bella's throat and his left gloved hand over her mouth.
She was crying and struggling to break free. But the Nightwatcher didn't move an inch.
My pupils widened.
A crawling snitch of fear loomed over me, leaving perfectly visible goosebumps on my skin.
I was afraid. My hands were almost trembling.

"Give me the ring, and I will spare the girls life."

I had never been threatened like this before.
Not when someone's life was on the line.
And especially not if it was someone I knew.
His voice was shady and muffled.
He sounded like Darth Vader.
Almost like a robot.
The...ring?
What ring was he referring to?
I put my hand in my pocket and felt something cold.
Small.
Round.
A ring.
Yes. I had a ring.
Maybe it was the ring he was talking about...?
Whatever.
I needed to get Bella back.
Anything to get her back.
I was desperate.

"I-I have a ring...will this do..?"

I held out the ring in palm, and looked at it for a second.
It felt weird in my hand.
Like it was almost telling me not to give the ring.
Like it was sending strange voices to my head.

Don't give him the ring.
Don't give him the ring.

"Give it. Hand it over kid."

Crap.
Now I'm stuck.
My hand refused to move forward no matter how hard I tried.
What the hell is going on?!
Just then the ring spoke to me again.

Think about this Akimato, what feels wrong here?

What feels...wrong?

What on earth was it trying to tell me?
I looked back at Bella's desperate, tearing eyes.

And then I looked at the silver shining knife that was on the brink of piercing through her pale, soft skin.

What should I do?
This had to have been one of the hardest situations I've had to make!

"Give it now or I'm killing the girl. You have one last chance."

What feels wrong about this Akimato? Think! What connection do you have? Think! THINK!

I lowered my hand.

"I-I'm so sorry Bella...."

My voice trembled, echoed....

Then he did it.

He slit her throat in one slash.
The blood came flowing...it reached my guilty hands...and the poisonous ring in my palm...

No. No. Bella...NO..

This had to be a joke.
This had to be a dream.

* * * * * *

I shot up and gasped for air, breathing heavily.
My eyes were trickling drops of tears.
My throat felt dry.
My head was throbbing.
I sneezed, looking down at my clothes.
I wasn't wearing much.
Great.
Have I caught a cold now?
Wait a minute....BELLA!
I pulled back my heavy, sweaty sheets and ran to Bella's room.
I was about to grab her door handle when I bumped into someone.

"Akimato? Are you..."

L-Lena..?

"Lena-wh-Bella she's-"