31-Day MCSM One Shot Challenge - February Edition 2019

A Second Too Late

Jesse's breaths were coming out in short gasps as she curled herself into a tight ball in the corner of the room. Her hands were gripping strands of her chestnut hair, shaking violently. Her entire body was quivering, trembling. With fear, rage, cold or even pain, not even she knew at that moment.

Jesse buried her face into her knees, grinding her teeth as she tightened her grip on her hair. The pain in her head from the constant pull was a distraction.

A distraction from the four tight walls around her.

A distraction from the dark and cold.

A distraction from the row of iron bars that separated her from the rest of the world.

A distraction from intense hungry gnawing at her insides.

A distraction from the revolting smell of blood that hung in the prison smell.

Letting out a sudden shriek, Jesse lurched forward, slamming her fist against the wall with an audible crack. Wailing in pain, she pulled back and clutched her newly broken her to her chest. Looking up to see fresh blood dripping down the wall.

Her rapid breaths began to increase, her eyes swirling with emotions Jesse had never felt. Having no way to fight as she felt her sanity slowly slipping away.

She refused to go down.

She wasn't about to let the institute break her as well.

Another scream of anger danced off the walls as Jesse threw herself against the wall. Blood soaked her prison clothes, bruises and cuts painting her skin.

She didn't stop, barreling into the wall opposite her. Adrenaline dangerously pulsing through her veins, not even the crack of her own bones made Jesse flinch. Instead she stood back up, throwing herself against the wall again.

All her friends had been shattered and those who weren't? Murdered.

And her hands were tied while she watched the people she loved get murdered in cold blood.

Poisoned.

Stabbed.

Decapitated.

Hung.

All because she wouldn't give in.

Jesse charged at the iron bars, throwing her body into them with such force it nearly bent the iron. A trail of blood ran down her face, across her left eye.

But still Jesse got up.

She would die before she let their wishes come true. They would not get what they wanted for murdering her friends.

Blood coated the walls and the concrete flooring, the metallic stench tainting the air. Her clothes stained red, the fabric wet with her own blood. But none of Jesse's physical injuries could be compared to the pain in her heart.

Her entire body was quivering in pain, her eyes wide. Her mouth open as she heaved big, ragged breaths. Her hands balled into tight fists, the broken bones visible beneath her bruised skin.

Jesse charged forward, throwing herself into the bars again. The metal clang echoed through the room, drowning out Jesse's scream as fresh blood seeped through her hair.

She clutched her head, it being the first injury to shake her fury.

But all it took to get her back on her feet, was for the memories to flood back. To remember how they tied her up, forcing her to watch as they ended each of her friend's lives.

She could still hear their screams of pain, cries for help. She could still see the despair in their eyes. The fear they felt in their last moments, before it all ended.

All. Because. Of. Her.

Jesse's screams carried across the institute as she slammed her shoulder against the wall. Pushing herself off it and throwing herself against the next. Charging into the opposite with enough force to fracture another bone.

It was her only escape. It was her only way to even begin to numb the pain. It was the only thing she could still do.

Her body giving way, Jesse collapsed onto the ground. The last of her spirit beginning to break as pained sobs racked her body. Wails and cries of despair replaced the hollering of rage.

Hopelessness was starting to seep into her breaking soul. Every broken bone, every gash in her skin, all just being another knife to the wound. All the pain adding up into the one big nightmare that Jesse was unable to escape from.

She no longer had anything to live for. She had no more reason to fight. She had already lost.

A dozen set of footsteps sounded down the hallway.

Jesse's cries were beginning to replace with coughs, fresh blood splattering onto the concrete.

The footsteps grew louder.

She sunk onto the bloodstained floor, slowly curling into a tiny ball of pain.

Voices becoming audible as they neared.

Jesse's head lowered onto the ground as she felt her consciousness growing weak, barely aware of the blood pooling around her.

Keys rattling as the cell was unlocked.

I'm coming, guys. It was the last thought running through Jesse's head as the darkness closed in on her.

The associates were all gathering around the girl on the ground, her body tattooed in bruises, skin garnished in cuts. Her mouth slightly ajar as fresh blood proceeded to drip out. Her eyes open, but empty and glazed over.

Had they investigated seconds earlier, her heart might still have been beating.

___

So... today's is a short one again, and I'm really sorry about that. The moment I got this idea, I knew it was going to be short, but I liked it too much to scrap it.

This was so much fun to write though, and that honestly concerns me for my sanity XD

I was actually thinking of going into more detail of what happened before this scene occurred and so on, but I decided to stick to this because I really wanted it to be focused on Jesse's last moments as her grief drives her into self destruction. Despite the unfortunate length, it came out exactly how I wanted! 
And hey, maybe I'll do a more extended version of this at some point after the challenge?

Let me know what you guys thought of this! Once again sorry for the pitiful length, I'll try and make tomorrow's a bit longer to make up for it (But no promises xD)

I hope you all enjoyed this short one shot and I'll see you tomorrow with a hopefully-longer one, depending on which prompt I end up drawing next!