G.U.A.R.D. Book #2: Aberrations

-15-

    Lady Scarlet smirked and placed the gun in her holster. Then she motioned for the League agents to let me go. I stumbled to Cindy's side, numb and cold on the inside. I took her in my arms and gingerly turned her around to face me. Her eyes focused on me. Okay, okay, she was still alive. There was still time.

"Cindy..." My eyes dried. "What were you thinking?"

She coughed to the side, blood spurting from her mouth. I gently placed her on the ground, panic filling my heart.

"It's okay. We can... we can fix this."

I touched her wound softly, feeling the blood pouring from it—so, so much blood. It glistened in the sun, making me feel sick. Okay, okay, I had to stop the flow. That would help, right? I suddenly wished I had paid more attention in health class back in school. Or had Lee Slade or Commander Mustard with me. They'd know what to do. I tore the jacket from my shoulders and pressed it to the wound desperately.

"Dustin..." her tired voice said.

"Shh, it's okay. We'll work through this."

"Dustin." This time, her voice was more forceful.

"Here, uh." I desperately thought for a second. "Uh, if you put your hands to it, maybe you might be able to heal yourself."

She sucked in a ragged breath. "Dustin!" She grabbed my hands tightly, forcing me to stay still.

I sniffed, fighting tears. "What, Cindy? I-I'm trying to save you, okay? Why won't you let-" She reached her hand up, slid it behind my neck, and pressed her lips to mine. After a moment's surprise, I shut my eyes tightly, hugging her fiercely in my arms. I wish I could've stayed there forever. Having Cindy in my arms, the only thing that really mattered was that... well... we were sharing our first kiss. And most likely our last. My heart tugged at the thought.

I could taste the blood from her mouth in my own. It was metallic, and a little disgusting, but in that moment, I couldn't have cared less.

When she finally pulled away, Cindy stared up into my eyes. A tear trickled down my cheek.

"I'm sorry," her cracked voice whispered, her tear mirroring my own. She stuffed a crumpled piece of paper in my hand.

I stared at it in confusion. "What's this?"

She smiled up at me, her eyes the most beautiful thing on Earth. "You'll see."

And then she breathed out and fell limp.

"Cindy?" I asked, voice strained. "Cindy..." My voice cracked into a squeak on the next one, "Cindy?"

I stared at her lifeless body, not truly believing what just happened. Cindy. Cindy was dead. I stiffly placed her on the ground—her body on the ground. She was so limp, so pale, so... dead. The blood pouring from her chest had slowed.

I suddenly had a weird feeling. The chest was protected by bones, and yet Cindy's bones were supposed to be indestructible. And still blood pooled from it.

"How...?" I asked, slowly moving away.

Lady Scarlet looked to me, having been preoccupied ordering her agents around. "What?"

"How did you shoot her?" I repeated. "It's... impossible."

For a moment, she just stared. And then she laughed. Laughed. It wasn't a full-out cackle; more like a disbelieving chuckle at my ignorance. As if I didn't know the rules of chess, not how she shot a fifteen-year-old girl.