Fade

12

   He's on top of me. Help me. Get him off. Please help. I don't want this. Help me. Help me. Someone please help me! My eyes flew open and terror filled me. "She's awake now. Took her long enough." That voice. My vision focused as I was hugged by Tobias. As everything focused, I was startled by who I saw. "Ms.Albert?" "Oh look. She remembers me. Hello dear." But. But. "Yes I know what you're thinking. I was saved by your brother and I made my escape from Leinhart and his people. After all, one zap from that portal generator and I'm gone." She...she went through the portal. Just like I did. She looked the same as she did all those years ago, with grey hair up in a bun and golden eyes. But she did have more wrinkles. She wore a purple dress that was so dark it almost looked black. She had a shawl over her shoulders decorated to look like a spider web. Tobias stepped away so we could talk. "I'm a witch from another dimension, but that's not important. How do you feel, dear?" I feel much better, but still awful. Where were we? "This is my home. I brought you all here when I sensed you were in grave danger." The space was covered in shelves and any furniture in the area had some sort of book or crystal or trinket. The room was full of candles and crystals. Vials of all sorts and herbs of all kind were inside. On a table was a deck of tarot cards and a crystal ball. I was laying on a table. Many books and bottles had been pushed aside to lay me down. The place had an extremely strong smell.

Reese was sitting at that table, pinching his nose. "It reeks. Can't you make the smell go away?" "I'm a witch, not a miracle worker." Ms.Albert shot back. She lit a couple of candles. "I usually spend my time traveling around with my house. But when I traveled close by, I felt your presence. Amber, who are these young men? And who is the dead girl over there?" I stared at my hands. I wasn't strong enough to help her. "One of Amber's mates killed her." Reese bitterly recalled. "You are paired with a werewolf?" "Two of them." Dante corrected. "We we're trying to run from them. Leinhart is on the move again. He's after Amber." Zeke caught her up on the situation after I gave the okay. "I'm afraid that I can keep the werewolves from smelling you, but I can't help your friends that have been controlled. I sense that if I attempt to remove the serum, it can greatly damage their body." I swung my legs over the table and hopped off. I grit my teeth as my rib cage throbbed. I held my side. "Careful now. Your rib had punctured a very vital organ and I was lucky enough to fix it in time. But you must rest. I could only do so much to heal you." Tobias came and I put my arm around his shoulder for support. "I suppose you want a proper burial for your friend there." Tobias sat me down in a chair. "Yes. Please." "Preferably by the water. That was her element, after all." Zeke explained. "Yes. But we must be quick. Leaving my home means your scent is vulnerable to the wolves and the others." She walked up to me and uncorked a bottle in her hand. She splashed me with it's contents. Gross. I smell bad. She did that to each of us. "There. Now your scent is masked." We walked out and Reese dug a hole. Zeke made a wooden coffin and Reese set her down. Tears filled his eyes. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I have never seen him this emotional. Tears threatened to fall. My comrades began to cry as they stared at her. She didn't look peaceful at all, not like how people described. She looked scared and alone. I knelt down besides her. I held her cold hand. "I will fix this. I swear it. I swear on my life."

     I was going to do whatever it took to make things right. Even if it means my death. We all said our farewells and Zeke covered the lid. I helped Zeke lower the coffin and we quickly buried her. Zeke and I sprouted many flowers around the area so we knew where to find her in the future. We made her a tombstone and engraved her name on it, including a message. 'To the girl who always dreamt of freedom.' My lip quivered. I couldn't take it anymore. I began to sob as the tears fell. She was my sister. My dear friend. She clung to me and wanted the best for me. Just like how I wanted the best for her. She should have gotten married. She should have had kids. Grown old. Lived a long life. But because of my idiocy, she's gone. I was careless. I was foolish. I was weak when it came to them, so I couldn't keep up my act. I was embraced by the guys as clouds formed in the sky. Rain poured down and drenched us as we all cried together. My heart ached so badly, and a small part of me wanted Christian's scarred hands to touch my face and tell me that everything was going to be alright, or for Nikolas to hold me close to him and stroke my hair. But they are responsible for Celia's death. We had been together since we were children. We were a family, who had lost an important member. We each had a hole in our heart that could never be repaired. "It's time to go." Ms.Albert solemnly said to us. She stood under an umbrella, waiting for us. One by one, each of us went back inside. Until it was only Reese and I. "Reese, I'm so sorry." He ran up to me and hugged me tightly. I was surprised by his action. He never liked to get physical with me, because he had someone else. "It wasn't your fault. Please don't blame yourself." His voice cracked. "I didn't take care of her." "You did nothing wrong." He told me. "Please. Just. Don't think this was your fault. None of this would have happened if Leinhart hadn't experimented on us." He let go and stared deeply into my eyes. His reddish eyes met my gray ones. "So don't cry anymore. Okay? Celia. Celia never liked to see you cry."