Apocalypse - Fairy Tail

10

In a desperate effort to stop the blood on her injured sister Michelle, 17-year-old Lucy sobbed, "Michelle, please.... please stay with me... I'm sorry." The two were not related by blood, but they had been inseparable since day one. Michelle had been just 12 years old when she met Lucy, and they had been like sisters ever since.

Michelle was connected to Lucy in an almost obsessive way. Their relationship was intense and deep-rooted. But now she lay there, motionless, her long green hair soaked with blood, turning the floor beneath her into a gloomy red carpet. A single tear showed on her pale face - not the pain of the gunshot wound, but the pain of disappointment. Lucy had pulled the trigger. She had had to, because Michelle bore the guilt of Lucy's mother's death. But the reality of that moment surpassed even her darkest imaginings.

Lucy found herself in a state she could not have imagined even in her worst nightmares. Events had pulled her into a dark spiral of self-destruction. Drugs, alcohol, questionable friendships and violence had become her constant companions. But now she sat there, her arms wrapped tightly around her sister's nearly lifeless body. The bullet had hit Michelle's lung, and her breaths were getting weaker.

"Michelle, please...," Lucy sobbed again as she tried to shake her sister as if she could bring her back that way. Remorse and pain flashed through her. She had acted without thinking when she learned that Michelle was to blame for the loss of her mother. Michelle had tried to separate Lucy from her mother, and in the process, she pulled a gun from her father's closet. The anger and hatred had taken hold of her, and the gunshot had seemingly opened her eyes for good. But now Lucy could only watch helplessly as Michelle's life grew weaker with each shallow breath.

"Lu... Lucy... it i-is... all... fine," Michelle struggled with words laced with stuttering.

"No, Michelle, save your strength. Call an ambulance, damn it. Someone!", Lucy's eyes were red and slightly swollen, her desperation evident as she pressed harder on the wound to stop the blood. But it seemed the bleeding would not stop.

The semi-conscious woman managed to move her hand toward Lucy's face, gently wiping away a tear. Michelle managed one last smile. "I... l-love...you. I'm t- sorry," she breathed, her words fading with her last breath. Lucy paused, watching the scene as Michelle's hand slipped from her face, falling to the floor, her eyes closed and her heart stopped beating.

"Lucy, what the hell did you do?" Lucy heard her father's pained scream. He rushed over and slapped her across the face.

>>>>

In a split second, Lucy's eyes shot open. She was panting heavily, sweat pouring down her face. She glanced around and saw Levy sleeping nearby.

Her past had come vividly back up in her dream.

The group had found an abandoned house to spend the night. When she got up, Lucy felt exhausted and took a sip of water. When she saw her reflection in the bathroom mirror, she stared at herself.

A murderess. Thanks to her father's influence, the truth had been covered up. The murderer was never caught - or more precisely, Lucy was never caught.

"Damn," she muttered, splashing water on her face to regain her composure.

"Lucy, are you all right?" inquired Levy anxiously as she entered the bathroom. Lucy's rising had awakened her.

With tears in her eyes, Lucy looked up at Levy. "The dream?" asked Levy empathetically. Lucy nodded, and Levy took her lovingly in his arms. Together they sank to their knees and sat down. Lucy cried on Levy's shoulder.

"Sshh. It's okay, Lucy. Sshh...you didn't do anything wrong," Levy whispered comfortingly. Her best friend was aware of the painful past, but she stood by Lucy's side unconditionally. To her, Michelle deserved the consequences of her actions; after all, she bore responsibility.

"Come on, calm down now," Levy gently encouraged, patting Lucy's shoulder with her palm. Gradually, the wave of emotion in Lucy subsided.

"Look here, it's over. It's been a while. Don't worry, Lucy," she spoke soothingly to her. Lucy broke away from Levy and sat down across from her.

"Levy, I killed her," Lucy whispered in a raspy, low voice.

Levy sighed softly. "Well... I've killed a lot of them, too," she confessed in a melodious voice.

"But they were zombies," Lucy interjected harshly.

"Lucy..." said Levy, putting her hands reassuringly on Lucy's shoulders. Their eyes met, and Levy's expression became serious.

"Those zombies were once people who got up in the morning, got ready, and went to work. They were just as alive as you and me," she explained, her fingers pointing from Lucy to herself.

"The cancer patients were infected with a virus that slowed the progression of the disease and gradually destroyed their brain functions. This turned them into angry, will-less zombies that needed food and therefore attacked humanity. These people once had a life. I killed a human who may have had a whole family. A daughter, a son, a husband.... do you understand what I mean?" she asked, and Lucy nodded slowly. Her tears had dried up.

"That's good! We have to keep going," Levy encouraged her and stood up.

"Get ready," she said before leaving the room.