The Girl Who Stopped Time

Supernova

Before I can even comprehend the words of the psychopath in front me, Atlas has grabbed my arms tightly and pulled me up briskly against his chest.

His breath burst swiftly past my ear in a hot gust, before he grits out harsh words. "Go over by everyone else, now." He shoves firmly towards the stairs making me stumble over my feet.

Oleander grabs me before I face plant and sets me on his lap, which I immediately wiggle out of and stand in front of him and his siblings.

I look back at the people behind me to find they have stopped shaking. No fear is clear on their faces as they stare at their brothers. Aggie isn't even crying anymore but as I look closer, I can see Gilah passing on a good amount of joy onto her sister. She grasps the shoulders of the little girl as a gold light passes between them. Aggie looks content in this strongly outrageous atmosphere and it makes me wonder how long she can truly go on without needing her sisters' power.

Oleander looks more bored then anything.

"Just get it over with Azrail." Atlas says dejectedly and I turn back to look at his sunken form.

"Oh, I was planning on it." He says and smirks evilly, popping his knuckles in front of him.

Atlas shuts his eyes out and juts his chest forward, offering himself to something I don't quite understand yet. I step closer out of instinct but as if he can sense the same pull I can he lifts his hand to stop me. Death needs Death to gain power and Atlas is giving himself; sacrificing himself.

A golden staff develops in Azraels hand and he slaps it harshly against his other. The staff is lifted up and pointed towards Atlas threateningly.  He cocks his head to the side and squints his eyes at his brother. I don't pay too much attentions to his stare until it is turned to me.

"I think you might be right, Avianna." He says, catching the attention of his brother who lowers his arms.

"Right about what?" I ask, not sure what point he might be talking about.

"Atlas doesn't know what my pain feels like, he's never had to. Never got the opportunity. As much as I'd love to never see my brothers face again... I want him to suffer."

The staff he's holding slowly glides over so it's now pointing towards me. My eyes widen as I can now see a pitch-black skull staring me down from the end of his glorified stick. My body becomes rigid and my heart races in my ears. My fight or flight instinct is kicking in but instead of running I feel frozen in place. My whole body feels covered in vat of hot wax and is drying at an unbelievable pace. If I move at all, I feel as if I would crack.

Atlas screams for me to run, hide, duck, anything but I can't.

Once again, my life flashes before my eyes. A picture of myself splayed out on the stairs behind me -eyes bloodshot and my nose bleeding- rips through my mind. My heart beat fades from my ears and makes me think that its already happened. I'm dead. But as my vision clears slightly, I see a ball of light formulating from the skulls eyes and barreling towards me.

Just mere seconds before it rams into me, I'm shoved to the ground. My head knocks against the carpet covered stone and disorients me. My vision blurs and I have to shake my head rapidly to keep from passing out. My temple is pulsing but I'm able to sit myself up enough to gouge my surroundings.

Azrael is standing across the room with a look of shock on his face. His jaw hangs wide open and the staff he was holding has fallen to the ground beside his feet. I follow his tear glazed eyes to the spot where I was once standing and my breath hitches in my throat. I clutch my aching chest hard as I stare at the scene in front of me. I don't think about the dizziness in my mind and instantly begin to crawl to the fallen form in front of me.

Her face is turned to the ground so gently I lift her shoulders and set her on my lap. Moving her strawberry blonde hair out of her flushed face, she smiles softly up at me.

"Gilah..." I whisper, trying to force none existent words out of my chapped lips.

"I'm sor-sorry... Avi I- "she forces out, her breathing becoming shallower and her skin begins to glow ever so slightly. In just a few seconds, she morphs back to an eighteen-year-old. Her skin becoming firmer on her cheeks and hair thicker and longer.

"Shhhh, you're okay. You're gonna be fine." I say then turn to Azrael. "Undo it. Make it stop!" I yell out to him.

Gilahs skin is now rapidly becoming more transparent.

"I can't." he whispers then stands up straight, putting on a determined façade. "I can't stop it now, it's done."

I try to think of anything to say to him. I could beg some more but then I realize that I shouldn't have to. This is his sisters and he is just going to allow her to die. Not only that but everyone will suffer from this... especially Aggie.

I turn back to Gilah and become overwhelmed with emotions as I no longer see a smile on her face. She crinkles her eyes brows in confusions and brings her limp hand up to feel her lips. As if she's confused by the strange freedom of no longer having to smile. Her hand drops onto mine which sits on her stomach and she stares at me thoughtfully.

"I'm scared Avi." She says to me and a tear slips out of her -I now realize- brown eyes that are almost identical to Atlas'.

I gulp and shake my head, not knowing what to say. "That's okay. You can be scared."

"I can be scared." she says back. It's not a question, more a realization for herself and she is content with it. Even if I'm not.

I try to think of anything else I can say but her eyes move away from me to the ceiling. She disappears completely from my arms and is instead replaced by millions of small Lumiere's. They float away from me and travel into the black void behind Azrael, disappearing almost instantly.

She's gone. Lost forever in endless torture.

A firm grip grabs my bicep and pulls me to my feet. I look up to the person holding my arm expecting Atlas but instead I find a furious Ira. She is shaking as she glares me down. She brings her other arm up and I flinch thinking she will hit me but instead she pats my shoulder somewhat harshly.

"I can be sad." She says and I realize that this is her attempt to comfort me.

There is steam rising from her hair and fire burning in her eyes. I hear slight sizzling and come to understand that it is the tears evaporating from her eyes. Her hand starts to feel hot on my skin and luckily, she lets me go when she looks to her evil brother. Her evil evil brother.

He just simply raises his shoulders in a shrug then twirls towards the black hole. Walking into it without hesitation. It swallows him whole and disappears into thin air along with him. Leaving the room empty and destroyed.

I look for Atlas and find him collapsed on his knees, his hands cupping his head as he sobs.

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