Flawless

A lover's pain.

My legs weakened and failed to provide balance for my trembling frame. I broke down beside her, my eyes searched her almost white face for any assurance of life but there was none. Her eyes locked with mine and I could feel the struggle she was in to keep the eye contact. She forced a sad smile and brought her hand closer to my face. Her mouth to speak. "It hurts, J. Everywhere... Like..."

I placed a finger on her lips and shook my head as Tati's words echoed in my mind.

"Joshua, there is no remedy for this charm o..."

A pool formed in my eyes as dreadful facts unfolded themselves. There had to be something, anything. I got up and ran to father who was still trying to recover from his busted undercover. "There has to something we can do. We can't watch her die. Isn't there something?"

He shook his head and was obviously torn between his dying wife and his brothers. "Kelvin went to bring Tati."

My fingers found their way through my thick hair as I walked back to Stella. "I had no idea you were his wife."

She nodded continuously and her fingers lazily brushed my tears. "All I want is to be in your arms while life crawls out of me."

"Stella... I can not handle your absence. I can't. All I said then were nonsense. I need you. You can't go. No."

Her smile widened and her eyes twinkled. "Don't be like them, J. Promise me."

My pinky grabbed hers and I mumbled. "I promise."

She exhaled heavily. "You love me, right?"

The tears fell on her face and I sniffed. "So much. I love you."

She pressed her lips into a firm line, swallowing painfully. "Kill me, J."

My eyes widened. "Why?"

The sound of footsteps reminded me that we weren't alone. "Her intestines will rotten hours before she dies. The only peaceful death is to kill her and she says she would accept only if it's you."

My heart broke into a thousand unamendable pieces after digesting father's words. I had caused myself more grief than I hoped to cause him. "Is that what you want, Stella?"

The smile her lips were to weak to form crept to her eyes. "Yes."

I closed my eyes for what seemed like forever. Memories of our good times since she took me in battled with the faces of people I had innocently killed. When I opened my eyes, I was all sweaty and distant while Father held a knife and a pistol.

She blinked. "I want the pistol. I have seen J shoot, he doesn't miss his target."

The pistol felt heavier than normal as it bore the mental weight of the love and pain in my heart. Her arms wrapped faintly around me, exposing the sight of her melting stomach. She smiled reassuringly and whispered softly. "I love you."

There were no screams from her so I stopped only when her hand dropped on the floor and her body became stiff. I threw the pistol away and closed her open eyes with trembling fingers.

"He finally killed her!"

I looked back to see Kelvin at the entrance. Behind him was Tati, she didn't seem to be fazed by everything. "It was quicker and easier. He had no choice."

Father tried to hide his pain with a frown and shook his head. "The final ritual starts in thirty minutes. Be prepared," he paused to face me, "she would not be buried."

"Why?" Kelvin and I asked simultaneously.

"She would be awakened in the kingdom. Kelvin, bring the last specimen to the great hall. Joshua, you have been chosen to perform the rites on the specimen," he instructed before staring at others, "let's have a meeting in the upper room."

My hands took Stella's in mine and I inhaled the smell of her blood. For her, I would do anything even if it meant completing the final rituals. Kelvin knelt by me and inspected her body for a while. He cursed. "You son of a mother fucking bitch."

I scribbled sweet nonsense on her palm. "Make it snappy. We should save her."

He eyed me disgustingly, the hatred he had for me must be from the bottomless pit. "I wonder if you'll still be so much interested when you get to know who the specimen is."

My hands let go of Stella's cold hand abruptly. I shook my head. "No. No. He wouldn't do this to me."
 
His laughter filled the air and angered me. "Watch him, good-for-nothing."

***
I feel sad Stella had to die. Well, what is dead may never die...if we pay the price.