Empty as my Heart

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

My body ached with the bitter cold.  I wondered if I thought hard enough...dreamed sweet enough...then I would be able to fly off.  Away from this horror-fest.

James was surrounded.

I could see him, clearly, now.  Because...I was surrounded, too.

I had done it.  I had killed us both.

We were both already condemned, so why stand in the cold?  Why even feel the cold? 

It only made me more aware of my fate.  And James's fate.

But it didn't stop me from running to him.  My voice, after all of this abuse, finally switched back on, and I was able to scream again.  To shout his name and let it ring out into the crowd.

And I was in his arms.  My tears welled higher, forming a clear and heavey stream.  Yet, no sound broke free from my mouth.  I couldn't make a noise.

My silence frightened me.  Almost as silent as the dead.  Almost.

James held me, closer than ever.  Closing my eyes, I let myself burrow deep into my own consiousness.  Probably never to find its way back.

And...for some odd reason...I liked that idea.

The snow slowly changed from hail to fluffy puffs, floating delicately in the harsh wind.  Soft and ever-changing.  Much unlike this town.

I pulled myself away from James, intent on letting myself be heard.  On bringing sense to these barbaric idiots.  James only held me tighter, unable to understand.  I looked up, peering into his pleading eyes.  They were soft, a caring shade of blue.  And wet.  This surprised me, greatly.  James never cried.  Never. 

But, even so, I disengaged myself, letting his arms fall limp at his sides.  And I spoke.

"What's wrong with you?"  My voice was loud, but hoarse from crying.  Bittersweet with all of this hate, all of those glaring eyes trailed onto mine.  It didn't even matter anymore.

"Why do we do this?  It's horrible and cruel!  These people have done nothing wrong!  Nothing!  All that we do is only tradition...repetition that we cannot even remember for what cause!"

I saw glares soften, if only slightly.  And I made a mistake.

"We don't have to do this!"  I shouted, willing my voice to break through these thick skulls.  I opened my mouth to say more, when a heavey slap cuffed my face, forcing my body to crumble.

James shouted, a cry of vengence, and drew an arm back to punch the Hunter who slapped me.  Big mistake. 

James was thrown onto the earth, spitting out dust, right next to me.  A sudden uproar rippled throughout the crowd.  All I could hear was a loud mumble, which could only be the people shouting at the Hunters to take us.  To take us both.

My eyesight blurred, becoming focused and unfocused at a dizzyingly fast rate.  The impact my head had had tramatized me, and I felt my body go numb.  My hearing faltered, and the world faded away, fast.

I closed my eyes, visually turning away from this caos.  Then...nothing.