A Beautiful Reflection From Firework Eyes

Red Rose Of The Dead

I love cliffhangers lmao. I'm sorry, I'm just so dramatic when I write. Promise I won't leave y'all hanging for too long.

Also, has anyone watched Euphoria? I'm two episodes in and it's good. I don't usually listen to that type of music, but the soundtrack is really good too.

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(Five months ago)

The door slamming behind me makes me jump as the contraptions on my wrists light up, sensors ready. I can only stand and stare at the man tied to the wooden stake in the center of the room. He's awake, his gaze meeting mine even as I try to look away. His throat works furiously, and I assume he's trying to say something through the cloth tied over his mouth.

"M-37," the voice rings from the speaker. "Go."

I jump with a start, glancing around the room at the hidden speakers in the walls. Do they actually want me to do this? Are they actually going to make me kill someone?

"M-37," the voice says again, more impatient this time. "Go."

The door behind me opens again, and I spin around to see Mr. Styles enter the room, accompanied by two guards. He frowns at me when I don't move.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" he prompts as I stand there, staring. "Go." But I can't. I can't just kill an innocent person, can I? I can't be the one who takes a life. He has a family, people who care about him. How would they grieve to lose someone they love? I can't be the one to take his life away.

"I won't." It comes out as a whisper rather than a shout.

"What did you say?"

I clear my throat. "I won't do it." I pull off the plastic contraptions, throwing them to the ground.

I've never seen him look so angry as he storms into the room. I have to resist the urge to shrink backward and instead cross my arms over my chest, staring back at him.

The slap makes my eyes water as I clutch my cheek. I don't falter though, getting back to my feet and staring at him.

"I'm not going to kill a person for you," I say, my voice growing stronger.

"You do it, or you'll regret it," he warns, his face red with anger.

I shake my head, and that's all he needs. Before I can even blink, a gunshot echoes through the room, and the man slumps over, misted pink blood and clumps of hair spraying across the white walls. I let out a choked scream, but it's cut off as I'm shoved roughly to the ground.

"Don't you dare disobey me," he snarls down at me. I struggle to get away, but he grabs the collar of my shirt, pulling me up. His fist connects with my cheek as I fight to get away from him. I feel several rapid punches to my stomach and cough, the air forcing its way out of my lungs. I wince as I feel the last blow to my stomach, this one sharper than the last ones were. He lets go of me as I double over, dropping to my knees on the ground.

My fingers light up in fire as I push myself up, lifting my chin. I won't be weak. I won't give in. I'm not going to let him see that I'm scared. Holding my head up high, I stand, facing him. I'm ready to take whatever he throws at me.

My head spins suddenly, a strange sensation coming over my limbs. Hot and cold flashes over me in an instant, my whole body shaking. I see Mr. Styles staring at me, a strange expression on his face. Is that curiosity? Maybe horror? I'm not sure.

Dark scarlet splatters over the ground around me, and I stare at it in confusion. Blood? That can't be right. The world tips around me suddenly, and I stumble, pain flaring in my stomach. A strange warmth trickles down my front. I try to take a breath, then almost scream from the pain. I glance down at my shirt, shocked to see I'm covered in blood. I have time to think, wow, I'm really bleeding a lot before the ground rushes toward me and I black out.