Save Me

Chapter 4 - Hell in the Castle

WARNING: BLOOD

"Maybe daddy and mommy are here! I want to eat ice cream with them!"

Nerine pushed the golden double doors of the throne room. The golden throne room was decorated with red abstract patterns. The floor, the walls, and even the ceiling had splashes of red. The yellow carpet was painted in red. The only thing that remained untouched was the throne itself. 

Soldiers and servants lay on the pavement as blood dripped down their bodies. Bullets were pierced through their heads while some had swords in their stomachs, letting their innards flow to the ground. The soldiers' lips were blue and their eyes rolled back in their heads. The servants faces were gaping open and their eyes wide as saucers. Everyone wasn't moving, everyone laid there silently and obediently.

Nerine's body shook convulsively. Her legs felt like jelly and they gave out as she sat on the floor with a plop. Her eyes wide as saucers as she covered her mouth. 

"Why are they sleeping? Why are they painted in red? Why are they so scary?" Nerine cried and whimpered. She felt a cold chill run down her spine as she couldn't stop her body from shaking in fright. 

Nerine cranked her head to the left side of the throne room. There lay his brother on the marble floor with his eyes closed and his blonde hair covered his handsome face. Trembling, Nerine slowly got up and forced herself to walk where her beloved older brother lay.

The smooth pavement felt like sand, her body was heavy and her breathing was frantic. Clouds of white formed in her eyes as she felt the hot tears slid down the side of her cheeks. Her hands trembled as she gripped Ashton's cheeks. She pinched the soft cheeks and broke out in a small forced smile. 

"Brother, wakey wakey! Good morning brother! It's already afternoon yet you're still sleeping! Bad brother!" Nerine pinched both of her brother's cheeks. She saw his purple eyes were still closed. His nose not emitting a single breath of hot air. His lips that were a beautiful pink were now a dark blue. His warm hand which was filled with callouses from sword training was like stone. 

Nerine pinched her brother's nose "Look brother, if you don't wake up right now I won't let go okay? I want to play with you! So wake up! Get up! okay brother?"  Ashton's nose was cold as ice, Nerine started to tremble and hiccup. She looked for any responses on her brother's face, any twitch, blink or even a sneer is okay. 

5 minutes passed, Ashton's face was still the same as before, cold and lifeless. Red stained Nerine's hair, dress and face as she held her brother close to her chest and hugged his cold body. Nerine shivered like a bell on a windy day. 

"Good night and sweet dreams brother. I'll come back and give ice cream to you later okay? I'm going to find mommy and daddy first! Then we'll eat together like always!"  She held her brother's hand and Nerine put out her pinky finger while hooking it up with Ashton's. "Lazy brother you should get up when I get the ice cream okay?"

Nerine gently let down his brother's head and forced a smile. She was preparing to stand up but she suddenly felt weak and sat on the ground. Bile was rising up her throat, she vomited the contents of her dinner last night. She felt terrible, the nauseating feeling won't go away as she spat her bile onto the floor. Her throat felt hot and she felt like she was punched in the gut. Her vomit spilled to the marble floor as the pungent odor mixed together. 

Nerine's throat felt sore and parched, it tasted like acid. It was sour and bitter. She weakly pushed herself up. Rubbing her mouth, she discarded the remaining fluid that dripped from her lips.  She was soaked in sweat, blood, and bile. 

She walked towards the golden throne, carefully treading past the bodies of the servants on the floor. She was tempted to hurl her guts again, however there was nothing left for her to hurl. Her footsteps echoed in the large throne room, blood squelching whenever she stepped on a puddle.