One Survivor

29 'I can't'

Justin sat on the bench with Lucas on his lap, "Where did Ava go?" Lucas asked and looked up to the thirty-year-old man.

"She went to look for our friend with Ed, they'll be back soon though" he smiled and patted the boys back reassuringly.

"No. Stop it" Ava felt her voice crack at her own words when she saw the mark, "That's not, how... you can't—" Ed saw the tears pour from her cheeks and he did his best to hide how utterly terrified he was.

He pressed their foreheads together and they both let out shaky breaths, Ava grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into her lips. Her heart melting as she felt tears roll down her cheeks.

Ed pulled away and looked into her light hazel eyes, "I'm scared" he whispered in a shaky tone.

Ava let out a cry and sobbed into his chest, "I just got you back" she sobbed and gripped onto him for dear life.

Ed fell back onto the ground and held her, "Ava listen to me" he pulled her up ans she kneeled next to him, tears still falling from her eyes as she tried to make them stop.

"I need you to be brave, f-for me" he stuttered and pulled the knife out of her boot, handing it to her.

"No, no I ca—I can't, I won't" she shook her head and closed her eyes. He grabbed her wrist and place the knife in her open hand.

"I can't be one of them" he whispered, his own voice breaking as he looked up at the girl he loved, seeing the pain and fear in her eyes. He felt the pain of the bite run through him as he coughed heavily.

"I can't kill you... I can't Eddie...." She cried and squeezed the blade in her hand, it sunk into her skin, but she ignored the pain and place a hand on Ed's hair, looking down into his light blue eyes.

"I love you, okay?" he grabbed her wrist and kissed her hand.

"I love you too" she cried and watched him smile before his head fell back into the dirt and his eyes gently closed.

She looked at the blood-soaked knife in her hand and at the back of Ed's head, "I can't, I can't, I can't, I can't, I ca—I can't. No, no, no" she sobbed and drop the knife on the ground, sobbing over his body and listening to his heart beat slow.

She took a deep breath and rolled him on his side, picking up the knife and leaving the tip of it touching the back of his head. "I'll see you soon..." she whispered before gently shoving into the back of his head.

She rolled him back over and took one look at his lifeless and emotionless face before breaking down and sobbing, "Edward" she cried, unable to breathe when realization had finally hit her.

"There!" Liv pointed to a figure emerging in the distance.

Justin ran out of the entrance and stood there watching as the figure grew closer, there where in a grey vest with tears in it, blood covered most of it, black ripped jeans with long black boots. Blood covered the figure's hand and arms. Their hair was tied back with strands off hair dangling down their blood covered face. They were gripping a sharpened wooden pole and that's when he knew it was Ava

"Hey! Small, wait Ava—" he stopped moving and saw the motionless and blank look on her face, "Where's Ed?" he asked her, and she just walked past him. Not even acknowledging him.

She walked inside the gates and past Lucas who was staring at her with terrified eyes, everyone stared at her as she stopped and looked around slowly, she threw Ed's knife on the ground in front of her and then her own before walking to the apartment building.

She opened the door to her home and went straight to her room, taking off her boots and looking in the mirror, the blood covering her almost entirely, she killed a human being, she killed the man she loved.

Ava's knuckles went white when she clenched her fist and punched the mirror, shattering it before punching again and again, cutting her hand as she did so. She yelled and continued to punch it. She went to the bookshelf and threw it on the ground. Gripping the edges of the dresser and kicking it as hard as she could.

Her legs fell beneath her and she fell to the ground, her entire body feeling empty as she looked to a piece of glass on the ground. She looked away and up at the ceiling, bending her knees and gripping her head with her hands in frustration.

Screaming out into the empty room, all the pain, all the anger, all of it building up inside of her.