Sarah Anderson and Irene, Throne Room.
I'd never given much thought to how I would die.
In the end, it isn't dying that scares me but the pain.
I know it's coming and my muscles tense as much as they can.
However, knowing that doesn't soften the blow.
Wasn't that girl from the Twilight saga that says, 'dying in the place of someone I love, seems like a good way to go' and that she doesn't regret a thing?
That was just silly.
The foil met flesh, harsh and raw, making a squishing sound as its sharp tip sliced through and found its way to the inner organs. I screamed as loudly as my lungs allowed me. Irene's hands twisted the blade, sinking it deeper and deeper until the shiny metal section had disappeared and the black handle was pushing against the recently open wound. My skin was quickly tearing apart as the knife rotated, opening space for a whole hand to fit in, the sound of my muscles and nerves being gouged, growing louder. The pain throbbed sickly inside of me, it was deep and warm, but not in a pleasant way. If I could describe it, I would put it somewhere like this: multiple hands squeezing and tearing my organs in turns. Then, without warning, it was pulled off and jerked all the way in again. My incessant cries were a mix of guttural chokes and an agonized mutter. With each strike the pain amplified, the bloody muscle quivered and my consciousness ebbed. After a few more blows, finally, she pulled the blade out completely. Immediately thereafter, I fell to the side and curled in a fetus-like-position, or at least I tried since my legs were broken; they only would recoil to such extent. The halls grew wider, and the stone turned to a red carpet beneath me. My brown hair was streaked red with blood, my roving gaze tired. Thick blood was flowing freely from the gaping hole to my hand, escaping between my fingers as I tried to apply pressure; it gushed out in all directions, such a mess. It covered the hilt of the dagger, my pants, my shoes, and pants. The screams have stopped but, I couldn't prevent my body from convulsing and trembling like a rabid animal, whatsoever.
"Ups~ Have I broken Erik's lil' toy?" Irene asked, holding in a laugh. "Because that's all you are. I little toy for others to play with. And, let me enlighten you, dear... you are an object to be thrown away."
I remained silent and my eyes dropped to the throne's floor. I couldn't care less about what she thought, I knew what I was and were to Erik. My mind and heart were at peace with it. She could bend my body but would never bend my will. My wandering gaze came up to her face and warmth shot painfully up my neck. The pain threatened to cripple me again. Realization washed over me in alternating waves, my injuries were serious.
Irene tip-tapped her index fingertip on her chin in a thinking stance. "Hm... You know, you would have served the Demon Lord better than my husband"
I had my eyes on her, but my mind was lacking focus. What did she mean by that? I was left lying there, barely able to see straight let alone think straight. If only I could just form a sentence or thought for a few seconds... I shook my head and turned away, trying to keep my consciousness a drift as long as possible.
"Wanna know something? Perhaps, that wasn't such a bad idea," She chuckled, a low, dark sound. "Why don't just hand you over to the Demon Lord himself? You would give a good harem girl, and I bet he would have a lot of fun breaking with you. That end would be very much fit." She paused shortly, giving it a thought, "Maybe, I should heal you right now."
I instantly turned my head towards her, expectantly.
"Oh~ you would like that, wouldn't you?" The words left her mouth very slowly, her grimace the largest I'd seen yet. She walked over to me and leaned down; she grasped my jaw, forcing me to look at her in the eye. She had a lunatic smirk on her face and a sickening sparkle in her eyes."I won't give you the chance to escape this time, human girl." Irene snarled, spitting it out on me and yanking my face to the side with disdain. Then, she backed off, turning her back at me at last."If only back then that brute and that... gullible girl hadn't help you, you would have seen the wonders of the fun room."
"What... what happened to them...?" I gathered my left strengths and asked.
"Oh?" She looked over her shoulder, surprised. "You wanna know what happened? I thought you had already figured this much."
I closed my eyes shut, acknowledging the answer to my question already.
"Don't worry," She approached me again, "Soon, you'll be meeting them." Instead of walking away and leaving me to die, she lashed out at me, kicking me right in the stomach and prolonging the agony I was already under. "Not so empowered now, uh?" She laughed and threw another kick.
As her toe cap hit me, blood spread out of my mouth in a jet onto my palm as an involuntary response. Strangely, it didn't hurt anymore; the pain that once burned like fire, had faded away to an icy numbness. I fell on my shoulder.
Irene crouched down next to me and ran the back of her hand across my cheek."This is such a nice view of you, dear Sarah." Her words seemed increasingly distant. The pause that succeeded was long-drawn; it seemed it took her forever to resume her talking. "A view I'll never forget. I promise." She said, her voice softer than a whisper before her fingers slid off my skin and she finally stepped away.
I stared and stretched out my hand towards her, towards the person I was taught to despise, hate, and might fear in the past few days, "Pl... Plea--se... do-don't... h-help--me..." and pleaded tearfully for my life.
A laugh bubbled up. She wasn't able to keep it in.
Somehow, I managed to swift my body to face the ceiling. I was making an effort to control my breathing but, it was getting harder by the second, the deep wounds on my body weren't making the job easy for me. I quickly understood my situation as my breathing started to come in ragged, shallow gasps. I was slowly losing grasp of my life.
"Help?" Her still playful frown deepened to one of true anger. Irene bent down and grabbed the knife that had been left forgotten on the marble floor. She held it, twisting it in the moonlight that was coming from the upper windows."Now, now," She eyed it, caressing its blade cautiously like she was in deep thought on how to go from there. The coldness of the blade only steadied Irene's resolve. she launched forward, grabbing me by the hair and forcing my head back."Begging time is over." And, with a slick hand movement...
~
... the sweet tang of blood tingled in my nostrils. My eyes widened in surprise, It felt like choking in my own fluids. I instinctively grabbed my neck with both my hands and tried as hard as I could to stop the blood from coming out but, it was useless, the flow wouldn't stop no matter what I did. Black started to fill the edges of my vision and the only thing I could hear was my own breathing.
Irene's lips stayed at my sight so, I was able to make out her last words before she left the throne room in a rush. "Farewell Sarah. Have a nice trip to Purgatory."
I don't know how much time had passed since I laid there, I could only just barely feel myself shed some tears from how frightened I was. My own body burned with emotions. I didn't want to die; I wanted to live, I wanted to be with him. I yearned for salvation but feared that it was already too late for me. Unwilling to fight something that I had no control over it, I closed my eyes, the realization dawning on me. I was going to die, whether I wanted it or not. Right there. Mostly less than a minute. Alone.
All her life she had feared death.
But, in the end, it was not death that scared her.
It was loneliness.