My body felt as though it was carrying several pounds of rocks as my eyes fluttered open.
Things are still blurry as I tried to assimilate the situation. I tried to move my arms but quickly found out I was tied to the chair I sat in. My eyes finally focused on a figure that sat across of me.
Parker faced me, his hands holding his head.
Suddenly aware of the situation I frantically looked at my surroundings. The both of us seemed to be surrounded by pitch darkness. Even the light that shone on us was unidentifiable.
With a heavy heart I looked back in his directions. "A- Are you okay?"
Silence.
"Parker?"
"Why?"
I stared in response, my conscious gnawing at me when I realized what he meant.
"Why did you do it?" He lowered his hands and looked up. The look in his eye sent shivers down my spine. "Why did you kill them?"
I breathed heavily. "I-"
He stood up, making a run at me. "Why?!" He grabbed my collar violently, pulling me up slightly in the process.
"I-I'm sorry."
In a rage, his other hand grabbed my neck and squeezed. Normally, I would have done everything in my power to escape but my body seemed to lack the energy to do so. So I let him. I let him kill me.
I deserved it anyway.
I felt my head go fuzzy, and my eyes fluttered close. My thoughts becoming more jumbled by the second.
"Because of you, they're all dead. Your mom. Your sister. That old man. Daisy. My parents." He growled. "You killed them."
With a startling gasp, my eyes opening to another world. One that felt more real than the last.
I looked at my surroundings frantically, Parker was no where to be found.
"Snow! I'm right here! I'm right here, it's okay!" Arianna grasped my hand, squeezing it in support.
A wave of disappointment filled me.
He's usually... here.
I glanced at my hands.
His were warmer than hers. Was it because he was a fire-elementalist?
No. Now isn't the time.
"How long have I been out for?" I asked Arianna.
"This one lasted about three days." She said.
Three. Without a doubt, the entire leadership knows by now.
It seemed that it was possible for my heart to sink further.
Can I still escape?
"How are you feeling?" Arianna asked me, grabbing my arm gently.
"I feel better." I lied.
"Would you like some water?"
My eyes combed her over. It seemed like she had spent a long time by my side. Her eyes were sunken and the state of her hair was the worst I've seen it.
"Did you rest?" The question came out of my mouth.
She grinned. "Of course I did! The girls and I took turns."
I narrowed my eyes. Her eyes were usually sincere, only except this time they weren't. This time, they tried desperately to try and hide something.
I didn't press any further. "Go and rest."
She scowled, "I told you already! I slept so much that I can hardly close my eyes for too long!"
"Arianna," my soft voice forced her to lose her smile, "Please go and sleep. I'm not going anywhere."
She stared at me, opening her mouth to say something but she hesitated.
"I'll take care of her."
We turned our attention to Tristan who stood at the entrance of the infirmary.
I smiled gently at her. "Go and rest."
She glanced at him and me hesitantly before giving up. "Fine, but I'll be back in a couple of hours." She stood up, passing Tristan by the door and gave him a glare. "You better take care of her! Bye!"
I waved slightly as she left then lowered my hand when the sound of her footsteps disappeared.
My eyes looked at Tristan. "Sit."
He hesitated before making his way towards the stool next to my bed. I watched as he fidget on the stool, tapping his foot in an uncomfortable.
His actions made it clear to me. Tristan for the most part was hot-headed, and not at all anxious.
What happened between them? Did Parker perhaps... tell them too?
"What happened?"
"What?" Tristan stuttered in response.
Glaring at him, I repeated my question. "What happened?"
He hesitated for a few moments before speaking in a low voice. "Parker told us you killed his parents."
I closed my eyes, leaning back to rest my back against the bed rest.
So he did tell them.
It's most likely his uncle and the rest know as well.
A few moments of silence passed before he broke it again. "So? Did you do it?"
I clenched my hands into a fist.
I wish I hadn't. I gladly would have traded my life for theirs.
But it's in the past. I can't do anything anymore.
He grew quiet when I didn't respond.
"The others-" I didn't finish my sentence. The feeling of fear crawled up my sides.
"They're- they're just confused." Tristan tried to make sense of the situation.
"I killed them."
He looked at me, uncertainty and fear caused his eyes to quiver. "No- I'm sure-"
"Tristan." I looked at him emotionlessly. "I killed them."
It seemed like my words took him a few moments to process, though the moment he did, he stumbled upward in shock.
"I- I need to go, um, tell Simmons you've woken up. I'll- I'll be back."
I watched as he ran away.
Heaving a sigh, I raised my hands and buried my head in them.
It's all a mess now.
A slight knock caused me to look up.
Two strangers stood at the entrance.
"Small ordered us to take you the moment you woke up." One of them spoke, a clear hostility in his voice.
I nodded and forced myself out of bed. My body was still recovering, but I was used to pushing it past it's limits.
Before I left, I noticed something was sparkling on the floor. I reached over to pick it up, a small simple ring appeared in my hand.
This is Arianna's. She wouldn't take it off for a moment, why is it here?
My hands squeezed it hard.
That- that idiot.
"Let's go." They spoke up again.
Nodding, I walked in their direction. They wedged me in between, effectively escorting me. We walked in silence, our steps echoing down the empty and dark halls.
It's seems it's past curfew.
I hope Arianna is sleeping well. I hope they're all sleeping well.
At the restricted section, all of the leaders sat in front of a lone chair. Their eyes dark as I walked into the room. Once I sat down, I couldn't help but notice they all looked like judges. Ready to see if I deserved death or not.
Looking down, I crossed my fingers together and toyed with them.
"I'm sure you know why you're here." Mr. Small began, his words adding to the tense atmosphere that surrounded us. "Parker told me an unsettling story."
I didn't say a word.
"Would you mind telling us?"
Again, nothing.
Mr. Grouch intercepted. "You've broken our trust. If you continue to do so, we'll have no choice but to respond negatively."
'Respond negatively.' Would they torture me if I didn't say anything? Hide me away from the world?
Wouldn't it be better in that case to not say a word? It wasn't dying, but at least then no one would know I was alive. I'd simply disappear.
"Snow?" Mr. Small called softly.
Silence.
"Snow." Mrs. Claire called out to me.
Ignore it. Ignore it all.
I closed my eyes.
"Vans-" Mr.Grouch began but was stopped.
"Let's just wait a bit." Mr. Small said patiently. "Let's give her some time."
Moments passed, minutes, an hour maybe yet I refused to budge.
It's going to be okay.
"Sir, it's been twenty minutes." Vans' voice cut the air coldly.
I'll be fine.
"Just wait a bit more." Mr. Small urged.
"What will waiting get us?!" Mr. Grouch shouted.
Please just take me away already.
There was a moment of silence and I knew Mr. Small was contemplating his companion's words.
Finally, he gave in, "Fine. Take her into one of the solitary rooms."
Relief filled my body, but also a twinge of an unknown feeling.
The sentence had been given, and the things that followed were a bit of pain then... nothing.
I didn't notice the commotion that occurred around me until I felt a warm hand grasp mine. My eyes opened to a very distraught Arianna, she was panting and it seemed like she had woken up not long ago. She crouched in front of me, her hands wrapped tightly around mine.
The unknown feeling grew and consumed every inch of my body.
So this is what that was. I felt lonely knowing this never see them again.
The corner of my lips curled softly. "Why aren't you resting?"
"You-" She rest her head on my lap with a shaky sigh. "You should have told me before you came. Why-" She choked on her tears.
"This is yours." I held the ring between my fingers, attempting to hand it to her.
Instead she glanced at the circular mark on my palm, the same size of the ring.
She grit her teeth then looked at me with stupid determination. "I believe in you. No matter what others might say."
"I killed them." The smile on my lips wouldn't move, and my throat felt stuffy. "It was me."
Shaking her head, she refused my words. "I know you. There's no way you would hurt others unless they were trying to hurt you."
"Arianna," I grabbed her hand softly, "it was me."
Tears were running down her check, as a mix of emotions filled her eyes. There were too many to figure out how exactly she felt.
"Then convince me."
My eyes widened in confusion.
"Tell me everything. Tell me your story."
I glanced up to look at the leaders in front of me. They all looked at me with questioning eyes.
My story- would they understand?
She grabbed my face and angled it so I would only see her. "Tell me about it."
After looking into her sincere eyes, I closed my eyes.
Sharing my story was the last thing I wanted to do. It was sure to turn those soft kind eyes into hostile and blaming ones. Which is why I avoided it, but maybe it was best this way.
The feeling of loneliness came over me again.
Maybe it was best to have them see me as a monster.
My hand touched hers gently, a warmth filled my palm.
It may be the last time I feel warm at all.
With a soft exhale, I started. "It first began during the last capture of elementalists."