The Purge
Chapter 44: Bri

“I knew from the start that your loyalty would get you killed. I just never thought it would be your loyalty to me that would do it.”

Angelfall; Susan Ee

A seamlessly long static exploded in my ears.

The world started to spin in my vision and I braced one hand on the ground to keep myself from falling. I don’t think it’s possible to survive in such a situation like this with no one else to be with or even protect. I forced myself up as I looked at the metal walls separating me from my team. I shouted at them. One by one I called out to them hopping that somehow they would hear me. But the response I got was from the echo of my own voice stumbling back from the walls to me.

I don’t wanna lose hope. Somehow, there’s a spark that still wanted to burst into flames. Flames. I see claws and teeth. I see blood and death. I see Conleth—no. I shouldn’t be thinking of him. I should be thinking of my team who’s beyond these walls.

But Conleth died. My head kept on telling me.

Conleth died. I closed my eyes and I let my breath hold for a moment until I finally let the tears fall. I still don’t want to believe it. This feeling was too familiar to me. The pain. Even the memory hurts. That’s when I realize that somehow feelings can hurt the heart even without a dagger.

The sudden movement of the walls has pulled me out of my reverie. It’s changing again. I started to run even though I don’t know where I was actually heading. My heartbeat raced along with me in the maze. I wanted things to end. I wanted to get out. But still ironically, I wanted to live.

Aside from the thundering beat of my terrified heart, I could feel their presence through the constant humming behind the walls and their growls behind the screeching of the gears. I can feel them just as Halley can.

I stopped on my tracks and I let the walls move in their own volition. I closed my eyes and I focused on my stigma, preparing myself for a fight that is to come. I channeled my breathing until slowly I was able to calm the storm of emotions in me. The walls stopped moving and that’s when I threw a blast of energy behind me. If my display had been working, it might have been a Sanguinarian in category 5. Slender and tall—a figment slash nightmare that should have remained at the back of my mind. Its bloodshot eyes were too hungry to feel the pain. The force I extracted to it made a homerun to its gut. It stood up from the ground and set its rotten mouth wide open to make a banshee-like scream. I had to cover my ears from it. Like a warning alarm, the walls started to divide itself into half. And at the end of each pathway, a Sanguinarian awaits. All of them walked with horrifying unison. I wanted to run away again. But this time, I had no place to run. I was trapped. I can already sense my death coming.

I looked back at my life, one by one; somehow, my memories flooded my mind like milk and honey. I looked back to the time when my family was still together: we were complete and very much happy. I looked back at the time Zenith took me in. I looked back at the time when I met my soldiers: Athren, Conleth, Sigourney, and Halley. I looked back at the moment when I had Fygun; our last kiss and his broken dead body lying on the cold floor. I looked back at Conleth’s kiss and how it made me feel so alive.

I looked back at my life and I’m seriously impressed that I survived.

I felt my stigma building at the palm of my hands, waiting to break loose. I grasped and balled my hands into fists. I felt the energy surging like electricity through my veins. When I was ready, I let the energy off its hinges and it struck every Sanguinarian that blocked my way. They all fell on the ground like broken toy pieces. But as fast as they fell, they gathered their strength and pulled themselves back together like a puzzle piece.

I can still fight. I know that I still can. I still want to.

Once again, I unleashed my powers like ravenous snakes into them. But they kept coming back like vultures. Tears started to form at the brim of my eyes. I just wanted to run away but slowly, my strength was failing me.

I looked back and I can see the smiling faces of my family. I looked back and I see my team, complete and unharmed. I closed my eyes because it is where I’d find them. I know the pain won’t last long and my death would be quick.

And I waited for the death blow that never came.

I opened my eyes to find another Addonexus standing before me. Sanguinarian blood flooded the ground and tainted his or her black and blue uniform. The place suddenly became a graveyard to the dismembered body parts of the Sanguinarians who earlier provoked me. I was too frightened to move. The Addonexus walked a few tentative steps towards me while I stood frozen on my feet. If they sent one of my kind to kill me too, I’d wish he or she would just make it quick.

Slowly, the Addonexus retracted his or her helmet.

“Bri,” he said.

I tried to find my breath.

“Oh no.” Streams of tears started to fall down my cheeks as I took a very painful deep breath. My eyes absorb every piece of him.”Not another dream.”

He smiled and I felt my knees weakened. He strode towards me.

“Bri, it’s all right. It’s me.” the moment his skin made contact with mine, I wanted to breakdown and fold myself right into his arms.

“Conleth.” He said and the sound of his name soothed me. I ran my hand through his hair until I finally settled on his cheek.

“Conleth.” His name fitted right into my lips.

I wrapped my arms around him and I buried my face in the hollow of his beating heart. He enveloped me with his warmth and pulled me tighter to his protection. He leaned his head on the side of my neck and I felt his tears fall on my skin.

“You’re real.” I pulled him tighter towards me as if he would disappear. “I thought I’d lost you.”

“Yeah.” He breathed me in and I felt him smile on my neck. “And I finally found you.”

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