The Purge
Chapter 53: Bri

“Falling so madly in love with you is a tragedy. Nothing in my world will ever seem beautiful again.”

Michael Faudet

People won’t behave if they got nothing to lose. But never underestimate a girl with nothing to lose.

Pity fell upon me whenever I look at Imogen. Somehow there’s a part of me telling me that it’s my fault. Conleth wouldn’t have left his squad if it weren’t for his undying love for me. And now she watched her own team fall. I think that’s what makes people stronger. When there’s nothing to fight for you no longer care about the world. You either let it shatter or break it yourself. No one can break what is already broken. Try to fix it and you’ll get yourself hurt from the broken pieces. Sometimes it’s better to let it be.

I did let myself be whole again. And in the process I let people get hurt with my shattered pieces. I did not care about the consequences. It’s one of the reasons why I barely show any emotion. It’s better to be a lone wolf. No one will use anyone against you. You are strong because you’ve got nothing to lose. You’ve got nothing to fight for.

But I still find myself holding on to him. I look at Conleth and I felt my heart hold tighter. I cannot let myself let go of him.

I am weak and the game is on. Noah is on the move. He may not have a chip to control me but he is using my team as blackmail. Every time I try to reach out to them, he gets in my head. He sees me in their eyes, he hears me in their ears, and I am back on under his guard. As much as I wanted my team to know, I want everyone to be safe. If I’ve outsmarted him before, I can do it again. I will just have to be careful of my actions.

And I have to do it faster before he asks me to escort them to their deaths.

It turns out that the Frost wasn’t created by Imogen. It was the climate phenomenon in this part of Argos. The longer we stayed in the town, the harder it is for us to move. When the light goes down, the temperature drops to its lowest, freezing everything in its wake. No wonder everything is dead in this place.

Imogen stayed with us although she insisted to be off by dawn. We found another house, smaller than the bungalow that we stayed but at least we have shelter not to get iced. We all gave Imogen her personal space to lament on her teammates. It is not easy to keep your emotions. But the easiest way to move on is to yield to it.

Chivas also stayed with us. Even though I don’t trust him, he seemed to have found a fascination towards Halley which I guess also helped her forget the conflict between him and Athren. My friend there though was exploring his display, unlocking new features just to keep off of things. I felt Con’s hand slide through mine and it fit perfectly. It was warm. I liked the feel of it, it helps me relax. It made me feel at home. It made me feel safe.

“How funny.” Imogen finally got a hold of herself. She entered the living room like a storm. She crossed her arms and leaned her weight on one side as she stood before me and Con. “Three commanders under one roof.”

“Your common sense is always at the hype that I find it truly amusing in such a tragic time.” I told her.

She sneered at me. “I see things the way you can’t, Bri.”

“Hm. Enlighten me then. You had me at such a disadvantage.”

“Pity. A pretty face isn’t everything, eh?”

“Say what you have to say, Imogen.”

She sighed lazily. “Well… I just want some answers.”

“Speak up then.”

“For Conleth.” She narrowed her eyes at me.

“I’m listening.” Con said beside me.

“There are three commanders in this room. If the going gets tough later on, who would you choose to lead?”

The room went dead silent and all I can hear is the cracking of the fire on the fireplace.

Imogen shrugged. “I’m sure it wouldn’t be Chivas. No offense, dude.”

“None taken.” Chivas fired back and Imogen raised her hand up to acknowledge his reply.

“Which leaves me and Bri.” She said. “If you were to choose, who would you follow?”

I don’t know why she’s still asking this question. And even though I know the answer, I felt my hand twitch on his. I was scared he would answer differently and he wouldn’t choose me. When a moment had already passed and the answer that Conleth could only give was silence, she gave up.

“Oh well. I wouldn’t hurt myself anymore. We cannot bring back the dead anyway.” She sat on the rug beside Athren. I felt Con’s hand tighten around mine.

“Where’s your girlfriend?” Imogen asked Athren.

He stopped browsing at his display and looked back at Imogen bluntly. “She died.”

“Aw.” Imogen shrugged. “Doesn’t matter. Shit happens. Everything will be terminal if you suffer long enough. But I suddenly have a realization after some mere reflection; we are somehow alive because we need to end something. Chances are if the people out there who want us dead are still breathing the same polluted air, it’s annoying at some point. A shout out to the knife for always having my back!”

Athren looked at her like she’s crazy.

“And your point is?” Chivas asked her.

“We need to fight them.” Imogen prompted.

“I am not risking my team back there.” I said.

“Stop running.” She retorted. “If you still wake up in the morning it just means that the assassins have failed.”

“I am not running. I just want to protect my team.”

“You mean what’s left of your team.” She raised an eyebrow at me. “Bri, if I were as ignorant as you, my head would have been in a pike too. But I’m not gonna die out here. If I’m gonna die that would be on my feet. Addonexus do not yield.”

I wanted to slap her for saying that out loud. She just put her life in danger. Now Noah knows her scheming against him and he we will turn things around and give us a surprise attack. I wouldn’t let that happen.

“Well, who’s with me?” She raised her hand. “I hope I am not surrounded by idiots.” She sang.

When no one answered to her she disappointedly put her hand down and frowned.

“You know what, you are all making life so complicated.” She said. “Life would be so much easier if people would just actually cooperate with me.”

“Maybe you should try and not compete with Bri.” Halley told her.

“I’m in.” I said and everyone turned to me.

Imogen, in her own shock raised her eyebrows at me.

“But just remember this, Imogen, this time I won’t be fighting fair.” I looked into her eyes as I stand before her. “I won’t play by your rules and I won’t be competing for second place.”

Imogen smirks at me. “Guilt side trips are for amateurs. I think you just own that ship.”

I smiled back at her. “I am not stupid, Imogen. And sometimes I think that’s part of the problem.”

“Hm. Okay.”

“But I’m in charge.”

She frowned at me. “I think I like a quieter Bri though.”

“Well, fine with me. No one plans a murder out loud, right?”

I dreamt of an invisible wall between me and Conleth. I couldn’t hear anything except the sound of the wind under pressure inside a container. It was like being underwater and seeing everything so clearly. Con placed his hands on the wall as he tries to reach me. My heart was pounding so hard in my chest that I was afraid it would break lose. Behind him, everything was in chaos. I beat harder at the wall, trying to break it but it was too thick. He said something to me but I struggled to hear from the other side. Slowly, the fog thickened and he was fading from me. It was only a matter of time before he was consumed by the fog and was burned by his own flame.

I woke up.

I turned to my right to see him sleeping so peacefully. My heart was relived. I relaxed and I settled back to bed. I tried closing my eyes but I could only see the wall between us. The fog and then the flames.

I got out of bed and I sat by the window watching the frost as it slowly melted away for the new dawn.

“Bad dream?”

I turned to his voice. He sat right across from me. I traced the chain of the necklace and I rest my hand on his mood ring.

“I always have bad dreams.” I answered.

“What is it about this time?”

“Nothing much.”

“But enough to keep you out of bed?”

I opened my mouth and then I gave up. “It’s just the usual.”

“Is it about me?”

“No.” I prompted.

He smirked. “It is.”

I leaned my head on the window. “I’ve never been scared.”

“I’m not gonna die or anything. Addonexus don’t die.”

“And yet the rest did. Now I am not so sure.”

“Lighten up.” He grabs hold of my hand. He took it in his and he blew warmth in them. I felt tears forming in my eyes.

“Promise me please.” I said.

“I will if I can.”

“Try. If you can’t at least try not to save my life again.” I gripped his hands hard. “It’s an order.”

“I will try. I promise.”

He placed my hands down and I knew. I knew he wouldn’t be true to his word.

Dawn came with a vengeance.

We hardly got out of the house when the ground molted and spider-like droids took over the place. Maybe if I had a display I would have known what the devil they have sent to kill us. But these were fast and they disappear on the ground as quickly as they appeared on surface. They were trying to break the house so that we won’t have a choice but to get on our feet and head out.

Chivas, who has a specialty when it comes to earth, went out of the house and tried to slow the droids’ process of breaking the whole house. He gradually yielded the ground under the palm of his hand to hold firm. But the droids were fast and they whip their metallic tentacles at Chivas leaving his a line of scratched on his body. Its sharp tips pierce through the walls of the house forcing us out.

Conleth has his flames set on his arms and he fired at the droids without hesitation. One moved its mechanical skull head right at him and charged with a speed of lightning. I threw a blast at it and droid shattered into pieces. Upon seeing the attack the others lunged at us. Imogen has frozen as many as she could while Athren tried to dispose them with his swords. Halley has pulled out a gun and was firing at the droids’ heads while Chivas was trying to bury the droids on the ground. But they kept on coming from below the ground.

We were too busy fighting off our adversaries not thinking of a plan. We only thought of surviving and nothing else. Maybe that’s what happens when you got thrown immediately on the battle field you just fight and worry later.

One of the things we’ve missed was the Alpha sneaking behind me. I looked back a little too late as its sharp tentacles made its way to my shoulder. I was pinned to the ground. Its other tentacles wriggled with excitement. It raised its tip above my body and dove down straight to my heart.

Conleth’s glaive cut it loose and its sharp tip fell on the ground.

The Alpha turned its full attention to him and it disappeared on the ground only to appear before him. He covered it in flames and mechanically melted it by placing his hand inside its core and burning it. The droid tethered and broke into pieces, blowing Conleth off the ground.

Upon the demise of the Alpha, follows the incapacitation of its minions. The droids just stopped working and they all fell down and melted away to the molted ground.

I ran towards Conleth, my heart pumping hard as hell. I felt I was gonna vomit from the fear. My tears were already falling before I could even stop them. When I reached him, he was lying face down. I had to flip him to his back so that I can check his breathing. There were no wounds or anything. I leaned down to check his heart. It was beating normally.

“Hey,” he coughed. I broke away to check on him. “If you hold me that tight I might lose track of breathing and die.”

I felt the rage coming and the tears wouldn’t just stop. I hit him hard on his chest and he flinched with a grunt.

“Aw! What was that for?”

I glared at him. “Why can’t you just do what you’re told?”

He sat up so that we were looking at each other from eye to eye.

“You promised! I gave you an order, soldier!” I hit him hard again and he held my wrist. “I’m your commander! You will listen to me!”

“You forget that I don’t belong to your squad.” He said and I felt my heart shutter. “I will answer to no one and I will do whatever I want. I said: I will try. But you can’t keep me from saving you.”

I forced his hand off of me and I stood up. I turned to Imogen. “I give you back your soldier. Maybe he’ll be more obedient with you.”

I started to walk away to god knows where.

Imogen sighed loudly. “My gosh. Too much drama. Can’t you two just make out?”

We started to walk in silence. I don’t understand why I was so scared. I don’t know. But when I saw those droids there was just an impact in my heart and I couldn’t get the thought of Conleth dying before my eyes out of my mind. I felt like at any moment my dream would happen and I was not yet ready.

I was not ready to let him go.

It seems that the town stretched longer than we expectedly. The sun was already at its lowest when we decided to make a stop at an abandoned hotel. Well, at least this is better. There are a lot of rooms to get lost in but also a lot of possibilities that droids or aliens could be lurking inside. But whatever it is I was tired to care. I just wanted to cry and I wanted to scream.

I just found myself at the pavilion around dead plants and an untouched fountain. The sun was already setting and I felt the coldness creeping in.

“You should get inside. It’s getting cold out here.” I hear him say. But I kept my back at him and my answer was silence. “Look, I’m sorry. Okay? I just don’t want you to get hurt. I’d have that bitch hurt me rather than you.”

I hugged myself. The cold was already making its way in my bones.

“Bri, I know you’re upset. But I’m sorry that I hurt your feelings. I’m sorry if I would rather not keep my word and let myself get hurt because I want to protect you. But you can’t make me just leave you behind. I would not forgive myself if anything bad happens to you.”

Silence.

He sighs.

“I knew you would wreck me too. But maybe I would rather be broken like this just to keep you whole.” He chuckles. “I don’t know if you feel the same as I do. But we can be together if you wanted to. You may hate me but I will always choose you, Bri. I will always choose you before me. I love you that much and I’m gonna keep you safe as long as I could. That’s the only promise that I can keep.”

Silence.

“I will do whatever you say. Name it. Do you want me to leave or do you want me to stay?”

He sighs again. And then I hear him leave.

“Please stay.” I found myself saying. “Stay with me.”

He turned to look at me from his shoulder. Slowly, he moved towards me. He took my hands in his; brought them to his lips and he blew warmth in them.

“You’re as cold as death.” He smiled up at me. I pulled my hands away from him so that I could wrap my arms around him and hold him tight towards me. I buried my light headed head on his shoulder.

I felt him breathed in to me as he brushes his lips on my ear. “It takes a lot of will power to stay away from you and feel nothing. But I love you, Bri. And there’s nothing you can really do about it. I can’t undo that love.”

“I’m sorry.” I said. “I was just scared. I thought I lost you. I could not bare it.” I pulled away with a sigh. “I mean I just had you. I can’t loose you the way I’ve lost everybody else.”

He smiled down at me. “But you’ve always got me. From the very first day. I belonged to you.”

I dried my tears away. “Of all the days you’ve chosen to be corny you chose this day.”

He chuckled and he pulled me back to him. He wrapped me in his warmth and I closed my eyes to this crazy sensation.

“No matter what my heart will always be yours, Conleth.” I whispered. “No matter how this may make me weak or naive. Even if it hurts. I want you in my life. Not just now but forever and ever and ever. Always.”

I can feel his smile on my ear. “Can you say that again?”

I pulled away to look up at him. “I don’t want to be here without you?”

He grinned. “No. The other one.” He looked behind me. “If you need to say something now, say it before we both freeze out here.” The Frost was marching its way towards us and I feel like I have a decision to make.

My cheeks flamed. “What do you want me to say?”

He leaned in and whispered, “I love you.”

I felt a stab in my heart. I don’t know why I get so emotional. Maybe it is the female hormones reacting to the opposite sex. But when I look into his eyes, I feel that everything will be all right. I am safe. I am home.

And there should be nothing I should fear about.

I tilted my head up so that my lips were a few breaths away from his. I faced this boy, who is surprisingly was now the world to me and I let go of the worlds I’ve been holding on since the day I’ve met him.

“I love you, Conleth.” I felt the world slowed down its pace and the air changed. “I love you desperately, totally, tragically. I love you in any condition and under any circumstances.” Before I could finish my sentence I felt his warm lips on mine. When he pulled away, I saw him smile. He pulled me inside the building as fast as he could. When I opened my eyes, the Frost has already stretched out its hands on the glass window.

I breathed out only to see the cold out of my breath. I followed it with my eyes until I met his. And before I could even utter a word, my lips found his. My arms found its way around his neck again as I pulled him closer to me.

“Briseis.” I said against his lips.

He opened his eyes. “What?”

“Briseis. It’s my real name.” I whispered. “Thought you should know.”

“Briseis.” He smiled. Hearing him say my name sent butterflies sailing in my stomach. He touched the scratch on my face. It still stings but with his touch I can feel it slowly healing. He brushed his lips against mine and again we were lost in our own little heaven.

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