Lying In Ruins: Not Yet
By SMYGO4EVA
It was over.
Just like that.
That was it.
Blood splattered before her, the man fell on his knees, and let himself fall forward onto the cold ground.
Dead.
He was dead.
Dead…
A harsh splatter.
Blood.
It was on her hands.
The red liquid…
The gunshot still rang in her ears. It was unbearable to hear. She wanted it to stop.
It was echoing…
Bang….
Bang…
Téa held the gun close to her chest, and she sunk to the ground, shock evident on her face. She stared at the dead body in front if her, the body which was alive before she killed him.
It was self-defense.
He was a mugger, a criminal who would have done terrible things to her and god knows what.
He had a gun.
She defended herself.
She didn't think.
She pulled the trigger and fired at the man.
There was blood.
It stained her hands now…
She couldn't believe this was happening. It must have been a terrible nightmare, a bad dream, something she could wake from and know that everything would be all right.
No, that was not the case. It was real, almost too real.
She looked at the gun in her hand, which were shaking violently from terror and shock from what she did.
She killed someone; she had never taken anyone's life all her own life.
She killed someone.
She was a murderer.
Murderer….
Téa cried out at that realization and threw the gun away from her, jumping at the sound of it clanging against the brick wall.
She hugged her legs and began rocking, tears flowing freely from her wavering blue eyes, trying in vain to keep her sobbing to a minimum. She prayed to God that no one would come to her at this time of night; what was she going to do? What was she going to do?
Someone help me…
Someone please help me…
Footsteps.
Téa froze and put her head on her kneecaps, rocking back and forth and silencing herself, trembling from the near onslaught of tears. She shook, praying with all her might that this coming person would just pass by and leave her alone.
A shadow loomed between the space of the alley, and the footsteps stopped in their place.
"Oh my…. Téa! Are you all right?! Are you ok?!"
She stirred a little and lifted her head, a familiar voice coming to her memory, her eyes focusing on the aforementioned owner of that voice.
Chocolate brown eyes shimmered in worry and fright.
White hair glowing in the moonlight.
"Ryou?"
"Téa? Are you hurt? What happened? Are you all right? Did this man hurt you?"
She only stared at him, tears still streaming down her face. She only blinked at him, a smile tugging at her lips but she restrained it.
"I'm glad you're ok. Here, we should call someone so they could handle it from here." Ryou bent down and his eyes checked for any cuts or bruises on her wet face, and his face blanched at the sight of her bloody hands.
"What happened here, Téa? Tell me. I need to know." Ryou told her in a firm but soft voice, his eyes wavering but focused on her and only her.
She shook at the questions he gave her. She couldn't tell him – he would think of her as a murderer. She just couldn't.
Ryou turned to Téa, and immediately noticed that she was shaking, sobs escaping from her, her back faced him now. He moved closer to her and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Téa, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" He asked, concern visible in his voice.
The said girl wiped her face of the tears that spilled down her face. I guess I can't lie to him, not anyone anymore.
"Ryou, can I tell you something? Promise not to tell anyone, Ok?" She asked as she lifted her face to his.
The white-haired boy nodded, listening intently.
"I had to go to the dance rehearsal after school today, and it ended later than I thought, and it was close to home, so I decided to walk. I got lost, and it was dark, I couldn't see anything. Then this man came up to me and took my hand and he pulled me to this alley. I-I-I-It happened so fast…I tried to scream but somehow I just couldn't….He then pointed a gun at me, telling me to give him all the money I had…He said things about me, on how pretty I was, and if I didn't do what he said, he would kill me……and of the bad things he was going to do to me. I suddenly had the nerve to punch him…he dropped the gun and I scrambled to get it….just before he pushed me….he then called me a stupid bitch and he was going to take me no matter what…S-so, in blind malice…. I got the gun…an-and I killed him. Right there…" Téa drew a short breath, put her face to her hands and wept aloud.
Ryou's eyes widened, a state of shock overcoming him. She had actually taken someone else's life…it was self-defense…she had to do it…otherwise; she wouldn't be alive right now… Doubt and uncertainty crossed his already conflicted mind. His milk-chocolate orbs softened; this reminded him of reminded of something he had read…
"Tears of sorrow flow deep within my heart…what good is this potion of life? …All is but dust in the wind…" he recited to himself.
He moved a bit closer to Téa, who was still crying over her indiscretion. Ryou then took the quivering girl and embraced her, feeling her body against his.
Téa wiped away a couple of salty tears, pausing, unsure of what to do. She looked down, undoubtedly still melancholy and remorseful. "(Gulps) Wh-Why are you being so forgiving? I-I-I-I did a horrible thing."
Ryou smiled a small smile. "Because you are the nicest person I know, Téa…you didn't mean to kill him."
He pulled away slowly, got a bottle of water from his backpack and he poured the water on her hands, cleansing her of the man's blood. The red liquid literally fell from her hands, until every last drop of blood was off of her skin.
Ryou got his cell phone from his pocket and called 911, with Téa watching the water dripping from her hands. She heard him say that there was a man who attempted an assault dead and say that she only killed him because of self-defense. A few seconds later, he closed his phone and put it back into his pocket.
"The police will be here any minute. I told them that you did it in self-defense. You will be ok, Téa. I know you will." He let a small smile paint his face, a comforting and reassuring smile that let her know that everything was going to be all right.
A few more spurts of the sad liquid draped down her face, though she didn't utter a word. She took solace in Ryou, her benevolent angel's actions and she then hugged him tightly. She closed her eyes and let a smile be placed upon her face, nuzzling her face in Ryou's neck and knowing full well that they were going to be all right.
FIN