"Hey Sam...look, don't you realize that just because Jared and I are dating it doesn't mean that I've stopped caring about you?" I said forcefully. "I love your brother Sam, but I also care about you!"
"I guess I just felt that since you've been with him that you didn't need me anymore," she said absently, her gaze on the wall. "I was angry at first. You would talk about helping me with school but you wouldn't talk about this. Then I would feel bad about it. In the end, all I cared about is his happiness."
"But Sam...you deserve to be happy too," I said softly. "Please don't forget that. I...I do care about you. You're closer to me than any of my blood sisters. You really are family. Please...I want you to be happy too. Just because I'm dating Jared doesn't mean I don't need you! Let's face it...who else would be able to stand shopping with me?" I added, attempting to inject some humour into the situation.
She laughed, that beautiful smile glowing on her face. Things might not ever be the same again, but as long as I can make her smile, it will be okay.
_______________________________________________________________________
"The one who killed Sam calls himself Chicago Ted," Jared explained as we made our way to the docks. "He's so cocky he decided that he would come back to the mainland to destroy us all."
"I'm glad he's confident...it will be so much sweeter once I tear that look off his face," I snarled, an expression of pure poison on my face. I may not have held a grudge against humanity like my bretheren, but I wasn't going to let Sam's killer walk away unscathed.
"He's good," Jared muttered reluctantly. "He captured me and Sam at the same time. He planned to kill us both, but he wanted to torment us first. To rub it in. After he killed her, he was going to get me, but I was lucky a Boomer came along and barfed on him. I barely escaped."
"I'm sure between the two of us we can take him out," I said stubbornly. "After all," I added with a twisted grin, "he's only human."
Jared let out a low laugh, then cut it short. We had reached the docks. Stealth was everything now. I was going to obstruct the path to the escape boat. I knew that it was risky, and chances were all the survivors would die, but it didn't matter to me then. Sam was dead, and someone had to pay. If these people died in the process...it would be because they were dumb enough to protect Chicago Ted and not run away.
Jared lept away, hiding atop a shack nearby. I lay down next to the ramp going up to the boat. It wasn't difficult to force the tears out. All my memories of Sam, all my regrets and sorrows caught up to me and I didn't have to pretend to bawl my eyes out.
The immune ones came into view. I heard one swear out loud as my cries of woe reached their ears. I heard them wondering how the best way to avoid me was. I also heard them decide that killing me was the only way. A woman took aim at me, and I stood up and glared at her, letting out a loud growl in response. She started to lose her nerve, then regained it and shot.
I dodged, but not soon enough, as the bullet grazed my side. That was it. I went berserk, screaming and I dove at her, tearing and ripping her flesh asunder. More bullets tore into my skin and yet I did not feel it. It was beyond my feelings of hate, and I could not feel beyond my hatred.
The woman was dead. I turned and started for another attacker who had shot at me and came face to face with the barrel of a shotgun. Before it could go off however, the man was grabbed suddenly by the ever so stealthy tongue of a Smoker. I had no idea who the Smoker was, but I didn't care. I was out to kill these people for daring to start a fight with me.
A man shot at the smoker, but he was soon pinned by Jared, who immediately set to work dismantling his body. The remaining woman attempted to shove Jared off but I was faster and soon she was fighting me off. Realizing she stood no chance she raised a hand to protect her face. I simply tore out her stomach, allowing the contents of her body to spill onto the ground and slither through the planks into the ocean.
It was over. We had won. Jared was grim however.
"He wasn't here," he told me. "He must be somewhere else."
I was in shock. So now I had killed these people for no reason. They had nothing to do with Sam...and nothing to do with her killer. In despair I sank to my knees and started to do what Witches do best; cry.
Jared knelt beside me, and held me tightly. He didn't say anything. He knew better. When my tears subsided, he spoke. "It's not your fault. It's Chicago Ted's. He killed Sam. You were just trying to avenge her. These deaths are on his hands."
Numbly I nodded. It was a weak excuse, but if I tried hard enough to believe it, I wouldn't jump into the ocean in an attempt to end it all.
"Come on Hollie. We need to rest. We'll get him. You'll see..." he added soothingly, helping me to my feet. "Now you know this place better than I do. Any ideas where we can get some sleep?"
"I know a place..." I said hesitatingly. Then I shrugged it off. I had to face it sooner or later. "Let's go back to my place."