Chapter 9
All heads turned her way. Silence fell.
"Tifa!" cried Cloud, his voice muffled because of the door. "Tifa, I need your help…"
"…Cloud?" Marlene said softly.
"No, honey, it's not--"Tifa began.
"Tifa!" Cloud yelled again. "Tifa, please…"
Everyone was staring at her. She had to open the door. But she would be angry. She would be so angry, she would explode into a million pieces. Since when had she become so angry? Tifa was squeezing the doorknob so hard she was afraid it would become a useless, metal lump. She was glad for now that it was the doorknob she was squeezing and not Cloud's neck.
"What?" Tifa snapped as she opened the door to a crack. She knew everyone inside was listening. Fenrir was standing a few feet away. Why did this seem so normal to Tifa?
Cloud's face seemed pained. "I can explain."
"Oh really?" Tifa snarled, then softening her voice into a hiss. "You can explain why you left us for no reason without warning, without a call, without a letter, and never came back? It's been over a month now! You've done this before, you said you'd never do it again! Where the hell have you been? In Aerith's church, reliving old memories? Why don't you ask her for help?!" It was cruel, but Tifa didn't care right now. Right now, she was bloodthirsty. She wanted to hurt Cloud every way possible. Payback time. He would get just what he deserved.
"I can explain," Cloud struggled to say, "but not here."
"Oh. I see." Tifa turned around and started to close the door.
"No, Tifa! I need your help." Cloud winced with every word as he dug his fingers into his stomach. Tifa could see all eyes to the front door, listening and watching.
"You didn't need it two months ago," Tifa said coldly and was about close the door again when she heard him gasp. She turned around.
Cloud fell on his knees, shaking all over. Then Tifa noticed he had been stopping blood from coming out of a rather large wound in his stomach.
"Cloud!" Tifa cried as she seized his shoulders. Cloud just gasped in response. "Someone help me!" Tifa cried. "Cloud, Cloud, hang in there!"
