CHAPTER XXI (final chapter) – Rotten Apple

2 years later

Allison ran as fast a she could, stepping on branches and soft humid dirt, but she seemed to be going nowhere. She was barefoot, in a white dress, and her dazzling blonde hair in a ponytail. Her legs didn't respond to her; the hand that she was holding let her go; Eva's hand. Suddenly she was alone in the middle of the woods, and had lost her love. She started to spin around looking for her, but all she saw were trees and darkness. She turned around one more time and fixed her eyes to see a silhouette between the trees, not so long from where she was standing, holding Eva by the neck and waist.

"Who are you?! Let go of her!" she tried to scream but her voice was trapped in her throat. She was starting to sweat, even if it was a cold night. The mystery man took a step forward and the moonlight brightened his face. 'Graham…' Allison thought a little bit confused. She couldn't believe her eyes. "Hey, what are you doing to Eva, dude?" she asked his friend.

"Well, to begin with… I'm going to kill her, and then you" he answered without hesitation in his voice. Still holding Eva by the neck, he took his gun from the holster and pointed it right straight to her temple. Allison tried to move but she was helpless, her legs felt stuck to the ground like tree roots. He saw terror in Allison's eyes and was enjoying it. The blonde noticed a blood stain on Eva's white shirt. Out of nowhere, her stomach had begun to bleed.

"What did you do!?" screamed Allison; this time the sound came out of her mouth. Graham looked at Eva's stomach and started laughing, evilly.

"Did you hear a gunshot? I didn't do anything my darling, she started bleeding all by herself" he said with a thick tone of voice. Eva's knees started to tremble. Allison didn't understand what was going on, and was frightened to the bone. A red apple fell right in front of them; there were no apple trees in that zone, only pines and redwoods.

"Is this a joke? What?-" Graham let go of Eva and she fell down on her knees, falling then on the ground, lifeless. "EVAAAAAA!" the blonde screamed, still unable to move. The apple turned black all of a sudden. The man looked at the brunette for a couple of seconds and then pointed his gun at Allison; she started sobbing. "Wait, what are you doing?!" she asked alarmed with a wobbly voice. Her breathing was becoming heavier each second that passed.

"You took everything from me, everything that I cared about in my life. You are the reason Eva's dead and for that you deserve to die" he said shaking the gun with every word he emphasized. His eyes were wide open and filled with tears; his hair was messy and his beard was bushy and dirty "You came into our lives and screwed it all up, you need to go now Allison, no one wants you here" he said, firmly.

"What's going on Graham? Is this a joke? It's not funny anymore!" and before she could pronounce another world, Graham pulled the trigger, pointing straight to her heart.

Allison woke up suddenly, sweating and breathing heavily, in Eva's arms.

"These nightmares again, my love?" the brunette said. She put her hand on Allison's forehead to see if she had a fever. "You need to let go, it's been two years and he's locked for good" she tried to comfort her girlfriend.

"I know but it's always the same nightmare, the woods, us three and death, it's awful" she told Eva, trying to calm herself. "I wish it would end already, I'm tired of waking up in the middle of the night, all agitated and wake you up too" the blonde regretted. The brunette grabbed a glass of water from her night table.

"Here, drink this, and try to sleep now, tomorrow you have to be rested and beautiful as always" advised Eva to the blonde. "I'll stay awake until you fall asleep again" she said and smiled at the other, that made herself comfortable holding Eva's hand. The brunette sat there on the bed, thinking about her life and the past two years; she sighed. She started caressing Allison's hair, rested her head on the headboard and closed her eyes. A smile formed in her lips. She was getting married in less than 24 hours. They both fell asleep.

It was 9 am. The blonde woke up and left the house and went to Ruby's, her bridesmaid.

"Do you have everything? Make up, dress, shoes, the ring? I want this to be perfect, I can't fuck up today, not today" Allison quickly said to Ruby as soon as she entered her house.

"First of all if you don't want to fuck up, calm down" joked Ruby and took the blonde to the bedroom. "I have everything, the only thing I don't have are the vows" the brunette finally answered the questions.

"Yeah, I brought those, man it was hard to write them" said the blonde remembering how long it had taken her to think and put her feelings into words.

"Good. By the way, where's Eva?" Ruby asked curious.

"She went to her mom's to get ready" she said with a taut voice, without looking at her friend and just focusing on her white dress.

"You're still afraid of her, aren't you?" she asked with a smile on her face, as if she found it funny.

"Why are you laughing? It's not funny" said the blonde defending herself. "She's scary, and you know it" she added.

"Oh, it is funny, believe me" Ruby answered emphasizing on the third word. She turned on the TV to hear something more than Allison breathing.

A jealous husband stabbed her wife and her lover last night. John Woods is alleged to have been jealous, controlling and possessive - and resentful of his 'flirtatious and attractive' wife having many 'friendly' relationships with other men. In other news, a man escaped prison this morning, he had been locked up for two…

"Holy shit, people are crazy these days" said Ruby and changed the channel "we need something happy today, right?" she added and put on NY News.

Those are just a few steps of this long journey. There are many apples on the tree, but only one Big Apple. Stay with us, we'll be right back with more NY News

"Can you please turn off the TV please? It's really getting on my nerves" asked politely the blonde as she searched for the ring. "Put on some music or something, that'll do".

Ruby did what she told her, after all it was her day.

It was already 4:30 pm and the rehearsal had just finished. They both separated to get dressed and touch up their makeup.

"Rubes, I'm freaking out" finally admitted the blonde as she looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't recognize herself. Her hands were sweating and shaking.

"You've been in worse situations and you are here now, today is your big day and you need to enjoy it, ok?" the brunette comforted Allison "besides… it's normal to freak out, just breathe and you'll do just fine. If you need to calm down just think of how beautiful your bride will be" she finished. The blonde blushed, she was nervous, but she knew she wanted to get married more than anything in her life.

At 5 pm the ceremony had just started. It was an outdoor wedding. The grass was green and very short cut, there were a couple of trees around with strong big leaves; everything was white and beautiful. The guests were happy and it was perfect. Her soon to be wife was perfect. Eva was wearing a strapless white bridal gown which accentuated the woman's perfect body. Her hair was softly swept away from her face and pinned into a sort of bun. A silver necklace fell on her chest; a necklace she had given her for their first anniversary, accompanied with a silver bracelet. Allison was stunned by how beautiful she looked.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses, to join Allison and Eva in matrimony commended to be…" the officiant started. The blonde was not listening, she was deafened by her own thoughts. The day had finally arrived and it was hard to believe. All of the effort she had to put in the relationship, all of the obstacles she had to overcome; she was finally standing next to her, making the most important step ever, together. "…now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together - let them speak now or forever hold their peace" he finished and waited. Someone stood up. Allison turned around after seeing the officiant's expression. Her world quickly crumbled down. An apple fell down out of nowhere and rolled to her feet, just like in her dream.

"You're not getting married, Allison" a manly and croaky voice said. Her worst nightmare was standing there, at her wedding, ruining everything.

"How? You're in prison!" screamed Allison, she was upset and scared. She hated Graham so much.

"You should listen to the news more carefully, young lady" he said, and laughed.

"Who let this guy in?!" She screamed again, looking for an explanation.

"I did" a familiar voice spoke. A woman. Cora. Allison felt like she was about to faint. Eva was shocked, she couldn't do anything at all. Her mother?

"Take this two people out my sight right now, and call the cops!" exclaimed the blonde, she was desperate. She was hoping to be dreaming again.

Graham put his right hand behind his back and pulled out a gun, THE gun. He pointed it straight to the blonde. The moment froze. Allison closed her eyes; Eva grabbed her hand and held it tight. They stood there. The situation was too much to take. Allison opened her eyes, and saw Ruby running toward the man, in what seemed slow motion. The bridesmaid jumped on him, right after he pulled the trigger. The moment suddenly sped up.

"Ruby!" the blonde screamed, watching her best friend on the floor, bleeding. She ran as fast as she could to assist her. Eva's brother and another guy friend held Graham tight. "Ruby, oh my god, don't. Don't do this to me, Ruby!" she begged, holding her close to herself. She was still alive.

"Ali… I think…" she started talking, with a pounding sharp pain in her chest "I've been…" she continued slowly "a good bridesmaid" she finished right before her last breath.

"Ruby what are you doing?! Come back, baby, don't!" Allison screamed, as if she was mad at her. She was crying her heart out, the tears falling on her friend's lifeless body. "noooooooooooooooooo!" she shouted and collapsed right next to Ruby.

The police arrived. Eva's brother kicked Graham out into the car.

"I think you should take her too" he said, grabbing his mother tight by the arm. "And next time, you fucking do your job and keep your people in jail, because your mistake just caused a death".

"They will never be together as long as I'm alive! EVER! You tell them that, ok!?" shouted Graham from the car to Eva's brother.