Hey, everyone! So before I begin this chapter, I'm just going to warn you... this is probably one of the most intense things I have ever written. It personifies a great amount of internal struggle I've dealt with in my life, struggle that sometimes still lingers. Bear in mind, that there will be one final chapter after this, so do not be too discouraged if the end of this one is more ominous than some would like.
Bonnie smiled, giggling as she approached Kara to place a crown on her head. Barry pat Viktor's back, who cleared his throat as Kara beamed at him.
"Okay, so ladies first... Kara, why do you like Viktor so much?" Bonnie asked.
"Well..." Kara cleared her throat, speaking into the microphone while trying to somewhat face Viktor. "He's sweet. He's charming... he's smart... he's... like a candle."
"A... candle? As in, he's hot? No offense, Barry Bear." Bonnie giggled.
"Well, yeah, he's really handsome, but I mean... my whole life, I've been consumed by some looming darkness that I've never been able to escape from. But Viktor is like a candle. He makes it so I don't have to curse the darkness anymore, and it doesn't have to torment me."
"That's... pretty deep." Barry rose his brows.
"So poetic! Okay. Viktor, say something nice about Kara! No pressure after all that candle stuff that she said, but I'm sure you can manage!" Bonnie smiled.
Viktor inhaled sharply, biting his lip. He cleared his throat, taking a step closer to where he was facing Kara, but the podium microphone could pick up his voice.
"Kara, I..." He started, furrowing his brows as he twiddled his thumbs together.
"Anytime now, Viktor." Barry chuckled.
"Don't rush me, I'm thinking." Viktor shot him a look. Kara took his hands.
"Hey. It's okay. Take a deep breath. You don't have to say anything if you don't want to. I already know how you feel." Kara said. Some of the other students murmured among themselves, giving Kara an odd look. Arsenik narrowed his eyes at them. He then shot Viktor a look, motioning for him to say something.
Then, Viktor straightened up, withdrawing his hands from her. "No, I don't think you do. But... that's no surprise." His spine was stiff, his breathing a bit labored as he seemed to force himself to speak. "A- Arsenik has always taught me to be respectful to a lady, and indeed, I pitied you upon our first encounter. After that, however, you simply would not let me be. I hoped that if I satisfied your attention seeking for long enough while reaping the benefits of your assistance in my studies and projects, that you would finally move on to someone else. I simply cannot bear it anymore."
In the crowd, Wildfire tightened her lips, closing her eyes as she exhaled slowly. She hated this.
"Uh... is it opposite day?" Bonnie tilted her head. "That... doesn't sound very nice."
Kara furrowed her brows. "Viktor... I don't understand, what are you-"
"Of course you wouldn't understand. You are trapped in your little fantasy world which you think you are actually worthy of companionship and friendship. Here is the harsh reality. You are clingy, impulsive, obsessive, irritating, abnormal, socially inept, and a bother to everyone and anyone within vicinity of you." He began to tremble. "I have had to endure weeks of being utterly tortured by your mere presence and have put myself through immense scrutiny and embarrassment because of it. From this moment forward, I intend to leave you, your silly hallucinations, and repulsive personality behind. Perhaps now that I've spelled it out for you, you will finally understand what you fail to realize on your own. I have nothing more to say." He turned, quickly making his way toward the gym doors. The room was silent for a moment. Kara felt as if the air in her lungs had become lead, making it difficult to breathe. Rosemary and Jasmine exchanged shocked glances, while Ambrosia put a hand to her mouth, her eyes wide. Chase clenched his teeth in anger, Arsenik immediately turning to find his nephew. As he made it halfway through the gym, the crowd of students burst out in laughter, the space swelling with the sound. Barry darted to the podium, trying to settle the crowd. Kara looked toward the students, the whole room beginning to spin and warp. Bonnie went to take her shoulders to gently lead her away, but Kara tore away from her, running to one of the other gym doors. She frantically shoved against it, tearing away some of the decorations to exit.
Meanwhile, Arsenik spotted Viktor dart into the boy's room, bursting inside. "Viktor Holder!" It was rare when Arsenik rose his voice, but now, he was furious at his nephew. "What was the meaning of that?!" When he turned Viktor around, he was a sobbing mess, falling to his knees. "You had better explain yourself."
"A- Arsen- enik..." Viktor squeaked up, hiccuping between his words. "I m- may very we- ell expire ri- ight here..."
"And it would be well justified. How in your right mind could you even consider saying those terrible things, let alone in front of the whole school?! You have utterly shamed and humiliated her and she has done nothing to deserve it." Arsenik scolded.
"I- kn- now... I n- never wanted this... but I- I had no choice..." Viktor said as he continued to sob. "I h- had to d- do it to protect her-"
"What are you talking about? Viktor, this is nonsense!" Arsenik exclaimed. He furrowed a brow when Viktor took something out from the lapel of his suit, seeing that it was a sheet of paper. "What is that? Give it here." He snatched it from Viktor, his eyes reading over the note. His eyes widened, his voice falling quiet. "Viktor. When did you receive this letter? Who sent this to you? Viktor, answer me right now."
"I don't know... I suspect... it was the girl tormenting Kara, but... I cannot be sure." Viktor wiped his eyes. "Arsneik, If I d- didn't humiliate her, if I didn't t- tell her that I despised her, sh- she would have been harmed... I c- couldn't just-"
"You should have brought this to my attention immediately and we would have discussed a manner in which to remedy it. Instead, you gave into the writer's demands and shattered Kara's heart to pieces while the entire bloody school bore witness. Now we can only hope we are able to pick up the pieces and right this wrong one step at a time."
"A- Arsenik... wh- what if she... never speaks to me again?"
"Get up, Viktor. We must seek her out." Arsenik said, hoisting up his sobbing nephew.
Outside, Kara took in gasping breaths, stumbling as the frigid air filled her lungs. She was also a sobbing mess, clenching her teeth before falling to her knees. She hugged herself, not even caring about the cold as she trembled. She remained this way for several moments, when she heard someone approaching. She glanced over her shoulder, able to see Wildfire in the low light as she approached.
"W- Wildfire..." Kara whimpered. "I d- don't get it... what do I keep doing wrong...?"
She shook her head, quiet for a moment. "Kara, you have to go back in there. None of this was supposed to happen."
"He hates me, Wildfire." Kara replied. "And everyone knows it."
"He doesn't hate you. But you're going to hate me." She tightened her lips. "I'm the reason he said all that. I'm the reason you were humiliated."
Kara stood to her feet, shaking her head. "What?" She choked out. "What are you talking about?"
"I wanted to get with Arsenik. But Ambrosia was in the way. So... I made a deal with Candy. She hangs out with the same circle Thunder does- Wind's twin brother. She set him up outside the school and I lied to her, saying it was Wind. He was going to rough her up a bit, and then Night was going to be her "knight" in shining armor, I got him in on it because he would have been happy having her, and then she'd be out of my hair. Problem solved." As she said this, Kara stared quietly. "In exchange... she told me to deliver a letter to the Holders' mailbox for Viktor that she wrote. She threatened to have some girl gang come after you and screw you up bad if Viktor didn't break it off with you in the worst way." Wildfire shook her head. "I tried to stop it tonight, Kara... I thought about all the times I roughed you up and you were still nice to me when we became friends. I thought about all the shit you've gone through and how-"
"Stop..." Kara said quietly. "Please, just... stop."
Wildfire bit her lip. "Kara, I'm sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I never wanted you to be hurt like this."
"Why...?" She asked, barely above a whisper.
You still don't understand, do you?
Kara's breath hitched, slowly turning to look behind her. The lady in black stood there, her smoldering red eyes piercing the darkness as her lips slowly formed into a smirk. As Kara began to tremble, Wildfire's eyes widened.
"Kara? Kara? Oh, shit-!" She exclaimed, backing away before turning, sprinting toward the school. When it was just Kara and Rayne, the latter chuckled lightly.
The time has come. This silly story of lies has finally reached its end. The last of what remains of you here will be broken down, so you may be rebuilt, reformed, like clay. But you will be stronger. Yes, you will be molded for their benefit, but your will, the one you were meant to have, will be fulfilled. There is no love for you here. No happy ending. Each time you try to go down a different path, you meet the same end.
Kara clenched her teeth, beginning to seethe. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screamed, charging at her. When she did, Rayne grabbed her shoulders, spinning her around and pushing her to the ground. Kara clenched her teeth, getting to her feet. When she did, she was encircled by the decrepit, the disheveled people lashing out as they began to attack her. When Kara was knocked to the ground again, she growled. "You're not real!" She shouted, swinging her arms and shoving them back. "Don't you- touch me!" She screamed, whirling around when she stopped. She was met with not a decrepit patient, but someone she knew. "What-... what are you-" Before she could finish her sentence, she hissed as she was slapped across her face, falling to the ground.
Someone familiar? They are real, aren't they? So are they... the ones you continue to deny. It is the ones you keep trying to accept in your heart which are false. It is why you must deny your heart. Give it away. Only then will you finally accept the truth.
Kara jumped back to her feet, her eyes widening when she saw who encircled her now.
It was every one of her friends, only they wore the same, eerie expression as her hallucination of Ambrosia had that one day when she had been heading home from the Holders.
Meanwhile, Wildfire stopped short when she caught sight of Arsenik and Viktor. "Arsenik!"
"Wildfire, I have no time for your nonsense. I will deal with the debacle you caused later." Arsenik snapped.
"No, you don't understand, Kara is out there and-"
"You found her? Why did you not bring her back inside?" Arsenik asked.
"Look, something's happening to her, and-..." She bit her lip.
"And...? What's happening to her? She's not in trouble, is she?!" Viktor's voice cracked.
"I... think Ambrosia may be the only one who can figure this one out." Wildfire finally admitted. "She started shaking really bad, her eyes were all messed up-"
"There he is!" Chase shouted, joined by Ambrosia, Rosemary, Jasmine, Bonnie and Barry as he stormed down the hall. "I'm going to beat him to a pulp! Let me at him!"
"Chase, please, wait! Despite what's happened, you mustn't resort to violence!" Ambrosia exclaimed.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't crush his face in after what he said." Chase growled.
"Chase, I understand your anger right now, I can't disagree with that. But Ambrosia is right. Physically attacking my nephew isn't going to help anyone." Arsenik said.
"It'll help me." Chase said, rolling up his sleeves.
"HEY!" Brooks shouted. "All of you shut up and listen to Wildfire." She said, glancing at her warily before nodding.
"Look. This is all my fault." Wildfire said, glancing at Arsenik. "I guess you're right. I'll never be good enough." She shook her head. "Because I don't do good things."
"What are you talking about?" Arsenik said. "Wildfire, we can deal with your problems later-"
"It's not just my problem. It's your problem. It's Ambrosia's problem. It's everyone's damn problem, but right now, it's all Kara's problem. Something's happening to her out there. I was the one who made the deal with Candy, and I was the one who agreed to her terms of sending the letter to Viktor. I'm taking responsibility for that. But any one of you could have stopped this too. Everything that's happened to her, every time she was hurt, someone could have stepped up. Someone could have said something, done something, like she has for other people. But no one did. And now, we're here. So what the hell are we going to do about it?"
Kara gasped for air, her wide eyes darting as the eerie faces drew nearer. "I- It's... not real." She swallowed thickly. She hissed when she felt hands on her shoulders, whirling around to see Rayne as she chuckled.
Can't you see? They all wear the same face, because they all bear the same fate to you. They are nothing to you, and you are nothing to them. When they become dust, they will remain so. But you will rise from the dust. And you will no longer fear the faces. You will fear nothing. You will be the reaper. You will collect the debt that all possess. And somewhere in the void which your consciousness will float within, part of that debt will be repaid to you. All they made you endure, all the suffering. I can make it all go away, right now. All you need to do is accept the truth. Unveil it, like removing a cloth from a mirror.
Kara exhaled shakily, clenching her teeth. "You have done everything you can to take me. You have thrown every means of hatred my way, but nothing's worked. I'm not going to give them up."
Very well. The cloth will be removed regardless... but rather than whisked away, it will be torn to shreds. Each fiber will scream in ceaseless agony.
As Rayne withdrew, Kara narrowed her eyes as she looked around, becoming encircled. "It wasn't Ambrosia that day I was hunted down, and it's not my friends now." She said to herself, bracing for the attack.
Wind pulled up in his car, getting out of it. Students began to go to their own, making their own way. Wind moved through the crowd, stopping when he saw Ambrosia and the others moving toward the cafeteria. "Ambrosia." He said her name, reaching her moments later. "What the hell is going on now? I can't leave you alone for five damn minutes, can I?"
"Wind, something has happened with Kara, we may very well need your help. I will explain on the way, but we must make haste." She said, taking his hand as Viktor made his way to the front of the pack, hurriedly bursting through the doors and out into the cold night.
Kara screamed as she knocked down one of the eerie faced imposters, sending several blows to their face. They hissed insults and curses at her, but as she reared her hand back, she was hoisted into the air, thrown to the ground where hands assaulted her. She shoved at the hands, trying to get to her feet. However, she was kept down, being shoved back to the cold Earth repeatedly. Bruises, cuts and scrapes began to appear on her body, choking as her windpipe was threatened to be crushed. The faces began to swirl in a maddening frenzy, the voices swelling into an ear-shattering roar. She managed to inhale deeply, screaming as she used all of her strength to push herself up. When she did, she stopped, looking around.
They were gone.
She furrowed her brows, looking around. Just then, she noticed someone near her, offering a hand.
"Kara. I'm here now."
She looked up, gasping. "Viktor...?" She took his hand, stumbling as she got to her feet, hugging him tightly. She began to sob, and he hushed her as he pet her hair.
"I'm so sorry it had to be like this. I'm so sorry for all the pain you have suffered. Believe me when I tell you... it's only made you stronger." He took her face into his hands, smiling lightly. "Here. I will dry your tears. What they've done to you, will be done in return to them."
"Viktor..." Kara shook her head. "Let's just... run away. Let's just leave this all behind... go where no one can hurt us again." She said, wiping her face.
"That would be nice... but you know that isn't the answer." He replied. "We both have very much to accomplish still. I have... taken so much from you."
"Viktor... I don't want anything or anyone else coming between us." Kara said, looking up at him.
"I agree." He said. "Kara... there is only one thing I need from you now. But... I can only have it if you give it to me willingly."
"Anything, Viktor. Anything to put this all behind us." Kara said.
"I need only your heart... and the love within it." He smiled, brushing some hair out of her face.
"Of course... of course it's yours." Kara breathed, smiling lightly as she held his hand. "Viktor... all I've ever wanted was to be l-"
She did not see it coming.
She had not expected it.
She had only seen, heard, what she wanted to see and hear more than anything.
But when she felt a blade pierce her chest, looking up into the eyes before her, the gentle, blue hue she had hoped to see was all but gone. A deep crimson had replaced them, the color of blood.
The last string will be cut away. The last string connecting you to this world, and theirs.
Kara gasped, watching the face of the boy she had fallen in love with carve out her aching heart. She screamed in agony, emitting a choked gasp when long, slender fingers extended to grasp the quickly beating object. She gripped his wrist, begging and pleading to end this torment.
Your plea shall be answered. Your agony here ends. It will only resume in another place.
Her heart was torn from her chest, and she fell to the ground in a heap. When she did, there was no longer any bruises, cuts and scrapes upon her skin. There was no gaping hole in her chest. There was not a single drop of blood to be seen, no injury, nor any indication of a struggle. There was nothing but her, lying upon the cold ground.
"Kara!" Viktor called, looking around as the group behind him emerged into the cold night. "Oh goodness, please answer me! Kara, I-" He stopped when he felt something at his feet. He slowly looked down, gasping. "Good gracious- Arsenik, I found her!" He called as he bent down. "Kara, come now, we must get you inside before-... Kara?" He shook her lightly. "Kara, I- I'm sorry about everything I said, all of it, you know I didn't mean it. I told you... I told you no matter what happened, that-..." His chest began to tighten when she did not respond to him. "N- No, how... how is this-..."
"Viktor, let me see her..." Ambrosia said as she approached, kneeling beside him as he began to tremble. Ambrosia placed her hand to Kara's neck, her mouth hanging open slightly as her eyes widened.
"Is she going to be okay?" Chase asked. "Why is she lying like that on the ground?"
"Ambrosia." Wind called her name lightly, his expression softening a bit when she looked at him, tears streaming down her face. He hissed lightly, turning to look at the ground. When Arsenik saw this, he went over to his nephew.
"Viktor. Viktor, you must get to your feet." He said to him, exhaling sharply when Viktor began to break down into tears. Barry was silent, placing an arm around Bonnie as she began to sob.
"Ambrosia, we must get her inside." Jasmine said quietly as Chase and Rosemary hugged tightly. She nodded silently, trembling as she cried. As she extended her hands toward her however...
"Jasmine!" She screamed, the others gasping when vines began to emerge from the frozen grass. The vegetation extended, beginning to wrap around Kara's body. Ambrosia tried to tear them away, Wind having to hoist her up. "No, Kara!"
"Ambrosia. It'll get you too." He said, tearing off the end piece of a vine and tossing it aside, watching the vines warily.
"What's happening?! Don't let it get her!" Chase exclaimed. He dashed over, trying to tear at them, but he hissed as thorns began to poke out, making his hands bleed. The Earth began to open up, the vines dragging her under. Despite their cries and attempts to stop this from happening, they were helpless to do so as the last to be seen was Kara's hand before it disappeared into the ground, the Earth closing back up once she was gone. The eleven were silent for several moments. Suddenly, they looked towards Wildfire as she began to scream, Brooks holding her shoulders as she sunk to her knees. As she did, Ambrosia looked up, staring at the sky as one by one, the stars began to blink out. All around them, any source of light began to disappear until finally, they were engulfed in complete darkness.
There would be no sun to chase the darkness away. No candle to disperse its potency.
This world, and everything within it, would not come to light again.
The Final Ending: Earth
The Earth element has cleansing power. It symbolizes prosperity, fertility, stability, orderliness, sustenance, creativity, physical abundance, intuition and wisdom. It can also bring about irregularity and scorn, however. It is associated with the Winter season.
"As the seed buried in the Earth cannot imagine itself as an orchid or hyacinth, neither can a heart filled with hurt imagine itself loved or at peace. The courage of the seed is that once cracking, it cracks all the way." -Mark Nepo
As I said, the end of this chapter would be pretty ominous.
As I also said in the last chapter, we cannot change the past. There are many things I wish I could change about mine. I wish I could have handled certain things better, and I wish I had received more kindness from my peers when I was in school. But I cannot change that. It was a difficult time for me, and it has affected me in a number of ways.
For those of you who have played War: 13th day, I also attributed some elements from that when writing this. I won't spoil the "true ending," but those who have seen it will see the connections I made back to it. Sometimes, it is difficult to accept something about ourselves, about others, about our interactions and relationships with others. How do you cope with something you cannot change? This element within War: 13th day resonated with me and, I felt that writing this, symbolically representing events in this story based on events and circumstances from my life would be risky. At the same time, however, it's also proven to give me peace of mind. It has created a sense of closure, of growth. In the next and final chapter, however, it will ultimately connect to a greater picture. I sincerely thank those who have taken this journey with me thus far. It means more to me than you know.