This is gonna make you CRY so hard...it did when I wrote it, at least, it'll make you feel sad.

Chapter 11

The Gunshot

Kitami, Fallon, and Cicada talked over breakfast the next day, while Delphine and the girls played upstairs.

"So, this stalker guy, who is he?" Cicada asked, taking a sip of orange juice. Fallon looked at him uneasily. "Well, that's what we didn't want to tell you." Kitami looked from Fallon to Cicada. "It's my brother." She said quietly. "Formica? Why? He was one of her best friends!" "Fallon said the Guild messed up his brain." Cicada got up and left the table. "I have to go to work." And without another word, he left. Kitami shook her head.

"Kisarami, can I stay home today?" Delphine asked. "Sure. You know what to do. Now, if you feel faint, what do you do?" "I put down whatever I'm doing and lie down on the couch." Kisarami smiled. "Very good, Delphine." Fallon opened his mouth to say something, but Kitami kicked him and shook her head. Fallon sighed.

Delphine helped everyone get ready to go to the field for a picnic. She knew she had never like the outdoors, so she decided to stay. She happily waved goodbye to everyone.

She did very little all day. She watched movies, slept, and ate. She got up to go to the kitchen to get a snack when she heard a crash. "Now, what could that be?" She went to the dining room and saw the broken window. A boy that looked exactly like Kitami was there. "Why didn't you just come to the door?" Then she saw the gun in his hand. "No! You're a robber! Stay away from Ms. Kisarami's house!"

The boy, Formica, looked up at her and smiled. "I'm not a robber." He shot the phone out of her hand and she screamed. "I'm your best friend, Delphine, but you don't remember me..." Delphine scrambled to pick up the phone, and he shot into the air, causing her to scream again. "Don't call anyone. Just stay right there." Delphine, shaking with fear, stood up. "Delphine...you've been hurting for a long time...I don't like that at all...you're not supposed to hurt..." Formica laughed. "I'm going to stop your pain..." He pointed the gun at her. "No! Please don't shoot me!" "It'll stop you from hurting anymore." "I don't want to die." She ran behind the counter. He shot a plate. "Stop playing, Delphine, you need to die to stop hurting..." "Help! Please, someone help me!" She ran up the stairs and hid in the closet. When she heard him pass her, she jumped out of the closet and ran for her life. "Where are you, Delphine? I'm just trying to help." She hid under the stairs. She heard him run down the stairs and he found her. "Don't move..." Delphine ran and he shot a stair. She ran toward the door. "Stop." One more shot and the smell of her blood filled Delphine nose as unbearable pain hit her back. Just as the bullet hit her, every waking moment of her life, her mother's abuse, being Maestro of the Guild, Exile, Cicada...she remembered Cicada! She remembered seeing him "die" and clapping about it, but she also remembered him forgiving her and still loving her..."I...remember..." And she fell. Formica dropped the gun and fell to his knees. "I'm sorry...Delphine..."

Hearing the gunshot, the girls ran to get Kisarami. "Well, it was a loud BOOM! that reminded me of the old days in Prester..." Al said. "I almost got shot one time." Holly said. Sparkie looked at her funny. "Nuh-uh." She said. "You don't know. You didn't ever live in Prester." Sparkie stuck her tongue out.

Meanwhile, Fallon and Kitami were running to them. "I knew we had to tell them!" Kitami looked at him. "How do you know that came from the house?" "Because of the circumstances!" They continued to run. They finally made it to the others. "I called Cicada! We know it came from the house!" Fallon yelled, out of breath. "How?" Kisarami said sharply. "We know because...we knew someone was stalking her!" Kisarami looked at the two of them increduosly. " "Why didn't you tell me?" Kitami started to cry. "We didn't want to worry anyone..." They all ran back to the house.

Formica saw them running and ran into the closet. They reached the house just when Cicada did. "What's going on?" He said, getting out of his car. "We heard loud noises and Kitami and Fallon think it came from here!" Kisara said frightenedly. They ran to the door. They saw Delphine lying there, bleeding and dying. "You can fix her, though, right? Like last time..." Kisara whispered to her mother. Kisarami looked at her daughter, tears welling in her eyes. "Sweetie, I don't think we can this time. I'll try, though..." They all looked to Cicada. He took her up into his arms and cradled her. For the first time, he couldn't control himself. He sobbed into her and the girls couldn't believe it. They now knew how bad it was. They also started crying. Fallon, meanwhile, looked to the closet. "I know you're here. Stop hiding." Formica hesitated, then opened the closet door. But no one noticed, they were too preoccupied with getting the car ready for Delphine to go to the hospital yet again. Except...

"Formica!" Kitami yelled at him. "How could you? She was your best friend..." "I don't understand it, either." Fallon said, shaking his head.

"I'm sorry."

"Sorry isn't good enough when she might die."

Formica started to sob, as well. Kisarami came over. "Is this the one who shot her?" She said sternly. "Please, don't call the police on him...he's my only brother..." Kitami's voice trailed off. "Brother?" She looked at the boy. "Twin perhaps?" She asked jerkily. "Yes." Kitami whispered. Kisarami went over to Formica. "It's OK. You just need a little help. I will not call the police." Formica looked up at her. "Thank you, ma'am. You're right...I need help...I knew I did...I should have listened to Fallon..."

"Everyone into the car." Kisarami said somberly. "We're going back to the hospital."