A Few More Good Years
Megan sat on her knees, her arms wrapped around Brandon's body, holding him closely. Shavai held Bejimen and Will held Sydney. Bejimen was the only one breathing, and he could stop at any time.
"What happened?" Jaden said walking down the stairs passed Jack. She held tightly on the railing. The nun sat quietly, still sniffling ever so slightly. After a few moments of looking at her hands, she got to her feet and stood.
"The children ran down the steps. They were playing. When suddenly the girl's eyes opened...and then she killed them." The nun gestured to the bodies, her voice cracking under strain. "There- there was nothing, I could do."
Shavai started crying painfully as she held Bejimen's hand. Megan continued to lie over his body, but not one tear fell. They held themselves in her eyes as she stared blankly ahead, unbelieving he was gone. She sat silently, her face leaned on his chest, not moving and not making any sounds.
"You could've done something! They're children for God's sake! It's your job to protect them!" Jack said, trampling down the stairs, suddenly completely sober and very stern. The nun looked up in Jack's eyes, glaring.
"Why didn't you?"
With that Jack had enough. He glared back into her eyes. There was something eerily familiar in them and it reflected back in his face. The violet color in them was the same as someone else's he had seen before in his life, he just couldn't put where. She had a defiant smirk in her eye, as she looked on the destruction that laid around before her. She must've been the equivalent to the man who played the fiddle as Rome burned. Crazy for no absolute reason.
Shavai and Will cradled the bodies of their children. Bejimen continued in slow, shallow breaths, grunting in pain occasionally. Shavai put her hand on his forehead, uncertain of what she could possibly do. There were certain things from her gypsy past that she could try, but without knowing what exactly happened, she was unwilling to try for fear it would do him harm.
Will began to stand, handing Sydney's limp body to Shavai who still sat on the floor. Will stood solemnly not saying anything. His hands were clenched in fists, he had a tear running down his chin that fell to the floor. Shavai sat behind him holding both children's head on her knees. Then all hell broke loose. Will ran at the nun and lunged at her, grabbing her clothes and throwing her against the wall.
"Why didn't you stop it!" He slammed her against the wall again. "Why didn't you do something! You were here! It's your job to save people!" Will screamed at her and grabbed the hood of her nun's garment and tore it off then threw it to the side.
"I tried." She said in defence. Shavai looked at the scene before her, then looked back at Megan who still had not moved from Brandon's chest. The only signal that Megan was still alive, lied in her quiet, ringing sobs. Jaden went to Shavai to help with the children as Jack went to Will and grabbed him. Jaden looked at Sydney's face. Her small form looked more frail than anything else and if it wasn't for the small trickle of blood trickling down her forehead, she would've guessed she was sleeping and nothing more. A murdered child sleeping.
Jaden's eyes trailed to the strange girl's dead body. She looked like she was taken by suprise, but her eyes were closed. The blood was dry on her skin and seemed black. Shavai began to stand, putting Sydney gently to the side. She took Benjimen in her arms and walked solemnly up the stairs, looking back only once with a tear in her eye. Megan finally rose slowly onto her knees, and gently pushed Brandon onto his back and laid his hands across his stomach. She swallowed hard and sniffled as she wiped his face clean of the blood with the end of her shirt. Slowly, struggling with every bit of strength in her, she stood and walked to Sydney and picked her up and slowly ascended the stairs.
Jack held Will back and forced him to the stairs. Will was strong for the most part, being able to walk until he reached the railing. He touched the railing and paused before breaking down onto Jack's shoulder, crying pitifully.
"My children, Jack!" Jack patted his shoulder sympathetically, as he continued to cry. "She killed my children."
Jaden and Persephone were left alone with each other. Jaden looked over at Brandon's unmoving body and felt uneasy. She began to move to the stairs, stopping at the foot of them and turning back to her.
"You're not to take one step out of here." Jaden said. Before the nun had one oppertunity to answer. "Why didn't you save them?" she asked, her voice cracking.
"I told you- I couldn't." She replied nonchalently.
"I know you had something to do with this." Jaden began to continue her slow walk, pausing on occasion. "And I'm going to prove it." They went after each other like a couple of high-priced lawyers. But Persephone stood defiantly.
"Well, then you've got a problem." She said.
"Oh, and what's that?"
"I don't lose."
"Then you've got problems of your own." Jaden shot back.
"How's that?"
"I never have."
