Blood stains the building walls and the ground below me. Horrifying screams blare at me from every angle, but I shut out the sight and run. I pass the blood and abominations, pass the bodies, pass all the death.
Was this all worth it? If Mathew’s still alive, will he even be able to save everyone? Will I be able to go through with the fading?
I shove these thoughts from my mind when I reach the lab. Nichelle is gone, along with everyone else, except for one person lying dead on the ground. Her red hair is scattered across the blood stained ground, her flawless features frozen in time, like death managed to preserve her beauty. I feel my dead heart inside my chest ache for a second, taking in the death of Emmy.
She stares up at the sky, her eyes open, her arms lifelessly to her side. I crouch down and let my fingers drift over her eyelids, shutting her eyes, letting myself feel what I need to. Letting myself realize what I have to do.
I get to my feet and head for the door. There are signs of a struggle, blood splattered on the front section of the wall, boot tracks in the dirt leading away from the building, blood all around them.
I open the door and rush inside, running to the lab. It’s quiet inside, however it looks untouched. The only signs of a mess are the vials everywhere, yet it was like that before.
“Mathew?” I call out quietly, vigilantly entering the room with my dagger out.
There’s silence and then I hear a whimper as Mathew jumps up from behind the table. “Kayla.” He glances over me; cuts and gashes, blood soaking my clothes. “God, what’s going on out there?”
“Did you figure it out?” I ask, stepping towards him. “Please tell me you figured out if my blood and the virus replicates like it’s supposed to.”
“Not yet,” he replies. “I’m still waiting to see if time will get the process moving.” He glances down at his arms. “Like your blood did with me.”
I walk to his side and rest my hand on his back, trying to shake out this bottomless, hopeless feeling. “You know you can fight, right?” I ask. “You don’t have to hide behind tables.”
He glances up at me. “I know, but I also don’t want to risk the chance of dying, either. I need to figure all this out before I die. You and I… we need to make sure we survive so that we can move forward.”
He waits expectantly for me to say that I’m with him, that I’ll do the fading. My mouth opens, ready to give him my answer, but then I snap it shut when I hear the door open. I know it’s not an abomination because they can’t open doors, so I don’t know who to expect.
When I turn my head and look in the direction of the doorway, I wish it’d been the abominations.
Gabrielle and Monarch are standing just inside the room with Aiden behind them. All three of their eyes are filled with the same coldness. The only difference between them is that Aiden is dressed in all black while Monarch and Gabrielle are in all white.
They’re the same. God, poor Aiden.
“Bravo,” Gabrielle says as he claps his hands together and enters the room. “You almost had us. Almost, but not quite. Yes, you put up a fight, but at the same time, there are still way more abominations over humans.” He pauses, looking thoughtfully at Mathew. “Because Humans are weak.”
I step in front of Mathew as he rises to his feet. “Run,” I hiss at him. “Or prepare to fight.”
Gabrielle snaps his fingers and in five lengthy strides, Aiden crosses the room. I move to hit him, but he catches my arm, matching, if not exceeding, my strength. He shoves me down to the ground and I crash against the table. As I scramble to my feet, he moves for Mathew, throwing his body into his.
They tumble into the cabinets, glass falling everywhere as they topple to the ground and roll around, throwing fists at each other. Mathew is still getting used to his power and he moves very sloppily compared to Aiden, causing them to move all over the floor and crash into things. Vials fall off the counters and shatter, pieces of glass surround them.
I start for them to pull Aiden off him, but Gabrielle grabs my arm, stopping me. I swing my other fist around and ram it into his jaw, but he’s barely fazed by it as he pushes me effortlessly to the floor. I fall onto Mathew who’s curled in a ball in front of Aiden’s feet, giving up before this has even started.
Gabrielle chuckles as he slowly walks over to me, glass crunching under his feet. “I’ll give it to you, Kayla, you’re strong. You would have made a fine Higher if you weren’t so determined to fight back, and go against rules and order. It’s your one flaw, yet you’re the cure to saving the Highers’ breed.” He shakes his head like he’s so disappointed in this fact. “It’s so pathetic that such an emotional girl is what’s going to save the strongest and brightest species that’s ever lived.” He smiles as he glances down at himself, filled with vanity.
I search my mind, trying to figure out what to do next. Fight him? Run? What about Mathew? Will he run, too? Or will we fight? Do we even stand a chance? And what if I don’t? What if the Highers capture me and are able to save their race? What would happen to the human race?
I’m not sure, but out corner of my eye I see the vial filled with black liquid that bubbles red. It’s the easiest answer to all this. If it works, it gives the best outcome. Do I dare go through with it, though? Will it change me back to a human? Or will it change me into a shell of a human? Am I ready to give everything up? My life? My strength? My feelings for Sylas? My entire existence? Am I selfish or am I self-sacrificing?
“It doesn’t matter what you do,” Gabrielle continues as he paces the floor in front of me with his robe trailing behind him. “We’re too strong, and in the end, you’ll come with us and I’ll find my cure.”
You must save the world, Kayla, no matter what.
I feel the vial in my hand, the glass scorching hot against my skin. When I glance at Mathew to the side of me, he nods his head once, his eyes begging me to do it.
Gabrielle kicks me in the foot, bringing my attention back to him. “Get up and come now. It’s time to give up and come back to the colony.”
“Kayla, there are other things more important than Sylas and Aiden. Bigger things. There will come a time when you’ll have to choose your battle, and may have to let someone go. You need to realize that you can’t save everyone. Not if you are going to save the world,” Monarch presses, his eyes locked on me. “Do you understand?”