ALETHEIA [ON GOING]

19. Blood, Rain and Tears

pt.2 of my double update... let's see how this goes!

song: 'The Other Side' by Ruelle

enjoy! (don't kill me please)

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I turn around, and the barrel of Adrik's gun is pressed against my forehead.

"What did I say?" He tsks. "No matter how hard you try, you'll never escape me. I will always find you. You can't win."

I smile.

"I already have."

He laughs, but there's no humour. No light beneath his eyes. Only darkness.

"How have you won, little thief? I'm the one with the gun pointed at you. I'm the one who tore down your shields. I'm the one that sees you for who you truly are. Broken. Damaged.

But damaged people are dangerous. They know how to make hell feel like home.

You do not need to hide your scars, or feel ashamed. They are a part of you, a part of your story. Only you can decide how your story goes."

My god is he a manipulative man. Good with words, too.

"You're right. Only I can choose how my story goes." He smiles with victory.

"And you aren't going to be in it." His smile fades and is soon replaced with anger, and I can see his finger go to press the trigger.

I lift up my left hand and swat the gun away, sending it sliding across the floor, away from us.

I lift my right arm up, and this time it's my turn to wield the power.

I rest my finger against the trigger, and push the barrel against his forehead.

He just laughs. "You are an absolutely stunning, murderous creature."

I lift my head up high.

I will not show weakness.

"In those two weeks you held me captive after you took me away from my home, you tortured me, and tried to break me over and over.

I sat in that cold, horrid cell, knowing you would come back and break me more.

I spent hours upon hours staring into the darkness, wishing, praying to find a way to get my revenge on you.

You'll find that when you spend so long trapped in darkness, it begins to stare back."

He stays still.

He doesn't move, not an inch.

He just watches me, as if I was a fascinating experiment.

"I stay true to my promise. I will hunt you to the end of the earth in every lifetime, and every time you beg for mercy, I will not abide.

You will regret doing what you did to me and countless others, and even in your grave will your crimes haunt you."

His smile widens.

"Go on then, kill me." I stare at him with shock at his willingness to let me end his life.

"I do not regret what I have done. I do not regret what I have done to you. I made you. I have made you stronger. You are no longer a woman, you are a weapon."

He laughs.

He stands up straight. He walks forward, and my hand shakes.

I killed Adam. I killed Rosie. I killed the stalker.