***NEED WORK

“Celeste!” Bryce called, his hands cupping his mouth. “Celeste!”

I completely balked; I just stared.
Not that I was doing much else earlier, but this was a nightmare.
Why…why of all places to come looking for me, he had to come here?
Where here, and why now?

Bryce took a few more steps forward, his eyes squinting through the rain as he scanned the deserted playground. Then he stopped, and I saw his brow scrunch a little.
“Celeste?” he called, unease in his tone.

Disturbed, I followed his gaze---

My eyes fell on my twisted and mangled body just beyond the play gym. All you could see was my legs, but I knew that only made things suspicious. And he was catching on, fast.
“Oh god… Bryce.” I gasped, horror creeping over.

Oh no. No.
Please.
No, no, no, no no.

Automatically, I shoved myself out of the mud and staggered to a stand.
“Bryce…please---” I started.

The rest of the plea was lost when I saw a dark shadow move in the corner of my eye. I was just turning when I felt something collide into me from my left side, sending me flying forward. I gasped, stunned as my hands instinctively shot forward to catch me.
I found myself staring at Bryce before I even hit the ground. He was still making his way towards the play gym, his steps cautious.
“Cella?” he called out.

I was scrambling to my feet when I felt something suddenly grab me by the back of my neck.
Claws.
I screamed, the sound piercing as I was yanked onto my back. The weight that had me pinned was heavy and hard. I heard snapping and snarling that was all too close to my neck. But I fought, even though I knew I didn’t stand a chance.

I had to.
I couldn’t let this happen.

I couldn’t let him see my dead body.

So I fought, kicking and screaming with all my might.
“Bryce! No!” I screamed.

Suddenly, I felt the heavy weight get ripped off of me, and I gasped out in shock.
There were sounds, all of them so ungodly. Snarling, growling, thrashing…tearing, snapping and slicing---

“Move, Celeste!” I heard the girl’s voice yelling.

Not wasting a second, I rolled onto my hands and knees and shoved myself onto my feet.
“Don’t go! Stop!” I screamed toward Bryce.

I ran, slipping and sliding in the mud, trying to get to him. I was probably about five yards away from him when I heard something odd---grinding and groaning protest of metal---through the roar of the rain.
I saw Bryce look up, and his eyes go wide. He brought his arms up defensively just as the park light a few feet from him flicker and buzz off.
Sparks flew and next thing I know the park light fell over and hit the ground with a loud crash, splashing mud and sparks in all direction.

I skidded to a stop, freezing in horror.
Oh god…no, please no---

Something flashed into view right in front of me and I screamed. A second later, I realized it was the Immortal girl kneeling before me.
“Celeste,” she said, her voice a bit hoarse and raspy.
She seemed a little out of breath.
“You,” I breathed.
Then a shock of realization shot through me.
“Where is he?” I demanded. “Where is Viper?”
“Calm down, Celeste. He’s hiding in wait.” the girl told me, the urgency clear in her tone.
“What do you mean, he’s hiding?” I demanded. “How is that supposed to make me feel better?”
“How does being frantic help our situation?” she returned, raising her voice a little partly because of the storm, partly to stress the urgency.
I threw my hands up, not knowing what to do with myself.
Then, I blanched.
“Oh no,” I murmured.

I wheeled back to where I last saw Bryce---under the now twisted knot of metal that was the park light. How on earth did it get so mangled?
“Bryce!” I screamed.
I shoved past the Immortal girl roughly and shot right at what remained of the light. I ignored the girl’s protest as she yelled at my back.
I had only taken two steps when the air seemed to cave down on me in a fierce roar.

I really couldn’t tell what happened next; all I knew was that there were sounds---all of them just as nasty as the last, and at the same time I was yanked from behind and swung around in some direction. Right as I hit the ground with a heavy splash, I heard the worst sound I have heard so far.

A solid sound of tearing, cracking and wet splatter ripped through the rain all at once, reaching me with a powerful hit. It was loud and brief, but I knew exactly what it was.
I had heard that sound only once before, and that was all I needed to know.

The last time I heard it I was still alive---it was just seconds before I died…the moment Viper killed me.

Tearing of flesh.
Cracking of bones.
And the splatter of warm blood in the wet mud.

I turned around, even though a part of me told me I shouldn’t.
My wide eyes caught the Immortal girl standing only a few feet away with her back towards me as she stood very close to a dark shadowy figure. Viper.

Viper yanked his hand back in a snappish motion, his hand blurring with speed. Without a moment wasted he disappeared, blending with the lightless space once more.
But not before I saw the dark, sinister and triumphant smirk twist on his lips.
The Slayer girl didn’t move or make a sound. I couldn’t see her face from behind her.

But then her knees gave out and she fell sideways.
She hit the ground with an awkwardly heavy splash, her arm twisted back around her. She didn’t move.

My guardian angel was dead.