The Heart of Everything

Wake up, Sophie.’

Someone was calling my name…but who? The voice was near, yet far from me. I could almost touch the person, at the same time, it seemed to be miles away. Confused, I tried to search for the said person. It was then I realized everywhere was black. My eyes were closed.

‘Wake up, wake up, Sophie!’

I forced the muscle to part with my will, light finally shone through the darkness. I could only see grey at first, a blur of unrecognizable image. Reluctantly, outlines formed by themselves, separated into different sort of stuffs, though there weren’t a lot. A stone wall was the background, decorated by chains and a barred window showing the night skies. I turned my head to the right, and came face-to-face with someone whose face was covered by the shadows. My eyes flashed red by instinct, my fangs bared.

‘Who are you?’ I growled.

The person stayed quiet, which angered me. He, or she, had totally ignored my question. After waking me up, the thing I got was silent treatment? Oh no, that was not acceptable.

‘Speak!’

I moved my hands to strangle him (or her), rather, I tried to because my wrists were bounded by metal cuffs on the wall behind. My ankles were chained in a similar way. Struggling, I aimed to destroy the cuffs with my strength, yet the sole thing I got was tinkling sounds from the metal hitting one another.

‘Release me this instant!’ I shouted at the stranger.

‘Sophie…’

My heart stopped beating for a second. The way he spoke, the tone he used…Only one person could ever have that effect on me.

Max.

‘What are you doing here?’ I clenched my teeth as the memory of his brutal way of killing my soldiers, as well as his own. ‘Haven’t you enjoy your killing spree, you monster? Why keep me alive? Why don’t you just kill me?’ I glared at the still werewolf. ‘Finish me!’ I’d rather die than to live as a hostage, or as a prisoner.

‘I’m sorry, Sophie.’

‘You’re not.’

‘I wished I hadn’t killed your people that way. I didn't want,’ he walked to the window. Hiding from me, I assumed.

‘I guess nothing ever changed,’ I laughed ironically. ‘You still turn away like the coward you were. Correction, are.’ He gave no response, staring the darken sky outside.

‘You know…even if I wash my hands, the blood won’t go away.’

An awkward silence followed. Nobody said anything for at least a few minutes---which seemed longer than a year---before I spoke.

‘Quit beating around the bush, Max. What do you really want to say?’ I questioned him. He always failed to find a way to speak properly, always dodging and be subtle, never to-the-point.

He sighed. ‘I know the truth.’

‘What truth?’ I said lowly, and as calmly as possible; an opposite of what I was really feeling inside right now.

‘The truth…of that day.’

Suddenly, I grinned, which turned into giggling before laughing loudly, filling the room with my insane laughter. I’d lost it.

‘So you know all along…you knew,’ my laughter slowly faded into weeping. ‘You’ve made it all to clear, Max. You just keep on living this lie. And now, you refuse to see me,’ I added the last sentence, staring intensely at his back.

He spun around quickly, looking at me with sadness. ‘Sophie, I---’

‘You’re denying me. You see the cross I bear but you don’t seem to care. Even Judas knew he had lied.’

‘Listen to me---’

‘I’m sorry if you can’t stand the naked truth. All you see is how you want it to be. So you keep on living your life. Isn’t it, Max?’ I whispered, and started yelling again. ‘Why can’t you release me from this cross after all this years? Call my name and help me with this weight…’ I gave him a longing look.

‘Even though it’s far too late.’

‘You’re wrong, Sophie. I just know the truth a few hours ago.’

‘What a coincidence,’ I sneered. ‘Happening the exact moment when I was imprisoned by you. How timely.’

‘It is a coincidence.’

‘Right.’

‘Trust me, Sophie.’

‘Like how you trusted me that day?’ I said bitterly, causing him to flinch.

‘Max, Max, Max…’ I called him through my tears, yet I wondered why. ‘Why? Why now? Why must you break through my defenses when I had finally mustered the courage to end this?’
In the end, I wasn’t determined enough to kill him. How pitiful. I hated myself so much for being so useless. Pathetic.

‘Sophie…’

Max freed me from the chains, and took me in his embrace, but not without hesitating. I almost melted in his arms, yet his hesitation was all it needed to pour the cold reality on me. I let his arms lingered on me. I didn’t bother to lift my hands when he hugged me, it wasn’t necessary.

‘How?’ I asked.

‘It was from a letter I received. It was written by dad. Of that, I am certain. As for why now, I have no idea.’

‘I see.’ So it was from a letter by dad. The day it happened was years ago, so how could Max receive the letter now? Someone had been, and still was, planning all along. Someone was controlling the drones and laid the traps for him, and perhaps me too.

Wait, what was I doing again? I pulled away from Max, backing to the wall. I mustn’t make the same mistake twice. He had triggered the love I had for him, and I fell for his trap so easily, so willingly.

‘You don’t trust me,’ Max frowned.

‘Of course,’ I spat, holding me hands to my chest, as if they were hurt. I was afraid that if I let them go, they’d reach for him.

‘Then learn to. Join me in defeating the king and avenge my family, Sophie.’

‘But I…’

‘Your goal is to end the war, is it not? Then you can accomplish it by killing the king and end all of this.’

His word made sense, somehow. I could consider assisting him in avenging his family. By doing so, he would become the traitor thus causing uproar in the werewolf kingdom, while I could put an end to my people’s misery and lose nothing. This plan was more beneficial
than the one I had originally. But what about Max? He would be hunted for the rest of his life.

‘You have five minutes before the guards come in and check us. Use your time wisely, Sophie, think about Katy, mum and dad, and your people.’

The five minutes I’d never forget.