Love as Bitter as It Ever Was

Faster.

Got to move faster.

I’ve got to get out of here.

I turned, checking for Lilly.

She was keeping up with me.

I needed to push myself father.

As soon as we were past that tree line, we would be in the middle of town.

They wouldn’t come after us there.

We would be safe.

Willing my muscles to work faster, I leant forward, my legs ached, my chest ached and my heart was racing, but we needed to get away.

A sudden burst of energy allowed me to go faster, tearing through the trees, dodging all the low branches, and jumping over random objects.

So close, nearly there, I could see the lights.

Hear the sounds.

I could also hear their footsteps.

They were catching up with us.

I looked at Lilly, catching her hand in mid air.

I squeezed it tightly, still running.

She turned her head, returning my smile.

“I love you.” I mouthed.

We were going to make it, the end of the forest getting nearer.

Nearly there.

So close.

A large tree, meant I had to let go of Lilly.

I ran past it, and broke out through the edge of the trees and brushes.

Landing in a heavy breathing, muddy mess at the edge of the forest.

The few people, who were milling around, stared at me, as I got to my feet.

I looked up at the large, neon sign that hung from the shops in front of me.

The lights burning my eyes slightly, after so much darkness.

Never had I been so pleased to see a shopping mall.

We were free we made it.

“Lilly we…” I turned to where she should be.

And met empty air.

My breath froze in my throat, and I began spinning around, frantically searching for her.

She had been here.

She had been there, I had been holding her hand.

I let go of her a second.

I turned and faced the dense forest.

I could see the glowing red dots.

Their eyes watching me.

I swear I could hear one of them laughing.

Laughing at me.

Lilly was still in there. They had Lilly.

I took a deep breath, I didn’t need life, or safety, I needed Lilly.

I ran into the darkness, away from the harsh glow of neon lights.

Running blindly through the dark, frantically searching in the darkness, for a sign, a noise, anything to tell me where Lilly was.

A high pitched scream echoed through the forest, the sound coming from just up ahead of me.

Already I could see the beams of moonlight breaking through the trees.

I ran towards it, and skidded to a stop, in a small clearing.

A few broken trees laying, discarded, rotting away at the edges.

In the middle stood a man I, at that stage didn’t know.

He was smirking at me, his teeth reflecting the moonlight, looking shinier and sharper than normal.

His dark brown hair, covered part of one eye, yet still the red shone through it.

At his feet lay Lilly.

My Lilly.

Her perfect blue eyes frozen open, her pale skin, paler than normal.

And on her neck, two small wounds, slowly leaking blood.

I looked around me, surrounded by other people.

Each of them with red eyes, glaring at me.

What was going on?

What happened to Lilly/

Why were they trying to kill us?

I didn’t have time to think of anything else, as suddenly sharp pain shot through me, from the neck downwards.

My world began to get smaller, my vision blurring, as I collapsed to my knees, life seeping out of me.

“Lilly…” Was the last word that was uttered from my warm lips, as salty tasting tears fell from my eyes.

“Donovan!” Barked a harsh voice.

I snapped my head up, waking up from memory lane.

“Emery wants to see you.” He grumbled, before he turned and walked out the room.

An image of his sharp teeth shining in the moonlight, flickered through my mind.

I shivered at the memory.

That night, Emery and his people had damned me to an eternity of loneliness.

And I would not rest until I avenged Lilly’s death.

I stood up from my chair by the window and walked out the room.

To a meeting, with the man who killed my fiancé.