The Huntress

Part 41: The final act

Nothing came out of her mouth, and no tear fell from her eyes.

Only her heart cracked one more time and laughed bitterly, for it was a fool to believe that the pain would finally stop.

Laurel extended her arm, brushing Zach's shirt with her fingertips and trying to grab it and bring his body closer.

She couldn't see his eyes because his face was looking in the opposite direction, but she had convinced herself that he was praying for her to save him.

"Laurel. . . . " the voice inside her said, but it didn't matter.

She kept trying. All she had to do was bring his body close enough and heal him. Zach's voice had to be heard again, and his black eyes had to smile one more time.

"I admire your spirit. Your father was always like that. Always hoping, always trying to avoid the inevitable."

She put pressure with her feet on the ground and tried to propel herself closer to Zach. Words had lost their meaning, and pain had stopped trying to form words or sounds.

"I'm here, Zachie," she said and finally grabbed his arm.

"He's dead," the woman's voice said.

A tiny spark of magic flew from her heart and traveled through her arm but suddenly stopped. Life had left his body, and her powers couldn't bring the dead back to life.

Her eyes, heavy as stones, were looking at the snowy scene, motionless.

"You could be the winner, but you chose to disobey me," the woman continued. "We would rule the world, but you failed to put your emotions aside. I don't blame you completely. I used to be like you. I used to hope, but then, life proved that no one can be trusted but myself. This is where you failed. You put too much hope in love, but look where that love led you to! They weren't strong enough to protect themselves, and they always needed you to be saved. Have you ever really thought of yourself? Have you wondered how your life would turn out if you stopped caring about them?"

Laurel hadn't moved but had heard every single word.

She couldn't use magic, and she was too weak to fight, but there was one last chance. When she had pushed herself from the ground, she had felt the little knife inside her boots. The first knife her father had given to her. If only her mother would come near enough. If only she was strong enough for one last move.

Laurel's time was ending. Her body was broken, her insides were bleeding, and no power was fast enough to stop it.

"I have," she answered her mother's question. "I could be safe and alive, without a broken heart."

The old woman smiled, believing that the girl had finally found common sense, even if it was too late.

"But living isn't about breathing. What would life be without colors, without light, without friends and love?"

A weak smile formed on her lips, and her eyes focused on Zach's body.

Her mother shook her head disapprovingly and bent her knees. She touched her daughter's face, and grabbing her chin, made her turn her head toward her.

"It's a wasted life. You want to live in pain. Then, that's what you'll have."

Laurel was seeing that her mother would move in seconds, and that was probably her last chance.

The woman removed her hand and started lifting her body from the ground.

Gathering every breath, every heartbeat, and every ounce of life left in her body, Laurel fell on her mother. The witch lost her balance, trickled due to her long dress, and fell lying on the ground. Due to Laurel's reflexes from the fifteen years of training, the knife was fast placed in her hand, and she let the weight of her body drag her to the ground and onto her mother's body.