Liberation

Chapter 23

Julia's point of view:

The dream:
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All around me, the city is on fire. Buildings weaken underneath the flames' heat and come crashing down, killing who knows how many citizens. Smoke overpowers the atmosphere as it fills my lungs and chokes me from the inside. I look around wildly, the air making my eyes sting with tears.

The war is raging as people are at each other's throats, the fight not showing a clear winner. Blood trickles down the streets, flowing underneath my shoes and smelling worse than the smoke.

I run, passing the bodies of fallen enemies as well as fallen friends. However, I stop and do a double-take as I pass by a body with golden blonde hair, hair that's all too familiar to me. Blood soaks her once sterile white doctor's coat, and her hands are stilled with death.

I bend down and turn her body over so I can see her face, and I stumble backwards, stifling a scream in the process. The woman's face is cold and lifeless, her lips parted in a call for help that was never answered:

Cassia.

I run from the sight, my heart cracking like a piece of porcelain.

But a cry not far off causes me to turn my head, seeing Susan get knifed in the back from an enemy. She falls with a grunt as blood trickles from her mouth, and then she becomes as still as Cassia.

"Julia, run!" Someone yells, and I turn to see Adam running for me, pushing me forward and past the fighting.

"Adam, why is this happening?!" I plead in a panicking voice.

But before he can answer, the sound of a gun goes off.

Helplessly, I watch a hole form in his stomach as blood pours out. "Run," is the last thing he says to me before he collapses.

I turn on my heels and do as he says, crying profusely at the hell unfolding around me. "Julia, help!" I hear someone yell for me.

I turn my head and look, only to see Kyle get his throat slit and fall to his knees.

"Please no," I croak out before remembering Adam's words. But before I run again, I hear a different voice, one that sounds familiar and not in danger.

I turn around, coming face to face with Peter.

"Peter," I say, exasperated as I wrap my arms around him, the tears still flowing. "Everyone's dead," I huff out as I try to take deep breaths.

But when Peter doesn't say a word, much less return the hug, I look up at him, gasp, and stumble backwards to get away.

His face is hard-set and unfeeling, his eyes the exact shade of evil gold that Henley's are.

A booming laughter is heard through the city, shaking the ground upon which we stand. A laughter I only know as Henley's.

"Seems only fit how this will all end. Put to death by your lover's hand," she says, taunting me.

And I don't understand what it all means until it's too late.

Peter attacks me, knocking my knees out from under me and kicking me in my stomach. "Stand up and fight," he snaps at me in a voice that is not his own.

I struggle to my feet, panicking as I look up at Peter's face. He looks so angry, so cold. Murderous, even.

Peter tries to hit me, but I dodge his fist and wrap my hand around his arm, twisting it to a painful angle behind his back.