Her Games

Chapter Eleven

I couldn't think. My mind literally stopped working. Unknown instincts kicked in.

Dash fell to the ground, letting out a yelp. With the knife in my hand, rage instantly filled my being. I lunged at Keetan.

He wasn't expecting it. He barely had time to realize the blade penetrated Dash instead of me. I pushed him to the ground and stomped on the hand that grasped the sword with Dash's blood until he released it.

I kicked the sword away and got on top of him. I pinned down each of his limbs with my knees. I'd seen Jaroth do it in training.

I raised the knife over my head. My intention was to stab his chest, but before I could, he spoke, "Stop, please!"

His eyes were wide with fear, and I'm sure mine were filled with resentment.

"Why?!" I demanded.

"Please don't!"

I paused for a second. It was enough time for Keetan to free his arms. He grabbed at the knife. I dodged his grip and placed my other hand on his chest. I pushed down with all my weight and strength. Keetan yelped, and I repositioned myself into my previous stance. I saw a flicker of fire in his eyes.

Faster than I could think, I drove the knife down. It punctured his chest. I pulled it out and repeatedly jabbed the knife in his chest.

Aggression was a new feeling for me. I wanted to kill that boy fifty times over. I wanted to inflict so much pain on him that he would beg me to kill him instead of suffering for so long. He hurt her. He deserved a thousand deaths for that. But people only get one, so I had to make his last.

I never heard the canon. I only heard a faint voice call my name, bringing me out of my trance.

"Tavis stop," Dash calmly requested.

I looked down a Keetan's lifeless body. I had lost count of how many times I stabbed him. The sight of him distraughtly amazed me. I really did that?

His chest was bloody, and his gashes were only slightly covered by his shredded shirt. No, I couldn't possibly be capable of doing that.

But, in fact, I had done it, and the vision of Keetan still haunts me.

"Tavis," she called again.

I couldn't run to her any faster. She lay on the sandy ground though it got harder as I knelt by her side. Her gray shirt was soaked with blood around her stomach. She pressed down as hard as she could, but the blood kept pouring out. Trees blossomed before my eyes.

I grabbed her hand, "Dash, I'm here."

She looked at me in the eye and said, "Don't ever do that again. Don't become them; lead them."

I could see the life slowly slipping away from her, "Dash, you're..."

I trailed off. She isn't dying. She can't be.

"I know," she smiled, "I'm dying."

"No, you're not. You'll get medicine; you'll get better," I said as my eyes started to water.

She squeezed my hand, "Medicine couldn't save me, Tavis."

Her eyes seemed to get greener as I stared into them, "What do I do?"

I hadn't thought about what would happen when she died. I just assumed it was her and I until the end. It was like my mind couldn't ever accept that she would eventually die to keep me alive.

"You'll know what to do," Dash assured.

"I can't. Not without you," I held her as tears streamed down my face, "I can't do this alone. Even if I do win, I have no idea how to do all that is planned for me."