A Brand New Ending

Chapter 44

Phoenix



"No, please don't," I choke out, his grip on my neck getting tighter as each second ticks on. I can feel the tears starting to well up.

"You think that you can get away with this?" his voice growls, his mouth mere inches from mine.

My eyes shift to a figure in the corner. Her hair matches mine but her eyes are cold, her mouth turned up in a devilish grin. This person is not here to help me. With his hands still around my neck, he pulls me off the wall and I instinctively put both my hands around his arm, trying to pry it from my throat. It doesn't budge and he slams be back into the wall, this time so high that my feet dangle off the ground. My eyes shift to the female figure in the corner again, her hands reaching deep inside her pocket and pulls something out. The small light in the room shines from the silver of the blade. I instantly start to flail, trying everything I can to get away from them but the fingers around my neck tighten, my wind pipes completely cut off. The female form takes long strides towards me and the two figures are now side by side.

My eyes shift between the both of them, a wicked grin begins to sprawl across their faces and then things move so quickly. The feeling of warmth flows down torso and I feel around, the handle of the dagger flush against the skin on top my ribcage, an eruption of pain coursing through every inch of my body. When I look back up the figures have vanished almost like they were a figment of my imagination. But the pain and blood is all too real.

Without the support of his fingers around my neck, my now weak body crumbles to the floor, my back flush against the hardwood floors. The only thing in my sight is the handle of the dagger. With my blood-soaked hand, I wrap it around the etched wooden handle, but as soon as my skin comes in contact with it, the dagger thrusts deeper into my skin. I scream out at the top of my lungs, my vision no longer clear due to the tears falling down my cheeks.

I don't know how much time passes, the pools of blood on either side of my body growing with each second. I feel my eyes starting to become heavy and I know it will only be moments before I am taken from this world. But instead of the sense of calm that is always hoped for, it is replaced with dread and longing. I lay there staring at the wall, feeling so lost and alone. But then a soft light starts to fill the room and I lean up to see another female figure standing before me. Her facial features are soft, her presence instantly comforting me. She walks over to me on what I swear is air, never seeing her actual feet touch the ground. I remain lying still on the ground, only my eyes moving. The figure makes it to the side of my body and slowly leans down, her hand hovering over the dagger.

"NO! Please," I cry out. "It will kill me."

She doesn't listen and continues to reach for it, her fingers never actually touching it. The dagger then slowly starts to ascend from my body, drops of blood dripping from its pointed tip. I squint my eyes, noticing a dark tar-like substance wrapped around it. I remain still, still afraid to move. The dagger spins slowly underneath her command before it completely disappears before me. Her eyes find mine and I inhale sharply, the blue in her eyes is so vibrant that I swear they glow.

"You may sit up," her voice echoes through the room.

I hesitate for a moment but start to raise my head. As I do, I see the blood pools traveling back towards my body, a series of small rivers retreating back to the stab wound. Once in the blood returned, the wound starts to heal itself and, soon, there is no evidence of where the dagger was once immovable.

When I get fully seated upright, the figure only smiles at me before reaching out, her fingers close to my skin. I can feel every hair on my face and neck stand on end, but her touch is warm.

"You are safe now, my dear," she speaks again.

I go out to touch her, knowing she must just be another figment of my imagination. Much to my displeasure, my fingers go right through her arm but the same sensation that was on my face is now flowing through my fingertips.

"Who are you?" I ask nervously.

"I was sent here by someone who desperately loves you, Phoenix," her velvet voice explains. "You have many people who deeply care about you, both walking on this Earth and those that aren't."

"So, are you like, my guardian angel?" I ask, my voice shaking.

A smile comes across her lips, a smile that seems all too familiar to me.

"I will always protect what is important to my family," she explains. My heart beat quickens.

"You're…are you?" I mutter, not knowing what to say.

Her head slowly starts to nod.

"I'm so sorry, for everything you had to experience…" I cry out, suddenly feeling her pain.

"Shhh," she hums. "You are now what is important to him. He shouldn't grieve over me anymore."

The warm tears start to flow down my face, a few of them entering my mouth, the salty taste on my tongue.

"He has what he needs now," she continues on. "You both do. You both should live the life you always deserved and never look back."

She then puts her hand over my heart and I feel a jolt through my body, my back arching off the floor from the force.

~

I snap my eyes open, the feeling of warmth sprawled across my stomach. The room is bright, being the complete opposite of my dream. Shifting my body so that I am now facing him, I find myself only being able to stare. Stare at the heavenly creature next to me. My mind becomes a jumbled mess of visions from last night and my dream. Had we really bared our souls to each other?

I had never talked to anyone about my father before, not even when my mother would pretend to care and ask me. Not even to the psychiatrists at the hospital, most of them were always blinded by the cuts and bruises. And then those bright blue eyes come across my vision and my heart rate spikes. I hastily pull down my shirt a little to look at my upper chest, a sigh of relief coming over me when I don't find anything there. But what I do find is that a feeling of something inside me is gone. The once dark hatred that haunted me has vanished. I see Braeden stir, his eyes opening slowly, confused by the severity of my movements.

"Seraph?" he says sitting up, noticing my confused state. "What's going on?"

My face changes, a smile coming across my lips.

"I'm…happy," I say, almost confusing myself.

He returns with a smile.

"Can I ask you a question?" I blurt out suddenly.

His fingers find mine and they intertwine. "You never have to ask if you can ask me a question," he says softly.

"What color eyes did your mother have?" I ask, already knowing what the answer is.

"A very light blue," he responds. "Why?"

I smile even wider while looking down at our hands intertwined.

"She's OK, Braeden, I want you to know that," I start. "She is happy and so proud of you. Of us."

I see his eyebrows crunch together.

"It's a long story." I laugh.

Instead of continuing on, he tugs on my arm gently and I push my body into his, both of his arms around me tight.

"That was the best night of my life," he whispers into my ear.

I can feel the burning growing in my cheeks.

"It was mine too," I say softly. "It was better than I could have ever imagined."

We both collectively hear the garage door open, it pulling us out of our serene moment. My body goes rigid, almost forgetting about Dr. Harris. I go to try to pull away, scenes of Dr. Harris finding us here together going through my mind. I then hear Braeden laugh.

"Stop squirming, you're ruining the moment," he kids.

"But what if he finds us?" I ask.

"He won't come up here, he wouldn't want to invade your privacy like that," he explains.

"That's ridiculous, it's his house."

"He doesn't come up here much," he says sadly, and I instantly understand why.

I go back to face him and he plants a kiss on top of my lips before letting me go.

"Why don't you go take a shower and get dressed, I'll head down and make us some breakfast."

I just smile and nod. His fingers reach up and gently graze my cheek, my skin responding the same as it was in the dream.

"I love you, Seraph."

My heart skips a beat.

"I love you, too."

After placing another kiss on his lips I bounce out of bed, grabbing my towel on the way out.