T?o?r?t?u?r?e?

+ 19

"Sir yes sir!" the soldiers yelled back.

"Kill the woman and the girl!"

I shook, not realizing I was sobbing until I felt the tears slid between my throbbing fingers.

"Cielo...my sky," I whispered.

If I just make it to the back of the two story, I can wiggle my way out of the latched door and walk down the work stairs to them.

"Cielo...my sky."

"Should we bring them out, sir?" one solider called out.

"Cielo," I paused, breathing heavily. "My sky."

"Put them in chairs and we'll just shoot them in the heads," they responded nonchalantly.

"Cielo," I whimpered, trying to open the latched door. I needed keys. I don't have keys. I'm so close. I'm so close to getting them. I just need the keys. I have to save them. I need the keys. What do I do? It won't open. I'm so close to getting them. I just need keys. The keys. The door. Why won't it open? It has to open. It needs to right now. It needs to open before- before-

I heard the sound of a rifle going off.

I pressed my head in between my knees, crying softly.

I heard a second fire shot, and I shook, holding a hand over my wet mouth as tears rolled from my stinging eyes.

An array of bullets went off, some audibly missing any human targets as they clanged against metal.

"Cielo," I stroked my exposed knee like it was her. Her perfect face. Her perfect laugh. Her perfect soul.

Gone because of the decisions I've made.

I let go of my leg, holding my face as I cried.

"Ci-el-o," I sobbed.

"Nyia! You can come out now. They've all been eliminated."

I felt dead inside as my head rose and I tried to get enough strength to recognize the voice.

"Come down! Your mother's bleeding out and Cielo was grazed by the ear!"

I kept pulling at the latch, hope filling my body when nothing else felt like it did. "I can't get out! I can't get out!" I screamed. I need to save them. They have to be okay.

"Nyia? Nyia? Nyia?"

My eyes fluttered open.

"Nyia?"

Cameron stared down at me, blood dried on her cheeks and matted in her straight eyebrows.

"Where are they?" I asked, my breathing coming out very weak. Is this how Aunt Kay felt when she was poisoned?

"The doctors are taking care of Cielo," she answered, then pressed her lips together, "I need to ask you a few things before I tell you about your Mom."

I looked around me. Everything felt too perfect after having to go through the hell I did.

"I don't wanna be here, Cam," I whispered.

She rubbed my face, her thumb going over a tube I hadn't felt until then. "I know," she said softly. "Who was Nicki to you?"

"Nicki?" I frowned.

That was the last question I was expecting from her.

"Nicki was a nice snack to me...but nothing major," I shook my head, cringing at the dull headache that gave me.