The Last Healer

Chapter 47: Ariella

Chapter 47 Ariella

Why? Why did this happen?

Slowly looking down at the ground at where Alexander lay, I fell next to him, tears streaming from my eyes.

"Ariella." My father called, his voice filled with surprise.

"Are you hurt?" Alexander choked out, blood spurting from his mouth. His eyes were half closed as if he was fighting the urge to fall asleep; they had gone back to normal, the faint sliver of hazel that I could see

"Y-you took the blow." My voice shook from the force of the tears as my hands fell on his arms. "Why, why did you do this to yourself?"

He smiled at me with his bloody lips. "You're safe." His voice was soft and weak and I knew he needed rest.

"Sir, the battle isn't over." The man from earlier, Peterson, spoke up.

"He's right." Alexander grumbled as his body twitched, his hands being pulled towards his chest as if he was going to push himself up.

"You can't!" I exclaimed, my hands wrapped around one of his. "You can't do this. Please." I felt like someone had destroyed something inside of me. It didn't feel right or normal. It was like, something was torn away from me and there was nothing I could do about it.

"We have to finish this." Alexander told me and I tried to push him back down.

"You're in no condition to keep fighting." Father told him, his sword lowering. I heard the tone of respect in his voice, but I made no acknowledgement about it.

"I will not give up." Alexander growled, his jaw clenching as he bit back the pain and pushed himself up.

"Alex, please, you have to!" I shouted, my hands squeezing his. Blood poured from the injury on his back, a small injury on his head, and from his mouth.

"I can't, Ariella."

"Please. For me?" I pleaded. My voice shook worse. I knew what would happen. The others explained it well enough. If he gave up on this, we could never speak to each other again. I wouldn't get to talk to him, to trust that he'd be there for me, to have him around. If he gave up, it would all be over.

"Ariella, I can't." He shoved himself up and swayed as he tried to hold himself up.

"Come on, boy. Enough is enough." Father told him and Alexander shook his head.

"No. It isn't."

"Alexander!" I shouted as I shoved myself up and turned to glare at him. I couldn't lose him like this. I couldn't let him die because of me. I couldn't. This wasn't right. He froze at the sound of my voice and I found myself hoping that Shanae and Isabella were right. "Alexander, if you love me, if you really love me, you'll give up!" I shrieked the last words, hoping, almost pleading that he did. I needed him to listen to me. I wasn't worth this. Not to him, not to anyone and I couldn't allow him to do this.

He tensed and turned to me, a look of horror on his eyes as realization hit in. A single tear slid down his cheek as he studied me and I glared at him, hopefully with a look of determination. I needed him to do this, no matter how much it hurt me. I needed this to happen.

"Ariella-" His voice choked. His hands clenched into fists as he stared at me and I tried my hardest not to cry. He had to give up on this fight. He had to give up on me. He just had to! "I-I give up."

I nodded.

Why did it hurt so much? What could I have done to change it? What can I do to make it go away? This shouldn't have happened, none of this should.

"Ariella." My father's voice sounded and I turned to look at him. His hand was held out for me to take, urging me to come with him. My eyes shifted back to Alexander and the injuries my father placed on him.

For the first time in a long while, fear exploded through my body.

"Ariella?" His voice was soft as he called out my name and I shook my head as the tears fell from my cheeks.

"I-I-" The words wouldn't come. Only tears.

Turning on my heels, I ran away from them. I ran pass my mother and siblings, heard them as they called out my name, but refused to turn around. Every fiber of my being was telling me to run. To get away from them. To get away from everyone.

I had no idea how far I ran, no idea where I was. Finally, my feet gave out from beneath me and I lay there, gasping for breath as sobs shook my body. Moments passed before I sat up and looked around. I was in front of an overgrown garden, weeds and vines grew over the ground. Pushing myself up to a standing position, I walked inside. Weeds, vines, and random flowers scattered the ground, the plant life had taken over a small fountain in the distance. The sky had turned dark with clouds and a strong breeze blew at my hair. Stumbling my way towards the overrun fountain, I collapsed on the ground near it and sobbed.

The night slowly took over and, eventually, the rain started to fall. It came down fast and hard causing me to be soaked within seconds. But I didn't care. I just sat there, crying, with questions swirling in my mind. Why did I hurt so much? Why didn't it go away? What did I do to deserve this?

My eyes grew heavier as the time passed, my body grew weaker. My eyes closed and I drifted into darkness as the tears continued to fall.

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