Subject: [OTL]: [Broken Roads] Crossroads, 7/7 Date: Sat, 09 Sep 2000 19:29:24 -0700 From: "Shaianne K. PeriHawk" Disclaimer: I do not own Victor Creed. All other characters © 2000 by Shaianne K. PeriHawk. Please send comments and criticisms to perihawk@subreality.com. Thanks. Crossroads 7/7 By Shai PeriHawk I pressed back into the door. Fear rose up to choke me. Fury crashed down to shove it away. Fear had paralyzed me long enough. It was time for this madness to _stop._ There was a staff beside the door, right next to a huge double-headed ax. I grabbed the staff and swung it at Stone. He dove to the side, rolling into the wall. Then there was a katana in his hand. "So that is the way it is to be, lovely? Very well." He swung the blade in a lazy circle, shifting easily from one foot to the other. He waited for me to move. "I have had _enough,_ this ends now." I spun the staff slowly, subtly gathering energy in my legs. I leapt at him, swinging the end of the staff in a tight arc toward his neck. And quickly had to block the katana cut aimed at my side. "What, you don't want to play any more?" he asked darkly, "but we were just getting close." _He's fast._ I was faster. The staff was there to block it. I pushed off, spun into a horse stance, bringing my fist into Stone's bent elbow. His hand closed around my throat. My leg shot out, hooked his knee, and jerked. He hit the ground and rolled away. I followed through, slamming the end of the staff seconds too late. Stone kicked the staff away, throwing me off balance. Clean white pain lanced through my ribs. The bloody end of Stone's katana laughed at me from beneath my right breast. A second burst of agony, and it was gone. With a furious cry of pain, I spun around. The point of my staff crushed Stone's throat. Then it crunched his spine. For one tormented second, we stared at each other in stunned silence. Stone's katana clattered to the cement. Then his body thudded down. I held on for a few more seconds, then I was kissing concrete too. I'd won my final fight, and the only one that mattered. An explosion rocked the room. The overhead light sparked, then went out. Weapons clattered to the floor. The darkness closed around me like a crypt. This would be my grave . . . I felt blood bubbling up in my lungs. Soon, I'd be just as dead as Stone. It was a sort of poetic irony. I coughed, and my chest burst into flames of pain. Hopefully, the end would be soon. The pain was burning and growing like some sort of gruesome plant. Light broke the darkness of my tomb. "Ana!" Kim. How could I leave her alone? Who would protect her? She knelt by my side. "Oh, no, Ana." She pulled a candy wrapper out of her pocket and covered the hole in my chest. She turned her head and shouted. "Kevin! Jade! Help me! Ana needs a hospital!" I heard Creed's growl before I saw him. "Girl, you are so much more trouble than you're worth. He knelt down on my other side and made a cursory examination of my wounds. "Shit." I coughed heavily. "Dying. Kim, leave. Go to 'Liz'beth. She'll help." Every word felt like a hot coal pulled from my chest, out my throat. Just then, another explosion shook the compound. The ceiling cracked, and pieces fell to the floor. Kim looked around, then went on, as if she hadn't heard me. "Hurry, we haven't got much time. Help me!" She slid her hands under my shoulders and tried to lift me. When no one moved to help, she looked at me, her eyes bright with tears. "Please don't give up, Ana." I reached up to touch her face. "Too late, hon, go. Please?" A coughing spasm wracked my body. I curled up on my side, blood spurted from the hole in my back. I looked up at Kim, and spent all my strength on one word. "GO!" Kim stood, and slowly backed away, heedless of the explosions around her. Jade and Kevin each grabbed one of her arms, and ran. I closed my eyes against my grief and my pain. _Let the hurt stop soon, and keep her safe._ Then I felt Creed's hand on my arm. I looked at him, even as blood dribbled out the side of my mouth. "Bury me deep." Creed nodded in understanding. "You can count on it." He lifted me into his arms. More pain exploded through my body. "I don't know why you didn't let her stay with us." I smiled, too weak to laugh. "Don't, trust, you," I said haltingly. He chuckled in reply. The explosions came closer and closer together, but they were fading from my awareness. Soon there was only me and the next breath. Me and the next breath. The next breath. The next br ~end So, I guess this is the end. It's been a wonderful journey, and I thank you for sticking with me through my writer's block, my prolificness (that's not the right word, I know), and the brain fart that was Miles to Go. I'm leaving the list, so I can dedicate more time to my possible professional writing career. (Delusional, aren't I?) So this is good bye. I've really enjoyed the time I've spent on OTL, and I've really enjoyed a new story every day sitting right there in my inbox. I know I haven't been great about feedback, that nasty real life thing, but I thank you ALL for your writing, and for sharing it with me and the rest of the list. Keep writing, and don't forget the joy. Good journey to you, Shai!