The Story of Blood and Roses

As I calmly stood in front of her rebelling body, my mind had been pleading for her to understand—to hold on, until I could concoct a plan to destroy everything and then preserve her. In retrospect, I found myself unable to reach out and tell her.

As they tore her apart and fed her lies, I stood there, cheering them on. I could feel her stare at me, and I knew that there was not much time left.

Her shoulder gave away and she slid forward, I ran towards her. I could hear the popping in her joints as they tried to keep her weight. Others slowly followed, untying her.

I found myself turning on my heels and exiting the warehouse.

Ethan, who had been keeping guard, looked up at me and then frowned.

"Where is she?" he asked me, confused.

"Not here," I told him as I went towards the car.

"You left her there?" he shouted.

"Call Hunt. Tell them to send reinforcement."

I did not hear the crunch of gravel. I knew that he was not going to follow me. I turned back, staring him down.

"She's dead. Call them." I saw anger flicker on his face. I saw the disappointment. He pulled his cell phone out, never looking away.

"Bring out the fireworks," he said into the phone.

I took out my own cell phone and dialled the first number that came to my mind.

"Take down the shield." As I walked away, I heard him sigh.

I let him drive.

"I should have saved her while I had the chance," he spoke to himself. Not once did he acknowledge me.

Traffic centres all over the city were hacked into. Cameras only caught footage we wanted them to capture. My eyes flickered from one screen to another as I desperately tried to calculate how fast they could reach her.

"Tap into her transmitting device," I ordered Sean.

The boy cried as he did the task.

We silently listened in and hoped that they had the antidote to the poison they had created.

The minutes flew by as I listened to the commotion of the doctors trying to get her heart beating again. I could hear the jolts of electricity and the commands of the doctor in the background. I could hear Jacob Hunt cursing her. I could hear him tell her that he loved her.

I wanted to find him and strangle him, but who was I to begrudge him his love for her? Was he not the one who was trying his best to resuscitate her? I had done no such thing. He deserved her love.

"Mia Vincent, time of death: eleven fifteen am." As I heard the doctor rattling out the time of death, I stood there, staring at the big screen that showed the warehouse.

Guards saturated the place. I wish they had done a better job and reached it earlier.

Maybe—just maybe…

They sent out cars to morgues all over the city to secure her body. I went to each and every one.

I never found her.

They tricked me.

"I told her not to get mixed up with you..." Ethan had said. Sean had not protested. I silently agreed with the disgust they felt for me.

I close my eyes as I try to recreate the canvas. The image of her eyes appears first. Her pupils look like a galactic explosion within the space of a marble. The glimmer of stars is just a portrayal of her mirth and affection. The galaxy is framed within white. Her dark lashes are made with the masterful strokes of ancient artists, full of the knowledge of the mystical realm. Her brows are slightly asymmetrical, but they are smooth, no worry mars the skin of her forehead. It shines and gives way to the roots of her hair. A lock of hair escapes from its confines and falls over her eyes. I picture her hand tucking it behind her ears. Her beautiful white fingers have the faintest trace of gunpowder on them. They make her look like an angelic executioner. She cups her neck with the same stained fingers and I really look at them.