Page 10 of Sour
Finally.
Ziggy tried to hold my dying body up, but I felt the earth crumbling beneath me as a wave of relief began to swallow me whole. I slipped through his grasp and fell onto the wet road while my blood pooled around me. The world rippled and slowed as it began to overlap itself. Ziggy fell to his knees and shook me. I could see his mouth moving, but no sound came from it. Only the fading beat of my weak heart. I didn’t feel cold or scared. Instead, I felt this overwhelming sensation of peace. It was finally happening. I was going to escape my wretched life with Ziggy at my side. No more pain. No more abuse. No more emptiness.
Ziggy trembled as if he were shouting, but I heard nothing. I only smiled.
Sweet death. What a fucking relief.
My eyes watched my stepbrother’s face turn red and fill with panic.
I know it hurts, but soon, we’ll be free. It’s your turn, Happy. Take the blade and end your pain. Be with me. Forever.
With what little life I had left, I reached my trembling hand out to him. My fingertips touched his cheek ever so lightly. His hand pressed against mine, tears rolling down onto my fingers. He kissed my hand and nodded. Red and blue lights suddenly appeared, and he snapped his head away.
Now, Ziggy.
I lay there, the lingering moments of my life pouring out onto the road as I watched him grab the knife.
Yes.
My weakened heart beat for him, ready to escape this world together. I watched him, barely holding on, waiting to leave this world together. Only Ziggy didn’t use the knife. He just sat there, staring at those lights.
Why aren’t you doing anything?
He frantically looked back at the evidence of our crime and began to shout and yell, hitting himself in a violent tantrum.
What? What’re you?—
Ziggy then looked at me with the knife firmly in his grasp and mouthed a phrase I knew too well.
No.
He kissed my hand, looked back at the lights, and ran.
No. Happy! Wait. Wait! Don’t leave me! Don’t fucking leave me!
My stepbrother continued to run, abandoning me on the side of the road.
You promised to never leave me.
My dying heart shattered as I watched him take off, the police chasing after him.
A heavy darkness wrapped around me as my eyes rolled back, and I fell into a cold, empty abyss. My last thought before dying was the heartbreaking realization that the very person who was meant to love and protect me, did the very thing he swore to never do. He left me. Ziggy left me, alone, to die. And what little bit of life was left in me shattered at the very thought of his betrayal. And as my soul drifted from existence, I learned the truth of my stepbrother. He never loved me, he just fucking used me. And now, he’s killed me.
I hate you, Ziggy Slater. I fucking hate you.
As darkness overcame me, Ziggy’s voice dwindled into my mind. “No, you don’t hate me. You fuckingcraveme.”
I shot up in my bed with a loud gasp and a panicked sweat, startled from the intense sound. I was instantly awake and fully aware of my surroundings, half anticipating to spy my stepbrother stalking in the shadows of my room.
“Ziggy,” I whispered into the dark room.
There was no reply.
I exhaled with relief. “Fuck.” My fingers trembled as I felt the scar along my neck, wincing at my own touch. I rested my head on my knees and tried to calm myself. No matter how many times I relived my death, I’d never heard him say such a thing. And that really fucking scared me. Dream’s muffled snores caught my attention. I turned and watched her roll around in her bed, peacefully sleeping as if her life wasn’t absolute hell. “Must be nice.” As I watched her, I remembered what she said about Ziggy.
I groaned at the very thought entering my mind.
Dream was right. I needed to talk to my stepbrother. I had so many questions that needed answers. And the only way to really get any answers was to confront Ziggy himself. And right now, he was locked up in a seclusion room.
