•  I Closed My Eyes

    I closed my eyes. With extreme effort, I forced air into my lungs, waited, then exhaled. Doubts raced through my mind, causing unrivaled panic. I've already decided, I reminded myself. There's no turning back now. 
    "You don't have to do this, you know." came a voice behind me. "There must be another way."
     "I knew you'd come along, Drayce." I answered. "Though, I wish you wouldn't." Sadness welled in my eyes as I finished. "You've stuck with me through thick and thin, no matter what. Hey, you've even saved my life a time or two. You shouldn't have to...be there. You shouldn't have to see."
    "You shouldn't have to do this in the first place!" he retorted. He stepped ahead of me, blocking my path. His lavender eyes showed unending pain. 
    "Nessa," For the first time since I'd met him, his voice was pleading. "Please, don't."
    "I don't have a choice." I stepped around him and continued walking down the alleyway. "Come on. We're almost there."
    I heard him fall into step behind me, as we neared a door in the wall. I took all my self control to open it, and not to run away screaming. Drayce and I were confronted at once, surrounded by huge men with guns. We both went to pull our own weapons, but a voice stopped us cold.
    "Do you really think that wise, Nessa, Drayce?"
    I glared as I shifted my attention to the leader, the cause of all my trouble. 
    He saw me look at him, and meet my stare, but only for a moment. He then turned his gaze, which I followed to one of his goons. The one holding my sister at gunpoint.
    Dracye and I dropped our weapons and allowed ourselves to be sheparded into the center of the room. 
    "Xien." I snarled. 
    The leader turned his attention back to me. "I knew you'd come." he said. To my suprise, his voice was neither mocking nor smug, merely sad. 
    "Of course I came!" I practically growled. "Now. Let. Her. Go."
    "Nessa..." my sister's voice was chocked. Her eyes were brave and strong, but it was evident that she had been crying for quite some time. "I'm sorry."
    "It's not your fault, Brenna." I consoled quietly. "It's his." I studied Xien through narrowed eyes as I mentioned him. Considerably young for a wanted criminal, he was certainly hard to fathom.
    "You held up your end of the deal," his voice was soft, almost apologetic. "And I'll hold up mine." He motioned for the henchmen holding Brenna to release her. She immediatly rushed over to me. I gave her a quick hug, and gently pushed her towards Dracye.
    "Wheb this is over, get her home." I told him. He nodded, determined. I turned back to Xien. "How do I know they'll get out of here alive?" I asked. 
    "They will, I promise." he answered. I hesitated, uncertain. He took two steps toward me, closing the distance between us to about an arms legnth. "I swear on my life," Xien said, "That Dracye and Brenna will leave here unharmed." 
    For some odd reason, I believed him. I knew in my very soul that he wasn't lieing. I nodded slowly.
    Xien pulled a gun out of his jacket, and leveled it at my forehead. "I'm truly sorry." he whispered.
    I closed my eyes.