HER LAST BREATH

SLOANE'S POINT OF VIEW

The tickling sound of the wall clock sounds like bomb waiting to explode. The atmosphere was heavy enough to make me exhale foggy breath. Every passing seconds feels so suffocating.

"Who among you want to get killed next?" Summer asked with a teasing grin.

My gaze narrowed. "Stop toying with us."

The woman's grin widened. "If you say so. I want to cut that sharp tongue of yours but I don't have any business with you."

I raised my head when I saw Aeron's shadow casted on the ground. I look at him. "What? Are you going to kill me now?" I asked scornfully, a cocky smile is plastered between my lips.

"In which way you want me to kill you? Do you want to die a slow and painful death.." I stiffened when he runs a knife on my throat. "or do you want me to end your suffering right away?" He then pointed a gun right on my nape.

I swallowed hard. No matter how much I tried to hide it, I'm afraid. I don't want to die yet, I have a lot of things to do, goals to achieve and dreams to reach.

I close my eyes as the piteous and crying image of Astreia flashed in my mind. I had long forgotten those memories, I live normally and tried not to be bothered by the nightmares caused by the woman we killed.

I still remember that night, but I don't exactly remember how and why did I do that.

•••••

FLASHBACK

"Tonight, I will make sure that she will regret coming back. I will shatter the woman who destroyed our family through her daughter," Amber said dangerously, her gaze was settled on the darkness looming ahead of them.

We are currently on Evan's family rest house.

"What exactly are you planning, Amber?" Ethan asked.

I frowned when I saw how Amber's face blanched.

"Y-You will know when Asher succeeds on doing his part of the plan," she responded.

I wasn't convinced. I feel like something is really wrong, that Amber will go beyond the line.

"Here guys, drink and loosen up. You all seemed anxious," Amber said with a light chuckle. She handed us the glasses of liquors.

I shook my head and throw away all those suspicion and unwanted thoughts.

Amber's phone suddenly rings. "Yes, Asher?" A smile made its way on her lips. "Good." She ended the call and looks back at them. "Get ready, the main event was about to start."

Not so long after, Carter, Grayson, Asher and Crimson, one of our friend from a different section, came. They are carrying Astreia's unconscious body.

My forehead creased. I stand up from mh seat but I felt an odd feeling coursing through my body. I only drank a couple of glasses and I have a high alcohol tolerance, that's why I can't understand why my vision is getting blurry. Most of all, I feel so strangely hot, I want to do something to release the heat I'm feeling, to satiate the sudden desire of my body.

That's the last thing I remember before the horrendous crime took place.

•••••

"What now, Sloane?"

Aeron's furious voice heaved me off of my trance. I sighed.

I know that I was a jerk towards Astreia for conspiring with Amber to retaliate against her, with the notion that she really destroyed my friend's life. But I never wanted to kill her. I might be a bastard, but I'm not that heartless to commit such heinous crime.

I saw how devastated Amber was because of her mother's disappearance. The reason why she was able to plan something to completely remove Astreia on her life. But she never mentioned the exact plan to us. Also, I never lusted over Astreia, that's why it's still a mystery to me as to what pushed me to sexually harassed that woman.

"Never mind. I will still kill you anyway."

I tried to break free from the ropes restraining me when Aeron pointed a gun on my forehead. I feel like my heart will come out of my chest any moment. Aeron was about to pull the trigger when Amber suddenly shrieked.

"Stop! No please!" She was crying profusely. "It was all my f-fault!"

Pierce creased his forehead. "What are you saying?"

Amber gulped hard as if to collect her guts. "I-I planned everything." She pursed her lips for a moment. "Evan had feelings for Astreia, and I used it to my advantage. But I also thought that it would be better t-to drag them as well. I-I put an aphrodisiac on your drinks to stimulate your s-sexual desires."

I and Pierce gasped in surprise, our mouth fell on the floor. Amber shifted on her seat uncomfortably when we stared at her with contempt.

"Y-You fucking what?!" Pierce voice was laced with anger.

She bites her lips to stifle her cries. "I'm sorry."

I couldn't believe what she said. The confusion that I had was finally answered. My mind is in mess. I don't know how to feel. That exact moment, I want to pull the gun from Aeron and shoots Amber. All of our classmates and friends died because of her ambition to avenge her loss!

I shake my head and let out a harsh laugh. "The entire class turned their backs on Astreia." My voice is dripping low while staring at Amber coldly. "You're outrageous. You let us live in lies. I was eaten by guilt because of what I did to her. W-What kind of a monster are you, huh?"

Amber just bow her head.

"See that, Summer? Even your friends are disgusted with you." Summer  taunted her.

"And do you seriously think that justify the bullshits that you've caused my sister?" Asther scoffed. "No. Whether you unconsciously do it or not, the mere fact that you tolerated your friend's reckless decision is enough for us to dragged you in this mess."

"And you need the suffer the consequences of it." Aeron added.

He puts the gun back on my nape. "Any last words?"

I stared at him blankly. My mind is already travelling through some distant memories with someone. How she comforted me during our stay on the rest house, how she get annoyed easily every time I hacks her off, how I felt a strange and unfamiliar yet comforting feeling every time our skins touch.

I smiled sadly. I wanted to tell that person how much I adore her, but what happened in the past scarred me. She deserves someone better, and that's obviously not me. But if only I knew that tonight will be my last day, I could've confessed to her.

I breathed heavily. "Kill me."

Aeron sneered. "With pleasure."

But for the second time, Aeron's attempt to fire the gun was disrupted when someone speaks behind him.

"Try pulling that trigger and this woman will be dead as a meat."

Everyone was shocked. Pierce was able to escaped from the ropes that bound him. He moves vigilantly, and in a short period of time, he was able to alter his and Asther's place. The latter was now held captive by him, a sharp knife was pointed on her neck.

Summer and Aeron is glaring at him. The latter's hand that was pointing a gun at me was shaking in anger.

"Get your hands off of her!"

Pierce grinned. "Do you think I'm stupid? Put your gun down and let us leave this place unscathed."

"And if I don't?"

Pierce pinned the knife on Asther's neck deeper, a trickle of blood gashes out. "Then say goodbye to this woman."

A perturbed silence falls among us. Aeron heaved out a sigh and puts his gun down. Slowly, he walks away from me while staring fiercely at Pierce. "Now let her go."

Pierce complied, he carefully walks away from his captive. Little did he know, that was a fatal mistake.

When Asther was already beside Aeron, the latter pulled another gun and shot him without any hesitation.

"Fuck!" Pierce wince in pain as he fell on the floor with a loud thud. He holds his bleeding shoulder.

My blood run cold while I stare at Pierce's horrible situation.

"P-Pierce," I called his name underneath my breath.

"Do you really think we'll come unprepared?" Aeron walked towards him and chuckled cockily. "I guess you're the one who needs to say goodbye to your friends."

Once again, a loud gunshot broke the silence of the night.

Aeron turned his attention to me who's still stone cold on my spot while staring at my best friend. I look at him with cold fury, but I can't do anything. I felt his terrifying presence in front of me. And when he lifted my face, I met his blank expression. I didn't struggle anymore when Aeron pointed the tip of the gun on my chest.

"How I wish I have the chance to tell you how much you meant for me, Lauren," I taught to myself.

The last thing I heard is Amber's scream before a bullet pierced through my chest.

AMBER'S POINT OF VIEW

"How does it feel seeing your friends dying one after another?"

I lifted my crying face and look at Summer. I couldn't stare at the dead bodies of  my friends. Guilt is eating me up.

My lower lip trembled. "Just kill me. If it's the only way for you to forgive me, just take my life. I'm begging you." My voice is filled with so many intense emotions- regret, sorrow and dejection. All of them are shattering me in the most painful way possible.

"Trust me. Even your death will not be enough to soothe the pain that we're feeling neither it will pay your sins," Asther interjected and cup my cheeks forcefully. "Monsters like you don't deserve forgiveness, Amber."

"Your pathetic state is such a sight to behold," Asther said. Her rage turned her into a complete and ruthless monster who doesn't feel any remorse.

A lump obstructed my throat when I heard that familiar line again.

"You know what Amber?" Asther is standing in front of me, an ominous aura is surrounding her. "Your presence ticks me off the most. It's scary how much I wanted to peel that skin of yours and strangle you till you run out of breath," her voice is laced with so hostility.

I can feel the hatred on the way she pulled my hair. It's painful.

"I'm sorry," I whispered breathlessly.

Asther's expression darkened. "Shut up! How many times do I have to tell you that your pathetic sorry is all worthless!" She bowed her head for a moment. "Because before this night ends? I will make sure that you will taste our wrath. We will make you suffer until your very last breathe. We will give you a taste of your own medicine. Let's start, shall we?"

My blood run cold. The disturbing sneer of the woman in front of me is sending me warning bells. And I'm not wrong. All of the sudden, I felt a severe pain on my right thigh. Asther stabbed me using a knife that I did not even notice she was holding.

"Scream, Astreia! I want to hear you screaming in pain!" She shouts in a gravely voice. She was not contented on the pain that she inflicted on me, she dug the knife deeper on my flesh, slowly twisting it, aggravating the pain.

"Ahhhh!" My painful shouts filled the four corners of the room. Summer and Aeron just watch me, a twisted smirk can be seen on their lips.

"That's it! I want to hear more of your pleas!" Asther's expression reminds me of a psychotic woman who's hungry for blood. She pulled the knife from my right thigh and puncture the other one without any hesitation, her continuous stabbing makes me begged her to stop, but she turned a deaf ears.

"P-Please, s-stop." The pain coursing through every fiber of my body is weakening me.

Asther sneered. "Stop? We're just getting started." She stands up and get something from the table. It was a lighted candle. The fire burning on the wick is reflecting my eyes gleaming with fear.

Summer and Aeron suddenly went behind me and pulled my hair, rendering me motionless. My entire body is still aching from the twinge that I got a while ago, but here it is again, they were about to inflict more pain on my body.

"Noooo!" My pained voice breaks the tranquil night. Asther dropped a scorching candle wax in my eyes, agonizing the pain. I squirmed on my seat, trying to break out from the grasps of Summer and Aeron strangling me. It lasted for almost five painful minutes, I could barely open my eyes anymore. Their laughter sounds like a howl of demons bruising my ears. It is ear-splitting and cruel.

"Your crying face is so enticing to look at," Summer whispered behind me.

"Does this reminds you of something?" Aeron added, his voice is calm yet menacing. "I hope you still remember how you killed Astreia. Because that's the same way that you will die tonight, but more painful."

I was about to say something when I felt a sting on my shoulder caused by a knife, it was excruciating enough to make me shries louder. Tears are falling from my closed eyes. I pursed my lips, but ends up saying nothing.

My head hangs low. I feel so enervated and exhausted. I want to close my eyes, maybe falling asleep will at least lessen the pain.

"Don't die yet, hmm?" Summer whispered using a soft and gentle voice, taunting me.

Once again, I tried to speak, but the lump blocking my throat forbids me to do so. The pain and fear is muting my voice. But my agony doesn't stop there.

All I could do is let out a muffled cry when I felt the sharp edge of the knife piercing the skin of my face. Summer draw long gashes on my face while laughing. The blood drips down my lips, I can already taste the metallic tang of my own blood.

Every fiber of my body is aching in so much pain. I don't longer know what to focus on; the pain on my legs, on mu shoulders, on ny face, or the searing pain in my eyes. Everything seemed to took away my sanity.

But the people around me was not satisfied yet. They want some more. I know how much they are clamoring to see more of my sufferings.

"Arghhh!" I screeched loudly when Summer drops a bottle of liquor on my  open wounds that triggers a burning sensation.

Their wicked laughter filled the room.

My eyes are already spinning like mad. The abnormal beating of my heart is making me sweat bullets. The pain is too unbearable.

This feels like a torturous nostalgia. They are hurting me the same way we tormented Blair. And no matter how many times I plead, I know that they will not spare me.

I can't stand it anymore. The wounds, gashes and bruises in my body. The emotional torture of losing my friends. The guilt and conscience drowning me. I'm slowly losing my sanity. And deep down inside me, I know that I deserve it.

I look at the people around me. They are not the real monsters in this story. They were just broken souls clamoring for vengeance and justice. And if my death will redeem me from all the misdeeds that I have done in the past, then I'm ready to face it now.

The smiling face of my mother flashes through my mind out of the blue. I suddenly remember how she tucked me in my bed when I was a child. How she comforted me during those times that I felt so weak because of my father's ridicules that made me doubt myself. How she embrace me in solace whenever I crumbled down.

I smiled sadly. I admit it, I was upset when she left. There are times that I wanted to get mad at her for breaking her promise that she will be back for me. But that anger was nothing compared to my love for her.

"I'm sorry," I uttered, but this time, it wasn't meant for the people in front of me, but for my mother.

I shivered when Aeron suddenly spilled  something on my body. My nose wrinkled upon smelling its pungent odor- it was a gas. I know what they are about to do, and I'm now ready for it.

"See you in hell, Amber."

The three of them throw lighted match sticks on my feet. I close my eyes. A sweltering pain immediately engulfed my entire body. The fire slowly crept up to my chest.

"Ahhhh!" My loud and distressed shrieks filled the room.

Along with the last cold breeze that fondles against my face, all my sufferings ended.