Veil Of Rivalry

Blood splattered across my body, like a horrible artwork on the woodland floor. My brain was whirling, a terrible tornado of pain and confusion.

The world around me began to blur, with the borders of reality shifting in and out of focus. With every second that went by, I felt like I was losing my senses and my self-control.

My nose was flooded with the metallic smell of blood, combining with the pungent smell of gunpowder and perspiration. I tried to fight back against the encroaching darkness, but the anguish was too great, a force that would not let up. My throat tightened.

"Get a hold of yourself, Anne," I said, my voice scarcely audible above a whisper as the thick, oppressive air around me nearly swallowed me up.

Through the fog of anguish, I heard her voice, a nasty, mocking tone that sent shivers down my spine.

"Tired, honey?" she asked, her sneer visible even though I could hardly see her face through the blood and perspiration trickling from my eyes.

Her speech was full of disdain, insulting me in my feeble position. She knew I was vulnerable, and she took pleasure in it. I forced a smug smile on my lips, despite the anguish that raced through my body with each movement.

I wouldn't show her how much I was suffering. I would not give her the satisfaction she sought.

This amused her, and she laughed, a nasty, mocking sound that rang across the forest like a devil's laughing. It was a terrifying sound, but I stood firm.

I had to do it. I could not afford to look weak just now.

"Oh, silly me—" she said, cutting off her teasing sentence as a bullet tore through her skull, the sharp boom echoing through the treetops.

The scene was both horrifying and strangely rewarding. There was no time to dwell on it. I was tired. I'm very exhausted.

The adrenaline that had kept me running was wearing off, and I could feel my strength slipping away with each passing second.

My legs trembled, hardly holding me up, and I dropped in place, resting heavily on a tree for support. Though I was barely aware of it, the rough bark pricked my flesh.

Not only did I cry from the physical pain, but my cheeks were wet from the overwhelming wave of emotions that hit me all at once.

It was hard to focus, the mixture of relief, anxiety, loss, and a strange sort of triumph making it hard to think straight.

Her eyes remained wide open in astonishment and bewilderment as her body landed on the floor with a dull thud. I temporarily forgot about my tiredness as I concentrated on her still figure.

As the truth of what had just happened registered on me, a strange combination of terror and excitement welled up within me. I couldn't take it anymore.

Everything I had gone through pushed down on me, threatening to crush me beneath its crushing weight. As the dam of my emotions finally broke, the sobbing became more fierce and louder.

But my cries intensified as I saw him walk in front of me, the sight of him sending a new wave of dread crashing over me.

Oh God, no. The sight of him filled me with cold dread that crept into my bones. He had always been the person I feared the most, because he wielded so much power.

The one who had deceived me so completely that the wound he left behind would never heal. "She talks too much. It's kind of irritating," his hard, unfeeling voice thundered in my ears. His frigid look pierced through me like a dagger, and his presence oppressive.

I couldn't help but tremble in terror, my body shivering violently as I comprehended the full scope of his treachery. It was a betrayal that went deeper than physical pain, making me feel more vulnerable and exposed than I had ever been.

All of my faith and everything I had given him had been for naught. My thoughts turned back to our time together, a cruel reminder of how successfully he had deceived me.

Every smile and cherishing moment had been a lie. A cleverly constructed illusion intended to influence and control me. And I had fallen entirely for it.

"I'll give you 30 seconds to run. If you don't, I won't hesitate to pull the trigger of this gun to your head," he said, his voice chilly and uncaring, as if he were talking the weather rather than threatening my life.

But as he said, something inside me shifted. I had just been stricken by panic and despair, but now I felt a cold, steely determination. My phony sobbing and ranting turned into a joke, and as I removed the vulnerable mask, my tears dried up.

I never believed I'd cry like that, but desperation had driven me to new heights. His eyes widened in astonishment and dismay as he took in the scene before him, the reality of what had just occurred gradually registering on him.

"Any last words?" I said, my voice firm and cold, devoid of the panic that had grabbed me only seconds before.

"How the—" His comments were cut short as I pulled the trigger on my gun, the sound of the gunshot reverberating through the trees once more. His body collapsed to the ground, the astonishment clearly visible on his face.

"Oops, I apologize, but I don't care about what you will say," I whispered, my voice full of relief and finality. The fight wasn't fair, but it didn't matter. In this world, fairness was a luxury we could not afford. It was a struggle between the strongest. Whoever loses dies; whoever wins lives.

There was no place for compassion or hesitation. Regardless, it was a war of merit. And everything had only begun.

There was no room for mercy or hesitation. It was a battle of worth, anyway. And everything was just starting.

The forest fell silent, the tension in the air slowly dissipating as the reality of what had just happened began to sink in. I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what was next. It was merely the beginning.

There would be more fights to fight and opponents to confront.

But I was prepared. I needed to be. Because in this world, survival was all that mattered.

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A/N: Hey lovely readers! Just a quick note to clear up any confusion. The names of people, places, events, or beliefs in this story are purely products of the author's imagination. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or actual events is entirely coincidental. Happy reading!

A knock on my door disturbed me from my peaceful reading session. What the—? But the knock didn't stop there, continuing until it grated on my nerves.

  I looked at the clock above my drawer; it was still early for my flight. What could these people want from me?  

“Alright, alright, I'm coming." I muttered in annoyance. These people are such a nag. It felt like everyone around me was determined to drag me out of this hellish place. Well, congratulations to them—they were right.

I hated this place.  

As I turned the knob of the door, I heard someone utter something.     

"Madam, the car awaits you," a voice called from downstairs. I rolled my eyes as I continued on walking out of my room. I could see the car parked at the back of the house. Why state the obvious?    

"Humans are getting dumber each day," I thought as I made my way down. I didn’t wait for my parents to send me off—they didn’t care about me, and the feeling was mutual.   I co