Lightning

Chapter Two

Pronunciation for Aella for those who had a hard time is, "Ah-yay-la". Hope that helped.

***

"What would you do without me Aella?" My best and only friend, Tatiana, asked.

"Die" I shrugged, immediately regretting it when a sharp pain shot through my upper body.

"Easy there tiger" She chuckled as she dressed the bullet wound on my shoulder.

Tatiana's a nurse--the best yet. Anytime I had my casualties, she would always fix me right back up.

"You are too much. When are you gonna stop this? You're gonna roll in here dead one day" She frowned as she placed a new bandage on it.

I rolled my eyes, having heard this a million times before. "You know I have to do this. Once I'm successful in what I want then I'll go back to living a normal life.

"And go back to nursing school?" The tone in her voice was more suggestive than questioning, but I shook my head nonetheless.

"After all the things I've seen and done, I don't think I'll ever be able to study nursing again. Maybe I'll become a manager or something"

"Of a gun shop?" She asked with a hint of amusement and a raised eyebrow. I playfully pushed her as I joined in on her laughter.

"No you dweeb! I'll leave this all behind I swear"

"I hope so" She mumbled, wrapping her arms around my good shoulder and resting her head on it. "Because I don't know what I would do without you"

"The good thing is that you have people in your life. If I die it won't be so bad"

"Aella" She growled in a low warning tone, causing me to laugh.

"Okay I wont die!" I laughed "I just need to find a new plan since I lost all track I had on the boss."

"What happened last night anyways?" She asked the one question I hoped she wouldn't ask, since I knew I couldn't lie to her.

"I went into the enemy's camp. I purposely got caught in hopes that I would be taken to the boss to be 'executed'" I used air quotes to emphasise the word executed, since that wasn't actually what I wanted. "But I guess he wised up and let his minions do his dirty work. So I'm yet again at a dead end"

"How did you manage to escape?" She asked again, even though I was really hoping to steer away from that.

"I did what I had to do" I simply said, knowing she would understand.

"You killed, Aella?!" She whisper shouted in disapproval.

"I had to! They would've killed me and if I merely just injured them and left like I always do; they would've come for me okay? These guys aren't like the others. If I didn't kill them I would be dead by next week."

I sighed as I replayed the whole moment. Yes, I low-key loved the rush of adrenaline that surged through me whenever I'm fighting. It gave me a sense of control, but I didn't like to kill people.

Bad guys or not, everybody has somebody who hurts when they die.

The very first time I had to resort to killing one year ago, my conscience wouldn't get a rest. But that state of guilt almost got me killed, and in that moment I had my second kill.

Eventually, it became a 'if it is so then whatever' thing, but when Tatiana found out, I couldn't shake the disapproval that was in her eyes from my mind.

Two years ago when everything went south for me and I had no one, she was the only one who stood by me through the rough times.

Through my transforming phase where I learnt how to do what I do now, she was still the only one who understood and stuck by me, no matter the 'bad things' that I did. I was taking out bad guys, so that was enough for her.

But when she found out about the killing, that was the final straw. I knew deep down that she wouldn't have reported me and turned me in, since what I do isn't exactly legal. But the mere fact that she ghosted me was terrible.

I had no one. She was all I had and even as tough as I am, everybody needs somebody.

So when she finally talked to me again, I promised that I wouldn't kill unless I really had to. And I haven't in six months.

Until last night.

"After I killed the man that had me, I was leaving. But then the others came and I was surrounded." I explained further.

"How many were there?"

"Seven " I said and her eyes went wide.

"And you're alive?" She ogled in shock as if I wasn't there.

I was relieved that she didn't seem to be so caught up on the topic anymore, but just the mere fact that I was alive. "Yes I have my ways"

"Very skillful ways." She sighed. "I'm sorry for attacking you like that. Since I work at a hospital and I see people die so often, it's just so terrible you know? I just hate to imagine it happening at the hands of someone I hold so dearly."

I pulled her to me and held her tight "I know TT. But these people aren't innocent like the ones who come in here. These are terrible people that cause pain for families almost every week."

"I know. And I need you to be safe okay? Do what you have to do to stay alive. Don't let my soft heart hinder you from going for a kill and end up dying instead. I would hate myself for that"

"The only person who is killing me is you for squeezing the life out of me." I gasped for air as she finally let me go, trying to stifle a laugh.

"Sorry." she giggled. "I'll just get back to work now"

I too grabbed my coat that I wore so that no one saw my injured shoulder when I was coming in. I carefully fixed it on my shoulder before I headed to the door after saying my goodbye and thanks.

"Oh and Aella!" She shouted when I reached the door, halting my steps. "We're going out tomorrow night. No excuses!"

"But-"

"I said no excuses!" She cut me off by saying. "You only turn 21 once"

I groaned loudly as I strolled down the hall towards the exit.

It wasn't that I didn't like to go out. With a life like mine, a night out with Tatiana and some of her friends was nice once in a while.

But going out on my birthday wasn't my idea of a happy night. The day should be mourned, not celebrated.

Yes, it was my birthday. But it was also the anniversary of one of the worst days of my life.

And celebrating it only felt like an abomination.