Ava's POV

Trigger warnings: gore

Passing the middle, box-like structure which contains the exit entrance, I reach the other side of the roof. The first thing I see is Jennie; she's bound to a chair with her mouth taped. Her eyes are filled with terror, a bloody cut on her left cheekbone and a dried trail of blood on the side of her neck.

Eve is standing right behind her with her arm wrapped around Jennie’s shoulders and a gun pointed to the side of Jennie's head. She grins as her eyes land on me and my blood-soaked clothes.

“Well well well, bravo Ava. You've once again proven yourself as my best prodigy.”

“Let her go, Eve,” I say ominously as I step closer.

“Now, you know I would not do that, so why even suggest it, hm?” Eve tilts her head with a questioning look. “I actually didn't think you would have the guts to do what you just did. Kill everyone for…” She jerks her arm around Jennie's neck, who whimpers as I take another step. “This little bitch right here. Question is, why?”

“Maybe I'm sick of not being allowed to feel,” I answer coolly.

“Ava, you know that feelings are exactly what gets people like us killed. It is why we can't allow ourselves to love someone, because the risks increase tenfold. You know that. I've told you this so many times. And yet…” Disappointment covers her face, and as much as I try not to, I can't help but feel a twinge of guilt.

“Just cut this bullshit and admit that we were nothing but tools and pawns in your little game of Karma.” I stop when I'm about ten feet away from Jennie and Eve.

“Okay.” Eve shrugs. “I was using you and your little traumatized souls to enact Karma on those who deserved it. I mean, that's not really much of a secret.”

“No. You took advantage of our trauma so you could brainwash us into thinking that killing people is the only way to make us feel better and overcome the shit we've been through.”

Eve puts on a thoughtful look. “That's where you're wrong. I didn't force you to join me. No, you were more than eager to be recruited. What were some of the first words to me? Ah, yes. I believe they were ‘I can't wait until the day my father is dead. And I want to see it happen’.”

“I was a fucking kid,” I growl. “You supported that idea. You grew it into an irreversible pile of shit. I didn't want to kill my father in the end, but you forced me!”

“Oh come on now.” Eve shakes her head. “I gave you two choices. Kill your father and become a KSD assassin, or you are free to go.”

“Don't give me that fucking bullshit.” My body trembles slightly. “I wasn't that dumb at the time to not understand what you actually meant by me being free to go. You were going to kill me if I didn't get the job done.”

“But in the end, what made you kill your father? Your anger, didn't it? You told me what also? It felt good?” Eve grins.

“Yeah but–”

“Stop looking at others to blame for your actions, Ava. You wanted this. I only nudged you along.”

She's right. I did choose this route. I was the one who shed the blood of my father. It was my rage that ended up killing him. Maybe Eve’s words and the blood oath did push me a little, but it was me who chose to do it. It was my fault that I'm in this.

But I'm willing to get back to the version of Ava that is capable of having emotions. Of feeling that particular one that I've long forgotten: love.

“Maybe I did choose this,” I say casually. “So I'm going to make a choice right now. Let Jennie go, or I'll fucking make you.”

Eve scoffs. “And how exactly are you planning on doing that?”

“By killing you.”

Those words make Eve raise her eyebrows in feigned surprise. “After everything I've done for you? After I've taught you so much and have been a mother figure to you?”

“You are a shitty mother figure.”

That seems to tip Eve over the edge, because she releases Jennie with a shove and walks up to me. I remain on the spot when she reaches me. She slaps me with the gun in her hand, the impact stinging more than usual on my already beaten face. My head whips to the side, and I smile as I return my gaze to her and wipe the blood of my skin.

“You seem to have weakened,” I say.

She hits me again, this time in the other side. It actually hurts this time as I can barely move my jaws. But I still manage to smile and I slowly turn towards her.

“Was that better?” she asks.

“Much better.” I grin. “How about a better challenge this time?”

“You think you can beat me, little girl?”

“I guess there's only one way to find out.”

She searches my face before a smile spreads across. “Alright. Let me get rid of the gun, since it's only fair.”

She bends down to place it on the ground and then kicks it to the side. It slides a good distance away before she straightens up.

Without warning, I swing my knife at her, only for her to block me and punch me in the stomach. I lunge at her again. She kicks me in the chest. Dull pain spreads through my upper body as I fly backwards. I land on my back a few feet away, the air knocking out of me.

Lightning cracks across the sky as thunder rumbles in the distance. Breathing heavily, I get up and tighten my grip on my knife.

Eve gives me a venomous smile. “I told you would be no match for me.”

With a pained yell, I rush her. But instead of attacking her from the front, I step around and plunge my knife into her shoulder blade. She hisses as she punches me in the ribs. With a grunt, I yank the knife out of her before shoving her. She doesn't lose her balance when she turns. With a growl, she grabs my arm. I swiftly bring it around, loosening her grip as I knee her in the stomach. She groans and doubles over before kicking me in the calf. I collapse to the ground with a grimace, but not without punching her in the knee. Howling in pain, she punches me in the face. Blood spurts out of my mouth. I block her next punch and give her a blow to the stomach.

We both stand, but not for long as Eve tackles me to the ground. Air whooshes out of me. My knife clatters out of my hand, the sharp impact sending bolts of my pain down my spine. Soft drops of refreshingly cool rain land on my skin. I block her incoming punch and kick her. She stumbles off me. I manage to pick up my knife and get up again.

I wobble a little on my feet as we circle each other. Blood stains her teeth when she grins. There's a twinkle of enjoyment in her eyes when I rush and swing my knife at her. She blocks it again and grabs my wrist. I punch her in the face with my other hand. In response, she twists my hand, causing my knife to clatter to the ground once more. The sound of cracking bones mixes with the thunder. I scream when she kicks me in the leg. I fall to the ground, landing on both knees. She releases my twisted wrist and slaps me across the face.

The rain begins to pour down in torrents while I stay kneeled on the ground. The pain surging through my body is excruciating. This is what it must feel like when you're dying.

“Watching you on your knees for me brings out a pleasure in me every single time.” Eve stands over me and tucks her finger under my chin, tilting my head up. My vision is a little hazy, the stabbing pain in my face distorting my clarity. But it doesn't prevent me from responding.

“And this will be the last time you'll ever see this.”

She chuckles, the deep tone vibrating down my skin, as it always does. She still has that same effect on me, even after everything. “Come on, babydoll. Just give up and come back to me. I'd hate to have to burn your pretty little face. There is so much we haven't been able to do.” She bends down, her breath on my skin bringing memories. “That I've been planning on doing to you.”

My eyes flutter over to Jennie, who is struggling weakly in her bounds. Eve follows my gaze and laughs. A gunshot rings out and Jennie slumps over in the chair.

“No!” I scream. How the fuck did Eve even get the gun? When? Seething with rage, I glare at Eve. “What the fuck did you just do??”

“I killed your little bitch. Now you have no useless sack of nothing to fight over.” Eve sneers.

The rain falls on my face like a river and partially blocks my vision as my chest heaves with anger. Tears well up in my eyes, but thankfully the rain camouflages them. My hand finds the knife on the ground and plunges it into Eve’s thigh. She howls in pain. I manage to stand and punch her in the face. The blood pouring from her mouth washes away from the rain when I land blow after blow. I yell out my rage, my pain, my trauma as each contact of her body on my fists further fuels my adrenaline.

But it is short-lived. She blocks my fifth punch and shoots me in the stomach. I gasp as my hand flies to the bullet hole when Eve shoves me to the ground. She climbs on top of me and pins me down with her body. She glares at me with anger, yet her lips curl up in a grin.

“You fucking ungrateful whore.” She knocks me in the head with the butt of the gun. Black spots appear in my vision as I struggle to remain conscious. “After being there for you when you needed support and a shoulder to cry on… you stab me in the back. All for… a fucking bitch who doesn't give a fuck about you like I do.”

“No…” I manage to breathe out. I choke on my blood and the rain that falls into my mouth. “You… took advantage of me when I was at my most vulnerable.”

“You needed it.” Eve brings her mouth to my ear. “Your screams at the end certainly suggest that.”

“It… doesn't matter. You are the real monster here, Eve. And you said it yourself, didn't you? Monsters… deserve karma. And guess what?”

“What?”

“I am karma.” And with one last surge of power, I slam my head against hers. The cracking of bones echoes loudly in my ears. Shooting pains ripple through my scalp, but I ignore them. Her grip on my hands loosen as she is momentarily disoriented. I knock off her hold on me in a downward chopping motion. Her gun flies off to the side as I kick her off me. She stumbles backwards, dangerously close to the edge of the roof. I swing another punch at her, warm blood splattering on my face before it is replaced with the cold rain.

I grab her by the collar, her arms flailing helplessly at her sides. Lightning cracks behind her as her cold, venomous eyes fill with fear. Fear of what I'm about to do. And I say the words that I've told to all my victims.

“Tell Satan that Karma sent you.” Thunder rumbles above us as I release my hold and push her.

Her screams echo through the dark, stormy night as she falls thirty-five stories down. People  shout in terror when her body crashes on top of a car. Blue and red sirens appear from a distance away, the sound growing louder every second. The rain lets up a little as I stumble through the puddle and reach Jennie.

“Jennie,” I whisper hoarsely. I crouch down and wince at the pain. I lift my hand to her neck and let out a sigh of relief when I feel a weak pulse. The bullet had penetrated her chest, but thankfully it didn't seem to have pierced her heart.

“Ava?” Jennie says, her voice barely a whisper as her eyes weakly blink open.

“Jennie…” I brush my trembling fingers along your face. “Jennie, you'll be okay. I promise.”

“Ava… you need… to go…”

“What? I'm not leaving you, Jennie.” The sirens grow louder as they reach this street. People are shouting below us.

“Please… Ava… go… for me.” Jennie implores, her voice growing weaker as the blood on her chest increases.

I can't just leave her. I can't, but I know that if I stay here, I will be caught and sent to jail. They might still not know that I'm the Shadow Killer, but if they catch me here, they will definitely uncover my identity.

“I'll come back to you, Jennie. I promise.” I gently kiss her forehead as her eyes flutter shut again.

The paramedics will come and take care of her. She'll be fine. She should be fine. And as much as I don't want to abandon her, escaping from the scene is the only chance I have at dodging a lifetime in a cell.

And as I run into the shadows with the remaining raindrops penetrating my bruised face, I repeat the words over and over in my head.

She'll be fine. She'll be fine. The hospital people will arrive and take care of her. She will be fine. She will make it.

Word Count: 2358