Chapter 96: Frozen Rain (2/2)
The bar had collapsed in on itself. With little options, she decided to still try and see if she could break-in. Luckily the entrance was too caved in. Ducking under a set of rubble her foot pressed down as ice shattered. Zinnia looked down frozen on the spot as her eyes widened. She had stepped on someone. Someone was under the rubble frozen to time. Leaning forward, getting a better look Zinnia screamed in fear falling back to the ground, her lip was trembling as she pulled herself back gagging. She knew who it was. The crimson red peeking through the ice. The pale skin matching the ice. Zinnia held her mouth, feeling tears swelling up. ”Scarlet?! No, no! Jesus Christ!” There was no doubt about it. Below the rubble of the fallen building was Scarlett. A look of denial and despair plastered over her face. Zinnia threw up unable to take the fact her friend was dead in front of her.
She shook her head, holding herself in fear. ”This isn't real, this isn't real. This is just your imagination. This can't possibly be the future, can it?!”
Zinnia's traumatic screams stopped as she heard a faint whisper flow with the wind. She could barely make it out, but she heard it nonetheless. ”Help me, help me Zinnia.”
Zinnia pulled herself up, wiping the vomit from her mouth as she yelled out. ”Who's out there?! Hello?! Someone? Anyone!”
The voice called out again. ”Help me.”
Zinnia began tugging herself forward towards the cries for help. The screams got louder and louder as Zinnia was almost in reach. From the sky, serval light emitted. Portals opened as beams of light flooded the winter sky. She recognised the portals; they were the work of Alice. Running as fast as she could in the heavy snow, the sound of a battle died down as Zinnia stopped. She saw someone buried in the snow. Falling to her knees, she began piling the snow away, finding out who it was. As she pulled away from a large chunk of snow, she stopped. Her heart dropped, seeing who it was. It was Iris, her face devoted to all emotion. She looked bloody and beaten as her body had frozen over. Zinnia didn't stop, she knew if Iris was here, Alice wouldn't be far. Crawling through the snow, a bright light blinded her as Zinnia had to adjust to the newfound light. Opening her eyes, she soon wished she hadn't. She had found Alice. Kneeled down head down as her own light beams were stabbed through her. Dozens of beams dug deep into Alice. She was most certainly dead. Zinnia collapsed lying back sobbing. She didn't understand what all of this meant. The city was dead, her friends were dead. She couldn't understand what this trial was meant for. How she was told to overcome it.
Soon enough, Zinnia began to feel like giving up. Let the snow consume her like her friends. She rested her head slowly, closing her eyes only to hear the voice again. ”Help me.”
Zinnia lifted her head up, looking around. The voice was slightly further back, but she could make out where. The cry for help slowly motivated her as she pulled herself up with all her might standing up fighting against the Blizzard. Then a click. Another box fell off. One left. With this newfound energy, she pushed forward following the sound of the plea. She didn't let the other horrific sights stop her. Emil pinned against the wall multiple spears holding him there. Gale fell from the sky crashing to the ground, dead on impact. Another girl who she didn't know with short fiery red hair trapped in a frozen prison. Zinnia closed her eyes, drowning out the sights as she focused on the single voice. It got louder and louder as soon enough it was almost in reaching distance. Opening her eyes, Zinnia was met with a sight she could not understand. In the not so far distance was a tree—a tree which matched the size of the skyscrapers. The tree was unaffected by the frozen Blizzard with leaves growing off and purple flowers blooming.
The tree made Zinnia feel uneasy. Terrified, in fact. Matching the tree's size Zinnia was able to barely make out five figures watching her from the top of the tree. Trying to get a better look, her vision snapped to the voice. ”Help me.” Zinnia felt her breath leave her throat as she choked on fear. That voice, she knew it. Knew it too well. It was her own voice. Zinnia looked down, seeing someone with their back turned to her. They were looking down at a body. A body they were holding. Zinnia began slowly walking forward as her voice died down into silence.
She was sure not to make any noise as she moved towards the lone figure. In a better view, she knew who it was. Alton. Alton stood staring down at a body in his hands as a small drizzle of rain fell on him, each droplet instantly froze on the impact of his body. His hair flurried out down to his legs. Zinnia took another step as the snow made a loud crunch. Alton looked up, still having his back turned. ”Alton? Alton is that you? Are you alright?”
Alton didn't respond as Zinnia got closer. Soon enough, she stopped seeing the snow was drenched in blood. Fear found its way back into Zinnia as Alton slowly turned his neck, the body which he was holding was in sight. It was her; Alton was holding the dead body of Zinnia. Alton's gaze met with Zinnia's his eyes a glowing yellow which swirled around holding her in. His face creaked as his lips moved across his face into a wide sinister grin. ”Zinnia.” He hissed slowly. ”Long time no see.”
There was but only silence that followed. The Blizzard picked up consuming the world around them. Silence followed like it always does. This silence was paused by a single sound which echoed throughout the wasteland—the sound of a lock snapping.