Big Bad Wolfie

83) I Have To

  Like I was on autopilot, I pulled the poisoned knife from my waistband and sliced it through the Hybrid King's arm.

  It hardly broke the skin, but that's not the point.

  I sliced the knife across his arm to losen his grip, then grabbed onto Marco and slammed my foot into The King's chest. The combination of it all gave me enough momentum and strength to pry Marco from his iron grip so we both fell to the ground.

(A/N: Is it way too late to barely be starting a chapter? Yes. Will I actually finish it tonight? Maybe. I guess we'll see in the author's note at the end.)

I scrambled onto my back so I could have eyes on the enemy, but the second I saw his towering frame standing over me with the whip clutched in his sadistic hands, I was a defenseless dear in the headlights all over again.

He smirked evilly.

Oh goddess.

"Come on Maria! Now is not the time to freeze!" Trainer Marco growled while grabbing me under my arms and forcing me to my feet.

  By this time Rose was up the hill and composing herself to fight, and, as to be expected, Brandon came sprinting out of the forest after her.

  I glanced around at the people counting on me to get my sh*t together.

  And realized how dumb they were for doing that and how terrible of a person I am for tricking them into it.

  All I can do is stand, stare, and be afraid.

  Why did I think I could do this?

  How could I forget how broken I am?

  The three of them started to engage The Hybrid King, keeping him semi occupied.

  It still looks like he's just playing with his food from where I'm standing.

  I wonder if it looks that way from where Desi is looking down on us too. . .

  Or my parents. . .

  I wonder if they already know how this fight is going to end.

  The smell of new blood spilling filled the air.

  Now's clearly not the time to be wondering things about the after life, but I can't force my mind back into the present like I sometimes can.

 

  . . . Or maybe this is the perfect time to wonder about the afterlife.

  Either way my emotions won't turn off.

  So there's nothing I can do about the thoughts.

  How unfortunate.

  I thought I trained myself so well in how to control them, but now the fear is forming in my stomach, crawling up my spine, and slithering around my throat like a vice, and I can't do a single thing about it.

  I can't pinpoint where to intercept it, it's too overwhelming, too all encompassing.

  Then two more bodies emerged from the forest.

  One of which made me momentarily feel something other than fear when I sensed his presence.

  But then the sharp sting of a whip slashed across my face, leaving fire in its wake.

  That mixed with concern for Wolfie brought me out of my jumbled thoughts enough to notice Brandon, Rose, and Marco struggling to stand from their nearly defeated positions.