Her lips moved, but she was too
weak to speak.
"I know what I'm capable of.” I brushed an errant lock of hair from her forehead almost lovingly. “It's only the experiences in my life that make me who I am, and help me keep the monster at bay. You don't have those. But if it means anything,” I watched her eyelids close one final time, “I am sorry." I held her while she died.
Gently lifting her off my lap, I set my doppelganger on the floor and crossed her arms over her chest. Running my hand down her thigh, I felt a familiar shape in her pocket. Digging it out, I examined the cell phone then quickly stuffed it into my own pocket. Standing up, I expected the familiar surge of pain through my body, but to my amazement, it was gone. Glancing to my arm, I saw that the flesh had almost healed. Heavy bruises and several depressions remained, but at least I couldn't see the bone anymore. "Rosy?"
I looked up into Karl's green eyes with a half smile. That was the first time he called me “Rosy." "I found Toby, Elena.” Karl paused. “And a few others in the pods. They need medical attention right now."
"Good work, Karl,” I replied.
"Um, Rose,” Karl said sheepishly, “how are we going to get them out of here with all the Trolls?" I cocked my head to the right. “What Trolls?" The Goblin pointed past me.
Turning, I saw a mass of blue muscle standing in the smashed doorway with a mixture of confusion and anger on their ugly faces. There were easily twenty to twenty-five visible, but how many were beyond the door? I had no idea. “Ah,” I replied, “thoseTrolls." I took a step toward the door and held my hands out to show that I was unarmed. “Lucas Nash is dead,” I said loudly. Above all else, Trolls were mercenaries. They may sell their services to the highest bidder, but when the contract expired, that was it. I hoped. I started to bite my lip as I waited for a reaction. The clatter of weapons hitting the floor started in the back of the crowd, but quickly spread. As they started to turn away, I heard mumbles of anger and dismay. I never really thought about the Trolls in this situation. They were little more than workers. I had no idea if this was a good job or not. I wonder what kind of benefits Trolls asked for.Do they have accidental death and dismemberment life insurance? After what I did to the four outside, I certainly hoped so. One of the Trolls stepped in. “Before you kill Master,” he rubbed his rose, “he mention anything about final paycheck?"
I looked down at Karl with a glimmer of bemusement in my eyes. With a shrug, I turned back to the Troll. “No, I'm sorry."
"I know what I'm capable of.” I brushed an errant lock of hair from her forehead almost lovingly. “It's only the experiences in my life that make me who I am, and help me keep the monster at bay. You don't have those. But if it means anything,” I watched her eyelids close one final time, “I am sorry." I held her while she died.
Gently lifting her off my lap, I set my doppelganger on the floor and crossed her arms over her chest. Running my hand down her thigh, I felt a familiar shape in her pocket. Digging it out, I examined the cell phone then quickly stuffed it into my own pocket. Standing up, I expected the familiar surge of pain through my body, but to my amazement, it was gone. Glancing to my arm, I saw that the flesh had almost healed. Heavy bruises and several depressions remained, but at least I couldn't see the bone anymore. "Rosy?"
I looked up into Karl's green eyes with a half smile. That was the first time he called me “Rosy." "I found Toby, Elena.” Karl paused. “And a few others in the pods. They need medical attention right now."
"Good work, Karl,” I replied.
"Um, Rose,” Karl said sheepishly, “how are we going to get them out of here with all the Trolls?" I cocked my head to the right. “What Trolls?" The Goblin pointed past me.
Turning, I saw a mass of blue muscle standing in the smashed doorway with a mixture of confusion and anger on their ugly faces. There were easily twenty to twenty-five visible, but how many were beyond the door? I had no idea. “Ah,” I replied, “thoseTrolls." I took a step toward the door and held my hands out to show that I was unarmed. “Lucas Nash is dead,” I said loudly. Above all else, Trolls were mercenaries. They may sell their services to the highest bidder, but when the contract expired, that was it. I hoped. I started to bite my lip as I waited for a reaction. The clatter of weapons hitting the floor started in the back of the crowd, but quickly spread. As they started to turn away, I heard mumbles of anger and dismay. I never really thought about the Trolls in this situation. They were little more than workers. I had no idea if this was a good job or not. I wonder what kind of benefits Trolls asked for.Do they have accidental death and dismemberment life insurance? After what I did to the four outside, I certainly hoped so. One of the Trolls stepped in. “Before you kill Master,” he rubbed his rose, “he mention anything about final paycheck?"
I looked down at Karl with a glimmer of bemusement in my eyes. With a shrug, I turned back to the Troll. “No, I'm sorry."