Falling

Too late.

Cordelia's hands lifted Beatrix.

Klaus's sword came down on them.

Alexa closed her eyes, unable to see anything else, feeling the blood drain from her brain and everything turning red in front of her.

She heard the sound of flesh being shattered, bones being crushed, above the sound of the sea and the flames.

And Beatrix's cry, so loud it looked like it was going to pierce the smoky sky.

'…!'

'Beatrix's cry?!'

Still, she was afraid to open her eyes. Shades could also cry.

Through the curtain of tears, she tried to see something.

But what she saw was too horrible to try to understand, and she closed her eyes cowardly.

She felt the wet, heavy and sticky hand on her shoulder, the smell of metal and liquid rust near her. Even though she opened her eyes, she couldn't see under the tears. A soft, small, damp package was pressed against her arms.