Escape

Stella panted as she ran with all her might. Her legs felt like they would break off any moment, her lungs felt like they were screaming for air, the various wounds on her neck, hands, legs and shoulders ached.

Even the old wounds on her torso and back felt like they would burst open any moment.

Basically, her whole body was screaming for her to stop, but Stella's mind only screamed one thing. "Run."

Stella turned around and was horrified to see them almost catching upto her. In her panic, something took over Stella and she did not know what was happening until she stopped on the sidewalk of a bridge. She knew this bridge. Stella looked around and muttered, "I used it again. Oh well, at least I'm free now."

But how wrong was Stella. As she turned around towards the road, Stella's amber eyes met five deep red ones.

How afraid she had become of this colour. Without thinking what she was doing, Stella climbed on top of the railing of the bridge.

As the five brothers closed in upon her, she looked down at the roaring river. It was flowing so fast that if she really had to jump, there was no way Stella could survive.

Her only chance was to bluff her way out of this one.

As the five stood only five metres away, Stella screamed, "Stop!! Stop or I'll jump off right now!"

That did the trick. The five stopped, but soon Kiato began to walk forward again.

Seeing Stella's face, he said, "Oh my dear kitten, don't you remember our first meeting? I know you don't have the courage to jump."

Stella laughed. It was such a maniacal laugh that it even stopped Kiato in his tracks.

She said, "Oh my dear Kiato, if you remember that meeting so well, just remember my face will you. It was the face of a person who had a little sliver of hope. Who looked forward to life. Now look at this face, will you?"

Saying this Stella began laughing again.

Kiato looked at Stella's face and knew at a glance that she really would jump down, he retreated.

Stella said, "Very good. Now make some space for me."

The five began to retreat further, but not before Stella had caught sight of Kaino signalling with his eyes.

Stella chuckled maniacally, "Oh my dear smart Kaino. It seems you are not as smart as you think. You don't know enough about humans, or rather, about myself, to believe that I will jump if I feel like death is better than living. I'm not a coward."

Kaino said, "No you're not."

And then it all happened in a split second. All of the five moved forward at inhumane speed, but Stella was ready for them. She jumped down the bridge, but at the last moment Kiato caught her wrist.

"Seems like I caught you." Kiato said.

"Yeah. Seems like it." Saying this, Stella seemed to give up.

But just as Kiato let down his guard a little, she put her shoes against his chest which was leaning on the bridge and pushed with all her might. That did the trick. Her hand slipped out of Kiato's grasp and she plunged into the river.

The five brothers stood looking at the roaring river for a long time before Kaino said, "Let's go. There's no way any human, no matter how extraordinary, could have survived that."