Of Birds and Slayers

She was alive. That was all that mattered to Kennedy. The surgeons had managed to pull out the bullet from her chest. It hadn’t touched the heart, luckily. Kennedy was sitting on a chair next to Shannah’s bed. She hated hospitals, its smell, its air. It reminded her of a graveyard.

“Hey!” she heard a voice behind her. It was Faith. “How’s she?”

“Still resting. Or pretending I don’t know. The doctors said she was awake and able to speak, but she didn’t say anything to me.” The Latino Slayer sighed. She was feeling rather lost. She had shot her girlfriend who had tried to kill her after breaking up with her. And even if she knew it was a spell, she still couldn’t forget Shannah’s words.

‘What will happen to us next?’

“You should get some rest, it’s been four days you’re stuck in this damn place.”

“I thought you hated hospitals as much as I do?” The young Slayer asked.

“Yeah...but I don’t care that much. Go, I’ll call you if there’s something new.” Faith insisted, and Kennedy gave in.

“Honestly, I don’t think I’ll be able to sleep...” she sighed. Faith gave her a knowing smile and looked at her friend.

‘We’re gonna get you out of this shit, Shay. I promise you.’

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(Ill Nino – With you)

Kennedy walked slowly to her bedroom, she was exhausted. All she needed now was a good rest in her comfy bed. It had been a week since she had shot Shannah, and pictures of her action were still haunting her. She opened the door and froze.

‘Okay, so déjà-vu!’ she thought. Shannah was there, packing. The Phoenix turned her head to her girlfriend, her face motionless.

“Hey...” she said in a quite cold tone.

“What’s going on? Are you leaving once again?” Kennedy asked stunned.

“I have to...”

Kennedy walked towards her girlfriend and slapped her. Shannah stared at her sadly.

‘That’s definitely her, this fucking puppy look I know so well.’

“I’m sorry, I-” Shannah began.

“Don’t!” Kennedy shouted “Don’t fucking say you’re sorry!”

“You’re not safe with me!” Shannah shouted back. Silence filled the air. The two girls stared at each other, and soon Kennedy could see tears in her lover’s eyes.

“I am an animal, Kennedy. And as long as I am, you can’t stay with me. I love you. You know how much I love you.”

“And that’s the reason why you leave? Because you love me?” Kennedy replied angrily.

“Yes...because I don’t want to hurt you anymore. You can’t live with the animal I’ve become.”
Shannah’s voice was shaking, and tears were running down her cheeks. Kennedy broke down and threw herself into her lover’s arms.

“I love you!” she cried in Shannah’s shoulder.

“I love you too, never forget that.”

“You can’t leave me! Not after everything we went through...”

“I’m sorry...” Shannah pulled away from their embrace and kissed Kennedy forcefully. She put her hand on the Slayer’s cheek and stroked it. They stayed a while in this position, forehead against forehead, crying silently, staring at each other deeply. Shannah took her bag and kissed her lover one more time.

“Goodbye...” she whispered. When she closed the door behind her, Kennedy collapsed on the floor and cried, releasing her pain. She didn’t know how long she stayed there, she cried until her body was too weak to move.

Shannah walked far away before her knees let go of her. She passed the road sign indicating the freeway, and let herself fall on the concrete ground. Never in her lifetime, she had allowed herself to cry that much.

‘It doesn’t help. I’m still dying inside.’ She brought her knees to her chest and sobbed. Once again, she had lost everything. A car stopped on the road side.

“Where are you going young lady?” A male voice asked.

“Boston, sir.” Shannah sniffed, wiped away her tears and stood up.

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end of first part