Nix's Promise

Just a short story written for my ELA class.

The Wild Girl’s Promise

                The girl of Afro-Asian descent was tall and beautiful, but she was every bit of dangerous. She had jet black hair that flowed straight down the back of an athletic body, shaped by the constant activities of survival. Her scarred skin was a sweet brown and her hard yet sad eyes were a dark greenish grey…She was known as the Wild Girl. Fifteen years ago, Nix was barely two years young when the world entered a new age full of chaos and destruction. Where civilization was no more and there was no such thing as life after death…Or even death. Instead, the dead walked amongst the ones who lived and weren’t at all neighborly in their existence on earth. When the world in all of its manmade wonders crumbled, Nix and her newborn cousin, Kirito, were left with a survivor in the refugee where they lost their family. In the underground tunnels where the darkness grew comforting and the wind’s voice was unknown, besides one another, this man was all these two children had. However, the two and a half years of care taking abruptly came to an end due to the murder of their guardian and the kidnapping of the children, where the kids were forced to survive or die trying. Nix escaped after months of captivation and survived in the wild…Where she scavenged weapons and books, living alone in a cave for about eleven years she learned how to survive. She could fight; she could kill, for she grew to be ruthless. As Nix set off into the building she once fled from, she remembered the promise she had made to Kirito before they parted.

                Nix set off towards the building with her katana, spear, pistol, and a purpose…Then hulled full speed, with determination engraved into her face, until she was one with the shadows. Oh, pity the man that stands in the way of the Wild Girl.

                "HELPPPPPP!" was all that Nix needed to hear before she bolted up the remaining steps. Under any other circumstance she would have scanned the environment, threat, and situation…But the sound of Kirito in danger struck something vulnerable.  
"SOMEONE PLEASE!!! I DON’T WANNA DIE HERE!" Nix made it to the top of the building and that’s when she saw him.  With only 15 feet between the two, Nix could easily see her cousin dangling off the side of the ledge by his hands. Astonished, she acknowledged the height he’d put on over the years, and the length of his luscious black ponytail as it wavered in the wind. As Nix held back her tears she came to the sudden realization that if she didn't act right then, she might just lose him...Again. Kirito spotted her and desperately called out, "NIX!?!?!"  Action was calling and so was her newfound cousin, so Nix readied her spear as she worked her legs in swift strides towards him.

                Crossing the 15 feet within seconds Nix grunted as she grabbed the rope, proceeding to tie it to her handmade spear. After she made sure the rope was tight and sturdy she chucked her spear into the lower building’s roof. Successful in her aim, of course, she then proceeded to pull the rope and tie it to the post on her end. 
"GRAB THE-" was all that Nix could shout before instinctively reacting impulsively to a sound on the right of her. Instantly the rope was where she tied it, left to the boy climbing for his life, and a swift movement later, Nix’s dagger was at the throat of the vilest man she’d ever faced. And with that shock she was kicked in the stomach and shoved towards the ledge. Nix regained herself just as quickly with a backwards roll, lifted herself up with her hands and unsheathed her katana as she pivoted, barring teeth, to face the man that forced her to fight for her life.

                Kirito frantically slapped the air for the solid confirmation of the dangling rope with his left hand, but he shrieked with the utmost urgency as his right hand slipped from the ledge. Kirito needed to get to Nix and fast, his thoughts cut short from the bustling above him. Then…Silence.

Kirito called out, “Nix??” his voice full of doubt.

His words lingered in the air as there was no reply.

                “Well,” the man smugly breathed through a black and yellow smile, “If it isn’t little old Nix. Been awhile since I last seen you ‘round here child.” Clutching her katana, she snarled at his remark as rage planted itself within her. “How’s the dead treatin’ ya girly?” He eyed her up and down, “Surprised you’re still alive.” Nix stared through raging hate as he pulled out his switchblade, lost his smile, and muttered, “Not for long.” Nix took his obscene threat as an invitation to wreak vengeance, and with that she let out a fierce war cry. As she shrieked, she ran full speed and kicked the man in his shoulder. He grabbed Nix’s foot and swung her towards the wall, but she let her other leg come down on his wrist and bent her arms, pushing her hands off the wall to rebound the impact for her advantage. As she rolled off the ground and landed on the balls of her feet, she watched as Kirito pulled himself up on the rope, not as nimbly as she would approve but he was safe. Nix’s attention was back on the man who was easily 6’3, had a beer gut, and a pair of muscle packed arms covered in scars and tattoos. He was slow, but he was powerful. In one quick strike the man swiped his blade towards Nix’s throat as she ducked and slapped him with the flat of her blade, turning completely as she got up, aiming for his throat, she strikes, misses. Grabbing Nix by her throat, he breathed his early meal into her face, “You little brat!” Spitting as he spoke, “Remember your little friend…Uh, Torak was it?” Fire lit up in her eyes. Satisfied, he smiled and placed his blade right where the brain meets the spine and prepared to cut, “Tell him I said Hi.”

                “AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,” was all that Nix needed to hear before escaping her oppressor with a hand chop to the throat and a cartwheel kick to the chin. When she landed on her feet, she quickly realized that Kirito had thrown her spear into the back of the man’s leg. She tossed Kirito her katana as the man yanked out the silver point and chucked it away from him. Kirito ran towards the man and sidestepped his grabs as he swung his sword. Nix retrieved her 7 foot spear and attacked the man from behind. Just as he was turning around she let out a fierce screech while she sliced the back of his legs. He bellowed out the vilest of words in his agony and just before she sliced the back of his neck, the man aimed her pistol at Kirito, pulling the trigger just as she made the cut. The man went limp, Along with Nix’s hope for the retrieval of her younger cousin. She was incredulously furious at how careless she had been to overlook her misplaced weapon before them. Nix raised her spear above her head, in both hands, bringing it down with all of her pain, anger, and hurt…Straight into his heart.

                Kirito, coughing on his own blood, was lying on his back when Nix dropped sluggishly next to him as if defeated. She was beautiful, and he wished he could ease the sorrow in her eyes as she held his hand. He looked up at her and smiled though bloody teeth, “You did it, Nix.” Catching himself mid cough he whispered, “It’s over…Like you promised,” and with that he breathed his last breath. Nix squeezed his hand so tight, placing his hand to her chest, as if her beating heart could beat life back through him. She waited and cried her heart out to no one, screaming to the sky and everything that’s her life. Nix thought upon the last words he muttered to her, ‘It’s over…Like you promised,’ and she wept some more. Back when they were being separated she promised him she’d save him and that this building would be no more. She overcame everyone to get to the top of that building and then she overcame the one who founded this hellhole. She knew they’d all reanimate into mindlessly violent beings before she’d be able to silence them all. Tick, tick, tick - The explosives that she planted throughout the building were set to go off with 10 minutes left. She was glad that she got all of the children to flee towards the nearest village and even gladder that all of the unnatural monsters were still inside. The children were safe; she smiled to herself for the first time since the world as she knows it began. Nix, never letting go of Kirito’s hand, lie down next to his still body. As the sun set before them, she watched as the birds dipped in and out of sight. She closed her eyes thinking about how she wanted to fly in the sun’s glorious light for an eternity. Nix felt movement in between her hands, “Kirito,” trembling, she whispered as low as possible. Her heart was now pounding against her chest as if trying to free itself, but emotionally her heart was breaking. She knew what she would see if she opened her eyes, Nix was more afraid than she’d been since she was 2 years old… - She opened her eyes, slowly turning over to see that the child beside her was no more.  As the new being began to snarl and transform right beside her she shed a fresh tear. Tick, tick, tick - Nix turned over and closed her eyes, never letting go of that hand, muttering, “Just like I promised,” and when Nix opened her eyes again…There were fireworks.

Author's Note

Constructive Critique is welcomed but it most likely won't be considered since I don't write short stories as a hobby.

Reviews

[Kai Rollins]

Well....regardless of your habits this was an enjoyable read. With a fair amount of imagery, painted a gorgeous picture. And you have a knack for this.