A ROYAL SCANDAL

KARLIAH POV

I rushed out of the house and ran outside, bumping into many people, but I didn't care. I just wanted to be with my brother because he needed me. Tears blurred my vision, and a painful sob escaped my lips. I tried calling his cell phone, but it was out of coverage.

"Goddammit, Dylan, answer the call, please!"

It wasn't long before I was met with the terrified screams of people; they kept bumping into me mercilessly, making me lose my balance.

"Run, the cops are coming!"

"They are shooting Miko's gang!"

Upon hearing this, my blood went cold, and a chill of fear ran down my spine.

"No."

I ran inside the building.

"Dylan!"

"Dylan, I'm here!"

I heard a bullet being fired and ran outside through the back door.

Miko and Dylan were running towards the exit of the club when the police fired the bullet. There was a deadly silence, and Dylan slumped to the ground instead.

"Dylan!"

Miko was about to jump over the fence, but the cop shot him in the leg, causing him to fall to the ground instantly.

I rushed to Dylan's side. He was covered in so much blood that it made my hands tremble when I touched him.

His eyes met mine intensely.

"Dylan, why?"

He smiled weakly at me.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you the truth, Karliah… I'm sorry I lied to you."

"We can talk about that later. I need to get you to the hospital…"

His bloody hands cupped one of my cheeks as he shook his head negatively.

"Look at me, Karliah. I've wasted my life... and I don't want you to do the same."

"Dylan, please... don't do this."

"It's already too late for me."

Tears rolled down my cheeks.

"No, please don't go…"

A gasp escaped his lips as his body suddenly stilled in my arms, his lifeless eyes staring at me.

I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him tightly, burying my tear-streaked face in the crook of his neck.

"Dylan, please wake up, you can't leave me alone..."

The cop moved me away from him.

"Let go of me, you killed my brother!"

"I'm sorry, Karliah, but that's the life he chose for himself. He knew the outcomes of his deeds."

He closed Dylan's eyes as they carried his body on a stretcher.

"No, let me go! Dylan!"

I tried pulling away from his strong grip, but I couldn't break free.

"Nurse, I need some help here. She won't stay still, and I need to inform her Aunt Lucinda about what happened today."

I remember the nurse coming towards me with an injection, and the rest is a blur nightmare.

It all felt like a bad dream as the darkness sucked me into oblivion, into a world filled with darkness where my inner nightmares haunt me until I lose my mind.

I saw them calling my name, but they had no faces. Those strangers were pulling me toward the darkness.

A gasp escaped my lips, and my eyes jerked open as if life was being sucked out of me.

I wasn't in the dark alley anymore; I was in my bedroom.

Had everything been a nightmare then? I wondered to myself wantonly.

I sat upright as the door to my bedroom suddenly opened; Aunt Lucinda and Era walked in.

Era hugged me tightly.

"Era, what's wrong?"

Aunt Lucinda gave me a puzzled look.

"Do you remember what happened to Dylan?"

I was stunned and smiled at her.

"Sorry, but who's Dylan?"

"Karliah, he's your brother."

"He's dead…" Era cried.

I shook my head negatively.

"I don't know anyone by that name, so what's for breakfast? Because I'm very hungry."

Aunt Lucinda gripped both of my shoulders tightly, digging her sharp nails into my flesh, making me wince.

Her eyes met mine intensely.

"Karliah, snap out of it and get back to reality because your brother is dead and he's never coming back."

I pulled away from her.

"Firstly, you're hurting me. Ouch."

"And stop trying to push me. I've told you multiple times that I don't know anyone by the name of Dylan. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to make some breakfast for myself because it's clear that none of you are hungry."

"She's lost her mind," Aunt Lucinda mumbled slowly.

Before I could walk out of the room, Era stood in the doorway, blocking my path.

"Era, what are yo-" Before I could finish my sentence, she slapped me across the face, making me gasp.

I could feel my left cheek sting with pain as I held my sore cheek.

"My mom is right, Karliah. This isn't healthy, so snap out of it. Your brother is gone, and you just have to accept that!"

Tears rolled down my cheeks as I slumped to the floor and broke down crying.

"I hate all of you!"

"Get out of my room!"

"Come on, Era, we should let her grieve on her own terms."

Aunt Lucinda and Era both left the room.

I clung to my pillow tightly, trying to stop the trembling, but it wasn't working at all.

His memories flooded my mind as I recalled the last memory of him. I failed our parents, and I couldn't take care of Dylan.

"I'm sorry I failed the both of you..."

"I wish you would have taken me instead."

A FEW WEEKS LATER

It wasn't long before I was standing in the graveyard. I chose to stay longer because I wanted to say goodbye to Dylan.

I placed a single red rose on his grave.

"I'm going to miss you, Dylan."

"Just when I thought life was giving us another chance, but fate chose to take you away from me."

I wiped my tears away.

"I won't let you down, Dylan. One day I'll make a name for all of us."

"And that's my promise to you."

His death continued to torment me because I failed to look after him, and now I was left alone in this cruel world.

I found myself looking for part-time jobs in order to save money so that one day I could finally leave this place and start a new life.