Chapter 17: Glass

I remembered watching once how a lion was tortured upon captive and I loathed the people who did that to the magnificent beast. It made me feel nauseous and sick at how cruel and brutal humans could be.

Staring at the state Godric was in right now reminded me of the lion and I tore my eyes away from the screens and turned to look at the person who was talking animatedly beside me.

Uncle Jeffrey was dressed in casuals and berms, he was talking to a few sombre looking leaders who looked mildly annoyed but were trying to hold it in, we were seated in a black truck that had been restructured to house all the surveillance cameras and weapons to form a makeshift mobile operations unit. Apparently, they had been monitoring my moves for quite a while and once they spotted an opportunity, they had grabbed it.

As what Uncle Jeffrey had been repeating for the past few hours, 'If it wasn't for him and his niece called Poppy, they wouldn't have caught Godric."

I was too conflicted to utter anything about his ludicrous claims, instead I closed my eyes instead. I should be happy, shouldn't I? Godric was finally apprehended. It doesn't matter who was involved. I should be relieved, no? Relieved for the humans species and The Fellowship, relieved that my family may finally truly accept me. I bit my lower lip and closed my eyes when someone offered a can of drink to me.

"You must be Poppy," the guy said, I noticed he had a really charming smile for someone of his age. He was closing fifties? I couldn't really tell, as he offered the drink to me.

"I hope you're feeling better, you seem shaken."

I took the drink and opened it and took a big gulp, remembering what Godric had mentioned about these drinks. I gave a slight smile, "I supposed. Everyone seems relieved that Godric has been caught."

"Aren't you?"

"Maybe, but he doesn't deserve the torture," I said refusing to look in Godric's directions. I couldn't shake those eyes and his expression as he faltered to the ground back in the club, remembering how miserable he looked. "Silver is the only thing that works for his kind," The guy began as he took out a bullet, "Nothing else works on them. Absolutely nothing," He shook his head and passed the bullet to me, "If it makes you sleep better at night, you're ridding the world of something evil." He patted my head twice and I held the bullet and kept it in my pocket.

I didn't manage to catch his name, as Uncle Jeffrey had shouted me over. I smiled politely before getting up towards where Uncle Jeffrey was. He seemed annoyed that I wasn't paying attention to what he was saying, "Are you listening, Poppy?"

"Yes," I nodded, "You're hoping to drain Godric's blood, similar to what he had done to The Fellowship. And then, you're hoping to place him right as dawn breaks and let him slowly burn to death."

Uncle Jeffrey nodded his head, "Splendid plans, don't you think?" He said, "And I've volunteered you since you must hate him the most for all that he has done to you. Can't imagine what must have happened during your entire captivity with him."

Uncle Jeffrey seemed to be insinuating something more, but I smiled thinly, "I'm grateful for your gestures but –"

"No buts, you'll be the one finishing Godric off tomorrow morning once the sun rises. And I'm sure no one will disagree."

"Jeffrey, I don't think it's safe for her to go in alone. Godric may go berserk and finish her off." One of the men in black interrupted.

"I said no Buts, we captured Godric, she needs to and will be the one finishing him. And that's final," Uncle Jeffrey said, pulling his berms as he spoke in finality.

I sighed, feeling the weight of the bullet on my pants and nodded my head, "He's right, I'll end it all."

An end to all.

…

…

The glass cage resembled a cube and it was placed in another truck that was fitted with many CCTVs. Godric was clamped to a metal chair with silver chains and his shirt was stained with blood, his blood. He looked ghastly pale, I couldn't see his expression as his head was bent over and it seems as though he was asleep. I sighed softly and he heard me. His eyes swiftly found me and he smiled slightly without mirth before uttering in that slow, raspy voice of his, "Why do you look so sad now, Poppy? Isn't this what you wanted?"

"To have you dead, maybe. But to torture you, probably not," I said and Godric shook his head, "You do know that you shouldn't show compassion to our kind. We're not exactly the most forgiving species."

"Humanity's weakness, I suppose." I said with a slight shrug.

"It's a pity…" Godric said slowly as though mulling over something. My brows quirked up, 'Pity?"

"It's quite a pity, I'll never know what exactly you are." Godric uttered, "But I do hope, you'll save Eric at all costs."

"Provided he doesn't chew me up and drain me the moment he sees me, since you'll be gone." I said and Godric nodded his head lightly, "Ah, that. Yes, Eric's exceptionally loyal. If he knows that you're the one who ended my life, he'll probably take down the entire organisation and yourself in a heartbeat."

I nodded, fully aware that Eric was capable of that, "In that case, you could always look for Pam, and she'll know what to do."

"You're really ending this quite easily," I said and Godric smiled slowly, I was surprised that the smile appeared rather sad, "It's not easy surviving two thousand years, watching everything that I ever cared about disappear into dust. It's also excessively tiring trying to remember what how it feels like to be 'human', you find that as each millennium passes, all notions of anything vaguely human disappears and what's left, is a shell acting out its most basal functions."

"How interesting that the pinnacle of all human's desire turns out to be this disappointing," I mulled quietly, and he grasped what I meant immediately, "Immortality, wealth, fame, power – quite a pinnacle."

"Do you remember the first time you shot me?" Godric uttered abruptly as though recalling something. I nodded lightly, "Quite difficult to forget, isn't it?" I answered.

"You mentioned you wanted to be accepted by your family, killing me would prove something to them, wouldn't it?"

I nodded, seeing as how Desmond and Uncle Jeffrey had quite a way with my family, they would likely use this act to persuade the rest to perhaps, accept me as a part of them. Family, how lovely that sounds. It was something that I never had, something that I could probably only dream of having. It must be nice to have a family. Isn't it? A home to return to, filled with people who would accept me unconditionally, where I could love and be loved in return.

"Yes," I nodded firmly.

His lips arched up slightly and he uttered with that slight boyish smile, "How fitting."

…

…

"If finishing me would means you gaining a family, then, I'm glad to lay down my life, Poppy."

I blinked, feeling a slight frown kneading at the edge of my brows. Godric merely smiled somewhat lightly, "It's fitting I suppose, you're after all, the 'love of my life'."

I was staring at Godric with a perplexed frown through the glass, "You're quite a work yourself, Godric. Kidding about such matters."

"I assure you Poppy, that I'm absolutely serious," Godric uttered in all seriousness, dropping that smile of his.

I took a step back involuntarily and someone held me, it was that person who had handed me the silver bullet. He was eyeing Godric through the glass with open animosity. Godric tore his gaze away from me before resting them on the newcomer with a slight bemused smile.

The guy patted my shoulder assuringly, and I broke away from my reverie of thoughts, "Remember Poppy, he's an abomination to all. Dawn's approaching, we're all prepped and ready for the mission. You should prep yourself too, you look shaken yourself."

Realising that more people had entered the room, I nodded my head before rushing out of the truck that had gotten rather suffocating. Glancing at the guy's back just before I stepped out, I noticed that his name was imprinted on his uniform.

It read 'Izack'.

…

…

How would I like to go about? Killing someone that is, even if that being was a murderer, an abomination? Even if that being had saved me numerous times, even if that being looked not much older than me?

My knuckles were white and I was biting my nails in that annoying habit of mine whenever I got nervous. I didn't realise that I was shaking until someone placed a blanket on me and I glanced up to see Chanel's pretty face looking at me.

"You're here!" I got up, deeply relieved of a familiar face.

"Once dawn breaks, we'll be free."

"Really, Chanel?" I asked, deeply unsure. Killing Godric would mean so many things, it would mean that we're finally ridding the world of a sick murderer, but it would also mean…

What exactly would that mean, Poppy?

I shook my head, ignoring a notion deep within my head. Chanel smiled reassuringly, "Poppy, you're doing the right thing."

Ah, yes – the right thing. I bit my lower lip, remembering that Chanel had lost her loved ones to Godric too, and Elliot, not to forget Elliot.

The look on his face haunted me. How could I even begin to forget?

I sighed and Chanel handed me the silver gun on a platter. I eyed the gun and took it with a heavy heart. No regrets, now, now. One shot and it'll be straight to his heart, isn't it?

And the sun will burn; it will burn him into nothing. He'll scatter into ashes, leaving nothing behind, leaving all those past deeds, resolved.

It's the right thing to do, isn't it?

…

…

The gun weighed a ton. In actuality, it barely weighed anything. It was filled with a single bullet, just one silver bullet that will do the deed. And then, he'll be exposed to the sun.

"It's really simple, Poppy. Don't screw this up," Uncle Jeffrey patted my back, much harder than expected and I grimaced.

The leader of the operation held me, "We'll be watching from the other truck, you'll be monitored via the CCTVs, it'll be really simple."

I nodded my head stiffly, feeling my senses growing numb. It was as though the air around me had gotten heavier, much heavier and each breath came out laborious.

He smiled formally, "Good. He's all yours, Poppy." He stepped away to allow the glass cube's door to slide open.

I stood watching as the door closed.

I was in the same cage as Godric, and it was just the two of us now.

…

….

There was that slight scent; it was surprisingly soothing and familiar. I couldn't quite place a finger where I had smelled this before. Nonetheless, the urgency of the matter at hand was pressing on me and I shoved all thoughts away with much resolution.

"This feels rather familiar," Godric began with a slight smile and I failed to mirror his smile, the way I usually did.

Godric was standing up now, he had a tube attached to his wrist, and I watched in horror as blood was being drained away steadily, he looked even paler than before as he stood looking at me. He was standing with a straight back, but I could see that even that seemed to be laborious for him.

I held the gun.

"Do you not know how to use a gun?" Godric uttered with slight mirth and I shook my head.

He took a step slowly towards me, and I took a step back. Remembering that his hands were cuffed and bounded tightly by the silver chains that had burned his wrists, I held my ground as he stood right before me.

"Okay, lift the gun," he said and I lifted the gun obediently. He was walking me through the steps, "Place the gun here," he nodded to his heart, or where it should have been. I paused hesitantly and he tilted his head patiently, waiting for me to make the move.

My hands were freezing and I could feel the gun becoming much heavier than it should be.

"Good, and unlock it," He said and I unlocked it.

He nodded as though I was an exceptional student, "Alright, now fire at will."

He said, "Or would you like me to count to three?"

I was silent and he laughed weakly, "As you wish."

"1"

I was shivering, watching as the truck's sides unfolded soundlessly to reveal the surroundings. We were still moving at a steady pace.

"2…"

My heart had slowed; it was beating to a slow, steady beat. I bit my lower lip as my finger pulled the trigger lightly.

Godric smiled reassuringly, "3."

His eyes were closed and I fired.

…

…

Now that I remembered the night that I had shot him – it smelled something like this too. The air was crisp, as though it had just rained and I remembered my hands were clammy. Time slowed, and I swore that it would be a night to remember.

A night that I wouldn't and couldn't forget.

Time slowed and then it seemed as though everything happened very quickly.

I took a step forward and pulled the needle away from him. His eyes glanced towards me, "Blank?"

I had fired, but it was a blank.

I nodded numbly, "You'll have to use me as hostage, I suppose."

Everything was moving much faster than I had expected. Soon, the entire operations team surrounded us and Uncle Jeffrey was shouting angrily across, "You just had to do one thing, Poppy. Just one thing!"

I gave a slight grimace and Godric had moved an arm to take me in hostage with his wrists still clamped.

I could hear their operations from the earphones, "We can't settle this without harming Poppy, how would you like us to go ahead?"

"Kill her." Uncle Jeffrey ordered without hesitation, "Finish her, and kill him. He wouldn't last long anyway, the sun's rising."

I could feel my blood turning cold and I was holding my fists so tightly that I didn't realise Godric was whispering something into my ear, "Poppy, poppy, bend down when I say so."

"Godric, could I ask a favor from this?" I uttered without much thought.

"What favor?"

"I'm sure you'll live through this, so could you please not pursue this or my family on account of the fact that I didn't kill you?"

"We'll see," Godric answered without much thought, "Bend over now," Godric uttered pulling me down to shield me just as the glass door swung open and explosives soon tore the sides of the operation team apart. I could feel the impact and everything was silent save for a group of them. The sun was rising and I couldn't tear my eyes away from the figure standing at the entrance of the glass cage before me.

"Chanel?" I gasped, stunned by her appearance.

She barely acknowledged me before stepping over to unlock Godric from the chains and I staggered away, deeply shaken by the revelations of things.

I closed my eyes, hoping that I was imagining things but the image remained. Chanel had shielded Godric in a blanket effectively and he was leaning slightly on her as she helped him. A sports car had skidded on halt behind the trucks and was awaiting for them.

I was still in a daze when Uncle Jeffrey appeared before me with a group of the operations team having survived the blast and he was eyeing me in anger, "What were you thinking, Poppy?"

I couldn't even begin to utter anything when Uncle Jeffrey and the remaining team whipped out their guns and pointed at Godric, "I'll finish you now, or you'll continue being a threat to us."

Godric eyes were narrowed. The sun was out and he staggered weakly.

Without much hesitation, I turned to push Godric away towards the waiting car, "Go. And remember what I said," just as they were ready to fire.

"I always knew that you were like them, Poppy. You're one of them, you've never been on our side!" Uncle Jeffrey said as he pulled the trigger.

What would I have liked to do differently? Nothing. I was quite tired with everything, exceedingly tired. Maybe, this would be the end to everything – at least I wouldn't be caught in the middle anymore, I suppose.

I waited for the agonizing pain to hit, and it did. Bullets pierced through flesh and within seconds, I was bleeding at the sides. I winced as any movements proved futile and even speaking was an arduous task. Uncle Jeffrey grabbed me forcefully, aggravating the pain and he nearly spat as he said, "I'll make sure you'll pay for this, Poppy."

The pain was agonizing.

What would I have liked to do differently? Probably nothing.

I sighed, and collapsed into oblivion.

Author's Note: I'll try my best to finish this! Trying – heh. Changed the ending a little so that the story will flow! ;)