Chapter 85About Self Sacrifice

The pool was completely filled with blood. No, it wasn't. It was filled with chlorinated water where so much blood had flowed in it changed to a deep red color in this light. Some shards of thick glass lay around the edge of the pool, glinting in the light. The roof, mostly made up out of glass had two panes, right next to each other, broken. I presumed many shards were at the bottom of the pool, but it was impossible to tell like this.

The smell of blood was covered by the penetrating smell of chlorine. Small traces of blood were visible on some of the glass shards. I knew I had to do something. I walked around quickly and shoved all the glass in the pool with my shoes, hoping that the water would wash away all traces. But I had to do more. I had to get them out.

Holding back my thoughts I tried to think logically about all of this. What did I need? I needed a way to get them out of the pool and preferably new clothes as these were red with blood.

New clothes. I remembered seeing a workers entrance where I'm sure lifeguards kept some uniforms in here. The door didn't withstand a simple kick from me, the flimsy lock giving out immediately. Inside I made sure not to touch anything and noticed, how lucky were we, a basket full of the clothes. They had a slightly sweaty smell in them, but I was sure Khuna and Valerie didn't mind that.

If they were still alive...

The thought snuck in unexpectedly. But I never even thought about them being dead suddenly. It was a horrible thought as I didn't have much of a bond with Kai yet and I didn't want to lose so many people in one night.

No! They can't be dead!

They can't be...

Walking back to the pool I noticed a long rescue hook standing against the wall. It was something I could definitely use to pull them to the edge and pull them out without getting wet myself.

Wet... Towels.

I went back into the room where I found the clothes. No such luck, no towels. Or perhaps they were in a closet somewhere, but I didn't want to pull everything open. I got all the clothes left in the basket and took them with me in a separate pile. Quite a large pile too. I nodded decisively, I knew what to do.

First I undressed everything but my underwear so they would not become dirty. With the hook I pulled both of them to the shore and pulled them up carefully. Not caring if I got wet or anything. In a depraved sort of way it was even kind of fun, like playing with kids in a pool. They were cold to the touch but I heard their hearts beating very slowly.

Boom...

Boom...

It almost echoed in this tiled environment.

One by one I used clothes from the big pile to clean and dry them. Removing their outer clothes to wring those out but keeping them apart. When a piece of the lifeguard clothing was too wet I threw it in the pool. It didn't take me very long to clean them but it was odd working on their bodies like that. I felt warm touching their skin, cleaning it for them, taking care of them.

After taking the time to get the water out of their lungs I was satisfied with them for now. I lifted them one by one and lay them down on the a long wooden bench, not far from where I left all the clothes. I used the remaining bits from the pile to clean the side of the pool, throwing them in after I was done, making sure no glass was left anywhere but in the pool itself. Satisfied I cleaned them for the last time with the last two pieces of clothing I hadn't planned for them. They may have been used, but they were dry enough for this. In with the rest they went, floating on top of the water until they got enough to drop to a little below the surface. Good. No traces.

Using the two separate shirts and shorts I redressed them both. Laying them down on the wooden benches in such a way so I could sit in between with their heads on my lap. One on either side while I sat cross legged, still just in my underwear with their cold, still damp hair leaning on my skin. I took a deep breath as I prepared myself for what I knew must be done.

Ready.

I bit in both my wrists and lowered them to their mouths. The first few drops fell and stayed silent, motionless. I could almost feel them flowing in, their tongues responding, their throats reacting. Both of them, simultaneously, grabbed my wrist with their hands. Gentle at first, without any strength, and then firmly. Draining me of my blood. My strength flowing to them with each gulp. I heard their heartbeats growing in strength, picking up the beat.

I hardly noticed my own heartbeat slowing down.

Like a bigger sister I held them and they drank from me. Getting stronger, getting better. I was happy I could mean this much for them. I may be a monster to Hitori or Anka, but for them I was a hero. They were my family now. My sisters that would do for me what I was doing now. Because they did save me when I needed them not so long ago.

I even smiled as everything turned black. All my senses slowly shutting down as I lost blood to them. My vision blurring and darkening. Sounds muffling until a velvet, heavy silence was left. The smells fading from the world, not clean or fresh but just gone. My taste lost as well to the bites of my loved ones. Touch... the last one to go... No longer did I feel the pressure of their heads on my legs, the coldness of that hair, the sharp feeling at my wrists. All gone.

Even if this was the end for me, I was happy.

I saved her.