Page 55 of Clouded by Envy

They were close, the Stone almost in sight, when Brenik felt a small twitch against his chest. Thrill and nervousness rebounded through him. When Rana’s eyes flicked open with murder, he was ready for her.

Snarling, she slashed his face with her fingernails. And Brenik let her as he ran the rest of the way, passing Bray who was yelling for him to stop. She called out that she would help him. But help himhow?She wasn’t strong enough to keep Rana still.

A white outline angled into his line of sight, and Brenik dashed straight for it, ignoring the pain from the scratches across his cheek.

When Brenik reached the Stone, he tried to set Rana down gently on the ground, but she was already starting to run away.

“Flip her over for now,” Bray panted, out of breath from trying to catch up with Brenik.

Rana hadn’t gained all her strength back, but she grew stronger by the second. Turning her over, Brenik looked at Bray and said, “Now what?”

“Bind her hands with your shirt.” Bray sat on top of Rana, attempting to hold her down.

Ripping his shirt over his head, Brenik motioned Bray away, and pulled Rana’s hands behind her back to tie them together. He hated everything about it. Bray seemed to hate it even more as she watched on.

Bray took off her over shirt, leaving on her tank top, and handed the fabric to Brenik to bind Rana’s ankles together.

Rana was furiously grunting, and Brenik felt something inside him crack. He was going to fix this—he owed it to her. Brenik ran toward the Stone and slapped his hand on top of it. Bray placed hers calmly next to his, and they waited.

Nothing happened. He should have known. “Please,” he pleaded.

In answer, the ground began to shake beneath their feet. Relieved, Brenik’s chin fell to his chest, and he stepped away from the Stone, next to where Bray had moved.

With his heart pounding with anxiety, he watched the same routine of the Stone’s arms and legs sprouting from the rock. Lastly, the alabaster head with the unreadable black eyes protruded forward. Brenik wished he could know what went on inside the head of the creature who answered desires but would cost one dearly.

“What do you desire?” the Stone boomed inside his head. “I have already granted your wishes.”

“It isn’t for me—it’s for her.” Brenik pointed desperately to Rana. She was no longer moving, but watching the Stone with a sharpness so deep, he wasn’t sure if she was going to try and attack it.

“Ah. What do you think she desires?” the Stone asked.

“To live—to not be like this... Make her like she was—take back what you gave me, but please, help her.” He would do anything—anything.

“I cannot reverse what I gave to you, but I can change her current state.”

Bray watched on blankly, and Brenik dropped to his knees in mercy.

“Bring her to me,” the Stone demanded.

He nodded and shakily lifted Rana in his arms. She started to wriggle desperately, but he ignored her struggles, setting her down onto the Stone’s open palm and backing away.

The large white fingers closed around Rana until the hand was set into a closed fist. Slowly, the fingers unraveled like a flower in spring, opening for the world to see its beauty.

Rana was still there when Brenik stepped closer. He scooped her still body out of the Stone’s palm and held his hand under her nose. No breaths.

“She isn’t breathing!” he cried, his shoulders drooping, but he held Rana tightly.

“It was the only way to save her,” the Stone answered, its head lowering to Brenik’s.

“You didn’t save her. You killed her,” Brenik accused. He wanted to break the stone into a thousand pieces and throw them all into the deepest depths of the ocean.

“Her soul was already gone. You waited too long.” The Stone’s eyes seemed to accuse Brenik of his own wrongdoing. It was Brenik’s fault.

“You mean, I could have come here right after it happened?”

“Yes.” The short answer burned a slow and gaping hole into Brenik’s chest as he realized he could have saved Rana’s life.

The Stone started to pull himself back into its rock form, when Brenik took a step forward and begged, “Fix me.”

---