Splatterflick!!

Violet was alive.

The sword was silver. It burned her from the inside out, pain crawling through her ribs.

It wasn't enough.

Why were they doing this? Violet hadn't wanted to fight Surya. He'd forced their hand by stabbing them with that fucking sword, but even then, they couldn't bring themself to actually finish the job.

Violet was paying for that now.

She could hear Surya panting. His weight was pinning the blade through her chest, not letting her move.

What was Violet supposed to do? Even if they struggled, Surya had the upper hand, his sword was still piercing her heart, and they could barely think through the pain.

They weren't planning on playing dead. Violet just couldn't move. Apparently, "can only die from a stake to the heart" didn't mean "can't get critically injured." None of her limbs wanted to cooperate, and Violet just didn't have the energy.

I guess this is it, Violet thought. I can't fight back anymore.

It was ironic. Vampires were supposed to be stronger, faster, more endurant, better. Makes sense that I would still be weak and pathetic. He was right, after all. All I'm good at is running.

The blade twisted. Violet had to stop herself from screaming. Was that not enough? Does he have to rub it in?

There was an awful sound as the sword slid out of Violet's flesh. She didn't open her eyes. She didn't want to see the smug look on Surya's face when he realized they were helpless.

"Nothing?" Surya didn't sound smug, or gleeful. He sounded… shocked? What was that for? Was he expecting Violet to tank a sword through the heart? I must've really hit rock bottom if I'm even disappointing him.

"F-Fuck." Shock turned to something else. Violet wasn't good at reading emotions, especially when every muscle and sinew in their body was burning with pain, but Surya seemed scared. What's he afraid of? I'm the one who's going to die.

"Little shit actually kicked the bucket." The laughter finally began a little too late, a little too broken.

He thinks I'm dead. A sudden burst of adrenaline hit Violet, and she almost tried to sit up before realizing how stupid that would be. He thinks I'm dead. Holy shit.

Hope, something Violet had long since killed, began to stubbornly bloom again. I can survive this. I just have to hold still. Hopefully he doesn't check. Wait, even if he does check, I don't have a heartbeat. I don't have to breathe. Holy shit. I can do this.

Surya's laughter finally faded out.

"She actually kicked the bucket," he wheezed. "Another. Ahah, that's another one!"

What was left of Violet's blood ran cold. What does he mean, "another one"? Oh God, am I not the first? Who has he killed before?

"Shit." Whatever burst of hilarity that Surya experienced, it seemed to have given way to the reality of the situation.

Violet was beginning to heal, torn skin and muscle threading itself back together. No. No. NO. Not now. Please, just wait until he's gone. If Surya realized that she was not, in fact, dead, she wouldn't be alive for long. And knowing Surya, he wouldn't make it quick for them.

"Can't- Can't leave this…" Thankfully, Surya seemed to be distracted. Leaves crunched beneath heavy boots. Violet could hear him pacing.

A hand roughly shoved at her in an aimless manner. Violet did their best to not resist the movement, imitating a corpse.

"Serves you fuckin' right." Those were the hateful words they expected from Surya. Despite herself, Violet had to fight down the angry response she wanted to fling right back. Just wait. Don't fuck this up.

A shower of cool dirt almost makes Violet flinch. Rude. Was he burying her? Shit. He better not bury her. Violet had no idea if they could dig themself out of the ground, and they didn't want to find out the hard way.

There are a few seconds of silence. Violet could feel some of their minor injuries close. Please don't take a closer look. I'm dead. I'm dead and gone.

Then, more footsteps, these ones rushed. As Violet listened, she could hear them getting quieter. Please be leaving. Please go away. Please.

And then it was quiet. Violet felt minutes tick away, her watch still running when everything else failed them.

Surya didn't come back.

Violet should probably stand up. Her body disagreed.

What if they just stayed here forever? What if they didn't get back up? What if they didn't have to explain what happened to everyone? What if she didn't have to argue her side to everyone just for most people to not believe her anyways?

It wasn't a pleasant resting place, in a puddle of her own blood. Violet could feel her sweater sticking to her skin in a way that would probably hurt when they did try to get up. Typical.

They groaned, pulling a weak hand over their forehead. The sun was too bright, burning holes in Violet's eyes as she wrenched them open.

Laughter bubbled up in Violet's throat, coming out raspy and choked as blood dribbled out of her mouth. I'm a fucking mess.

In a few hours, Violet would sit up (fabric peeling away from flesh), message the coven, and figure out what to do now that she was "dead". They'd force themself to stand, hobbling on half-healed legs, feeling like a reanimated corpse. She'd alter her plan to account for this new development and move on with what she had to do.

But for now, with pain blurring what little vision the sun spared, with some of her wounds still oozing, with an uncomfortable heat torching their skin, Violet did the only thing they were capable of.