My Past Life – Part 22: The Final Showdown On The Ground Floor Begins.
Joe was breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling with every labored breath. His body ached, his muscles screamed in protest, but he had done it—he had won. Staggering backward, he steadied himself against the cold hallway wall, his eyes locked onto Peter, who lay motionless on the ground. The fight had been brutal, a clash of strength and willpower, but now it was over.
Finally… I win.
The words left his lips in a tired whisper as he stared at his fallen opponent. Peter wasn't moving, his body sprawled across the floor, clearly defeated. Joe didn't feel triumph—just exhaustion and a strange sense of relief.
Turning away, he limped toward Sarah, who stood frozen a few feet away, her eyes wide with shock. Her hands trembled, her voice barely above a whisper as she spoke.
"I-is… is he dead, Joe?"
Joe shook his head slowly, his voice low and rough from the fight. "No… he's not. It would take more than that to kill him." He glanced back at Peter's unconscious form, a frown tugging at his lips. "He's really strong. I don't even know how I'm still standing. After our last exchange, I was completely defenseless. He could've finished me with one strike… but for some reason, he hesitated."
Sarah swallowed hard, her fingers clutching at her sleeves. "Maybe he was all words and no action," she murmured, trying to steady her voice. "I'm just glad he's still alive."
Joe exhaled, his shoulders sagging. "Yeah… maybe you're right. Or maybe I was wrong about him."
Sarah didn't answer. Instead, she stepped closer, slipping her arm around Joe's waist. "Enough, babe," she said softly. "Let's go."
With a tired nod, Joe draped his right arm over her shoulders, leaning into her support. Every step sent a fresh wave of pain through his body, but he gritted his teeth and kept moving.
"Argh... argh... damn it. He broke my body more than I expected," Joe groaned, clutching his ribs as he limped down the dimly lit hallway. His voice was strained, filled with pain and lingering anger. Every step sent a sharp jolt through his body, but the fire in his eyes hadn't faded.
Beside him, Sarah tightened her grip around his waist, steadying him. "Careful, Joe. You'll hurt yourself even more if you let anger cloud your head—and your movements. Besides... your revenge is complete now, right?" Her voice was soft but firm, like a mother scolding a reckless child.
Joe let out a slow, shaky breath. "Hmm... Sarah, I'm sorry I dragged you into this. But my vengeance against him... it was everything to me. He destroyed my sister. Broke her mind so badly that she lost herself for months. All because of his... uncontrollable desires." His fists clenched at the memory, knuckles white with tension.
Sarah's expression softened. She leaned closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "I understand, babe. And I did it because I love you."
For a moment, the only sound was their uneven footsteps echoing through the empty school hallway. The flickering white bulbs cast long shadows on the walls, making the place feel even more desolate.
Then, they reached the ground floor. The heavy double doors leading outside were just ahead.
"Finally," Joe muttered, relief seeping into his voice. "Now let's get out of this cursed place."
But just as the words left his lips—tap... tap... tap—the faint sound of footsteps crept up behind them. Slow. Deliberate. Coming from the shadows.
Joe's body tensed. He spun around so fast that Sarah nearly lost her balance. "Who's there?!" he barked, his voice sharp and commanding.
Sarah's fingers dug into Joe's arm, her breath quickening. "I-I thought we were the only ones in the school right now... Joe, if it's Peter... if he got back up after what you did to him... we need to run. Now!" Her voice trembled with urgency.
But Joe gently pried her hands away, his eyes locked onto the darkness. "That's not Peter, Sarah. And yeah... it was supposed to be just us here. But I guess... I miscalculated." His voice dropped to a low, dangerous growl. "Whoever you are—show yourself!"
The footsteps grew louder. Then, slowly, a figure emerged from the shadows. Step by step, calm and unhurried, as if they had all the time in the world.
And then—the light revealed her.
"Joy?!" Joe's voice cracked with disbelief. "That's... not possible. You're not supposed to be here!" His hands balled into fists again, his entire body coiled like a spring.
Sarah's eyes narrowed. She stepped slightly behind Joe, crossing her arms tightly over her chest. "So... you're the bitch who slept with my boyfriend, even though you knew we were together?" Her voice dripped with venom.
Joy let out a cold, mocking laugh. "Well, yes, darling. I'm that bitch." She tilted her head, her smile sharp as a knife. "You know, I tried to warn Peter about you. Over and over. But he wouldn't listen. I even lied—told him your parents and the security officers were onto him. Still, he refused to let you go." Her grin widened. "But now? Now he'll have to listen to me."
Joe's muscles tensed further. "What do you want, Joy? Why did you stop us? And what's your goal here?" His voice was steady, but his eyes flickered with unease.
Without turning around, he whispered to Sarah, "Don't move in front of me. Stay behind me, no matter what. She's dangerous."
Joy sighed dramatically, rolling her eyes. "Well, since you're in such a hurry... I won't waste your time."
Then—with a swift, practiced motion—she pulled a short dagger from the back of her trousers. The blade glinted under the flickering lights, cold and deadly.
"Let's make this quick," she said, her voice sweet as poison.
"I knew you were dangerous, Joy," Joe said, his voice low and shaking as he picked up a steel rod nearby." But I didn't know you were a killer in disguise."
Beside him, Sarah stumbled backward, her legs weak with terror. Her wide, tear-filled eyes locked onto the sharp dagger in Joy's hand. The blade glinted under the dim light, looking as cold as Joy's expression.
"Are… are we going to die?" Sarah whispered, her voice breaking. Tears streamed down her cheeks, her whole body trembling like a leaf in the wind.
Joe didn't look back at her. His gaze stayed fixed on Joy, his jaw clenched. "We're not going to die, Sarah," he said, his tone deadly serious. "I'll break her before she even touches you." He shifted his stance, his muscles tense, ready to fight.
Sarah's knees gave out, and she collapsed to the ground, her hands shaking uncontrollably. "Then… would you kill her?" she asked in a voice so quiet it was almost lost in the heavy silence. "If it comes to that?"
Joe's grip on the steel rod tightened. "Yes," he answered without hesitation. "If it comes to that." His eyes never left Joy, watching her every move.
A slow, twisted grin spread across Joy's face. "Hahahaha!" Her laughter was sharp, like broken glass. "Well, this is going to be fun for me… and bad, bad, bad for you." With a flick of her wrist, she spun the dagger in her hand, the metal flashing as she took her battle stance.
The moment stretched, the tension unbearable. Then—
Joe moved.
He lunged forward with a burst of speed, closing the distance between them in seconds. The rod in his hands swung high, then came crashing down toward Joy's head with all his strength.
But Joy was faster.
In a blur, she vanished—only to reappear behind him. Before Joe could react, her dagger sliced through the air, cutting deep into his back.
"AAGH!" Joe roared in pain as blood gushed from the wound, soaking his shirt in seconds.
"JOE!!!" Sarah screamed, her voice raw with horror. She wanted to run to him, to help him—but her body refused to move. All she could do was watch, frozen in fear, as the fight raged on.
Gritting his teeth, Joe staggered back toward Sarah, his breathing ragged. "Don't… worry," he managed to say, his voice strained. "It's going to be okay." His eyes, still locked onto Joy, burned with determination.
Joy tilted her head, her grin widening. "Oh no, darling," she purred, twirling her dagger again. "It's not going to be okay. Because I'm going to kill you… then her."
With that, she charged.
Like a lion pouncing on its prey, Joy flew toward Joe, her dagger aimed straight for the kill.
To be continued…