Matrix Reloaded [v.2]

“I did it!” the small voice cheered, “I killed you, Mother! Ahaha! I won the spar!”
“Hmph,” the woman sighed as she plopped down on the dry grass, tossing the branch in her hand to the side. Autumn was setting in so the fall was a bit uncomfortable. She watched her son throw the long, makeshift sword into the air before skipping around and called out to him. “Darren, remember not to go too far!”
Katelyn always tried to keep him in her reach, but as Darren grew older his independence mirrored the growth. The townspeople always said that he was ‘just like his father,’ and Katelyn saw how sometimes. It wasn’t just looks, but his intense thirst for life’s offerings, even at such a young age had to have come from Darren’s father.
No one was quite sure how he had come to inherit the trait. The young boy had grown up without a father. Once every year, Katelyn would plummet into fits of depression from her husband’s untimely death. She took the burden right off from anyone’s shoulders and stacked it on her own. All could tell she intended to take any and all responsibility for the misfortune.
Awhile later Darren came running back up from the small creek at the bottom of the hill he ran to in joy, smiling with all teeth showing.
“Come, Darren. Let’s go home. I’ll fix you your favorite meal for winning today.” Katelyn nudged her son forward slightly once he was close to her.
The two turned towards the path that led away from the secluded open area in the dense woods that led to their home. They walked close together, Darren tugging on his mother’s hand sometimes for guidance in the dark. The path seemed narrower than it actually was when the sun was setting. The many trees created misleading shadows.
Katelyn’s heart started to beat faster at the sound of leaves being crunched under mild pressure off to the side somewhere. Her green eyes scanned the darkness. The wind, she told herself, it must be the wind.
Wind didn’t reach that deep into the woods.
Twigs snapped, leaves crunched, trees creaked…swords clashed, voices shouted…
“Get out of here!” a burly man bellowed.
A figure clad in a black cloak amongst many identical others weaved its way opposite of the crowd, unnoticed except for the ones passing directly by who didn’t try to stop him for fear of losing their lives.
He arrived at a large arched hallway and dashed through it, coming to a magnificent open room. There were almost no furnishings except for the elegant throne on the far side. Only one other person was in the room.
Katelyn.
She stood at the center of the symbol on the floor, a large circle with spikes protruding from the smaller circle in the middle. She looked as beautiful as always in spite of her disheveled appearance. Katelyn’s lengthy chestnut hair contained knots and some splashes of matted blood near the ends.
The cloaked figure started to walk towards Katelyn who had already noticed his presence before they got to the entrance of the hall. Her demeanor hadn’t diminished from its threatening stage. Eyes locked onto his as he approached.
Katelyn dashed towards him, sword held steadily forward in the offense. The figure slowed his walk slightly before stopping completely, failing at convincing Katelyn he meant no harm. She kept running closer and closer, her fury becoming more impending with each step. Feeling he had no other choice, he unsheathed his sword, the distinct metallic ring resonating through the silent room. Surely Katelyn would recognize that sound, he thought. He soon saw that she was too far gone to notice the familiarity of it.
His feet slid back against the marble floor from the impact of Katelyn’s blow. His hands and teeth clenched from the effort of keeping a hold of the hilt of his sword. The hits kept coming, and he kept blocking. Arms heavy from defending against Katelyn’s agile strikes, his mind was clouded with questions on how she consistently kept making these forceful attacks. Come on, Katelyn, realize who you’re fighting against, he thought.
He thought back to their sparring back at home. She’s beaten him once in all these years. The mistake was that he moved his arm upwards too quickly to realize that Katelyn faked a move effectively and stabbed at his gut with the branch-made-sword. Hoping her memory could shine through her concentration, he moved his left arm “defensively” as a desperate attempt to make her realize who she was trying to kill.
Memory failed, Katelyn took the man’s opening slip as an invitation for her sword.
Richard called out her name in mid-thrust before the impact was made.
She gasped in shock as he grunted and fell to the ground in agony, holding the wound in his gut where he could around the sword.
“Richard, no!” she cried, “Why didn’t you tell me it was you?”
Her husband panted as he moved to balance on his hands and knees, flinching violently and groaning as the sword moved with him.
“Please, just pull…” he whispered between breaths, “Just pull this out?”
She now regretted using the sword she had, the one with the rigid blade.
Katelyn hurriedly yet gently moved Richard upright, slowly pulling her sword back through as smoothly as possible. Richard felt every ridge against his wound as the sword came through but tried to not let that show. Now free of the extra pain, he collapsed on the ground, his blood pooling around beneath him.
“Richard, I am so sorry,” Katelyn whispered, “I didn’t know it was you. Why did you leave that opening? That’s not like you. You could’ve said something in the middle of the fight, or even before it started, you—“
“Katelyn.”
“—never should’ve moved your arm, and you know that—“
“Katelyn,” Richard groaned, “hush.”
“—I’m going to go find someone who can treat this wound. Oh, I’m so sorry, Richard. I’ll be right—“
“No, I just…want you to stay here…with me.”
Katelyn quieted down and her eyes started to water. She shook her head slightly. “No, no, no, I won’t let that happen to you.”
She started to rise and Richard grabbed her arm as if asking her to please sit back down. Tears no longer under control, Katelyn hugged her husband as close as she could without hurting him too much. Richard lifted one heavy arm up and around his wife’s waist.
“I’m sorry, Richard. I love you so much.” Katelyn said as she rose up a bit.
“I know, love. I know.” Richard coughed a bit, groaning afterwards. “You want to know something?”
Katelyn could only nod slightly.
“I let you win.” He smirked.
A small laugh broke through the tears, and Katelyn wiped her cheeks dry.
“What kind of thing is that to say at a time like—“
She looked down and saw that Richard’s head had fallen to the ground.
“—this.”
Katelyn broke down once more…
“Mother?” Darren’s quiet voice asked, “Wake up, please?”
Katelyn moaned slightly as she stretched in her bed. She blinked a few times.
“How did…?”
“You collapsed in the middle of the path on the way home and started shouting Father’s name, saying you’re sorry. I…didn’t know what to do, so I ran to town as quickly as I could to get help. Mr. John carried you here. I made sure your feet wouldn’t hit any trees ‘cause they’re all so close together, ya know.”
Katelyn’s usual warm smile appeared on her face. It disappeared when exhaustion took over her body.
“C’mon, Katelyn,” a deep voice said moments later, “you don’t dare leave this boy alone here.”
“…Richard?” Katelyn asked quietly, her eyes only partially opened.
The man’s concerned expression softened. “I’m afraid not, dear. It’s just John here.”
Katelyn blinked a few times and rubbed her eyes. She sighed slightly and said, “Oh, yes, I suppose that was a silly thing to wonder, now wasn’t it?”
John shifted his weight on the old wooden chair he was sitting on. It creaked with the movement of pressure. “Well, it is indeed that time of year after all, dear one.”
“Yes.”
The room fell silent.
“Mother, I don’t think it’s your fault that Father’s gone.” Darren spoke up from the far side of the cozy room. He was sitting on the floor and warming his hands by the fire because of the chilly night air.
“Darren,” Katelyn said, “you don’t know the—“
“I know enough about you to know you would’ve done everything you could to keep him alive for us.”
She paused before answering. “Thank you,” she said quietly, unable to say anymore.
The years passed by and every year soon after the arrival of Autumn, Katelyn fell into her routine of doubt and self-blame. Every time that happened, Darren would always be right by her side, comforting her and distracting her mind with stories or mock spars. Katelyn became her usual self afterwards, always cheery with a warm smile, just before the inevitable Autumn came to settle in once again.