Friday, February 8, 2013

(34) All Alone

As the missile exploded behind us, I clung to John with all my might. He straightened up and firmly steered the balloon away from the path of the rocket in case any more were waiting to strike. He was so brave and strong. I believed with all my heart that he could get us both out of this mess alive. The capital loomed close at hand and several Beasts leapt from the hole in the roof onto the dome itself. The vast majority of the army was entering the building. I prayed that John's device would work. As he steered us past the dome a Beast shot off a blaster gun and it grazed John's side. The detonator fell out of his pocket and through the net. With a hard glance at me John kissed me on the cheek and sprung from the balloon after it. I watched in horror as my hero gave up his life to save us all. The balloon sped away on a gust of wind and I heard the sound of an explosion going off underground.

He had done it. The blast erupted from the building and the force of it threw my balloon toward the western edge of the city. The capital fell into the ground and the entire army along with it. We had won, but I felt nothing. John had fallen, but I could not believe it. I couldn't even watch as he fell. My mind had gone blank. I was devastated and pissed off all at the same time. Shock waves lapped over me as I tried to conceive of a future without John. He had slipped away so quickly. Nothing but a kiss, I touched my cheek and felt tears there...I hadn't even realized I was crying. The balloon cleared the edge of the city limits, but I didn't want to bother with steering it. I just stared, unseeing, at the horizon, as dawn broke across the sky and the three morning stars shed their light on Terrafima.

I had nothing. I was empty. I had nothing. What was left for me to live for?
No father. No mother. No John.
I was all alone.

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