Challenge 217

Feb 17, 2010 15:52


Challenge: 217-Letting Go
Title: His Last Memories
Word Count: 598
Warning: None.
Summary: It isn’t easy to let go of the things you love. It gets even harder when it’s one of the last thing you remember.


It’s a beautiful day; the sun is shining bright, the sky is clear and birds are chirping merrily from every tree. The entire world is celebrating this special day.

Myde is humming to himself, picking one last flower and adding it to the bunch in his hands. He fusses over it for a while - fixing a crooked stem here, smoothing a creased lower petal there.

Giving the bouquet one last look-over, he smiles. “She’ll love these.”

Then he’s running through the field of flowers, the gift held protectively in his grip, wind flying through his hair as he throws his head back and laughs, laughs like it’s the happiest day of his life and all tomorrows will be just like today.

He doesn’t notice the extra shadows crawling near his feet. Nobody ever does.

---

There is fire, as machines explode and houses collapse onto each other, spreading the flames.

There is fear, as everywhere, people try to outrun their pursuers, desperately trying to save their loved ones.

There is despair, as everywhere, people fall to the Darkness.

There is death.

---

He can’t remember how he got here. There are no walls he can follow, no ground he can see, not even a sound. The space he’s in is completely empty.

But he remembers the attack - the strange creatures, the fire, the screams - and the images are so clear in his memory that he sinks to his knees, buries his face in his hands and cries; he remembers the face he’ll never see again and cries.

That’s when he hears it, the unsteady thumps that seem to echo in his ears, growing louder and louder. The sound is so familiar that he’s sure he should know it, should never be able to forget it, and he strains to place it.

And then, he remembers.

It’s his heart.

Suddenly, he’s struggling to breathe. Something is choking him, smothering what little left of him despite his efforts to get away.

‘Let go,’ they whisper. ‘Give in to us and let go.’

He’s screaming but the unseen force doesn’t relent as, with a mighty roar that completely fills his ears, it bites down on his chest and pulls away, taking with it his heart.

And Myde, still crying - still remembering - draws his last breath.

---

“But-”

“No buts. Just forget about it, kid,” Xigbar snaps, stomping away.

“But I’ve felt it,” Demyx insists, a hint of desperation coloring his tone as he runs after the other man, jogging to keep up. “Not once. Not twice. I’ve felt it. Maybe you’re wrong about us being emotionless. Maybe there’s still hope for us.”

Xigbar laughs, a cruel mocking laugh that bounces off the walls of the castle. “You’d like that, wouldn’t you? Well, I’ve got news for you, kid.” And here, he stops walking, turning to meet Demyx’s gaze head on. “We’re Nobodies. We do not have emotions. We do not feel. It’s been proven. So you had better stop wasting time and accept that or there’ll be trouble.”

There is a long silence. Demyx lets his gaze drop to the floor, feeling something heavy sink in his chest. In front of him, Xigbar sighs and says, almost gently. “Can’t you just let it go?”

Demyx closes his eyes, remembering eternally blue skies and endless fields of wild flowers; he remembers laughter so rich and happy it could bring out the sun; he remembers the most beautiful smile he has ever seen.

Outside, the sky is black, the night is cold, and the world is empty.

“No,” he says quietly. “Never.”

06seconds_left

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