Chapter 16 - ADRIAN
735 Words
As the day dies in a burst of flames,
As the sky is splashed with blood
I sing you the song of peace
I sing you the song of love
Dream of the Spring
Dream of flowers
Dream of a world where you can smile again.
Tears spring to my eyes as I softly hum Fi’s favourite little song. Every single night she nags me to sing it to her and I always do. This is the second night without her by my side and…
“She is not gone.” A small hand comes to rest on my shoulder. “We can still save her.”
When I look at Ari, my heart sinks even lower. Her face is pale and weak. She also looked more malnourished and skinnier than when I saw her yesterday. How long do I have before she is gone too?
“There is nothing you can do for me.” She says. “I made the choice, Adrian, and I do not feel like I made the wrong one.”
I have taken care of Fi for way too long to not notice the fear under the brave words. Does she too wonder what will happen to her after she dies? A single tear drops down my cheek.
“It is not fair!” I blurt out like a child throwing a tantrum. “You don’t deserve this, Ari!”
“Nothing is fair, Adrian.” She says gently. “Nothing. I wish the world was a better place but it isn’t.”
Even if the Dream is killed by the sword of the scorching sun
Even if hope dies every time you wake
Sometimes dreams come true
I will sing for you till they do
I will chase away the monsters
I will keep you safe and warm
Go to sleep and dream of flowers and Spring
Maybe tomorrow they will come true
I burst into a torrent of sobs as the rest of the song pops into my memory. What dreams can come true in a messed-up world where children accept death so solemnly? Ari squeezes my hand comfortingly.
“Maybe the world should be a better place…” I say.
“I don’t think it will ever stop, you know, all the fighting and the killing,” Ari says, looking away from me.
“Maybe it will, Ari. If all the people screaming for blood and death would go away…”
“There won’t be anybody left.” Ari’s voice shakes a little. “What you are asking for is the world to be destroyed. Everybody has gone through so much pain to forgive and start over. All they can do is hate because hate makes pain easier…”
“What on earth are you going on about Ari? Hate makes pain…”
“When you thought I killed your sister, didn’t it make it easier to be able to look at me as the thing that killed your sister?”
All the pain I felt came flooding back to me and with it all the hate. I didn’t know if it made it any easier but to see her there, believing that she was the monster who…
“I could think about something other than how much I failed her,” I say and she nods. Her eyes are sad, her breathing heavy. Without warning, without even deciding to do it, I pull her into a hug.
“No one your age should be this wise,” I say.
“Everyone thought I was a weirdo.” She lets out a little laugh. “Always telling stories, always wanting to listen to them… I…”
“What?”
“I was scared of others.” She laughs again, breaking away. “I didn’t know what to say to people. I didn’t know how to make friends.”
“You certainly did a good job with me.” I smile. “You made me NOT want to leave a Witch to die in the forest.”
Ari looks away, letting out a sigh. “If I tell you something would you promise not to be mad at me?”
“Of course…”
“I was hoping it would kill me. The Magic…I…”
“You were scared of being alone.” An affection so deep fills my heart. I hug her again, murmuring everything comforting I can think of. When I let go, I see that her eyes are filled with tears, her lower lip trembling.
“I thought if I was going to die anyway…I didn’t want to be all alone waiting…”
“Hey!” I say, ruffling her hair. “You are not alone. We are going to find Rosa and she is going to fix you so…”
“I think I can help you with that.” A voice sounds from the cave entrance. Both of us turn to see nothing but thick black smoke, forming into the shape of a woman.
- Writer
