Of Minds And Souls | ONC 2021

12| Of Fear And Love

I am moving like a madman through the floors. There is around a minute left and I have only checked three floors. My throat is sore from screaming his name, but it barely registers. Adrenaline rushes through me. I push open the first door of the fourth floor, quickly scanning the insides before moving to the next room.

I repeat for the next six rooms with the fear that I may have already missed him in one of the previous rooms.

I open the seventh door when the air vibrates with the sound of a gunshot. I freeze, dread beginning to fill me. I whirl around in the direction of the noise. It seemed to have vibrated from within the walls.

As I realise, my neck breaks in the direction of the elevators and I rush towards them. The first elevator is on the fifth floor, the second is on ground floor. I run to the stairs making my way up. As my feet hits the ground of the fifth floor, I see a man's figure.

His body, as if in slow motion, turns to me. His eyes lift upwards as he smiles before he turns his gun back to the elevator and fires.

I am running at him. I do not think as I launch myself at him, my legs tangling around his neck. His gun goes off for the third time.

I do not need the gun to kill him, my strength is enough. At an angle I have never thought of, my body twists and the man's neck cracks. He slumps to the floor, dragging me with him.

I scramble to my feet and turn to elevator. My eyes widen and the tears begin to drop down my face. Aiderall is resting on the elevator wall, staring at me. His almonds eyes smile through the pain. He is shot thrice, in the leg, in the shoulder and in his stomach.

I run to him and remove the black cloth gaging him. He licks his lips and tries to speak. I do not wait for him, instead I turn and grab the dead man's gun and shoot through Aiderall's cuffs.

My hands press into his wounds, tears flowing so quickly that I can barely see.

"Astraea," he whispers. My head snaps at his voice, my hands stop moving.

"Calm down."

"Calm down," I yell, "Are you kidding, you're dying."

"I can barely feel anything," he says.

"That's because you've lost too much blood," I yell lifting my shirt and unravelling the white cloth, I had wrapped around my waist. I begin to wrap it around his stomach. His hands catches mine.

"Astraea," he says, "leave it."

"No," I sob.

"Astraea," he says, "look at me."

I do not listen to him.

"Look at me," he says again, louder this time.

I stop and look at him.

"I will be dead in two minutes," he says breathlessly struggling through the words, "stop it."

"No," I say. His fingers turn over to grab mine. I am sobbing repeating the word, 'no'.

"Don't do anything stupid," he mutters, "I love you."

I cry harder, clenching his hand tighter than he is holding mine. He does not complain.

"Tell the assassin Mother of yours," he says and for the first time I do not scold him for v1 Mother like that. The thought makes me cry harder, "that I will miss our appointments in the future."

"Aiderall," I sob.

"Hey," he says and then begins to cough.

"Stop talking," I say.

"I would at least like to be in charge of how I die," he says with difficulty.

I am wiping at my tears with my sleeve, but it is not fast enough, and my face remains wet.

Aiderall smiles, "I feel proud that I can make you cry. Not many would have that privilege."

I would have punched him if he were fine, the thought makes my tears halt for a shocked moment.

"Shh," he says, "fulfil my last wish."

I nod vigorously.

"Close your eyes," he says. I hesitate, wiping at my face once more.

"Please," he says. I listen and close my eyes. Who knew that you could still cry so hard when your eyes ae closed?

"Shh," he says again and begins to sing.

Th melody is familiar. A story of a young man who sacrifices his life for his lover and of a young woman who lived her life to the fullest to commemorate his memory.

"Guiding me through the dark," he sings, "my moonlight."

My tears are quiet as they fall. His voice becomes quieter as time passes until a few minutes later when they fade into silence.

My heart drops.

OOMPA LOOMPA