Chapter 14 - Ophelia's River
"Twenty minutes and counting," Daniel said as Quistis studied the screen. She saw the expressions of confusion on the faces of the five crew members and felt like her heart was about to burst with guilt. What had those men done to deserve being sentenced to death? Yet the red scorpion did not care, it just wanted the blood of Rinoa Heartilly. The Silent Queen was the one that felt doubt. Quistis pressed her lips together and saw the dark haired boy run in with Ellone by his side. He walked across the room and examined the timer. He too would die, the familiar looking boy but she did not care so much about him. He was Rinoa's consort, Ellone's friend and on top of that he looked eerie.
"Turn on the sound, I want to hear what they are saying." Quistis said.
Daniel nodded and flicked the switch.
So let's hear what they say in the last moments of their lives.
"This timer, it just started ticking. You're part of SeeD right? Can you deactivate it?" The man's voice came over the speakers from the Lunar Space Station so far away.
Quistis reached over to her whip and squeezed it nervously in her hands. Her mind began to drift aimlessly. He was a SeeD huh? A SeeD and a sorceress, how particular. She had never seen a pair like that before. The seconds ticked by.
"Well," he said "If you are sure it is nothing then why are you wasting my time with it?"
Quistis heard Daniel chuckle nervously at the irony of the statement. Daniel shook his head in sorrow. Quistis said nothing. Her eyes opened wide as she saw Rinoa Heartilly suddenly step into the room. Quistis nodded gently. Yes, Rinoa, I want to see the look on your face when you die. But no matter how much pain you suffer it will never make up for all the innocent lives you took.
I'm sorry Squall, The sorceress said to her knight. "Hate me forever but don't hate yourself. Please."
Quistis felt a pang of sorrow for Rinoa then, she did sound like a normal girl when she said .. . .. .Squall .. .Squall? Quistis jumped up suddenly. It hit her then, who he was and why he looked so familiar.
"Unseal the escape pods!" she ordered immediately.
"What?" Daniel asked breaking from his trance.
"DO IT NOW!" Quistis yelled. She turned around to look at the Trepies, technicians, and scientists in the room. "UNSEAL THE ESCAPE PODS!" she hollered. After a moment of hesitation, as they stared at their queen in bewilderment, everyone in the room exploded into life and began to do as she said.
Quistis turned back to the screen and prayed.
Please Squall, get out of there, get out of there now.
ooooo
dreamworld
ooooo
Alive.
Was he alive?
He wasn't sure.
Looking down he saw grass beneath his feet. That perfume in the air of lilac and roses. But he wasn't supposed to be here. Something had happened a few moments ago. Rinoa . .she did something. . .something terrible. Yet at that moment standing on the bluffs he couldn't remember for the life of him . .what that was. Had she tried to kill him? No, it didn't seem right. Had she tried to kill herself? Maybe. . . Maybe . . .it was a thousand other possibilities but he was sure someone close to him had died.
The mist, it was so thick but it was getting better. Crying, there were a lot of people crying in the distance. He saw his mother suddenly, she was slowly getting to her feet. So slowly so painfully it was as though she had been turned into stone. Squall began to run towards her, as fast as his tiny legs would take him. He tripped midway but she didn't notice. He decided not to cry, today he had cried enough and she needed him to be strong for her . . . .because she had cried so much.
