Homesick Dreams || A Fan Ending To HJFONE

Chapter 3: Haphazard Promise

"I promise I'll get you guys out of there, don't worry." 

Liam impulsively whispered into the microphone linked to The Plane. He sucked back a sharp, guilty breath, as if disbelieving his own words. It had now been a week since Airy disappeared. Liam was feeling conflicted about it, part of him relished in Airy's absence, but part of him felt like with enough bribery, Airy could have told him how to free his friends. 

Looking at the contestants tiny, ant-like bodies, made Liam feel like an incompetent god. Maybe this is what drove Airy into his sick, power-hungry madness. The thought of the helpless contestant must have filled the deranged lantern with such joy, like a dictator of some sort. Liam wished he could let go of Airy's memory and just focus on the task at hand instead of pondering the past.

He missed his normal life; he missed the time before multiple precious lives were left in his clumsy and inexperienced hands. The only thing keeping him from giving up was the hope of seeing his friends... and Bryce... safe with the knowledge that Airy is no longer there to torture innocent souls. 

Liam had lost everything to Airy.. he was literally pronounced legally dead due to his absense in society. He needed to make sure this sicko couldn't hurt anyone else... he needed to end this vicious cycle right here, once and for all... but... he felt smaller by the second. He felt as if he'd never be able to figure out Airy's thousands of pages of cryptic commands and code.

How could he keep his promise...?

How could he ensure everyone's safety?

He passed out at the desk with a thud... why did it have to be this way?