The Spirits Animals Cult Story Remastered

Gone

It had been a good night. They were partying and dancing, but Shadow wished she could take back just one jump, just one bang, just one movement. If she hadn't done just one more jump, it wouldn't have fallen and Worthy wouldn't have been crushed.

She hadn't left her husband's side since the stone hit him. He hadn't woken up, but now he stirred. His eyelids flickered a little.

"Worthy?" Shadow leaned forward.

"Huh?"

"Shh, shh... Honey, it's okay," She laid a hand on top of his chest. To her surprise, he pushed it away.

"'Honey? Who are you? Get off me!" Worthy struggled to sit up. "Don't you know who I am?!"

"Worthy?"

"Worthy!? What do you mean!? I am Devin Trunswick! Future Earl of Trunswick! Get off me!!"

Shadow's blood ran cold. "Is this some joke? Are you kidding me?"

"Who are you? Why would I be joking?" Worthy was dead serious... if he even was Worthy anymore.

"Worthy, I'm your wife!" Shadow insisted.

"Stranger, I'm not married!"

"Worthy."

"Idiot." Worthy turned his face away from her.

Tears spilled out of her eyes and streamed down Shadow's face. He wasn't joking. She let go of his body, and he stood up.

"Worthy," she said through tears. "Come back to me!"

"Guards! Guards?!" Worthy called. "This woman is delusional! Get her out of here!!"

"Worthy!"

"Stop saying that!" he snapped.

Shadow couldn't believe her ears. "But- but it's your name."

"My name is Devin Trunswick."

Dawson came in. He had been worried about his brother.

"Worthy... What's going on?" His eyes flicked from Shadow to his brother.

"You too, Dawson!? Come on! Do you know this woman?"

"Of course, I know her, she's my sister-in-law!" Dawson crossed the room and put one arm around Shadow, who was quivering from fear. She was glad of his comfort, but it wasn't the same. He wasn't the same as his brother.

"When did Daphne get married!?" Worthy looked at him like a stranger.

"No, Worthy, you're married! She's the love of your life."

"Ha, ha, very funny. I get it, the joke's on me, and I said stop with the Worthy thing already." Worthy glared at everyone in the room.

"Devin..." Dawson was crying now too. Shadow could feel his tears landing on her hand. "Shadow, what do we do?"

"I'll deal with this," he said. "He doesn't remember you. It would be better to go see Tasha." Shadow nodded, then, sobbing, ran out of the room. As she ran, she bumped into Raisha.

"Woah! Shadow, what happened?" Raisha regained her balance and gripped Shadow's shoulders. "Are you okay?"

"No!" she cried. "I'm not okay!"

"Come and sit down. Let's talk about it." Raisha's voice was soft, but it wasn't what Shadow wanted.

"I don't want to talk about it!" She pushed Raisha aside and continued to run. She heard Raisha following her. Shadow knew who she wanted to see. Someone who wouldn't care, someone who was too mad to realize the gravity of it, someone like Song. She burst into the Empress's room. "Song!" she demanded.