The Necklace (#Wattys 2017)

Chapter 46: The Final Act

Now that I thought about it, I had not imagined it.
Well, I had imagined it, but not like this.

As I unzipped the black bag, I felt my hands stiffen. I did everything slow, even though I knew the stakes on hold. I was unprepared for this, to be honest.
Maybe it was the fact that she herself wanted to die, I suggested to myself. Or maybe it was because I wasn't feeling the fire burning inside me. Was I feeling regret?

Look at you, my head mocked. You've come to the point where you have to do this. You have to murder a person, because you have come to a point where you have no choice.

But before I could respond, it started again.

Revenge? Justice? Is this what it comes down to? You know this isn't justice. You knew it all along, Damon Hale. You chose to ignore it, because you weren't thinking straight.
You didn't want justice in the right way.
You wanted the pain to be equal, if not worse.

No! I-

Look at her. She doesn't deserve this, Damon. Just look at what is going to happen.

I looked at her, reluctantly. My hand clutched the box of the Necklace. She was leaning against the wall, her hands clamped around the back of her head. Every once in a while, she looked at her hands which were bloody. Cringing, she put them back and bit her lip and closed her eyes.

She knows her end is near, anyway, I thought. My conscience shook its head in disappointment.

Does she deserve this? it asked again, mocking.

No, I replied. She doesnt deserve any of this. All she ever did was love. She might have chosen to love the wrong person, or in the wrong way. But all she ever did was love. That wasn't her fault.

She should have been smarter then, my other side retorted.

But she wasn't, I answered firmly. For once. For once she chose to do something from her heart and not her head, and she made a huge mistake. It may partly be her fault, but no, she doesn't deserve any of this.
I felt myself drop the box back.

Don't do it, Mr. Conscience whispered. You can still get away from the guilt.

"Damon?" Jade called out, her voice was full of pain. "Are you getting to it or what? We don't have time.."

Don't do it.

I have to.

You'll forever die internally of guilt. Don't do it.

I may die figuratively of guilt, but its better than letting her die in the worst way possible through the hands of that witch, I told it. That, is what she truly doesn't deserve.
She doesn't deserve to die from the hands of the person she loved, for whom she did all of it for.
She doesn't deserve that at all.

Don't-

And I will make sure that never happens. I shut my head, taking out the box again.
I turned around and walked over to Jade. The weight of the velvet box seemed to be of tons, but I had to drag it with me.
I was in control, not the Necklace.

When I stood in front of Jade, I felt my insides flip. It was like I was going through all my mixed emotions all over again.
She was so beautiful, I couldn't help but want to curl up. Maybe it was messed of me to think she was beautiful, even when she was muddy and bloody.
But then I realised, beauty wasn't on the outside- beauty lies inside.
I saw her trying to mentally prepare herself by taking huge breaths, and rubbing her arms, and nodding to herself.
When she opened her wonderous, grey eyes again, I felt like I was part of her soul. I couldn't let that go, ever.