Innocent Torture

44|the end

——
Markus

Worry coursed throughout Markus' veins as he remembered the context of the note that was left by Jackson.

Something within him just felt heavy, and it didn't help that it had been over two weeks since seeing Jackson. The lurking thoughts of his, that Jackson had become either killed by the Darwin's, or worse, held hostage to them, creeped up in his mind every once in a while.

But something within him just knew it wasn't Jackson who was harmed. That maybe it was Ebony, and that that could be the reason he was gone for so long.

And as he made his rounds to check up on Paris, who was getting better progressively, he peeked into the room to see that she was drawing something.

She had yet to start talking to him once again. All she did when she awoke was just stare at him, and all Markus felt like he could do was just hold her as she stared.

Until he finally gave her something else to be occupied with, hence the pen and paper that she began to focus her attention on regularly now.

And as he stepped into the room to see what it was that Paris was drawing, the bars doors opened and instantly Markus went into defense mode as he closed the door to Paris, and peeked around the corner to see a familiar mess of black hair, and pale skin.

"Jackson-"

"I'm, too tired too talk." Jackson's words were slurred as he brushed past Markus then, and a wave of heavy alcohol invaded his senses as Jackson went into the meeting room, and slammed the door behind him.

All the while the only thing that was stuck on Markus mind, was that Ebony was not with him.

——

Behind that door Jackson lay on the floor. Listening to the sound of nothing, as his cheek was pressed against the carpet.

Weeks had went by of nothing but booze, and pain, more booze and more pain.

Nothing could heal him or fix his broken heart. The hole in his chest, would never be healed. It was a gaping hole, one that could only be surgically fixed by the hands who now held onto his heart, six feet under.

He'd never love again. Never give love, nor accept it. This was his end, this would be the end of his story.

And as he pulled the pistol out of his pocket, he stared at the metal piece. So many lives were stored inside it, so many souls, and demons hid behind this piece of metal. Every single life he had taken away stared back at him now.

He wondered if there would be room for one more.

And he raised the gun, and brought it to his head. Gently, pulling the trigger.

——

Ebony's hands on Jackson's back, that were once holding him tightly, suddenly loosened as he felt her jerk into him. He whipped his head around to see her staring into his eyes, with pain in hers.

As he fully turned his body around then, she fell into his arms as blood began to pool out of her mouth.

Her eyes watered as her labored breaths caught up, and time regulated as both Ebony and Jackson fell to the ground.

David used this as his chance to escape, running to the doors as Jackson looked up in time to raise his gun, and fire several rounds off before he heard a scream from David, as he stumbled out of the building.

Jackson then turned his attention back to Ebony as she lay on the ground, struggling to breathe as Jackson dropped the gun, and shakily searched her body for the wound.

"Ebony, breathe for me. Okay just, just breathe." Jackson said, panicking as he couldn't get past all the blood that now was all over her clothes and his hands as she gently brought her hands to his frantic ones, and stopped them.

"B-breathe." She said to him, as he couldn't look her in the eyes as he searched her body for any type of exit wound.

"There's no exit wound, why the hell isnt there an exit wound. I have to stop the bleeding-"

"Jackson, s-stop." She brought her hand to his cheek then, as he stopped and stared into her watered eyes as he felt his own burning.

"Thank you." She whispered, staring between the both of Jackson's eyes as he couldn't move, feeling that whatever he did wouldn't help.

Her hand on his cheek, brought warmth. Holding her again, made him feel whole.

But realizing that this could be the last time he'd ever see her again, brutally pained him.

"I'm not letting you go." Jackson tried getting Ebony up, but she wouldn't budge as she winced and screamed out in pain.

"The bullet is still inside of me." She wheezed, as Jackson looked back down to her, seeing the pain on her face, and knowing from experience, that moving her anymore could cause more internal damage.

"I knew you would, b-be like this." She gave him a weak, and bloody toothed smile as Jackson let out shaky breaths. "You wouldn't ever let anything happen." She blinked away the tears, as they rolled down her cheeks.

"Thank you for never giving up on m-me." Ebonys eyes blurred as Jackson's lip quivered, and she smiled through her tears. "I love you. So much t-that I am willing to protect you, in anyway possible." A tear slid down her cheek as she sniffled, and felt her breathing begin to narrow.

"I w-want you to know, that I love you. And I will always love you. You-you are my other half, my better part of me." She had began to wheeze now, as Jackson closed his eyes and let the tears slide down his cheeks, as he felt Ebony's hand resting on his cheek.

"Thank you, for setting me free." She whispered, with one final breath as she let out a sigh, and closed her eyes as her body went limp, and Jackson held her hand to his face.

And he cried. His soft sobs echoed throughout the empty building as he was terrified to open his eyes and see Ebonys last breath.

It should've been me. He continued to say in his mind, as he slowly peeled his eyes open, and saw her limp body as flashbacks of the day David died, came to his mind.

It happened again. He had lost yet another person whom he'd loved, to the Darwin's.

Maybe it wasn't his fight to end them. Maybe it wasn't his duty to fight up against the Darwin's.

Jackson brought his shaking hands to her head, lifting it up as he brought her lips to his and kissed her one final time.

——

I realize how fast, yet slow this story has progressed so far. How I could have done so much better to update quicker, and work harder to reel updates out to you all who enjoy this story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

And now that this is the end, I feel like I never really accomplished my complete end goal of this story. Yes, this was the original plan I intended to end this story with. As sad as it is to say.

But I do realize that I've done so much that didn't need to be added in. Plot twists that don't make much sense, and confuse my readers. Just because I never had an outline, and I went with my gut, and what I felt would be better to happen next.

So this is where it ends. Innocence is Torture, this is where this story closes and a new one begins.

Romeo and Juliet it seems? Jackson losing his life, because his dear Ebony has lost hers.

Thank you so much for reading, voting, commenting, sharing my story and adding my story to your reading lists!

I appreciate everything you all have done for this story. I really do, and I pray that you all will live life making your own art, and doing what you love because that's all that matters.

Much love, forever,

- Mayah ❤️