Revolution: Genesis (Published)

Epilogue: Return to Salvus City

AZURA

Whatever happens, one cannot ever break-free of the roots of their childhood. It could connect them to a place. It could connect them to a particular person. That makes it easier for one to feel like they belong. However it doesn't limit itself to physical beings only. The souls are the same. Many would stick to one place all their life and many would quench their wanderlust.

*'*'*

I couldn't sleep. While everyone was snoring the night away, I couldn't bring myself to fall into my slumber. Not when there was a looming threat hanging over our heads. When I got tired of twisting and turning, I got out of bed and padded towards the kitchen to drink water since my parched throat made it hard for me to breathe. As I sipped the cold liquid, I couldn't help but glance out the kitchen window that looked down towards the ground we all trained on. It was unexpected to see a figure sitting there on the bench hidden in the shadow.

Knowing that another person was in the same state as I was, made me go downstairs towards them. I made sure to be as quiet as possible because I didn't want to disturb anyone and didn't want to go through what Mason did when he was sleeping over at my house. I still felt guilty over how I didn't consider it could be him. But the memory made me smile nonetheless. It felt like a lifetime ago. When our biggest concerns involved surprise quizzes and good grades. What I wouldn't give to go back to that.

As soon as I stepped out the patio, I recognized the figure in the dark. It was Jack. From afar, there was little light that showed his features and as I kept looking, I felt the eerie presence of Betelgeuse in him. It made me falter in my footsteps. But when I reached him, I could outline the slight stubble covering his face. The sharp angle of his jaw line seemed prominent in the mild illumination. He jumped in start when he sensed me standing near him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you." I said giving him a sheepish smile. His eyes were stormy as he took in my presence and I wondered how the bags under his eyes suited him so well.

"No, it's okay." He gave me a small smile and I saw the change of his dark eyes as they regained a little light. He was in a deep thought but now he gave me his full attention and scooted over to give me space to sit by him.

"Couldn't sleep?" I asked after taking in the silent solitude. There was no sign of the thunderstorm now. I guess my moods affected the weather. I wondered if it was always the case, ever since I was a child. And if so, was I responsible for the lightning strokes hitting civilization?

"No. Not after the cyclone morning. You?" I could tell he was attempting to be funny by the use of a pun and that earned him a wry smile.

"Not after we've been warned to not go somewhere we can't even control. I guess it is 'Nightmare on the Elm Street' in real life." I shrugged as he grinned at the reference.

"And Freddie just so happens to be my psycho uncle." He said and I laughed alongside him. As much as I wanted to subside it by joking, I knew it wasn't that simple. And by the looks of it, Jack caught up on my thought as well because after a moment he went quiet and got lost in his thoughts again.

I thought of all the things that could be bothering him just so I could understand him and found so many that it made me gasp in sadness. It hadn't really registered before but it was daunting how Jack kept in all the guilt, the pent anger and frustration and all the things he had to go through alone just because of his naïve mistake. I wanted him to know that I forgave him when I realized we hadn't talked at all about what went down when I woke up. I opened my mouth to let him know my thoughts when he turned towards me with nervous but resolved eyes.

"Would you...go somewhere with me?" He exhaled, closing his eyes. This was weird. A million questions ran in my brain but I was adamant to not make this awkward so I asked him the safest question I could muster in return.