Deadly Atmosphere | Aris Jones [3]

15 || Drifting Away

My head was spinning. My ears were ringing. Everything around me slowed down as I fell. I looked down at the blood and the three holes that were formed in my stomach. My breathing became fast as my friends ran towards me.

"Piper!" Aris' voice became loud and clear once he got closer to me. "Piper, you're bleeding..."

"Here, I can stop the wounds!" Sonya said, taking her coat off and trying to press all three bullet holes.

"There's no...there's no use..." I breathed out. "I'm bleeding out."

"No, Piper, we'll help you!" Aris protested, his voice cracking. "Let us help you!"

"I won't make it." I coughed, the pain hitting me hard.

"Don't talk like that," Lillie told me. "You'll be fine."

But I wasn't fine. I was far from it. The seconds went by and I could feel the life slowly draining out of me. As much as I didn't want it to come down to this, I knew things had a way of showing up unexpectedly. If anything, WICKED taught me that.

I saw Maeve turned around and gasped. "Newt's gone."

All of us had sad looks on our faces. I huffed a sigh, even though it hurt to do so. "See? You can't save everyone."

"But we're going to save you, Piper," Aris said in a firm tone. "I promise."

"I'm dying," I whispered. "I can't walk and there's nothing else you can do."

Aris shook his head in disbelief, tears coming down. "No, you can't give up! Please, don't give up!"

I took his hand and gripped it tightly. "I knew we'd lose people in this battle with WICKED, no matter how hard we tried to save everyone. We lost our friends in the Glen, in the Scorch, and now in the Last City." I paused and looked at the rest of my friends as they began to cry as well. "We'd all be naïve to think that we would all survive."

"But you're strong," Beth commented. "As much as I couldn't stand you from the moment you showed up at the Glen, you don't deserve this."

I couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "We can't pick who lives and who dies, Beth."

As I felt myself get worse, my friends surrounded me with tearful faces, putting their hands on top of mine. I pictured all of them for the first time when I arrived in the Box. All eyes were on me when Beth grabbed me out. Only that time, I was confused, but still very much alive.

"Does it hurt?" Sonya asked.

"A little," I admitted. "But it'll stop soon." I coughed some more, a few tears falling down my face. "Listen, I want you guys to head for the Berg."

"What? No, we're not leaving you!" Lillie protested with tears falling down her face.

"You guys have a chance to leave." I began to pant. "Please. Go to the Safe Haven like Vince talked about. Now's your chance."

All of them gave each other sorrowful looks, then turned back to me. I already knew the decision to leave me behind was hard, but it had to be done. "We'll miss you, Piper."

"I know," I replied. "But we'll see each other again soon."

With that, Maeve was the first to leave as she gave me one final hug.

Beth was next, even her face was wet from crying. "Goodbye, stick."

I smiled a bit. "Goodbye, crackface."

Sonya was the third. She hugged me for a while, knowing she had to let go sooner or later. Once she did, it took every fiber of her being to finally head off.

Lillie stared at me for a brief moment. I could see the pain in her eyes. "You were my first friend in the Glen, you know. I'm glad that someone talked to me, even when I didn't talk back."

"Well, you were always a good listener," I pointed out.

She smiled back and gripped my hand tight, then went for the embrace. "I really hope that the other side is beautiful."

"It'll be nice, I'm sure."

She pulled away and nodded. "Goodbye, Piper. Thank you for being my friend." With that, she was no longer in my sight.

Aris was the only one left. "You should leave, too."

"I'm not doing that. I can't let you die alone."

I sniffled, the pain coming back. "Do you still love me?"

"Yes."

I nodded my head. "You know, you were right all along."

"Right about what?"

I took a deep breath. "I was able to love this version of you. I knew we wouldn't work, but I felt something towards you, anyway. It was something that came to me over time, and now I know for certain. So, Aris, I love you. I have for a whi--" A cough came over me, the pain coming full force once again.

"Piper, it's okay," he told me.

"Aris, if you really do love me, then you'll respect my choice and you'll go with the others."

The crying was about to happen again as Aris wiped his tears. "But you'll be alone."

"I won't be for long," I assured him. "Go to the Safe Haven. Be safe and free, away from all of this."

So with some reluctance and sadness, Aris gave me one last peck on the lips. "I won't forget you," he whispered.

"Good."

As the final embrace came to me, I couldn't help but feel the lump in my throat once Aris let me go. He stood up and walked away, and I was hoping for both of our sakes he wouldn't turn around.

I then took out my walkie, groaning, and turned it on. "Harriet, it's Piper. I don't know if you can hear me, but I've been..." I trailed off, composing myself. "I'm dying, Harriet. I just want to thank you for being a strong leader, in and out of the Glen. You never gave up on us." I paused, catching my breath. "Enjoy the Safe Haven. Goodbye."

After waiting for a response for almost a minute, I threw the walkie, knowing I no longer needed it.

With my body slowly giving up on me, I felt a calmness in the atmosphere. I attempted to look around, but all I could see was a white light in my view. Then, two figures came in my way, heading towards me. They looked familiar, but I couldn't figure out who they were. That was until they were right in front of me.

"Rachel?" I whispered, staring at the red head.

"Hey, Piper," she replied.

"We didn't think it'd come to this," the brunette, who I finally recognized as Esther, spoke up beside her.

"It's been one hell of a fight for me," I said.

"And now you can let go," Esther whispered.

"You can come with us," Rachel added.

"To where?" I asked, feeling myself getting weaker.

"A Safe Haven," they answered at the same time.

As I began to get cold, the feeling of peace came over me. It was then I finally released myself, drifting towards the light.

A/N: Well, RIP Piper.

I can't believe I wrote this in one sitting.

I hope I wrote out her death in the best way possible. It was very difficult to do so, but I hope it was okay.

Song above is Goodbye by John Paesano.

Comment, vote, the epilogue is next.

-A