My heart feels more at ease after Jack's approval.
Now that he knows I can put my powers to better advantage and perhaps protect the two of us instead of running so much.
His smile makes my heart flutter and him holding my hand makes my tummy feel funny in a good way.
Now I've come to realize it.
I can't deny it anymore.
Even though he may not feel the same towards me...I love him.
I love Jack.
And I will do anything to protect him.
We continue to walk until we reach the outskirts of the city, mother had a point when she said that there are train rails that cover all of them.
Every inch of the land has a crossing railroad that passes through the city and what I suppose to other cities as well.
There are barely any buildings at this point with the exception of a few cottages which seem abandoned but Jack keeps moving forward.
I trust his judgment so I keep close to him trying not to give in to temptation.
The last thing I want is to scare him off for something that isn't my power.
We've been walking for a few hours now and my body begins to feel a bit sore even though I try my best to ignore it.
I feel my legs weaken as if they are about to give out before my knees drop to the floor.
I see Jack usher to me quickly, he looks worried and my mother feels worried as well.
"June are you okay, you look roughed up, let's take a break," he tells me before supporting my body onto his shoulder.
I only let out a few weak breaths, I must still be pretty beaten after using my energy back with the ice cream truck.
"Here," Jack tells me handing me a water bag which I finish in a matter of seconds.
He then hands me a piece of bread and meat which I thankfully take before gobbling it down.
I must look like a pig, I feel my cheeks flush in embarrasment when I catch Jack staring.
"Aren't you going to eat anything?" I ask him and he suddenly takes out some water and bread for himself as well.
He nibbles on it gracefully and I suddenly feel more embarrased.
I must have looked like an animal while I ate for sure.
When we are both done, we stand up again before continuing our journey with a little bit more strength.
I feel more at ease when after eating, a little bit stronger and Jack also looks more relieved after eating something as well.
We continue to walk for a few more minutes until we reach a dead-end, there is a large hanging cliff with no apparent end to it.
"It's a dead-end," I hear Jack mutter with frustration.
No rail bridges pass it and the other side of land seems too far to reach.
I hear Jack groan again.
"I remember it being here," he mutters again and I frown, this trip had been a bunch of loose ends but it'd given me all sorts of answers as well.
I suddenly take out my journal eyeing the map once more but it only pinpoints to Rail City without any additional information.
What exactly was the point of this quest anyway?
It was so confusing and it has taken us back and forth through so many dangerous situations.
I sigh loudly and I feel my mother wrap her comfort around me.
No luck? she asks and I nod a no.
"I don't know what I'm honestly doing anymore," I tell her and she sighs.
At least we got to meet again and talk, she responds.
You also got to meet Jack, she adds and I smile looking over at him who looks clearly more frustrated.
"You're right but I don't even know if we will get to the blind eye in time," I respond, my friends were still in danger.
In time? she asks and I nod.
"Yes, back at Pale City there was a group of runaway children but...we couldn't do anything," I respond frowning.
I see and you had to escape? she asks and I nod.
"We had no choice up until a prophecy where only a certain relic called the blind eye can terminate it," I add and I can feel her frown.
We will make it June, she tells me and I smile, I was grateful to have her and know that I actually had a loving mother even though I wish I could hug her.
Our thoughts are interrupted by the sound of screeching against a hard metal surface.
I turn around and my eyes widen in horror, a train it's going to squash us if we don't move.
"Jack we gotta move!" I yell at him while I see its blinding lights approaching us at full speed.
Jack suddenly turns his gaze to see the train, before sprinting to take my hand and running to avoid it just in time.
"That was close," I say before breathing normally again.
"Yeah it was," he says clenching onto my hand tightly.
Before we can say anything else, the train makes an abrupt stop.
Sparks fly out of its wheels while it makes a loud screeching sound telling us it is about to stop.
It stops only in a matter of seconds not giving us enough time to react or think until the passenger door flies open.
I feel my fingernails dig deeper onto Jack's skin to the point I may cut him.
The hairs on the back of my neck stand up when the conductor comes out, he looks far more menacing than the ice cream man.
His eyes are covered with a dirty rag while his pointy beard is sticking out of it.
He smiles at us threateningly with his charcoal-covered teeth before licking them with his long and gross tongue.
"Jack we need to get out of here," I whisper harshly but he is glued onto the floor, he is afraid of this thing but it's not only the conductor he is afraid of.
A dozen of shadow people are surrounding us as well, they laugh and chatter while our faces grow pale.
Lookie here we got some fresh meat, one boy laughs.
The boy is mine, a girl laughs cynically.
The conductor suddenly growls at us and I feel my hand shift from Jack's hand onto his arm.
Hold up buddy we got this one, an older boy's voice tells the monster.
Remember your place, he adds menacingly.
The conductor growls again in annoyance but nonetheless gets back inside the train before speeding away.
Something tells me these things are not here to be courteous.
These things are what replaced my mother.
Pure beings of evil that serve Andrew solemnly and his ruling.
Where are my manners? How are you doing friends? the older one speaks and the others laugh behind him.
Shush it let's be nice to our new friends, he adds cynically and I feel Jack tense.
"What do you want?" Jack growls and they all laugh again.
Oh my, we have some tough jerky here don't we guys? he laughs.
We want your bodies, of course, he adds and I feel my blood turn cold.
Stay away from them, my mother growls and they laugh again, their laughs are terrifying and annoying at the same time.
Or what you gonna tell my parents? he mocks and I can almost imagine my mother clenching her fists.
"Back off," I say without thinking and I see it turn its head to me.
He has no expressions at all only a black smooth surface for a face and I suddenly feel uneasy.
Who the heck are you? he asks and I suddenly let go of Jack to face him.
"That's none of your concern so just back off or else," I myself feel confused by this new courage inside me, it's like I am not controlling my body but a new person is yet I know I am the one making these decisions.
You know I actually thought you were kind of hot at first but now you just sit me as annoying, he tells me menacingly and I feel Jack grab my arm.
"June those things are dangerous, they took Olivia, we need to get out now!" he whispers harshly into my ear, I know he has a valid point but I won't back down...not anymore.
You know what I'm just going to kill you first before taking your bodies, it will be much more fun that way, he tells me, and all of a sudden the shadows begin to drift around us like wolves surrounding their prey.
"Stay close to me," Jack suddenly tells me but I don't, instead I concentrate all of my energy in my hands, I had to do this.
I feel static and dark energy course through my veins again, it hurts this time.
Tears begin pouring through my eyes as I feel myself use a lot of my energy to form a good amount in my palms.
What the hell? one of them mutters but before they can speak anymore I aim it at one and blast it.
Its shadow body suddenly evaporates and now I know we can manage.
I begin blasting one after another through the pain, they must be terrified, and deep down it pleases me.
Let's get them! it yells and all of a sudden they all charge at us with full speed.
I feel myself weaken but I cannot give up not now, I have to protect Jack even at the cost of my own life.
I blast one after another while they all try to get ahold of us but I am stronger yet they don't give up.
I'm sick of you harridan, it screams before launching itself at me with so much force I am unable to zap it, I only manage to duck down but it crashes into Jack instead sending him dangling on the edge of the cliff.
I feel my nerves tense up when I hear Jack struggling to pull himself up.
"JACK!" I scream in horror while one grabs me by the arm forcefully to push me to the ground.
I'm going to enjoy this, it says before forming a blade with one of its black hands.
Many thoughts are flooding through my head at that moment, I am probably going to die right now.
But I can't, there are still people that need me.
Jack needs me and I certainly need him.
I feel weak as I try to gather the last bit of energy I have left in my body to end this thing.
I finally raise my hand before it can pierce my stomach and it sends them all to evaporate but I feel like I've been hit by a truck when my hand blasts them with static and black energy.
My body feels weak while I wipe off some blood from my mouth with my hand.
My thoughts are interrupted when I hear Jack struggling and I rush to him though I am practically dragging my body.
"Jack hold on!" I tell him before clasping his hand with mine.
"Hold on I'm going to pull you up," I tell him while trying to get ahold of his other hand but I can't my hand is close to slipping.
Tears are on the edge of my eyes, I need to pull him up.
I need to.
Let go, the young boy's voice rings into my ears.
Let go June, he'll never love a monster like you, either way, it mocks and my vision begins to feel clouded.
"SHUT UP!" I yell at it but it continues to laugh.
I know how badly you want to let go June...you are evil deep down just like your mother and father, just let him go...give in..., it murmurs into my ears temptingly, and all of a sudden he doesn't sound young at all but like a boy my age.
I'll love you instead unlike him I crave you, and I feel my skin shiver.
No, I can't.
"June?" Jack asks suddenly in fear.
No this can't be happening.
My vision begins to shift all of a sudden, I see my father's young self in front of me then it flashes back to Jack.
It's zig-zagging back and forth which makes me feel sick, a nightmare combined with reality.
I don't even know what is real anymore.
Jack.
What are you waiting for? Do it now, it murmurs, and all of a sudden I feel my fingers let go of his hand one by one.
Now I know what my last nightmare had been trying to tell me.
It was a preparation for what is about to happen now, something I can't avoid.
Something that is bound to happen.
June don't do it! Don't give in! my mother pleads but I am too entranced by what is about to happen.
I feel him slipping but I suddenly don't feel anything.
Jack's voice feels like a blur while he tries to hold on but suddenly I feel my hand let go completely.
I can hear Jack scream as his body begins to descend into the cliff, I feel myself sob while I see him fall to his doom.
I'm a monster.
Just like my dad.
Just like my mom.
Maybe even worse than Andrew.
June what have you've done?! my mother screams but I don't know how to react, I feel cold.
Then I feel nothing.
June listen to me, go for him, don't make the same mistake I made...don't let go of the ones you love, do this for me, for your father and for Jack, my mother is pleading and all of a sudden I get a different vision.
I am seven years old and taking my usual stroll back at Pale City.
I am close to my safe haven at the abandoned apartment building, close to reading my fairy tales and enjoying some snacks I had collected over the years.
I am skipping in the puddles a bit while the rain is probably soaking my dress and boots.
The Earth suddenly doesn't smell like corpses but rain and wet mud.
It feels almost like a dream, a beautiful one that I don't want to wake up from.
I am smiling and giggling as all of this is happening, it is an escape from the constant nightmare I have been forced to live in every day.
It is an escape from all the little nightmares that surround me constantly and keep me caged from anything worth living for.
My laughter and smiles are suddenly interrupted by someone clearing their throat.
I spin my heels around to face a boy, probably my age or a bit older.
He is wearing an eye patch only to reveal one familiar green eye.
His hair is wet and messy from the rain while his cape covers the rest of his body.
He looked like a prince.
"Are you a prince?" I suddenly ask him and he flinches.
"Stay away from me!" he suddenly yells and I raise a brow in confusion.
"Why?" I ask him and he seems to back away more.
"Just...stay back," he tells me and I take a step toward him.
"I'm June, what is your name?" I ask with a vivid smile.
"That's none of your business," he says with venom in his tone but I don't seem to mind.
"That's okay then, are you a prince like in my fairy tale books?" I ask him and he suddenly gives me a curious look.
"What?"
"A prince, like in Snow White?" I ask again but he only nods a no.
"Oh ok, can we be friends?" I ask hopefully but his glare turns menacing.
"No, I'll never be friends with someone like you," he spats before running away.
That was the first time I met him.
No wonder he felt so familiar.
We started as enemies but then grew into friends and yet...I let...I let go.
"NO JACK!" I scream before looking over the edge again.
He is still falling, he looks far but I may make it if I jump in time.
What are you doing?! the boy screams.
"You are wrong...I am not like my father or Andrew or that thing that is inside my mother's body...I am going to end this," I tell him before leaping off the cliff myself.
I feel my body grow limp as I try to reach Jack, this is probably stupid but I am not giving up.
I slowly push my body forward as I see Jack who is still falling to his doom.
I won't make the same mistake.
I won't let go of the ones I love.
I suddenly see myself approaching Jack until my hand gets ahold of his.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?!" he yells despite the fact he is falling but instead I try to concentrate a bit more energy into my hand.
"HOLD ON!" I yell before zapping my hand down into the cliff.
Suddenly a blue light emits out of it combined with my amulet which is glowing red as well. I feel it support me as if giving me a bit more strength to hold on.
We both feel gravity gaining on us, I am afraid we will both die in all of this but I still try my best to concentrate my energy.
I feel my left hand hold tightly onto Jack as I try to concentrate my other one to power up.
A blue and red light suddenly zaps out of my hand and into the cliff before creating a type of barrier around us.
"C'mon work," I mutter until we finally fall onto the floor.
I feel my body suddenly grow weaker than it had before but at least we are on the ground now.
I look over to Jack who doesn't have a single scratch on him even though he looks petrified from the fall.
He's fine.
I actually made it.
I saved him but before I can do anything else my world grows dark and I can't feel a single thing.