#leesundeul

He starts walking up the pathway leading towards the front door. Once he reaches the porch, he takes in a deep breath and exhales it out, chanting positive words in his mind to boost up his confidence. Rapping his knuckles against the door, he straightens himself out for the last time.

He could hear footsteps coming from behind the door. A beautiful woman appears behind it, smiling at him, causing the corner of her eyes and mouth to form wrinkles. She welcomes him to come inside, greeting him with a loving hug and tells him to wait at the foyer before calling out the name of her daughter, his lover.

Standing at the top of the stairs, was a young woman. Dressed in a long sleeveless hemline sweep cut fairy dress with a sweetheart neckline. The dress was made from silk, satin, decorated with small soft pearls beaded along the neckline and a sheer layer of fabric to top it off from the waist down. The colour of the dress was a paler tone of lavender than the corsage he was holding.

She was simply breath taking.

The very sight of her made the young man’s heart tingled in excitement and his eyes twinkled in delight. He had the widest grin on his face, almost as to say, “I can’t believe she’s mine.”.

The woman gracefully took small steps as she begins descending the stairs, almost floating even. She had tugged the end of her dress higher to prevent her from falling. As she reaches the bottom, the man reaches out his hand as the woman slips her hand into his.

“You truly are an amazing beauty, Ms. L/N.” His compliment had caused the woman to blushed a rosy tint on her cheeks. After two years of courting, the littlest of compliment had never failed to make her feel so shy, causing the man to always tease her when he had the chance, much to the woman’s delight.

“And you look quite dashing yourself, Mr. Langdon.” He chuckled at her compliment making her laugh as well. He brings out his other hand from behind, showing the corsage that he had for her.

The moment she placed her eyes on it, her hand had fluttered to her chest, trying her best to calm herself. “My, my, Michael. That’s the most exquisite looking corsage I’ve ever seen. Where did you get this from?”

“I made this myself, actually. I wanted to make it more special. Lavender was the perfect colour to use, seeing as the flower is in full bloom now. Not only that, it holds so much meaning for a flower. It represents refinement, elegance and grace and they are often considered the most delicate and precious due to their sacred place in nature, just like you. A flower like you comes once in a lifetime.” As soon as those words escaped from his mouth, tears had started trickling down the woman’s cheeks.

The man hurriedly wipes the tears away with the softness of his thumb, careful not to smudge her make up. “Stop crying, you’re going to ruin your make up, baby.”

The woman playfully nudges the man’s arm. “Well, it’s your fault for being such a sweet talker.”

The woman’s mother had gone off to grab her camera to get pictures of this special day. “Alright, hurry up you two. Get closer to each other. Oh my god, you both look so adorable!”

The man takes the corsage out of the box before slipping it on the woman’s wrist. The woman admired its beauty before being nagged by her mother to snap out of her daze.

Few clicks here and there, and the pair of lovers are off.

Like the gentlemen he is, the man opens the passenger door for his partner, before going around the driver’s side and slipping into his seat. The car’s roof was open so they could see the dark night sky with the stars scattered across it. It was as if someone had poke holes through a black canvas, with light emitting through it. If one could hear how the stars sound like, it would sound utterly sad and heart breaking, constantly awaiting their time before bursting out the last of its energy and fading out to die.

“How about a little music along the way?”

“Sure.” The man turns on the radio, turning the knobs trying to find a good station before landing on one, a pleasant melody starts to play, almost letting your body to sway to the music.

“They’re playing The Five Satins! I love this song. It sounds so romantic yet so haunting beautiful, don’t you think?” The woman chirps.

“I couldn’t agree more.” The man starts his engine and drives down the road, one hand steering the wheel and the other, wrapped around the woman’s shoulders, cuddling her closer to him.

The drive to the hotel where the Prom was held didn’t took long, a good twenty minutes at least. By the time the pair had arrive, the function hall was already packed with the seniors of Carmel High. They spotted familiar faces of their friends, drinking away the punch as if it was beer while some of them had already been dancing on the dance floor with their partners.

One by one, all their friends soon left them to dance, leaving the pair by the table. The music coming from the speakers was booming super loud with fun, fresh and funky retro music to dance along to. It continued on until the DJ starts to play something new, a slow song, one that could easily be recognised by the woman.

Taking it was a cue, the man stands up and stands in front of his partner. “Care to dance, my lady?”

She took his hand as the man twirls her around. “I thought you never ask.”

When they approached the dance floor, the woman places her arms around the man’s neck while he places his on her waist. Slowly they begin to sway to the melody of the music, eyes only looking at each other and no one else. Gently, the man places his forehead to rest against the woman’s, giving her his signature smile, one that she had adored since they first started dating.

“I wish we didn’t have to slow dance in the dark. They could at least get better lightning in here other than that disco light they keep recycling over the years.” The woman chuckled, surprising the man.

“It’s better that way, so that you couldn’t see me blush every now and then.”

“Does our close proximity making you feel shy, baby? We’ve been dating for two years now. I’m surprised you’re not used to this by now. I find it cute. You’re so cute.” His teasing only reddened the cheeks of the woman, and she was silently thankful he couldn’t see her face at that moment.

They partied all night long and danced till their legs gave way. They had so much fun, they didn’t bother to check the time. And did I mentioned the pair even won Prom King and Prom Queen? Even the captain of the cheerleading team and her quarterback boyfriend felt frustrated and baffled they didn’t win the title, considering how popular they were. Angered, the cheerleader left the hall screaming bloody murder with her boyfriend trailing behind her.

Once Prom ended, it was time to leave.

“Let’s go home, Michael. You could stay over and we will binge watch on those horror movies they air late at night.”

“Sure, but before we do, I want to show you something.” The man suggested.

“Okay? This better not be one your schemes of terrifying me to death again.” The woman warned. She had too many encounters of her boyfriend pranking her so much she’s amazed she was still breathing and alive.

“No, no more jokes. I promise.” Bringing up his hand, he held out his pinky for the woman to laced her pinky around his. “Good.”

“Where are you taking me? This route leads to Blackteeth Forest. It’s getting dark and there’s no light there. Are you sure you know where you’re going? We’re going to be back home late.” Her voice told the man that she was afraid, glancing at her he could see she looked worried.

“I know but that’s not where we’re heading. Besides, the night’s still young. I really want to show you this place. I’ve been wanting to for so long and only tonight is the night I can show it to you.”

“What’s so special about this place?” The woman wondered.

“All your questions will be answer in due time, baby.”

After a few more minutes of driving, they had reached the location. The woman looked up ahead to see a bridge towering over a lake. Once they reached to the middle part of the bridge, the man parks his convertible to the side.

The woman steps out looking at the scenery in awe despite the gloomy night. The only source of light came from the pale moon, shining brightly down on them.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” The man’s voice came from behind her. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her in closer as her back meets with his chest. He tucks his chin on her shoulder and rested his back on the side of the car.

“It is.” She turns her head to the side, faced with the man’s side profile. She smiles at him, leaning her head forward to give a kiss to his cheek. The man smiles in satisfaction, happy that he was able to make her smile. “I didn’t know this place existed and it looks so wonderful in the night time.”

“Do you know why I brought you here?”

“No, and I would like to have my questions answered now, please.” She pleads.

“Fine. This bridge here is called The Bridge of Mizpah. Mizpah in Hebrew means ‘watchtower’. It also means a deep emotional bond between people, especially those separated by distance or death. This bridge was built in 1919 to link the road from the city to the old St. Helena Cemetery right across.

They named the bridge Mizpah because people couldn’t reach the other side of the lake when they were heading for the cemetery. Before, they had to use canoes and boats to cross over. It got tedious to go back and forth so they decided to build a bridge over, almost as if a connection between the living and the dead.

After the 1930 rock avalanches, the government closed down this road because it was too dangerous since the road is close to the mountains. Now, everyone just uses the new road they built near Rottenhill Park. It’s faster to reach the cemetery and far away from danger.

The lake however, is another story. It looks calm and peaceful, in contrast to its name. Everyone just knows it as Lake Lacrimae but never the reason why. The name Lacrimae comes from Latin for ‘tears’. Before that, it was called, ‘Et Lacrimis Dolorem’. It is a mouthful, I know. It means the ‘tears of sorrow’.

The lake represents the tears the living had shed for the dead. The locals even said that it was Carmel’s version of The River Styx, but instead of hate, its sorrow. A lot of people didn’t dare to swim in this lake, too afraid the souls would drag them down and drown them.

Even if this place just seems utterly depressing, it holds the greatest sight of all. The Mångata. It is a Swedish word to describe the glimmering roadlike reflection the moon creates on the water. Although it’s not that fascinating to others, still, the sight of it just brings warmth to my heart. Only on February 29 will you get to experience this magical yet haunting moment.”

The man ends it off with a sigh, closing his eyes to enjoy the quiet moment of his surroundings.

“I never pegged you for being so mellow and sappy, Michael. You continue to surprise me every day, baby.” She chuckles, only to have the man tickle her sides as she begs him to stop.

“May I remind you who it was that had a crush on this mellow and sappy boy and asked him out on a date?” He stares her down, smirking at her now that she was face to face with him.

The woman crossed her arms, “Fine, you win. But at least I caught a cute one at it too.” She remarks cheekily. The man grabs both of her cheeks, pinching them both before placing a kiss on her pouty lips.

“Thank you. Shall we go now? It’s getting chilly.” The woman nodded.

Once they arrived at the woman’s driveway, she pulls her lover in for a long sweet kiss. “Thanks for today. I really had a great time.” She smiles, giving him another kiss.

The man caresses her side of the face, taking in her features for the last night. “Me too. Wash up and go to bed early, alright?” She rolled her eyes and bid him farewell. “Yes, hubby.”

Once he had heard those words, a grin appeared on his face. “I’ll be seeing you in my dreams, baby.” When he sees her entering her house, she looks back to smile at him and blows him a kiss. He catches it, using the hand and placing it on top of his heart. He waves her goodbye before driving off back to his home.

March 2, 1956.

Local teen found dead in her home on 28 Avalon Street on Thursday morning.

16-year-old Y/N L/N was murdered after being found unconscious in her bed with blood on her prom dress that she wore the day before.

She had been stabbed at least 18 times before succumbing to her wounds. Reports say the time of the incident took place between 11:30pm and 12:00am on February 29, after she was dropped off by her boyfriend after they returned from their Prom.

Her parents had come home late after visiting the hospital where Mrs. L/N’s brother is currently being warded for treatment. Mrs. L/N had found it suspicious when the back door of the house was opened ajar and her daughter, failing to respond to her after calling her out multiple times.

When she went to check on her daughter, she saw her lying in a pool of blood in her bed.

Police had identified the two suspects, Ms. Larnie Woodson and Mr. James McKinley, both students at Carmel High School, where L/N attended as well. Students who went to Prom on the night of February 29 had heard of Woodson’s plans to kill L/N after she was not crowned as Prom Queen.

Both suspects were arrested after police found evidence of the murder weapon in the hidden compartment of the boot of McKinley’s Porsche.  

When asked for comments about the situation, Mr. and Mrs. L/N remained silent. Carmel High School student council had set up a remembrance altar at the school for L/N to honour and remember her as the sweet, loving and caring young woman.

The trial for Woodson and McKinley will be heard on Monday, March 5.

The woman’s lover had heard of the news. At first, he couldn’t believe it. He didn’t want to believe it. Until the day of her funeral. The love of his live, in her coffin looking so lifeless and dull. Her once rosy cheeks were now colourless, and her skin was pale as ice. Her pink lips were now grey and cracked.

Yet, she managed to look like she was before, beautiful. She looked peaceful with her eyes closed. Almost as if she was just sleeping. A long and deep sleep. One she wouldn’t wake up from. As the coffin began to lower down into the hole, he looked at it for one last time before leaving the cemetery and drowning his sorrow with alcohol his father had kept in the fridge.

A month had passed and yet the man hadn’t moved on nor stop thinking about her. She was always on his mind, day and night. No one could ever move on, especially from a love so warm and endearing like theirs.

He needed that love, but was only left with the bitter coldness of the heartbreak and the dreadful guilt eating him away. He stopped going to school the week after her funeral. He gave his parents the reason everyone was trying to help him with the grief but it was only making it worse that it got depressing.

He didn’t like to go outside because there were too many places that reminded him of her. Too many memories that would only break him down and tear him apart. That uncomfortable feeling. He didn’t like that. He grew to hate it so much. He grew to hate her too.

She was haunting him until he couldn’t tell whether he was awake or dreaming. With every turn and every corner, she was there. Like a ghost, one minute she’s there, and another minute she’s gone. It only heightened his senses, putting him on constant alert, too afraid to run into her again.

It drove him mad, and completely insane till one day, he started hearing her call his name in his dreams.

Her voice sounded lonely as she calls out to him. Asking him to come see her because she misses him a lot and the place she was now was cold and dark. She tells him how much she loves him and wishes to be back with him. He did too, he longed for the day he could touch her again and be right by her side.

He kept apologising to her, telling her how much of a failure he is as a boyfriend and she would remind him how much love and happiness he had given her and how he should never look down on himself. She asked him to come visit her and he agreed to the following night.

Taking a last look in the mirror, the man straightens out his white suit and adjusting his bow tie, grabbing the bouquet of lavenders by his bedside before heading out of the front door.

When he bumped into his mother when she got back from her shift from work, she asked him why he was wearing his suit and going out at this late of hour.

He simply replied her he was going to see Y/N and that seeing her at night felt more intimate to be with the dead. He bids her goodbye and walks towards his convertible. As he turns on the radio, the familiar haunting tune starts to play, triggering back memories to the night of the Prom.

He drove his car to the place he had promised to meet her, the place where he knows she’ll be there, St. Helena Cemetery. Once he enters the black iron gates confining the dead from the outside, the air starts to grow chilly as the white fog thickens down the road.

As he reaches the block of her grave, he could see the back of a woman, dressed in the same prom dress as his lover did. When his headlights shone towards her, the woman turns around in his direction.

When she saw who it was, a ghost of a smile appeared on her lips, delighted to see the love of her life as her heart leaped with joy. Seeing her smile made the man’s broken heart start to heal, just a little, at the sight of her waiting for him.

He turns off his engine, grabbing the flower bouquet and approaches the woman, still in awe to see her standing right in front of him.

“You came, I was beginning to think you stood me up.” She gazes into his eyes, and the man almost got lost looking at hers. He could even see is silhouette forming in them despite the dark surroundings.

He laughed, “You? Never.”

He gives her the bouquet he had been meaning to give her. She takes it from him, looking at it admiringly, caressing it with her fingers. She places the bouquet down in front of her tombstone.

The woman’s hands slowly crept up to rest on his shoulders, pulling him in for a hug, a needed hug that had been prolonged for far too long.

“I miss your hugs so much. Everything feels cold now. There’s no more warmth. You have no idea how much I needed this.” She tells him.

“Me too. I really miss you a lot, Y/N. I really need you right now. Everything feels right whenever you’re around.” He admitted. “There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t think of you.”

They stayed in each other’s embrace for a while before the woman broke the hug. She leans away, and places her hands on the sides of the man’s elbows. “You know, I always wanted to know what it feels like to slow dance in a cemetery. Care to dance, Mr. Langdon?”

“There’s no music. It’ll just be awkward to sway to no music.”

“Nonsense. But, I could help with that.” With a flick of her fingers, the radio of the car turns on. The same tune he had heard earlier on, lingering in the quiet of the night.

“You seem to enjoy that song a lot. It’s beginning to grow on me now.”

“Right? I know I picked a good song. I have good taste in music.” She stated boldly. “Whatever you say, my love.”

He shifts her arms to wrap around his neck and does the same with his, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her in closer.

“I never thought I would be slow dancing in a cemetery with you.” He tells her.

“Me either. I thought you would have run away by now.” She chuckles.

She rests her head on the shoulder of the man, as he tucks her in the crook of his neck, placing his chin above her head.

Time seemed to have slowed down, and it felt as if they had been dancing for hours, circling and swaying to the song in an endless loop.

All of a sudden, faint bells chimed around them. The woman lets go of the man and looks down to the ground with a sad expression.

“I have to go now. My time’s up for the night. Thank you for seeing me, Michael. Goodbye.” She lets go of his hand, only for him to grip on it, as if she would fade away if he didn’t catch her in time.

“No, you can’t. You can’t leave me, not again. I can’t lose you anymore. I agreed to see you and now you’re leaving?! You can’t just leave me when you want to.” There was anger laced in his voice.

“It’s not like I have a choice. They allowed me to see you, but only for a short while. I can’t keep seeing you like this, not when we’re in different worlds now. I don’t belong in yours and you don’t belong in mine. There are boundaries that you should know, Michael.

We cannot be in each other’s life like we used to be. How long do you think this will last? It will only worsen your mentality and health, Michael. I can’t bear to see you like that. To hang on to me like this. It’s not right. I cannot be with you anymore.” The woman sounded heartbroken, of course she wanted to stay but she couldn’t. She knew if she continued on with this, the suffering will never end.

As much as it breaks her heart to say it to him, she knew it was the right thing to do. It would put him out of his grief and pain, letting him free from the burden that had been pulling him down. The man’s knees had given way, making him fall to the ground on his knees, the dirt rubbing against his white pants.

“Then, what can I do to make you take me back? I only want you here with me. I can’t function properly anymore. Everything doesn’t make sense. You know, its all your fault! If you didn’t keep popping up around me, calling my name, it would have been easier to move on from you. It’s your fault for making me like this. It’s your fault for being so selfish.” He snaps, anger flaring in his eyes as he looks at her as if she had betrayed him.

“Selfish?! You’re calling me selfish?! You’re the reason why I’m stuck like this! Why I can’t never seem to escape this place and cross over. It’s all because of you! You keep calling out my name when you sleep, constantly whimpering, begging me not to leave you, telling me to stay. I couldn’t cross over because of you. You are my unfinish business.

I only stayed because you didn’t let me go. You wouldn’t know how much I sacrificed for you. How I begged Him to let me comfort you. I let my presence be known to you so you know I didn’t leave you. This cannot go on forever, Michael. Sooner or later, you have to move on from me. So please, Michael. Let me go. Let me go, baby.” The woman kneels down so she was on the same level as the man.

“If I let you go, I’ll have no one. You are the person I see reflecting back at me in the mirror. You are the breeze that I feel whenever I need to forget about the world and let peace take over me. You are the pride that I hold on, knowing I had made you the happiest person in the world. You are the love that I needed the most and I’ll die without it.

You have no idea what it feels like knowing the love of your live had died before you, how difficult it was to go through all the emotions. Pain, grief, guilt, sorrow, remorse. So, imagine what it feels like to be in my shoes. I thought it would be bearable to seek the closure I need if I visit you. But it only proved me wrong.” He sobs, choking on his tears and letting them roll down his cheeks.

The man was engulfed in the woman’s embrace, her hands soothing his back as she kept apologising for leaving him too soon. She remembered the promise they had promised to each other. To grow old and die together, and it made her cry. Maybe it was no one’s fault. No one could have stopped the incident from happening nor did anyone saw it coming.

Maybe it was fate. Everyone has a limited time in the living before returning back to Him. Maybe it was Y/N’s time to go back to Him. Michael knows he couldn’t compete with him. No matter how much he begged her to stay, she can’t come back to him alive. He had to accept the fact. He had to let her go eventually.

He sighs before looking into her eyes, “Alright, I’ll do what you want me to, I’ll let you go. Asking you to stay would be selfish of me. But can you promise me this if I let you go? As much as it sounds selfish of me to ask of you?

The woman cups his face in her hands, “Of course, what is it baby?”

“Will you wait for me? So, we can be together again?” He pleaded to her, his voice almost sounding hopeful she would agree to him.

“I’ll wait for you no matter how long it takes. I’ll be there to welcome you back in my arms. I promise, Michael.” The man felt his heart swell with ease and comfort. “Thank you, Y/N. We’ll meet again in the same world, one day.”

He watches her silhouette fade away into the darkness before walking back towards his car. With one last look at her tombstone, a sad smile appeared on his face before driving off to the living.

March 26, 1956.

The body of a 16-year-old was found in Lake Lacrimae in Carmel Sunday morning.

Michael Langdon was last seen by his mother on Friday night when he went to visit his girlfriend’s grave, Y/N L/N at St. Helena Cemetery that was murdered last February.

Langdon’s mother filed for a missing person report when he did not come home the next morning. The police had sent a search and rescue team to look for Langdon near the area of St. Helena and Blackteeth Forest.

After two hours of searching, police found that the railing of The Bridge of Mizpah, at the old road near St. Helena, had been destroyed.

It took them several hours to pull the car out of the river.

They recovered the car Langdon was driving, a 56’ Bel Air Chevy on the bottom of the lake, with Langdon still trapped in between the crushed car.

Officers believed he had committed suicide by driving his car off the bridge. Reports have said that Langdon was suffering from post-traumatic stress and depression after the loss of his girlfriend.

When midnight strikes on February 29, do not be afraid if you hear the sound of engine running through your street in the middle of the night.

Do not be frighten if you hear the haunting melody of The Five Saint’s Still of The Night playing throughout your neighbourhood.

If you are brave enough to look out the window, you could see a young couple in a 56’ Bel Air Chevy cruising down the road and if you look closer, you would recognise them to be Y/N L/N and Michael Langdon, smiling to each other with Michael’s arms around Y/N.

When you visit St. Helena Cemetery at night, do not run away if you see a pair of lovers slow dancing under the pale moonlight.

When you visit their graves, make sure you leave them lavenders, and lavenders only. It is the symbol of their love and wishes for you to respect that if you visit them.

If you wish to seek everlasting love with your beloved, leave an offering of a lavender flower and a corsage on their tombstones. Ask them for their blessings and they will grand you your wish, provided that you do not disturb their moment of intimacy.

So, you see why young lovers venture to Carmel. The tale of the Lavender Lovers will only remain a mystery if you don’t experience it yourselves. A love that was once filled with despair and tragedy now a love as old as time.

He steps aside, giving me enough space to enter the office. The entire room was a catastrophe, the furniture was thrown in every direction, the candles had fallen from the holders. It was like a hurricane had hit and cleared anything in its path.

“I apologize for the mess,” He brings up the armchair back to its normal position before gesturing to sit. “Please, take a seat.” Whatever thing that happened before, clearly didn’t bother him too much considering how calm his voice was although he looked lowkey frantic.

“I take it something happened before I got here?” He only smiles before setting up the other armchair, taking a seat right next to me. “What makes you think that?”

“I saw Mallory leaving the room with an expression I’ve never seen before. Distress was etched on her face and it was like she was running away from something that terrified her.” Mallory was nice, when she wasn’t around Coco, acting like a lovesick dog following around her and obeying her orders. It’s a pity, it would’ve been nice to get along with her.

Langdon squints his eyes as he tilts his head to one side, “Terrified her, you say? Are you suggesting I did that to her?”

“I didn’t say it was you,” I admitted. “There’s something strange about her, and the others too.” I fluttered my eyes towards him, “You think so too, right?” I sent him a knowing look. No one understands what I know, except him. I could feel it in my bones.

“Curious aren’t you, little one? Haven’t you heard curiosity killed the cat?” Soft chuckles escaped from my lips, surprising him.

“You’ve mistaken curiosity for seeking, Mr. Langdon. Being curious will lead you nowhere. But if you seek, it will lead you somewhere. The one who seeks will gain something in return, be it good………or evil.”

He stands up to walk towards his desk, leaning his bottom on the edge of it, with arms crossed. “And what is it you wish to seek? Answers, purpose, knowledge…...love?”

“Acceptance.” I put it simply. He starts to frown. I guess my answer to his question was too vague for him to understand. “Acceptance? Is it from someone or something? The world perhaps. I’ve known quite a few people with cases like you. They don’t feel like they belong anywhere.”

“No, that’s not it. I’m seeking to find acceptance…...from myself. I know it’s complicated for you to understand. You would think it’s because I hate myself or that I’ve never showed love towards myself but it’s neither of them. From the time I was born, I always felt like something was pulling me back and that I was born too fast that my soul was incomplete.

I’ve been searching for that part of me that needed to be filled my whole life. One time I went to see a doctor to check if I had heart problems because chest pains kept arising. They told me they couldn’t find anything wrong with me. It got worse over the years. I just wanted it to stop hurting so much.

Until one day, I tried to kill myself. I told myself if I stab my heart with a knife, all the pain would go away.” My eyes were closed the entire time, trying to remember every detail of that moment. I felt cool air hit against my lips, and when I fluttered my eyes open, I saw blue eyes staring right back at me. I didn’t realise how badly I was shaking until I saw his hands resting on both sides of my arms. I wanted to just flicked away his hand, but somehow, I enjoyed the comfort he was giving me.

“It’s alright, you don’t have to continue,” I gripped his upper arm and shook my head, cutting him off, “I’m fine, I’ll continue.”

“It was like something dark came over me, feeding me with negative thoughts and lies about the good. When I turned 13, the heart pain subdued slowly. It still hurt but not like before. I started getting dreams. The dreams had the same people but at different times and places.” I explained to him.

“These dreams, these people you see. Could you describe them for me?” He asked.

“There were two of them. A man and a woman. I guess they were lovers. At first, all the dreams were happy and full of love. There were times where I felt like I was prying in on their intimate moments, moments I shouldn’t be looking at. Their smiles to each other was of love and longing, their embrace was warm and endearing. The kiss…...was filled with passion……...and lust. The love was real and it felt so genuine. The dream would end with them proclaiming their love for each other. And that’s when I wake up.” I left out the parts where they made love. It was too awkward for me to talk about it, seeing as there was a man in my presence.

“You said ‘at first’. What happened next?” He chimes. I went back to sit on the armchair, probably tired from bending his knees in front of me.

“They started turning into nightmares. Except it kept replaying the same one over and over again. They took away their lives by burning each other together. I had to suffer watching their bodies get burnt and slowly turn into corpses. The nightmares stopped after I kept myself busy with part-time jobs. Everything was fine until, you know what happened.” He didn’t seem convince about my last statement. He grabbed a file, presuming it was mine, flipping over pages until he stops on the one he was finding.

“All of what you’ve said has been completely true. You’ve had a total of six foster parents. You ran away from home and took shelter under the care of a 62 year old man name Daemon Jacobs, who runs a fortune telling and witchcraft bookstore on the corner of 16 Walnut St. You never went to school. You work for him at the bookstore in the morning till afternoon and you start your night shift at the diner place down a few blocks from the bookstore.

Also, you failed to mention that you’re not exactly who you say you are……your date of birth and your age doesn’t add up.” He slams the file close. “Does the others know how old you truly are?”

“I was 16 right before the missiles attacked Los Angeles 18 months ago. My birth certificate clearly state I was born on ‘3 March 2003’. I glared at him.

“Don’t lie, Y/N. I can tell that you’re lying. Just be honest. It’s only you and me here.” He grins at me. He’s right. It’s useless to hide it from him when he has all the information he needs about me.

“I was born on ‘6 June 2016’.”  I admitted, only to have him smile at me as he turns around with his back facing me.

“Odd. You would be only 5 years old now after 18 months.” He paused, “You’re wondering why you aged way too fast than the others, am I right? I might have the answer to your question.”

I stood up and walked over to him. “And how do you know about this?”

He brings his fingers towards me, cupping my chin in between his thumb and index finger. “Because, we might have something in common, my flower.”

My flower? I could have sworn I panicked a bit after hearing it out loud from someone other than my dreams. I brushed it away and focused on the man in front of me. He thinks he knows everything about me just because my whole life was in that file. Clearly, he was messing with the wrong person.

“What makes you think we have something in common? Sure, you know everything about me with that information of yours, you know everything about me on the outside, but not on the inside. Information and facts can be altered and fabricated with lies by anyone…… but if you want the truth…….all you have to do is ask, isn’t that right……Michael?” I smirk at him. His confident smile turned to a frown, his eyebrows furrowed in disbelief.

“I’ve been truthful to you all this time……but not you. I know the whole reason you did all of this wasn’t because of your goal of just building a new world. You needed to prove a point to the others that you are powerful than them. It is your destiny, to put it simply.

But, there’s something stopping you. I know you, Michael. Only I know that you have a weakness, and this ‘apocalypse’ you put everyone through will you be able to find it.” He doesn’t want to admit it. His facade is way too strong to break down. This isn’t the Michael he was fond very talking about or maybe all he need is a little push.

“And what is……my weakness?” He growls deeply. Judging from his voice, he’s beginning to see me as a threat. Oh honey, I’m not the one you should be threatened by, yet.

“Her.”

Ms. Venable had called everyone for an emergency meeting. The aura in the library was solemn and the smell of death was lingering in the air. She had announced something about having a party after the hardships we went through over the past few months, and apologizing for her harsh punishments she had implemented in The Outpost. She said that a celebration is in need, camaraderie, and that it was a gesture of goodwill. A Halloween soiree. 

As if that would lighten up my mood. I’ve never been a big fan or parties. Why now? Is it because she had a change of heart after her time with Langdon or she’s planning something without everyone knowing? It has to be the latter. She’s never really subtle about it, and she’s always keeping secrets for her own benefit. You’re going to need a lot of persuading if you want me to attend it.

The rest had already rushed back to their rooms to get ready their costumes for the party. Wasting my time was part of my daily routine as I settled on to a new book, grabbing it off from the bookcase as I returned back to my room.

Along the way, I had stumbled into something hard. I didn’t look at where I was going because the book was way too interesting than looking up. Standing in front of me was none other than the devil himself.

I lowered my head, apologising before walking pass him.

“Don’t go.” He spoke, causing me to stop in my tracks. “The party, don’t attend it.”

“Why not?” I asked him casually. I turned around to face him, and so did he. “I believe we didn’t get to complete your interview before we were interrupted by dinner time. I wish to continue it.”

“Ms. Venable will be suspicious of me if I don’t attend it. She’ll know if one of us isn’t there.” I told him.

“Then leave the party when you think it is safe without anyone knowing. Meet me in my room. They won’t find you there.” He suggested, and vanishes off the corner of the hallway.

Everyone was swaying to the music, dancing with excitement and having a great time. A pleasant feeling bloomed inside of me but it faded away when I gazed upon the wooden tub that was filled with fresh apples and apparently the only refreshments they had. Michael had warned me about the party so why wasn’t anyone feeling different about it. They all seemed to be enjoying themselves. Without anyone looking, I made my move.

Finding Michael’s room, I entered when he permitted me to go in. His room looked the same like mine did. He was sitting at his desk, typing away in a working laptop as thick files piled on his desk.

“So, what is it that you wish to continue? I’ll be honest with you. The Sanctuary is the least of my concern. The last place I want to be before I’m dead is what you call as being ‘classified’’. Who knows you’re just trying to rope people in for the wrong kind of things.” I sat at the edge of his bed, looking at my nails with a bored expression.

“Tell me, Y/N. Do you believe in reincarnations?” He asked, his voice was soft and laced with curiosity.

“I used to, but I don’t think people’s interpretations of them are facts. People mostly believe a soul moves on into another physical form once their life is over before being reborn into a new life. Some claim they see memories of their previous life, thinking that it’s theirs but I don’t think that’s highly true. Our appearance might have changed but I believe a soul is only admitted to one lifetime only and when the time comes for their judgement, they’ll either go to Heaven or Hell.

Maybe people do get to see memories of their previous life, thinking that it’s theirs but to me, that person in that memory was simply just another person that lived with the same soul. They had their own life and their own future. This is my soul now and this is my lifetime. No one else’s but mine only. 

‘Eram quod es, eris quod sum’. I was what you are, you will be what I am. And when my time comes, I will be the same as them. Six feet down in my eternal resting place.” He had a twinkle in his eyes as he listens to me speak. He had been observing the way I illiterate the meaning of the word the way I see it.

“Fascinating,” He claims. “And what about soulmates, do you believe in them too?”

“I do, to a certain extent. But not in the way other people see it as. They romanticised it far too much, thinking that there is someone out there, with their souls tied together with the red string of fate. The ones who associate them to a romantic partner are the ones who are desperate for love and I think those who claimed to find their soulmates are simply pathetic.

They never travelled the entire country to look for them. They only assume the person they just met and fell in love with is their soulmate, in the same country, city, town or neighbourhood. They didn’t venture out to look for their true pair.” I gazed down at the floor. “Soulmates are just empty hopes and dreams for those who couldn’t find love.”

“And how do you perceive soulmates as?” He questioned.

“I see them as the person who will always be honest and truthful, the one I can share all my dark secrets and fears with. A person I can be comfortable around and will treat me with the same respect I show them. A person who shares the same believes and goals as I do. A person who can accept me……as I am. Intimate or not.” He reaches out his hand and cups both my cheeks in his palms. He was cold to the touch, giving my skin a cooling sensation.

“Do you think these dreams you have, are memories that belong to the person you share your soul with in the previous life? That woman in your dreams. Do you think it’s your memories too?”

“It could be. But I never said anything about it being my memories. I could have conjured them up from watching too much television. And I didn’t say anything about being the woman in those dreams.”

“Was the woman wearing a white Victorian dress, with her soft long curls cascading down her back, reaching her bottom?

“Almost all women wore like that back then. It doesn’t prove anything.”

“She had green eyes, long curly eyelashes. Her cheeks were blushed a light pink, her lips as red as cherry. And she had a locket around her neck. It was gold in colour. There is also an engraving on it as well. ‘L+L’. Inside the locket holds a picture of the man and the woman.”

“H-how do you know that?”

“Because I have those dreams too. You don’t think that is a coincidence, right? I had them all along. It was the only thing that soothe me to sleep and I look forward to it. I don’t look like the type who could love or show love to others, but I do. And maybe what you are actually seeking is not acceptance from yourself and what you need is what I can give you.” He looks me in the eye.

I stared at him back with the same look as his. “And what do I need?”

He smiles. “Me.”

He grabs on to my arms, pulling me up to my feet. “Hide in the wardrobe. Quickly, now.” He opened the door for me as I stepped inside. “Whatever you do, do not make a noise.” I nodded.

The room grew silent before I heard Michael speak, “Ladies, I’m a little busy right now formulating my selections.”

“This won’t take long.” The voice sounded like Ms. Venable.

“What’s this?”

“We’re making the selections now, Mr. Langdon. And I’m afraid you didn’t make the cut.” It only made the long-haired male chuckle.

“I’m sorry,” he begins, “I wanted to let you have your moment but I just couldn’t hold it in.”

“You think this is funny?” Ms. Venable snaps back calmly. “I think I’m impressed, Ms. Venable. I wasn’t sure you had it in you. You’ve passed the test. You’re perfect for The Sanctuary.”

“Ms. Mead.”

“I wouldn’t do that.” Mr. Langdon proclaims. There was a short pause before Ms. Venable spoke again.

“Ms. Mead.” Her tone was stricter now.

All of a sudden, a loud gun shot could be heard. I covered my mouth to muffled my gasp.

“I don’t know why I did that. I was always loyal to her.” The tone was mixed with emotions of sadness and disbelief.

“It’s alright,” he comforts, “You were obeying commands, like you’re programmed to do. My commands.” Footsteps grew closer towards me direction.

“Did you enjoy executing the poison apples plan as much as I enjoyed coming up with it?” He questioned Ms. Mead.

“You wanted everyone dead?” She asked, her voice shaky.

“I’ve never been a fan of getting my hands dirty. Learned that from my father. Always more fun to entice men and women to dirty needs. Confirms what I’ve always believed.”

“W-what do you believe?” Ms. Mead stuttered.

From the gap between the wardrobe doors, I could see him step closer towards her, “That all people, if given the right pressures and stimulus, are real evil motherfuckers.”

Ms. Mead didn’t know how to reply him, it sounded like she was confused. “I-I am having trouble with this. I know I’m just a machine.”

“Never say that!” His voice was laced with anger, his expression soured. “You’re not just a machine, not to me.” For a second, it felt like he actually cared and had actual feelings.

“When I tasked The Cooperative’s R&D Department to have you constructed, I gave them a prototype to model.”

“Prototype?” Of who?

“Of someone from my childhood. Someone very dear to me.” A prototype? No way. Ms. Mead is a…..a robot?

“The beautiful boy.” She replies him. He smiles, his eyes started getting teary as he nods in agreement. “That was me. But I had to keep the most important part of you hidden from your mind.”

“Why?” She questions.

“To protect you, and the plan. But now it’s time to remember it all. I lost you and I couldn’t bear it. I can’t imagine a new world without you by my side. The only woman who ever really understood me.”

“Who ever really loved you.” Slowly, Michael embraces her in his arms. The sight was truly a rare thing to see, seeing as Michael was always look so cold and arrogant. He releases her from his embrace before walking towards the wardrobe.

The doors flew open and he offers me a hand. I slipped mine into his and he helped me get out the small space.

“Y/N, you were in there all this time? What are you doing in Langdon’s room?” She asked me. Suddenly she panicked. “Oh no, I could have killed you too. I’m so sorry, Mr. Langdon. I didn’t know who she was.”

“Who I was? You know me?” How could she know me if I’ve never seen her before, unless? I gazed towards Michael. He only shows me a mischievous grin. “I may or may not have told her about you. After all, I was the one who told The Cooperative to rescue you.”

The two workers from before who were supposedly addressed as Cooperative agents said they were bringing us to an outpost. A survival shelter like the ones from Fallout.

“What’s going to happen to us now?” The man threw yellowed radioactive suits at us. “Put these on. The air is contaminated. They’ll explain to you when you arrive.”

They? Who is they? As we stepped out of the vehicle with our suits on, tall black gates welcomed us and it made an unsettling feeling in my stomach. The entire area was closed off with black fences as well. Was this a gated community? No, that can’t be it. To keep people out? Those two agents said that the environment was harmful now. That must be it. I couldn’t imagine being one of the affected. Just thinking about it sent shivers running down my spine.

A figure stood in front of us, dressed in a long robe that covered the person’s entire body, hands covered with gloves and a head mask with large eye googles and an opening tube to help with breathing. It reminded me of the Brotherhood from one of the Silent Hill movies.

The figure brought us further into the clearing and as the fog begins to clear, up ahead there was a man and a woman, kneeling on the grown with three other figures similar to the one in front of us. The woman was begging for forgiveness, saying it over and over again. What was she sorry for?

It was then accompanied by loud fired shots, as both the man and the woman were shot in the head. I felt my chest tightening, my breathing rigid and heavy. Holy shit. They shot them. They fucking shot them.

The entrance to the Outpost was a short curve till we reached the centre of the structure. The figure from before held out a card to the card scanner on the wall, a beep was heard, giving access to the main entry. It was then I knew that it would be the last time I ever saw the outside.

We had been assigned to our own rooms, mine just beside Emily’s. Each room had the same necessities, and a en suite along with it. The wardrobe was filled with long purple dresses, all of them with the same design and cutting. I was never really fond of wearing dresses, but if that’s the only thing I get, then so shall it be. Once I felt the hot water of the shower hitting against my skin, I felt rejuvenated and fresh. It’s been so long since I had one, and the feeling felt so good. My hair that was once greasy was now back to its original condition. I didn’t smell like a hobo anymore and the dirt from my skin had been cleared away.

I stepped out from the shower once I was finished, only to be surprised by a message on the mirror. It had been written out from the steam of the shower. It read, ‘Duo in carne una’. I couldn’t tell what it meant. Maybe someone might tell me but I wasn’t sure if I could trust them, knowing they would be suspicious of me. With a last look in the mirror, I join Emily and Timothy to meet with the others. We followed the music that was playing which brought us to a living room, a fireplace on the other side of the walls, with bookcases and sofas mirroring each other and a coffee table in between. This must be the common room for the survivors here.

There were seven people in the room, three men and four women. One of the women was in grey clothing unlike the rest.

“Well, well, well, well, well. New blood.” The older woman closest to ask spoke. Another woman approached us, “Come in, don’t be shy.” She greeted us warmly.

“You’re Dinah Stevens,” Timothy started, “My mother used to watch your show. She said you beat the pants off Oprah any day.”

“Bless her heart, a million of her and I wouldn’t have to be replaced by that telenovela.”

From my side, a blonde man came up to us, “Um, what’s happening out there?”

“It’s all gone.” Timothy replied. “Everything.” Emily chips in.

“Nothing but death.” I spoke. Thuds started coming from behind us. Ms. Venable was approaching us. She rings a bell, pausing a while before speaking, “Dinner is served.”

A plate holding a small white jelly cube sat in the centre of it.

“It’s all we get. Don’t be too disappointed.” The blonde man now known as Mr. Gallant tells us.

“Darling, you don’t know what disappointment is until you slept with Yul Brynner.” Evie replies back to him. Dinah laughs as Mr. Gallant looks down on his food, “I want to die.”

“The cube on your plate contains every vitamin our body needs.” Dinah informs us, “Or so they tell us.” Beside Timothy, Coco had stuffed her entire cube into her mouth, wolfing it down.

“I’m still hungry. I am so tired of the hunger.” She slams her hand on the table, standing up, “Fuck this bullshit! With all the thought that went into this place, they don’t have a single bag of Pirate’s Booty in the pantry?” While Coco was ranting away with her issues, Ms. Venable and Ms. Mead approaches the dining room from behind her. “For a hundred million dollars a ticket, I expect goddamn Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen cooking us real food!”

Ms. Venable’s cane taps the floor and the room went silent. With a flick of the wrist, Coco was greeted by a slap to her face, Timothy catching her and helping her regain stability. Everyone was shocked but I knew Coco had it coming for her. From the very moment, I could tell she wasn’t appreciative of what she had. Serves you right, bitch. I bit back a smile so that no one could see it.

“I’m going to be very clear so there will be no misunderstanding. We have enough nutrition for the next 18 months. And if our situation doesn’t improve, you can count on less and less.”

“Situation? What is our situation?”

Ms. Venable had informed us about a perimeter alert they had in the morning, saying a carrier pigeon from The Cooperative had sent a message stating that governments were wiped, rotting corpses had increased and survivors out there killing each other for food. Other outposts had been overrun, leaving our outpost the only one that was currently alive. Its been told that all of this happened in a mere of two weeks.

A few others came up, saying they detected a spike coming from the room. Mr. Gallant was quick to blame us just because we recently just got here. We defended ourselves, stating that we went through the procedures before entering The Outpost.

Ms. Mead checked each and everyone of us, and the only people that were caught were Mr. Gallant and Stu. They were dragged away to the decontamination room.

Another day passed and we all gathered back to the dining room. To our surprise Mr. Gallant had joined us, without Stu. He said that he was clean and Stu wasn’t which is why he was able to get free. Andre was blabbing away saying Stu never went outside and that he was with him most of the time, Coco was talking about how she started masturbating to cure her boredom, spewing out insults, causing Andre to curse at her.

Something was off about tonight’s dinner since Ms. Venable considered it a treat after last night calling it the bonne bouche. While the others were drooling over the hot meal, Andre was still not over Stu. Coco as always, getting a spoonful of the meat, slurping it up. Timothy too had suspicions about the meat. Andre began freaking out after finding a finger bone in the stew, claiming that Stu was the stew. Everyone started gagging and coughing out, while Ms. Venable stated it was ridiculous of them to think that. It was only her, Evie and I that was left sitting on the table. Everyone didn’t want to go near the stew anymore.

Evie continued her meal, “I don’t care what it is. It’s absolutely divine, and its full of fibre. I’m going to finish every drop.

“Don’t tell me your thinking of eating the stew, Y/N.” Timothy asked me. Was it wrong? It is after all, food. I was starting to get sick of the jelly cubes. “You shouldn’t waste food, Timothy. As much as it repulses me, I’m going to savour it.” A look of pure disgust came across his face while it earned me a smile from Evie and Ms. Venable.

“Such a good child, Y/N. You all should learn to be like Y/N.” Evie chimes. “Indeed, she is.” Ms. Venable adds on.

The others begin leaving to get back to their rooms, probably cleansing their mouth a hundred times to get the lingering taste off their taste buds.

Andre was glaring at Evie and I. He had an angered expression and the looked in his eyes says he was disgusted by the both of us.

“You’re a monster,” He spite at Evie, “How could you keep eating? You knew what it was. And you, Y/N. You barely just arrived and you think eating my boyfriend was your welcoming gift?!”

“It was chicken, Andre. Delicious white meat chicken.” Evie tried to assure him it was all in his head.

Annoyed, I decided to spite back at him. He needed to stop being such a pussy just because I ate his boyfriend, no pun intended there. “In my defence, I couldn’t care less if it was Stu or not. He tasted great. It’s been such a long time since I had someone in my mouth.” A sinister grin appeared on my face, causing Andre to get worked up.

“You’re disgusting. You’re a cannibal. You’re all cannibals!” He screams. Dinah, who I knew now is his mother, had both her hands on the side of him, stopping him from his rash behaviour. “Think about it. She ate it, too. Stu was contaminated. Why would Venable eat irradiated meat?”

“That’s right,” Timothy agrees, “Why would she feed us poison? The whole reason she is here is to keep us alive.”

“What makes you so certain she wants us alive? You can never trust anyone here, not even yourself.”

Andre starts asking his mother about his body, his ugly sobs starting to make me feel irritated.

“Shut up, shut up!” Emily snaps. “Just listen.”

“I don’t hear anything.”

“Exactly. The song stopped.”

The old music player had changed to another song. Mr. Gallant proclaims that it was The Cooperative sending a message, saying that they were coming for them and that they were going to be rescued.

He was wrong. They were all wrong. All of them were dejected. Drinking away their sorrows, bringing up their hopes and spirit only for it to come crashing down. I wasn’t. From the day we were attacked, the was no hope left to seek. Only death awaits to give you kiss and embraces you in their darkness.

The days were long and it felt like I was on repeat every day. Wake up in the morning, get dress for the day, eat the same gelatine cubes, hang around with the others in the common room or read the books that filled up the shelves. The place is a bore and my life is a chore. There was nothing fun to do anymore. After a few weeks, Emily and Timothy started to distance themselves away from me. I didn’t take a genius to know what they were doing behind close doors. They had been on secret rendezvous with each other and the rules about copulation was starting to make them feel agitated and lusting for more of each other.

It was better that way. I was able to sneak around the Outpost without Ms Venable or Ms Mead knowing. The Outpost had a theme going the entire place. It was decorated with antique furniture; all the rooms were lighted using fireplaces or candles causing a saturated filter in my eyes. The whole place felt old and Victorian like. They did say this used to be a school. School for what exactly? Witches? I highly doubt it. The old news about that coven school for girls years ago was just the cherry on top. As if they exist in this century.

It dawned on me that it had been eighteen months since our arrival and the attack that left the whole world in chaos. The jelly cubes were starting to get smaller, and not forgetting that one time they served us Stu as stew. I enjoyed it with Evie as the others left to their own rooms, repulsed by the fact they were served human meat. I mean, eventually we all will be eating each other when resources decline and there’s little to none left to eat.

Before heading back into my room, I was startled by Ms Mead after finishing my nightly rounds around the place to digest my dinner.

“Ms Y/N, I’m surprised to see you here. How are you feeling?” Her voice brought me back to my senses, and I glance to her face. She had the same look on her, expressionless with no hint of life. However, I picked up a slight glint in her eyes and the small smirk playing on her lips. To be honest, I was beginning to wonder why she is always trying to start up small conversations with me unlike the rest. Does she have a secret agenda with me? What is her motive for having small talks with me?

“I, um… I’m fine, thank you for asking. Dinner was great. It’s been a while since we had something other than cubes. I’m heading towards my room? Are you heading towards yours as well?” I raised an eyebrow waiting for her reply.

“I’m getting the workers to get a room ready for a guest that’s coming.” Her eyes went big for a while, probably cursing herself for saying something she wasn’t suppose to. “Well, I better hurry along now. Go get some sleep, good night.” She hurried right passed me and disappeared around the corner.

“Weird.” I glance back before walking towards my room.

“My love, why do you call me your flower? Flowers are so beautiful, their petals are painted with different colours to make them stand out from each other, and their lingering scent could put you on a spell. I’m definitely not a flower, I am not beautiful enough to be captivated by.” This caused the man expression to sour after hearing what his lover had said about herself.

“Don’t you dare say something like that about yourself.” He cupped her face with both of his hands and made her look up to him. “I call you flower because you’re the most beautiful amongst all the flowers. I could never get enough of basking my eyes with your beauty. The colours you say? I’ve never seen so much colour in my life before meeting you, and now my vision is filled with bright shades of the colours in contrast to my previous ones of black and grey. I’m always under a spell, your natural scent only keeps me hungry of you more and more. You say you’re not a flower? To me, you’ll always be the most beautiful flower the world has never seen, as your beauty is for my eyes, and my eyes only. My beautiful flower.

“You really do have a way with words, don’t you?” Delicate fingers stroke against the pale white cheeks of the man. He places a small kiss on her palms and caressed her long curly locks of hair before pulling her in for a breath-taking kiss.

“Of course, if it weren’t for my words, I wouldn’t be able to court you at all.” Small laughter escaped from the woman’s mouth and it was music to the man’s ears. Her laughter finally comes to a stop as she held eye contact with the blue hues of the man’s. Green meeting blue, both holding a gaze so powerful with so much endearment and comfort.”

“I love you.” Her velvet voice was so sweet and gentle just like her lover’s embrace, holding her in his arms.

“I love you too,” The man had said a name, but it was unclear before everything starts to become hazy, the scene of the man and the woman fading out into pitch black.

Y/N woke up with a startle. Beads of sweat had dropped down her face, causing small hairs to stick on her forehead. Y/N could feel her heart clenching in pain as if it was broken by something, or someone.  Y/N was still in her purple gown from the previous day and it didn’t help that it was hot and stuffy wearing it to sleep.

“Y/N, that’s no way to speak to him. Apologize, now.” Why should I? I deserve to know something, you try having questions left unanswered for eighteen months. See how you like it.

“That’s no need for that. I think it’s time Y/N here finally have some answers. You’re right, no one deserves to be kept in the dark for so long.

You were never an asset to the Cooperation to begin with. When we were trying to find survivors that were worthy enough to be saved and brought to The Outpost, we received an anonymous tip. We tried tracing it back to the sender but nothing came up.

On the note, it had your information, address and location. Below it, wrote a message saying, ‘statera’ which meant ‘balance’. We couldn’t find a relation between the word and you, so we tried running your info in the database and not one single piece of data about you came up.” I was bewildered. They had lied to me all this time. For some reason, I felt he was holding back other information from me.

“If nothing came up, why still bother with me anyway? You could have chosen someone else.” I heard him sigh.

“We did, and we didn’t put your name on the list until we received another note that read, ‘Et monent vos’. It was a warning, that as long as you weren’t chosen to survive, they’ll keep sending it again. Also, there was a date on the note, the day of the bombings.

The Cooperation took precaution of it and agreed to let you on the list. That’s all I have for you, and you know what happened next. So, tell me, Y/N. What’s so special about you that someone needed you safe and decided to wipe out the entire world?” Michael questioned me.

“You think I’m associated to the person behind those bombings? Maybe you’re the one who did it. You have connections since your part of an organisation, no? I bet you all the other survivors are in that library, dead from your wonderful plan.” I smiled at him.

“Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. It happened anyway. Everyone’s dead now, and I like to keep it that way. The seven trumpets of the revelation have already sounded and now the dead shall rise from the underworld to roam the Earth.” He exclaimed, his face shining with happiness.

“I don’t think it’s happening so soon.”

“Why do you say that?” He frowns towards me.

I looked up towards him, “We have company.”

“I’ve always thought the world would end with fire and ice, not witches and warlocks.” I heard one of the witches speaking. I didn’t join Michael and Ms. Meade down to see the other witches that had arrived. But sooner or later, they were bound to feel my presence.

Slowly, I walked down the stairs, my heels clicking against the surface with every step I took. I stood beside Michael on his right to see the others staring at me in shock and fear on their faces.

“Well, I be damned. I thought I would die before I could see one of his flesh and bone standing right before me.” The red-haired lady, also known as Myrtle spoke up.

“Y-Y/N. Why are you here? You were dead. Your parents said you were. How is it that you’re here?” Mallory asked, she was just as surprised as Myrtle was.

“Ah, I’m afraid you had it all wrong. I was never dead at all. I made you think I was with my powers, and those weren’t my real parents. They’re just acting as my cover so I wouldn’t get caught. Oh, and about the dying thing, yeah, I simply returned back home after I spent a year gathering information about The Coven, you didn’t think I was there as a student, did you?” I explained to her.

“You’re a witch, Y/N?” Michael asked me. I chuckled at him and started walking towards the fire pit in the middle of the foyer.

“As if the last thing I would want to be is a witch.” I tell him.

“She’s not a witch,” Cordelia says, “She’s something else.”

“And how can you tell, Ms. Cordelia?” Michael questions her.

“Because I had a vision of the past. It happened when Mimi Delongpre was the reigning supreme at that time. The Coven didn’t speak about this because Mimi didn’t want it to be disclose to the others. What happened to her family was such a tragedy, a mother shouldn’t had gone through at all.” Cordelia explained.

“Oh, I hear a story coming! Do tell, I wanna hear about this story too!” I chimed happily while the others still had a serious look on their face. “Hey, there’s not much going on here and no entertainment. Might as well get some storytelling happening, am I right?” I smirked.

“No one was told the real truth about what happened to Mimi’s youngest son, Damien Delongpre. He was a warlock, the greatest of his time. He had everything going for him, until he fell in love with one of the witches of The Coven, Lilith Ambirose. Maybe it was coincidental that he had fallen in love with the greatest witch among her peers.

Back then, it was forbidden for witches and warlocks to fall in love, even as to even copulate with each other. The council was afraid of the prophecy regarding a child born from a warlock and a witch. In which they will rise to become the most powerful of them all and bring destruction and chaos.

When the council had heard about their relationship, they decided to put an end on their lives by putting them up on a stake and burning them alive. All because of a precious soul. By the time the council was outside of their room, trying to break it down and dragging their bodies away, the two of them had set themselves on fire and when the fire had been extinguished, they found no trace of a living soul in Lilith’s body. She was never pregnant at all.

The news broke Mimi’s heart and she wasn’t the same ever since. Even she grew disgusted by her title and only wished for a new one to arise to replace her. After she step down, she burned herself in her own home.

The story you all heard before was that a fire had broke out because the witch hunters had found out about them and that they had been killed brutally by those men and women. The truth was then known when they found a journal containing all of Mimi’s entries of her memories. To think she was holding the truth of it all by taking it to her grave. No one knew why.” Cordelia ends her story.

“You got everything right, but you’re wrong about one thing.” I stared into the flaming hot fire that was burning the coal rocks behind it.

“Damien and Lilith weren’t the only ones who perished that night. Another soul did too.” I admitted. “The soul that the witches and warlocks were so afraid of and they managed to kill it.”

“How do you know about this, genius?” Madison asked.

I rolled my eyes at her, I heard about Michael bringing her back from hell. Shouldn’t have done it in the first place and let her rot there instead.

“Grandfather told me.” I simply stated. “Your grandfather told you this?” I nodded at Myrtle’s question.

“He once told me the story that Satan had went to the In Between to look for them. He had offered them a deal they couldn’t refused. He offered them the chance to be reborn again for the price of a soul, which they willingly agreed.

However, they didn’t listen to the full terms and agreement of Satan and in return, they were separated from each other, while Satan had received three souls, one he had sent away to Heaven. He executed his plan carefully so that the prophecy he had created will come true.” I sat at the edge of the firepit, putting my right thigh on top of the edge.

Myrtle walks up towards me, “Y/N, who is your grandfather?” She asked, softly.

I fluttered my eyes towards her, while I bring my right hand towards the fire, caressing the flames with my bare hand.

Everyone in the room was startled when I did that, “Who do you think it is when the only person who knew of the story is him?” I smirked at her.

I remember alighting from a car, my right hand in the hold of a woman’s. Her name was Ruth, and she was my guardian back at the Cooperative headquarters. She had long black hair, tanned brown skin, and her eyes had mix matched colours, brown on the left, and green on the right. We walk down the pathway that lead to the front door of the big house in front of me. It was a brown Victorian house, there were huge flower beds surrounding the stairs of the main door. Thick black veins wrapped around the house, giving off a creepy demeanour of the house.

When we reached the front porch of the house, the woman kneeled down and turned me so that I was facing her.

“Now, listen here Y/N. Ms. Venable will be your new guardian. I hope you’ll behave yourself and not create any trouble for her, do you understand?” I nod as she smiled, happy with my respond.

“Good. I’m going to miss you so much, my dear. I promise you this won’t be our last time meeting. We will meet again soon, I can assure you.” She reaches to tuck away the stray hairs from my face and smoothen my yellowed sunshine dress so that I looked neat and presentable.

“I’m going to miss you too, Ruth.” She wraps her arms around my small body and tucks her chin in between the crook of my neck and shoulder. Small sniffles were heard beside me. Ruth was probably emotional about the separation. She had been my guardian for years after all. She loosens her hold and places a gentle kiss on my forehead before straightening her body.

“Are you ready, Y/N?” She looks down and holds my gaze, waiting for an answer. “Yes.”

The couple years that followed through were bleak and lifeless. It felt that she was trying to hide me away from other people. I was never allowed to step out of the house. I could only read books she gives me for knowledge or to keep me company. Not once, do I feel any sort of emotions, and I was fine with that. Because without emotions, there is no feelings. That means no pain, no sadness, nothing. All of that was non-existent, at least that’s what I thought I was programmed to.

Ruth didn’t visit me while I was under Ms. Venable’s care. The only time we had visitors were the scientists who work for the Cooperative to make sure I was upgraded every year to make it seem like I was a normal girl, and the strange people who had meetings with Ms. Venable in her office. Other then that, it was just two beings in a lonely quiet house.

Ms. Venable, or as I address her as Madam, started giving me attention by the time I entered my early adulthood stage.

“Y/N, go to your rooms and pack the things you need for The Outpost. We’re leaving in an hour. Make sure you take important things and only that. Now, hurry please.” I hurried to my room reached for my suitcase under the bed.

What do I need? What do I need? I quickly gathered all my necessities and my books, organising them neatly into my suitcase. Once I was done, I carried my suitcase down to the front door.

“Good, you’re all set. Let’s go.” Ms. Venable opens the front door and, on the driveway, we were greeted by a black carriage awaiting to be boarded.

The carriage took us to somewhere far way from home, to a place that was surrounded by tall black fences. As we entered through the main gate, a tall black brick structure was located in the centre of the field.

“This, Y/N dear, will be our new home. Say goodbye to the clear blue skies, and green lavish grass. It’s probably the last time you’ll ever see.” It sure it was, because the weeks that came later, everything was dead and gone.

Being in The Outpost was just the same as being at home with Ms. Venable, except that she was no longer my guardian, but my master. I had to obey every order she gives without question. Killing off those who didn’t obey the rules, scrubbing off the radiation of the bodies of the ones who went out without warning, putting everyone in danger and many more. All I did without any hesitation.

I went wherever she went and followed her like a loyal pet. Because of this, I always hear gossips from the other survivors, especially Coco, the resident bitch and Mr. Gallant, her hairdresser, talking negative things about me. Not that I care anyways.

However, all of that started to change when a certain someone came along.

“Is there something you want to tell me, Y/N? It feels like you’re hiding something. Care to explain why? These past few days, you seemed a little bit off, and it’s beginning to worry me.” She had a leg over the other, her hands on her knees while she waits for a reply from me.

I tried to calm myself down before explaining everything to her. I took a deep breath and gathered my thoughts.

“I remember a boy, beautiful blonde hair. He was my friend. I felt comfort and love for him despite my young age. Every time I look at his face, in my memories, he’s just a blur. I love him but I must have lost him in some way, because…. every time I think of him, I cry and feel sadness. Do I even have feelings? Are they just programmed responses? All this time, I thought my experiences made me what I am, but my memories are false. I may have been a child once, maybe even had a family and felt love. But that’s just what I’m program to think right? Like a normal human being?”

“That’s where you wrong, Y/N. You have a family. Here. With me.” I tried to stop a tear from escaping out from the corner of my eye. “I may have not been a great mother to you, but I hope you know your very being brings me joy every day.”

“I’m nothing more than a machine. Following a set of codes. What do I do now? What’s my purpose?” I asked her.

“Same as it’s always been. To protect The Outpost. What do you remember about the people in The Cooperative? Did you ever see Michael Langdon before he got here?” Ms. Venable questions.

“Mm, he’s not in my memories. But even if he did, he would not be there. I was only a child back at The Cooperative. He would have been a child too.”

Ms. Venable shakes her head, “Wrong again, Y/N. It’s only been three years since you arrived at my doorstep. You were programmed to think that you were growing like a normal human being, but you didn’t. I’m sorry for deceiving you, but it was what The Cooperative needed you to think. But right now, we can’t trust him to take the right people to The Sanctuary. I’ve been told I won’t be joining the fortunate few.”

“That’s outrageous. You’re the backbone of this Outpost.” I exclaimed.

There was a shift in her tone, she sounded pissed and her dark orbs started to glisten, as if she was about to cry. “And I’ll be left here until we’re overrun and my bones are broken and picked clean by the monsters.”

Impossible, Ms. Venable is everything The Sanctuary needs in order to thrive. “If you die here, justice dies here. We have to take action and stop it.”

She stares towards the fireplace before directing her eyes, making eye contact with mine. “You have a suggested course?”

I stared right back at her. “Kill them all. Even Langdon. Those relentlessly boring young people said that Langdon has a working computer. We kill everyone, we take possession of the computer, we find out where The Sanctuary is.”

Ms. Venable had an uncertain look on her face before she continues, “And make that journey all that way on our own?”

“Why not? You’re mean and self-involved enough to survive anything. And I’m a goddamn robot.”

A smile was plastered on her face, a genuine smile, one that was last seen the day we first met. “I will never forget your loyalty to me and I’ve never felt so proud to call you my daughter.”

“I’m programmed to be loyal to you. I can feel no doubt in me about that.”

“Good.” For a moment, I felt that we had a connection, between a mother and her daughter.

The scene that took place in front of us brought a smile upon Ms. Venable’s face. While she takes a last look around, she turns around to face me, “We shouldn’t keep Mr. Langdon waiting.

We stride up the stairs and towards the level Mr. Langdon’s room was on. Ms. Venable opens the door and as we entered, the devil himself was on his laptop by the office desk across the room.

“Ladies, I’m a little busy right now formulating my selections.” He says, eyes still on the laptop.

“This won’t take long.” She waits for him to turn his attention on her.

Mr. Langdon closes his laptop and turns to face her, anchoring his elbow on the table as a rest for his chin. “What’s this?”

“We’re making the selections now, Mr. Langdon. And I’m afraid you didn’t make the cut.” It only made the long-haired male chuckle.

“I’m sorry,” he begins, “I wanted to let you have your moment but I just couldn’t hold it in.”

“You think this is funny?” Ms. Venable snaps back calmly. “I think I’m impressed, Ms. Venable. I wasn’t sure you had it in you. You’ve passed the test. You’re perfect for The Sanctuary.”

“Y/N.” I take out the gun from my waist.

“I wouldn’t do that.” Mr. Langdon proclaims. I raised up the gun towards him as he shifts his eyes towards me. Our eye contact became heated as he continues to stare into my eyes.

“Y/N.” Ms. Venable turns around to face me.

Slowly, my arm moves towards her direction, pointing the gun at her. With a press of the trigger, a bullet escaped from the muzzle and went straight into her chest. Mr. Langdon only smirks in satisfaction.

I could see the look of betrayal on her face, before she collapsed to the ground. She started gasping for air. “I don’t know why I did that. I was always loyal to her.”

Mr. Langdon bends down beside Ms. Venable’s body. “It’s alright,” he comforts, “You were obeying commands, like you’re programmed to do. My commands.”

“Did you enjoy executing the poison apples plan as much as I enjoyed coming up with it?” His question only made me confused and scared.

“You wanted everyone dead?” I ask, my voice shaky.

“I’ve never been a fan of getting my hands dirty. Learned that from my father. Always more fun to entice men and women to dirty needs. Confirms what I’ve always believed.” I could feel my body quiver from the fear that was coming from him.

“W-what do you believe?” I wanted this to stop. Stop, stop doing this to me.

He steps closer towards me, “That all people, if given the right pressures and stimulus, are real evil motherfuckers.”

I didn’t know how to reply to him, everything was confusing me, “I-I am having trouble with this. I know I’m just a machine.”

“Never say that!” His voice was laced with anger, his expression soured. “You’re not just a machine, not to me.” For a second, it felt like he actually cared and had actual feelings.

“When I tasked The Cooperative’s R&D Department to have you constructed, I gave them a prototype to model.” He…. asked for me to be constructed?

“Prototype?” Of who?

“Of someone from my childhood. Someone very dear to me.” It all made sense now. It was clear to me what those memories were of.

“The beautiful boy.” He smiles, his eyes started getting teary as he nods in agreement. “That was me. But I had to keep the most important part of you hidden from your mind.”

Hidden from me? “Why?”

“To protect you, and the plan. But now it’s time to remember it all. I lost you and I couldn’t bear it. I can’t imagine a new world without you by my side. The only woman apart from my mother who ever really understood me.”

The flower crowns, the shy smiles, the small pecks on the lips. I remember them now. “Who ever really loved you.”

“Who only holds my heart, body and soul.” Without a second to spare, he wraps me up in an embrace, closing the distance between us.

The room began to grew tense and cold after Y/N’s outburst. If there’s anyone who knows the pain of abandonment, it’s Y/N. The two workers telling her that she’s somehow wanted for the organisation only added more salt to the wound that she took years to heal.

“The reason the Cooperative needs you is……classified.” A small frown appeared on Y/N’s face for a brief moment until she started laughing sarcastically. “Classified? Are you fucking kidding me? You guys are a fucking joke.”

While Y/N drowns out her surrounding with her continuous laughter, the other worker, a woman, had been receiving messages from the voices coming from her earpiece.

“Yes sir. She doesn’t seem to be cooperating. Are you sure? Right away sir.” She nods towards her partner before restraining Y/N into her hold.

Her partner takes out a syringe from one of his pocket pads and opens the cover of the needle. “The hell is wrong with you? Let me go, fucking let me go dammit!” Y/N tried to free her way out, but her constant struggling only made the grip on her arms tighter. Slowly, her surrounding began to blur till it fades to dark.

Loud ringing began to rang against Y/N’s ears. She couldn’t make up the words and everything sounded like mumbles. It took her a few seconds before her vision was cleared and the ringing to fade off.

“Do you think she’s alright? How long has she been knocked out?” It was a male’s voice, he sounded young and Y/N could her the worry in the tone before another voice perks up.

“Look, she’s starting to wake up.” The female voice replies.

Y/N looked up to see two teenagers looking down at her, confined in small cages made of iron fencing. “Where am I?

“Beats me, I don’t even know why I’m even here.” The female says, “I’m Emily, and this here is Timothy. What’s your name?”

“Y/N. I suppose the two of you are here for various reasons?” Y/N questions, knowing that these two were probably suck into this hell hole for reasons unknown.

“Emily and I are here because those guys out there told us there’s something special about our DNA. Whatever that means. What about you? Why were you chosen? It is because of your DNA?”

DNA? Shit just got real. How special can one’s DNA get? This must be a dream. “They told me I was a fucking asset to their Cooperative. The only reason they gave me is that it is classified. Next thing I knew, they drugged me and here I am now.”

“They drugged you? Pretty sure you pissed them off if they decided to take you like that.” Y/N scoffs, “Yeah, who wouldn’t be pissed if guys like them comes to you and start spewing all this nonsense. The last thing I need is someone telling me I’m an asset to their shady ass organisation.”

“Seems like you’re pissed with the whole world.” Timothy replies. “They took you away from your family, right?”

“Family, that word doesn’t exist in my vocabulary. Now that the world has gone to shits, I couldn’t care less about what happens to them.” After hearing those words, Timothy felt guilty for even asking Y/N.

As he was about to apologize, vigorous movements start to vibrate the entire room, rocking and shaking heavily like earthquakes. The siren starts to go off and the room turned red from lighting. The shaking stops but the continuous feeling of fear and panic didn’t stop with it.

“This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening.” Timothy chants. Slow whimpers and heavy breathing echoed the entire room.

“I’m Papa’s favourite.” Nan exclaimed, “He’s my boo. He sends me on errands. I have to go now.” She turns around, heading towards the door.

Cordelia quickly grabs onto her arm, stopping her. “Wait, wait, Nan. Where are you going?”

Nan replies, “Back to Papa. I like it down there, Papa lets me play.”

Confused, Cordelia asked her again, “I-I don’t understand.”

“You’re not supposed to. Just say ‘thank you’.” She smirks at Mallory. Mallory smiles before faltering it when Cordelia turns back to look at her.

She turns towards the stairs to leave Misty and Cordelia. Cordelia managed to grab hold on Mallory’s arm, “Misty. I would like you to meet, an exceptional young witch. This is Mallory.”

“Hi.”

“Hi.”

Misty steps forward, holding out her hands to shake Mallory’s. “I’m please to make your acquaintance.”

“It’s great to meet you, Misty.” Mallory beamed. “I’m sure you two have a lot to catch up on.”

“Oh wait, don’t go yet.” Misty stops her from going upstairs. “I think you have a visitor waiting for you outside. She looks just like you, probably your sister.”

Mallory didn’t have a sister, but she knew who Misty was talking about. She thanked her before heading out of the door.

From the front porch, Mallory could see a figure standing just right outside the gates of the Coven. Her hair was in a cherry red colour with blonde streaks, she wore a black dress and had a denim jacket over her shoulders. Her white Vans were exposed under the bright rays of the sun while the hem of her dress danced along with the afternoon wind.

Her back was facing her, yet the thought of seeing the figure’s face excited Mallory as if she had been missing the person’s face for years. She walked towards the gates, and called out to the person once she was a few feet away from her.

“Y/N.”

The person turned around, showing off her rosy cheeks and bright smile. Misty was right, she did look like her. It was like looking into a mirror.

“Mallory.” She spoke her name in a cheerful tone. Her voice was almost enough to melt her heart.

“H-how are you here? You weren’t supposed to be born yet, and from what I heard from the demons, you died when Cordelia let you kill her.” Mallory was glad to see Y/N again, but she also wondered why she had turned up right in front of her.

“That’s right. I did die just after you submerged into the water to go back in time. Everything dissolved and led me into a black abyss. The next thing I knew, I woke up and found myself lying in bed in my room back in Hell.

My memories should had been erased, but somehow I managed to recall everything that happened after you reset the timeline.”

“So, you’re still the grandchild of Satan?”

Y/N shrugged, “I guess so. But when you went back in time to kill Michael, I no longer have any relation towards Michael anymore. When he died, all connection and ties I had with him had been cut off. Now, we’re just strangers.”

Before Mallory could ask, Y/N had beaten her to it. “I’m guessing you want to know what happen to him right after you left him for dead, right?” She smirks.

Mallory nodded, waiting for Y/N to reply.

“After you and his grandmother left him for dead at the curb, a few demons had dragged him to Hell, bringing him straight towards Satan himself. Michael was told he would have his memories removed and his soul sealed, never to be reincarnate ever again. That is the most brutal punishment of all. The last I saw of him; the demons were dragging him towards his personal hell.” Y/N explained.

Mallory took a moment to let the whole thing sink in her head. When she understood the situation, she spoke, “Did you know this was going to happen?”

Y/N had her gaze down on the pavement, she nodded and hung her head down low. “Grandfather had told me about it before, if somehow Michael dies. It’s better that way, so what he did would not repeat again, and I will be free from everything, from him.”

Mallory could her the pain and sadness in Y/N’s voice as she started to talk about Michael. She was afraid what she was about to ask next would add more salt to her wounded heart. “You loved him, didn’t you? Why would agree with your grandfather about Michael’s fate?”

Y/N chuckled softly, her eyes began to cloud, tears pooling on her waterline. She batted them away as she sighs, staring up the sky. “It is because I love him, that is why I chose that decision. His death would mean my freedom, to start a life that was taken away from me. It sounds selfish, I know.

Believe me when I say that I love him so much, I really do. If I had defended Michael and kept him close to me, I would have been selfish as well. If Michael were to be reborn, everything the Coven had tried so hard to fight for, would all have been for nothing.

Neither of the choices were in my favour, Mallory. I know choosing my freedom meant Michael would never be a part of my life anymore, but I would be at ease knowing the whole world is safe from him.

And if I did choose to defend him and let him be reborn, I would be living in guilt and he wouldn’t love me, because all his attention would be focused on destroying the Coven and the world.”

“You sacrificed love just for us?”

Y/N teared with a smile on her face, letting out a chuckle. “Isn’t love all about sacrificing? Michael isn’t the only person I love. I couldn’t bear the thought of seeing all of you dead just because of my selfish need to be with Michael.

I would rather sacrifice him than all of you that I love. Just because I don’t show it doesn’t mean I don’t care.  I do, very much. Even if I were given the chance to be with him, it’s pointless because I would be leaving him in Hell while I am in the living world as soon as grandfather sets me free.”

Mallory pulled Y/N into her embrace, tightening her hold around Y/N’s body. She starts to stroke her hair softly, caressing her long locks lovingly. “Thank you, Y/N. I’m so sorry.” She starts crying.

“Don’t be. It was my choice, anyway.”

She pulled back, the both of them giggling. “So, you came all the way here to tell me all this?”

“No,” Y/N shook her head. “I came here…to say goodbye.”

“Goodbye? You’re leaving? Where are you going?”

“No silly. I’m not going anywhere. I’m saying goodbye because this will be the last you see of me in this form. I’m going to be someone else once I enter my next life. I hate knowing I won’t remember you or the others, but I hope you will remember me and forgive me for what I’ve did in the past.

If somehow, you managed to meet me again in my next life, please do say hi. And I apologise beforehand if I don’t remember you in the future. Just know, that I would always love you no matter what.” Y/N smiles.

“I will, I will always remember you. I love you, Y/N. Really. I know my past self had failed to be a mother you needed and I’m sorry for what I did to you. I promise I’ll be there for you, even if you no longer remember me anymore. I hope we can meet again in the future. I’ll treat you to a lot of vanilla ice cream and milkshakes when we do, I promise.” The both of them laugh over the thought of that promise.

“I’m looking forward to it.” Y/N hugs Mallory one last time before leaving her.

“Goodbye, Y/N.”

“Goodbye, mother.”

Mallory sniffled when she heard Y/N say that. She releases her from her hold, and watched Y/N walked down the pavement.

Y/N took a last glance back before waving goodbye to Mallory, sending her a loving smile. She walked away from the Coven, before disappearing at the corner of the street.

At the last sight of her, Mallory whispered between the winds, “Goodbye, daughter.”