⚜Guardian⚜

Chapter Thirty Nine

LACEY- 2077, MERCY GENERAL HOSPITAL

A man she didn’t recognize entered her hospital room.

“Lacey, oh Lacey,” the man declared.

“Who… who’re you?” Lacey questioned, squinting her eyes slightly. Damn her cursed eyesight. As the years had passed, it had only gotten worse.

“I’m Isaiah. You won’t remember me, but you asked me to give you something before…. Before you died,” Isaiah exclaimed. Before she could protest, he handed her a wrinkled sheet of paper. She read it slowly, the memories trickling back as she did.

“Isaiah…Oh God, Isaiah,” Lacey declared, tears leaking onto her wrinkled face as she finished. It had been so long since they last spoke. The world were angels and messengers and sanctuaries existed had only been part of her wildest dreams until now. Isaiah nodded, tears slipping down his face as he smiled sadly. He gave her a quick hug, laughing slightly despite his tears.

“Thank you,” Lacey thanked him. Isaiah nodded, wiping the tears from his face as quickly as he could.

“Anytime. You don’t be scared now, alright? It’ll be okay,” Isaiah promised. He couldn’t help but cry a little harder as he said this. Death was something that affected everyone. No matter how many deaths you viewed or experienced, they always hurt. She nodded quickly. Isaiah squeezed her hand, giving her one last sad look before leaving.

Lacey was suddenly grateful she had never remarried. She had tried to find someone, but some instinct had always held her back. Her brother had gotten remarried, and she was happy taking care of his kids. She had gotten a job as a preschool teacher, and she had loved it. It was the best job she could have asked for.

Someone else entered her hospital room, and Lacey felt her breath catch. He looked like a wildebeest, or some kind of deformity, but she would recognize those violet eyes anywhere.

“Asher?” She called. He nodded jerkily, kneeling beside the hospital bed.

“But…you… I thought you were dead!” She wheezed, her heart rate skyrocketing.

“You had to think I was dead. It was what was best,” Asher promised. Something heavy tried dragging her under, and she tried to resist, but it was just so peaceful.

“You… you gave me this necklace!” she realized, showing him the silver necklace. As she looked at it now, she recalled the name of it: the Archangel’s necklace. He nodded, brushing tears off of his face with the back of one paw.

“Asher, I love you. I’ve always… loved you,” Lacey exclaimed, feeling the truth of her words deep in her heart.

“I love you more,” Asher promised. She tried to stay awake, but the darkness was so tempting, so heavy, that it was much too difficult to keep her eyes open. He remained beside her even as her heartbeat stilled, her breathing stopped, and her skin turned a bluish color. He didn’t cry, however, until she was officially departed from this world. It was the worst pain he’d ever experienced apart from when she had lost her memory, but he couldn’t help but be grateful for the time they’d spent together.