The Vet's Life After...

Forevermore

"You promised to be together with me forever in life, so in death we will be together forevermore...." The cold, emotionless voice seemed to come from every direction. Alex kept his eyes shut, his erratic breathing not helping him calm down any more than the stench of decay entering his nostrils. "I loved you, cared for you, gave myself to you.... and you let me die just like your 'brothers'."

Alex couldn't help but flinch as Takai's voice spat out the word with hatred. "You haven't replaced them in your heart, but you've replaced me!" Alex began to sob as he turned his head, his breathing becoming shallow as his breathing became even faster.

"Look at me." Alex shook his head, tears streaming down his face as he did so. "I. Said. LOOK AT ME!" Alex felt cold, bony hands wrap around his neck, shaking his body as they stopped air from entering his lungs.

"-lex.... alex..." Alex struggled to breathe, still holding his eyes shut as a soothing voice filled his head. "Alex.... Alex, wake up...."

"Don't you dare go back to her!" Takai's voice returned, her grip on his neck tightening as she screamed at him. "You belong to me! You deserve to die for your failures! You deserve it!"

"I- I'm.... shoo- shorryy.... T- Tak-" Alex used the last of his breath, using what little consciousness he had as everything faded to black....

-

"-eems fine...." Alex could hear a voice, but only pieces of the sentences were recognizable to him.

"Please!" Alex tried to move when he heard her voice, the usually calming voice now full of concern. "-ot well!"

Alex tried to open his eyes, speak, move, anything! He panicked as he tried to do anything to show her he's still here. "Dammit Franks! Now is not the time to fuck around!"

'What?' Franks stopped, confused by the new voice echoing in his mind.

'Is this all you are? A lost man with no fight?' Alexander started to see color again, slowly blinding him as it became brighter. 'Where is the man who dragged me out of my crashed pod!?'

'Crashed p.... Jason?' Alex tried opening his eyes, looking into the blinding light to see if his brother is truly there.

'Who the fuck else would I be? Johnson?'

'Wha... how? Am I dead?' Alexander continued forcing his eyes to stare into the light, multiple silhouettes becoming clear.

A second voice began to speak, one that sounded younger. 'No, but you are close; you were almost killed by a dammed dream.... I'm almost jealous.'

'Aaron! You're here! H-how are you here? I watched you both-' Alex didn't know what to think, a mixture remorse and relief flooding through him as silhouettes began to form in the light.

'Ah-ah, all three of us; you ain't allowed to forget about me, dumbass.' Alex turned to the rightmost silhouette, watching it move in exaggerated ways. 'If it weren't for me you wouldn't have ever even gotten that far in life.'

'Santi.... guys, I'm so-' Alex was overcome with regret as he looked at his brothers, the smiles they had while alive burned into his memories. He fell to his knees as he felt his eyes burning again, the salty tears beginning to fall.