traitor | Ziggy x Nick

epilogue

it will take a while
to make you smile
somewhere in these eyes
i'm on your side
-
space song; beach house

>>>

- October 1st, 1994 -

"Hey Cindy, if you can hear this...it's all over. Everything you fought for in '78, everything so many Shadysiders died for. Its all disappeared - the heart, the witches mark, the names of the killers - all gone. I think- hope, that Shadyside is really free. Ha...Sunnyvale's been going through shit since Will was killed. Their lives are a bit more like ours now, car crashes and crimes plaguing them for a change. With Will dead so many reporters have flocked here to figure out what could've possibly corrupted the amazing Will Goode. Of course we're not telling them about the curse and book but, it's nice seeing Sunnyvalers getting a taste of the real world. As for me...Shadyside Mall's still closed for the moment with it being a crime scene and all. I heard rumours they might cut down the hanging tree but I don't know what will happen now. All I'm sure of is that we ended what you started 16 years ago. What began three centuries ago with the first Shadysider - Sarah Fier. I'm rambling now but I'll come visit more often from now on, I promise. Nothing will pull us apart again, I love you Cindy."

I take one last look at her grave and the bouquet of roses before getting up and walking away, head still reeling. It'd been just over a week since Will was killed and Shadyside was freed from the curse. I'd finally mustered up the courage to come see Cindy earlier than usual. Sighing, I tilt my head up to the strangely clear weather, save for light winds, for an autumn morning in Shadyside. Walking a little farther down the path, I come to the graves of all the Camp Nightwing and Skull Mask victims.

"I hope you're all resting well," I whisper into the breeze, words carried down to all the graves. Walking again, I read all the names of the victims, people I knew by name, people I heard stories about, people I didn't know, until I finally reach nurse Beddy's grave. Opening my bag, I pull out a bouquet of flowers, tied at the stems with the same blue ribbon he'd helped me put on all those years ago at the Shadyside funeral. "Thank you for everything nurse Beddy." I place the forget-me-nots on his grave, smiling at the memories we had before rising and walking quietly out of the cemetery.

>>>

Collapsing into my couch, I cradle an ice-cold glass of whiskey while I turn on the tv.

"Nick Goode has declined-" the news anchor reports but I rapidly turn the box off.

"Can't catch a bloody break," I groan as I take a sip to cool off. I'd unceremoniously declared my house needed a desperate cleaning after the years of wear and tear I'd put it through and figured the short time I have off work would be suitable. Unfortunately I'd overestimated the effort it would take to get everything in order once again, but it was therapeutic. I started with throwing half of the alarms into the trash, keeping some because healing would take a while. Step by step I'd learn to live without them, but for now I still needed them to function. I'd also bought some proper food to cook for meals, cleaned junk from my living room and been interrupted by reporters. Somehow they had found my house and tried to cram a statement about the Goodes out of me. The first time I was cordial, but with each persistent knock at the door, the more exasperated I got.

Knock knock

"For fucks sake," I groan and reluctantly rise from comfort, approaching my locked door. "I'm not giving you a statement about Will Goode so screw off," I seethe clenching my whiskey.

"I'm not a reporter just in case you wanted to know."

Stopping in my tracks, I put down my glass and approach the door. Unlocking five of the locks on the door, I leave one locked as I wedge open door.