a gorgeous white by Heather_anare

238: The end

Amber eyes lifted. He winced as he felt pricks in the interior of his eyelids. He tried to keep his eyes slightly closed to avoid more dust entering his eyes. However, this wasn't what he was anxious about. It was the sudden presence of Moulin that made his eyes wide and his heart pound heavily.

Before a word could escape his mouth, he felt the rock he was holding on to crack. Instantly, alarm filled his senses.

Moulin hurriedly lowered his torso down the edge of the rift, and he stretched out his hand. His fingered dug unto the ground tightly. Alsander was still injured. And it happened because of him. Moulin refused to let his friend fall to his death. He refused to let another soul slip away because of him.

"Gh!" Moulin hissed when his arm scratched the sharp rocky edge of the wall. However, he kept his eyes determined as he reached for Alsander's hand.

Crack!

The sound sent a dreadful chill down Moulin's back. The rock Alsander was hanging on was breaking, and if Moulin wasted more time reaching for him then and still fail, then Alsander would fall. Shaking his head, Moulin's fingertips could not reach his friend's hand. There were perhaps six impossible inches left. If he would bend over even a little, he would not balance his weight when he holds Alsander.

The youth gnashed his teeth.

Seeing his struggle, Alsander opened his mouth. "Moulin-"

"Shut up!" Moulin narrowed his eyes. "You have to reach for me!"

"What?" Alsander drew his brows together. "I don't think I can-"

"Do it! Don't worry. I will catch you, so do it..." Moulin said as he eyed the cracking rocks. "Come on... Hurry... On three, let go and reach towards me. Alright?... One..."

"..." Alsander clenches his jaw. His arm was still aching, and he could not trust the strength he has left. But Moulin is giving him the chance to save himself. Alsander could not refuse it.

"Two..." Moulin sharpened his eyes. His fingers are stretched outwards.

Crack!

Alsander breathes out as he readied himself.

"Three!"

Alsander instantly pulled himself on the rock and desperately grasped Moulin's hand. At the same time, the edge he was hanging on broke down. The rocks are rolling down the dark abyss like an avalanche. If Alsander were a second too late, then he would have fallen to his death. Crushed.

"I got you... I got you..." Moulin grunted as he held Alsander with both hands. The man was swaying in the air, and Moulin could not fully balance himself.

Alsander sighs as he glanced down. He shudders, thinking of his brutal winding if he had missed Moulin's hand. He lifted his gaze and revealed a smile. "Nice catch, young master."

"I'm impressed you still have the nerve to smile even during this situation." Moulin shook his head helplessly. He looked down at his friend and chuckled. "You were lucky..."

Crack!

Suddenly, the ground beneath Moulin's knees crumble! In the next second, he felt gravity pull him down.

"!!!"

Moulin's instincts kicked in. He instantly pulled Alsander up with all his strength before he could fall along with the breaking rocks that supported him. Death seemed to tap on his shoulder as his eyes fell on the pitch-black darkness waiting for him below. The stones scratched his body. Gravity yanked him downward in a forceful pull. Time seemed to slow down as he fell.