Terror

Chapter Thirty-Five

Two years later

It had been years since Jason had set foot in Simcoe. He stepped out of the car and paused in the centre of the plaza. The road beneath his feet was smooth and freshly paced, unlike the wreckage he remembered.

His eyes swept across the empty lots where the daycare, pharmacy, and Burger King once stood. Rubble had vanished, leaving only concrete slabs and weeds pushing through cracks. A half-built McDonald's loomed on one side, its skeletal frame creaking faintly in the wind.

A few houses had sprouted on the edge of the plaza, each sporting a bright "for sale" sign. The air smelled faintly of fresh asphalt and damp earth. He kicked at a loose stone, the sound echoing the stillness.

Jason made his way over to the park, which had been transformed into a graveyard. It was a dark reminder of the trauma that had taken place and the lives that were lost. It was gated by a small black fence and newly planted trees.

As he walked through the graveyard, he stared at some of the graves around him. They were lined up in different shapes, each with names engraved with people's names on them. Some he didn't know, but others he recognized, like Melany, Ilya, and Esme.

Jason crouched in front of Bella's grave and placed white roses gently on her grave.

His throat tightened. She had sacrificed her life. He could still remember her laugh, her smile, and the way she would do anything to protect him. Even through all the chaos, he had fallen in love with her.

"I miss you..." he whispered.

He closed his eyes, letting memories of their first kiss, their arguments, and their moments together wash over him.

"Hello, soldier," Bryce snarked.

Jason opened his eyes and turned to see the crackheads holding white roses as Mia looked around absentmindedly. After years, they still didn't change much in appearance, except for Mia's light brown hair.

"He's praying," Mia whispered, tiptoeing toward him.

Jason had moved out on the condos and gotten his own place in the two years since The Bubble, but he struggled with being alone. Even with the occasional visits from Mark and Cindy, the mental scars remained permanent.

He had turned to drinking in an attempt to numb the painful memories, but it proved to be ineffective. Instead, he ended up being was on the addiction floor, struggling with alcoholism.

"Where's Emma?" Jason asked.

"My beautiful girlfriend is being driven by her dad. They have been forming a good bond, if you happen to know," Bryce said smugly.

Suddenly, a short girl in a white sundress rushed towards them, holding a bouquet of flowers and wearing a panicked expression.

"Am I late?" Emma blurted out.

"Yeah, everyone just left," Bryce stated. "I'm kidding, worrywart."

This was an event planned by Zane to commemorate the days they were released from this place. It was optional for people to attend, but it also provided an opportunity to reconnect with those who had either moved away or were not active on social media.

"Is it exactly two years today?" Zane asked, walking over.

They had all watched as Ashley, Divina, and Cassandra were reduced to ash, freeing them from The Bubble. The entire plaza had been engulfed in flames, with everyone having some sort of injury and the sounds of gunshots and screams filling the air.

"No new love interest yet? Darn," Nevaeh said, snapping her fingers.

Relationships were the last thing on his mind. He was still haunted by what had happened to Bella and the guilt of not being able to save her from death.