Strong For Too Long Trilogy ✔️

41. Time Ran Out

CHAPTER 41: Time Ran Out

ONE MONTH...

Harrison couldn't survive in the sarcophagus that held each of my friends, the longer we held, the worse he was getting, every beep had been running thin and his eyes. They dimmed on me while I had grasped his hand. Samsara sobbed, forearm over her lips. He was gone. I stared at him, I zipped up his vest-it wasn't bulletproof enough to save him from a hit to the neck. When I revived Pierce and Fern, when they saw what happened to Cassandra, there was never enough time to explain what had already turned my mind into the biggest mess I'd ever had. When I raced back to London, once hearing from Samsara, thanking the lord like crazy that she was alright...until I heard.

My lips still tremble as I talk to Aaron's encased form, "We did everything we could, baby. I just couldn't-we couldn't save him." I confess to the unconscious love-of-my-life. He's ice cold, a loss of warmth when they apply him to the enhanced sarcophagus, it's transparent lid letting me see him. I rest my forehead against it.

TWO MONTHS...

My hands were covered in fluids, helping Samsara while Javier holds Eight's hands in his, "A healthy baby boy." I breathe out, looking up at them, Eight cries out in relief, breathing now controlled while Javier steps towards me after I wrap the boy up in a blanket.

"Do you have a name?" I ask him while Eight is being checked by Samsara and the main doctor.

He swallows above me, holding the adorable baby in his arms, "Owen. Just Owen." He whispers, sniffling.

Not long after, I visited Aaron, and told him everything. Right up until I couldn't hold it in any longer.

I sniffle against the lid, holding a picture, "I have a surprise, Aaron. You're going to be so pleased, my darling," I place the picture on top, "We're having twins."

THREE MONTHS...

No matter what the doctors did, nothing was working, nothing could wake up any of them. I felt it choke on me, every time I went to his cold body, my mind reeled-do I stop this? If he's in pain, do I stop this fight for survival? To see him breathe again. I look up to the doctor, Samsara is frozen as she looks at his results, "How can there be no progress at all? Even with the technology we have from Cassandra's districts?" She couldn't understand it and neither could I.

"She had doctors, engineers-anyone who could utilise even half of their technology...eliminated. I'm sorry, until we learn more, we could risk killing them if we move further." His words crushed me. Fern held me tight.

There's more, "We need to look into a family with the last name of...Celestial." I whispered to Fern.

FOUR MONTHS...

I found the house he had purchased.

A family home.

My dream home.

I burst into tears, first seeing it. Fern holds me close, "He knew just what you liked." He whispers, eyes holding the weight of sympathy, but he cannot feel what I do.

"I miss him." I cry out.

Fern cradles me against him, "We're working on reviving them, Olive, we just need to have faith. We're looking into everything, I promise."

Faith is for those who have nothing else. I may never get my full memory back, I may never recall every detail and every step I marched with Aaron running after me in the time I've known him and his hilarious nature, his charming and stubborn and foolish ways, I'll never love anyone as much as I love him. Even in death, even when he thought I was a spirit taunting him for years.