Afterlife (Edgerunners)

Memory: Solar Flare

Lucyna Kushinada

His yellow jacket contrasted against the dark hue of the room.

I still can't believe I have him here again... Finally.

I have my love.

"Lucy, mi amor, you look awful... Get some sleep. I'll be here with you when you wake up."

I lay myself in front of his arms, but now... I saw his face again.

Something I haven't seen in so long... His perfect, warm face looked back at me.

"David... I found the ring you got me..."

"Yeah... I wish it didn't have to turn out like this."

"No... I have you now... It's all that matters."

And it was true, it was all I needed.

"Lucy?"

"Yes?"

"Kocham cię"

He spoke polish, he must know from me now... He said it just for me.

"Ja też cię kocham..."

2 Missed Messages: Xavier.

Lucy!? If you read this... Please get that chip down here quick! I gotta safely remove it.
There's a solar storm coming, it'll fry that chip to a crisp, and if that doesn't kill you... It will kill David. Be quick, please.

Lucy! You don't have long, 10 minutes... Come down, quick. Can't see you moping around again. Move it, please.

I awoke to a searing headache.

It felt like I had been shot.

"David?"

Biochip Integrity: 0%

"No..."

I had messages from Xavier.

"-It will kill David...-"

No!

I just got him back!

I tore apart my room, I had to find him... He was hiding, surely!

"David!"

I shrieked and cried for him, I had to see him.

"Where are you!? DAVID!!"

He wasn't gone.

"DAVID! PLEASE!"

He couldn't be gone...

Biochip Integrity: 0%, Remove Immediately.

David...

"David..."

no... please... not again...

"I... I... Can't... Not again..."

I removed the chip, and surely enough... It lost its glow.

He was gone.

"David..."

They took him from me.

"David... I..."

Everything took him... From me.

"You're... Not gone..."

Arasaka... Adam Smasher... And now even the dream he had killed himself for me to see.

"I'm..."

DAVID...

"sorry..."

Life's short...

I couldn't do this.

Why does it take, so long?

I had to see him... See him forever...

We're only here, once...

I'm not as strong as you think I am David... I've lived like this for as long as I can... But nothing is worth it if I can't even wake up to your kiss, to your love.

To you.

I'm so fucking sorry for what I'm about to do David.

"I'm so sorry..."

Why blame yourself?

I looked toward the Unity, and grasped it.

I lifted my chin, and held it under my head.

And all I heard, was the trigger click.

The tears ran down my face, couldn't even fucking kill myself without a corp fucking it over.

I threw the gun, and it cracked the window, softly pulling air out into the cold vacuum of space.

And then, it clicked in me.

Not too long after, I was out on the surface of the moon, wandering toward the crater I took him to, and saw him when I first came here.

I came to my knees, feeling the crushing weight of pain, the pain and regret of betraying his trust.

"Hey Luce?"

I looked up, and saw him, and he squatted in front of me.

"Hey... What's got you so spooked?"

I reached my hand out to feel his, and I felt it, it wasn't cold, it wasn't like the hologram... It was real.

He laughed a bit, before softly grasping my helmet, and I held my hands over his.

"C'mon, let's get this heavy stuff off you, no need to be wearing it... This isn't the real thing."

Our song picked up in my ears as I stood, and allowed him to help me take the helmet off.

WARNIN-

The blaring alarms turned off, and I turned and allowed him to help me take off my suit.

He grasped my hand, and pulled me into his embrace.

"It's been a while since we were here huh?"

"Yeah... It has..."

I looked into his eyes. "I love you Luce..."

"I... L-Love you David..."

He laughed softly, and pushed me to the ground, before pressing his lips against mine, never letting go, never.

And I closed my eyes... Feeling his kiss, for so long until it went cold.

Until I couldn't feel anything at all.