A Twisted Fate

Chapter Eighteen

I was solidified beside the darkness. Vivid images of the bullet in Celeste's neck and imaginations of a similar marking in Maxon or Aspen... or any of my close friends or servants made me sick. 

My nose filled with remnants of dust, and the room around me was filthy. The ground was covered in powders and specks of dust, the was had something smeared on them and the small, cramped space felt so out of place in the vast palace.

"Maxon," I whispered steadily, holding myself upright with a glimmer of hope in my heart. "Please survive this... please come back."

As the words escaped my lips nothing happened. Nothing but absolute solitude. I was a total nonentity for the next half hour, sitting silently inside the safe room, letting only a few tears trickle down my cheeks as I imagined the destruction.

Finally, I heard a click. I turned around tentatively. Would it be a guard? Aspen? Or would it be a rebel... possibly Celeste's murderer? "Maxon," I whispered aloud, as the tall silhouette took a step into the claustrophobic room.

"America?" He asked, rushing forwards, "ever since the guards drove the rebels out I haven't stopped looking for you. I was so nervous... and Celeste."

My eyes glazed as her name was finally spoken. Soon after, tears streamed down my soft, soot-covered cheeks as Maxon embraced me. "I'm sorry about before, America," he whispered into my ear as I closed my eyes, listening to his breath, "I shouldn't have been so, accusing. It never was your fault, nothing was."

I looked up and met his eyes, "thanks, thank you for everything, for all of this."

Maxon flashed me a smile. "Break my heart. Break it a thousand times if you like. It was only ever yours to break anyway."

This time as tears welled into my eyes they weren't full of panic or sadness, they were full of joy, pure joy. I could only cling to Maxon, as if it was for my life, as he carried me out of the room. "I love you too," I finally managed to rasp after he placed me on the hospital bed.

A doctor rushed over and their chatter muffled Maxon's words but from what I could see, Maxon was just as delighted. "Maxon-," I called, hoping he could come back as I told him one more thing, only to close my eyes and for everything to fade to black. 

Ty if you've been reading this entire thing! Just a spoiler so you don't fill the comments with bad stuff, America is not dying. Just a warning it may take a while to update because I'm struggling to find time but I will continue! 

- Goose