Judges

Chapter Thirty

Infinity

"I have officially quit."

I slam my papers down on the desk, and Alastair looks up.

"You can't, you haven't filed your report yet."

"Oh, the only person who cares about your dumb reports is you. Nobody reads them. I don't have a verdict, have someone else finish the job."

"Who?"

"Brad'll probably want to do it! Who cares! I'm done, give my poor relative her body back!"

"Augusta, you need to calm down!"

"No, and did you know that I am the great aunt of that girl? Were you aware of that?"

"Of course, it was my idea!"

"You jerk! You're messing with my family now, too?"

I hit him on the shoulder, and he tries to defend himself. "I thought you would like it, she looks just like you, same name..."

"I am not Augusta Hayes! I am Augusta Moore!"

I stop hitting him and sit down.

And against everything I believe in, I start to cry.

"I can't do this. I'm leaving, and I don't ever plan on coming back."

"No, Augusta, you can't. You have to stay."

"Why, because you like me?" Alastair's expression fades into fear.

"What?"

I realize I've known this for a while. "It's obvious. Why you wanted me back, why you were so against Jared, and that I liked him. You could have picked someone else to do this job, but you wanted a reason to see me again, didn't you?"

"N-no. I didn't."

His face flushes red.

"And it's YOUR fault, anyway! Isn't it? If I had been invisible none of this would have happened. I wouldn't like him and have to break his heart."

"You don't like him, Augusta."

"Why, because you don't want me to? I do like him, but I just broke his heart. And mine."

"You're fifteen."

"I am a hundred and one years old, Alastair. And now, I'm dead. Gone, forever, and I want to see Margaret. I'm gone, I will never answer you again."

I wish I could take a picture of the look on his face right now, I would pay for one.

The smirk on my face as I disappear and he tries to grab at the mist that remains of my body before I leave.