Lethe Vita

Chapter 21

The woman long entrenched in his soul lay critically injured before his eyes, and there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it.

"Brenda!" he shouted as he worked to free her from the toppled bookcase. "Brenda, help's on its way, okay? We're going to get you out. Just keep your focus on me, baby."

"Baby," Brenda murmured. She rested her hand on her side and then withdrew it.

The sight of her crimson-soaked hand spurred him on.

"I'm losing the baby, aren't I?" she asked.

"No," said Dylan firmly, "our baby is fine. You're both fine."

"Do you see the light, Dylan?" asked Brenda. A serene smile settled upon her face.

"I don't," he said, "and neither do you."

"You can't save us," she said. "You have to save yourself."

"There won't be any me to save if I can't save my family."

"Your family wouldn't need saving if you hadn't sprinted," yelled the voice behind Dylan.

"Shut up!" roared Dylan; though if it was to himself, or to Jim, he couldn't be sure. "Bren, I need you to turn your back and run like hell away from that light, okay? Do it for me. I - I can't - I can't li -"

"Okay," said Brenda, resting her palm against his cheek. "But if you have to choose between me and our daughter -"

"There will be no choice," said Dylan.

His next words faded in a gelid gust of wind.

An all-too-familiar gelid gust of wind.

"Shut the fucking window!" he yelled. "Now!"

"What window?" asked Brandon, who stood right beside it.

"I think he means this window," said Jim.

Neither made a move to shut it.

Dylan clung to Brenda.

"You - you gotta shut the window," he said. "Please shut the fucking window."

"Why don't you come over and shut it yourself?" asked Jim.

"Bren needs me!" said Dylan.

"My daughter needs you in tip-top shape and the longer you leave the window open, the longer it will take for you to be the person who can best care for her," said Jim.

"Brandon, shut the window!"

"Dad's right," said Brandon. "Shut it yourself. You like to be by yourself."

"I don't - I don't want to be by myself," said Dylan.

"Too late," said Brandon. "You pushed everyone away, and now my sister is hurt because of it."

"She's about to become more hurt if you don't shut the fucking window!"

Dylan shielded Brenda with his entire body as the avalanche hit.

"I loved you, Dylan," she said, "and you left. You left me like everyone always leaves you."

"I won't leave ever again," he swore. "It's you and me and our little family, until long after the clock shatters and the world is no more."

"Now is too late," said Brenda, before succumbing to the avalanche.

"Bren!" Dylan tried to dig her out. His hands bled in the raw air, but he continued digging. "No! Bren! Come back!"