Where Are The Children?

18

VAL

Val wasn't proud of relapsing.

But what could she do?

Val leaned on the wall, taking another swig of the bottle in her hands. The welcoming burn of the liquor gave her a feeling of relief. 

Alcohol has always been her best friend. Every time she remembered the pain of watching her family die or the conscience of killing people, A bottle or four never fails to numb her feelings and her conscience down.

But why?

Why does she still feel the pain? It's been a whole fucking week Val thought as she clutched her chest. She stared at the bed in front of her, already floating like a boat.

Jack.

Tears fell down her cheeks.

She slammed her fist against her chest.

She saw him.

He was battered and bleeding the last time she saw him and it was all because of her.

All because of her.

She sobbed, trying to catch her breath. What was she supposed to do now?

Every time she woke up, all she could see was his face. She could see him in the gloves that she wore, in the chocolates she ate. She can hear his laugh, his jokes.

He was all that was good in her world and now fate has taken that away from her.

Why did they have to take him?

Wasn't her life shitty enough?

She tightened her grasp on the bottle she was holding. She knew what she had to do to return to MirrorLand.

But she also knew that when she does it, Jack will come back and he will hate her for eternity.

She stared at the Moon that was peeking out the window, big and bright against the darkened sky. She smirked "Stop staring at me like that. I have no choice"

Val remembered how much Jack continued to talk to it before he was assigned to be a guardian. She never understood it before and would always laugh at him.

But now, she understood.

When you're desperate, sometimes you cling to even the tiniest bit of hope.

That maybe-- just maybe someone will hear you.

She took a deep breath. "I really don't know what to do"

More tears fell on Val's cheeks. She stared at the words written on the wall, the endless lines connecting and spiraling with one another. She tried her best to ask Jamie but all the kid could ever give her was a sincere 'I don't know.' 

The MUB was no help to her either. He kept laughing while Val questioned him, which nearly made Val rip his tongue out.

The spy was lucky North was there to stop her.

She tried her best, to find another way to get the portals to open but it never did. Without another way, Val was left without a choice but to follow Kaplan's only condition.

Bring the reincarnations back to MirrorLand or kill them.

"Please don't make me do this" She mumbled as she leaned her head on the wall behind her, keeping her gaze on the moon.

If Jack were here, he'd know what to do.

"I know it's wrong" she whispered "But I can't bear thinking how he might be getting tortured or dead. Please help me"

Memories of her and the winter spirit made her feel like a spear was thrown at her heart. She stared at her gloves "If you do that, I promise I will do everything you want. I will be the guardian you wanted me to be. I will take care of all the kids and adults in the world. Just please" she whispered "Please bring him back"

"Val?"

Val looked up and squinted her eyes in the direction of a humongous red person. She tilted her head, the bright lights from outside were making everything hazy.

She ignored the person and took another gulp from the bottle, fully expecting their rant about alcohol not being good for her or yanking it away from her.

But the person didn't say anything.

Instead, the person decided to silently sit next to her as she gulped down the contents.

For Val, it was weirdly comforting. She was sick of hearing people tell her 'their sorry' or 'condolences.' She knew she shouldn't be. It wasn't their fault but after some time, it gets sickening to hear and it kinda sounds like Jack was dead already.

She hated it.

"You know, most people tell me to quit drinking when they see me like this"

"Today is special occasion. You miss Jack."

A sad smile tugged on her lips at the sound of the person's words. She leaned her head on the person's arm. "Do you also think he's dead?" she whispered

"Jack is fighter" The person replied "He is alive"

"You know" she sniffed, "He told me he loved me the day before that"

"Do not lose hope" She felt the person's hand, stroke her hair, making her cry even more. "We will find him"

Val nodded as she turned her gaze back to the moon.

They will find him.

Because she knew what she had to do.