How Did We Get Here?

XVI. The Tower

Summary

Was it right?

Other Scar sits on a bench, it's the same day. People walk dogs and chat all around him, enjoying the sunny weather. They're at a park with bushes and flowers all around. It must be the place where his design is meant to go to. Scar sits on the bench and watches the other man take his phone out.

"Hello?" An older woman's voice says from the phone's speakers.

"Hey, mom," Other Scar fiddles with a strap on his backpack.

"Hi, sweetie. Is something wrong? Shouldn't you be at work or something?"

"I quit my job just thirty minutes ago. I-I don't know if that was right."

"Oh, wow." She paused. "Well, was something wrong at work? Stress, bad boss, toxic environment?"

"It's quite stupid, actually. I got assigned the sculpture project and got really stressed about finishing it. Cub and Grian wrote a letter of resignation for me, so I could quit because of it. And I did." ("Grian must be Bird Boy!" Scar gasped.)

"You didn't ask for a new assignment?"

"He, my boss, acted like I chose it. But he assigned it. I...kinda felt like I couldn't do that."

The mother sighs on the other end, "Sounds like a toxic environment. But, hey, now you can do freelance stuff, right? Take more time on projects than usual. No more of that terribly boring office."

He laughs. "That is a plus. I still don't really know, though. I'll report back in a few months."

"Please do. Remember that I support you either way. Okay?"

"Okay mom. Love you."

"Love you too, Scar. Bye." She seemed to hang up as Other Scar took the phone away from his ear before he said any more.

Other Scar looked at his surroundings once more before standing. Scar continued sitting as he walked the other walk off. He soon was whisked away by the familiar wind. A card was left where he sat. Finally upright, a Scar, with a face of worry, sat on the bench with a skyscraper in the background. XVI, The Tower.

"Something about this feels like the end, or somewhere near it," Scar says quietly to Jellie. "What was this all about? Where does this end? Why are we here?"

"Are you sad? Like you'll miss it?"

"Well, if this is my (or, rather, our life), I don't know. This brings back the whole 'are we dead' thing."

"I don't really know, Scar. But I will agree that something feels off. Nearing the end. The bottom of the hill."

"Poetic," it's both a criticism and a joke. But Jellie does not respond. If this is the end, how does it end? If they are dead, was it so sudden? Scar really hoped they were alive, that they'd wake up at the next card and laugh this all off with the memories he didn't have. But trying to confront death when you don't remember life is hard.

Scar guesses that they've been in this...place for probably less than a day. So much has happened. At least a year of Other Scar and Jellie's life had passed, but probably many more.

"Now's not the time to contemplate," Jellie advises, walking onto the card herself.

(OG post date - 6/2/23)