Whispers in the Dark (A Sonic Fanfiction)

Chapter 9: Not Gonna Die

{Recommended song: Not Gonna Die by Skillet}

Darkness.

And quiet.

Shadow became aware of the sensation of floating. Floating in a endless void. It wasn't scary. It was rather peaceful. Quiet, but not in a way that made your ears ring. Starry light twinkled all around him. It was as if he'd become a part of the night sky.

"Shadow?"

Maria's voice. She was there. She was sitting... well, not really on anything. Just sitting. She motioned for him to join her.

Shadow "sat" next to her. She held her arm out, and he curled up against her side. "Is it time yet?" Shadow asked.

She shrugged. "What do you think?"

"I want to come with you," he whispered.

She ran her fingers through his quills. He leaned his head against her, letting the familiar feeling wash over him. She was only person he'd ever really let touch him, the only one whose touch wasn't uncomfortable. Her soft fingers ran down his head, along his ears and neck.

"What about your friends?" she asked finally.

Friends? What friends? The best anyone did was tolerate him. That was mostly his own fault, but still...

He sighed. "No one would care."

Maria's eyes sparkled with concern, but she smiled softly. "Are you sure?" She touched his arm. "Listen."

Shadow sat still and trained his ears. It took a moment, but soon voices filtered through the haze.

"Listen, you selfish jerk, you can't die on me."

Rouge. Shadow chuckled. Maybe she'd miss him. A little. She needed someone to argue with besides Knuckles.

She'd understand, though.

"Keep listening," Maria whispered.

"Hey, Faker. You better wake up soon. I know you're too stubborn to die."

Sonic. Yeah, he would like another chance to fight that faker. One more race. One more good beatdown. Their interactions were almost... fun.

But... He was so tired. There were so many times when it felt like he had nothing left to live for. Like he was just running from one mission and crisis to the next, trying to find something that would make him feel anything again. And everything just hurt so much.

Did he have to keep going like that?

"Maria, I--"

Maria pressed a finger against his mouth and motioned for him to continue to listen. Shadow strained his ears.

A quieter voice came, one choked with tears.

"Please," Whisper said. "I don't want to lose another friend. I can't lose someone else."

Whisper? She was worried about him? After all he'd done to her, she didn't want to lose him?

She considered him one of her friends?

"I can't do that to her," Shadow whispered. He knew that pain. And she'd already gone through it. He couldn't put her through that again.

Maria ran her fingers through his quills, rubbing that one spot behind his ear that always felt so good. "You have so much to live for. There are people who care about you, who want to be there for you. You've been so stuck on the past, you haven't seen what's around you right now."