Jessica

Acceptance Part Four

Under the scorching sun, even after several millennia since their creation, we can find imposing structures only made because entitled kings thought that a tomb like any other wasn't good enough for them. They made their slaves work tirelessly to create these glorified sepulchers and the worst part is that some still deny how much they worked.

One day, atop one of the monuments, a black orb appeared and The Ultimates stepped out of it. "First time seeing the pyramids..." said Cloak, the living gate, "...it feels a little weird."

Jess checked on a device she took out of her jacket and said: "It seems they're not too far away. How many people do you read, Ty?"

Ty looked to the direction Jess was pointing at and pondered for a few moments then he replied: "...some lights are very dim but it seems there are fourteen people." They all knew why some of the souls seemed less colourful. "Four are very bright, for some reason." he added.

"Maybe they're captives... alright, plan 2 it is, then." said Jessica as she turned to him once again.

Everyone strolled around on their own, looking at the region around them except for Jimmy who approached Jessica to her surprise.

"Hey, uhm, Jessica...?" he asked but he didn't seem to address her in a derisive way.

"What's up?"

"Can we talk, just for a second?" he inquired as he took off his jacket, noticing that it was too hot to keep on.

Jessica, on the other hand, didn't remove hers and just answered: "Sure."

"I'm really sorry, Jess." he said but she didn't understand why so he confessed: "I said some really mean things about you behind your back."

"Oh... really?" she asked, not angry, just a little intrigued, "Like what?"

Jimmy thought about it for a while but he couldn't bring himself to say it, instead he replied: "It's some really horrible stuff. I'm sorry."

Jess didn't insist any further, she just told him: "I mean... if you're sorry, I guess it's fine—"

"No, Jess... no." he said, interrupting her, "I don't think you understand. It got to the point where I would wish that bad things happened to you... I'm not superstitious or anything but then when it actually happened I felt responsible. I don't think this can be forgiven."

Jessica sighed and assured him: "Come on James, you said it yourself. It doesn't matter."

"I know it may sound stupid but you can't imagine how guilty I feel. I may not have been the guy that stabbed you but I feel like I was." he explained as he looked down and clenched his fist

"But I do, actually. I did the same once." she said, placing her hand on her own chest.

James looked up, thinking that he had misheard the last phrase. He couldn't help but ask: "...seriously? You?" He always thought she was this stereotypical do-gooder.

"Yes. There was this guy. I was lonely, I felt like I didn't get what I deserved while he had everything I wanted. It started with me wishing I had what he had, then I wanted to be him... then it got to the point where I became so jealous that I wished he would just... disappear and I could take what I wanted." Jimmy listened, flat out frightened by how similar they were despite the invisible mask she put on. "He died and although I was nowhere near him, I still felt responsible just for having that single bad thought before going to sleep."

Still taken aback by the last piece of information, he pointed out: "I guess you do feel the regret I'm feeling now... you know, for the guy that you envied"