Chosen to Survive (ONC2024)

Chapter 16

Vanessa's POV

As consciousness slowly seeps back, my eyes blink open to complete darkness. Confusion spirals inside me, each thought sluggish and heavier than the last. The last thing I remember is Lily's determined face, her voice soft but resolute, urging me to drink the water. Then, nothing but blackness until now.

The air is cool and stale, pressing against me from all sides. I'm lying on something hard and unyielding. As the fog in my brain clears, panic begins to nibble at the edges of my thoughts. Where am I? Why can't I remember how I got here?

"Lily?" My voice echoes slightly, the sound strange in the absence of light. There's no response, just the echo of my own voice bouncing back at me, a reminder of my solitude. I try to move, my hands searching the ground around me. It's concrete, cold and unforgiving.

Memories start trickling back—Lily giving me the glass of water, her apology, her confession that she drugged it. She did this to protect me, to keep me from the fight. Anger flares briefly, but it's doused by a wave of worry for my friends. What's happening out there?

I push myself up to a sitting position, my back against a wall I hadn't realized I was lying against. "Okay, Vanessa, think. You're not helping anyone by panicking," I mutter to myself, trying to stave off the creeping dread.

The silence is oppressive, a thick blanket that smothers. I strain my ears for any sound that might indicate I'm not alone, but there's nothing. Just the quiet, and the darkness, and me.

Hours seem to pass—though I can't be sure, time is a fluid, elusive creature here. I talk to myself, recount memories, recite books I've read. Anything to keep the fear at bay, to keep the walls from feeling like they are closing in on me.

Finally, I hear something. Footsteps? My heart leaps, and I scramble to my feet, a name on my lips. "Lily?"

The door creaks, and a sliver of light pierces the darkness. The silhouette of a person appears, framed by the light from the hallway. It's Lily. Relief washes over me, so potent it nearly brings me to my knees.

"Lily! Oh my God, are you okay? What happened?" My words tumble out, fast and frantic.

She steps into the room, closing the door behind her, which plunges us back into near darkness save for the faint light filtering in from beneath the door. "I'm okay. We did it, Vanessa. It's over," her voice is tired, heavy with emotions she's probably too exhausted to hide.

"Over?" I echo, a mix of relief and confusion swirling through me. "You mean, the Master?"

"Yes," she replies, and there's a tremor in her voice that worries me. "He's gone. We stopped him."

"And Oakley? The others?" I press, needing to know how much the victory cost us.

Her silence is an answer before she even speaks. "Oakley... he didn't make it." Her voice breaks on the last word, and it feels like the ground shifts beneath me.

The news hits hard, but before I can process it, Lily's arms are around me, her embrace tight. "I'm so sorry to lock you in here, Vanessa. I couldn't... I couldn't risk losing you too."

I hug her back, the reality of our situation settling in. "It's okay. I understand. You did what you had to do."

We stand there for a long moment, holding each other in the dark, the weight of loss and relief mingling between us. Finally, we step back, and Lily wipes her eyes. "Let's go home," she says, and there's a note of finality in her voice.

As we walk out of the dark room together, the light from the hallway feels like a new beginning, but one tempered by the shadows of what we've endured. The battle is over, but its echoes will follow us, reshaping our paths in ways we might never fully anticipate.

Lily's POV

The world outside seems almost alien, a quiet that's neither peaceful nor comforting, just a stark reminder of the battles fought and the losses suffered. As Vanessa and I walk through the deserted streets of Crestwood, the destruction wrought by the Master's reign is visible in every broken window and scorched wall. But beneath the physical scars, there's a deeper wound in the fabric of this community, one that will take much longer to heal.

We reach the small, makeshift memorial that the townspeople have started. Candles flicker in the gentle breeze, each flame a testament to a life lost, a dream deferred. Among them, there's a special section for Oakley, adorned with photos I provided, his brave face smiling out at a world he saved but couldn't survive.

Vanessa squeezes my hand, her presence a silent strength. "He'd be proud, you know. Of you. Of all of this."

I nod, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. "I just wish he could see it."

"He does, Lily. In his way, I believe he does," she replies, her voice soft but certain.

We stand there for a long time, watching as others come and go, laying flowers, pausing to reflect. It's a small comfort, but a comfort nonetheless, this community of shared grief and gratitude.

Later, as the sun begins to set, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson, Vanessa and I find ourselves at the small cafe we used to frequent with Oakley. It's quiet inside, the usual bustle subdued by the recent events.

As we sip our coffee, the silence stretches, filled with memories. "I don't want to forget him, Vanessa. Not ever. He changed everything," I finally say, my voice barely above a whisper.

"You won't forget him, Lily. None of us will," Vanessa assures me, her eyes warm with shared sorrow. "We'll keep telling his story, keep the memory of his sacrifice alive. He lives on through us, through every life he saved."

"That's a big responsibility," I murmur, the weight of her words sinking in.

"It is. But it's also a privilege," she replies, reaching across the table to squeeze my hand.

The conversation shifts then, to plans for rebuilding, for healing the community. We talk about establishing a foundation in Oakley's name, something to help those affected by the Master's terror, to support the rebuilding efforts. It feels right, turning our grief into action, making sure that the darkness we fought so hard against is replaced with light and hope.

As the evening draws to a close, Vanessa and I part ways, a promise between us to meet again soon, to continue the work that needs to be done. I walk home alone, the streets of Crestwood quiet around me, the echoes of the past mingling with the whispers of the future.

At my door, I pause, looking up at the stars beginning to twinkle in the night sky. "Goodbye, Oakley," I whisper into the darkness, my voice steady but full of emotion. "Thank you for everything."

Inside, the house feels empty, but as I close the door behind me, I realize that I carry Oakley with me—not just in my memories, but in my heart, in the very fabric of who I've become. He's a part of Crestwood's story now, a hero in the truest sense, and as long as I live, as long as this town stands, he will never be forgotten.

1,208 words

Total 22,348