The Last Living One

Prologue

Prologue

Maddie's P.O.V

I dropped down with a whisper, watching as the security guard made his final round of the night. I crouched behind some over grown shrubs, putting my hands down against the cold concrete; letting out a soft sigh of longing. I missed this place; my school, my home.

I glanced at the guard, narrowing my eyes at him. He was an older man, balding and soft around his middle. I haven't ever seen this guard, but it's been about forty years since I was here last.
The guard was whistling as he walked out of the gate, a ten foot tall gothic thing that came to sharp points at the top. He was confident that no body could get in; no body that was human, anyway. And I hadn't been human for a very long time.

With a small smirk, I stood up and walked away from the guard, heading toward the church on the far side of the old deserted school campus.
You could still tell that this used to be a beautiful, well loved school. It was only closed about fifteen year's ago when a fire burnt down the library and cafeteria; luckily no body was hurt. But the school officials decided that it was just too much money to rebuild the school, so it was closed due to old and faulty wiring.

With an ease that screamed long practice, I climbed onto a rail and jumped, pulling myself up on to the roof. I walked across the roof, heading to the church. Grabbing the ledge of one of the windows that was broken out, I climbed up on to the church roof, smiling.
I walked over to the bell tower and sat down in its shadow, throwing my feet carelessly over the edge. I was a good three stories up, but it wouldn't kill or even hurt me if I fell. Trust me, I have jumped from things a lot higher than this and walked away without even a scratch.

I sighed again, my chest tight with a longing and sadness that has build up over the years. I came back here, to this abandon, burnt and falling down school, to remind my self of who I was.
And this is the only place I let myself think of him, and what could have been. My chest tighten, the missing piece of my heart aching painfully and my eyes watered, tears falling without my consent.
This was the place I came to mourn, for Kelsey and our lost friendship; for Mia and her unfortunate ending. . . . . And for Ashton, who lost his mate while I lost everything else, including my self.

I swiped at the tears, feeling like I had a rock stuck in my throat, knowing that crying wouldn't help or change anything.
Something dropped on to the roof and I glanced over at Azura with a sad smile; my grief making it hard to talk. She walked over to me with light paws, climbing on my lap, purring softly trying to comfort me.

"I'm sorry, Azura," I whispered to her, my eyes watering again. Dammit, why was all of this hitting me so hard? "I'm not going to be able to keep it together this time."

"Cry, Maddie; let your soul mourn for the loss of your mate. Let your walls down, there isn't anyone on the grounds; cry and be human again, even if it is only for a few minutes," she whispered to me, climbing up to sit on my left shoulder, putting her head in the curve of my neck; purring.
And for some reason, everything in me cracked; and I let out a quiet, and utterly broken sob.

Sometimes, I did wonder and even dream about where I would be if all of this had turned out differently; if I would really change anything. I know that I would change how we ended up; I would change that in a heart beat.
Because even after all of these years. . . . . . I still loved him.

This is a story of love found and love lost; of learning too forgive; but most importantly, this is the story of my life and what I have become.