Running the Line of Death

Chapter 11

"Mum!", Ashton called through tears.

"Let go honey... please let go of life and stay with us..." Everything around Ashton faded to wonderland, "stay with us forever Ashton..."

Ashton smiled; it was his mum, his dad. The people he loved dearly were now standing before Ashton. Nothing could pull the boy's gaze from his parents; not even to notice the world was drifting from the house to Wonderland and back over and over again. His mum continued to call out for Ashton to let go. Ashton ran to his parents, carelessly, right into their open arms, crying. The world drifts one last time back to Wonderland and stays there. Raising his arm high above his parents' backs, Ashton whispered, "I love you, I'm sorry..." The knife plunged into their backs, hard, over and over as Ashton broke down into tears. He "killed" his parents. Ashton brought the knife down one last time before letting it stick out his dad's back. Blood covered hands and a tears stained face; Ashton was a mess. "Rest in peace...", were his final words before laying down on the ground crying. This was it, it was over.

"I'm a monster... I- I'm a monster!", Ashton stuttered through constant tears, "I'm a monster..."

Ashton managed to calm his hysteria, but he couldn't stop crying. Taking his bloody lifeless parents in his arms, Ashton sang a lullaby through the tears. Lucifer stopped watching from a distance and walked over to kneel next to Ashton, holding him in a tight embrace as comfort. Staring into eachothers eyes, Ashton began to notice the life that used to be in Lucifer's eyes, the sparkle, the optimism, it all seemed to disappear. What once held Ashton's gaze every time, was gone; but something still refused to let him pull away. Through Lucifer's eyes, Ashton's blue eyes glistened past the tears. They were filled with confusion, pain, and sorrow; the last frail pieces of hope withered away.

Ashton's small lips felt soft to the touch as Lucifer ran his thumb over them. Raising his head a little bit, Lucifer moved his thumb and leaned in. Their lips barely brushed over each other before Lucifer leaned in more, kissing Ashton softly. Shocked, Ashton was no longer in control of his body; it was like he was paralysed and someone else was controlling him. Ashton got closer to Lucifer and kissed harder.

Out of nowhere Lucifer shouted, "Ashton! No!"

Ashton managed to open his eyes to an appalling sight. He wasn't kissing Lucifer, he was kissing Willow. Had it been Willow the entire time? Is that why something felt off? The questions hurt his head but it didn't matter it was too late; or was it? The surroundings dissipated to black; everything around Ashton, falling silent for a moment. From a distance the faint sound of a beep managed to break through. Beep...Beep...Beep... The noise was consecutive like a heartbeat. Ashton looked left and right for any clues, but everything was still black.

A light flickered on and everything was fuzzy at first, but became clear as seconds ticked bye. It was a hospital; he was in a hospital. The faint beeping had become louder, but it was still stead. Ashton examined his surroundings and noticed the heart rate machine; the lines going up and down to the rhythm of a steady heart. Next to it was his foster parents; Mrs. Kacilee crying over the hospital bed and Mr. Kacilee standing behind, emotionless. The person in the bed was pale and bruised. There was a ring of purple around his neck and his black hair fell over his face. On the boy's wrist was the cursed mark; the mark Ashton learned to hate as he carried it on his own wrist. Was the boy in the bed another death runner?

Mrs. Kacilee shifted the boy's hair to kiss him on the forehead, revealing the oxygen tube in his nose and the boy's identity. It was Ashton, and this wasn't another dream. Ashton looked across the bed and saw Willow standing patiently with a wicked grin. He felt his chest get tight and his air get cut off. Glancing back at the bed the oxygen tube was gone; Ashton's main source of air was being held tightly in Mrs. Kacilee's hand.

Beep.

Beep..

Beep...

The heart rate monitor became irregular as Ashton's heart became eradicate. With every second that passed, Ashton's heart slowed until finally...

Beeeeeeeeeeeep.

The line ran flat and the consecutive beep held still. Ashton's heart stopped. He directed his final gaze back across the bed to Willow. Her body was slowly becoming transparent as she faded from the hospital room into a glow and finally she was gone.