Devil Take The Hindmost •Sequel To Life Is But A Dream•

•The Reichenbach Fall: Part Nine•

Chapter Thirty: Beginning Of The End

"What was that?" She immediately asked, bringing her hands to the front of her body.
I pondered for a moment, but decided that I should let her know.
"Lucy, walk with me, please." I requested , my voice low.
"You just leaped out of the car- and-" she stuttered, following me. I glanced at the watch, seeing that it was only ten-thirty. All of this has take place over the course of four hours. My eyes wandered over to the tip of a scar under the watch. I then figured out why he would put on this watch where he did- so I wouldn't be able to avoid my scars.

"Lucy, there's something I need to tell you." I began, stopping and leaning over the rail. I glanced down at the water, which was silently moving in the night.
I didn't say anything for another minute or so, in which I tried to gather my thoughts.
"Aspen- are you okay?" She asked me. I nodded, feeling a large knot in my throat keep any words from coming out.
I looked over to her, and felt guilt. Pure guilt for not telling her sooner. Her face had a constellation of freckles, each one bearing emotion. There was no going back now. I had to.

"Um, you remember my mom, right?" I began, my voice hoarse.
"Of course. She would always criticise me for coming over."she said, chuckling. "C'mon, let's sit down. I've been up all day." She invited. I wanted to protest, but there was no point.
'She'll understand, Aspen! It'll be okay." I thought to myself, and nodded. When I sat down, my elbows rested on my knees, and my head was down.

"You know my uncle as well?" I asked again, and she agreed.
"He's very sweet." She added, and I nodded my head once more.

"Well, a few years after you left, he signed up to go to fight in Afghanistan, without telling me. He was like a dad to me, and I loved him very much." I explained, then bit my lip to avoid any tears.
"Then, one day, we went to the airport: my Mother, John and I. That's when he decided to mention it to me. I thought it was over. That he would never come back."
"He did though, and he's okay. Aspen, why are you telling me this?" She asked.

"My mum, she's always had a problem with drinking. She would always tell me that that's why dad left us. One day, it was too much. I just-" I stopped, for if I went on, I would break down.

My friend put a hand on my shoulder. However, what was supposed to feel like a comforting gesture actually felt cold and hostile.
"Aspen, what'd you do?" She asked, more worry in her voice now.

"I just-" I said, they pulled down my right sleeve. My friend gasped, and stood up.
"Aspen, what the hell?" She asked, raising her voice.
"I didn't have a choice, Lucy! Please understand." I assured, trying to keep my voice clean and calm. The lights of London shine in her eyes, with a glassy mirror of tears.
"Aspen, why?" She questioned again. "Why would you do that? Are you actually insane?"

I said nothing, for her words were like daggers.
"No, I'm not. You have no idea what I went through while you were gone. Not even John knows the whole story. You're the first person I've told- and frankly, I thought you'd react a bit more relaxed." I told her, trying to keep my voice down.

She looked hysterical now. Bringing her hands up to her head in shock, I tried to go to her, but she pushed me back.
"Get away from me. I thought you were the same, when instead you couldn't be more different." She spat.

Now I could feel the pure sadness in my eyes as I pulled up my sleeve.
"You don't mean that... Lucy please. I need your help in this." I begged, reaching out to her.

"N-no. No. You need to be locked up. That what this is. Your uncle must have been to soft to do that, but I'm not." She said, and pulled out her phone.

"What?! Lucy no!" I shouted, and quickly hit her phone out of her hand.

As if in slow motion, we both watched as her phone soared through the air, and landed on the concrete, bouncing on the bricks. It skidded towards the edge, and I heard my friend exclaim as half of it dangled over the edge before falling off. She ran to the edge, looking over. I heard a distant and hushed splash.

"Lucy, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. Please-" I began, but she turned around and pushed me down.

"Stop! Just stay away from me. People like you are plain crazy! Completely bonkers. You're off the rail, you might as well follow my phone into the river!" She stated, and ran in the opposite direction.

Several people were looking at me, but only for a moment before resuming whatever they were doing.

Slowly, I got up, fixing my feet to the ground. I immediately grabbed the bridge, as if I would loose my balance. From the grey concrete, my eyes moved to the running figure in the distance, someone who I couldn't bear to call my friend anymore.

In an instant, it seemed as if the pedestrians vanished, and there were little to no cars coming. It was a perfect scene.
I thrust myself onto the railing, my legs feeling like sandbags. There was a different pain now, one that not even Moriarty or all his malicious acts could conjure up. My head glided over to the watch, and I spotted the knob that adjusted the time. He would never get his answer. I brought my fingers to the knob and pulled it out, hearing a soft click.

It took me a moment to regain some strength to lift myself up onto the rail. First my left knee, then my right knee, and then I adjusted a stance on the concrete rail. Everything then felt slower as I glanced back down at the water.
"You might as well follow my phone into the river." I recalled Lucy offer. It's okay. She'd get her wish.

I looked up, tears pooling in my eyes, seeing the bright lights of London blurred. I didn't even get to say bye to Sherlock and John.
I closed my eyes and felt my head begin to give in to gravity.

Suddenly, a finger grazed my dangling hand. I quickly snapped out of my trance and noticed my scenario. Looking back, and keeping my balance, I saw a young boy, perhaps a few years older than me. He had a motorbike helmet in his arm, and the other was still reached out towards me. In his eyes was a look that was not something of pity, but of empathy. His eyes... they were a piercing green, something that was distantly familiar.
"Hello." He greeted, and his voice was a youthful, yet mature tone. That as well was familiar.
I said nothing, just grasped the boys hand, fear overwhelming me.

"Do you want to come down?" He asked.
I bent my knees, and surprisingly did not fall. He must have though I would, for his grip tightened quickly. I brought a hand to my head and cried. I just couldn't shake that my best friend had left me. "Come on." He told me.

"There's no point." I said in between sobs. I let go of his hand and stood up.

"Hey, come on. Just, just tell me your name." He added, his tone more serious. I didn't look back at him, and quickly shut my eyes before feeling the rail burst from under my feet.

I fell facing up, and saw the boy poke his head over, then quickly went back before a stinging, burning, excruciating pain shot through my body, and the lights turned dark and blurry, and any sound was muffled.
Small bubbles showed me that my breath was escaping, and my eyes began to shut. Before they closed, however, a figure came following me, and the last thing I felt was two arms wrapping around my waist.