The Heroes We Weren't

Chapter 36 (Final) - Dear Readers Of My Mind

Dear Miss Clark,
You are no hero. Neither am I, but I am also no villain.

Thirty-six.

There are thirty-six chapters to our story. Over a hundred thousand words to tell.

I found myself seated opposite to my previous boss - By the table in the corner of Gus' bar, where we had met during my first trip to the dream world. Someone walked past in their pajama, another soul gazed blankly into a lamppost.

The dream world was once more at peace, silent, the way it was meant to be.

Mark Johnson gazed blankly at the wall behind me, he as well but a sleeping soul. The box I had received from M had contained a pill - one that had allowed for me to reenter this world. Johnson on the other hand had arrived after falling unconscious; a consequence of being in the same room as an annoyed Ashanti.

"I know you can hear me." I said.

No response, of course, for he was oblivious in this world.

I remembered having seen Lizzy here during my first meeting with the dream world. I remembered having seen her die. I sighed, lowered my gaze. This was finally coming to an end.

I would soon be able to go back to my old life and my own apartment (where the chain of my door was still on the floor after Fisher's break in - I prayed that I still owned at least one piece of furniture).

I would find another job, settle down in your average, boring, everyday and go on non-evil-mastermind dates with him, the one I now wished to get to know better - Outside of his soldier self.

"Mark Johnson." I said and viewed him as his gaze moved from the wall to me.

Blank, nothingness. Yet listening. Ready to take on whatever my orders were. I was finally the superior, the one above him and not the other way around - and yet, it didn't feel as good as I had imagined. Being on this side of it all.

"I need you to listen to me." I continued. "Everything is back to the way it is supposed to be. Your products are gone. There is no point for you to continue doing this."

He blinked.

"I already told everyone about your drug, but the truth needs to come from you."

The sound of him inhaling was followed by a sigh.

"When you wake up," I continued, "I want you to turn yourself in."

Thud, thud, thud – he was slowly tapping his finger against the table.

I thought about what M had told me; About the day that law would come to fail, about the day that Johnson would come to walk the streets once more, and most importantly – how he would come after all of us, in the end.

"And," I hesitated, "if you are to come back out, then I wish for you to never look for us."

I rubbed my throat, it was still hurting from his attempt to strangle me.

"Maybe," I added, "you could move somewhere else, in order to not cause us anymore trouble. Far away, like-" I hadn't planned this at all, "like maybe Antarctica or something."

There was a huff.

Wait.

Inhale, tap, huff.

A sleeping soul was always on mute.

I quickly raised my gaze, just to view him as he smirked.

And surely, the sleeping were not supposed to smirk.

"Awfully cold, wouldn't you say?" He spoke. "Antarctica."