Save Our Souls

Chapter 3

Immortality; eternal life; the idea of escaping death.
Has anyone succeeded? Has anyone found the secret of outliving time itself? It's a strange idea to consider when you know your own death is mere moments way. Death has always been certain. No matter who you are, one day time will catch up with you, decide that you have had enough of this world and it is time for your death.
Death: the permanent end.
There is no coming back, this too is also certain.
Someone once said that the two most important moments of your life is the day you are born and your ending.
Remember back to writing in school when your teachers would say that whenever you write something make sure the ending is powerful and can be remembered.
Maybe that's the same with life. Make sure your life is amazing and brilliant so that when you die, you die with something to say about it.
I looked towards the setting sun, gazing at the beautiful streaks of light dancing across the sky. Every day the sun died against the back drop of the sky, yet every day it was magnificent. Ever since leaving the hell of that house behind, where there were no windows to let the sunlight through, I stayed up every night watching the swirls of colour as once again the sun bowed, saying goodbye. Until tomorrow.
Looking down at my palm, seeing the blackened mark etched upon the skin, I wondered, how many more sunsets I would have. Before I too took my final bow.
A rustling came from inside the tent as Tom shifted over in his sleep. Having walked for miles and miles in a short space of time, no wonder he was tired. Neither of us were used to trekking along endless fields. My gaze turned away from the sun streaks and instead to the foreboding buildings looming ahead of us.
Vargedden may have once been called magnificent, a modern city that would be marvelled across the world.
But now all that was left of the world was a barren wasteland, and this once beautiful city was clouded by shadow, overruled by the heartless Vaseppi.
Once there were kings and queens, mostly just and fair, but that was destroyed through the revolutions and the rising up of the Vaseppi, ruthless dictators who ruled through terror and fear over the poor and elaborate extravagance over the rich.
Staring at my hand, grimacing slightly at the blackened number that began to tick down further, I felt a shiver of anger run down my spine and settling in my heart.
Ahh Meg, it's only a matter of time now. You know it too, you feel it inside. That sliver of darkness, that exists in everyone's heart, will only grow in yours. Look at the moon above, see how it shadows, see how the clouds obscure it from view. When the moon turns blood red, you know that you've gone to the darkness. And there will be no coming back.
Don't try to ignore it Meg, sweet Meg, innocent Meg. Well, not so innocent anymore...remember there is power in this world, and you must seek it to win.
You know that this is true. You must embrace the darkness to fight the evil Vaseppi. Only in fairytales does good overcome evil through 'goodness'. This isn't a fairytale, time to grow up Meg and face the truth.

I stood up suddenly, shaking my head, my heart and stomach clenching through fear and anxiety. Looking up, I saw the clouds and the darkness. The sun had set and the moon had appeared, casting its ghostly glow on the world below. There were no stars with it.
This was it. I could feel the tension in the air, feel the cold air envelope me in its embrace, see my breath form a mist before my eyes. I felt a brush of warm skin on my leg, felt the pounding heartbeat. Looking down, I stroked Tilly reassuringly.
Tomorrow we would march into the Vargedden. If death was to come calling I would meet it head on.
Shouldering my bow, I crawled back into the tent, laying down gently beside the sleeping form of Tom. I laid there for a while before drifting off to sleep, worry merging into my thoughts. Placing a hand over my heart, I felt the usual heartbeat, and disregarded he thoughts that had tormented earlier.
'Be strong.'

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Hi everyone,
Long time no see, wanted to carry on with Megs story. What do you think? As always, all votes and comments are greatly appreciated :)

Sophia