Girl meets Immortality

Death's Test

-Riley POV-

Numb.

That's the only way to describe how I feel. And cold. So very, very cold.

I hear voices talking urgently in the distance. But I did not recognize them. Not a single one.

All of the sudden the darkness that surrounds me starts to fade away, and morphs into blindly clear memories of my life.

My parents bringing me home from the hospital.

Meeting Grandpa, Grandma, Uncle Eric, and Uncle Josh for the first time.

Meeting Maya and Farkle on the first day of first grade.

The first Christmas party Maya came to.

Bringing Auggie home from the hospital.

My first subway trip.

Meeting Lucas.

The first day of seventh grade.

My first date with Lucas.

Meeting Zay.

The semi-formal.

Halloween.

And just as they appeared, they faded away into darkness. Leaving me in silence.

Suddenly, the voices faded and became disoriented, my mind becoming fuzzy. I feel like I'm underwater, and I can't get to the surface. I'm drowning.

I fight it for I while, until all my strength leaves me and I become numb once again. And only then do I know.

I'm dead.

-Maya's POV-

I'm so cold.

I mean, I can survive cold. After my dad left, when my mom was still getting used to providing for us on her own, we didn't have heat for one or two winters. But this...this is a different cold. The one nightmares are made of. The one that starts at the bottom of your spine and works it's way up, surrounding your heart in its icy grip.

Not to mention its dark. Like, really dark.

But, as soon as I say that, the darkness fades away and leaves hazy memories in its place.

When my family was a happy one.

The first fight between my parents.

My dad leaving.

Meeting Farkle and Riley.

Meeting the rest of Riley's family at that first Christmas at her place. Meeting Josh.

Taking my little plant on the subway for the first time.

Meeting Ranger Rick.

The first day of seventh grade.

Meeting Zay.

Halloween.

As if someone turned off a VCR, all the images faded into darkness like before. But this time the darkness felt like it was weighing me down, pulling me under. I was drowning in imaginary water.

But I fought it. I fought it for Farkle. For Ranger Rick. For Zay. For Mr. and Mrs. M. For Shawn. For Auggie. For. Mom. For Josh. But most importantly, I fought for my Little Plant. I had to come back for her.

So, I fought my way through the darkness until I could fight no more.

Unfortunately, that time came before I could get out. The darkness was suffocating, taking the air out of my lungs and the strength from my muscles. It also was slowly stealing my consciousness.

No! Riley's in trouble! I have to help!

I kept saying that to myself over and over again, trying to cheer myself on.

But the darkness...it's so inviting...

I finally gave in to my impending doom. But before my mind went completely blank, I had one last thought.

'I'm so sorry, My Little Plant.'

-Jade's POV-

It just had to be the dark, didn't it?

I mean its fine...if you weren't deathly afraid of it.

Yes, I, Jade Hawk, am afraid of the dark.

It's the only thing, really. I don't know what makes it so scary. I guess I have trust issues, so I don't trust anything.

That's why I have NEVER been so happy to see the light in my life.

Playing with my parents when I was young.

Watching my mom succumb to alcohol.

Learning that my mom died from alcohol poisoning.

Watching my dad give into grief and abandon me.

Learning to live by myself.

Receiving that first paycheck from my father.

Meeting Maya and Riley on the subway when I saved Riley from a mugger.

Meeting the rest of her friends on my first day of seventh grade.

Finding a real family in the Matthews on that first Christmas spent there.

And that's when I know. I have to fight. For Riley. For Maya. For my...family. No, not the Hawks. They lost the privilege to call themselves that when mo-Jocelyn lost herself in beer and tobacco. No, I have to fight for the Matthews.

So, I do.

I fight against my fear of the dark. My fear of abandonment. And most of all, my fear of letting people in.

I fight against the darkness that threatens to drown me, devour me.

If it's for the Matthews, I will fight anything.

With one more great push, I break through the surface of darkness.

I am met with the sight of a pixie-like girl staring at me in shock. She shouts something, but I'm too out of it to understand. She is soon replaced with a middle-aged, blonde man. I soon recognize him as the person who saved Maya's life. I'm about to thank him, but then a thought hits me. I know I'm grinning for no apparent reason, but I can't help it.

I won. For my family.