Markus High

Epilogue

Markus's POV:

I woke up slowly in front of my computer. My head pounded, and I felt weak. I felt sore as well. I glanced at the computer screen taking in the "YOU WIN" screen. What had I won? Had I been playing some sort of game?

I realized how thirsty I was and stumbled out of my room, seeking water. As I headed downstairs I felt a pain in my left shoulder and foot, and when I glanced at my arm I noted in concern that I had a burn mark overtaking most of my arm, and the mark resembled lightning.

I carefully put burn cream on the marks and covered it with a bandage. From there I went into my kitchen and grabbed a water bottle from the fridge, drinking it slowly. I also grabbed myself an apple, feeling starving and dehydrated at the same time.

As I took care of myself, I couldn't help but wonder how I'd ended up so thirsty and hungry in the first place. When my parents came home they said they were so happy to see me out of my room, then commented that I was looking paler and skinnier than usual, which was a bit alarming. They were also worried about my arm and wanted to take me to a doctor, but I insisted that I was alright so I wasn't taken anywhere.

*     *    *

Two weeks passed since I'd woken up in front of my computer. My burn mark had healed, but left an interesting scar, thought I still had no memory of how I got it.

It was summer, and life was plain and ordinary, though something felt wrong, like something was missing, but the longer I tried to remember, the further it seemed to get.

It was mid-afternoon. My parents had left me a note telling me to the store to get some stuff for dinner without leaving me a car, so I had to walk.

I waited at the main street for cars to stop and let me cross, and that was when I noticed the girl. She had straight white hair down to her waist, and her emerald eyes met mine for just a moment. They widened with shock.

Suddenly I remembered a sentence. It was only a few words, but it was so significant.

Don't forget me, okay?

Suddenly everything hit me like a ton of bricks. John Lee, the brainwashing, Annalee, Tina, Maylee, Rosalie, Amare, Grey, Ryker, the principal, defeating the villains and getting freed from the game. And most of all: Zyta. All of my time with her came crashing back, from when she'd died in the game to when she'd talked to me through my head while everyone else but Annalee had discussed the plans. Her telling me she loved me at the very last second. A surge of happiness coursed through me. 

The girl across the street was her! I could finally finish what I'd tried to tell her!

As soon as the cars left an opening I sprinted across the street and to her side. She stared at me with wide eyes, almost as if she was frighted I wasn't really there.

"Markus...?" she questioned slowly.

I nodded excitedly. "Yeah, it's me, Zyta." It felt good just saying her name. 

She looked overwhelmed for a moment longer, but then her eyebrows lowered. "You'd completely forgotten about me, hadn't you?"she asked, a hand on her hip.

I smiled nervously. "No..." I mumbled, dragging out the 'o'. "Okay, yes," I admitted slowly. "I didn't meant to, though. I'd known something was off, but I couldn't figure out what."

She nodded slightly, obviously at a loss for words. She glanced at me again, looking at my hair. "I like your hair this way," she replied, referring to my natural brown hair that she'd never seen before. She had a faint smile on her face as she glanced at me.

I didn't know how to reply. My words stopped working and my heart hammered in my chest. 

I thought about the tight feeling I'd had in my chest during the last few days I'd been trapped in the game whenever she would talk to me. I had the same feeling now, but stronger. My heart fluttered and I felt extremely nervous with what I was supposed to say to her next. I decided to take a chance.

I leaned down slightly and kissed her. She kissed back and suddenly the world could have ended and I wouldn't have cared.

I pulled away after a moment, a grin now plastered on my face. Zyta was smiling too, and her face was red.

"I like you... Like, a lot," I smiled, pressing my forehead against hers.

She looked me in the eyes. "I know," she quietly laughed. "I love you, too."

I leaned in to kiss her again, but a car honked it's horn at us as it drove by, obviously annoyed at our moment. I glanced back at Zyta, who rolled her eyes at the cars on the street, grabbed the collar of my shirt, then pressed her lips against mine again, completely ignoring the angry drivers. 

Not that I minded.