Fools Hope

Chapter four: Death's messenger

*~ It wasn't that I was afraid of going to sleep,
It was that I was afraid of never waking up again.
Unknown~*

(Iris's pov)
"WHAT?!" My instant reply is abrupt and sharp. The girl cackles at me and whispers closer. "I am you. And you are me. We are one and the same. This is what you will look like Iris, years into the future." I shiver and whip around. Her dull green eyes glare back at me but I step closer. My hand curls into a fist and the other one grabs the girl. I refuse to call her Iris. She isn't me!! My head whirls. She gasps and I pin her against the wall and hiss in a venomous voice, "leave. Leave right now and I won't have to hurt you. Disappear and never come back. You are not welcomed here"

She laughs. Softly she cups my cheek and says, "ah.. But that is where you are wrong. I am always here, always around. I live inside of you Iris. I'm your soul. Your soul that is slowly dying and dwindling away because of the hatred and betrayal. Iris your future is inevitable." I let out a blood curdling cry and I smash her against the wall but she dissipates into mist and slowly shimmies out the window. Her howling laughter echoes in my head. And I know where she's gone. She's inside of me now. Shaking and shivering I turn to the mirror and I watch as writing appears on it. Written in blood, the haunting words say:

I'm coming for you...

(Saraphina's pov)
It's been months since the attack to end the world, and I haven't seen or spoken to Iris since. I'm worried she didn't survive it. And it'll be all my fault. Walking around aimlessly towards nothing, I get lost in thought and don't realize that I'm one block from Iris's house until I look up. Should I bother? What if it's empty? No keep walking. You don't need to associate yourself with her. Not yet. Mind made up I keep walking. Realizing it's too slow, I release my wings and soar into the sky. The wispy clouds brush my cheek, and the winds howl their low heavenly tune. Looking down at the world beneath me, I can't help but feel that I'm bigger than everyone else, even if it's only for a little while. Looking towards the unknown horizon, I snap my wings once and fly towards the slowly disappearing sun.

(Rain's pov)
It's been a while since Rafael took me home. I haven't seen Damen, and I haven't had any contact with him since. This sucks! Majorly. I want to see him, but I don't know how to make that work. Sighing vigorously, I head to Iris's place to see her and Zeke. That puppy has grown on me. Smiling softly, I march over there and knock on the door with two swift taps.

Bark, bark.

I laugh. Zeke is howling and it's hilarious. The door opens and.... I pause. There's a really hot guy standing in front of me. Ok what? "Um hi. Can I help you?" I blink and remember my politeness, "Yes is Iris there?" The guy turns and calls over his shoulder "Iris you have company!" I hear footsteps pounding down the stairs. "Rain!" I hear her call out. The guy chuckles and says' "no is just a girl" I smile without willing it. He's adorable. "No I mean Rain. Her name is Rain. Hey, what are you doing here?" I smirk at the boy and say, "I just came to see how you are and to see Zeke." The boy looks at Iris and she nods. He moves aside and let's me enter the house. I do. As soon as I pass him I look at Iris and snarl out, "talk now"

(Tyler's pov)
As Tyler closes up the door behind him, he tries to listen as the two girls speak. But they're talking in hushed whispers. All he catches is "Tyler... Here with me... Few weeks" it's pretty easy to guess they're talking about him. Tyler feels a small tug on his pant leg, and he looks down. Zeke, is there whining and asking to be picked up. Tyler obliges. The pup gives a happy bark and licks Tyler's face.  With a content laugh Tyler heads to the kitchen and waits there. A few minutes later the door slams and a gloomy Iris enters the kitchen. Placing Zeke on the ground, Tyler rushes over. "What happened. Where did Rain go?" She looks at him with the most torchered  eyes he has ever seen.

"Iris?" She still stays silent. "Say something..." She turns and walks away. His heart hammers, and splits into millions of pieces. Tyler watches as Iris slumps away and disappears around the corner, Zeke trailing after her with a sad whine. Oh god what did Rain say to Iris? Feeling his resolve harden Tyler marches after her. He grabs Iris by the shoulders and spins her around. "Ok talk now" she looks into his green eyes and sobs. She falls into his arms and just shakes. Tyler pulls her close, and her arms wrap around him. His whole body reacts to her touch, and he pulls her closer, inhaling her vanilla and lavender scent. She buried her head in his chest and clutches him tightly.

"Tyler" her voice is a dull whisper. "Yes?" She sniffs then pulls away. Wiping a tear away, Tyler looks down at her and waits. She straightens and looks at him solemnly. "I'm so sorry." "Why?" He asks, his brow furrowing. She hesitates and he can see the ache in her eyes. It glows deceivingly, with a hell bound light. His heart does a twist and he pulls away from her completely. "Don't. Don't say it. Don't you dare push me away. I have no where to go! Please don't do this to me! God Iris... I need your help. I need you." Her lips quiver and her torchered whisper comes out all choppy, "I have to. I don't have a choice. Rain thinks I'm betraying Rafael by keeping you here. I told her we were just friends nothing more, but she didn't believe me. I told her I was helping you. But she said I either kick you out now or she'll tell Rafael. And I don't want either to happen."

We are just friends nothing more... I don't want either to happen. Her words collide into him like a kick to the gut. He stares absently over her shoulder then turns around. He walks to her door, grabs his coat, and as he opens the door, his heart bleeding down the stairs, he turns to her and says, "I have nowhere to go. I have no one to run to. I have nothing. Do you understand that? Would your Rafael really want you to leave me out in the cold? Helpless and defensless?" Tyler watches her swallow then say, "no" "then let me stay. Screw what Rain thinks. Do something for yourself, stop letting others boss you around" her sad eyes become aflame, like the fire of hell simmers behind those emerald jewels. "Ok. Stay. Don't go" Victoriously, Tyler steps back into the threshold of her house. "Thank you Iris, thank you"

Her smile is soft, but it's enough to warm his frozen heart.

(Iris's pov)
Watching as Tyler gives me a quick hug, and disappears up the stairs I flop onto the couch and sigh. Lord almighty what am I getting myself into? What have I just done? The answer doesn't come to me. Deciding to call Rain and tell her everything, I get up and head for the telephone. My heart races, and I feel fearful. Which is silly but I do. Breathing deep I pick up the phone, dial her number and say, "here we go"
***
(Three hours later)
I hang up the phone with a resigned sigh. She finally understood everything, but I still feel guilty. Rafael doesn't know!! But how do I tell him?? Rubbing my eyes I sit down and think about it. We haven't done anything wrong, and Tyler has always been a friend of mine. So I'm in no wrong. If Rafael choses to get angry that's his problem, I refuse to be babied anymore.

Mind made up I get up feeling happy and rejuvenated. Marching up the stairs, I tell Tyler I'm calling it a night and then I head to my room. Putting on a tank top, and some shorts I brush out my hair and flop onto my bed. My heart feels two sizes, too big. Oh well. Smiling I look at the book I was reading earlier this week and pick it up. Looking at where I had left off, I let myself sink into the story. Letting the words bleed across my subconscious mind....

....And as Shiloh flew the plane away from all of civilization he looked down at the earth once more and hoped he would see them again. The bomb in his plane ticked away the seconds and his heart raced. Arching the plane up, Shiloh soars towards the stars. And as all of planet earth watches, holding its breath, Shiloh's plane erupts into flame....