The Four - Book 3

Alternative Ending

*Well folks, it's finally here....

here is something that I was requested to do, an alternative ending. This is fake and NOT how the book truly ends, but if you hated when Lana died, I suggest you give this a read to put your heart back together* :)

Juris

I never thought I would love seeing someone die like this.

You're sick, Juris. You are sick for loving watching someone die, I tell myself, but another part of me snaps back. No, I have no right to feel bad. He wrecked us, I get to admire his death. I at least get to do that.

I know I'm not the only one. Roma, Aira, Paytah, and Lana are all watching too. We watch as we are on the edge of the woods. Hanson's men are surrounding his lifeless body, glancing back at us once and a while. But after a while, they all walk away, leaving the now dead Hanson.

"No way," Roma sighs, watching as the men walk away.

"Are we...free?" Aira asks, overwhelmed and out of breath.

"Well shit," Lana chuckles a little, "we damn made it, kids."

But as I watch Paytah taking short breaths while blood flows from his mouth and bullet wounds, I know not all of us are totally safe.

"Paytah!" Aira shrieks as Paytah lays on his back, his eyes glossed over and skin almost gray looking. His bullet wounds are horrific, he's losing too much blood.

So much blood that he passes out in an instant.

"No!" Lana shrieks, leaning over him, checking his pulse. Roma rests her hand on Lana's shoulder, but she shakes it off violently.

"I saved his damn life, there's no way I'm letting him die-"

"He just passed out. He won't die if we get him to the hospital." Roma says, and we all automatically pick up Paytah, hoping the doctors will be able to fix him up.

He's not heavy, which is odd considering his large build. Then again, he's lost an immense amount of weight, and blood, and just about everything else.

I see the panic in Aira's face, but I can see it clearly in Lana's eyes. She hides it well, but I know her, I know all of these people. Lana cares for Paytah more than she even knows. And seeing him like this has her losing her mind.

"You think he'll be alright?"

Aira. The caring one. The one that shows kindness no matter the circumstance. That gift of hers will be something none of us will ever get. Paytah knows this. He knows that her kindness and caring self is too much for him.

He'll wreck her. He'll snatch her innocence right from her, and crush it into a million pieces. He'll drown her kind spirit into flames until there is only ash.

While we all quickly run, ignoring Aira's questions and trying to hold Paytah as gently as we can, I realize something.

It was never about who he loved. It was never about who was nicer, or who would win him over. It was about who would be able to tolerate Paytah's flames, who would survive his fire, to become his ashes.

And Lana could take the burn.

***

"Stop fucking around now, okay?"