𝐌𝐄𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐎 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐈

Six

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A few nights later.

The darkness inside of my apartment was everything but comforting. It was a prison. I felt caged within it, there was nothing to do but wait. Wait for the sun to rise and the sky to get light again.

My mind refused to sleep. I stretched out in my bed, beneath sheets that didn't comfort me. My open eyes lingered along the dim ceiling, pointing out even the littlest of details. I haven't fully slept in three nights now; something else was keeping my thoughts awake.

I shouldn't. I turned my head and glanced over to the lightsaber sitting on the cluttered bedside table. Temptation stirred within me. Ever since I was gifted it, I was too afraid to touch it. I wanted to rid those gruesome events from my head forever. I could still see the anguished Jedi.

Maybe getting over my fears would help me sleep, I thought. I sat up in my bed, hearing the mattress squeal and the sheets ruffle. I took a deep breath and leaned across to reach for the lightsaber. But before my fingertips could touch the cold metal, the lightsaber twitched and flew into my palm. It was like it had a life of its own.

In a rush of horror, the lightsaber slipped from my head and fell down onto the wooden floor with a thrashing bang. Swollen with fear, I knew I was causing a ruckus but I couldn't bring myself to pick it up.

I sat on the bed, waiting, biting my lips and watching the lightsaber from below. It rested on the wooden floor, stationary and steadfast. After watching it I realized, it wouldn't move on its own. I overturned my hands and examined my palms. What was happening to me?

Suddenly, there was a loud knock at the door. I waited. After seconds of silence, someone knocked again, this time much louder. It reverberated through the apartment, sending out shock waves. They would not go away.

I crawled from the sheets, kicked the lightsaber under the mattress, and tiptoed to the door. I clicked off the lock and peeked it open, letting in a stream of white fluorescent lights.

Sela? She was standing impatiently; her leg bounced up and down, her fingers nervously fiddled with the zipper of her jacket, and her eyes flashed up and down the hallways. When she heard the door shift open, her gaze snapped back to me.

"Sela? What are you doing here at this time?" I couldn't help but notice how terrible she looked. Her eyes were holding bags beneath them and they were bruised purple and blue. Her lips were dry and chapped, she ran her tongue over them but it didn't do much help. Her dark-colored hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail but strands were loose and sticking up. "What happened to you?"

"Jade," Sela shoved herself inside. She jostled me back, her hands moving quickly and nervously as though she didn't have much time. She then slammed the door shut and twisted the lock. The light disappeared.

When her body turned to me, I saw everything clearly in her eyes. They burned brightly and aggressively; she looked insane. Sela then swiftly pulled her blaster from her hostler and thrust it at me. "I know you have it."

I was frozen in fear. "W-What?"

"Tell me where it is." Sela wavered the gun and her eyes flashed. I could see her grip was weak, the gun was shaking in her hand.

I shook my head, raising my hands to surrender. "I don't know what you mean-"

"The lightsaber!" She shouted, her voice filling the apartment walls. "The lightsaber, Jade, I know you have it." She took a slow step forward, bringing the blaster closer to my body.

I stepped back, "Sela, put the gun down."

Sela smiled dangerously, madly. This was all fun and games to her. I could tell she wasn't in her right mind. She brought the blaster even closer, "Tell me where it is or I'll blow your brains to bits." She inhaled a sharp breath before explaining, "It belongs to the Resistance. I'm here to take it to them."

I could feel a rush of energy spark beneath my skin. It felt very much like before; the fury that led me to kill the Jedi. I closed my eyes. I must control it. I tensed and kept my hands above my head. I must fight it. I opened my eyes again, "Please, let's talk about this-"

"I've had enough talking!" Sela screamed and pressed the end of the blaster to my forehead. "You don't know what they've done to me, Jade," Her facade began to crumble right before my eyes. She was falling apart. "You have to do this for me. Or they'll- they'll-"

"I can't give it to you. It's mine." I understood the bruises now. The Resistance was known for overworking their fighters. They had so little of them; fighters were sent on mission after mission. Sela was exhausted but she would do anything for them. She wanted to be the best Resistance fighter even if that meant-

"Then I have to kill you."

The trigger clicked. Chills infected my skin. The force flowed within me; it was a fire to my blood. My senses sharpened, I could see and hear everything around me. I felt alive. I jerked my hand and the lightsaber came barreling from under the bed. It summoned in my hands instantly. Sela's face dropped with shock.

I lit up the lightsaber and its remarkable, blue blaze kindled the dark apartment. In my friend's moment of pure horror, I slashed the saber and sliced off the front sight of her blaster. Her weapon was seared in half and useless.

From an opposing strap on her leg, Sela drew a smaller pistol. She fired it aimlessly at me as she stumbled backward. She had prey's eyes; large and begging. She no longer looked at me like a friend but like someone who was going to hurt her.

I deflected each bullet she shot at me. Finally, when her pistol ran out of ammo, I curled my fingers and shoved her back with the force. I choked her with a grin- I have never felt so powerful.

She flew up against the door, grasping at her neck, pleading for mercy with her eyes. "Jade-" She choked, scrambling against the door. "Don't- Don't do this."

I didn't hear her. I was lost in the craving for it all. The force had a strong hold on me, pushing me to go darker, taking its hands around my head and controlling my thoughts. I liked this side of me. I was powerful. No one could hurt me. I curled my fingers tighter, observing how Sela's face changed colors.

It was too late to stop it. "I warned you," The last of my kindness whispered. There were two sides of me splitting away. I could feel them fighting within. I knew what I was doing to her was evil. I knew I should stop right away and let her live. But I couldn't move my hand away. The force kept pushing me. I stepped closer and closer, the violence around Sela's neck tightening. She had awakened a monster inside of me. I screamed, "How dare you do this to me!"

I dove the lightsaber into her stomach.

Sela didn't flinch. She didn't scream in agony or cause any disruption. She simply smiled and rose her hand to cup my face, just like the Jedi did. She stroked my cheek and a tear tumbled from her eye. "Hope," She whispered, snapping me from the dark force I was under. I fell back into my regular self only to watch her collapse. Sela fell, weightless and empty. 

She was dead.