Endless

Chapter 12

The last thing I said to Brooklyn was that I never wanted to see her again.

Be careful what you wish for.

A few minutes after Brooklyn's fall we've all agreed that she would want us to continue. Especially now because in the distance we see a large group of blues hurdling over a level.

We all break out into a run to catch up to them and then to pass them. Our group blows by two levels without the blink of an eye. We catch up to the blues after they've completed the level they were on when we first spotted them.

We're all neck-in-neck as we all start level four-hundred and twelve. On this level there is a wide, moving tarp with neon purple jumps up to the competitor's ankles. Once we step onto the moving tarp, we begin to be pulled forward. The jumps are fast-approaching as I prepare to hop.

I notice that the other blues are running on the tarp and blowing by this level. I frown while I try to brace myself for the jump now. I hop over the jump and am startled to see the next jump is extremely close. I barely have time to think before leaping over next one. Suddenly I hear an abrupt, raspy scream. I catch the last glimpse of the tip of Mark's shoe before he completely falls off the moving tarp.

I manage to exclaim, "Mark!" But it's too late. Mark is gone too. I have no time to reminisce about Mark because as I look behind me I stifle a gasp. With the moving tarp everyone's balance becomes very fragile and I see Lucia has taken that to her advantage because she has shoved around eight blues off the level already.

"Lucia!" I screech. She flicks her head back to look at me and simply grunts as she is pushing another blue off the side. I try to turn my attention back to hopping over the jumps but I can't help looking back and watching as someone on my team is responsible for the death of so many innocent people. Is that kind of behaviour really what I want my team to represent?

No.

All of a sudden I find myself whipping around and reaching out to grab Lucia to try and stop her. I yell, "Lucia - Lucia stop! Stop!" I find her wrist in all the flapping and shoving and grab it tightly. She tries to brush me off but realizes how powerful my grip is.

I try again, "Lucia, you need to stop! Lucia!" I am becoming impatient as she uses her other hand to thrust another blue off the edge. The blue's screams pull on my heartstrings as they are becoming more distant.

I suddenly yank Lucia backward to keep her from going at another blue. I pull her so aggressively that she slips. I have no time to help her as her back smashes against the low jump. Lucia's body suddenly begins to shake violently as I see small electric bolts shooting off the obstacle.

Lucia screams desperately. She tries to move but the electricity has paralyzed her. Her hysterical screams become more intense. The tortuous electric shocks are sucking her life away.

My mouth is open but I have no words. All the while I have been stepping over the jumps backwards. I am still holding Lucia's wrist. That is until I notice the violent shocks ricocheting through my hand and making their way up my forearm. I jerk my hand back traumatically, letting Lucia's arm drop to the ground of the moving tarp.

That is when I realize that Lucia is dead. Her arm had flopped down and was now hanging off the edge of the still moving tarp. Her now flimsy body is lifelessly draped over the jump she had fallen on.

It is in that moment that we reach the base. The moving tarp dips down and under itself as Lucia's body is delivered onto the base right after me. I don't know what to do.

I stand over Lucia's body staring into her frozen face. Her mouth is silently open in shock but her face has fallen. Lucia's eyes are wide open. I think that is the part that scares me the most. Her eyes. They are big. Round. Still full of life. The expression in her eyes reads traumatic fear. I pull away from my stare. I can't just stand here and do nothing.

I watch as the remaining blues skip off ahead. I can't go after them. Not now. I kneel down beside Lucia and take her heavy hand. I hold it at my heart and silently thank her for everything she has taught me and the few times we spent together. I let a single tear roll down my face as I place her hand back down.

I can't decide what the appropriate thing to do is. Do I roll her body off the edge? Do I leave her here - like this? Grayson approaches us and kneels down opposite of me. He purses his lips and nods at me. Somehow I know exactly what he is thinking.

Instantly we both reach forward and place Lucia's hands on her chest. We work our way down to her legs. Grayson and I place them close together and face her shoes upward.

After a silent count of three we both cautiously push Lucia's delicate body to the corner of the base. We lay her there and slowly stand up. I bite my lip as I look down at her eyes again. Her captivating, terrifying eyes. I kneel down one last time. I reach to Lucia's eyes and close them softly. Now I stand up feeling a little more at peace. Roy shuffles over from watching from afar and mutters a few kind words about Lucia then Mark.

Mark. I had almost forgotten about Mark. I hold my hands in front of me. My voice comes out in almost a whisper as I say, "Thank you, Mark for the time you spent with us. You will always be remembered." Tears prick the back of my eyes as we all turn away from Lucia's body and agree to continue in honour of our friends.

Death is a strange thing.

First you are.

And then you're just not.