Stories One Can Tell

Betrayal

Prompt: Your trusted friend killed you and took the credit for single handedly defeating the greatest evil and saving the world. As you lay dying, you hear a voice offering you a second chance at life on one condition...

​Anima grinned as she watched the darkness fade back to where it came from. They had done it. They had defeated the darkest evil the world had ever seen, together. Rurick would finally be gone for good, and the world could live in peace. Samara, Anima's best friend walked up to her.
​"We won Sam," Anima spun to smile at her. "We wo"
​Anima gave out a startled gasp as Samara shoved a dagger into Anima's side. Samara's face was blank as she carefully guided her to the floor before yanking the dagger out.
​"Why?" Anima choked out as Samara moved to stand.
​"Oh Annie," Samara cooed gently. "Our quest is over. It's time for us to become the victors of this world. If we both walk out then we both get riches and respect. Imagine how much more that will increase if only one walks out."
​Anima sucked in a shaky breath. "I never did it for the glory," Anima managed to gag out with a painful shudder. "I did it, so we could be free."
​"And that was your biggest mistake," Samara whispered and slowly walked to the entrance.
​Anima watched her the whole way. The crowd cheered as Samara gave a cry of victory and went to claim the glory she had clearly been striving for. In that moment, Anima knew it wasn't the stab wound that would kill her, but the heartache. Samara had been like her sister. Both having been orphans, all they had was each other. As Anima gave her last breath, a voice slowly whispered her name.
​"Anima," it whispered softly. "Anima."
​"Who's there," Anima called out. Or maybe she didn't. It was hard to tell when you were dying.
​"We wish to give you a second chance Anima," it spoke in a soft whisper and with the voice of many. "We wish to help."
​"A second chance?" Anima asked skeptically.
​"Yes Anima," it gave off a small giggle. "A second chance. But there is a condition, if you choose to except."
​"Everything comes with a price," Anima sighed. "What is it?"
​"Rurick will return," the voice informed gravely. "You will need to defeat him once more. And you must do it with Samara's help."
​Anima had to stop for a moment. Samara had just betrayed her, yes, but she couldn't leave the world to suffer. If she didn't return for her own selfish purposes, then there may be no one to stop Rurick.
​"I choose to return," Anima whispered weakly. She could feel herself slipping.
​"Then return you shall," the voice whispered as if it were smiling. "By the age of six you will remember everything that ever happened to you. We are unsure of the exact time Rurick will return, but you will be prepared for that day. Sleep well Anima."

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​"Earth to Jackie!" the brunet waved a hand in front of the girl's face. "Mattily asked you a question."
​"Sorry," Jackie shook her head and looked to where a very annoyed Mattily was glaring at her. "I tend to do that a lot. What did you say?"
​Mattily, a blonde with short, wavy hair and piercing brown eyes, glared at Jackie darkly. "I asked how long you and Alecter have known each other?"
​"Most our lives," Jackie shrugged absently as she took a sip from her tea. "Our parents were friends so we played with each other as kids and sort of grew up together."
​Alecter was a brunet with a buzz cut and soft blue eyes. Jackie herself, sported raven black hair that fell to the small of her back and silver eyes. Doctors could never explain why her eyes were so unusual and assumed she would grow out of it, but that never happened. As Jackie had said, they grew up together because their parents were work partners. In fact, their parents were scientist in the Samara foundation. The hero that saved everyone from the darkness. The two children often kept each other company when they were younger and had to sit in the lab.
​"So, what brought you here?" Mattily asked hotly, clearly not happy that her date with Alecter had been interrupted.
​"I always come here in the morning," Jackie shrugged absently and took another sip of tea. "It has my favorite tea recipe."
​"Well it was nice seeing you," Alecter interrupted before Mattily could say something snarky or mean. "Let's go Mattily. I did promise to buy you that coffee."
​"Little word of advice," Jackie whispered to Alecter as Mattily went to wait in line. "Maybe the next time you go on a date, make sure I'm not there. Most girlfriends don't like it when they find out their boyfriend hangs out with other girls."
​"But I want them to meet you," Alecter frowned in frustration. "That's how I know if they are worth my time or not. If they can stand you then I'll marry them."
​"Good luck with that," Jackie smirked and sipped the rest of her tea. "I'm not someone people can just get along with."
​Alecter sighed and went to join Mattily in line. Alecter was a jock at their school and he practically had girls falling at his feet. Jackie preferred to be an outcast. Part of it was fear of betrayal. She didn't want anyone to get too attached to her either. After all, the memory of another life burned in her mind. Now all she had to do was wait for Rurick's return and then she would face Samara in order to defeat this evil.
​"Quick!" someone's voice called out excitedly. "Turn on the television. Samara is going to make an announcement."
​Jackie sighed and set down her now empty cup as one of the staff switched on the television. Television is not just a screen anymore. It's more of a holographic projection that hovers over a small pod. The lights dimmed and everyone watched as an image of Samara appeared before them. She was older, of course a good thirty years had passed before Anima returned as Jackie, and now Jackie was fifteen, it was to be expected that Samara would be older.
​"Hello everyone," Samara called out in her masked confidence. After all these years, Jackie could still see through Samara's facades. "Today is a very special day for me and for a few others today. The first thing I would like to say is a special Happy Birthday to anyone born on this day."
​Jackie cocked a brow, her attention solely on the image before her. She missed Alecter giving her a bright look from where he stood in line. This whole thing just seemed bizarre to Jackie. Samara had never once stepped forward to do anything nice for others other than donate money and appear at events.
​"Today also marks the fiftieth anniversary as to when our quest to freedom against Rurick began," Samara eyes glistened with tears as she tried to keep her words firm. "Now that whole event started because of one woman."
​Placing her mug on a tray, Jackie quickly got ready to leave. Alecter knew well that Jackie found Samara self-centered, even if Jackie never confessed to such thoughts. It didn't surprise him when Jackie quickly made a bee-line for the door. Jackie had just gripped the door handle when Samara's next words stopped her.
​"That woman was my best friend and almost sister, Anima," Samara let a tear fall down her face. "It was her idea to get our small orphanage together to defeat Rurick. And it was her plan and her actions that helped us defeat Rurick. And I betrayed her."
​Jackie stood stunned, as everyone around her did. Then Samara did the unthinkable, she went on to explain how she had basically killed Anima that day when the enemy was defeated. Then she confessed that it haunted her for the rest of her life and how she would give anything to take back what she did. Finally, her speech ended with a tearful apology.
​"It is time," the voice from years ago whispered in Jackie's ear. "It is time for you to talk to Samara."
​With those words, Jackie pushed open the door and headed for home. She had a lot of planning to do.