Kidding Me

Chapter 2

   Most people say their life flashed before their eyes, meaning they saw a lot of their life's story in a mater of seconds. However, I had minutes. Two, maybe three, of continually intensifying pain. This was where my photographic memory came in, as I slowly pictured my loved-ones faces.

Not that there were many left.

   Jasper didn't ever get mad. He just didn't. He was kind, calm, funny and cute. Very cute. But he had every right to be when he found out what I did.

    Picturing his last face of utter betrayal and disapproval as he had left the room, leaving the match drop to the floor, left me feeling empty. I couldn't help but see the likeness between his facial features and his evil sister's, Hope. And of course, I then saw the likeness of Bunni. Poor young Bunni. She didn't deserve to die. I did. And now I would.

   It was an odd sensation: the rapid deterioration of my body (if you could call it that), as it started to shut down due to the overwhelming agony.

About time too, I thought.

   Unwillingly, I found myself searching for peace, of all things. How can a burning mind find anything that even resembles happiness here, in a burning world?

   Actually, happiness and peace are quite different. It's true, that yes, they do often go hand in hand, but you don't always have to be happy to be peaceful.

   I knew that I could never be happy. I've thought this before, a while back. Then I thought I could get over it, and be happy and peaceful again. No. Someone with as heavy a conscience as mine, could never be happy. But peaceful? One last thought to put my mind at bay for the rest if eternity? So my soul would be light.

My thoughts resided in Jasper, and as I fought my heroic last battle: lungs vs air (well, mostly smoke), I remembered one thing from my dying memories.

Jasper's hands. More specifically his nails...

I found my peace: he didn't know.