Lie in Ruin

Chapter Eight

Optic stared at the gathering of her family before her, wishing that this wasn't the last time she'd see them. They needed to do what had to be done; it was necessary. It hurt, it stung like a bitch. It tugged on her heart and made her want to rip it out so she could stop the feelings swelling inside her chest and stomach. She stared at them all, keeping her eyes dry, though tears wanted to spill out. Without a word, she moved. It was as if her feet weren't moving due to her own accord, but something else was controlling her remotely.

They fell into step behind her, all in a perfect row. Soot and Siren were in the center, Raven beside Soot with Gear next to her, then Flint walking beside Siren. Siren was still silently crying, the tears running down her face glittering in the mocking sunlight. Soot, however, was still sniffling. Optic couldn't hear it, couldn't get over the soldier march that was echoing in her head. The last time they'd walk together, with her at their head.

Optic's eyes closed for a moment, and she could finally feel the sun on her skin. Maybe this was an escape, she hoped she'd see her family somewhere beyond this life, somewhere better. She knew the chances of that, well, they were practically nonexistent. But when she looked over her shoulder and saw the love reflecting in the eyes of her sisters and brothers, she couldn't help but put her hand up to her throat and feel her steady heartbeat.

The looming shadow of the parking garage stared back at her as they approached it. They stopped at the now open gate, welcoming them as if it wished for a demise. It felt exactly like what they were trying to do, freeing themselves from this world of ruin. Rubble almost nodded in answer around her, and Optic heard a sob from behind her as they approached the opening that would lead them into the garage. She suspected it was Soot, but when she turned, she saw it was Raven. Raven, who was smiling through the tears streaming steadily down her gaunt face. Surprise made her pause as she stared at the girl.

"Thank you, Ása," Raven whispered to her, and the sound of her own name on Raven's tongue again made her stop. She hadn't heard that name in a long, long time. Two years, to be exact. Before the war between people and creature. She felt something wet slide down her face, and she gingerly touched it with her fingers. A tear droplet stood proudly on her fingers.

"Rebecca," Optic, or Ása, rather, breathed out as she stared at Raven. The black-haired girl looked equally as shocked to hear her own name. Then, Optic turned to Flint.

"Jed," She murmured, then looked at Gear. "Theodor," She smiled faintly as she continued down the line, looking at Soot, "Connor,". The names felt like a kind of release, and she couldn't help the tears that continued as she finally looked down at Siren, stooping onto one knee. "And Charlotte. Do not thank me, Rebecca. But allow me to thank you, for all you have done for me. And in Rory's name, who we all miss, let's get this done. I'll see you on the flip side," Optic whispered to them, before gently reaching over to Gear and grabbing one of the six bombs inside, then walking off into the parking garage, her eyes still filled with tears.

It blurred her vision, but she didn't care. Not after the names that had been whispered and given to the wind. She didn't look back on her family, who were now all taking bombs and moving off into separate parts of the lab. Optic went down into the cage area, pushing through the steel door with the "2" still painted on it. It didn't look so threatening now, not as she continued making her way, weaving between the corridors. Eventually she stopped where she had been caged, across from Raven. She stared at the two cages, then the bomb in her hands which thrummed as if it were alive.

Optic gave one last look around, then pressed the small red button on the side of the heavy explosive. Never looking back on anything, but only looking forward to her family, which she hoped she'd see on the "flip side", just as she'd promised. She gave into the heat that suddenly seared her whole being, then her world went dark, just as the other explosives went off in the hands of Jed, Rebecca, Theodor, Connor, and Charlotte.