XO - Wesari AU

Scars

What a strange noise.

It's strained yet strong at the same time. Like the steady beating of a drum, it echos in my ear every time I am able to grasp consciousness. 

Ba-Dum

Ba-Dum

To my right a machine repeated it. A cheap imitation really. It was higher pitched, irregular as it annoyingly rung in my ear.

Slowly my eyes fluttered open as I came back to my wakeful state. My back slowly rose, leaning on the plastic headboard for support. My eyes slowly circled the room, memories started to drip back into my mind. A light sigh escaped my mouth.

Empty

There was nothing sadder than an empty waiting room.

I can't recall much of that time. All I know was that I was in a hospital room.  A hospital, a place where lives are saved and lives are lost. For a long time I believed that I should have belong to the second category, strongly believing that there was nothing left in this life for me. In fact I stilled believe that. But despite my pleas and cries they wouldn't let me die.

*

The case was closed and Oliver was locked safely behind bars. With the charge of two murders, the judge had sentenced him to life prison.

It was over.

*

Wes was welcomed back to the police force with several congratulations and sorrys. He became a hero, known to have arrested the 'corrupted police captain.' But that was all I ever heard from him again.

Weeks had passed since the whole incident. I got home safe and was met only with pitiful stares or worried glances from the maids. An empty mansion was not welcoming.

Oliver was right the pain never truly left. This whole experience began to seem like a scar, something eternal that taints everyone's vision of you. Not that I cared, social interactions were the least of my worries right now. Instead I spent my days wondering how much longer I could endure this suffering, each time coming to the same conclusion,

Oliver had won.

He had manage to make my life an eternal suffering, and it was with that thought that I realized the one downfall of his plans, life was not eternal, and if I have to, I will force destiny's hand.

To whoever reading this, you've come to the end of my story. Don't waste a day in grief because of my departure, and instead focus on making someone alive happy. This whole life has been a battle to be happy, and due to some unfortunate events I lost that battle. But don't worry, I'm in a better place now.

On this note,

farewell Mar-

The purple haired woman's hand stopped. There was a firm grip on her forearm as she looked back to see her childhood friend. She was so caught up with her writing that she hadn't noticed his arrival until just now. Tears began forming in her eyes as she gazed back towards her journal. The journal in which she had been narrating her life in since the young age of 14.

With her free hand she flipped through the yellowed-pages a single tear slipping onto her cheek. She read through the pages, gazing through her struggles and pains. Her life never was easy, but as she looked back on it she couldn't help a feeling of nostalgia start to bubble up. Was she ready to give up on this life just yet?

She looked back towards the hands that were holding her. They were no longer gripping her arm and were instead wrapped around her shoulders, lightly shaking, as if acting like some sort of shield. He was strong, that was a fact, but upon closer inspection you could notice light lines that ran up his arms.

The cicatrices were sprayed all around his arms, they were the external voice to his internal anguish. With time many had faded, others were more recent still bearing a pink tint.

The scars reminded him that the past was real. At first he chose to hide them, covering his arms, wearing long sleeves anytime he left the house. With time they taught him to try harder next time, work harder, get stronger, he refused to cover them, claiming that they were badges of shame for his failure. But as they grow older, and the scars fade, she hoped that he would wear them as badges of pride instead, trophies from a battle that had past.

Scars were signs of hurt, signs of recovery. 

Mari stood up.

Brown eyes met dark green. The salty tears on her face had long since dried up, only leaving a slight glow as the light bounced off her face. She scanned his features. His eyes were glazed with a glassy layer of tears as he bit his lower lip in attempt to keep in the sounds that wanted to come out. When he had been reminded of the passing of his brother, all he could do was remain silent, absorbed in the vortex of the moment waiting for death only to release him. He was still tormented by the past that could not be undone.

He had felt angry at first, mad that her vision of him had flickered in the space of a second. But as days went by he couldn't help but feel selfish for feeling this way. It was wrong to blame her for the actions she took, people who are depressed are often hurting so much themselves that they don't realize the hurt that they caused others.  He didn't stay angry at her for long, yet he still was unable to forgive her. He was supposed to be a good friend and give her time, a shoulder to cry on, after all he had been there, he knew what it felt like when your world was falling apart. He knew how important a friend was in such a situation, a simple reminder that you were not alone. But he had been selfish and instead he ignored her, letting her rot away in the storm of her own mind.He felt disgusted with himself for having been such a coward, but that was why he was there today, to make things right.

His gazed hardened. Mari noticed it and flinched away. She could see it in his eyes, the way his brain had built new walls with him lonely on the other side.And at that moment she swore to herself that one by one she would take each brick down.

She couldn't help it, she took a step forward and wrapped her arms around him. At first his body tensed, but when the shock had dissipated he reciprocated it safeguarding her tightly in his arms with a silent promise of not letting go.

Life was hard. It was for everyone. But at that specific moment, a single thought passed through both minds.

This was a new start, a new life, a new family. And although none could run away from their pasts, none could live without it either.

XO

Shejem.