Tales of Aridia

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"How are you alive?" I said, reaching my arm out to her. Her hair had grown back and her skin was no longer white and drawn out. I saw her smile...Something which I had not seen in such a long time. Although she still wore the hospital gown, it was clean and there were no stains. "I'm not alive," She responded with a happiness that was so unexpected. Max had been watching intently, confused all the while. "You're a ghost?" He asked, still hiding Elliana behind his legs. Hope laughed, holding her head up high.  "I'm not entirely sure what happened," She said, sharing a look of confusion with Max. "I died and then I was walking somewhere. I didn't know where I was going but then I heard someone scream. It was you, Robyn. Suddenly I started to fall, I don't know for how long. The scream got nearer but then there was silence, and now I'm here." She explained, her voice becoming quieter as she spoke, realizing how absurd it sounded.  

Hope's eyes fell gently upon Lucy, who struck her back with a grimace. "What are you doing?" she asked plainly, putting her on the spot. Lucy laughed nervously, scuffing her feet along the floor she coughed and said, "Robyn is dangerous." I looked at her in disbelief, as did Hope. "Still blaming Robyn?" Hope questioned, as if throughout the entire time she had been alive, she always noticed how Lucy acted. I had picked my jacket up from the floor and wrapped it around Elliana, bringing her into Hope's sight. Hope approached the girl with light in her eyes and a sweetness in her voice that seemed to always be there. "You're very pretty," she exclaimed, rubbing a gentle hand down the side of her face. Elliana looked at me and blushed before mouthing an unheard "Thank you," to Hope. 

Hope swept her hair from her eyes and tucked it behind her ears. I watched her movements closely, still uncertain. I reached forward and grabbed her wrist, turning it over so I could see the veins in her arm. I stared at a few blood spots, from where she had been injected or hooked up to a drip. This seemed to reassure me and I let go gently. Hope understood and she simply smiled before walking over to Lucy. Lucy had become timid and quivered in the corner, as if she was finally afraid of someone. As she got closer Lucy's shaking become more obvious and her knees swayed forwards and backwards. "It's okay, you don't need to worry," Hope said calmly, placing her hand in the air, gesturing towards her. Lucy stared at her palm, and her hand flinched as if for a moment she considered it. The nervous shaking stopped and Lucy stared Hope dead in the eye. Hope lowered her hand...she knew it was not going to change. I gripped Elliana harder, as the pain that Hope felt seemed to flow through me as well. Max felt it too, his protective stance had become limp and vulnerable,  the eyebrows that showed all of his anger relaxed, revealing almost every emotion he was feeling. 

We seemed to all fall into mourning, like it had finally struck us that Lucy was never coming back.  "I'll be back in a few hours," Lucy said bluntly, taking a swift glance at Hope before disappearing into the air, leaving a trail of wind that gushed between our bodies. "She's gone," I said, stating the obvious. Both Jayden's kept their faces close to the ground, knowing what was soon to come. "Hope..." I said, opening my arms for her. Her head fell onto my shoulder and her chest pulled in and out as Hope tried to stop herself from crying. "I don't understand how you can be here," I whimpered, feeling the grief that Hope did. After a long pause she said, "I remember hearing a voice, telling me to save you guys. It was a girl." Hope explained, like parts of her memory had suddenly opened up. Max stepped forward slowly, "What was her name?" He asked. Hope sank into thought, resting her hand on her head. She mumbled before finally coming to an answer, "I think it was...Selena." She said. 

Max's face dropped, but then he became confused. Elliana pointed over to him, noticing how apprehensive he was. "Max? Who's Selena?" Hope questioned, knowing for sure he knew something.  I recalled the name, Max had mentioned it to me long before - she was the one who brought me back. "Umm," He said, pacing back and fourth in a panicked manner, holding his hands above his head. He gestured to his mouth, as if he was trying to pull the words out himself. "Well..." He continued, confusing us all with his rambling. "Just spit it out!" Hope shouted, shocking me as I had never heard her voice raise to such a level. "She's my sister!" He shouted back, looking as surprised as I was. We all stood still, processing what he said.

 "You have a sister?" Hope asked, trying to believe what I thought could not be true. "Yes I have a sister!" He yelled back, becoming angry as she was mentioned. Hope stepped forward gently, she placed a hand on his wrist as a calming gesture, but also to restrain him. "What did she do to you?" Hope asked. Max looked across our faces, finding no escape. "What are you talking about?" He said dismissively. "Well, I mentioned Selena and now you're angry. What did she do?" She asked again. Max took a deep sigh and tugged his hands away. "When I was fourteen she left and didn't say anything, we were twins and I thought that she wouldn't be able to survive out there on her own." He sighed again, as the more he talked the more angry he became. "Occasionally she would just turn up...from nowhere. She never really cared about anyone. She's always in it for herself so if she ever does anything kind for you, know that there is an underlying consequence." He continued. 

I approached Max in the way that Hope did, with a soft and gentle tone. "Is she with Abraxas?" I asked. Max shook his head vigorously, almost offended at what I had asked. "No, she never worked for anyone. She always did what was best for Selena, even if it cost others."  He said, gradually calming down. Hope seemed to have more questions, but was too afraid to ask them given Max's feelings towards Selena. 

I walked towards both Jayden's. My guilt overtook me, reminded that one would die. My body shook uncontrollably as I looked at the dagger which lay by my feet on the floor. "I can't choose," I said. They seemed to regard me with sympathy, sharing an understanding glance. "How do I choose?" I asked, my eyes not knowing which Jayden to look at. They each shrugged and Max fell into a deep silence. I gulped and knelt down to pick up the dagger. I rubbed off the dirt which lay on the blade and tucked it into my pocket. They both watched me maneuver the dagger intently, flinching every time it got a little too close. "Who did you kill?" I asked. They both replied instantly, "Your brother." They said, sharing an identical look of guilt. I thought intensely, and arrived at another question. "You gave me a gift, what was it?" I asked. Again, they replied simultaneously, "A pocket watch which belonged to your brother." Although their wording was slightly different, there was no telling which was more of A Jayden thing to say. 

Finally I asked another question, "When you died...which flowers did you leave for me?" The Jayden on the right looked upwards as if he was in thought. "Roses," He said. The other said simply, "Tulips." Finally they realized that one was right while the other was wrong. They then realized that one would die while the other would live. I stuttered not wanting to reveal the answer. Max saw my pain and he stepped in, "You gave her Tulips," He answered. I touched the dagger briefly with the tip of my thumb, but I could not hold it. My hand glided away and I reached forward to the Jayden on the right. My hands wrapped around his neck, and I hugged him like it would be the last time...for him at least. I placed my hand on the dagger, wrapping my fingers around it. As Jayden breathed in I pulled the dagger out and thrust it at his heart.