Fade

14

    "Amber!" "Amber!" "Amber!" They all called out to me. Blood began to stain my shirt. I gasped for breath. The blade was pulled out of me, then inserted in another spot. "Death is inevitable!!" Leinhart laughed. Reese blasted him into a tree and trapped him in a sphere of water. He began to drown, but justice was served. We watched as he flailed around, then no longer moved. Dante caught me as I collapsed. He helped me stand and took out the blade. Finally. It would all be over. Christian and Nikolas emerged from the woods in shorts. Tobias gathered flames in his hands. "Stay away from us." "Amber!" Ellaes tried to join me, but Tobias wouldn't let him. I pushed the small device into Zeke's hands. It was no bigger than two hands, yet it had a dangerous power. "Destroy it. Please." "Amber! Are you crazy! You can't destroy it! You know that-" "I know!" I screamed out. But it had to be done. "You understand that we'll never be able to go back." He softly said. My brother fell silent. Yes. I know that fully well. I looked at my friends. Tears began to fall from my eyes. "Thank you all, for not leaving me." "We would never do that. Not now, not ever." Tobias caressed my cheek. "We will never leave you." Reese smiled at me. "Zeke, if you please." Zeke began to squeeze the device. A small siren began to fill the air. "Warning! Warning! Malfunction! Detecting major malfunction!" My heart ached in pain. Ellaes clutched his heart. Zeke threw it into the air and vines shot out from the earth. It destroyed it into a million pieces. Ellaes and I gasped at the same time. We both fell to the floor. "Amber!" "Oh my gosh!" The life began to leave my eyes. This was the small sacrifice. If the device was destroyed, then so were the lives of those that came through it. Our lives were ending. They seemed to put two and two together, and realized what was happening. "Amber, no." Tobias sobbed. "Why didn't you tell us?" Zeke's bottom lip quivered. Dante began to sob uncontrollably. My mates joined the crowd. "Mate..." "If I had told you, you would have said no." I rasped. "Nothing can hurt you now." I said. I ripped off my necklace and put it in Tobias' hand. "It's yours now." "No! No, I don't want it! It's yours! It's yours!" He cried. I watched as my brother's body turned transparent, then faded. There would be no trace that we were ever here, nothing. I felt myself began to fade. "Thank you all. Thank you." I smiled one last time, just for the sake of things. "Amber!" My friends cried out as I faded, leaving nothing for even the wind to carry.
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   "How was it?" "That was a horrible way to die." I grumbled. "But wasn't it fun? You'd try it again, I know it." Ellaes grinned. "These are getting too realistic." "Yeah, I guess so. But isn't that what it's all about? If you don't enjoy life, then you'll never appreciate it. I don't get why you had to end it that quickly though." I scoffed at my brother. "That game was getting too realistic." "You got too attached to that Tobias character. You loved him." He teased. "Shut up." I took off the gaming glasses. "I'm glad they got rid of gaming headsets. Those hurt my neck." I rolled my eyes. But he had a point. The glasses were an easier way to play the games using your actual conscience, your actual self. I stretched my arms. "Let's not play that game anymore." "Agreed. Wait, what time is it? Oh man! I'm late for my date!" Ellaes quickly put on his shoes. "I'll be back later tonight!" He ran out of my room and I watched from my window as he got into his car and pulled out of the driveway. Once I was sure he was gone, I put the gaming glasses back on. "Game settings: alternate ending." I selected ending four. I was suddenly sitting on a hill. I was back. My head was resting on Tobias' shoulder. We were gazing at the sunset. A field of flowers was in front of us. Our hands were intertwined. It was peaceful. He decided to break the comfortable silence. "I love you Amber." A small smile formed on my face. "I love you, Tobias."