The One Named Echo Alexander: Gone

Chapter 3

Disclaimer: This book has dark and sensitive subjects such as murder, suicide, LGBTQ+ relationships, and more. If you're not comfortable with that kind of stuff, you should probably stop reading.

×

Echo was back at the lake. At the edge and hugging his knees. Same as always.

Somewhere around... midnight? A small girl walked up beside him and sat down. She was staring out at the lake too.

She seemed to be around 8 or 9, and also had a godly aura, but Echo didn't notice it.

"Hello, Echo." She said. Somehow, her tone seemed... different. Older. Unlike a small child.

Echo barely nodded. I guess unknowningly his brain was like 'this is probably a god or something,' and I mean... he wasn't wrong.

Blah blah blah, boring conversation about life and stuff...

"I have a question for you." The girl asked.

"Hm?" Echo mumbled.

"What do you think the meaning of life is?"

Echo paused.

"I mean, it's different for everyone." Echo started. His voice was soft and quiet, and sort of muffled from his face being in his hoodie.

The girl nodded. "What is it to you?"

"Hah... wouldn't you like to know..." Echo mumbled.

It was silent for a few seconds. It seemed sort of peaceful. To out-lookers anyway.

"Jackson. Jackson Ranger." Echo's voice was quieter.

"Of course." The girl replied.

"Is that a problem?" Echo turned to the girl, his face now visible again.

"No, nothing wrong with that."

Echo buried his face back in his hoodie.

It was silent again. Only the sounds of the night.

×

Echo sat at the edge of the cliff, his legs hanging off the edge. He looked over the seemingly dead kingdom of Brair. It was around 5 minutes before the sunrise.

He heard some rustling in the bushes, but ignored it. Probably a rabbit or something. Then, it stopped.

Right after, a dog (golden retriever) walked up to Echo. It licked his face and laid down beside him, put his head in Echo's lap, and buried its face in Echo's shirt.

"Aw, cute." Echo mumbled. He let the dog stay cause... it's a dog. Why would he not?

The sunrise had just started. Echo went to pet the dog, but right as he tried, the dog growled at him.

Echo chuckled. "You remind me of Jackson."

"Mhm." The dog responded.

Echo paused a second. Nah, he probably heard it wrong.

As the town was waking up, Echo slowly scooted back a bit, so he didn't fall off the cliff. The dog looked up confused but went with him and then buried his face back into Echo's shirt.