South Days

The last part

The sky, looking at it reminded me of being a kid hoping that I'd make a real friend. What was wrong with me then? I couldn't finish a full sentence to someone I wanted to talk to. I guess it was the fact I didn't have much too say, not that I KNEW what to say because I never knew at all. Every time I saw a kid with something from a show or a game I liked I tried to go up to them, my biggest fear was getting bullied... well which did happen. But I told myself I still tried. Girls were the scariest to even be around, like as if they were the ultimate beauty queens and I was just a little quite peasant boy. I remember my Dad telling me to stop seeing girls like that, or just stop labeling anyone as better then me in general. Growing up I just thought the most important thing in life was to get married or show people how great and important you are, but after what happened with... what was even her name again? Whatever, that girl and her asshole boyfriend who beat me up, nothing seemed to matter period, who cares what happens in this sad lonely world? Well, after what's happened now, I don't even know what to think, a friend who my parents knew before I was born, who I barely know myself made me realized that... you can't just not make things happen, and there's no point in running away. I Can run away, but I can also learn from the things I didn't want to happen even if they still hurt.

I can hear my Mom and Dads voice calling out for me. I almost thought everything that happened was a terrible fever dream. That was until I opened my eyes and looked down in front of me, a burning and fallen apart building. No, I burning and fallen apart Hell. 

The voices of my parents came closer as I could felt myself losing consciousness, but before I did I felt the presents of them making sure I wasn't hurt.

"Ren?! Honey, wake up! Please be okay ..." My mom said as she cried 

"M-mom... Dad?" 

"We're so sorry Ren... it's our fault that we came here... should've never took that god damn trip..." My Dad said as tears came down his face as Mom covered hers.

I slowly sit up holding my head feeling nauseous. All the pain came back from the "test" they did to me. 

"No... its not your guys fault... that old idiot forced us against our will to be here. If he was here... I would-"

"NOOO!! DEAR GOD NOOO!!" said a voice from behind us... it was Wilmington...

"This... THIS CAN'T BE HAPPENING... my father's Legacy... MY. LEGACY!!"

"SHUT UP OLD MAN! ONE MORE WORD OUT OF YOU AND ILL-" Dad gets up with his fist clanged.   

"DAD NO! Stop! There's nothing he can do now! Everything he had is gone. He can't hurt anyone anymore."

". . . yeah, you're right." Dad said as he looked at me then stared at the ground. 

"He had nothing from the start." said a voice coming from out of nowhere. It was Clarissa.

"You lost who you were a very long time ago mister Wilmington. All you cared about was you and your fathers research. You said you never wanted to die before finding out what your father really wanted. Growing old became an aggravation for you, even when you became ill and never rested properly. All I wanted was to protect those you harmed, tormented, and treated unfairly. Everything you have accomplished lead to what you had from the very beginning: Nothing."

Wilmington just on his knees listing with a shocked look on his face as Clarissa talked. 

". . . you are right Mrs. Clarissa. . . I've been sitting that office that was once my fathers doing nothing but starring at the walls, hoping one day I'd accomplish what my father had started. I- I have done very regrettable crimes. . . that I must to confess for committing. My father told me not to continue what he wanted the most, and I should have listened to his wishes."

The old man gets up slowly. 

"You are right, I do not have anything now. As much as I'd like to. . . conflict the pain to you all that I have it would not be wise. The right thing to do would be to turn myself in for all I have done. I must thank you all for this realization and everything it took to end all I have done. Especially you young man, you are stronger than I could have ever been when I was your age, it must be because of your. . . interestingly unique Mother and Father. I bid you all farewell."

Wilmington turns around and walks off into the distance. It scares me that there are people in this world that actually live in it. People being able to control people because of there power, they ignore our voices, our yells, our screams. We suffer, but they continue to cause the pain they do not bother to fix, because all they want. . . is to be superior. To have what they want, not what we want.

"Goodbye Mr. Wilmington, and good riddance." Mrs. Clarissa said with her arms crossed. She looked pissed. . . but somehow relaxed. She looked at us with a sad look.

"Mrs. Clarissa, you- you can come and stay with us if you'd like." Mom said looking up at her

"My husband. . . and the boy; the "monster" that he became, are gone. Just like that poor fool of a man, I have nothing. I must go back to where I belong, with nothing."

"Mrs. Clarissa wait! It's about Desmond"

"I know, he died in the building. Saving you all. I always knew he was brave."

"No! I mean, he told me to tell you 'I love you, I'm sorry'. . ."

Clarissa looked up at the sky.

"Desmond."

"That's my name honey, could you not wear it out?" 

. . . no way.

Clarissa gasp in shock. Desmond is alive!!

"B-BUT HOW!? You were- stuck. . . !" I said sitting up holding my head as I did too fast.

Desmond had a tons of blood on him, he was limping and had a struggling look on his face like some wrestling after a match.

"Hah. . . ya know, I was. Clarissa, the kid saved me! He. . . spoke, to me! I. . . I'm sure he did."

"Wha- what!? What did he say!? What did he say Desmond!?"

". . . He said, 'Thank you, for being the only one who cared for me.' He saved my life Clarissa. He was afraid of everyone there, every person he saw besides you. He thought that everyone would try to hurt him. I only made fun of him because I thought- no, everyone thought he was just a monster. The kid was still him all along, he was just afraid. I wanted to save him but. . .he. . ."

I'd never thought I'd see him cry. I never thought I'd see them all cry. Next thing I knew tears were on my face, because I learned the pain that they went through. 

"Desmond dear, lets go home." She says as she reaches her hand out to him. They both walk away holding each others and disappear in the distance. We never saw them again.

Dad sighs out of relief. So does Mom.

"Well, I think it's time for us to head home." Dad says while rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yep. Let's get you and little Maria out of here honey."

"OH NO!! MARIA!! WHERE IS SHE?!?!" I look around for her. She's laying on the ground next to rubble. 

I get up and run towards her. I pick her up and turn her facing me. She was awake.

"R-Ren. . ." She said soft and quietly.

"I- I I'm so sorry Maria. . . I didn't mean to forget about you! I-I'm so sorry please don't be okay. . .

I've never cried so much over anyone in my life. All I wanted to do was protect Maria. . . and I failed. 

"Maria please! Please, please, please, be okay. . ."

My eyes were closed as I cried. Then, I felt something touching my nose. . . as I open my as and blink to clear away the tears, I saw Maria poking at my face. She was smiling.

"I never noticed how big your nose it." She said while laughing.

". . .I-. heh. Haha hahah." I laughed while also crying. I hugged Maria.

She was okay.