See You at Seven [Shayne Topp]

14. Of Statements and Verdicts

Hey, guys! What's up?

Thank you so much for 200+ reads here! We're a small bunch, and it's fun. Plus, 2k+ reads on A Wrench in the Gears! Thanks, guys!

So it looks like we'll be able to fit in the last few parts of the story in this chapter and the next one, which means this would be the second to the last chapter.

I had a lot of fun writing this, because I explored a lot of imaginative stuff and the what-if possibilities, but at the same time it is strenuous to fix plot holes and maintain character development consistency. But it's okay, since we'll be putting out two new books after this.

Anyway, for now, let's enjoy this. See ya!

-/-/-

It's a little too quiet in this train, even though it's filled with people. We had to go hide underneath the seats, so we were all separated to avoid suspicion. All we had with us was the Gem, the New Middle, and our guns. It was almost impossible to breathe, but when we were outside Earth, it got a little easier.

Damien was across me, and he looks like he's re-evaluating all his life choices. I wanted to apologize to him, because I got him into this mess that could have ruined his entire life. I wanted to apologize to Courtney and Ian as well, who never really wanted this but only went because they were my friends. I didn't want anyone to get harmed anymore.

Then, there was Alex. She was the one who got me here, but I wanted to apologize to her too for putting a lot of pressure on her, when, really, not a single one of us knows what we're doing. I loved her, and I didn't understand why she loved me back, which makes it even more painful when this is all over.

When the train stops, I feel it again. I hear the sound of people walking around with their own protocols and wandering around the stations. We were at Three, and no one was getting on board. No sounds of the heavy footsteps of the afterlife guards, because we defeated the entire army. My heart is beating rapidly as the train starts to move, and I count the stations. Four. Five. Six.

When we were past Six, we roll out of our positions and breathe heavily. It was terrifying to be there, and since Seven was separated from the Middle, we had to wait a little longer. We all sat on the chairs and contemplated on the plan.

"For a moment there, I think I forgot how to breathe," Ian says, breaking the ice. "I was practicing inhaling and exhaling and then I just... exhaled without inhaling."

"I could hear you from across the train," Courtney tells him, laughing.

"Yeah, it was pretty loud, man," Damien adds, chuckling.

I walk towards Alex and sit beside her. After what happened last night, we didn't have the time to evaluate things. "So, hi," I greet her as we watch Ian and Damien try floating.

"Hey," she mumbles with a small smile. "You nervous?"

"Extremely," I answer, laughing. "I don't know why I am, but I am."

"That's because it's finally starting to end," she says wistfully, looking out the windows. She then intertwines her fingers with mine and looks at me. "I'm going to miss you."

That's right. Even though we weren't certain of it, if the Judges were honest, Alex could finally undo that one error she made in her life, which would undo so much of our lives. We would never meet, and all of this would be just a bad dream I would have woken up from sweating. "You won't even remember who I am," I tell her, holding her hand as tightly as I can, trying not to cry.

"Maybe I'll get to meet you again somewhere," she says, her voice cracking. "Not in a train station definitely. Good God. If I met you in another train station, I'd lose it."