What Lies Beneath

Chapter Sixty-Nine: Countdown

Life is made up of a countdown of moments. Each memory or new friend leading you to your next adventure. From the very day that Sophie was conceived her countdown began. Not all those born are meant to share in the joys that the world has to offer, but instead they must trade it all in for a destiny or responsibility greater than themselves.

When Sophie was young, she used to have an imaginary friend. It was the only kind of friend she could have as her curse made it impossible to get close to a single living creature. From day one, Sophie knew what her fate would be. She knew that in the end she would die alone, none at her funeral to mourn or rejoice in the life that she had led. It was a pity, but necessary all the same.

Classes were lonely and days were spent in the imaginings of her mind as she tried to ignore the whispers. She would never have a family to love her because her mere existence wiped them off the face of the Earth. Fate was cruel, but she'd learn to live with it.

Sophie watched the world from a distance, never daring to get too close as one touch or small glance would end the tranquility, she found in it. The universe rejected her, but that didn't matter because there was a sense of peace in knowing that death came for all in the end, even her. Still standing amidst the rubble of a crumbling and quaking house shattered her heart.

All around her were friends she never thought she could have and a boy that she loved more than anything. They each held their own countdowns within their minds. A universe for each thought and feeling that they ever had. Even the boy who would kill them all for one more day. One tick of a clock as it counts down to his inevitable demise. Even surrounded by all of that, Sophie's eyes sprung forth tears of joy and sadness. There was nothing more beautiful than being a part of someone else's countdown.

 "We need to get out of here!" Karen shouted the words over the groans of the house. It was as if they were in a battle to see who could be the loudest and the house was winning.

"You must lead them out." It was the voice again. A distant whisper that managed to block out the chaos that had engulfed the world around them. Sophie knew that it was right, just as she had when she chose to listen to it, but how was she going to get them out? The house was angry and tearing itself apart in one last desperate attempt to claim their lives.

"Sophie, we have to go!" Sophie looked up at the boy in front of her. His eyes were red from the dust and debris and his hands were placed firmly on her shoulders. He was a mess, but she didn't care. His eyes grounded her in a way that gravity never could. Without uttering a word, Sophie reached up and pulled his face into hers. She could taste the blood and saw dust on his lips as she pressed her lips onto his.

The kiss didn't last too long due to the world ending around them, but it was something that neither of them would ever forget. With the hint of a smile on her face, Sophie turned away from Wyatt and back to the madness around her. It was time to get to work.

"Hey John, what the hell is happening in there?" Bobby's voice shook as he asked the question, his eyes glued to the house as it quaked before them.

John had been busy playing with the grass and gravel that lined the driveway, his mind lost in thought of his wasted life when Bobby's words pulled him back into reality. Eyes wide and glued to the scene before him, John found that for the second time in his life he was left utterly speechless.

 Wyatt, like the rest of his comrades, stared at Sophie as she assessed the situation. However, each of their eyes were fixed for similar, yet very different reasons.