Flame ➸ John Murphy

32

West was confused by his words and actions. She didn't think he would leave her with them, but she also was shocked by his threat.

"Come along West," Alie motioned for the girl to follow. "There's food in the dining room."

West hesitated before following behind Alie. Jaha walked slowly behind her until they gathered in a large dining room. A long table sat in the middle of the room with a variety of different foods placed around it. West's mouth watered at the sight.

"Go ahead." Alie smiled as she motioned to the table.

West slowly sat down as Jaha and Alie sat of the other side of the table. West waited for Jaha to eat some of the food before she decided to dig in. Filling her plate with fruits, bread and meats, she soon devowered it all. The girl made sure to try to eat slowly as to not upset her empty stomach.

"In the City of Light you can always eat like this." Alie smiled.

West set down her fork, now uncomfortable with the situation she was in. Looking at the two people in front of her she analyzed their faces. Both seemed happy, yet Jaha looked almost numb.

"Where is the City of Light?" West asked, not believing that it was real.

Jaha lifted his hand from under the table. Opening it, he showed West a small clear object. In the center was a blue infinity sign. West grabbed the object from Jaha's hand. Flipping it over in her fingers, West analyzed the object.

"I can tell you about the City of light, but you won't understand until you experience it yourself." Jaha explained.

"So this, pill, will take me to the City of Light?" West asked in disbelief.

"No pain. No hate. No envy." Jaha tried to sell it to her.

West was intrigued by the object. If she swallowed it she would finally be happy. No longer would she witness untimely deaths.

"No." She surprised even herself as the words came from her mouth. "All of those things are just part of life."

"But they don't have to be." Alie spoke up. "You can be happy in the City of Light."

"I can be happy without it too." West protested as she set the object back onto the table.

Standing from her seat, she left the dining room. She heard Jaha stand to go after her, but Alie stopped him. Moving through the huge home, West finally found her way out. The sky had already started to darken as she walked through the woods. Soon she pushed through the trees onto the beach.

"Hey Flame." John smiled when he saw the girl walking towards him.

West sat in the sand next to the boy as she looked out at the water. The view was pleasing, yet terrifying.

"Who would have thought that such a beautiful thing could hide something so horrible?" West spoke her thoughts.

"Isn't that just what the Earth is?" John sighed.

"I guess you have point."

"Did Jaha say anything about the City of Light while you were there?" John switched the topic.

"He said it was a place with no hate. Where you can be happy." West shrugged.

"Where is it?" He questioned.

"I'll be honest, I don't really know. He told me to take some sort of pill to get to it."

"Did you?" John asked concerned.

"No."

"Why?"

"Without the bad is life even life?"

John couldn't answer her question. He sat with her as they watched the moon rise into the sky. West felt herself getting tired, but hearing footsteps woke her right up. Jaha and another man walked passed the rock. Seeing the teens, Jaha stopped.