NightFall (NightFall: Book One)
Page 23
Saldivar knew that Zane at least spoke some truth. He didn’t see life and eternity the way Zane did. Zane had a vendetta against the world. He saw the world as a place that wanted nothing more than to destroy him. So, he cut off the emotional part of himself and in the midst of all his loneliness, he lashed out at whoever came near to him or any one who got much too close. Zane is somewhat like a cobra or a badger. Stay at a distance but get close enough to make him feel cornered and he would attack without thought or provocation.
Saldivar stood up. He would go see to his friends. He was positive that Zane would not be able to do anything else for he was too broken to move.
Saldivar walked over to Simone and put a hand on her shoulder. She jerked away. She faced Saldivar angrily. “Do something, Saldivar. You’re supposed to be able to help him,” she cried, tears staining her face.
Tears glistened in Saldivar’s eyes. He assessed Van. “I don’t think there is anything I can do right now, Simone,” he said regrettably, his voice cracking with emotion. He tried, unsuccessfully, to blink away the unshed tears. “I’m so sorry.”
Simone howled at the top of her lungs, pounding at Saldivar’s chest. “No-o-o-o-o! Not without Van. Saldivar, there must be something you can do. I don’t want to live an eternity without Van. I would rather walk into the sunlight. Please, tell me you can do something.”
Saldivar was only silent as he reached down and picked up Van’s limp body. Indea and Raven followed.
“What of Zane, Saldivar?” Raven asked.
For the first time, Saldivar felt no pity for Zane. He would only hound their every step if they helped him. And if they did, the next time, he might have become successful in destroying them all. “Let the sun take care of him.”
Raven nodded but walked over to Zane anyway. “You brought this on yourself, you know? Now you will feel the hell I have felt all these years that I’ve slaved for you. But don’t worry. It will all be over soon.” She grabbed Zane’s arm and dragged him away from the streets, just to make sure that no one came across him and decided to help him. She would let the sun do with Zane what it will. Like Saldivar, she could not find it in her heart to feel the smallest amount of pity.
EPILOGUE
Night fell on Van’s house in a strange calm. Simone was already up, pacing back and forth on Van’s carpet. She almost bit her nails to the quick. She ran her fingers through her hair so much she had left it in a mess. She had forgone makeup or worrying about feeding. What did it matter if she didn’t have Van with her?
But when Indea and Raven saw the state she was in, they insisted on getting her to feed and to help her in any other way they could.
Simone hugged Indea. “Oh, Indea. What am I going to do? I can’t lose Van. I love him so much.”
Indea squeezed Simone. “Don’t worry, Simone. Everything will work out.”
“I think everything will be fine,” Raven put in. “Van was pretty broken but a night of rejuvenating sleep should’ve done the trick.” She put her hand on Simone’s shoulder in a comforting gesture. “Don’t lose hope, ok?”
Simone wiped away tears and nodded. “Thanks, you guys.”
Raven and Indea left the living room to speak to Saldivar, which is the excuse they gave Simone. Maybe they thought she needed to be alone for a while.
Simone sat down heavily on the ottoman. She put her head in her hands and cried.
A hand touched her shoulder. “Don’t tell me you were worried about me?” Van stated in a teasing tone.
Simone jerked her head up and shock over came her. She threw herself so forcefully into Van’s arms that it almost knocked him off his feet.
“Oh, Van. I thought I had lost you. I thought Zane had killed you.” She cried into his shoulder.
“Come now, Simone. It’s all right. I am here with you. You don’t have to cry any more for me,” he said into her hair. He then looked deeply into her eyes with concern. “I heard from a reliable source that you would rather walk into the sun than live without me. Please say you won’t ever think like that again?” he implored softly.
“I won’t, Van. I won’t.” She accepted Van’s soft kiss and wrapped her arms around his neck tightly, afraid to let go.
*
The five of them came together in the living room, talking of a future. A future together. A future filled with laughter and love. A future not filled with the evil shadow of Zane hovering over them but of a peaceful tranquility.
Together in darkness.
Together in shadow.
Together in eternity.
The End
(Please look for Book II: “NightFall: Raven” coming this Fall, 2012)