Vampires, werewolves, goblins, and ghosts...
Revolution
1 a: the action by a celestial body of going round in an orbit or elliptical course; also : apparent movement of such a body round the earth
b: completion of a course (as of years); also : the period made by the regular succession of a measure of time or by a succession of similar events
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At first Tara bumbled, "I....I'm sorry, it was an accident...I didn't know...my hand..." she stopped, looking down. Stupid, her mind told her."You don't have to be such a jerk about it," she snapped. "It was an honest accident. If I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't have missed..."
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"Right, like you would have missed..." Zaza grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Everyone always picks on the newer kids with the weird powers and weird looks. And believe me, if I wanted to be a jerk, I'd really be a jerk." She said, walking out of the bushes. Zaza, shut up! We don't know what she can do now! Shut up, shut up, shut up!!!!!! Missy screamed in her head. Zaza rolled her eyes, then glared at Tara, a hand behind her back as a shadow played on her fingers.
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Tara's hands started to itch, and she felt a strong desire to make this girl burst into flames. "You're right...pick on the new kid. How about I give you a reason to be a jerk?!" Her right hand burst into white flames and she shot out a pillar toward Zaza, narrowly missing. The fire was so hot it should've singed hair a foot away. "That's the warning shot. And I'm just warming up. I've always thought it needed to get hotter outside...."
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"Holy crap!" Zaza cried as she jumped away from the pillar of flames. "You have some serious anger issues, Tara. First you burn my tail, now you try to turn me into a roasted marshmellow! That's it!" Zaza fired the shadow that was building on her hand, not caring if her hair was singed, she was ticked now. Missy was wishing she could slap Zaza right now. You're just trying to get us killed, aren't you? Missy growled. Zaza just rolled her eyes again. Wanna stop me, come join the fun. She thought, snapping back at the voice inside her head. Missy just grumbled something about Zaza's stupidity.
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Laughter echoed across the grounds as Tara narrowly dodged the shadow Zaza shot at her. "I have experience with shadows girlie. Try harder..." she said, as she side-stepped over to the wall. A whip of white fire exploded from Tara's palm and lashed out toward Zaza, wrapping itself around her ankle. Tara pulled hard and the fire threw Zaza away from the wall, slamming her into the ground. Her back to the wall, Tara faced Zaza out in front of her. "Come on girlie..." she hissed.
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James was hearing some yelling and laughing and looked out his window. "Wha... Oh great!" He muttered, shutting his window and running toward the wall where Tara and Zaza were going at it. He had a bad feeling about this. Meanwhile, Zaza got back up from being thrown. "Ha, you think that would stop me..." She laughed, ignoring the burn on her leg. "I don't give up that easily, Tara, and neither will Missy if she steps in." She said with a smirk. Missy gasped. You've got to be kidding... Zaza held her hands together, forming a larger shadow that was almost impossible to dodge. "Try dodging this one!" She cried out, throwing the shadow at Tara head-on and throwing her into the wall. Zaza let out a laugh as James skidded to a stop at the steps. "What the.. that wasn't Tara, was it?" He asked himself.
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Tara screamed as she felt the shadow throwing her backwards. She slammed into the wall separating the school grounds with a near deadly force. A loud crack, followed by a low rumbling noise grew over the campus as the wall collapsed around Tara. The ancient barrier had been tumbled by the ferocity of the attack...Tara lay unconscious on the ground, covered with rubble as a cloud of dust crept over the grounds...
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Zaza shielded her eyes until the dust settled a little. "And that's why you don't mess with new kids..." She said with a grin. James ran out, "What the heck was all that about?" He asked Zaza, falling to his knees where he thought Tara was. Zaza rolled her eyes. "Why should I care? She burnt my tail." James glared at her, then tried to pull the rubble off of Tara.
The dust settled and Tara's eyelids began to flutter. "J...James?" she said, weakly. Remembering what that girl Zaza had done she quickly pushed the rest of the pieces of the wall off her and stood. "I burnt your frickin' tail. I'm the one with the anger problem?! You almost KILLED me," Tara shouted.
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James looked at each of the girls. "Girls..." Zaza stuck out her tongue, acting younger than she really was. "If I wanted you dead, James here would be in tears already. Come on, I'm just havin a little fun."
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"Fun?!" said Tara with a mocking laugh. "I'll show you fun." A flower of white fire blossomed between her two hands and she threw the massive flame at Zaza, her fury building with the fire's heat. The light from the flame was so intense her eyes watered, but she ignored the pain and stared ahead letting her fierce anger take complete control.
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"Tara... where'd you learn to do that?!" James said, surprised. Zaza tried to shield her eyes as the flames engulfed her. James just stared, "Even I wouldn't come out of that unharmed..." He murmured. "There's no way Zaza will make it out..." He glanced at Tara, surprise showing.
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Anger still burned brightly in Tara's moist eyes. She turned her back from Zaza and looked at James. "I didn't learn to do that," she said bitterly. "I just did it, okay? Since you obviously were fed up with dealing with me, I took things into my own hands...." Tara choked back real tears, then brushed her new too-long black bangs out of her eyes. "I'm not weak anymore..."
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James was almost speechless. "I.. I uh.. I can tell." He stumbled. "Just... just don't cry, I still don't like seeing you cry." There was some movement in the corner of his eye. Shadows gathered around Zaza's burnt form. She was dead, of course, but she wasn't the only spirit in that body. The shadowy figure sat up, then gained color. The figure's hair turned brown and grew from Zaza's original length. She blinked and glowing red eyes appeared and the rest of the body filled in until a familiar girl sat in Zaza's place, glaring at Tara. The girl got up, dusting herself off. "Jeez, Tara, you have changed a lot since I was here last." The girl said with a laugh. "But I know I'm still the same old me, hopefully you guys haven't forgot." She said with an evil grin. James' jaw dropped. "Now I've seen it all." He murmured, for the girl in front of him was his dead sister, Missy. She glanced at her brother, rolling her eyes, then back at Tara. "So, was it really necessary to take out Zaza?"
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Tara glared at Missy. She'll take him away from me even more, she thought. "She was an annoyance," Tara said. "Not like she made enough friends for anyone to miss her." She shocked herself by how heartless she sounded. This control, adrenaline, strength....it's addicting, she realized. Another part of her spoke out, But is it worth it? "I will not be weak," she whispered quietly, wiping away her tears.
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Missy chuckled. James, your girl forgot what I can do. She thought, knowing James would hear. "Tara, Tara, Tara," Missy scolded, "You forgot, I'm hurt." She said sadly. James suddenly realized what she was talking about, he hadn't even been focusing on Tara's thoughts lately. He was ready to slap himself. "What could you possibly mean by I'll take him away?" Missy asked innocently. "Didn't you remember I can get in your head?" She said with a laugh, glaring at Tara.
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"I didn't forget," Tara hissed, trying to control her mounting anger. She focused on a pile of bricks, trying to mount defenses in her mind. There was no saying what Missy could or couldn't do in this strange existence. Smoke began to furl around the tips of Tara's hair, the black strands starting to move in the wind that picked up. Suddenly, Tara froze and her face fell as she realized something. One word slipped into her thoughts before she could crush it. Choice.... Staring deeply into Missy's eyes she saw the truth. Breathing in, Tara stepped slowly to James, the distance between them so small that she could hardly resist the urge to curl up in his strong arms. She could smell him, sense him, and every part of her tingled with desire. The proximity intoxicated her. Nevertheless, she refused to let it cloud her judgment...
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A single tear rolled down Tara's cheek. She reached up a trembling hand and wiped it away, then looked up at James. I'm sorry, she thought. Rolling on to her toes she pressed her lips against his and whispered in a soft, low voice, "It's your choice...”
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James didn't expect any of that, he looked down at Tara, "My choice? What do you mean?" He asked, not paying to his impatient sister. "Oh brother... she gets mad that I said she forgot what I can do, and then there's this mush. What choice, the choice on how to get rid of me?" She mumbled to herself. James glanced over, "Missy, shut it!" Missy gasped, "Hell no, I can talk all I want. If I wanna gripe about how many times I've died in the past, I can." "MISSY! NOT NOW" James hissed. He turned back to Tara, "Maybe we should do this before sour-tart decides she's going to talk us to death." James said. "I heard that," Missy growled. You were meant to, now shut the hell up, Missy, before I do the favor of getting rid of you for good.
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"STOP IT!" Tara shouted. She collapsed into a heap on the dusty ground, the ends of her hair bursting into white flame, a stark contrast. This is getting out of control, she thought. I can't hold on much longer....
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"Damn, damn, damn." James cursed under his breath. "Missy, you're nothing but trouble! I always knew you would, you stupid, god-damn mutt! Now look what you've lead to! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST STAY DEAD!" James yelled, as his hands balled into fist. Missy backed up a bit. "Dammit, Missy, I've had it with you, I've been through hell and back because of you, and now I'm through." James threw his arms to the side as thorned vines shot out of the ground at Missy neck, holding on tight. Seconds later she collapsed to the ground, fading into the shadows for the last time. James fell to his butt, glad that was over.
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Tara's eyes widened in shock, that was not what she expected...especially since he used the vines. Hurt echoed through her, darkening the anger that had yet to disappear. He blames... her thought trailed, remembering he could hear her. She stood abruptly, hair still smoldering with bright bursts of fire at the tips, and brushed past the spot where James sat so near to her on the ground. Breezing toward the forest, angry tears spilled down her cheeks.
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"Tara! Hey, wait!" James said, jumping up and running after her. They were in the woods by now. He grabbed her by the shoulders, spinning her around to face him. "Tara, what's wrong? It's just us now, no more Missy, no more Zaza, only you, me and the dark woods to hide in." James said with a small smile, letting go of her. "What more could we want?"
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Sparks flew off Tara's hair, her eyes burning as she looked at his face. She knew her hair must have burned him when he grabbed her, but somehow she didn't care about that right now. "What more could we want?" she asked sarcastically. "What more do YOU want?! You're going to resent me James, I can tell. I sense it. You used my old power to kill your sister. Using me to kill your sister. You don't think that will get to you eventually?!" Tara laughed half-heartedly, pain echoing in her voice. "You will hate me James," she hissed, "you will loathe me....leave me...." Her face softened and she looked down, "I can't stand to be without you. You are my life, and I mean that in the literal form of the word. You....draw me in." Breathing deeply, she continued slowly, "And if you leave me, no....when you leave me...my existence will cease."
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"No! Tara, you've got it all wrong!" James snapped. "You've got it all wrong," He repeated, softer than before. "Tara, she kept coming back, that's not right. You know what, I'm not supposed to be here either, but that's only because of you. I'm actually yours, Tara. If anything happens to you, what do you think I'd do? Huh, Tara?! I'll never hate you, leave you, none of that, but no, you have to be stubborn right now and think that. If there some voice in your head that's making you hate me? I've been listening recently, I've heard parts of you that I couldn't believe, and you know what, by this point, I DON'T CARE!" He backed up, hands up. "Have it you way, Tara. Apparently I shouldn't care, so I won't, I just won't care." To prove it, he kicked a nearby tree, trying to vent his anger as he walked away. The tree, however, couldn't stand up to James, and started to fall.
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Tara screamed out in agony, her skin bursting into white flames on her hands. But the fire wasn't the source of her pain. She'd lost all hope. The scream pierced the trees as she fell to the ground, shaking as she fought for control. "You promised we'd be together forever," she muttered softly, clutching her arms around herself, as if trying to hold herself together. "You lied to me....you lied to me." Her head shook slowly. It seemed as if she was speaking to the ground, "I gave you everything I had. My life, my humanity...my heart." Silent for a moment, she looked up at James' back as she watched the tree fall. The thud resounded over the forest. Flames began to creep away from Tara's body now, small sparks jumping to the trees around her and igniting the dry leaves. "Why wasn't I good enough to fill the hole? To heal what she....Alexys....did to you?"
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James' hands balled into fists as he stopped walking away. "You know how to get your way every time, don't you?" He muttered. James turned around, his own eyes flaming. "I try to get over these things, I've just gotten over HER and there you go, bringing her up!" He growled. "That hole was nearly filled, Tara, but you just ripped it open again. That's... that's just uncalled for." James turned around again. "Should I just end your misery now, or would you rather suffer?" He asked, looking down at the ground, hiding the pain and sorrow he had right now.
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"I didn't do this!" Tara cried, tears pouring down her face. "I never meant, never wanted....I don't want to hurt you." She stood and ran over to him. Reaching out to touch his shoulder, she said, "Please....it hurts too much to see you like this...."
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James' hands were still in fist and were growing darker. He spun around again, "Deal with it then, Tara. Just learn to deal with me this way, cause I've been through a lot, and I may just be like this for a while. So, you know what, just back off." James said, lifting up his hand to try and push Tara away, but in the process, the shadows forming around his hands shot off. In his anger, James was losing control of his power, which would explain the vines, his strength, and now this. He was falling apart, and now he just fired two shadows at Tara, not able to do a thing.
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Tara's eyes widened as she saw the shadows coming toward her, and she knew she wouldn't be able to move. The force threw her backward, and she collided with several trees, each one bursting into fierce white flames that angrily licked up everything in their paths. She landed with a hard thud to the ground and more flames burst into the fresh ground around her. Struggling to open her eyes, she looked around and noticed how far James had actually thrown her. To her right she noticed a looming shape. Turning her head she saw the old church building. It used to be a haven of theirs, a happy memory, now it only broke her heart even more. Blood seeped from cuts that covered every inch of Tara's body, but she still managed to slowly crawl over to the wall of the old church. Pressing her hand up against the cool brick, she breathed inward with extreme difficulty, then exhaled and let the white fire whisper into the cracks in the brick, moving toward the wood, demolishing everything in its path.
Her vision was fading as weak sobs failed to get past her crimson lips, her frail and white body convulsing from the combination of pain and deep sadness. Tears gushed from her eyes, blurring everything in sight. The corners of her mind began to be overthrown by darkness....
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James froze as he realized what he had done. "No.... not Tara... not now!" James cried, running as fast as he could over to Tara, falling to his knees as everything was flaming around him. He pulled Tara away from the flaming church. "Tara, I'm sorry... I didn't mean for this to happen, I didn't want it to end like this. Please Tara, please don't leave me. You're the only person I have left Tara, please don't go..." James pleaded as his eyes started to tear up.
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She opened her eyes to look up with him one last time. Every emotion she had ever felt shone through, and she remembered the happiest days of her life. The day I met James. Sitting on top of the wall, carefree after the dance. Haha, even though Missy ruined it later.....Going to the cloud, oh how I wish that would've lasted forever. I knew I still loved him even when he hated me and I was furious with him. I never thought he'd love me back....The church, his promise, and that stupid halo.....The way he kissed me after I couldn't remember him, made me feel so safe... Tara blinked slowly. "It's so h-h-h-hot," she muttered, her voice softer than a whisper and cracking with effort. She blinked again, her eyelids were getting heavier. Reaching up, she mustered enough strength to brush her warm hand against James' tear stained cheek. "I'm so sor...." Tara gasped, running out of air. "I lov...."
Her hand fell limp to the ground, eyes blank. Unseeing for the first time. A circle of the burning white fire was closing around her body and James, intending to hold them there before attacking.
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James closed his eyes, holding the tears back. “I love you too, Tara, and always will.” He said softly. James pulled Tara onto his lap, holding her head up. “We’ll leave Moonlight together…” He said with a small smile. “It’s how I wanted us to go, together, I just didn’t think I’d lose you first.” He said softly. One last tear fell as the flames crept closer and closer. James gave a chuckle, “So this will be the end, huh? More like a start… a new start for everyone I knew and loved…” James had promised her that he’d never leave her, he still hasn’t broken his promise.
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Black pillars of smoke rose above the white flames into the lifeless night sky. Illumination, life, hope - all seemed gone at this point. The flames continued to devour the trees in the forest, leaving a gray death behind. Damage stretched from the lake to the school. Somehow, as if protected by some magical charm, the fire refused to spread and further inflict death there. It was like the fire saw the crumbled wall and knew enough had happened there. Enough suffering.
As the white wolves of flame began to fade at their edges, one fire still burned bright. A perfect circle had formed, visible from the highest of heights above, with flames reaching so high that one standing countless miles away could still see the shining flames tempting themselves to scorch the sky. Pure white light radiated in the center of the circle, its flames seemed never to cease. Some form could be discerned from the outside, though much guarded by the wall of fire encircling it. The flames refused to touch it, yet they would not leave it unwatched.
A trained eye, such as my own, circling high out of reach of the angry flames, could see that it was not one form, yet two bodies. So perfectly entwined together, it seemed like every part of them was touching. Peace radiated from the fury of the flames, their faces capturing an expression of painless joy. Stillness. Emptiness in death. And yet...completeness. I strained to get closer, to understand the mystery below, but was only able to make out two hands, wrapped and woven together so tightly that no turmoil could break it. Eternally molded together into an unbreakable seal, forever remaining...
I wish I could call it the end, or even the beginning, but I do not know. I know only what I saw. What I pass on to you now. But the fire has not gone out. I have seen it many days now, and it seems to only grow stronger, higher, yet never expanding outward or collapsing inward. A fierce beacon of hope, fate, and eternity...a reminder of love in a lost world….
b: completion of a course (as of years); also : the period made by the regular succession of a measure of time or by a succession of similar events
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At first Tara bumbled, "I....I'm sorry, it was an accident...I didn't know...my hand..." she stopped, looking down. Stupid, her mind told her."You don't have to be such a jerk about it," she snapped. "It was an honest accident. If I wanted to hurt you, I wouldn't have missed..."
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"Right, like you would have missed..." Zaza grumbled, rolling her eyes. "Everyone always picks on the newer kids with the weird powers and weird looks. And believe me, if I wanted to be a jerk, I'd really be a jerk." She said, walking out of the bushes. Zaza, shut up! We don't know what she can do now! Shut up, shut up, shut up!!!!!! Missy screamed in her head. Zaza rolled her eyes, then glared at Tara, a hand behind her back as a shadow played on her fingers.
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Tara's hands started to itch, and she felt a strong desire to make this girl burst into flames. "You're right...pick on the new kid. How about I give you a reason to be a jerk?!" Her right hand burst into white flames and she shot out a pillar toward Zaza, narrowly missing. The fire was so hot it should've singed hair a foot away. "That's the warning shot. And I'm just warming up. I've always thought it needed to get hotter outside...."
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"Holy crap!" Zaza cried as she jumped away from the pillar of flames. "You have some serious anger issues, Tara. First you burn my tail, now you try to turn me into a roasted marshmellow! That's it!" Zaza fired the shadow that was building on her hand, not caring if her hair was singed, she was ticked now. Missy was wishing she could slap Zaza right now. You're just trying to get us killed, aren't you? Missy growled. Zaza just rolled her eyes again. Wanna stop me, come join the fun. She thought, snapping back at the voice inside her head. Missy just grumbled something about Zaza's stupidity.
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Laughter echoed across the grounds as Tara narrowly dodged the shadow Zaza shot at her. "I have experience with shadows girlie. Try harder..." she said, as she side-stepped over to the wall. A whip of white fire exploded from Tara's palm and lashed out toward Zaza, wrapping itself around her ankle. Tara pulled hard and the fire threw Zaza away from the wall, slamming her into the ground. Her back to the wall, Tara faced Zaza out in front of her. "Come on girlie..." she hissed.
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James was hearing some yelling and laughing and looked out his window. "Wha... Oh great!" He muttered, shutting his window and running toward the wall where Tara and Zaza were going at it. He had a bad feeling about this. Meanwhile, Zaza got back up from being thrown. "Ha, you think that would stop me..." She laughed, ignoring the burn on her leg. "I don't give up that easily, Tara, and neither will Missy if she steps in." She said with a smirk. Missy gasped. You've got to be kidding... Zaza held her hands together, forming a larger shadow that was almost impossible to dodge. "Try dodging this one!" She cried out, throwing the shadow at Tara head-on and throwing her into the wall. Zaza let out a laugh as James skidded to a stop at the steps. "What the.. that wasn't Tara, was it?" He asked himself.
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Tara screamed as she felt the shadow throwing her backwards. She slammed into the wall separating the school grounds with a near deadly force. A loud crack, followed by a low rumbling noise grew over the campus as the wall collapsed around Tara. The ancient barrier had been tumbled by the ferocity of the attack...Tara lay unconscious on the ground, covered with rubble as a cloud of dust crept over the grounds...
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Zaza shielded her eyes until the dust settled a little. "And that's why you don't mess with new kids..." She said with a grin. James ran out, "What the heck was all that about?" He asked Zaza, falling to his knees where he thought Tara was. Zaza rolled her eyes. "Why should I care? She burnt my tail." James glared at her, then tried to pull the rubble off of Tara.
The dust settled and Tara's eyelids began to flutter. "J...James?" she said, weakly. Remembering what that girl Zaza had done she quickly pushed the rest of the pieces of the wall off her and stood. "I burnt your frickin' tail. I'm the one with the anger problem?! You almost KILLED me," Tara shouted.
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James looked at each of the girls. "Girls..." Zaza stuck out her tongue, acting younger than she really was. "If I wanted you dead, James here would be in tears already. Come on, I'm just havin a little fun."
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"Fun?!" said Tara with a mocking laugh. "I'll show you fun." A flower of white fire blossomed between her two hands and she threw the massive flame at Zaza, her fury building with the fire's heat. The light from the flame was so intense her eyes watered, but she ignored the pain and stared ahead letting her fierce anger take complete control.
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"Tara... where'd you learn to do that?!" James said, surprised. Zaza tried to shield her eyes as the flames engulfed her. James just stared, "Even I wouldn't come out of that unharmed..." He murmured. "There's no way Zaza will make it out..." He glanced at Tara, surprise showing.
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Anger still burned brightly in Tara's moist eyes. She turned her back from Zaza and looked at James. "I didn't learn to do that," she said bitterly. "I just did it, okay? Since you obviously were fed up with dealing with me, I took things into my own hands...." Tara choked back real tears, then brushed her new too-long black bangs out of her eyes. "I'm not weak anymore..."
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James was almost speechless. "I.. I uh.. I can tell." He stumbled. "Just... just don't cry, I still don't like seeing you cry." There was some movement in the corner of his eye. Shadows gathered around Zaza's burnt form. She was dead, of course, but she wasn't the only spirit in that body. The shadowy figure sat up, then gained color. The figure's hair turned brown and grew from Zaza's original length. She blinked and glowing red eyes appeared and the rest of the body filled in until a familiar girl sat in Zaza's place, glaring at Tara. The girl got up, dusting herself off. "Jeez, Tara, you have changed a lot since I was here last." The girl said with a laugh. "But I know I'm still the same old me, hopefully you guys haven't forgot." She said with an evil grin. James' jaw dropped. "Now I've seen it all." He murmured, for the girl in front of him was his dead sister, Missy. She glanced at her brother, rolling her eyes, then back at Tara. "So, was it really necessary to take out Zaza?"
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Tara glared at Missy. She'll take him away from me even more, she thought. "She was an annoyance," Tara said. "Not like she made enough friends for anyone to miss her." She shocked herself by how heartless she sounded. This control, adrenaline, strength....it's addicting, she realized. Another part of her spoke out, But is it worth it? "I will not be weak," she whispered quietly, wiping away her tears.
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Missy chuckled. James, your girl forgot what I can do. She thought, knowing James would hear. "Tara, Tara, Tara," Missy scolded, "You forgot, I'm hurt." She said sadly. James suddenly realized what she was talking about, he hadn't even been focusing on Tara's thoughts lately. He was ready to slap himself. "What could you possibly mean by I'll take him away?" Missy asked innocently. "Didn't you remember I can get in your head?" She said with a laugh, glaring at Tara.
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"I didn't forget," Tara hissed, trying to control her mounting anger. She focused on a pile of bricks, trying to mount defenses in her mind. There was no saying what Missy could or couldn't do in this strange existence. Smoke began to furl around the tips of Tara's hair, the black strands starting to move in the wind that picked up. Suddenly, Tara froze and her face fell as she realized something. One word slipped into her thoughts before she could crush it. Choice.... Staring deeply into Missy's eyes she saw the truth. Breathing in, Tara stepped slowly to James, the distance between them so small that she could hardly resist the urge to curl up in his strong arms. She could smell him, sense him, and every part of her tingled with desire. The proximity intoxicated her. Nevertheless, she refused to let it cloud her judgment...
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A single tear rolled down Tara's cheek. She reached up a trembling hand and wiped it away, then looked up at James. I'm sorry, she thought. Rolling on to her toes she pressed her lips against his and whispered in a soft, low voice, "It's your choice...”
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James didn't expect any of that, he looked down at Tara, "My choice? What do you mean?" He asked, not paying to his impatient sister. "Oh brother... she gets mad that I said she forgot what I can do, and then there's this mush. What choice, the choice on how to get rid of me?" She mumbled to herself. James glanced over, "Missy, shut it!" Missy gasped, "Hell no, I can talk all I want. If I wanna gripe about how many times I've died in the past, I can." "MISSY! NOT NOW" James hissed. He turned back to Tara, "Maybe we should do this before sour-tart decides she's going to talk us to death." James said. "I heard that," Missy growled. You were meant to, now shut the hell up, Missy, before I do the favor of getting rid of you for good.
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"STOP IT!" Tara shouted. She collapsed into a heap on the dusty ground, the ends of her hair bursting into white flame, a stark contrast. This is getting out of control, she thought. I can't hold on much longer....
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"Damn, damn, damn." James cursed under his breath. "Missy, you're nothing but trouble! I always knew you would, you stupid, god-damn mutt! Now look what you've lead to! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST STAY DEAD!" James yelled, as his hands balled into fist. Missy backed up a bit. "Dammit, Missy, I've had it with you, I've been through hell and back because of you, and now I'm through." James threw his arms to the side as thorned vines shot out of the ground at Missy neck, holding on tight. Seconds later she collapsed to the ground, fading into the shadows for the last time. James fell to his butt, glad that was over.
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Tara's eyes widened in shock, that was not what she expected...especially since he used the vines. Hurt echoed through her, darkening the anger that had yet to disappear. He blames... her thought trailed, remembering he could hear her. She stood abruptly, hair still smoldering with bright bursts of fire at the tips, and brushed past the spot where James sat so near to her on the ground. Breezing toward the forest, angry tears spilled down her cheeks.
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"Tara! Hey, wait!" James said, jumping up and running after her. They were in the woods by now. He grabbed her by the shoulders, spinning her around to face him. "Tara, what's wrong? It's just us now, no more Missy, no more Zaza, only you, me and the dark woods to hide in." James said with a small smile, letting go of her. "What more could we want?"
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Sparks flew off Tara's hair, her eyes burning as she looked at his face. She knew her hair must have burned him when he grabbed her, but somehow she didn't care about that right now. "What more could we want?" she asked sarcastically. "What more do YOU want?! You're going to resent me James, I can tell. I sense it. You used my old power to kill your sister. Using me to kill your sister. You don't think that will get to you eventually?!" Tara laughed half-heartedly, pain echoing in her voice. "You will hate me James," she hissed, "you will loathe me....leave me...." Her face softened and she looked down, "I can't stand to be without you. You are my life, and I mean that in the literal form of the word. You....draw me in." Breathing deeply, she continued slowly, "And if you leave me, no....when you leave me...my existence will cease."
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"No! Tara, you've got it all wrong!" James snapped. "You've got it all wrong," He repeated, softer than before. "Tara, she kept coming back, that's not right. You know what, I'm not supposed to be here either, but that's only because of you. I'm actually yours, Tara. If anything happens to you, what do you think I'd do? Huh, Tara?! I'll never hate you, leave you, none of that, but no, you have to be stubborn right now and think that. If there some voice in your head that's making you hate me? I've been listening recently, I've heard parts of you that I couldn't believe, and you know what, by this point, I DON'T CARE!" He backed up, hands up. "Have it you way, Tara. Apparently I shouldn't care, so I won't, I just won't care." To prove it, he kicked a nearby tree, trying to vent his anger as he walked away. The tree, however, couldn't stand up to James, and started to fall.
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Tara screamed out in agony, her skin bursting into white flames on her hands. But the fire wasn't the source of her pain. She'd lost all hope. The scream pierced the trees as she fell to the ground, shaking as she fought for control. "You promised we'd be together forever," she muttered softly, clutching her arms around herself, as if trying to hold herself together. "You lied to me....you lied to me." Her head shook slowly. It seemed as if she was speaking to the ground, "I gave you everything I had. My life, my humanity...my heart." Silent for a moment, she looked up at James' back as she watched the tree fall. The thud resounded over the forest. Flames began to creep away from Tara's body now, small sparks jumping to the trees around her and igniting the dry leaves. "Why wasn't I good enough to fill the hole? To heal what she....Alexys....did to you?"
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James' hands balled into fists as he stopped walking away. "You know how to get your way every time, don't you?" He muttered. James turned around, his own eyes flaming. "I try to get over these things, I've just gotten over HER and there you go, bringing her up!" He growled. "That hole was nearly filled, Tara, but you just ripped it open again. That's... that's just uncalled for." James turned around again. "Should I just end your misery now, or would you rather suffer?" He asked, looking down at the ground, hiding the pain and sorrow he had right now.
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"I didn't do this!" Tara cried, tears pouring down her face. "I never meant, never wanted....I don't want to hurt you." She stood and ran over to him. Reaching out to touch his shoulder, she said, "Please....it hurts too much to see you like this...."
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James' hands were still in fist and were growing darker. He spun around again, "Deal with it then, Tara. Just learn to deal with me this way, cause I've been through a lot, and I may just be like this for a while. So, you know what, just back off." James said, lifting up his hand to try and push Tara away, but in the process, the shadows forming around his hands shot off. In his anger, James was losing control of his power, which would explain the vines, his strength, and now this. He was falling apart, and now he just fired two shadows at Tara, not able to do a thing.
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Tara's eyes widened as she saw the shadows coming toward her, and she knew she wouldn't be able to move. The force threw her backward, and she collided with several trees, each one bursting into fierce white flames that angrily licked up everything in their paths. She landed with a hard thud to the ground and more flames burst into the fresh ground around her. Struggling to open her eyes, she looked around and noticed how far James had actually thrown her. To her right she noticed a looming shape. Turning her head she saw the old church building. It used to be a haven of theirs, a happy memory, now it only broke her heart even more. Blood seeped from cuts that covered every inch of Tara's body, but she still managed to slowly crawl over to the wall of the old church. Pressing her hand up against the cool brick, she breathed inward with extreme difficulty, then exhaled and let the white fire whisper into the cracks in the brick, moving toward the wood, demolishing everything in its path.
Her vision was fading as weak sobs failed to get past her crimson lips, her frail and white body convulsing from the combination of pain and deep sadness. Tears gushed from her eyes, blurring everything in sight. The corners of her mind began to be overthrown by darkness....
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James froze as he realized what he had done. "No.... not Tara... not now!" James cried, running as fast as he could over to Tara, falling to his knees as everything was flaming around him. He pulled Tara away from the flaming church. "Tara, I'm sorry... I didn't mean for this to happen, I didn't want it to end like this. Please Tara, please don't leave me. You're the only person I have left Tara, please don't go..." James pleaded as his eyes started to tear up.
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She opened her eyes to look up with him one last time. Every emotion she had ever felt shone through, and she remembered the happiest days of her life. The day I met James. Sitting on top of the wall, carefree after the dance. Haha, even though Missy ruined it later.....Going to the cloud, oh how I wish that would've lasted forever. I knew I still loved him even when he hated me and I was furious with him. I never thought he'd love me back....The church, his promise, and that stupid halo.....The way he kissed me after I couldn't remember him, made me feel so safe... Tara blinked slowly. "It's so h-h-h-hot," she muttered, her voice softer than a whisper and cracking with effort. She blinked again, her eyelids were getting heavier. Reaching up, she mustered enough strength to brush her warm hand against James' tear stained cheek. "I'm so sor...." Tara gasped, running out of air. "I lov...."
Her hand fell limp to the ground, eyes blank. Unseeing for the first time. A circle of the burning white fire was closing around her body and James, intending to hold them there before attacking.
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James closed his eyes, holding the tears back. “I love you too, Tara, and always will.” He said softly. James pulled Tara onto his lap, holding her head up. “We’ll leave Moonlight together…” He said with a small smile. “It’s how I wanted us to go, together, I just didn’t think I’d lose you first.” He said softly. One last tear fell as the flames crept closer and closer. James gave a chuckle, “So this will be the end, huh? More like a start… a new start for everyone I knew and loved…” James had promised her that he’d never leave her, he still hasn’t broken his promise.
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Black pillars of smoke rose above the white flames into the lifeless night sky. Illumination, life, hope - all seemed gone at this point. The flames continued to devour the trees in the forest, leaving a gray death behind. Damage stretched from the lake to the school. Somehow, as if protected by some magical charm, the fire refused to spread and further inflict death there. It was like the fire saw the crumbled wall and knew enough had happened there. Enough suffering.
As the white wolves of flame began to fade at their edges, one fire still burned bright. A perfect circle had formed, visible from the highest of heights above, with flames reaching so high that one standing countless miles away could still see the shining flames tempting themselves to scorch the sky. Pure white light radiated in the center of the circle, its flames seemed never to cease. Some form could be discerned from the outside, though much guarded by the wall of fire encircling it. The flames refused to touch it, yet they would not leave it unwatched.
A trained eye, such as my own, circling high out of reach of the angry flames, could see that it was not one form, yet two bodies. So perfectly entwined together, it seemed like every part of them was touching. Peace radiated from the fury of the flames, their faces capturing an expression of painless joy. Stillness. Emptiness in death. And yet...completeness. I strained to get closer, to understand the mystery below, but was only able to make out two hands, wrapped and woven together so tightly that no turmoil could break it. Eternally molded together into an unbreakable seal, forever remaining...
I wish I could call it the end, or even the beginning, but I do not know. I know only what I saw. What I pass on to you now. But the fire has not gone out. I have seen it many days now, and it seems to only grow stronger, higher, yet never expanding outward or collapsing inward. A fierce beacon of hope, fate, and eternity...a reminder of love in a lost world….
...my fellow creatures of the night, mind if their your host?
