Flames and Starlight

The house was filled with somber silence. Hannah held her aunt as she sobbed over Adrian’s body. Hannah knew Mary and Adrian had been close and her heart broke. She felt her tears sting her eyes as she gazed at the man who lay lifeless on the floor. She had never met Adrian before but seeing someone die in front of her was soul-crushing and the fact he meant so much to Mary made it even harder.

In the background, Laura and Ruben were helping the two survivors who had come with Mary and Adrian. They gave them space and Hannah appreciated it.

Hannah held Mary for an hour before Mary was able to pull herself together enough to stand up. They rose to their feet and Mary wiped the tears from her face. She gazed at Hannah for a long moment before she pulled Hannah into a bone-crushing embrace.

She stroked Hannah’s hair and whispered, “I am so glad you’re okay. I was so scared something had happened to you. When I couldn’t find you anywhere I thought I’d lost you.”

Tears streamed down Hannah’s cheeks and she buried her face in aunt’s shoulder. “I was so scared I’d lost you. I thought you could’ve died. I’m so sorry I didn’t listen to you. I -”

“Guys!”

Ruben’s shout had Hannah and Mary pulling away to turn around. Hannah’s heart sank when she saw that the two men who’d come in with Mary and Adrian were lying still on the floor. Dead.

Mary gasped and ran over to them. She checked for their pulses and muttered, “Shit.”

“Did you know them?” Hannah asked tentatively.

Mary nodded and stood up. “They also worked with me. I didn’t know them as well as Adrian but we worked on the same unit. Dammit!” She ran a hand through her hair so hard that Hannah thought she almost ripped some strands out. “I should’ve tried to save them too. I should’ve held it together and tried to save them. I let three people die on my watch!”

She picked up a vase and threw it against the wall, the pieces shattering and falling into scattered pieces on the floor.

Hannah grabbed Mary by her shoulders and forced her to look at her. “Mary, breathe. Calm down. You did everything you could. You tried to save them the best you could and you did not fail anyone. You didn’t let anyone die.”

Mary’s face crumpled into tears and she buried her head in Hannah’s shoulder. Hannah held her aunt and looked at Laura and Ruben and was shocked to see tears streaming down their faces.

They knelt in front of the two deceased men and said in unison, “You spent your time in this world well. May your souls reach the River of Peace and know your memory will be honored, friends.”

They stood up and then light filled the room. Hannah stood back and gasped as Adrian and the other two men’s bodies filled with a peaceful, golden glow filled the room. It didn’t glow too bright to the point she had to look away. Hannah watched in awe as the bodies slowly morphed into gold spirals of light that slowly floated into the air and disappeared.

Hannah knew she was gaping like a fish but didn’t care. “What the hell happened?”

“They went to the River of Peace,” Mary said. “It’s their version of Heaven.”

Before Mary had a chance to explain further, a sound from outside caught her attention. Hannah looked out the window and to her horror saw that the house was surrounded by supernaturals with glowing green eyes like the ones that had been attacking everyone.

“Guys!” she screamed.

Everyone ran to the window and everyone’s face filled with fear when they saw the army standing outside the house.

Mary cursed. She closed her eyes and whispered a spell and a moment later a Portal opened in front of them.

“Get in!” Mary yelled and shoved them into the Portal and the last thing Hannah heard was the sound of crashing glass and shattering wood before they went into the chaotic Portal. She closed her eyes and braced herself for what was going to be on the other side.

Laura stood with the others outside of Raven City, her beloved home where she grew up. Once they were done reeling from the aftereffects of going through the Portal, they stood to see how the city in front of them was under fire.

Laura felt a tear go down her face as she saw a fire near her neighborhood, smoke wafting into the air. She couldn’t help but imagine the worst of what could have happened to her family. She imagined her family in the city, perishing under the attack.

She felt Ruben take her hand but she barely noticed. Usually, his presence would bring some level of comfort but nothing helped lessen the grief and sorrow she felt.

She tried to not let herself get to this point but she felt the small amount of hope she had left die inside of her. The sky was dark and the starlight was shining down on them, as though something above was trying to tell them it would be okay but she didn’t believe it. How were things ever going to be okay again?

She gazed at the flames and starlight that filled the sky and dreaded what the future would hold for her.