--Bright Darkness
Chapter 1.............Forever
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Issac looked at his watch. She was late. She usually was, but you'd think at a time like this she wouldn't hesitate to be early. He looked around, spotting a wide willow tree, he slowly walked towards it and sat against its trunk. The long strands of leaves and vines gently brushed across his face. He looked at his watch again getting close to just giving up all together.

"Issac?" a voice replied.

He turned in the direction that it had come "Jasmine!" he said getting up from underneath the tree. Recognizing who it truly was, she sprinted towards Issac and practically knocked him over as she wrapped her slender arms around his neck. Tears began to fall down her face. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's okay," Issac answered. "You always are."

She laughed a little, but the tears still streamed down. "Oh god, I wish you didn't have to go."

"I know." he answered soothingly. His eyes began to well up with water.

They stood there in the silence of the oncoming dusk clinging to each other as if the life would be sucked right out of them if they let go. Suddenly the silence was broken. "What's the truth?" she asked softly, it was a bit mumbled by her tears.

"What?" Issac asked a bit confused.

She pulled away from him, and looked into his eyes. "What'll happen?"

He stared at her questioningly. He had no clue what she meant.

"I know you know." She stated firmly. "I know they've told you!"

"What are you talking about Jasmine?" Any trace of his oncoming tears had vanished. 'Why is she doing this?' he thought.

Jasmine backed away from Issac a little. "God, why won't you just TELL ME! Don't be so selfish Issac. People want to live!"

He took a step towards her, but she turned her back abruptly to him. "Jasmine, I know as much as you do!" he retorted, getting a little angry. All he wanted to do right now was hold her for as long as he could, until they had to say good-bye. He didn't want to fight, but she had become so difficult lately.

"You won't understand....EVER! You'll get carried away in that stupid little ship compartment, everyone around you will die, but you'll be fine! That's all you care about. That's all they care about! There's so many more...so much more!" She spun back towards him, her face was twisted in hurt as she began sobbing uncontrollably. "I don't want to die....Issac." she said falling down on the grass. Her tears poured from her beautiful green eyes. It was then that the tears began to trickle down his face, he couldn't stand seeing her in so much pain.

Quietly he bent down by where she had fallen, gently he laid her head in his lap. Her sobbing began to soften but silent tears still ran down her face, she closed her eyes. Issac stared at her, he could never know how much agony she was experiencing. Shaking his head in sorrow he gently began playing with her hair, twisting it about his long fingers. She calmed down a bit.

"I'm sorry." she said.

Issac didn't say anything. He knew she was.

"I'm scared." she said.

Issac took a deep breath. "It's happening tomorrow."

"What is?"

"...The blast." he stated a bit hesitantly.

He could feel her take a deep breath, this was what she wanted to know.

"Nobody's supposed to survive..." Jasmine stated.

"I know." Issac said.

"I'm gonna die." She replied.

Issac didn't say anything, he didn't want to face reality.

"I love you Issac."

He just shut his eyes tightly, trying to hold back his tears. Their good-byes were coming too soon. They were supposed to have forever until good-bye, not twenty minutes.

Jasmine raised her head from his lap and faced him.

"Issac...I love you."

He opened his eyes and stared at her perfect face, trying to commit it to memory as best he could.

She looked down at the ground.

"Jasmine, I love you too." He said

She looked back into his eyes.

Issac kissed her softly, trying to make his final 'moment' with her last forever.

Jasmine pulled away from their gentle kiss, and whispered in his ear "I'll be waiting for you in Heaven."

Looking at him one last time, she carefully got up and slowly began to walk away. Out of his life? Forever.

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"Positions secure? Stations set? Okay and takeoff begins in 10...9..."

Issac glared at the egg like, human filled compartments. 'So this is what it comes down to?' he thought to himself. His brothers stood next to him. He could tell they were scared. He was scared. Hell, everybody on the planet was scared. The gases began to fill his chamber. He held his breath, not wanting them to suffocate his last glimpses of 'his world'. "8...7...6..."

He felt his eyelids close, they were so heavy. His tiny compartment was immersed in the gray fog now. He had no choice, in a giant rush, he let the air out of his lungs, and gasped for new breaths. It ran in, in silent swallows. It was rancid sleeping gas, the potion that was to keep him asleep for the 28 days of his journey, of their journey. He could feel his body relax, and drift into it's final slumber on earth. Nobody, not even him, could hear the last numbers of the countdown, "5...4...3..."

Issac forced his eyelids open one last time, trying desperately to glance out the tiny window of the shuttle. However, his eyes wouldn't open that far, reluctantly he gazed at the small photographs attached to the glass covering of the compartment he laid in. He closed his eyes in pain at the sight of his beloved family, and Jasmine. And there his eyes stayed, sealed shut, causing him to fall finally into a deep sleep, with a single tear captured in his eye. "...2...1..."

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[ ch. 2 ] [ Flooded Images ]
Green Eggs And Hanson


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