Log 24-The EndMy eyes fly open, expecting to see the little rental house. Instead, people encircle my bed. Julie, Tommy, Kayla, Benjamin, Sophie, and Warren.Then it hits me full force, I'm in the school. No. This can't be happening. It can't! This is all a dream. I pinch my arm to prove it, but it hurts.
I start to panic, "What . . . Year is it?" I stutter.
Julie frowns, "2013."
I cover my face with my hands. “Your wrong, it's 2714!" I whisper into my hands.
"Hailey?" his voice makes me crawl out of my cave slowly.
“Warren!" I cry, I grasp his hand, he holds on awkwardly, as if resisting the urge to pull away. Then the truth dawns on me, I pull my hand back to my chest. "You don't remember?" I ask him, and only him. Everyone else gives us weird looks. Warren shakes his head, "You don't remember talking to me? That night? Then escaping, living in that little house, seeing light, meeting everyone again? Then-" I stop. He looks at me like I'm an alien. I start to cry, "You were my rock, you held me together. You told me you loved me, and would forever and ever and that you'd never let harm come to me." I sob.
Now all the glances focus on me. “You were married, and had a daughter her name was Shirley!" I tell Kayla and Tommy.
“And you guys," I say, pointing to Julie and Benjamin, "Were married, you had twin boy nooboos, Alan and Russell.”
"Sophie, you were engaged."
"Warren,"
You were married to me, we had a beautiful baby girl. Named Marley, with your gorgeous grey eyes I fell in love with and my blond hair that you loved so much. Shirley lived with us too. You loved me, you loved me, I cry in my head, "you loved me," escapes from my mouth. Tears fall faster down my cheeks.
“Told you she was a weirdo, must have fallen harder than we thought." Kayla says.
I jump out of bed and pounce on her. "Your horrible!" I scream as they hold me back. "You lied to your daughter, she hated you! She lived with me, and loved me more then she would ever have loved you. You ran off to Bridgeport, with Tommy, too ashamed to do anything else!"
She looks at me, "told you she was crazy. She’s living proof that I was right."
I crumple to the ground, weak and empty. Marley never existed, Shirley never existed. I was never married to Warren. He never told me all those sweet things that kept me alive. I cry harder and harder, wanting to disappear into the floor. Light comes in from the window, "what happened?" I ask to the general area where they all stand, laying on the floor. No intention of getting up.
“During class, you blacked out. And you've been out for a week now, but you'd murmur random things as you sleep, and laugh and smile. You seemed really happy." Sophie says gently.
I cry harder, they’re telling me that what I just lived, for the past 702 years, was fake. "Warren," I whisper. He sits down on the floor next to me. "You were my rock, you kept me together. Thank you." he nods. "I love you." I whisper. His face looks shocked, I jump off the floor, put my hand on his shoulder and run out of the room. Realizing just how stupid I was to ever believe someone like him could ever love me.
"Hailey!" Warren cries. I run down the stairs and out of the front of the school. The grass tickles my feet and I run.
"What are you doing?" Benjamin ask as I run past him and the others, sitting on the steps. Where they have been since they all followed me out here.
"I'm running laps around the school, to make 702 years go past." I say in between deep breaths.
"Why?" He asks, confusion on his face.
"Because I like that year better." I reply.
They groan as I complete another lap. I feel stronger and lighter as I run. I swerve to miss running into Tommy, but he catches me anyway.
"Hailey, stop running." I stop, " Come here," he holds his arms out and I fall into him.
"Tommy!" Kayla yells. "what do you think your doing?!?!"
"Helping a friend.” He replies, ignoring her glare.
"Hailey, what's wrong? The last time you ran laps around your house was when your dad passed."
I whisper to him everything that happened, including Warren.
"Oh, Hailey." he says gently. "I'm so sorry, sweet. You don't deserve what happened to you."
I nod, and hang my arms to my side. They hit my pocket, a square is in my pocket. I pull my phone out, and scream at the image. But out of fear. It's Marley and Shirley. And when I unlock the phone and scroll brought the pictures, and I start dancing. All the picture I took are there and I start to cry again when I see the copies from the wedding that hasn't happened, and may never.
I show Tommy the pictures. Proving that it all happened. All of it wasn’t fake, I smile so big it hurts.
Tommy looks at something behind me, nodding, just as I feel a hand on my shoulder. I whip around to find Warren.
He pulls me into a tight embrace, and it just feels so natural. I feel my shoulder getting wetter and wetter with every breath he takes, like he’s . . . crying. He pulls away, and puts his forehead against mine, “I love you, Hailey,” he whispers, his eyes bright with tears.
He leans closer, “I remember Hailey, I remember all of it.”
Well, there you have, the end of In The Dark. I hope you all enjoyed the story as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks again to all my readers.
-Sadie
