The Air Out Of [Wattys2018 shortlist]

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Prologue

HER BREATHING SLOWED, unable to take the mesmerizing image off her eyes, what had happened? what had she - they done? Her mind went blank, unable to comprehend anything from a sane perspective without triggering the urge for her to puke in an instant. She pressed her fingers against her temple, that's what they had taught her. But obviously, it didn't work, like every other lie that she'd been told. Her life was just a cobweb of lies, waiting for her to go through every single piece of information she thought was a fact, meticulously pulling them out one by one and uncovering the truth about who she really was.

A girl could only take so much in a lifetime.

Then she focused her gaze back at him, her eyes narrowed as she avoided the urge to wince at everything that has happened so far. It had certainly been an unforgettable journey. She stared at the intricate design of the handle of her weapon. The same one she had stabbed him with. Her fingers trembled vigorously.

He was lying on the floor, covered in nothing but blood, but yet, she couldn't bring herself to hug him one last time, she stood frozen in place. Perhaps it was the remorse that had been building up in her body, after all, he had done things she couldn't bear to see, let alone, unsee. He had been missing for half her life, and now, he's gone. Again. Forever.

The movements behind her didn't go unnoticed. She could practically feel the heat of the situation moving around her. She instinctively took a step back, recoiling from the depths of her actions. Her mind raced.

People surrounded them as if they were the only thing worth watching in such a boring environment. Some moved forward, locking their hands on his shoulder blades, others on his calf, pulling him away gently. She didn't budge. She was supposed to hate him, and everything he had done, but yet, a part of her wished he was still here, smiling at her like he used to before he went psychotic. But why? Why was she hoping his eyes would suddenly fling open, and the knife she had stabbed into him would just fly out, and his wound would heal. She hated him with all her blood, mind and soul.

She coughed, the claustrophobic environment squeezing shut, it's walls, in her mind were closing in on her.

She missed him. She missed the man he used to be, the one with a heart of gold, who, by now had been dragged out of her line of vision. But just like everyone, he had changed. He had chosen to survive, and so, she turned away from him. She made no effort to shoot one last glance at his invertebrated form. She didn't chase after him.

A tear slipped from her eye, she wanted to yell for them to stop at the top of her lungs, but her throat was constricted, disallowing any form of speech. He had meant more to her than she had realized and until he had said his last words right at the moment he was stabbed, all the memories of him made sense. Coughing now, she quickly attempted at shielding her tears, making her movements swift and subtle, but everybody noticed, she couldn't be strong.

It didn't work, it felt as if the whole world was watching her, their heads turned at an angle where they could see all the emotions flood to her face, and vice versa. For a moment, she just wished she could be who she was until the age of seventeen, outcast, misfit, irrelevant, ignored.

The whole scene was silent, the world moving in a robotized movement. She turned around to find her assembled team in the same positions they were when she last checked. The boy closest to her right stepped forward to embrace her in a hug which she adamantly returned, burying her tears into his chest. The world continued to watch her, praising her actions, which even she, herself, could not find it in her to defend.

Though her entire body could've crumpled that very moment, she refused instantly placing her hand on the one item that would take her back. This strange place had slowly become her reality, her newfound home.

And she wanted nothing more than to escape it.

Her hand instantly flung to the bare spot on her neck, where just moments ago, a necklace was strapped around it. It was gone. She doubted herself in misplacing it, that was quite unlike her, peering with her eyes a second time, she checked again.

Still gone.

Then she remembered, she'd tossed it midrun to someone hoping that anyone might have caught it. Filled with adrenaline, she hadn't noticed the little details, only hoping to fulfill the one goal she came to achieve. Like a robot. Do the mission, forget everything else.

She wasn't perfect.

But there was a bright side. She reminisced her both horrific yet thrilling experience, or even how by a strand of luck a light had attracted her to a place she considered just one of the crowd. Smiling, now, she realized her whole life had changed since meeting these people. There were ups and downs, but at the end of the day, she was smiling.

These people that were now huddled around her were family. Only one thought to course through their minds: we did it. But if she had a choice, she wouldn't repeat it. Not once, not a million times.

"Wow." A male voice speaks first. Silence follows

Still, they were still the carefree, careless outcasts. Rummaging around the world, with their haphazard antics, and their crazy adventures. Putting their hands together, doing a team chant, each of their faces carried a smile. One that mirrored each others'.

"One, Two, Three." She says, lifting her gaze to meet theirs.

"To more adventures." A voice continues.

"Together." 

-

Who's stoked? Me, lol. 

So it's finally up, hope you like the dramatic ambiance I encountered by accident. Anyways, influx coming soon, so enjoy!

Oh yeah, THE AIR OUT OF got longlisted for the Wattys2018. Thanksss

Soph