He clutched the smooth stone tightly in his pocket, tracing circles on it with his thumb. He had been really tense about the coming days and it was a relief to feel the cool hardness of it. The stone was his prized possession, his muse, his light of hope…it was a promise.

"So what are you saying?"

"I'm saying…I love you…"

"Oh really, even though for all those years, the trouble I caused you?"

"Well…yeah…I know it sound stupid but that's how I fell in love with you."

"Oh…really…then let me make it up to you."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, let's start with a kiss."

"Goo…I…"

"It's okay, I do too."

"Mac! Mac, where are you?!"

I'd heard her smoke strangled cries for help, I ran for them, the acrid smog clogging my lungs as well, through coughing fits I braved the blindness and frantic sounds. You know in school they tell you what to do in case of a house fire, but when there are potential armed men skulking around in the wreckage…either I missed that lesson or I'm sure they didn't consider it as part of the curriculum. I don't understand how this happened, one minute we were all sitting around and the next minute there was an explosion, gunfire, and lots of bloodshed. Why now, after everything that's happened, I thought we were safe…

"Mac help! Please! Ahh!"

"Shut up and come on, slut!"

They were taking her, I didn't care what was in my way, I sprinted towards her screams, ready to fight through anyone to get to my love. Her pleas got louder and louder as I raced through smoke and fire, closer and closer to what seemed to be a light source. And then I saw her, being dragged out by an older gangly young man, wearing punk-goth clothing embezzled with spikes and dark colors, one of the factions…

"Mac!"

Goo wrenched herself free and ran, sticking out her arm towards me, I reached for her, and time seemed to slow down, our hands almost touching. Suddenly a painful force hit my chest, a spiked boot had rammed into me, pinning me to the debris ridden floor, and the barrel of a painted black sawed off shotgun thrust into my face. I heard her yell my name again before being muffled and taken away from me.