Endings
Disclaimer: I don't own the FF8
characters, though I do like to play with them! Sorry if they act totally
out-of-character, I'm not very good at sticking to what's already there!
*blush*
Part 1:
Darkness surrounded him and cut off his air. He couldn't breath and he was
scared. The darkness cried from within him, hoping to get out. He knew the pain
like all other. It was his greatest end…this is it. He knew it now as he looked
out into the darkness that covered the Garden. Out there something was calling
him. Yelling and screaming in his head. It gave him no peace. It all began in
the night, when the Garden was still and quiet with slumbering minds. Zell
Dincht sat with his head against the cool windowpane of his dorm. Outside the
lights of the Garden slowly clicked off, consuming the ground below in
blackness. With a sigh, Zell turned his head toward the forgotten stack of
paper. With one hand he reached out and caressed the cover, his fingers gracing
over each letter. Inside of the thin cover sheet lay his lines, his language.
It was his time to beam in the spotlight, to be noticed. Yet, he hadn't even
dared to lift the book.
Cold air laced itself around his petite frame. Shivering, Zell glanced outside
into the courtyard. A flash of movement caught the blonde's eye. Streaks of
blue grazed the sky. Wha???? What is that? Zell gazed searchingly.
A glint of silver lit the night. What could that be? Dizzying
intoxication filled his senses and he shied away from the cold glass. A nervous
itch clouded the rational side of his brain and Zell shook his head. Holding up
a heavy hand, he shut the shade and closed his room away from the empty world
outside. Shaking, he crawled into his bed. The soft mattress caved underneath
his weight as he leaned over to pull the warm quilt across his numbing body. As
soon as his head hit the pillow, sleep claimed his soul and he collapsed into
unconsciousness.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Zell's hand caressed the smooth wood and his fingers flew over the tight
strings. A sweet chord filled his head. The guitar sat snug in his
jean-covered lap, his very own soul keeping it secure in his possession.
It had become an extension of himself, something that was singing what was on
his mind. Around him the room filled with smoke that rose toward the spotlight
hanging over the stage. People moved and swayed in a hypnotic fashion, as
his fingers strummed melodic chords. Zell let himself get lost in the sensations,
his eyes closing. The heat of the venue flowed over his tight petite body; a
thin sheen of sweat had taken to his flushed complexion. The soft strumming of
the guitar poured into his already over sensitized mind. Zell let his body sway
to the beat of the music; a slight rocking motion possessed his body. A trickle
of sweat ran down the bridge of his nose and splashed onto the metal guitar
strings.
Behind him a hand began to stroke the tattooed side of his face. Delicate
fingers traced the intricate pattern. Where they touched a cool, numbing
feeling moved in. With a sigh, Zell tilted his head toward the cooling touch.
The hands stilled his dancing fingertips. With a strong grip they moved the
guitar from his hands and placed it on the floor beside his chair. Zell felt
the silky steel hands raise him to his feet. Still not wanting to open his
eyes, he let himself be lead off the stage to the dance floor below.
Music pounded out from the speakers. An eerie cadence exploded into the room.
The hands wrapped around Zell's body. People pushed into him from behind and
from the sides. Writhing masses contorted around him, sending him falling into
the body in front of him. Strong arms caught him and held him upright.
Living risky, never scared, wander closer to the edge
Nothing valued think no fear, always wondering why you're here
All your purposes are gone nothing's right and nothing's wrong
Nothing ventured, nothing gained,
Feel no sorrow, feel no pain
Zell felt himself being moved and soon he was swaying in time with the music.
He let himself get lost in the moment. Sweat poured over his face as his body
moved faster and faster until it felt out of his control. One cool hand gently
moved a piece of hair that had fallen onto his face. It danced over his skin
until it lay cupping his chin. "Open your eyes." The voice smoothed its way
over Zell's mind.
"No." he willed his lips to move. It felt too right to just let his eyes stay closed, to just stay shut away from his surroundings. The grip on his chin tightened until it was a vice-like pressure on his jaw.
"Open them." The voice purred, another hand brushed against Zell's shut
eyelids. No! Zell shook his head vehemently. Something wasn't right, it
couldn't be. A spike of panic shot through his spine and implanted itself in
his mind. He squirmed in the embrace trying to weasel himself away from the
hold.
"Please," the velvet voice urged, "I need you to open your eyes. I need you to
see. You need to see." A second hand moved to cup his cheek. Zell rested his
arms on the ones that were touching his face. Please, don't touch me! He
tried to move the hands from his face, but they stayed latched in place. "I
need you to see…I need you." Zell flinched, I need you? No! Not now,
not now. I don't need this…not now. His legs shook, his hold on the
arms loosening.
Kiss me while I'm still alive
Kill me when I kiss the sky
Let me die on my own terms,
Let me live and let me learn
A warm liquid flowed from his wrists and splashed on the floor. The pressure on
his face tightened, the once cool hands burned against his flesh.
Now I'll follow my own way, and
I'll live on to another damn day
Panic gripped at his heart. He slowly opened his eyes. A pair of dark violet
eyes burned into his. A gasp filled his lungs. Long dark blue hair flowed over
fair skin and down shoulders. Small lips curved into a perfectly sculpted
smile.
Freedom carries sacrifice.
A spark of yellow flashed in the deep purple orbs and they squinted into a look
of concentration. Zell pulled hard against the containing hands. He glanced
down at his wrists; warm crimson liquid flowed down his muscular arms. No!
He retreated from the form in front of him, but fell into the writhing mass
behind him.
Remember when this was my life.
A pale hand shot out and grasped his bleeding arm and a single smirk burned
into his memory. Then he was falling into oblivion; he was falling into
nothingness. Opening his mouth he screamed.
"NOOO!!!" Zell bolted upright in bed. Sweat dripped into his eye. Frantically
he pulled the sheets away from his flushed skin. Azure eyes shot down to his
wrists. No blood…nothing at all. He rubbed a dubious hand over the uncut
skin. It was a dream…a dream. The words repeated over and over
until he smoothed back his bangs, which had fallen from their gravity defying
position. A dream. He shot a fearful glance at his shaded window. That's
all…right? His mind replayed every detail of the dream and out in the
darkened dorm room Zell could see phantom violet eyes beaming back at him. No!!!
Stop this now! With shaking feet, Zell rose from the bed and padded toward
the bathroom.