The Last Strider Standing
He was the best Strider.
Ever.
And I don't give a shit what anyone else says.
.
He did a lot more for me than I deserved... and I can never pay it all back.
I've tried.
And failed every time.
.
But that's how it works in this fucked-up game.
You have to die to be a hero.
And I'm still living.
.
I could tolerate it if he died on a whim.
But he died for us...
...For me.
.
I was the cause of his death.
It may have been his decision to try and fix my failure.
But I was still the cause.
.
It's worse when I talk to him...
The other him, I mean.
He seems to think I'm cool.
.
How could he think that?
Like he even knows the first thing about me.
As if.
.
I'm not his bro.
Not the cool one, at any rate.
He's dead.
.
He's dead... and he's a hero.
He was another Strider who knew what to do.
Who wasn't afraid.
.
And then talking to the other Bro, thinking I'm the same person.
I can't deal with that.
I don't deserve it.
.
And I know he's not the first Strider either.
But it doesn't help that he is still so...
similar.
.
It's not just the way he looks.
It's everything he does, and how he knows what to do.
He's not afraid.
.
It's only a matter of time.
.
And then it'll be just me again.
The last Strider standing.
And there's only one question left.
.
When will it finally be my turn to die?