Chapter 9 (Epilogue)
As the sound of Serah's footsteps vanished completely, Lightning remained curled up into a ball on her bed; her body refused to move a muscle. Lightning's entire body felt drained completely of energy. She was still processing what Serah had said to her. Without Snow, Serah had nothing to live for? Lightning reflected. "It's funny," Lightning said out loud, "Without you Serah, I have nothing to live for." Serah had said Snow was her true love, not her, Lightning brooded. Serah had no idea that Lightning feels that Serah is her one and only true love. Reliving every thing Serah had confessed to her, added more poison to her heart. Lightning couldn't help but to divulge everything Serah said seriously and wholeheartedly. Every sentence played over and over again in her head.
Lightning still couldn't believe how cruel Serah had treated her. Never in her dizziest daydreams, would she have ever imagined Serah to be so vindictive. But deep down, you know you still love her don't you? Her mind interrupted. She knew it was the truth. She couldn't deny it. Even after all Serah put her through, she couldn't find it in her heart to harbor hate towards her baby sister.
Something in her heart stirred slightly from the lingering love she still had for Serah, giving her body the burst of energy it needed to pick itself up off the bed. As she staggered onto her feet, her mind rebuked her for having such childish false hope. Lightning, you're being naïve. Her mind echoed. Even after all the grief Serah has caused you, you still love her unconditionally? Her conscience questioned disbelievingly. Lightning refused to listen to her conscience's lecture, as she carried on towards the stairs. She stood at the top of the stairs, listening to the ambience of the house. There was nothing, but deafening silence. What were you listening for? Serah cooking in the kitchen? Her thoughts ridiculed her hopefulness. Lightning felt her body wanting to fall to the floor and lay there until the end of time, but she still foolishly pressed on - refusing to accept the truth.
Lightning slowly made her way down the stairs and looked around. Nothing. There was no longer another presence in the house and Lightning could feel it. Lightning felt her legs give out from under her and she collapsed onto the couch. She laid on the couch, too depressed to keep searching the house. As she laid there, Lightning realized that the couch she was lying on was where Serah and Lightning first made love. Made love? Her thoughts blared in again. That wasn't love. It was deceit. Lightning could only lay there and listen to her instinctive thoughts plague her with one depressing truth after another, until she accidentally fell asleep.
Lightning awoke with a start; a sudden ominous feeling made her sick to her stomach. How long had she been asleep? The sun was setting and rays of the sunset basked the house in a sleepy, orange glow. Lightning felt a disturbance wake her from her sleep - she couldn't pinpoint what it was that was making her feel this way. Instinctively, Lightning grabbed the remote control and flicked on the television. As if the fates wanted her to bear witness, the news immediately flashed onto the screen. There was a breaking news story being reported.
A prim and proper news anchor with coiffed hair was announcing the news. "This just in," he grimly started, "Two bodies were found outside the apartments of Bodhum in what appears to be a double suicide. The victims are identified as Snow Villiers and Serah Farron." A picture of Serah and Snow appeared on the sides of the television. Lightning felt her whole body shake with hysteria. The news anchor continued, "Both bodies appear to have jumped off the balcony of the twentieth floor of the seaside apartment building. We'll have more on the story as it develops."
Lightning immediately flicked off the television and slumped back into the couch. Her mind reeled with thoughts of what must have happened. Serah must have went to find Snow - probably to ask him to be together again. But he must have refused, causing the already distraught Serah to become even more enraged. She must have caught him off guard and tackled him, causing him to fall over the balcony along with herself. These were all assumptions, but Lightning knew her sister better than anyone and she knew that must have been what really happened. Lightning remained sitting on the couch deep in contemplation at the groundbreaking news. Her baby sister was dead - her baby sister she had swore to her parents she would protect no matter what. Serah's death was all her fault. Lightning remained motionless as sorrow swept over her whole body. Life suddenly became so bleak and dark, Lightning could no longer see any glimpse of happiness left in her world.
Lightning went to her room to fetch her gunblade. On her way back downstairs, she passed by Serah's room and noticed it was slightly ajar. She wanted to take one last look at her sister's room. She pushed back the door and Serah's neat, girly room came into her view. Lightning took a couple of steps inside as she touched each one of her little cutesy trinkets and belongings. Memories of seeing her sister sitting at the quaint desk in the corner of the room suddenly filled her vision. She remembered she used to check up on Serah after work, to make sure she was okay. She was reminded of how Serah would always, without fail, welcome her home with a smile on her face. Lightning felt her heart break as she walked back to the door to leave the room. Lightning turned to take one last look at the room before she finally closed the door behind her.
The gunblade was balanced on Lightning's lap as she sat and contemplated about her family. Lightning looked around the house that held so many memories of her mother, father, and Serah. She wanted her last thought in her life to be a happy one, so she thought of the time when her parents were still alive and when she and Serah were still kids. They had just spent a whole day at the beach as a family and she and Serah were sitting on the pier staring out at the sunset. Serah's head rested on Lightning's shoulder as they both sat on the edge of the pier. Lightning looked down to see Serah sleeping peacefully - the sunset's glow illuminating her face warmly. Lightning remembered her heart swelling up with the utmost adoration for her baby sister as she continued to watch the sinking sunset. As the orange glow of the sun reached the precipice of the ocean line, Lightning remembered, as a child, wondering why happy times in life only lasted for a short while. And then there was only darkness.
