50. Hand in hand with the damned
Jaden could see nothing through the darkness that surrounded him as he fell to his knees. His only comfort were the broken mirrors around him. Each played a scene from his memories repeatedly.
Most centered around his time spent with Alexis. He could almost feel her presence. Despite how much it hurt, he could not look away from the shattered mirrors. His golden yellow eyes clouded over in emotions he couldn't contain.
The boy could feel his heart breaking over and over and over again. "I'm so sorry everyone. I'm so sorry Alexis. If I had done better, been better, none of you would've died," he choked.
The mirrors flashed again showing each and every smile he remembered from her. Each curl of the lips were like daggers dragging against his skin. Shame pounded furiously at his chest causing him to wheeze pitifully.
"No more," Jaden pleaded to the darkness. Only silence answered. The abyss surrounded him grew stronger and thicker, and harsher still.
Jaden eyes became blinded with the bitter tears rushing down his face, " I said no more!" His roar fell to a plead.
In mockery, the mirrors changed to every giggle, snigger, and laugh of Alexis. What was once so sweet to his ears was now a chorus to his despair.
"Please come back to me, even if just a moment, even if it's just my delusion. I can't face this without you. I... I'm too weak." Without her, he felt a deep emptiness that he hadn't felt since his childhood. Still he knew that his pleas fell unto empty ears. He couldn't take this back, not this.
"Damn it," he cried as he covered his face with the palms of his hands, "Maybe this is better. Maybe this is the closest I will ever be with you again Alexis." A small part of him was aware of his slipping perception of reality. The grief was too much of a burden to him.
He lost the strength to even kneel and fell to his side his cries falling into a soft whimper.
"Hey Jaden," Alexis said in a soft voice. Her voice spoke clearly through the mirrors. She was garbed in a pajamas as she sat on her bed, with her knees pressed against her chest looking downwards. There was a flickering image of himself leaning against the door with an easy smile he had forgotten how to wear.
"Sometimes I worry about you. You're such a happy person, but at times I feel that you spend a lot of time and energy in trying to deny or hide your emotions- especially the ones that shake you the most, like hurt, shame, rage, loneliness and grief. I get it. I did the same when I lost Atticus. But you stood by my side and helped me face those feelings. I don't know if my words will ever amount to anything, but I believe you can make it through those feelings, you know?"
His mirror image chuckled, "Thanks. I'll keep it in mind. You're one smart cookie."
The image of Alexis was equal measures bemused and disappointed by his words.
But the Jaden of now marveled at her words. Shakily, he got back to knees, then to his feet. His labored breaths were now the only noise echoing throughout the emptiness.
Jaden clenched his fist as a card flashed into his hands.
"Jaden!" A masculine voice cried out to him beyond the mirrors and darkness, "You need to fight this. Don't let the Supreme King win!"
He recognized the voice as Axel Brodie.
Jaden grimaced but nodded firmly, "Let's go Winged Kuriboh."
