Chapter 2
Then it hit her. Hit her with the impact of a speeding train. She fell. The momentum made her skid backwards a couple of feet. Her cold, limp body lay next to mine. The pain in my head kept me from rising. I found the energy to sit up. I looked into her eyes, which were still wide open. They were dark, without emotion. Unfeeling, unmoving.
He called her name quietly, "Cordelia?" No answer. He shook her. She didn't stir.
I did the only thing I could think of. I picked her up and ran. I ran back to the others. I don't know how I got there, but I did. I found them in another clearing. It was getting darker. They looked shocked and worried. I made sure I lay her down carefully before I passed out.
He woke up. Sora was hovering over him, smiling. "We were worried about you," she said. "Cordy," he said quickly brushing her off, " we have to help her." "Tai, it's okay, we're all safe now." "Cordy!" he screamed, "she's in trouble!" "Shhh, Tai, relax," she put her arms around him as he started to cry.
He cared about her. He loved her. Her and not me.
I wasn't going to give up. I couldn't. Even though I was probably delirious, I knew what to do. I struggled to get free of Sora's embrace. I didn't mean to hurt her, but I had to do this, and I would need everyone's help. I stood up. "Sora, I have to do this, I'm sorry," I said. There was no use procrastinating. "I understand, Tai, go," she said. I really was sorry. I never meant for it to happen this way. "Be careful, Tai," she said. I turned and flashed what I'd hoped was a reassuring smile. It just made her look more worried. "Me?" I said, "I'm invincible." Then I turned and ran.
His reckless attitude, his rebellious smile, the way he said it, I almost believed him. Almost.
I had an idea. I knew how to fix this, but I would need a bit of help.
I found her under a tree with T.K. She was in his arms. I knew she'd be devastated, she and Cordelia were close. "T.K.," I said "can I talk to Kari alone, please?" I didn't want to tear him away from her, he could probably comfort her more than I could. He must have sensed the urgency in my voice because he started to get up. Before he rose, he whispered something in her ear. He stood up, and as he walked by me he said, "be careful." I didn't have time to take this into consideration. I walked toward her, "Kari?" I started, I didn't know how to say this. Our various adventures in digiworld had caused us all to mature very quickly, but the changes in Kari and T.K. were astounding. They had both been so young, now wisened far beyond their years. I knew Kari could see things that we don't see everyday. I guess that's why she and Cordelia got along so well. Cordy would tell me about how she would see "angels." She always said that Kari had an old soul..."Kari, I need your help." I began again. "I need you to help Cordy. I know you..." I stopped. She turned her head towards me. Tears rolled down her face. "Tai, I know what you want me to do, and I can't. I can't to it Tai." I ran over to comfort her. "Why Kari, why?" I asked frantically. "Tai, I just can't." "Kari come on, your light may be the only thing that can drive out the darkness inside her." I said. "Tai I can't." she said weakly. "Kari, why not," I said firmly. "You just can't let her suffer." I was surprised by my own anger. "God Tai, can't you see? If I do it, It will kill her." She said with a sudden burst of emotion. She turned and sobbed into my shirt. "I'm sorry," she said. I was stunned. I hesitated. "Hey Kari, it's okay. We'll find another way." "Okay," she mumbled into my shirt. I gently pushed her away. "I'll get T.K." I said.
There had to be some other way. I walked over to her body. Joe was knelling next to her. "How is she?" I asked. "Well physically...she's dead, but she's responding to external stimuli. She just moaned a while ago." "We have to figure out a way to help her," I said. "I know, but what?" he replied. "I don't know Joe," I said softly. I buried my face in my hands. I couldn't take on this kind of responsibility. I felt like I had failed my duty as the leader, and the duty of protecting her.
Tai's right. We just can't let her suffer. I know how he feels about her, and that's the main reason why I can't do this. I just don't want to lose her.
We were all in the clearing. All of us except Kari. I saw a dark figure coming down the pathway. It was Kari. "Kari!" I said wiping the tears from my eyes. "I've come to help," she said simply. She looked much older than she really was. "Kari I-," I started. "Forget it, Tai," she said with tears in her eyes. She walked over to her. She placed her hands over Cordelia's heart. A pure, white light surrounded them, and then Kari began to scream.
I could see it. It was like I was inside her. I could see the darkness. It wasn't working. It was too strong, and I was too weak. It hurt so much. The pain was blinding. I forced my eyes open, and looked around me. Everyone was around me. Then I saw Tai cheering me on. I had to go forward.
She was in pain. She needed help. "Digivices, everyone!" I screamed. We stood surrounding them. A pure, circle of light, aimed straight at her heart. The light slowly exposed her insides. I could see her heart beating, except her heart was black. The light went straight inside. I could hear a faint screaming coming from inside her. The darkness. Then suddenly, with an unnatural force, the darkness was expelled.
Kari lay on the ground panting. Sweat crowned her forehead. She had done it. I looked over at Cordelia, and the blood pouring from the gaping hole in her chest.
I ran over to her. "Cordelia," I screamed. Her hands covered the wound. The blood seeped through her fingers, creating red rivers down her hands. She looked striaght up at the heavens, as if she was pleading to God for help. A blank expression was on her face. I dropped to my knees beside her. The others surrounded us. I looked up at their tearstained faces. I knew the answer right then. She wasn't going to make it.
I touched her arm. I could feel the life draining from her. "Cordy, hold on," I said, "you're gonna make it." I ripped my shirt off, and placed it over her heart. She winced in pain. "You're gonna be okay," I said. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. I didn't want her to see me crying at this time. "Tai stop," she said weakly. Her breathing was shallow and labored. "Tai, there's nothing you can do." I was shocked. "No, Cordelia! I'm going to do everything I can for you because I love you!" I didn't mean to yell. If I could do it over again, I wouldn't have yelled. Her eyes were rimmed with tears. She shook with every feeble beat of her heart. And she smiled. "I love you, too. And if I had to do it all over, I would do everything the same way, because all of this brought me closer to you."
This was unreal. I couldn't lose her. Not now. They couldn't take her away from me now. "Tai I have to go," she said. "Go, go where?" I asked, "you can't leave yet." "Tai, I'm needed," she said. "Where," I asked. "Here, in the digiworld, they need me. I have to protect them." "Cordy, please stay just a little longer." "I'm sorry, Tai, I just can't." "I love you," I whispered gently in her ear. "I love you, too," she said.
There was nothing left to say, so I just held her in my arms, crying, until she disappeared. Her body broke into a million fragments. It was the symbol we so often associated with death, sorrow and suffering. My bloodstained shirt sank to the ground. My hands. I couldn't stop staring at my hands. They were covered with her blood.
Out of life, death blooms.
Then it hit her. Hit her with the impact of a speeding train. She fell. The momentum made her skid backwards a couple of feet. Her cold, limp body lay next to mine. The pain in my head kept me from rising. I found the energy to sit up. I looked into her eyes, which were still wide open. They were dark, without emotion. Unfeeling, unmoving.
He called her name quietly, "Cordelia?" No answer. He shook her. She didn't stir.
I did the only thing I could think of. I picked her up and ran. I ran back to the others. I don't know how I got there, but I did. I found them in another clearing. It was getting darker. They looked shocked and worried. I made sure I lay her down carefully before I passed out.
He woke up. Sora was hovering over him, smiling. "We were worried about you," she said. "Cordy," he said quickly brushing her off, " we have to help her." "Tai, it's okay, we're all safe now." "Cordy!" he screamed, "she's in trouble!" "Shhh, Tai, relax," she put her arms around him as he started to cry.
He cared about her. He loved her. Her and not me.
I wasn't going to give up. I couldn't. Even though I was probably delirious, I knew what to do. I struggled to get free of Sora's embrace. I didn't mean to hurt her, but I had to do this, and I would need everyone's help. I stood up. "Sora, I have to do this, I'm sorry," I said. There was no use procrastinating. "I understand, Tai, go," she said. I really was sorry. I never meant for it to happen this way. "Be careful, Tai," she said. I turned and flashed what I'd hoped was a reassuring smile. It just made her look more worried. "Me?" I said, "I'm invincible." Then I turned and ran.
His reckless attitude, his rebellious smile, the way he said it, I almost believed him. Almost.
I had an idea. I knew how to fix this, but I would need a bit of help.
I found her under a tree with T.K. She was in his arms. I knew she'd be devastated, she and Cordelia were close. "T.K.," I said "can I talk to Kari alone, please?" I didn't want to tear him away from her, he could probably comfort her more than I could. He must have sensed the urgency in my voice because he started to get up. Before he rose, he whispered something in her ear. He stood up, and as he walked by me he said, "be careful." I didn't have time to take this into consideration. I walked toward her, "Kari?" I started, I didn't know how to say this. Our various adventures in digiworld had caused us all to mature very quickly, but the changes in Kari and T.K. were astounding. They had both been so young, now wisened far beyond their years. I knew Kari could see things that we don't see everyday. I guess that's why she and Cordelia got along so well. Cordy would tell me about how she would see "angels." She always said that Kari had an old soul..."Kari, I need your help." I began again. "I need you to help Cordy. I know you..." I stopped. She turned her head towards me. Tears rolled down her face. "Tai, I know what you want me to do, and I can't. I can't to it Tai." I ran over to comfort her. "Why Kari, why?" I asked frantically. "Tai, I just can't." "Kari come on, your light may be the only thing that can drive out the darkness inside her." I said. "Tai I can't." she said weakly. "Kari, why not," I said firmly. "You just can't let her suffer." I was surprised by my own anger. "God Tai, can't you see? If I do it, It will kill her." She said with a sudden burst of emotion. She turned and sobbed into my shirt. "I'm sorry," she said. I was stunned. I hesitated. "Hey Kari, it's okay. We'll find another way." "Okay," she mumbled into my shirt. I gently pushed her away. "I'll get T.K." I said.
There had to be some other way. I walked over to her body. Joe was knelling next to her. "How is she?" I asked. "Well physically...she's dead, but she's responding to external stimuli. She just moaned a while ago." "We have to figure out a way to help her," I said. "I know, but what?" he replied. "I don't know Joe," I said softly. I buried my face in my hands. I couldn't take on this kind of responsibility. I felt like I had failed my duty as the leader, and the duty of protecting her.
Tai's right. We just can't let her suffer. I know how he feels about her, and that's the main reason why I can't do this. I just don't want to lose her.
We were all in the clearing. All of us except Kari. I saw a dark figure coming down the pathway. It was Kari. "Kari!" I said wiping the tears from my eyes. "I've come to help," she said simply. She looked much older than she really was. "Kari I-," I started. "Forget it, Tai," she said with tears in her eyes. She walked over to her. She placed her hands over Cordelia's heart. A pure, white light surrounded them, and then Kari began to scream.
I could see it. It was like I was inside her. I could see the darkness. It wasn't working. It was too strong, and I was too weak. It hurt so much. The pain was blinding. I forced my eyes open, and looked around me. Everyone was around me. Then I saw Tai cheering me on. I had to go forward.
She was in pain. She needed help. "Digivices, everyone!" I screamed. We stood surrounding them. A pure, circle of light, aimed straight at her heart. The light slowly exposed her insides. I could see her heart beating, except her heart was black. The light went straight inside. I could hear a faint screaming coming from inside her. The darkness. Then suddenly, with an unnatural force, the darkness was expelled.
Kari lay on the ground panting. Sweat crowned her forehead. She had done it. I looked over at Cordelia, and the blood pouring from the gaping hole in her chest.
I ran over to her. "Cordelia," I screamed. Her hands covered the wound. The blood seeped through her fingers, creating red rivers down her hands. She looked striaght up at the heavens, as if she was pleading to God for help. A blank expression was on her face. I dropped to my knees beside her. The others surrounded us. I looked up at their tearstained faces. I knew the answer right then. She wasn't going to make it.
I touched her arm. I could feel the life draining from her. "Cordy, hold on," I said, "you're gonna make it." I ripped my shirt off, and placed it over her heart. She winced in pain. "You're gonna be okay," I said. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing. I didn't want her to see me crying at this time. "Tai stop," she said weakly. Her breathing was shallow and labored. "Tai, there's nothing you can do." I was shocked. "No, Cordelia! I'm going to do everything I can for you because I love you!" I didn't mean to yell. If I could do it over again, I wouldn't have yelled. Her eyes were rimmed with tears. She shook with every feeble beat of her heart. And she smiled. "I love you, too. And if I had to do it all over, I would do everything the same way, because all of this brought me closer to you."
This was unreal. I couldn't lose her. Not now. They couldn't take her away from me now. "Tai I have to go," she said. "Go, go where?" I asked, "you can't leave yet." "Tai, I'm needed," she said. "Where," I asked. "Here, in the digiworld, they need me. I have to protect them." "Cordy, please stay just a little longer." "I'm sorry, Tai, I just can't." "I love you," I whispered gently in her ear. "I love you, too," she said.
There was nothing left to say, so I just held her in my arms, crying, until she disappeared. Her body broke into a million fragments. It was the symbol we so often associated with death, sorrow and suffering. My bloodstained shirt sank to the ground. My hands. I couldn't stop staring at my hands. They were covered with her blood.
Out of life, death blooms.