Tormented

Her face went stone cold when the news was given to her. When she had learned the truth. The truth, that tormented her soul. This truth even changed her view of life. This truth would live with her for the remainder of her life.

As the phone rang out, Amy was in no hurry to answer that, in fact, she just let it ring. This day was just too much, and a solicitation call was the last thing on her mind today.

The answering machine picked it up. "Hello, this is Amy and Sonic's place, leave a message and we'll get back to you!" The recording said, followed by a beep.

"Hello, this is Dr. Phillip D. Coffin, and we have some news that may be hard for you to take. Please, return our call as soon as…"

Amy didn't let him finish, as she ran to the phone, "Hello?"

"Hello. Is this Amy Lee Rose?"

"Yes…" Amy, said shakily. No one has ever called her by her middle name, unless it was bad news. The first thought was something happened to Tails, but she was never expecting the reply.

"We have some unfortunate news… but first, are you still seeing Sonic?"

Amy sighed. Maybe it wasn't about Tails, "Uh…we were engaged… but… I'm not sure anymore…" At these words, Amy looked down as she remembered that day, one week before Tails came back, when Sonic asked for her hand in marriage. It had slipped her mind until now.

"Oh my… Well… We are very sorry to inform you that… You're fiancé has… passed on…"

Amy dropped the phone; a loud clatter was heard as Amy did so.

"Hello? Miss Rose, are you still there?" the voice echoed.

Amy slowly reached for the phone before trying to speak, but instead broke into tears. She sobbed into the phone as Dr. Phillip tried to calm her down. He hated this, telling about the deceased over the phone, but it's better to know than to be oblivious to the fact that you'll never see a loved one again.

Dr. Phillip talked to Amy for about another hour before telling her that he'll come over so she can see him… one last time…

Another twenty minutes pass and the Doctor is there. He was an animal-like creature, just like Amy, but he was a not a hedgehog. Dr. Phillip was a black hyena with a white stomach and large ears. Shoes similar to Sonic's were covering his feet, except these were a chartreuse color, matching his eyes.

He saw Amy drowning in tears and puts his arm over her shoulder.

"It's alright, just let it all out. It's much healthier to do so," Dr. Phillip said.

"How…how did he…"

"From what witnesses say, it was… suicide…"

Amy then cried harder, "It's my fault! It's my fault! I threw him out! I told him to get out! I left him alone!"

"Now Amy. We… never mean for these things to happen. It's just the way god made things. Nothing is ever you're fault."

Amy sniffed and looked up, "Wait… if there was witnesses… why didn't anyone… stop him?"

Dr. Phillip paused, then looked into Amy's eyes, "I don't know why, Miss Rose, but I guess… they thought it was a joke… I'm very sorry for your loss,"

"You're just paid to say that,"

"No, not at all. My work completely voluntary, I have no pay, and I really am sorry. What you said before, about it being your fault is wrong. It's mine."

"W-what?"

"You see… when we were examining the injury, I discovered that… he was still alive… on the dissection table."

Amy's eyes widened in fear, "You… you dissected a living person?"

"From our original observations, he had been dead. He must've come back… but we have no idea how. Then, we scrambled to help him, giving him blood, injections, everything… but it was too late…"

"You tried… Atleast you tried…"

"But I couldn't do it! I let him die… It isn't your fault, it's mine…" The young doctor cried tears of frustration. Amy then set her hand on his shoulder, realizing he was only a little older than she was.

"It wasn't your fault, or mine. In a way, nobody could've prevented from what was happening. Sonic was confused, and now his mind is clear, and I know he's in better place now."

"Better place my foot!" a dark voice called from the underworld, but no one could hear him. A dark creature stood with blood running down his torn body. His spikes had become jagged and his eyes a blood shot red. His fur was stained and he wore a black robe to cover his bleeding sores.

Former hero Sonic the Hedgehog stood in a room of darkness. He was watching from above with hatred in his soul and darkness in his heart. Whatever had happened to him, he didn't know. All he can think is evil and his mind was erased of its happiness.

"My mind isn't clear, it's more messy than ever. All that sorrow, all that sadness, it makes my very soul quiver. I've been told being sent here was a mistake, but it's too late now."

Sonic sighed, looking at the demons around him. Since it was a mistake, instead of having his soul burning in heck, he was sent to a place now called, "The Palace of Sin" where he could live forever trying to let others forgive his sins, but he has no sin to be punished for. Except for suicide, but he can't really make that up.

It wasn't until now that he noticed all the sorrow he made on earth. He was so loved, so cared for, but he cannot go to heaven yet, for his spirit does not rest. The last words he heard remained in his head. Never sleep, never die. What did it mean? Was it a warning?

He walked over where little demons played. Not demons, but dark chao, that were abused and never loved. Unless one is loved, heaven is not open. God loves all, so all can get in. That's how things work.

But these little chao want to stay with the very demons that made them who they are today, dark chao. Most who raise dark chao have dark hearts, and therefore go to the other place.

They are also there to keep poor Sonic company, which Sonic is grateful for. Sonic has grown fond of all of them, and especially a small gray one with tiger parts and a skunk-like hairpiece. This one was named Zippy, and Sonic is fond of him for his owner was none other than Shadow.

The chao had been neglected, and did not die, but wandered into the underworld from the Dark Garden. Creepy, yet very cool. Sonic played with Zippy everyday, and their friendship grew.

Then, one day, Sonic had found Zippy singing. Sonic smiled at the strange melody and later discovered that one of the bleeding gores in his skin had healed.

Well, now that Sonic can see how life on earth is without him, he wants to return more than anything else does. Poor Amy; Sonic had just finished payment on the ring, too. They were to be married exactly five months later.

"Well, there's nothing I can do…" Sonic reminded himself. He looked around for Zippy and walked off.

The small chao danced up to him, hugging his shoe, as usual. Sonic had no reaction, except the softening of the eyes, which still wasn't much of an improvement. Then, Zippy got into position and began to sing his little song. The words were in a baby chao language, but Sonic could, somehow, understand:

"Sing, Sing along with chao,

Sing along with chao.

Sing, Sing along with chao,

Sing along with chao."

Simple, yet cute. As Sonic's lips curved into a smile, his eyes went from red to a bright emerald green. A patch of fur slowly turned back to its blue shade and another tear slowly faded away. Sonic then bent down to pat the chao's head.

"You're such a good chao," Sonic said. At this remark, Zippy pulled out his little trident and poked Sonic in the rear.

"Ow! I mean, a bad little chao—Ow! What do I say?"

Zippy thought a moment, then yelled out in his cute little voice, "Don' worry buddy!"

Sonic had another patch of blue appear. He suddenly got a thought, a happy thought. He hasn't had much happy memories, so he cherishes everyone he remembers. This one was he, in a chao garden, patting a blue chao saying the exact same thing.

He looked down at Zippy and rubbed his head, "Don't worry buddy," he said softly, unlike his normal harsh voice.

Zippy smiled up at him, but then nipped his hand and ran off giggling. Sonic ran after him, preparing for another game of chase.

Amy sat alone in her apartment. Dr. Phillip gave her his personal number, to call if she ever needs anything. He was so sweet, and he seemed to like her very much, but to move on so soon? Was it right? Would it be like she was betraying Sonic?

She sighed and flipped on the TV, only to hear a knocking at the door. She ran up to answer it and found Tails, all battered and covered in someone else's blood, standing there.

"Can… I come…in… please?" He managed to say before fainting. Amy caught him in her arms and lifted him up. Wiping off as much blood as she could and cleaning up all his wounds, she set him on her bed and covered him up.

An hour later, he awoke, and Amy spared no time to ask what happened.

"Well… I was walking along after Sonic told me to leave, when I heard someone say something about a guy killing himself in front of people. They were all saying how funny it was, so I ran over to help him, seeing as no one else would."

Tails was shaking as he spoke, still stained in blood, Amy guessed it was the man he helped, "Then, when I got there… I saw Sonic…" He froze and began to cry.

Amy put a hand on his shoulder, "It's alright Tails… Go on."

"Well… I saw a dagger in his chest and I yelled at the people who were laughing and told them he was committing suicide. They didn't believe me, but then this guy with really bright shoes came up and said he was a doctor."

"That must've been Dr. Phillip. He told me about Sonic and helped me… calm down a little…"

"Well, then I saw Sonic look at me. His eyes were blank as he reached out for something he could lean on to keep from falling. So I reached out and took his hand. It was covered in blood, but I didn't care. I tried to get him to respond to me, and I kept talking, but then he collapsed."

"Poor Sonic…"

"Then the Doctor picked him up and said he knew where a hospital was. I wanted to follow him, and be with Sonic, but he said I shouldn't. He told me the experience was hard enough and I would be in hospital if I didn't get home. Well, I started to come back here when this guy that had been watching Sonic jumped at me."

Tails took a deep breath holding back tears. Amy guessed the worst part was coming.

"The guy… he said I took away all his fun by helping Sonic instead if letting him suffer. I tried to get away, but he wouldn't let me go. Then, he took something and began jabbing my arm with it, a needle of some kind. It must have been a muscle sedative, because next thing I know, my whole body is numb."

"Then he just started to hit me over and over again. Even though I was numb, it hurt so badly… I couldn't stand it. To make things worse, he pulled out a switchblade and just started to slice me… I didn't know what to do…"

"Then, as if out of nowhere, a strange figure appeared wearing dark robes. Everything was dark and blood covered the floor. The figure picked up the guy and he melted just like that. Then the figure turned to me… and…"

Tails couldn't take it. He bawled like a baby.

"And he what Tails? Did he hurt you to?"

"No Amy! The figure was… it looked like… Sonic!" he kept crying.

"Sonic? But that would mean…" Amy too began to cry. They knew the truth now. Sonic wasn't in a better place at all.

Then, a visitor heard their cries and soon began to pound on the door, "Hey! Are you all okay in there?"

It was Rouge, who had come over to visit Amy. Amy ran up to the door and answered it, her eyes red from crying.

"What's the matter?" Rouge asked.

After explaining everything, in tears, Rouge was so sympathetic, "You poor girl! And you were going to be married too,"

"You two were engaged?" Tails asked suddenly.

"You didn't know?"

Tails shook his head and Amy showed him the ring. It was all she had left of Sonic. Tails gave Amy a hug, who had begun to cry all over again.

"Sonic! Why'd you have to die?" She whimpered.

"It's alright Amy. Your friends are here," said Rouge.

Amy nodded. Her friends were with her now, and they all cared, but her soul was forever torn, and that missing space may never heal.

"Who knows. Maybe you will find a new man. He can never replace Sonic, but your heart will be happy," Rouge told her.

"Well… that Dr. Phillip is really nice… but I can't think of moving on now! Sonic would turn over in his grave!"

"Just think it over. Maybe you'll change your mind," Rouge said.

With that, Rouge walked out, but not before giving them both a hug. She waved good-bye and walked out.

Her face had gone stone cold when the news had been given to her. When she had learned the truth. The truth, that tormented her soul. This truth even changed her view of life. This truth would live with her for the remainder of her life.

The End

Duh This Isn't The End

Just The End

Of A Chapter

I'm Running Out Of Ending Commentary

Dedicated To Shadow,

Whose Small Chao,

May Pay Off,

In The Cure for Sonic

Wishes Are Eternal