CHAPTER 17

AS THE MOON FADES...

Before too long, the snow was a few inches high and was on its way to stop falling, as the flakes began to fall slower. Believing it would be safe enough, Louise had ventured back out to the Old Mill in her car, lights shining on the building from where she was parked. The heat was on and so were her winter clothed. The water at the mill had not entirely frozen up yet, but it was most certainly damn cold. She had been parked there for maybe ten minutes before a 1965 Ford Mustang, very unfamiliar to her, pulled up next to her and parked. The two drivers got out, Louise and... Lugosi!

"Lugosi?" asked Louise excitedly.

The two quickly ran to each other and kissed as they hugged each other, Lugosi towering over her a few inches. Tears began to stream down Louise's face before she disconnected.

"I'm so sorry..." Louise cried. "I'm so sorry I broke up with you..."

"It's alright, darling..." said Lugosi. "I'm here now."

"I love you..." said Louise. "I always have..."

Lugosi just looked deep into her eyes and smiled.

"And I've always loved you." he said.

"You... wanna get out of the cold?" asked Louise.

Lugosi chuckled.

"Yes. Very much." he said.

The two then climbed into his car, Lugosi in the driver's seat, Louise in the passenger's seat.

"I gotta ask." said Louise. "What happened between you and the rabbit?"

"We're getting a divorce." said Lugosi. "She's treated me like shit for a while. I found out she's been cheating on me for four months. That was the last straw."

"I'm sorry." said Louise.

"Well... Because of her, there's a you." said Lugosi. "What about you? What happened to that buck you ran off with?"

"I just..." began Louise. "I got so miserable without you around that... It just didn't work out..."

"You missed me THAT much?" asked Lugosi.

"Yeah." said Louise.

Lugosi then reached over and turned his CD player on. It then began to play Hello, I'm in Delaware by City and Colour.

"You remembered..." said Louise.

"Of course..." said Lugosi. "You're the best thing that has happened to me."

They then look deep into each others' eyes, Lugosi smiling as he did so, edging closer and closer into a more passionate kiss, before disconnecting and looked closer and even deeper into each others' eyes.

"Make love to me..." said Louise. "Please..."

"Yes, ma'am..." said Lugosi.

Their passion extended further, as they worked to get each other's clothes off not too fast, savoring the moments. Leaned back in the passenger's seat, as Louise welcomed him again, she remembered the first and last time they did this... That warm day in almost the identical spot. There had been so much pent up between the both of them and had not been happy in what had seemed like forever... It was an overwhelming moment for the both of them. Upon Lugosi entering her, they both kissed with equal passion, their love, once dormant, ignited once more. Louise put her hand on Lugosi's cheek as they kissed, Lugosi starting to thrust easily. Before too long, he had picked up his power and Louise disconnected from the kiss, throwing her head back.

"Ooohhh..." Louise moaned. "Oooohhhh Lugosi..."

"I'm here, baby..." said Lugosi.

Just those words were enough to comfort her. Her soul mate was here... and nothing was going to stand in their way ever again. Suddenly, that song that reminded them so much of each other now meant something more than they realized:

"There goes my liiiiife... Passing by with every exit sign... It's been so looooong... Sometimes I wonder how I will stay strong... No sleep tonight... I'll keep on driving these dark highway lines... And as the moon faaaaades... One more night gone, only twenty more days... But I will seeeeee you agaaaain... I will seeeeee you agaaaain a loooooong time from noooow..."

The sound in the background was drowned out by their focus on each other, Lugosi upping his pace for her. At this point, the suspension on the old Mustang creaked from outside.

"Mmm! Yes!" Louise cried out, before looking up at him and giving him a warm smile as she looked deep into his eyes.

"Lugosi... I love you..." Louise said, out of breath.

"I love you too, Louise..." Lugosi cried out, then upped his pace as if reading her mind.

After so long, and with perfect timing, her thoughts drifted back to that warm day in 2021. They had just finished her first time and he had collapsed gently ontop of her.

"You did good, babe." said Lugosi.

"So did you..." said Louise.

Things in 2052 felt like they were falling back in to place as tears formed in Louise's eyes. Romance rekindled.

Meanwhile, back at the Night Barn, a male white rabbit and Kara were talking.

"So what brings you out here in the country?" asked Kara.

"My dad." said the rabbit. "He's had a rough time with my mom. He's come to see someone."

"Hmm." said Kara. "I'm here for my mom. She's kinda needed support... Although she's been gone for hours. Out in the cold like this, that kinda bothers me."

"I haven't seen my dad yet." said the rabbit. "He should've been here by now."

"You don't think..." said Kara.

"They hooked up?" asked the rabbit.

"I'm sorry... we haven't even introduced each other and we're already talking about our parents." said

Kara and laughed.

"True." said the rabbit and laughed.

"Kara Moore." said Kara.

"Henry Lanchester." said the rabbit. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise." said Kara with a smile, which then slowly faded away. "I just hope from now on, I can start to make things right for mom."

"How so?" asked Henry.

"I spent many years thinking she was responsible for my parents' divorce, then I find out it's my father's fault." said Kara.

"If I may lend a helping hand..." said Henry.

"What?" asked Kara.

"Rage isn't very healthy." said Henry. "I mean... I've seen the way my mother has treated my dad. Believe me, I wanted to cave her skull in with an aluminum baseball bat. But... I've learned rage will eat away at you if you let it... And if you let it, some days, it will be all you have."

Kara sighs and takes a sip of her drink.

"Shall I buy you a drink?" she asked.

"No." said Henry. "But I can buy YOU one."

Kara laughed.

"Oh, let me assure you." she said. "I have quite enough."

"I want to let you know right now." said Henry. "If we become siblings, I apologize that I find you so attractive."

Kara laughed, before Henry chuckled.

Soon enough, Lugosi and Louise, back in their winter clothes, walked back inside, Kara and Henry both still at the bar.

"I knew it." they both said at the same time.

The two, instead of having some drinks, walked straight up to the vacant stage, Lugosi picking up a guitar, as they both walked up to the stage. All throughout the song, Louis, Legoshi, Hikari, Yuki, Art, Maria, Kara, Henry and their families watched the performance as they sang.

May 9, 2022.

Asriel opens his eyes, smiling as tears forming in his eyes.

"What's wrong, Azzy?" asked Ben.

Asriel smiled at him.

"Nothing is wrong." he said. "The future is beautiful."

THE END