Zack's Final Mission
Chapter 2: Premonition
"Any news?" I eagerly asked Kunsel, perhaps I asked a little too impatient for my own sake. I was always with the constant feeling that every time I saw him coming down the road to check on me, he brought good news, the news I've been expecting for four years now. News of him, of Zack.
It's funny how I woke up every day, the days I could sleep of course, hoping that that was going to be the day I would hear from him. But everyday was a new let-down. Still, that didn't keep me from writing to him because I knew that he was still there somewhere, and if I wasn't here to make him come back, to push him, who was going to do that?
I miss him so much. I missed his life; he was so full of it, always so lively, so excited. Very cheerful for a soldier in my opinion… That was what made him so special. He didn't act like the other soldiers I had encountered once. Those seemed so serious. Nothing like Zack!
"I'm afraid not…" Kunsel dropped his head sighing as he answered me. "I've been sending him some messages but he has yet to reply. There was this situation that caused some alarm in the building but I'm not sure of anything."
"Well… Thank you Kunsel, for keeping me in touch." I replied.
"Aerith… You know I promised him to watch over you while he is gone, but it has been four years… we kinda have to… expect the worst…" He hesitated finishing that sentence afraid of my reaction I could tell, but I knew better. My ancient powers allowed me to feel it when someone dear had died, and so far I haven't felt it from Zack, that must mean he's still around.
"No Kunsel… I'll never give up hope. Not until I hear what really happened to him." I answered sincerely. "When I find out the truth about him, whatever the choices he made, whatever happened to him, I will accept it and let go whatever it is. But until that day, I'll be waiting for him." Had any other thoughts crossed my mind about Zack? Of course! Maybe he met someone during his missions and decided to build something with that person, maybe he gave up on coming back. Maybe he's better off the way he is wherever he is. That's why I sent him my last letter one week ago.
That creature, no… that angelic creature that sometimes came to visit me in the church took the letter to him I'm sure of it. I wonder where my other letters ended up in though… I'm not giving up hope but if he didn't want to answer me at least I wouldn't keep bothering him. I may not write anymore but I'll still be waiting to hear from him.
"So… Do you have any letters today?" Kunsel asked and I could see he was turning anxious to go back to work.
"No… not today, not anymore…" I couldn't help feeling sad.
"Hey… You're doing fine…" Kunsel smiled and I returned it with a tiny excuse of a smile. The muscles in my face felt like they were going numb and I am sure my expression must have looked like someone had been poking me with needles. Kunsel finally sighed in defeat and shook his head sadly. "I'll be going now. Let me know if you need anything ok?"
I nodded once and made my way back into the church as well as he turned his back and walked away.
Once inside my sanctuary I felt more alone than ever even though I knew I was constantly being watched by the Turks. I was never alone, not physically. Well, some flowers need to be picked so I can sell them on the streets! And that's exactly what I went to do.
But it was then when I was fixing the flowers with my hands and a pair of gardening scissors that I felt a sudden impulse of a strong heartbeat inside my chest. It's like my heart stopped beating for a brief second and then came back at full speed. I gasped as shock took over me.
It paralyzed my legs and arms; I stayed there kneeled on the ground as the planet warned me of something. As a bad news messenger, a cold breeze blew lightly by my back making my skin shiver and my hands to start shaking.
I lost my strength and the scissors dropped making a loud thud on the floor. I snapped back to reality and stood up quickly to look up at the bright light coming from the ceiling. This wasn't good.
I couldn't believe what the planet was telling me. I noticed too late that tears had started pouring down my cheeks. I couldn't feel anything. It's like I was watching my body from somewhere else just standing there frozen.
"Zack…" I managed to say his name in between sobs.
I didn't return home that night. I went straight to the park in the slums to get away from everything and everyone. I hugged my legs to my chest as I sat there on the piggy-head slide and watched the night turn into day, slowly, endlessly. That was without a doubt the longest night I had ever had in my life.
"Have you ever seen the ocean Aerith? He once asked me.
"If I haven't yet seen the sky…" I answered turning red, I remember thinking that day if he thought I was weird, a girl that has never left the Midgar slums.
"Right!" He laughed mocking me.
"Hey!"
"No it's not that, It's that I was imagining you seeing the ocean AND the sky at the same time since there's no way escaping one. You'd be amazed." He had said.
"I would be so scared!"
"No… I'd be there holding you."
"Holding me?" I frowned.
"I mean… I wouldn't let you fall, I mean I'd hold your hand, I mean… I'd be there… Aaah! You know what I mean!" That was the only time I saw him blush. And I thought soldiers didn't blush, ever.
I chuckled tearfully as I remembered that day I spent with him. He always made me smile. Now it was just a happy memory.
Time to go back to reality, if that will ever be possible.
A small source of lifestream… In Midgar. The green light is so beautiful it's almost hypnotizing. I took a good grip of my basket full of flowers and stood up to walk to the main square, time to go sell some color to this world.
Note: So that's it for chapter 2! I thought I was going to make this all Zack's point of view but it took me another way and next chapter will be Cloud's point of view! That way it'll take a little time before we know what happens to Zack. But after Cloud's point of view it'll be just all Zack and on with his story! Thanks for reading, and please do review…