Chapter 25 : A New Kind of Adventure - Part 9 : A Sacrifice Made by Friend
(A/N : Warning! Contain sad plot below!)
Lily's POV
Oh god, it was the most painful feeling I ever felt in my life. The force made my body thrown to the ground and my head pounding non-stop. It also made unconscious and I felt some pain in my arm and stomach. Luckily, I think everyone manage to enter the Osprey and escape with Mr. President safe in our hands.
I awoke in a field, the air is still hot. Guess we still in the desert, I think. I was asleep in a log, and the sky was dark. It was night, a quiet night. I heard the crack from a bonfire in the front of me.
I saw Maxwell sat at the log that I was asleep, poking the woods on the bonfire with a long stick. I tried to sit on the log, but the pain in my stomach and my right arm prevent me from doing it. Slowly, my vision returned and I could clearly see my surrounding. "Butcher" (as the pilot said.) landed in the solid ground with bullet holes at it's body.
Everyone was asleep, both of the pilots and Felix was asleep next to each other on the sand, with Captain Frank and Yusuf asleep on the log next to them. Mr. President and Gary hasn't asleep yet. Doing the same thing as Maxwell does. But, where's Alex? I didn't see him in here, must be wandered somewhere.
"Hey sis. You're alright?" Maxwell, who noticed that I was awake asked me.
"Yeah. I'm fine." I answered and looked at my body.
I wasn't wearing the bulletproof armor, but I still wore my usual clothes and rooster helmet. My body was bandaged tied from my left shoulder to the right side of my stomach with a thick bloodstain on the right side of my stomach. My whole right upper arm is bandaged with long bloodstain across it, my lower left leg was also bandaged. It felt like it was broken, it felt numb and I barely could move it.
"Are you sure? You look pretty messed up." Maxwell asked me again, I saw a bloodied red cut at the left side of his lower forehead, it went through his eyebrow and left eye then end at his cheek.
"Yeah, I'm fine." I answered, "Where's Alex?"
His face went to full sadness and looked away from me, "Listen, there's something I need to tell you. About Alex." He said.
I got a bad feeling about this, "Why? Is he wounded badly?" I asked.
"No, he done something idiot, but heroic for all of us." He answered
Flashback...
"Lily!" Alex shouted and approached her unconscious body. The explosion knocked her out and Maxwell is now semi-conscious. "Get her and Maxwell to the Osprey! Quick!" He said to the others.
Frank and Yusuf went to drag Lily and Maxwell's body to the Osprey that already landed on the ground. Lily's body was easily dragged by Yusuf because she's much lighter than anybody else, while Frank having trouble dragging Maxwell's body. Mr. President quickly went to help him.
"Mr. President! What are you doing? Get in the Osprey now!" Frank told him.
"No, I'm helping you and the others no matter what." Mr. President demanded.
Alex, Gary, and Felix was holding the enemy off until Lily and Maxwell is safe. "Come on! Get in you three!" Yusuf yelled at them.
"Argh!" Felix shouted, his left leg and shoulder was shot.
"Felix!" Gary said, he and Alex quickly went to help him.
"Go! I'll hold them off!" Alex exclaimed to Gary and Felix.
"What about you kid?" Gary asked him.
"Just go, I'll catch up with you later. Just take Felix to the Osprey first." Alex replied, "But wait, before you go. Take this." He handed Gary his brown journal book.
"What for?"
"Give it to Maxwell and Lily. And say to Lily I..." He paused and closed his eyes, "I love her, now go!"
"But-"
"It's an order Gary, now go!" Alex cut him off.
Gary sighed, "Alright."
Gary slung Felix's left arm around his shoulders and took him to the Osprey, where the others are waiting for him. He motioned Frank to take Felix with him inside the Osprey. The pilot demanded everyone to get in the Osprey as fast as possible, because he said that he and co-pilot can't risk 'her' to get shot down. Maxwell is struggling to get free from Frank and Mr. President's grasp at him
"Let me go! I have to save Alex!" Maxwell said.
"Alex, come on! Get in!" Gary yelled at him.
"Go! Leave me! I'll hold them off." Alex replied.
"But, Alex just-"
"No, just go!" Alex demanded, "And don't forget to send my regards to Lily!"
Maxwell finally broke free from Frank and Mr. President's grasp and limped toward the boarding ramp where Gary was standing.
"Alex, hurry up! Get in here!" He yelled to Alex.
"I'll be fine Maxwell, just go!" Alex replied.
Maxwell groaned, "You're a stubborn brat you know that?!"
"I am! Now go!" Alex said to him.
Frank and Mr. President quickly grabbed both of his arms and start dragging him back inside, Gary just stood there, speechless as the ramp closed. Leaving Alex behind.
Outside Alex looked behind him, the "Butcher" just took off to the sky. He closed his eyes and went back to shoot the enemy, he took down two soldiers that aimed their rocket launcher at "Butcher". He fought back the tears in his watery eyes, he was doing this for Lily, for everyone.
When he realized what he has did is stupid, he quickly shook that thought off. At least he has done something heroic, sacrificing himself is stupid, but sacrificing himself for the others is a stupid action, but heroic.
Tear flowing out from his left eye, he thought about Lily and the others. And how his fate after this. But, if he didn't do this. Everyone might die, including him.
A soldier shot him on his right shoulder, he fell to the ground. But quickly got up again and pulled out his pistol and shot the soldier in the head. He clutched his right shoulder while shooting some more soldiers, the pain is unbearable. This is not the first time he got shot. And knew how pain it is. After a moments, he quickly overwhelmed and shot in his left shoulder. He fell to the ground, writhing in pain as many Empire soldiers surrounded him as his vision starting to fade out.
End of flashback...
I quickly burst into tears and closed my face with my hands, why life?! Why?! Why he sacrificed himself just for that? I wished I could be more careful next time. I keep blaming myself for that, and I couldn't forgive myself for Alex's death. But, I can feel that he's still alive. He was taken somewhere. And if he didn't did that, "Butcher" is going to be shot down, and everyone is going to die, including me.
"I know you keep blaming yourself for his death, but at least he died for us. Especially for you." Maxwell said to me.
I looked up at him, "What?" I asked.
"Gary gave me this." Maxwell pulled out a brown journal book, "I've read all of it, but the last entry says that only you could read it."
He handed me the brown journal book, and went straight to sleep on the log. I decided to read some of the journal to make me sleepy, honestly it was night, and I wasn't tired yet. I opened the first page, and read it.
"Day 1, Entry 1, on the god-knows-where world.
Today's been the weirdest day in my life. I was playing computer, then I received a packet from someone. It contained a blue notebook and a globe. And when I return to my room, two kids took me and Sarah somewhere. They tell me that I had a potential to become something called "Scribblenaut".
I honestly didn't know what it is, you need to wear something called rooster helmet at your head, which is pretty weird. But, becoming a Scribblenaut is awesome! You got a magical gift like my notebook that can create anything with just writing the word on it. And a magical globe that can take you anywhere around the world!
Maxwell said I could use my magical notebook as much as I like, but he also told me that I have to use it for good. If not, I'm going to turn Sarah into stone like he did to Lily when doing something bad with the notebook. I didn't know that these magical gift had some curse."
I chuckled at that, he still didn't understand much that time. He thinks that his magical gift had a curse that turns your sister into stone when you do something bad. Silly Alex. I continue reading the journal, every word reminds me of our adventure. From the beginning, until now. There are other things like Sophia's full name is; Sophia "Soap" Anderson, she got that nickname from an accident in a laundry. There are also sketches of everyone he ever met, like Maxwell, me, Sophia, the other us, Daniel, Nichols, Marcus, Rosa, and many more. Alex also explained about his family blood line, his great grandfather fought in World War II. Wait, World War II? I never h- oh yeah, he's from another world remember?
I kept reading it until the I felt bored, I decided to flipped the page until there's an entry, which called a "private entry" and it says that only me could read it.
"Hey." Gary called me.
"Oh, hey." I said, he sat next to me.
"You couldn't sleep?" He asked.
"Yeah, just finding something to make myself sleepy." I answered.
"Listen, there's something I have to tell you." He said to me, staring me with his crystal blue eyes. His black hair and warm smile reminds me of Alex, "Before he sacrificed himself, he told me to say this to you that he..." He paused, "He said that he loved you."
I gasped, he actually loved me! I knew it! I had a crush on him about weeks ago, maybe he's too! But, why didn't he tell me? And, why didn't I tell him? I was stupid!
"Did you, had a crush at him?" Gary asked me.
"No, I didn't have a c-crush at h-him." I nervously lied.
"Come on, I know you had a crush on him. Because he had a crush on you too Lily. You're too shy to say it to him, right?"
"Um, yes."
"That also happens on me too. Believe me, I also had a crush on many girls when I was on your age." Gary said.
"Really?"
"Yeah, because I was too shy to say it to them. When I about to say it to them, they already had someone with them."
'Too shy to say it to them' the words keep repeating in my head, that's what happened to me too. I was too shy to say it to him, to Alex. And now it's too late to say it, tears formed in my eyes, I almost burst into tears again, because it reminds me of Alex. His death, his last action, and his last words. But I manage to hold it this time, only letting a single tear flowing down from my eye. I will never able to say it to him, forever.
"Are you, crying?" Gary asked me.
I quickly wiped the tear away and snorted, "Ye- No, it's not." I replied.
"Yeah, I know how it feels like when someone you loved died." He paused, "I saw many of death in my life. My mother died when she gave a birth to me, and my stepmother isn't any better. My sister died when protecting me at a robbery. Since I joined the Alliance, I rarely see my girlfriend. When she challenge me to not text, visit, and call her. I accept it and did it. But, the next day. When I visit her at the hospital, I saw her lifeless body laying on the hospital bed with a note on the table. It reads; 'Good job if you did it honey, now you just need to do it everyday'. She had a lung cancer and she didn't tell me. And not counting many soldiers died under my command as Sergeant."
"Oh, I'm sorry for your loss Gary."
"You don't have to, you didn't do anything Lily."
"Okay."
"I'm going to sleep. You better get some sleep too, take some rest to heal your wounds."
"Alright."
He left and went to sleep on the ground next to Felix. Leaving myself to deal with my own thoughts. I tried to sleep, but I can't do it. My thoughts focused on Alex and that private entry, but I was too tired to do anything. I just sit on the log for the next few minutes, my eyes felt tired and wanted to close themselves. But, I can't sleep.
"Hey." A voice called, I turned to the voice and saw Mr. President approached me and sat next to me.
"Oh, Mr. President. Shouldn't you sleep now?" I asked him.
"I'm having the same problem as yours." He answered.
"Can't sleep?" I questioned.
"Yeah, lot of thoughts going on my head."
"Oh."
"I'm sorry for your friend back at the mine, I know how you feel about him."
"Thanks Mr. President. Alex is one of my best friends, I felt losing my family member when he died. Although he isn't my family member, I still consider him as my brother."
"This might cheer you up." He pulled out something from his pocket and handed the thing to me. I looked at my hand, it was the starite shard we looking for. Now we have 4, just need to find 6 more.
"Thanks Mr. President."
"Anytime." He replied, "And just call me John."
"Alright Mr.- I mean, John."
He yawned and covered his mouth with his hand, "You should take some rest, you're wounded pretty bad and need some rest to heal." He tapped my right shoulder and left.
His kindness reminds me of Alex, he always kind and cared to me. No matter what. I wished that he was here now, sitting next to me and comfort me. I missed him very much right now. But, if he didn't did that. Maybe everyone including me are dead right now. But, if I could be more careful he wouldn't- stop it! Stop blaming yourself Lily, it's not your fault. What Alex did is right, he did this for everyone, especially me. He cared for me and everyone, I closed my eyes and letting a single tear flowing down from my eye. I quickly wiped it away, why did I suddenly cry? God, all this thinking made me cry. I should stop thinking about him and moved on.
But, without him. All of our effort to collect the shards to go home seem... hopeless. Even when we manage go home, my life would be completely different. I put the journal book and the starite shard to my bag. I'm always bring my bag everywhere to keep my stuff whenever I need it.
I was feeling sleepy and tired, I lie on the log and closed my eyes, slowly drifting off to sleep.
"Listen Lily, no matter what. I'm always be with you. In your heart." A mysterious voice said.
The voice sounds familiar to me, but I'm too tired to remember who voice it was as I went to peaceful sleep.
...
The next day, we finally arrived at the Hyphen Heights housing complex where 'father' and 'mother' house is located. "Butcher" landed on the road without any neighborhood complaining. I stepped out from the "Butcher", seeing the sun for the first time in hours. I've almost got an seasick because looking sea out from the window, and "Butcher" is wobbled along the way. I almost puked many times at the floor.
Captain Frank, Gary, Yusuf, and Mr. President waved off goodbye at me and Maxwell as the "Butcher" took off into the air. Felix has come by to our house to rest in our house. He said that he was homeless because the small crummy apartment that has been his house for years has been replaced by a mall in Capital City. I saw a red car that 'mother' and 'father' always used to pick us up from the base. Sarah and Sophia must have already arrived at home. Oh god, what I'm going to tell them when they saw Alex wasn't with us? I could lie, but. It doesn't feel right when I do that. Sarah and Sophia deserved to know what really happened to Alex. Although I already knew how they going to react, I really need to tell them.
Maxwell stepped forward and opened the door, the room was full of commotion and talking. I saw Simon and Jennifer has came to stop here and chatting with 'mother' and 'father'.
"Oh, there you are." 'Father' greeted us.
"Lily sweetie. Are you alright?" 'Mother' asked me, noticing my bandaged stomach, arm, and leg.
"I'm fine." I answered nervously. To be honest, it actually hurts! It was more painful than any pain I ever felt. I'm used to cut or bruise. But, never this kind of wound.
"No you're not. Get inside the bathroom, I need to change your clothes and bandages." She said, "Hun, could you take care of Maxwell? You know..." She pointed to her eye, motioning 'father' to take care of the cut over Maxwell's left eye.
"Alright." 'Father' replied.
'Mother' took me to the bathroom, she also brought some new clothes for me to wear since my blue shirt were stained with blood...
I took off my bag and set it on the floor, leaning it against the wall. She unwrapped the bandages off my body, revealing a large red gash on the right side of my stomach. And my shirt, the lower part of my shirt already turned purple since the red blood mixed with my blue shirt. I think I bleed out last night, that's why I felt tired now. Even I already slept enough for a full night. I also noticed my skin is a little paler now, guess I'm really bleed out last night.
"Gosh Lily, this is what you called fine?" 'Mother' asked.
I stayed silent, not sure what words to reply her. She sighed and removed my star necklace and shirt, revealing my bare chest. I didn't wear bra or some sort. Since I was tomboy and my chest didn't grew much since puberty. I only wear tank tops sometimes when I want to, and I forgot to wear it when I got here.
She proceed to unwrapped the bandage around my upper right arm, I sighed in relief to found that it wasn't a gash or something worse, it was only a small long cut.
When she went to unwrap the bandage on my left leg, I stopped her in mid-way.
"Careful, it's very hurt when you touch it." I told her.
She nodded and slowly unwrapped the bandage around my left leg. My leg was bandaged from knee to my ankle. It took her some time to unwrap the bandage, after she finished, I saw that my leg has some cuts and blackened bruise all over it. Well, I think that is the one who made my leg felt hurt and numb, I also have to limp to just walk around.
'Mother' pulled out a large roll of bandage from the large first aid kit box. She bandage my wound in the same way it was bandaged before. I put on the clothes she brought for me. A grey hoodie and purple skirt. I put on the star necklace and my bag back. I think this grey hoodie is 'father's' old hoodie, since he was... Alex.
This hoodie reminds me of Alex, it's the same grey hoodie he always wear all the time. Why can't I forget about him? But, I felt he was special to me. He loved me and cared for me.
"Lily? Are you alright?" 'Mother' noticed that my mood is down ask me.
"Yeah, I'm fine mom." I answered. I just called my other self mom.
"By the way, where's Alex? I haven't see him with you."
That question really hit me hard, it reminds me of his action yesterday. What should I tell her? I can't lie to her. But, she really need to know. Suddenly I burst into tears and hugged her, burying my face into her shoulder. Now I don't even know why I'm suddenly cry.
"Sweetie, why are you crying? What happened to Alex?" She asked in calm tone.
"He's-" I sobbed, "He's gone now, because me and Maxwell wounded. He stayed behind when we escape from the mine." I answered, finally revealing the truth.
"Oh." She was loss of words, "I understand how you feel now, I'm sorry."
"I don't even know if he still alive or not."
I cried more, I could feel my eyes burning red hot and her shoulder is wet because of my tears. She stroked my back, trying to calm me down. But I couldn't stop crying, no matter what. I could feel that Alex is still alive, somewhere.
"There, there." She patted my back, "It's alright, tomorrow the Alliance is going to find him at any costs. I promise to tell Uncle Maxwell about this."
I looked up to her, "Promise?"
"Promise, now go into your room and take some rest. I'll call you when dinner is ready."
I wiped some tears away and smiled to her. I grabbed some tissue to wipe off some of the tears away and clean the snot out from my nose. I really cry a lot this time around. But, tomorrow the Alliance will search for him at any costs. At least it help me to cheer up a bit.
I exited the bathroom and headed to my room, I limp a bit because of my injured leg.
"Hey Lily." I heard Sophia's voice greeted me, I turned around to face her.
"Oh, hey Sophia." I said.
"You're okay?" She asked, noticing my bandaged arm and leg, and also my red eyes.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just some bruise and cuts. Nothing more." I answered.
"Okay. Where's Alex? I thought he was with you."
That question again, "I... don't want to talk about it."
"Lily. What happened to Alex?" She asked with a demanding tone, I hate it when someone using that tone to ask me.
"We better talk this at our room, and take Sarah with you. This is important."
"Okay." She looked confused and curious at the same time. I was nervous, how do they react if I told them the truth?
After me, Sophia, and Sarah gathered at our room upstairs. We sat on the bed that me and Alex share together.
"Alright Lily, what happened to my brother? Is he okay?" Sarah asked me.
I stayed silent for a moment, I could already imagine how they reaction will be. But, they deserve to know about it. Including Sarah, she's Alex sister. And of course she worried about Alex, guess I really have to tell them.
"Listen, back at the mine. Me and Maxwell are wounded because of a rocket. Alex stayed behind to hold the enemy off when me and Maxwell dragged to the Osprey. Everyone demanded him to get in and escape, but he refused. When we left, Maxwell watched the scene from the window. He said that Alex got shot on both of his shoulder and ended up surrounded by the Empire soldiers. Everyone thinks he's dead, but I could feel that he is still alive. He was taken somewhere by the Empire." I explained.
They froze for a moment and stared at me in disbelief, suddenly Sarah burst into tears and ran out from the room.
"Sarah! Wait!" Sophia quickly ran out from the room to catch up with her.
Great job Lily. You just made Sarah cry and Sophia is going to be mad at you. I should've known to not tell Maxwell the idea to explore the storage. Now it all messed up, if I didn't did that days ago, this all is not going to happen. And I'm not going to made everyone sad. What the hell am I thinking? Stop it! I promise to not blame myself again. I just sit there for a moment, and cried again for the second time.
"Don't worry Lily. Someday, you'll able to find me again." An accented voice said to me, it's the same familiar voice that I heard last night. But, it couldn't be. If he's dead then... No. He couldn't die. I'm sure he's still alive, somewhere.
...
I poked the peas next to the half-finished steak at my plate, now it's dinner and I didn't really felt hungry. Sarah has stopped crying, but still sobbing a bit while eating her food. Sophia's mood is down thanks to me, she is eating her food slowly. Felix, Simon, and Jennifer also joined our dinner, luckily the table is enough for all of us. The adults has already knew about Alex, but decided to not tell the kids about it.
"Lily, stop playing with your food. Eat it." 'Mother' told me.
I crossed the spoon and the fork and pushed my plate away.
"I'm not hungry." I said, getting up from my chair and headed to my room.
I decided to continue reading the journal, and that's when Rosa entered the room and sat next to me.
"Hey Lily, is there something wrong?" She asked.
"Uh, nothing. Everything is fine." I lied.
"Okay, I just wanted to give you this." She held out her hand to me, with the golden starite shard at her hand.
"Rosa, where did you get this?" I asked.
"I found it in the backyard, a few days before you came here. It was shining and looked very interesting, so I decided to took it and kept it somewhere." She answered.
I hesitantly took it, great now we have 5 out of 5 shard.
"Now I need to get back, see you later Lily." She said to me before leaving.
I put the shard at my bag and decided to read the 'private entry' on Alex's journal, I took the brown journal book from my bag. I flipped through the pages until I came across the 'private entry' page. I've been resisting my urge to read it all the day, now I'm all alone and it's the perfect time to read it. I slowly opened the page and read it;
Private note 001.
Dear, Lily.(if you read this) This is the private entry that I specially made for you. I want you to read this, for us. I don't want to keep it secret all the time. I decided to create this entry to reveal all of my secret to you...
Well, I only know her for a month. But, there's something special about her. Lily is not an ordinary girl you'll find anywhere. She will do anything to reply your kindness, if you cared for her, then she'll care for you too. If you love her, and she'll loves you back. You wouldn't want to waste her kindness to you. She doesn't need anything, she just want your attention. And it was what made me had a crush on her.
It's been a week, since I had a crush on her. Lily. I've been keeping this secret for a week. I decided to reveal it to you. I always admiring you since I arrived at your world, sometimes I always wanted to say this to you. I actually love you. The reason I didn't say this to you is, I don't want to scare you away. I just know you for a month, I felt like it wasn't the right time to say it. And I was too shy to say it. But, at the same time I was afraid that I will never able to say it to you.
Sometimes, I also wanted to have my first kiss since I know someone who I can love. But, I only got an accidental kiss with you. It's embarrassing, but at least we were alone at that time, and nobody knows about it.
I think I've revealed everything to you, and I'm going to end this entry.
I closed the book and stared at it, he actually loved me! And actually he also too shy to say just like me, I felt a tear fell from my right eye. It wasn't the tear of sadness, but a tear of happiness. I lie on my bed and hugged the brown journal book at my chest. Slowly drifting off to sleep, this time I slept easily.
Maxwell's POV
I closed the door after I finished seeing Lily, I was glad that she didn't sad anymore when she read the 'private entry'. Because I already knew what the entry contain, I'm not that stupid to waste such a chance to read Alex's secret in his journal.
Well, now I know that Alex also had a crush at my twin sister. She glad to know about it, and me too. Tomorrow I will find Alex for her, I don't want to see her sad all the time. Including Sarah and Sophia, it really hit Sarah and Lily hard. He's the only family member Sarah had when we took them to our world. I'm pretty sure Alex is still alive, somewhere.