Page 96 of A Simple Truth

It was comforting to meet the same, all-encompassing rage deep within him; the same insanity that demanded retribution. A minute later, I made the jump back, the thought of his death buried deep within himan urge he couldn’t fight.

“Is it all done?” he asked.

“Yes,” I replied. His copper eyes weren’t scared, as they locked with mine. I understood.

Nothing could hurt more than what we had experienced.

“Do you think they’ll hunt us in the Afterlife too?” he stated.

“People like us don’t go to the Afterlife. We all go straight to hell,” I answered as silence settled over us.

“Hell or Afterlife, I guess I won’t care as long as the headaches stop.” He gave me another glance, severing the last of his emotions. “I think I am ready now.” He looked at the empty hall before taking a step away. “Goodbye, Truth Teller.”

“Goodbye,” I replied, releasing my pull on him. I lingered in the dark alcove, swallowed by shadows, watching him attempt to understand his feelings; to understand that intense urge that he was now fixated with.

He wouldn’t remember me, or our conversation. All his mind would be focused on was how terribly bad he needed to walk down those stairs, to that dungeon, and burn that creature.

He was a skilled Truth Teller, yet his master didn’t teach him the most important lesson of them all.

A lesson that had kept me alive longer that it should have.

People could justify and explain their thoughts, their memories.

But emotions? They listened to no reason.

And that was true control.

60

FINNLEAH

Ifought against the chains, against the suffocating darkness encompassing me.

I had to get out. I had to leave now. The iron links choked me, pulling me away from the small ray of light far ahead. I thrashed as the metal clunked against the cold stone, echoing down the tunnel. A sense of doom filled every cell in my body.

I blinked and opened my eyes to nothing but a bright white, light blinding me. So invigorating. It felt as if I could touch the light itself.

I stretched out my hands as the big, weightless clumps of gray and white landed on me.

Ash.

It poured ash from the sky like white, fluffy snowflakes. I titled my head, curiously observing the small specks landing on my skin.

“Finn. Finn. Finn. Finn. Finn. Finn.” I sharply turned back; my brows furrowed deep as I heard my name.

There, amidst the fallen ash, a person kneeled.

One I immediately recognized.

Viyak.

“Vi!” I shouted at him repeatedly, hoping that he’d hear me, but he just kept on rocking back and forth on his knees, chanting my name. I yelled again as I tried running towards him. But a strong force pulled me away, further from him, until the darkness swallowed me whole.

I sat up in bed, rubbing my face with my clammy hands. It was still dark, the quiet night outside lulling each creature to sleep, but not me.

I grabbed a drink off my nightstand, taking a sip of the cold water, gagging on it, as water tasted dry like ash.

“Are you okay?” Gia whispered near me. The rest of the Ten were still peacefully slumbering.

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