Chapter Text
2022
Turning off the car engine, Damian took a step outside of his car, facing the view around him, filled with people carrying flowers and candles to offer.
As he walked closer towards his destination, he saw the number of people placing their candles and flowers in baskets gently in front of the enormous wall in front of them which is triple their sizes.
The Wall Of Hope; a wall of black marble with borders of gold that continues to shine brightly and stand proudly on the heart of Bellridge, Westalis, with names of hundreds of thousands of people engraved onto the wall with their origins unknown to the breathing citizens of today.
To others who refuse to believe that this is a part of history, it may look like a wall of useless display, but to the people who embraced the darkness of its history, it holds a deep significance to them.
It was a wall erected by the officials and funded worldwide to honor the citizens who brought their lives on the line to end the monstrosity of war to both countries. From famous personalities to ordinary people, their names are engraved onto the cold black marble as a sign of respect and honor for the things they have done to achieve freedom and the end of war.
“Sorry I’m late, traffic was hell today.” Damian said as he was facing the wide wall in front of him, standing in the same place while staring at the same name at his eye level, he traced the letters with his calloused fingertips.
Anya Forger
It felt unreal that instead of a breathing Anya Forger, probably with grey tips on her hair and age being prominent on her skin, standing right in front of him with a smile, a gleaming wall of black with borders of gold is gracing his view.
A rueful expression painted his face. It truly is a pity that she was gone too early, like a blooming flower plucked from its stem and a raging fire extinguished quickly.
No… he thought to himself.
Anya Forger is more of a star, a shining one filled with light like a fire and blossom of a flower. But just like stars, they all underwent supernovae, and Anya’s supernova was too early… Too quick to be true.
But just like any other supernovas, not only do they detonate, they also make history. Anya Forger forged her history alongside other people. From being one of the courageous children from a bus hijacking to an activist who fought to achieve peace that every country deserves.
To Damian, she’s a hero in his eyes, although never seen nor written in history books, but still is a hero for a few to remember by, and he is one of those few.
Shifting his mind back to reality, he reached out to his pocket to reveal a folded paper and a lighter on his hand, “After months of searching for this on my drawers, I finally found it. Sorry it took me very long to give you this, it must’ve been my age starting to make me forget things little by little.” Damian chuckled.
Flicking the spark wheel to emit fire, he placed the edge of the paper onto the flame, thoroughly burning the paper and becoming ashes, flying into the wind like unseen particles; a little procedure that Ewen taught him when they were young.
“Becky and the others are on their way here, though I need to go back immediately due to meetings I must attend. Tell Mr. and Mrs. Forger and your uncle that I said hi.” He softly whispered then said a silent goodbye, turning his heel towards the place where he parked his car, ready for another day ahead of him.
——————————————
To Anya,
Hello, how have you been? I hope you’ve been well. I’m sorry it took me long to write you another letter again, my workload as a college professor has continually increased like a hydra. Although tiring at times, it still gives me joy knowing that I’m doing what I am passionate about.
Everyone in our friend group has been doing so well throughout this year; Ewen and Becky’s son went to get his master’s degree in political science, Emile’s the chief doctor of a prestigious hospital, and now I’m both a professor to college students and a few STEM students. We’re all doing great in life so there’s no need for you to worry.
To be honest, even though many decades have passed, we still miss you. Even if our time spent with you was small, we still cherish and relive every moment we spent with you when we were young at Eden.
It still feels like it was yesterday when my friends and I heard of what happened to you and your uncle, everything was fresh and painful to suddenly remember like rubbing alcohol on a bleeding wound.
I kind of feel like my time is slowly coming to me at a snail’s pace. Although I’m a bit scared, I also feel happiness at the same time. Scared because I fear death up until now, and happiness because I might finally meet you up there, that place where they said the soul will have eternal rest and happiness.
If my time comes up, just so remember that I always will wish for the same thing and will consider it as my final wish:
If we were ever given the chance to meet again, let it be on times where everything was peaceful, where no horrifying sounds to terror and tear us apart again.
Until we meet again
Forever yours, D. Desmond
—————————————
Fin.