Chapter Text
5.
‘This crystal? It’s nothing.’
‘Didn’t you say that it could grant wishes?’
‘In some ways, yes.’
I snatched it back from his hands as he ran after me, yelling to stop. I only stood still when I was alone. Looking down at the ground. His voice echoed in the distance as I stared at the crystal. If Jasper hadn’t kicked it and found it. None, none of this would’ve happened. They'd still be alive. Intact. And we'd know where everyone was. No rushing to see them for the last time and no trying to keep each other safe. If he had never put his voice in our minds, telling us to make a wish, no one, would be dead.
There were five of us. Five hopeless teenagers. Now it’s only me.
I wondered if it would work. I wondered if I would go where I wanted. I wondered if it was all going to go wrong. I told them to not touch it but did they listen to me? Nope. They listened. And what happened?
They died. Tragically.
It’s been one year. One whole year of waiting to see what would happen to me. So far, nothing. A minor scratch from a broken piece of glass from Caleb’s car. Bloodstains on my fingers that haven’t disappeared even after trying to wash it off from the sidewalk when I passed by Amy's murderer on his walk to the next town. I still have the petals of the tulip I found on the mountaintop after seeing how Charlotte died. And the drinks at the bar that Jasper went to are pretty good. I watched them in their final moments. Where in town they were. It's a shame I didn't know where Jasper's body parts were shipped to. I miss them. I miss the conversations and gifts we'd get each other, no matter how stupid they were. The bracelets Amy made for us. The matching keychains Jasper had bought. The stickers we'd put on our faces that Charlotte had bought while laughing and smiling and Caleb buying a sticker book to stop us from wasting them. Save me, the memories are killing me…
But why haven't I died yet? If this worked, then why didn't I die with them? When I stood on the beach and the sand covered my bare feet, no wave took me away. When I went to the forest, no poisonous plant killed me. When I approached the lily of the valley flower, held it in my hand, it withered. Stupid gem, making me feel guilty for being the last one alive.
Maybe, that stupid gem realised that I, had no dreams. I didn't hope for anything in the past. I had no wishes for the future. What could it do? Absolutely nothing. But now, it seems like fate. I need to die. I need to complete the goal. But I need to destroy this crystal. No one needs to go through that pain. Then I die. The devil couldn't find me, so I'll do his job for him.
I step on the crystal, in an attempt to break it. But it doesn't work. So, I throw it at the hard concrete. It shatters like glitter in the air. Shining in the moonlight. I scatter the pieces, some on the roof, some behind a bush, and some in my shoes, trying to separate them as much as possible. My eyes dart around to check if anyone was nearby. Luckily, I was alone on the secluded rooftop.
Done.
/
‘I’m coming guys…’
They stepped off the brick wall of the apartment rooftop, before falling down a great height that no one could possibly survive. Blood pooled as the rain started pouring down, washing away some of the sticky liquid. They were quickly soaked in water and blood at the same time. Their body was still twitching but after a few minutes of tears running down their face, they didn't move again.
Five were dead.
…
‘Your wish was to not feel any guilt. You can't really feel when you're dead, can you?’
…
After granting the old wishes, the crystal appeared once more. Whole and brand new. All that remained from the previous people was a dry, bloody fingerprint. It was by the rubbish bins of the apartment, waiting for more victims to entrust their fates to this small piece of false hope. Clinging against the metal like a noisy windchime. Except, there was no wind. The last one ended up with a lifeless body and a pool of blood.
If an unfortunate person found it, it would be the same fate.
There were five. Now even more hopeless. No way to complete the dreams.