Chapter Text
An explosion...
The bridge.
He had been so close, he could taste his freedom.
He stood, baffled as the waves rippled beneath the newly formed cliff.
It had collapsed.
He knew it, he fucking knew god was punishing him. Tears already in his eyes as he silently cursed to no one in particular. A man who had given up his life to see the truth that so terribly hurt him.
Why did he even want to remember?
You were comfortable
Why didn’t he just take his Joy?
You were happy.
His shaking hands found their way to his face as he slowly removed his glasses as he lowered himself to the ground.
He decided something he hadn’t even imagined doing in years.
He wept.
He wants so badly to forget,
He knows he cannot.
Arthur Hastings was alone in this world now, no joy could ever help him forget that fact. He couldn’t go back to the Parade, he knows they would welcome him back with open arms.. but he just cant.. not anymore..
I would sure like to see Sparky again..
I suppose that will never happen now.
He was lost in a world that no longer made sense. A betrayed, battered and broken man.
He hadn’t realised the blood, nor the pain in his left side, he was too distraught.
It wasn’t until a small pool began to form that Arthur was brought back to his senses, which was soon followed by a wave of nausea. He had always been squeamish.
It wasn’t until he started upright that he felt the pain. He wimpered and slowed his movements, knowing one slight move would send him into a wave of agony.
A bandage! .. yeah a bandage would do just nicely! He thought.
His hands were still shaking, he begins to wonder if it’s the sadness or the pain that is causing it.
Either way it did him no help whatsoever, he thought of it as a nuisance as he crudely wrapped the bandage around him. Somewhere, deep down, he knew that this would not help, but Arthur is forever a man of hope and sarcastic optimism.
He has to keep going,
For Percy.
He clears his mind to focus on one thing, shelter. He needs a place to go. Walking through town like this would be a death sentence in itself, if he could just run to the nearest shelter he would be able to rest for a couple of days while he heals,
He halted his thoughts,
If i heal...
“Bloody hell...” he grumbles as he stands, supporting himself on what little is left of the bridges railing as he begins to make his way towards town.
He doesn’t think of the regrets or the anger that are currently trying to worm their way to the front of this mind, “Focus” he whispers, he knows it’s becoming more difficult,
In the end it’s the back alleys that manage to take him to his destination. But he all to quickly realises he is going to die with a lack of proper care.
This isn’t how he’d imagined it at all.
As he walked through the tunnels, his anxieties grew. He could practically feel his muscles begin to slack and numb, his legs becoming more like lead with each step and his staggering breaths sending pain through his ribcage. He began wondering if this is how he really wants to go out, alone without a word or anyone to wish him a nice journey.. or even a small ‘Cheerio!’
He’d be gone,
Without seeing Percy,
Without being around his family,
Without saying goodbye to his friends.
Without telling Sally how very sorry he is, even if he’s not overly fond of her..
Then he remembered.. one person he could visits, who he went to as a child, who would take care of him as one of his own, and who has also lost everything.
“Ollie!” He exclaimed, and began hurrying down the tunnel towards the Garden District. He could make it, he could, no, he WOULD not be alone.