Chapter Text
“Only five can be brought to life, one you’ll have to leave behind,” Karnak announced.
“W-what do you mean?” Ocean asked, shaking, “Why only five?”
“I only have enough energy for five,” the machine answered with a flat tone.
“Well we all know who should be left behind,” Noel rolled his eyes, “Bye-bye, you smartass!”
Constance watched them from a corner, where she was hiding since Jane showed up. Those were her friends, and now they were tearing each other apart, screaming and running around, deciding who is the least deserving of life. Isn’t it cruel?
She looked at them and thought about how little life they all lived. How much more could any of them, even Jane, maybe, achieve, if it wasn’t for this. Everyone but her, Constance. She had no ambitions, she never wanted anything, her biggest dream was leaving her town.
“Listen to me,” she said. They didn’t. So she cleared her throat, and for the first time in her life, yelled with full force, “Listen to me!!!”
Silence fell like a weighted blanket. Everyone turned to her.
“I will stay here,” she said. She was never as sure of anything in her life as she was sure of this.
“You can’t!” Ocean protested, but Constance shook her head and came closer.
“But I should. Look at yourselves. Look at you, Ocean,” Constance took Ocean’s face in her hands, “You have so much yet to say, so much yet to do. We can’t make the town lose it’s most ambitious girl, it’s golden star student.”
Constance looked over at Noel.
“Noel,” she said, taking his hand, “I would never forgive myself if you couldn’t fulfill your dreams. You were born to make art, not die in a stupid accident.”
“I-i,” Noel tried to say something, but got choked up.
“Mischa,” Constance proceeded, “We can’t leave your fiance without you. And we certainly can’t leave the world without your talent. What kind of life would I live knowing you could never truly come home, when I get to every day?”
“Constance,” he tried to stop her, but she walked over to Ricky.
“Ricky. It’s not fair to not let you live life as your authentic self. Yes, I could never truly understand you, but one day the world will. And when it does, it will be amazed. Someone who held in so much for so long must have a lot to say, trust me, I get it.”
Finally, she, a little sheepishly, walked over to Jane. She looked at her with her empty doll eyes.
“Jane… Or whatever your name is… How could I not save you? How could I strip away your only chance at knowing who you are? What monster would I be?”
Jane slowly nodded.
Constance turned to her friends, tears shining in her eyes. Of course she wanted to live. She would do anything to live again.
“I’ve experienced so much. I had a happy family, decent grades, hobbies, friends, I had a home, I had crushes, I even had… I even had sex, I guess,” she admitted, but her friends were too busy trying not to cry to properly react, “And if I get to keep these memories, that would be enough”
“I can’t promise that,” Karnak said.
“I don’t need you to. But I need a promise from all of you,” Constance looked around, “Life can be different. It can be difficult, boring, painful, and sometimes it’s so damn hard to love it. But it’s wonderful. It’s an experience everyone deserves to get. And now that you get a second chance, please, in memory of me, never forget that life is worth living…”
“No!” Ocean screamed, “Don’t leave me!”
And something magical happened. All the others hugged her. And Noel was first. He was crying no less than her, but he hugged her and held her. Constance smiled. She loved her friends so much.
“So how do I do this?” Constance asked, standing next to the novelty machine.
“Just pull the lever,” Karnak said, “They will be safe, Constance. I read their fortunes.”
“Thank you,” Constance grabbed the handle of the lever.
Inhale.
Exhale.
And she pulled.