Getting Home

Part 45

What?

Henry was supposed to hunt that thing from the alleyway? How? What could Henry possibly do against that thing?

"Why was chasing us then?" I asked. "And how are you supposed to stop something like that?"

I could only see the profile of his face, the gold light from the fairies bathing it in a dull gleam as he turned to look up at them, confused as if he was listening to something.

"I don't know," he said, face concentrated as if he were listening. "Whatever happened to me, happened to it—he doesn't know who he is anymore."

Henry turned to angrily face the fairies.

"You cannot... Creator..." the voices instantly began to murmur. "Your form... will not... survive..."

Henry faced me, taking both of my hands in his.

"I'm going back," he said.

"What?" I didn't even know how to comprehend what I was hearing. "What—Henry, why?

He pulled our hands up closer between us.

"The dark entity is never going to stop, Ava," he said, his voice low. "It can't. It's only going to grow, consuming everything and everyone until nothing is left."

"But what about the war here? Your people?" I said. "And how are you going to stop something like the dark entity? Ask them, Henry—make them tell us about your people, where you come from."

"The Creator... is outside... the Wall..." they rasped.

"They won't talk to me," he said, frustrated.

"They just did."

"I mean to me," he said, angrily tapping his head.

"You don't have to do this, Henry," I tried again. "You don't have to go back to die."

"I have to try."

"Henry, you hated it there!" I suddenly shouted, unable to control myself. "And so do I!"

He didn't respond.

"I—I can stay here you... I can help you," I said, the tears running down my face now, ashamed of myself but unable to stop. "I don't care about getting home anymore... all I care about is being with you."

I wish I could have taken it back as soon as it left my lips.

I know it was selfish—so selfish—to say things like that, about abandoning my own home. But sending Henry back surely to only die? And me too? Henry's memories had literally been destroyed—sure, maybe he would remember in the nick of time, but...

At what cost?

And what else was there to really go back for? My now shattered family? My dim and broken dreams?

A world that didn't care about people anymore?

"I'm sorry, Henry," I said, sniffling and wiping for my face for the millionth time. "I know how disappointing I am."

He gently smiled.

"I want the exact same thing, Ava" he said softly. "You know that. That's all I want, more than anything... to stay here, with you, forever." He touched the side of my face with one hand, looking deep into my eyes. "But what kind of person would I be to let your world die instead? There's still hope for your world, Ava.