Justice City

Ch. 2

Rosabel and Tereza sat on a bench near the coast of Justinia to watch the sunset. For Rosabel, this will be her last time. The breeze is soft, and the scent of salt fills their lungs. Ocean waves crash against one another and merge while seagulls scavenge for any food they can find.

Rosabel looks at the pocket watch; it's 6:06. "He should've been here by now." She looks up at the sky, spots her crow flying, and lands next to her on the bench.

"You made it!" She pets her crow on its head. "So you know where they live?" The crow caws.

"I'll take that as a yes!"

"Is everything ready?" Tereza asks.

"Yes."

"But?"

Rosabel is taken aback by Tereza's question. The feeling of mortality wasn't present until that very moment, or at least that's what Rosable would like to think. It has been constantly in her mind since she made her selfish decision.

"Oh." This is the last day of her life. She looks down at her hands, then her ring, the one thing keeping her alive for so long.

"Oh?"

"It's just," Rosabel pauses to find the correct words. But she can't think of anything; all she can do is feel her heart pounding inside her chest. "I don't know."

"You can say it. It's better that way." Tereza reassures her.

Rosabel thinks for a moment while looking at the waves. "I'm scared. I don't know if it'll hurt. The worst part is knowing I won't be alive and the world will continue without me; I made no difference. I've been here for almost a century, almost immortal, and now at the brink of death by my own will."

"Is it?"

"Yes! Of course! No one is forcing me to, but I still can't help but think about the time I wasted and the people I left unprotected all because of my selfish needs. And now I'm afraid of fixing my own mistake?" Rosabel raises her voice. "I should've carried my burden a little longer. I want to be an adequate mentor, but now I'm burdening you with my apprentice when you'll have to find your own one day and-"

"Stop. Stop regretting at the last minute, or this won't be any easier. You've done well. Even if we're saving one person, that's one more you gave a second chance to. But I know you've saved countless, with or without your powers, and that's why you were chosen. And about your apprentice, don't worry, it's no issue at all. I still have some time to pick my own. You've done everything you could and more. Don't worry about anything, everything will be fine. You've served well."

"Will it hurt?" Rosabel asks again.

"I can't say, but whatever happens, I'm here." Tereza raises her hand, and Rosabel takes it. She squeezes her hand and smiles at Rosabel. Rosabel smiles back with misty eyes and takes a deep breath.

"Okay," Rosabel says, and her voice cracks. She pets her crow one last time and takes out her ring. She hands it to Tereza.

They both hold hands as Rosabel looks at the sky and tears up. Tereza stares at Rosabel, curious to see what would happen to her.

Rosabel's hair slowly becomes whiter as wrinkles start appearing on her face. Tereza could feel her hand shrink slightly and become colder until her skin fit her bones like a glove. Rosabel becomes so thin that her clothes become loose. At the brink of her last breath, she speaks almost in a whisper, "It didn't hurt."

All that was left in Tereza's hand was a handful of sand, and beside her, a pile of clothes and more sand. Every time Tereza blinked, she could see Rosabel decompose. To forget, she stared off into the horizon. Now, the sky was a dark violet with pink streaks as the night became darker.